KPOP Meaning
A boy group is a group of young male singers performing popular music. The Korean dictionary Urimalsaem defines 보이 그룹 this way and lists 걸 그룹 (girl group) as its counterpart. The Cambridge Dictionary similarly defines a boy band as a pop music group made up of young men who sing and dance. In K-pop coverage, newly debuted acts are called "rookie boy groups"; Star News introduced ALPHA DRIVE ONE that way. Xportsnews wrote that BTS, which debuted in 2013, grew into a boy group drawing worldwide attention within seven years. The term covers groups of male members, as distinct from girl groups and from soloists who perform under their own name.
Usage
Used when introducing groups by gender, as in "a rookie boy group" or "a boy group drawing worldwide attention." News coverage puts it before the name, as in "rookie boy group ALPHA DRIVE ONE."
Examples
- BTS — Debuted with 2 COOL 4 SKOOL on June 13, 2013; seven years later it was described as a boy group drawing worldwide attention (Xportsnews).
- ALPHA DRIVE ONE — An eight-member group introduced as a "rookie boy group" in January 2026, while promoting its debut album EUPHORIA (Star News).
In context
Sources
- Urimalsaem (National Institute of Korean Language): 보이 그룹
What we checked
Urimalsaem (National Institute of Korean Language): 보이 그룹
- Cambridge Dictionary: boy band
What we checked
Cambridge Dictionary: boy band
- Star News: ALPHA DRIVE ONE wins on all three terrestrial networks two weeks after debut (January 26, 2026)
What we checked
Star News: ALPHA DRIVE ONE wins on all three terrestrial networks two weeks after debut (January 26, 2026)
- Xportsnews: BTS 7th anniversary, part 1 — the three rappers (2020)
What we checked
Xportsnews: BTS 7th anniversary, part 1 — the three rappers (2020)