*This content was translated by AI.
Kakao Entertainment (co-CEO Kwon Ki-soo, Jang Yoon-joong) artists will speed up the expansion of global fandom in 2026. It plans to further strengthen its global influence as a representative K-pop artist, foreshadowing various global activities, including album releases and tours.
Starship MONSTA X, which began its activities as a whole to mark its 10th anniversary last year, opened its doors in 2026 and took a global step. Following member Jooheon's solo mini-album release on January 5, MONSTA X will start the MONSTA X World Tour "THE X: NEXUS" with a performance at KSPO Dome in Seoul from January 30 to February 1. The world tour, which will be held for the first time in about four years since September 2022, will be held in major regions such as Asia and Latin America, starting with Seoul, and will expand contact with global fans.
Monsta X recorded a career high in initial sales with its mini album "THE X" released to mark the 10th anniversary of its debut last year and was listed on major global charts, including Billboard. In addition, at the end of last year, he participated in the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour in the United States and met fans in major cities, solidifying his competitiveness in the global pop market and his position as a performance artist. This year, it plans to expand its influence through various activities, including a large-scale world tour.
Starship IVE will begin its global activities with the release of a new album at the end of February. In particular, while the pre-release song was announced on February 9 before the album's release, it is raising the heat of the comeback by sequentially releasing a film of Coming Soon that contains a cinematic worldview. After completing his comeback activities, Ive will go on his second world tour, Show What I Am. Abe, who began his world tour at KSPO Dome in Seoul in October last year, will meet with global fans in major regions around the world, including Osaka, Kyocera Dome, Japan, and the Americas, Europe, Asia, and Oceania in April.
Having achieved unrivaled results by winning seven consecutive million sellers, 20 music broadcasting awards, and sweeping various music awards, IVE is expected to solidify its presence as the top girl group once again through this news report and world tour. The plan is to further solidify its position as a global artist representing K-pop by continuing large-scale tours with upgraded musical capabilities and performances.
Starship KiiiKiii, a group of "Gen Z Mi" that successfully debuted last year, released its second mini album "Delulu Pack" on the 26th to expand its global fandom. The album maximizes the team's appeal by releasing an expanded musical spectrum with six new songs in a wide range of genres ranging from dreamy moods to energetic sounds, including the title song "404 (New Era).
In particular, based on Kiki's unique confident and free energy, it is proving its competitiveness as a next-generation K-pop girl group by releasing a trendy sound and visual concept of higher completeness. Kiki attracted attention by winning seven rookie awards at various K-pop awards, captivating fans at home and abroad at the same time as her debut song "IDOME (I Do Me)" last year. In particular, it is expanding its presence on the global stage, including participating as the only K-pop girl group in the "Music Expo Live 2025" held at Tokyo Dome in September last year.
Lee Dam Entertainment Woods (WOODZ, Cho Seung-yeon) is also raising expectations by announcing the release of a full-length album in 2026. Woods topped the music platform Melon's annual chart with his "Drowning" syndrome last year and has solidified his production capabilities as an all-rounder artist with a single "I'll Never Love Again" released after being discharged from the military.
In particular, on February 26th, prior to the full-length album, he will challenge acting through the movie "Slide Strum Mute" with director Park Se-young and Justin Min, drawing attention by showing a new step that crosses the boundaries of music and movies. "Slide Strum Mute" is a 59-minute short film in which Woods plans to meet audiences in theaters, playing Woo-jin, a character and lead character who sprints with his inner deep desire in the face of irresistible opportunities and choices.
Artists from Antenna, which has a large number of talented musicians, are also looking forward to it. Amid the continuous performance of solo artists such as Kyuhyun and Jung Seung-hwan, who are imprinting their unique music identity on the public, the band Dragon Pony, which is expanding its contact with domestic and foreign fans through various stages such as festivals, is also raising expectations for growth in the global music market as a representative K-band player.
At the same time, Kakao Entertainment's global band hrtz.wave (Heartswave) will also make its debut in the first half of the year and head to the global stage. Heartwave is a five-member band formed through the global band making project Mnet 'Steel Heart Club'. As music, performance capabilities, individuality and charm of each member have been recognized through the survival process, attention is also being paid to their official debut.
Hearts Wave, which is stepping up preparations for its debut with the aim of "a new wave of band music that shines on youth," is expanding communication with fans and imprinting its presence by sequentially releasing various contents such as challenge videos and behind-the-scenes videos along with album preparation even before its official debut. Based on its accumulated music production, distribution, and marketing capabilities, Kakao Entertainment is planning various activities so that Heart Wave can grow into a rookie that will continue the K-band boom on the global stage.
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*This content was translated by AI.
