YG Entertainment announce debut date for Babymonster; who are the new K-Pop group?

YG Entertainment has offered some more updates regarding the debut of their newest K-Pop act, BABYMONSTER, overnight and in doing so has raised the anticipation levels for their debut a little bit more ahead of a November release date - and a reason for the delay.

Earlier, in July, YG had initially announced BABYMONSTER's debut target for September. However, on October 10, a representative from YG provided a reason as to why there was a delay: "We dedicated meticulous attention to selecting the perfect title track to deliver the best outcome.” 

“As a result, the debut of the girl group has been slightly postponed from our initial September timeline, and we kindly request your understanding."

They further elaborated, "All preparations are now firmly in place. Once their official debut takes place in November, they will charge ahead at full throttle. We sincerely request your enthusiastic support."

Currently, the members of BABYMONSTER are actively rehearsing the choreography for their debut title track, and they are set to commence filming the music video at the end of October.

Who are BABYMONSTER?

BABYMONSTER marks YG Entertainment's first girl group debut in approximately seven years, following the successful launch of BLACKPINK. The group boasts a diverse lineup of members hailing from various countries, including Ahyeon, Haram, and Rora from Korea, Pharita and Chiquita from Thailand, and Ruka and Asa from Japan.

Their journey began with YG Entertainment's quest to assemble their next groundbreaking girl group which started as early as 2018, with thousands of aspiring talents vying for a chance. These young talents, some as young as 10, underwent rigorous training, honing their skills for an average of four to five years. 

BABYMONSTER's formation was documented in the reality show ‘Last Evaluation’, providing viewers with a glimpse behind the scenes. The selection process involved prominent figures like Lee Su-hyun of AKMU, Kang Seung-yoon, and Lee Seung-hoon from Winner, who played a pivotal role in shaping the group's lineup.

Some BABYMONSTER members brought prior entertainment experience to the table. Haram started as a child model at just two years old, while Ruka and Rora had previously debuted in Japanese girl groups. Pharita had experience in modelling and reality show auditions, making her journey unique. The members' diverse backgrounds added depth to the group.

YG Entertainment officially introduced BABYMONSTER on December 30, 2022, with the tagline "YG Next Movement." This announcement triggered massive anticipation, and a captivating video posted on New Year's Day featured appearances from K-Pop heavyweights, further fueling excitement.

The group's YouTube channel achieved remarkable milestones. It surpassed one million subscribers in just 52 days and hit two million subscribers in 129 days, setting records as the fastest K-pop girl group to achieve these feats. On May 14, 2023, BABYMONSTER released their pre-debut single, "Dream," exclusively on YouTube. The song quickly soared to the top of the Billboard Hot Trending Songs chart, further establishing their presence in the industry.

The septet is recognized as an "all-rounder" group, with members excelling in vocals, rap, and dance, while their multilingual prowess, with proficiency in languages including Korean, English, Japanese, Thai, and Chinese, will no doubt help their global appeal and positions them as a group with international potential.

Is there a link between BABYMONSTER and BLACKPINK?

Only in a name: originally, BABYMOSTER was one of the names considered for BLACKPINK  before becoming they decided on BLACKPINK instead. In a different timeline, it would be BABYMONSTER members who are holding out on signing a new contract with YG Entertainment.