Since we are in the month of June, let’s talk about the many debuts that have happened through all generations of K-Pop. Many of these groups—some of whom are still out to this day—all had their big breaks in June. While this month is also the beginning of summer anthems, it is also anniversary time for many groups. So today we are going to take it way back with some June debuts.

FTISLAND

Back in 2007, FNC Entertainment released a K-Rock group named FTISLAND. The group at the time had six members in total. The six members are Hongki, Jaejin, Minhwan, Seunghyun, Jonghun, and Wonbin. On June 7, 2007, the rock group debuted their title track “Love Sick” on the television program we all know named M!COUNTDOWN. This 13-song album Cheerful Sensibility was jam-packed with the rock sound the band became known for. The now three-member group is still out to this day, releasing energetic music for their fans to enjoy with their most recent comeback being in 2022. 

Orange Caramel 

The moment a K-Pop listener hears the name Orange Caramel, the song that comes to all our minds is their iconic song “Catallena.” Orange Caramel was a sub-unit from the historic group AFTER SCHOOL. The members of this group were Nana, Raina, and Lizzy. The sub-unit was formed under Pledis Entertainment and had its debut on June 16, 2010, with their debut track “Magic Girl”. Their single was the cute concept that we know and love from Orange Caramel. This girl sub-unit would go and release so many different songs with a nice bubbly concept and bright wardrobe. The group would sadly disband in 2019 with all the girls pursuing solo opportunities, but we all still jam to Orange Caramel to this day. 

BTS

Calling all ARMYS! This is for you! BTS also known as Bangtan Sonyeondan is a seven-member boy group that had their debut on June 13, 2013. The group consists of members RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook. This BigHit Entertainment/HYBE group's debut track “No More Dream”  from their debut album 2 COOL 4 SKOOL was really cool to see. Their bad-boy concept went along with their album concept really well. Now, with their 10-year anniversary coming really soon, BTS has grown to be a very popular name in K-Pop with people streaming their music around the world. With each comeback, whether it be solo or group, BTS will always release music that will leave people grasping for more. 

EPEX

EPEX is an eight-member boy group under C9 Entertainment. The members Wish, Keum, MU, A-Min, Baekseung, Ayden, Yewang, and Jeff debuted on June 8, 2021. Their first EP BIPOLAR Pt 1: 불안의 서 (Prelude of Anxiety) featured their debut title track “Lock Down” which was a dynamic way for them to come onto the scene. The tone of the album was a game-changer as well, with each song having its own vibe. The signature C9 Entertainment dance, hip-hop, and R&B sound was definitely heard in their album. To this day, the group is still out releasing music with their most recent comeback being in April of 2023. This group is definitely going to go far, and as they do ZENITH will have their back along the way. 

Edited by Vivian N.