[FEATURE] Top 5 Picks of Rising Groups in 2019

A year has passed and we are all happy and geared up for 2019! Fans are also hopeful and ready for an entire year of continuous discovery, bops and surprises in K-pop. While we all have groups we are earnestly rooting for, here are The Seoul Story’s Top 5 picks (in no particular order) who we think will be even more successful in 2019! 🙂

NU’EST
A miracle group from Pledis Entertainment, it is highly likely 2019 will be their year. Despite the initial animosity towards JR, Ren, Baekho & Minhyun for joining Produce 101 Season 2, it was with this very reason their popularity skyrocketed following the completion of the survival show.

The boys have had major thumps along the way despite an amazing debut but this year will be a new beginning for all of them. Hwang Minhyun is expected to re-join the team after fulfilling his duties as a Wanna One member and we shall once again welcome them as a five member group.

Leader JR was also voted as ‘2019 Entertainment Idol’ signaling a bright future ahead. Seeing how well their sub-unit NU’EST W did in 2018 with major sold-out concert venues, overseas stops as well as thriving album sales and song ranking on music charts (something they could not even think of just two years ago) they will certainly be the ‘avengers’ team if they could keep up the momentum with polished song releases.

N.Flying
Hailing from FNC Entertainment, N.Flying is no stranger for fans of Korean bands. Although their target audience may differ slightly from idol groups, their participation in music shows definitely helped with the exposure.

Granted, their promotions are not as active as they could be, we do however see potential in this group. With the recent launch of ‘FLY HIGH’ project where the boys carry out busking and live concerts for fans, this initiative could potentially take them to greater heights. The addition of Hwe Seung into the band after Produce 101 Season 2 had improved the group’s dynamics, which were very much needed for the band to gain traction. If they continue releasing high quality songs infused with their rock inspired concepts, 2019 will definitely be a promising year for N.Flying.

CLC
Slow and steady wins the race and we have to give it to CUBE Entertainment for not giving up. The girls have had their fair share of bumps but as they say, “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”. From the addition of new members to a change in leader and continuously trying out multiple concepts, CLC is just a few songs away from more success.

‘Black Dress’, released in 2018 was probably one of the best K-pop songs of the year. It showcased CLC’s versatility in exuding the girl crush concept while keeping it classy. It was a successful change as they gained a lot of positive attention from both Korean and international K-pop fans. With addictive beats, bold dance break and fire rap, the song was a blend of everything right. Given similar concepts and regular promotions, the girls are guaranteed to shine. It may be a competitive journey, but it is one worth taking, for CLC this year.

DAY6
DAY6 is a force to be reckoned with from JYP Entertainment. Having debuted as a band in a sea of idol groups from the agency, every step they took was important to showcase their worth and skills. 2017 was a great year for the band with the launch of their monthly project ‘Every DAY6’ that provided listeners with relatable lyrics and public performances.

With consistent bigger sold out venues for their concerts, every show was filled with amazing songs, stage presence and enthusiastic interactions with MYDAYs. Eventually, this continued success led to their 1^st ever world tour in 2018. Their growth over the years proved that hard work does pay off. It may have been a long and tiring journey, but every moment was truly worth it. This is just the beginning for DAY6 for we are hopeful that 2019 will bring them bigger milestones as a top-tier band.

OH MY GIRL
Gifted with not only artistic talents but visuals too, this seven membered girl group from WM Entertainment has been on our radar. With one of the best debut songs till date, OH MY GIRL has been gaining popularity, especially in 2018 with ‘Secret Garden’ and ‘Remember Me’. ‘Secret Garden’ propelled their recognition intensively with other artists strongly recommending their song, so much so they made it into trend rankings in South Korea.

The girls also gained their first ever music show win, signifying their steady rise in the K-pop industry. Aside from music releases, OH MY GIRL regularly dominate the relay races in ‘Idol Star Athletics Championship’ and member YooA is also known as a talented dancer among idols of this generation. If they play their cards right and continue to enhance their dreamy concepts, we are convinced that OH MY GIRL have what it takes to be a trendy group in 2019.

We are super thrilled to see what this year holds for the K-pop industry and we look forward to many more success from various artists! Who do you think will rise to the top in 2019? Share with us your comments below! 🙂

Written by: Lisa
Photo Credit: YOONV, Pledis, FNC, CUBE, JYPE & WME

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