The Essential Guide to Busters, One of the Youngest Idol Groups to Ever Debut
Busters are a five member idol girl group under JTG Entertainment and Marbling E&M Incorporated (formerly Monstergram Inc.), with the original intention of making the girls both idols and actresses in their own anime series Idol Rangers Power Busters. They are one of the youngest groups to ever debut with the average age of the members at debut being just 13. The original line-up of Busters consisted of Minji, Hyeongseo, Jisoo, Minjung, and maknae Chaeyeon and they debuted on November 27, 2017 with the single “Dream On.”
The Members
From left to right: Jisoo, Hyeongseo, Chaeyeon, Minjung, Minji (x)
Jisoo
Jeong Jisoo (정지수) is the tallest member of Busters. Born on November 22, 2003, Jisoo was inspired by INFINITE and Girls’ Generation in her pursuit to become an idol. She is the group’s visual, lead rapper and dancer as well as the presumed leader.
Hyeongseo
Meong Hyeongseo (명형서) is Busters’ English speaker, having lived in Houston, Texas, USA for six years. Born June 25, 2001, Hyeongseo is the oldest member of Busters as well as being the group’s main vocalist. She was an actress in the web-drama A-Teen and is also the voice of Marvel Superhero and K-Pop Idol Luna Snow.
Chaeyeon
Kim Chaeyeon (김채연) is the former maknae of Busters, however she has remained the centre and the face of the group. Born on December 4, 2004, Chaeyeon is an actress in the web-drama My YouTube Diary as well as a host on the children’s show Tok! Tok! Boni Hani!. She is also a former member of the kids group CutieL.
Jieun
Jeon Jieun (전지은) is the newest member of the Busters line-up, replacing former leader Minji in the group. Born March 5, 2005, Jieun is a child actress that joined the group in December 2019. Little else is known publicly about Jieun.
Yeseo
Kang Yeseo (강여서) is Busters’ sub-vocalist and maknae. Born August 22, 2005, Yeseo replaced Minjung after she left the group. She is a former member of CutieL and has been a child actress for ten years, appearing in dramas such as Flower of Revenge (2013) and Miracle in Cell No. 7 (2013).
Minji (Former)
Kim Minji (김민지) is the former leader of Busters. Born January 16, 2001, she was the oldest member of the group and assumed the roles of lead rapper, vocalist and main dancer. Minji also appeared in the web-drama A-TEEN. In November 2019, Minji was pulled from the group by her parents.
Minjung (Former)
Cha Minjung (차민정) was the former rapper and lead vocalist of Busters. Born July 15, 2004, she is also a former member of CutieL. In January 2019, Minjung left the company and is now a part of the pre-debut group Milky Way under GG Agency.
“Dream On”
Busters wasted no time or energy with their debut and ensured that you wouldn’t forget them in a hurry. Their debut single, “Dream On”, is an eruption of fun and color, aimed at introducing the group and inspiring their peers. This high-powered pop track makes Busters stand out from the crowd and will only make you want to join in with the ever-present playfulness that the girls share with us and each other.
“Dream On” was also the first of three videos for Busters directed by Super Junior’s Shindong. He also directed the group’s accompanying debut single “LALALA” and “Grapes” (Choreography Version).
“Grapes”
Busters first comeback came in the form of “Grapes”, which is arguably their most popular single to date, despite still being criminally underrated by the K-Pop world. “Grapes” is a sweet dance pop infusion that compares love to the sweet taste of grapes. From Hyeongseo’s beautiful high notes to the refreshingly addictive choreography, “Grapes” showcases the group’s talents perfectly. This comeback also saw the youngsters professionalism excel, as when performing live on Show Champion, Jisoo’s mic pack fell from her pocket. Maknae Chaeyeon carried the pack for her until she knew Jisoo would be able to reach it, placing the mic pack on the floor for her to later collect during the choreography in an incredibly well-timed move from the young idols.
“Starlight”
Before Busters would come back for the second time, in January 2019 Minjung left the group. With this, “Starlight” marked the debut with new member and maknae Yeseo.
“Starlight” acted as a pre-release single and the first digital single for Busters’ upcoming album, Pinky Promise. “Starlight” expresses Busters’ shy side in this soft summer song. They share their nerves when it comes to revealing their true feelings to their crush but their desires to do so on a starry night. This single feels like a cool summer breeze and is an easy listen for those wishing to reminisce on the crushes of their youth.
“Pinky Promise”
“Pinky Promise” is the title track from Busters’ first mini-album of the same name. It sees the group take a calmer approach to their music, which was previously filled with youthful energy and charisma. Though still filled with the bright colors we would expect to see from the young group, “Pinky Promise” shows the girls tackle a more mature concept with a track that asks a loved one to “Pinky Promise” if they still love them - an inherently childish sentiment. Though a welcome change of pace, this comeback was still a fantastic fit for Busters.
However, this comeback sparked some controversy that the group’s concept was too mature for their age and the group were being sexualised by their company.
What’s Next For Busters?
Busters new line-up, left to right: Jieun, Yeoseo, Chaeyeon, Hyunseo, Jisoo (x)
On November 18, 2019, leader Minji left Busters for personal reasons, marking the second member to leave the group after their debut. On December 10, 2019, child actress Jeon Jieun was announced as Minji’s replacement and the newest member of Busters through the group’s FanCafe account.
December 2019 also brought attention to Busters’ center, Chaeyeon, who was allegedly physically and verbally assaulted by her senior co-host live on Tok! Tok! Boni Hani!. Despite her agency’s official statement saying it was a joke between the presenters, her senior co-hosts were fired as a result of the allegations. Chaeyeon, however, has remained on the show as a host.
Following these recent appearances in the news, Busters still stand strong. Although a new comeback doesn’t appear to be on the horizon any time soon, the group are still active in promotions and appearances. Plus with Jieun recently joining the lineup, we are sure to see more of Busters in the future, though whether or not we will see their accompanying anime series, Idol Rangers Power Busters, is currently unknown.
Regardless of what the future holds for Busters, each member is certain to have a good career within the entertainment industry (if they choose to stay, that is). The group is filled to the brim with talent and we cannot wait to see it on display in their future comebacks.