Updated on January 25, 2024
YG Entertainment first broke its silence in 2021 and revealed that it was preparing to launch a new girl group amidst online rumors that began circulating in early 2018. After so much anticipation, they officially teased the group's upcoming debut in a poster called YG Next Movement, which they shared on December 30, 2022.
Netizen's interest was further fueled when the agency revealed that the group would be called BABYMONSTER or BAEMON and opened the girls' official YouTube channel on the eve of January 1, 2023. The announcement was supported by a teaser video with testimonials from YG artists such as WINNER's Hoony and Yoon, AKMU's Suhyun and Chanhyuk, and BLACKPINK's Lisa and Jennie. YG's founder and executive producer Yang Hyun Suk also had some inspiring words to share about his newest protégés. Since the release of the first teaser, YG has shared performance and introduction videos for each member leading up to their official debut.
And the long wait is finally over! BABYMONSTER will be making their official debut on November 27, 2023 at midnight KST.
Here's a list of what we know so far about BABYMONSTER:
1. BABYMONSTER is composed of seven members.
The group has a diverse mix of talent from various countries. Members Haram, Ahyeon, and Rora are South Korean, while Asa and Ruka are Japanese. Completing the septet are Pharita and Chiquita who are both from Thailand.
On Wednesday, November 15, 2023, YG Entertainment announced that BABYMONSTER would be debuting as a six-member girl group without Ahyeon. "After careful discussion, it was decided that Ahyeon, who prepared together [with BABYMONSTER], will be focusing on getting rest for the time being due to health reasons," a source from the company confirmed. "Although we are saddened to be unable to introduce Ahyeon as a member of BABYMONSTER, we made this decision for the sake of the artist’s health. We will spare no support so that Ahyeon can recover fully and return in good health."
However, on Thursday, January 24, 2024 at midnight KST (Friday, January 25 at 1AM Philippine time), YG Entertainment released a "surprise announcement" video. Founder Yang Hyun Suk personally revealed that Ahyeon would be rejoining BABYMONSTER after experiencing a full recovery.
Ahyeon will be taking part in the group’s upcoming comeback with their first mini album this spring. As a result, BABYMONSTER will be recording new seven-member versions of their first two singles—their debut track "BATTER UP" and their upcoming pre-release single "Stuck In the Middle"—which did not originally include Ahyeon.
BABYMONSTER has also unveiled their first teasers for their pre-release single "Stuck In The Middle," which will drop on Thursday, February 1 at 12AM KST (Friday, February 2 at 1AM Philippine time).
2. Shin Haram used to be a model.
Fifteen-year-old Haram was the first member to be introduced via a performance video that went live on January 12, 2023. She floored netizens with her vocal prowess while singing a cover of Mario's "Let Me Love You." Before joining YG in 2017, Haram was a child model and acted in commercials. She has a younger brother and describes herself as sporty and adventurous.
3. Jung Ahyeon is also fluent in English and Chinese.
Vocalist, rapper, and dancer Ahyeon passed auditions at JYP Entertainment and Banana Culture before finally joining YG as a trainee in 2018. She is fluent in English and Chinese and will be attending Hanlim Multi Art School in Seoul with Haram this year. Fans are predicting her to be the visual center of the group because of her all-around skills and eye-turning visuals.
4. Maknae Chiquita is only thirteen years old!
Chiquita, BABYMONSTER's youngest member, was part of a cover group named RedRose before she joined YG in March 2021. At thirteen, her training period was the shortest (21 months only!) in comparison to the other members. She speaks Thai and English and collects plushies that adorn her dorm room. She loves eating smoked quail eggs and mandarin fruits are her favorite.
5. Asa's mom is a fan of Block B.
Sixteen-year-old Japanese member Asa showcased her rapping skills by performing "Look Alive" by BlocBoy JB and Drake when she was introduced through a performance video on January 25. Some fun facts about her: she performed in theater musicals when she was young, BLACKPINK music videos inspired her to audition for YG, and her mom is a fan of Block B.
6. Rora used to be part of the kid group U.SSO Girl.
Born Lee Dain, Rora used to be the youngest member of U.SSO Girl. Her talent quickly caught YG's attention, and she was accepted as a trainee after being invited to audition in 2018. Yang Hyun Suk gave her the stage name "Rora," which was inspired by the word "aurora," because he felt she could shine bright if the beauty within her is further developed. In addition to singing and dancing, Rora also excels at playing the piano.
7. Pharita looks up to BLACKPINK's Lisa.
Thai member Pharita is a huge fan of BLACKPINK. She auditioned using their song "How You Like That," and she sees Lisa as her top role model. Pharita can play the guitar and prefers visiting the zoo over a day at the beach. She also confessed to being an anime fan.
8. Ruka has been dancing since she was six.
Born in Japan as Kawai Ruka, twenty-year-old Ruka is the eldest member of BABYMONSTER. She's been committed to dancing since she was six and was a member of the 73-member Japanese girl group Shibu3 Project. Ruka debuted as a founding member of the J-pop group in 2017 (she was part of Shibu3 Project's Blue Class).
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