K-pop First North Korean Defector Idols: 1VERSE to Debut on July 18
Multinational boy group 1VERSE, which includes members who defected from North Korea, is set to debut on July 18with a globally live-streamed showcase, according to their agency SINGING BEETLE.
A historic debut draws global attention
The five-member group consists of Hyuk and Seok, both North Korean defectors, along with Nathan (Thai-Laotian American), Kenny (Chinese American), and Aito (Japanese). Even before their debut, they were covered by international media as the first K-pop idols with defector backgrounds.
Michelle Cho, the CEO of SINGING BEETLE and a Harvard alum with A&R experience at SM Entertainment, is behind the group’s production. She has worked on albums that have sold over 8 million copies, raising expectations for the team.
The name 1VERSE reflects the group’s diverse stories—each member’s “verse” coming together as one universe. The “1” is also meant to be read as “uni,” symbolizing unity.
Ahead of debut, the group gained fandom by showcasing vocal and dance covers on various platforms. They’ve already built fanbases in countries like the U.S., Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, the Philippines, and the UK.
With their upcoming debut, 1VERSE is drawing attention for how they might expand the scope of K-pop through both their music and backgrounds.
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