K-pop feels like it is shifting again. The fifth generation is not simply repeating what worked before – it’s experimenting, blending genres and pushing past boundaries that once seemed fixed. Hip-hop-rooted crews are taking greater creative control, girl groups are revisiting Y2K nostalgia through a fresher lens, and mixed gender acts are returning. In a scene that moves this quickly, debut hype fades fast. What lasts is identity. As 2026 approaches, these six rookies are helping shape what comes next
Cortis
Few rookie acts in 2025 moved as quickly as Cortis. Backed by BigHit Music, the group introduced themselves as a “young creator crew,” taking an active role in production, visual direction and choreography from the outset. Their pre-debut single “GO” and title track “FaShion” from Color Outside the Lines leaned into Western-influenced hip-hop textures, helping the album debut at No. 15 on the Billboard 200. Within six months, their Instagram surpassed 10 million followers – an unusually rapid climb that signals real global traction and raises the question of how far they can scale next.
Lngshot
Hip-hop isn’t just a concept for Lngshot – it’s their foundation. Formed by K-hip hop icon Jay Park, the group debuted in January 2026 with Shot Caller, a project that moves between hard-hitting tracks like “Saucin” and melodic R&B records such as “Moonwalkin” and “FaceTime.” Rather than easing into the market, they arrived with immediate industry attention, quickly earning Billboard Korea’s Rookie of the Month for February. With the group’s clear musical direction and strong backing, Lngshot positions itself less as a trend follower and more as a hip-hop-forward contender within the fifth generation.
Alpha Drive One
Before their official debut, Alpha Drive One had already built momentum through Mnet’s Boys II Planet. That survival-show exposure gave them a ready-made global fanbase – something most rookies have to build from scratch. Their pre-debut single “FORMULA” set the tone with high-intensity electronic dance-pop and pop-rap energy, a direction that continued in EUPHORIA and its title track “FREAK ALARM.” Performance is clearly their strength. What 2026 will test is whether they can turn that competitive edge into a lasting, defining sound.
Heart2Heart
There’s something immediately nostalgic about Hearts2Hearts. Debuting under SM Entertainment, the group leans into Y2K charm, dreamy surrealism and youthful energy. Hit record “Style” introduced the group’s upbeat synth-pop sound with bright choreography to match, while the new single “Rude!” quickly amplified their reach, surpassing 29 million YouTube views in just three days. Their appeal lies in balancing softness with structure – polished without feeling distant. As they continue to grow, Hearts2Hearts feels positioned to become one of the more stable names in the current girl group wave.
KiiiKiii
If Hearts2Hearts feels glossy, KiiiKiii feels moodier and more internet-native. Managed by the home to IVE, Starship Entertainment, the group quickly stood out with tracks like “Dancing Alone” and “I Do Me,” both rooted in dreamy restraint rather than maximalism. Their latest single, “404 (New Era),” sparked conversation for its 90s dance-pop revival infused with UK house and garage textures. With lo-fi girlhood visuals and early-web references, KiiiKiii feels culturally specific rather than generically retro.
Allday Project
In a landscape dominated by single-gender groups, Allday Project immediately stands apart. Under The Black Label, the mixed-gender act debuted with “Famous” in 2025, a hip-hop-driven track that helped them sweep multiple Rookie of the Year awards. Meanwhile, their latest single, “Look at Me!,” builds on that identity with Jersey club rhythms, melodic vocal sections and sharp rap verses. Leaning heavily into Western production structures, Allday Project operates slightly outside conventional K-pop formulas, and that difference may be their biggest strength.
Also see: Everything we know about BTS’s upcoming album “Arirang”
