All-Chinese 5-Member Group AM8IC Makes Official K-Pop Debut in South Korea...Aspiring to Reach BTS, EXO, and STRAYKIZ

The all-Chinese 5-member boy group AM8IC made its official K-Pop debut in South Korea on November 10 at the new MBC headquarters in Sangam, Seoul, with the release of their first EP titled “LUKOIE.” AM8IC is a combination of “AMBI-,” meaning two-way interaction, and “CONNECT,” signifying connection. Its concept revolves around lost boys growing and finding salvation through genuine bonds among themselves. The group consists of five members: Sahao, Mingkai, Qingyi, Lu, and Chen. At their debut showcase, Chen expressed his excitement by saying, “This is the debut I’ve long dreamed of, and I’m extremely overwhelmed.” Lu said, “Becoming a singer has been my dream since I was young, and it feels like a dream to actually make my debut today.” Sahao described K-Pop’s appeal by stating, “K-Pop seems to have every genre that people around the world love, along with an energy that can reach far and wide.” Leading AM8IC is Yoon Beom-no, the CEO of Tobu Entertainment. He is a Korean choreographer who previously worked in China and served as head of a training team. From 2015 to 2022, over a period of about seven years, he trained more than 800 trainees at 50 agencies in China, focusing on developing global artists. Yoon explained, “Having lived in China for around 20 years, my goal was to create a K-Pop group made up entirely of Chinese members. From the very planning stage, we aimed to build a group of all-Chinese members who could achieve success in the global market as K-Pop boys’ groups.” AM8IC prepared under the K-Pop system for approximately three years. Yoon revealed, “We brought in instructors hired from Korea and various systems to China, so that everything could be carried out in China in a way as similar as possible to the K-Pop system.” At their debut showcase, the members mentioned SEVENTEEN, EXO, and STRAYKIZ as their role models, expressing their hope to meet them in the future. Their debut album “LUKOIE” features a dark fantasy concept inspired by the world of false dreams created by the god of dreams, LUKOIE. It includes six tracks: the lead song “Link Up,” along with “Paracism,” “Escher,” “Virgin,” “LUKOIE,” and “Black Moon.” With their experimental yet stylish sound, original performances, and concept-driven content, the group established themselves as the fifth generation of dark fantasy idols poised to reshape the landscape of next-generation K-Pop.