HYBE's &TEAM and JYP's NiziU Ignite a New Wave in the Idol Market

HYBE's &TEAM and JYP Entertainment's NiziU are stirring a new wave in the idol market.

Birthed from JYP Entertainment's global audition project, 'Nizi Project', in 2020, the localized Japanese group NiziU, and &TEAM, the global group first introduced by HYBE Labels Japan in December last year, have sequentially fired the starting signal for their activities in Korea.

At 'KCON JAPAN 2023' held at the Makuhari Messe in Tokyo, Japan from the 12th to the 14th, NiziU and &TEAM unfolded their Korean-language performances. These two groups, which have swept Japan with K-pop production systems implemented by major agencies, have begun to stir a new wave in the idol market by throwing out messages of their Korean activities.

Last December, NiziU announced their plans to release a Korean album through an official statement from their agency, JYP. Amid the news of their second full album 'COCONUT' set to release in July, the plan for Korean activities still shrouded in mystery raises anticipation. NiziU, composed entirely of Japanese members, managed to set the record for the fastest dome entry by a female artist with a solo concert in a dome just one year and 11 months after their debut. They have established themselves as a 'leading girl group' in the local scene, attracting over 330,000 spectators in just last year alone. Combining the advantages of both Korean and Japanese systems, they are breathing new life into the K-pop market.

&TEAM, on the other hand, is taking a step ahead by starting their Korean activities earlier. They have formalized their Korean activities by including the title track 'FIREWORK (Korean ver.)' and two other Korean tracks in their second mini-album 'First Howling: WE', which is set to release on June 14th. While NiziU solidified their position in Japan before venturing into Korean activities four years after their debut, &TEAM announces their Korean activities just six months after their debut, demonstrating the strides of a global group.

&TEAM is comprised of nine members, including four (EJ, K, Nicholas, Taki) from Mnet's audition program 'I-LAND', where ENHYPEN was formed. The remaining five members, apart from those who have appeared in the audition program, also boast fluent Korean language skills, capable of real-time communication with fans. Moreover, the multinational members who can speak a total of five languages present advantageous conditions for overseas activities.

True to their lineage from HYBE, their distinctive 'HYBE-style knife-like dance' is cited as a major strength of the team. Performances are an essential element in capturing global fans and overcoming language barriers. &TEAM's bold strategy to expand their activities worldwide just six months after their debut may be backed by their confidence in their performance.

&TEAM will make their full-fledged Korean activities debut by participating in the '2023 Weverse Con Festival' to be held at the Olympic Park KSPO Dome and 88 Grass Square from June 10th to 11th. It will be interesting to see if they can prove the 'success DNA of HYBE' in Korea, following their success in the Japanese music market.

Copyright © 2023 Kpop Reporter. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.