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Babymonster
South Korean girl group From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Babymonster (Korean: 베이비몬스터; RR: Beibimonseuteo; stylized in all caps), also referred to as Baemon (/beɪmɒn/ BAY-mon; 베몬), is a South Korean girl group formed by YG Entertainment, consisting of seven members: Ruka, Pharita, Asa, Ahyeon, Rami, Rora, and Chiquita. They debuted as a full ensemble on April 1, 2024, with their eponymous extended play (EP) Babymons7er. Its single, "Sheesh", became their first top-ten hit on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart. Babymonster subsequently released their debut studio album, Drip, on November 1, whose title track became their second top-ten hit in their country.
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History
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2018–2022: Formation and pre-debut activities
Following the launch of YG Entertainment's representative girl groups, 2NE1 (2009) and Blackpink (2016), news of their next girl group circulated as early as 2018.[2][3] They received applicants from various countries, some of whom were accepted into its training program as early as age 10, training an average of four to five years.[4] In the number of recruits, each prospective member placed first against thousands in their respective auditions.[5] In January 2020, "Babymonster", one of many names initially considered for Blackpink,[6] and "Baemon" (a syllabic abbreviation of the former) were trademarked in English and Korean by the label and tentatively used by media outlets until the eventual disclosure of their official uses.[7][8][9]
Its selection process was chronicled in Last Evaluation (2023), a reality show filmed in the previous year prior to its airing, showcasing seven potential members.[10] Label founder, Yang Hyun-suk, enlisted assistance by Lee Su-hyun of AKMU, and Winner's Kang Seung-yoon and Lee Seung-hoon amidst others to judge, rank, and determine its formation for the duration of the show.[11][12] Yang revealed the number of members he first planned was five;[13] however, a seven-piece ensemble was finalized with three South Koreans (Ahyeon, Rami, Rora), two Japanese (Ruka, Asa), and two Thai members (Pharita, Chiquita).[14] Ahyeon, Ruka, Chiquita, Rami, and Pharita were selected by the label, while Rora and Asa were contemplated to be placed into two different projects before ultimately joining the final line-up as the "fans' choice".[14]
Leading to their acceptance into the label, Rami started as a child model at age two;[15] Ruka debuted in the Japanese girl group Shibu3 project;[7] Rora joined the children's music group U.SSO Girl with Hyein of NewJeans;[16] and Pharita modelled in contests and sought for audition programs.[17] Ruka, the longest trained member of the seven,[18] Rora, and Asa, trained under the company for six years anterior to their debut.[19] Rami and Ahyeon honed their craft for five years,[19] while Pharita, who was chosen out of 1,226 applicants in her audition,[20] trained for four years.[21] Chiquita, the final addition to the prospective group,[3] joined after three months of training,[20] the shortest period of all members;[3] cultivating with its members for three years.[21] In this time, their vocals were often recorded in their labelmate's work (i.e. the final chorus of Kang Seung-yoon's "Iyah" (아이야; aiya)).[22]
2023–2024: Introduction and debut
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YG Entertainment signaled the septet's formal introduction on December 30, 2022, with a poster and the subtext "YG Next Movement".[23] It heralded a trailer-esque video posted on YouTube on New Year's Day that garnered 15 million views in three days,[24] and featured appearances by members of Winner and Blackpink, sibling duo AKMU, dancer and choreographer Leejung Lee, and label founder Yang Hyun-suk.[25] Babymonster's introduction, together with the announcement of G-Dragon's feasible return as a soloist that same day, contributed to a subsequent rise in the label's stocks, leaping by 11.74%.[26] The seven members were revealed to the public through the gradual releases of live performance videos starting on January 12,[7] (in order: Rami, Ahyeon, Chiquita, Asa, Rora, Pharita, and Ruka).[27] They released a pre-debut promotional single titled "Dream" on May 14, 2023, coinciding with the release of Last Evaluation (2023);[28] the YouTube exclusive debuted atop the Billboard Hot Trending Songs chart.[29] Their channel soon surpassed one million subscribers in 52 days since its creation on December 28, 2022,[20] and two million subscribers in 129 days, becoming the fastest K-pop girl group to achieve this milestone.[30]
The group released two singles as a six-piece titled "Batter Up" and "Stuck in the Middle" on November 27, 2023,[31] and February 1, 2024,[32] respectively, with the former serving as the sextet's debut single and Babymonster's pre-debut release.[33] Label-mates Lee Chan-hyuk of AKMU and Choi Hyun-suk of Treasure contributed in penning the piece, while its member Asa, worked on both its music and lyrics.[31] Its music video amassed 22.59 million views within a day, became the most viewed debut music video in the first 24 hours in K-pop history,[34] and became the fastest debut music video to reach 100 million views on the platform, eighteen days after its release.[35] It found further success on Spotify, achieving 10 million streams in ten days, the fastest for a rookie K-pop girl group.[36] Ahyeon, who was absent from its releases for health reasons,[37][38] soon recovered and returned from her hiatus, joining the ensemble to promote their future activities as a seven-member group.[39]
Marking the group's official debut,[40] their first extended play (EP) Babymons7er, was released on April 1.[40] It was primarily supported by the titular single "Sheesh" and included re-recordings of "Batter Up" and "Stuck in the Middle" with all seven members.[40] A gift titled "Like That" by Charlie Puth following a viral cover of "Dangerously" sung by Ahyeon, was also included.[41] The eponymous release received over 460,000 pre-orders,[42] and debuted at number three on the Circle Album Chart.[43] Initially released to lukewarm reception,[44] "Sheesh" experienced a surge in popularity through its live performances,[44] peaking at number ten on the Circle Digital Chart.[45] It became the highest-charting K-pop girl group entry on Spotify that year,[46] debuting at sixty-ninth place on the Daily Top Songs Global Chart with 1.76 million streams.[47] To commemorate their debut,[48] a pop-up store at The Hyundai Seoul, which was held for ten days,[49] attracted 2,000 visitors in its first two days.[48] In tandem with their EP, the septet embarked on their inaugural fan meeting tour in May, covering six Asian regions: Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Indonesia, and South Korea. Consequently, Babymonster entered "arena-class" venues within forty days of their debut,[50] selling out 26,000 tickets at their Tokyo stop alone.[51]
For Babymonster's first studio album, a pre-release digital single titled "Forever" was released on July 1.[52] The studio album Drip, was released on November 1, and was led by the two singles, "Clik Clak" and "Drip".[53] Notably, G-Dragon participated in the composition and demo recording of "Drip",[54] while Mino of Winner co-wrote the album's b-side, "Really Like You".[53] The album marked a new career high for the septet, with 820,000 orders within a week—nearly doubling the sales of their debut album Babymons7er in the same timeframe.[55] Furthermore, Drip became their first entry on the Billboard 200, debuting at number 149.[56] The titular single of the same name, recorded a new personal best, peaking at number 30 on the Billboard Global 200,[57] and acquired belated popularity in Korea and Japan, following the virality of their live performance videos on SBS Gayo Daejeon and The First Take, respectively.[58] In result, the septet obtained their second top ten hit on the Circle Digital Charts, and reached an all-time high on the Billboard Japan Hot 100 at number 26.
2025–present: First world tour
From January 25–26, 2025, Babymonster held a two-day concert at KSPO Dome in Seoul, the onset to their first world tour Hello Monsters; it drew an audience of est. 20,000 attendees.[59][60] Notably, the group became the fastest female act to headline the venue, accomplishing this milestone within eight months of their debut.[61] The success achieved from their North America leg, which included two shows in Newark and Los Angeles, led to the announcement of six more shows in the region,[62] featuring performances in Toronto, Rosemont, Atlanta, Fort Worth, Oakland, and Seattle.[63] Moreover, the Japan leg of their tour sold all 100,000 tickets, prompting the opening of restricted view seats and additional shows to accommodate to demand.[64] In result, the act garnered an audience of 150,000 attendees across ten shows in the country, in record time for a K-pop girl group.[65] Due to health concerns, Rami was absent for the remainder of their Asia leg, starting from Singapore on May 17, followed by stops in Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Taipei;[66] amassing 100,000 people across ten sold-out performances.[67]
On July 1, the group released the digital single "Hot Sauce", which was recorded as a six-member ensemble due to Rami's continued hiatus.[68] The song paid homage to Seo Taiji and Boys' 1992 debut, both in sound—drawing from late-1980s hip-hop—and in visuals, which featured a logo styled after the trio's original album font.[69] Originally planned to be a pre-release single for the group's second extended play, "Hot Sauce" remained a standalone single and was excluded from the EP. Scheduled to be released on October 10, The upcoming EP We Go Up will be supported by a lead single of the same name, and a pre-release single which is scheduled to be released in September.[70][71]
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Artistry
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Image and reception
Babymonster was crafted to personify the contrasting personas reflected in their name, projecting charm and innocence offstage, while delivering a fierce performance onstage.[40][72] Additionally, they were designed to embody 2NE1's charisma and Blackpink's glamour,[73] encapsulating what is often referred to as the "YG DNA",[74] a signature mix of talent, boldness, and distinctive edge.[75][76]
The septet has been recognized as an "all-rounder" group, where each member excels in various skills such as vocals, rap, and dance.[77][78] Labeled as "elites" for their abilities and dedication,[79][80] the group built their identity through their skills and live performances, differing them from K-pop acts that lean heavily on backing tracks to prioritize choreography, fashion, and visuals.[81]
In their early debut, Babymonster's artistic trajectory drew in mixed reviews. Pop music critic Kim Do-heon described the pre-release single "Stuck in the Middle" (2024) as bland in both sound and visuals,[82] while Kim Young-dae, though praising the septet's talent, urged to innovate their company's dated stylistic formula to better align with the evolving landscape of contemporary K-pop.[83] NME's Carmen Chin echoed this sentiment, calling their debut single "Sheesh" (2024) overly derivative of Blackpink; however, the b-side "Like That" (2024) was highlighted as a discern of the ensemble's potential to carve out a distinct identity within the label's characteristics.[84] That direction became more defined with "Drip" (2024), which the group identified as most representative of their "color" and demonstrated a clearer sense of artistic intent.[85]
Musical style and influences
Labelled as a versatile artist who seamlessly molds into any musical style,[86] the septet has ventured into a diverse range of genres throughout their career, including hip hop, ballad, R&B, and EDM. Emulating their predecessors, the group was classified as their company's style on "hip hop"; however, the ensemble has built from their foundation to blend genres and showcase various styles since their debut.[87]
Known for their "stage presence" and "musical prowess",[40] Babymonster cites their role models as fellow YG Entertainment artists,[88] namely drawing inspiration from 2NE1 and Blackpink.[74][85] These influences have shaped their style and performance, reflecting the legacy of their predecessors.[74]
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Public image
In a survey conducted by entertainment business magazine JoyNews24, two hundred industry professionals from entertainment companies and broadcasters, film and broadcast content producers, and entertainment reporters ranked the tentative group ninth in the "Most Anticipated Artist of Late 2021 and 2022", tied with Ive amidst others.[89] Following their debut, Babymonster was recognized as one of the "Next Generation Leaders" through a survey conducted by Sisa Journal and Gallup Korea,[90] and one of eleven artists to be named "Future of Music" by Rolling Stone Korea in 2024.[91]
The ensemble includes members proficient in languages such as Korean, English, Japanese, Thai, and Chinese, allowing them to connect with a diverse global audience, as a multi-national group.[92] In the media, the group have also been referred to as the next generation "YouTube Queens", attributed to the viewership and subscribers count they had accumulated on the platform.[93][94][95]
Other ventures
Endorsements
In the advertising industry, Babymonster became a figure for attracting a younger customer base.[96][97] In result, the group became presenters for Pepsi in the Asia-Pacific region,[98] the face of LG Household & Health Care's cosmeceutical brand CNP Laboratory,[99] and global partners of Adidas[100]—which they later became ambassadors for through its sports collection, Z.N.E.[101][102] The group also served as endorsement models for Adidas' collaboration with Moon Boot,[103] and the cosmetics contact lens brand, a-eye.[104] Furthermore, they were appointed as brand ambassadors for Banila Co. and Good Day Latte,[105][97] and collaborated with PUBG Mobile,[106] Google Pixel in Japan,[107][108] and McDonald's in Hong Kong.[109]
Philanthropy
In July 2024, Muju YG Foundation and the act established a support fund through Naver's Happy Bean to combat child hunger and assist children with disabilities.[110] The following year, the foundation and the septet joined Loving Hands to raise ₩9.9 million to provide winter coats for 85 children and adolescents.[111]
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Members
- Ruka (루카; ルカ)
- Pharita (파리타; ภริตา)
- Asa (아사; アサ)
- Ahyeon (아현)
- Rami (라미)
- Rora (로라)
- Chiquita (치키타; ชิกิต้า)
Timeline
Discography
Studio albums
Extended plays
Singles
Promotional singles
Soundtrack appearances
Other charted songs
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Videography
Music videos
Other videos
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Filmography
Tours and concerts
Tours
- Hello Monsters World Tour (2025)
Accolades
Awards and nominations
Listicles
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Notes
- "Stuck in the Middle" did not enter the Circle Digital Chart, but peaked at number 45 on the component download chart.[139]
- "Clik Clak" did not enter the Circle Digital Chart, but peaked at number 31 on the component download chart.[140]
- "Clik Clak" did not enter the RIAS Top Streaming Chart, but peaked at number 18 on the Top Regional Chart.[141]
- "Clik Clak" did not enter the Billboard Global 200, but peaked at number 135 on the Global Excl. US.[142]
- "Hot Sauce" did not enter the Official Singapore Chart, but peaked at number 15 on the Regional Chart.[145]
- The Korea First Brand Awards is hosted by the Korea Consumer Brand Committee and the Korea Consumer Forum. Awards are based on a nationwide survey held in South Korea.[190]
- Single initially released as a six-piece; cited as the group's pre-debut material. A seven-member version was included in Babymons7er.[137]
- The Sisa Journal is one of the major weekly news magazines in Korea.[204] Established in 1989,[205] its annually conducted 'Who Moves Korea' survey determines the most influential figures in the country and highlights next-generation leaders of Korea.[206] The survey is conducted on a total of 1000 experts across 10 fields, including professors, journalists, politicians, businessmen, and cultural artists.[207]
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References
External links
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