Before I take a look at K-pop’s established artists, it’s time to spotlight this year’s fresh crop of talent!
When I ran my first-ever Bias List survey, I was surprised when the majority of respondents noted that this year’s rookies were not particularly exciting. But when I took a look back at the year as a whole, I actually agree! My thoughts were blinded by one particular rookie group who I found to be the most exciting thing about K-pop this year, but beyond that there really wasn’t much to celebrate in 2024. Most rookies tended to be from smaller agencies and few debuted with (and maintained) a signature sound. Even so, there are still some acts I want to celebrate.
Unlike my Top 50 countdown, any group who debuted in this calendar year is eligible. Before I break down my picks, here are a few honorable mentions:
All(H)Ours
ARrC
Candy Shop
Izna
NEXZ
TIOT
Click for last year’s rookie countdown
10. MADEIN
This is more of a re-debut than anything and the group is currently mired in an awful situation with their agency, but a few great b-sides on their first mini album sneak them onto this list even with an uncertain future ahead of them.
Singles released: UNO
9. ARTMS
The post-LOONAverse continues to expand with this new group formed by Modhaus. Even if not all their material hit with me, I admire the experimental nature of their music and title track Virtual Angel offered a tease of how they may forge that adventurous spirit with more pop-forward material.
Singles released: Birth, Flower Rhythm, Candy Crush, Air, Virtual Angel
8. Dignity
Dignity didn’t give us much to go on this year, but their debut mini album was an unexpected highlight of the summer. If they lean into the early-Block B vibes of b-side Fire, they could carve out a nice little niche for themselves. I hope their agency has the means to support their growth.
Singles released: Cool Down
7. DXMON
This is a tricky one because I genuinely disliked much of their 2024 output and they’ve already lost a popular member, but I loved Girls, Love Boys, Love Girls enough to warrant a place on this list. I doubt they’ll follow that sound in the future, but if they do they could have a great discography ahead of them.
Singles released: Burn Up, Spark, Girls, Love Boys, Love Girls, Zip Zip Zip
6. RESCENE
RESCENE are still searching for their breakout moment, but two of their three promoted tracks this year marked them as a group to watch. I never got around to writing about follow-up Pinball and as nice as that song is I hope they steer away from its more subdued sound. Give us more Love Attacks in 2025 and we’re all set!
Singles released: Yoyo, Uhuh, Love Attack, Pinball
5. ILLIT
In general, ILLIT followed the exact trends I’m tired of in K-pop. Yet, it’s hard to deny the disarming catchiness of debut track Magnetic. That song is a deserved hit and if the group can find a way to meld its appeal with more ambitious soundscapes and less repetition, they could be a true 2025 standout. They certainly have the infrastructure behind them to do so.
Singles released: Magnetic, Lucky Girl Syndrome, Cherish (My Love), Tick-Tack
4. Waker
Waker don’t seem to have a big promotional apparatus supporting them and that makes me nervous for the future, but they released one of the year’s best debut songs and seem committed to a bright pop sound that fits my taste well. We’ll see what happens next, but I hear a ton of potential in their music.
Singles released: Atlantis, Vanilla Choco Shake
3. NCT Wish
NCT Wish are part of the increasingly large pool of new acts that straddle the line between K-pop and J-pop. To me, they feel first and foremost a J-pop group, but in 2024 they promoted music specific to the Korean market so I’m including them here. Their catalog is a bit hit or miss so far, but they delivered a few 2024 bangers that make me eager for their future activities.
Singles released: Wish, Songbird, Dunk Shot, 3 Minutes, Steady, Wishful Winter
2. Dragon Pony
I’m taking a flyer on this group. They really don’t have enough music to warrant this high of a placement, but I have a strong feeling they’ll end up impressing in 2025. Debut single Pop Up is excellent and the accompanying mini album shows a ton of promise. They seem to be great songwriters, their vocalist is incredibly strong and their youthful energy is contagious. The fact that they’re under Antenna also bodes well, as the agency has a history of nurturing bands to greatness.
Singles released: Pop Up
1. TWS
Well, this is the easiest decision I’ve had to make all year. I can’t remember a debut year as strong as TWS’s — at least in recent K-pop history. They had an edge debuting at the very start of 2024, but went on to promote seven different songs throughout the year — all of which made my top 50. That’s a new record. The music has a distinct vision and concept, even as individual songs explore different sounds. This clear musical brand and perspective perfectly matches the personality and charm of the members and there’s plenty of room to grow.
Speaking of growth, I’m genuinely excited to watch TWS grow as artists. I hope Pledis Entertainment doesn’t try to mature their concept too quickly, but even when we reach that inevitable point I’m not too worried about how the group will pull it off. I can already see and hear the seeds of superstar talent down the road and it’s the process of getting there that’s going to be so fun to witness.
In short, I haven’t been this excited for a new group in years. They’re responsible for most of my favorite K-pop moments of 2024 and I pray that momentum continues into the new year.
Singles released: Oh Mymy: 7s, Plot Twist, BFF, hey! hey!, If I’m S, Can You Be My N?, Double Take, Last Festival
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Yeah, TWS was an obvious #1, they’ve had a solid singles run out of any other group here.
Besides them, I’d rank Rescene, NCT Wish, ALL(H)OURS, ILLIT and izna after them.
Also, I wonder how the list would look if you included rookies from last year, but only those debuted in and after October? Cause some awards show like MAMAs tend to include rookies from the previous year for their ROTY awards (like 82Major, Ampers&One and Young Posse for this year). And also cause the groups also would most likely have had only one album/single by then (and that too, their debut), so for a better judgement as well, it’d sort of make sense to include them as well. Or maybe do a rookies revisit like you do for your Top 10 from the previous years, it’ll be cool to see how their impression on you have changed so far. :p
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Agh, forgot about DXMON (haven’t listened to the rest yet). They’d be in between ALL(H)OURS and ILLIT, I liked their comebacks, not a big fan of their debut (and yes, their comebacks including Zip Zip Zip, don’t ask, but the teenage years I spent with NCT made me like its off-beat charms)
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Oh YOUNG POSSE definitely ATE this year.
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They massively improved from Macaroni Cheese. Sucks they didn’t make a great first impression, but they really improved and gave us better singles. Ate That remains a banger.
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The number 1 spot is very easy to choose.
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I don’t even have a top 10 of favorites, the only rookie groups that made to my playlist were:
1 – 3piece
2 – BadVillain
3 – Waker
4 – PinkVerse
5 – UNIS
6 – VIV
7 – New-L
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ARTMS gave us one of the best albums of the year and songs with a very interesting vision (like Birth and Virtual Angel). They are definitely top 3 worthy.
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Somehow I missed Rescene’s Love Attack until now, and wow, it’s so good. It reminds me a lot of Fifty Fifty’s first EP – the sweet chorus, the subtle sound effects (best heard on Lovin’ Me). This is seriously something I’d have expected from them, if the original group hadn’t broken up; it sounds more like the original incarnation than the new lineup.
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dude im ngl u using a photo of madein excluding gaeun feels rlly tone deaf given that shes the member who even bought this situation to light in the first place and is affected the most of all. good writeup otherwise tho!
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Honestly wasn’t intentional. I just needed to find an image that was big enough and exactly square-shaped — of which there was like one to choose from online. I’m not familiar enough with the group to know the number of members.
Will update if I get a chance…
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Glad to see Dignity and Waker here! I listen to male groups from the smaller agencies and I honestly don’t know much about the female group scene. I also like ASC2NT and PICKUS. I’m still loving Gen 3 groups – I’ve only been listening for about five years (and learning Korean for 4 years) so I’ve got some catching up with some of the latest groups. Vanner and Nine.i are currently my fave jams and I still hang out with The KingDom, BDC, GreatGuys and JWiver. 😊
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Say My Name and Illit for me!
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This year didn’t feel as exciting in terms of rookie groups to me, meaning I didn’t have my eyes actively in any of them. That’s okay, though because 2022 and 2023 had new acts with massive breakthroughs. In that sense, I’d like to give KISS OF LIFE, BOY NEXT DOOR, RIIZE, and YOUNG POSSE their flowers. They were able to come into this year with bangers, all 4 of them.
This year my feelings aren’t as strong for rookies, but here are my highlights:
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ARTMS should be top 3. with a Full Lenght album and not just a few good songs but the entire album is no skips. the instrumentals the production and the vocals are top tier. a mature pop vibe and them girls are all center visual material. DALL – aoty. the group has been putting out bangers after bangers and everything is good from OEC Version Up / Heejin K / Haseul Plastic Candy and Fragile Eyes. every song is great. there are very few groups that can boast that and do it consistently time and time again.
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thanks Nick, for this Top 10 Rookies Group List….on this list, you have a few that i will be looking forward to following: ARTMS – i am so damn glad that the members of Loona are away from their previous, god-awful management company….both ARTMS and Loossemble look promising now….
i did not get into Maiden that much….the CEO of their company says the alleged sexual assault accusations by Gaeun are false, and goes further to say that they can prove it is false….given the history of these fledgling, fly-by-night, creepy, and shady kpop agencies, i would be willing to put my money on what Gaeun says it the truth….we will certainly see as time goes on, because it seems the idiot creepy CEO’s believe they are ‘untouchable,’ so if it happened this time, it will happen again….i am hoping for the safety of all the ladies in Maiden….
ILLIT is interesting….they has some songs that i liked, but as with many of these groups from small agencies, so that is always a concern in the back of my mind with groups that make a nice entrance and then fall apart due to a plethora of reasons, but all falling back on the inexperienced, fledgling, management agency….look at a recent example of Everglow….outstanding potential, talent, should be one of the top female kpop groups in the industry, but look at how their idiot management agency manages them….i kind of feel like ILLIT will be in the same crappy-agency boat as many of their promising peers, but nonetheless, i wish them the best….
i also did not get into TWS that much….unlike your thoughts, Nick, their music to me was simply ‘ok’….but, i agree with you in that i believe they have a nice future….and that big ‘if’ unfortunately rides high on their management agency, Pledis….i’m sorry, but i do not put much trust in Pledis when it comes to successfully managing their artists….remember, this is the agency that managed to screw up managing After School and Hello Venus (a joint venture with Fantagio), two very promising girl groups that never really reached their potential or peak, and to me, all because of their horrible management agencies….i wish TWS the best!
the group on this list that i will absolutely be looking at, cheering on, and pouring all of my support into is RESCENE!….i am in love with this group….Nick, i know you only liked a couple of their releases, but everything they released this year, i absolutely loved….the last time i felt this excited and ‘all-in’ about a female kpop group was when Everglow debuted!….i think RESCENE has a great future in front of them!….they have the fire, talent, attitude, and drive to become one of the top female kpop groups in kpop, and the sound that they have, even with “Pinball,” i love and hope they do not stray far from the formula if the songs they have released thus far….my only concern is their management agency….from what i understand, they are the only group signed to their agency right now….i believe their agency has a golden opportunity to really pour their all into this group, take time and care into treating them right, focusing only on them, until they are one of the top female kpop groups in Korea….if they take a page from Hybe (formally Big Hit Entertainment) and how they managed and only focused on BTS until they became not only one of the biggest kpop groups, but also one of the biggest boy groups in the world, i think RESCENE can also accomplish these heights and sit at the top amongst their peers in this industry….i am strongly rooting for this group….i love them!
please MUZE Entertainment, i am begging you….pour your all into RESCENE….please do not debut another group, or focus on any other artist until RESCENE has reached the top of the kpop industry….you have a gem in this group….please take good care of them….
-KP
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Here are the new groups that stood out for me this year, ranked. September turned out to be a big month for (re)debuts, with 4 of the groups below showing up around that time.
1. ARTMS: That a new group would not only debut with a full-length album but with what was effectively the AOTY was not something I would have previously imagined possible, and yet here we are.
2. MEOVV: They have a tiny discography so far but all 3 songs are very strong, and the members have demonstrated both great singing abilities and stage chops (if not both those things at the same time). Will be tracking them closely in 2024.
3. MADEIN: As someone who had been into Limelight’s music quite a lot I was looking forward to MADEIN’s debut and they did not disappoint, with a very strong 4-song EP. But then everything went to hell. 😦
4. Fifty Fifty: Like MADEIN this too was more of a re-debut but it really feels like a new group that just happens to have one continuing member and a small back catalog of songs. They too released a strong 4-song EP with Gravity as its highlight.
5. Say My Name: Yet another September debut (like the above 3) with a strong 4-song EP (like the above 2) and a few familiar faces among the new members.
6. Yves: In the space of two EPs (both of which are quite strong) Yves appears to have already established herself both musically and stylistically. She has a unique sound that I hope she continues building on.
7. ILLIT: Despite all the controversies their charm is undeniable, Magnetic was a great song and Cherish continued on a similar spirit.
8. UNIS: I don’t generally keep track of survival shows but UNIS caught my eye upon their debut. The strongest song at the time was actually the B-side Dopamine (apparently from the survival show) but by their summer comeback they seem to have found their sound.
9. BABYMONSTER: I don’t even necessarily consider myself a fan of their sound but somehow their songs still managed to worm their way into my ears and my playlists, and also their talent is undeniable.
10. BADVILLAIN: Again not necessarily a huge fan but their namesame debut song did win me over eventually and their followup just might too.
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Could not agree more with this, MEOVV is going to be a problem once they start putting out more tracks
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