As one of the biggest K-Pop events in the U.S., KCON LA, draws closer, new artists for the lineup have continued to be announced ranging from TWICE to Dynamic Duo. To get attendees prepared for all of the amazing artists at KCON, we wanted to shine a light on some of the groups who will take center stage at the Staples Center next month. That includes Golden Child, Woollim Entertainment’s newest boy group with members who are brighter than gold!

Golden Child is Woollim Entertainment’s first boy group in seven years since INFINITE debuted in 2010. The group has close ties to their senior boy group—Golden Child leader Daeyeol is actually the younger brother of INFINITE member Sungyeol! With their name, Golden Child declares themselves as a perfect child who appears only once every 100 years. They also share their dreams of being the group who will shape the sound of K-Pop for the next 100 years with their infectious, upbeat music.

The group debuted on August 28, 2017 with eleven members: Y, Daeyeol, Jaeseok, Jangjun, TAG, Seungmin, Jaehyun, Jibeom, Donghyun, Joochan, and Bomin. In January 2018, the group announced that member Jaeseok would leave both Golden Child and Woollim Entertainment to focus on his health. After Jaeseok’s departure, Daeyeol shared that the members each vowed to work 10 percent harder to fill his place.

The Debut - “DamDaDi”

Golden Child’s first mini-album was released on August 28, 2017 with the title track “DamDaDi.” A mixture of rock and pop genres, “DamDaDi” has an innate cute factor to it that is reminiscent of artists like NCT Dream and ASTRO. Its upbeat, cheery vibe is solidified even more by its instrumentation, especially the brass band, cheery electric guitar, and bold drumbeat that is easy to clap along to. The music video for “DamDaDi” is the perfect cute concept to fit with the title track; it shows the members working out together before they don baseball uniforms to play ball and dance in front of home plate!

“DamDaDi” actually shares its name with another popular Korean song from 1988 by singer Lee Sangeun. It was an intentional choice that is supposed to invoke a feeling of youthful nostalgia, especially with older listeners. Besides sharing the same title, Lee Sangeun and Golden Child’s singles are completely different; Golden Child’s “DamDaDi” is a bubbly explosion of pure, boyish energy and endless charm.

The Comeback - “Lady”

Golden Child made their comeback on January 29 with their second mini-album, Miracle, and its title track “It’s U.” It is the first comeback without member Jaeseok, who unfortunately left the group on January 6. After promoting the single “It’s U” on the music show circuit, Golden Child then released a secondary music video for the song “Lady,” another track on their second EP, on March 13. They continued to promote from one song to another, ultimately wrapping up over three months worth of promotions with both singles.

“Lady” is special because it really shows a softer, more mature side to Golden Child’s sound. “It’s U” still held onto the group’s cute concept, but “Lady” allowed the members to show off their smooth harmonies, composed rapping, and standout high notes. The song’s lyrics are especially tenderhearted and deal with the excruciating pain of being head over heels in love with someone who loves someone else. The members keep wanting to confess their feelings, but keep hesitating. The song’s message is carried through to its music video, which has the members dejectedly holding onto items to confess with, like flowers, mixtapes, and couple rings.

The Single - “Let Me”

Just last week, the group returned on July 4 with their first digital single album titled Goldeness. The album’s title happens to be the name of Golden Child’s official fan club, and it has three tracks: “Let Me,” “If,” and “Thank You.” Packed to the brim with pop and rock-infused guitar, synthesizers, and drums, “Let Me” is an upbeat, joyful song that can’t be left off your summer playlist. Golden Child has perfected the cute concept in the song’s music video as the members rock out together, try to impress a girl in a variety of ways, and have an unforgettable summer!