Challenges and Growth of K-POP Newcomers: KickFlip, Maydin, and the Expansion of Virtual Idol Projects

A clear trend of growth is evident in the K-POP newcomer idol market. JYP Entertainment’s new boy group KickFlip saw its first album’s initial sales rise from 270,000 copies to 350,000 pre-orders for their second album within just four months, marking a 1.3-fold increase. This achievement is particularly impressive when considered on a market-wide scale rather than merely as a standard for new artists under an agency. In their second album “Kick Out, Flip Now!”, KickFlip released the title track “FREEZE” — a pop punk dance song that blends 1990s guitar riffs with hyperpop and glitch hop elements. The members demonstrated their self-improvement skills by accumulating songwriting credits for multiple tracks. In particular, “Complicated!!” written entirely by Amaru and the composition of “FREEZE” involving Donghyun clearly defined the group’s musical identity. Their ability to deliver flawless live performances despite intense choreography proved they possessed well-developed fundamentals beyond mere potential, earning them invitations to major festivals such as Rolling Loud Chicago and Summer Sonic Bangkok 2025.

Meanwhile, in the newcomer idol rankings, Maydin secured three consecutive weeks at number one in the weekly “Favorite Rookie Idol” female category of Stardum in the fourth week of May. During the tracking period, Maydin gathered 1,335 votes to maintain its top position, leaving a significant lead of double or more over second-place UNIS, which received 645 votes. In the male category, Ahnup stayed at number one for two consecutive weeks. The expansion of the newcomer market is also extending to virtual idol projects. SOOP announced it will be the exclusive live broadcaster for “V-REAL”, a virtual idol project by DuriBun, a company specializing in virtual content. This project operates as a tournament where virtual streamers undergo professional K-POP training to debut as a five-member virtual idol group. The journey toward debut is made public, featuring member selection, skill-improvement training, collaborations with top K-POP artists, and audience-participatory showcase events. The final selected members will work together with renowned domestic artists to enhance their overall abilities in vocals, dancing, and stage performance. Backed by cutting-edge technical infrastructure such as virtual live solutions, AR studios, motion capture, and virtual production, the project will run for one year. Various live broadcasts and content will be released from June 13 to September. In September, an immersive theater showcase will be held at ScreenX in CGV theaters nationwide, followed by an offline virtual festival stage in October. The program will be hosted by Kim Heechul of SUPER JUNIOR, Yerin of GFRIEND, and popular SOOP streamer Bias.