IDNTT Named Billboard’s “January K-POP Rookie”; Records 430,137 Initial Album Sales

The new K-pop group IDNTT was selected as Billboard Korea and Billboard’s “January K-POP Rookie.” Debuting through MODHAUS’s innovative system, IDNTT has emerged as the most prominent newcomer among K-pop groups due to its identity shaped in collaboration with fans.

The biggest feature of IDNTT is that it breaks away from traditional K-pop group formation methods. Unlike most K-pop groups, which debut with members already selected by companies, IDNTT’s members are revealed one by one, with fans actively participating through voting to determine unit combinations. All such interactions take place on MODHAUS’s dedicated fan platform, COSMO. Unlike HYBE’s Weverse or Bubble’s paid messaging service, COSMO is specifically designed to support MODHAUS’s interactive system.

MODHAUS is led by first-generation K-pop producer Jaden Jeong, whose background includes working with groups, bands, and solo artists such as 2PM. Drawing on his deep understanding of industry mechanisms and long-term evolution, Jaden Jeong believes it is possible to offer an alternative in the K-pop landscape dominated by large agencies—one that features “modular idols” and meaningful fan participation.

IDNTT is the first boy group born from MODHAUS’s system. After the debut of its first unit, unevermet (7 members), in August last year, the second unit, yesweare (8 members), and the third unit, itsnotover (9 members), are set to be unveiled sequentially. By 2026, the group will operate as a full lineup of 24 members. The members come from extremely diverse backgrounds—including those recognized through audition programs or as TikTok creators, those who trained as Trainees at various K-pop agencies for 6 to 8 years, and those who joined after living outside the idol system. As the members grow closer, create music together, and gradually form a team, fans are invited to help shape their identity throughout this process. For example, the draft choreography for unevermet’s “Adolescence” was chosen through fan voting.

The faces of IDNTT’s second unit, yesweare, were finally revealed on January 2, just days before their comeback showcase on January 5. Billboard Korea captured a rare moment featuring all 15 members together. Billboard highlighted IDNTT’s new album “yesweare” and its Title Track “Pretty Boy Swag,” emphasizing that listeners can experience the group’s unique swag.

IDNTT’s new album “yesweare” reflects the group’s expansion and unity, achieving a career-high initial sales figure of 430,137 copies. The music video for the Title Track “Pretty Boy Swag” has garnered over 28 million views, showing strong popularity among fans worldwide. IDNTT recently held its first mini-concert, “FIRST IMPRESSION,” in Seoul to share a close connection with fans, and it plans to hold a fan meeting, “FIRST ACTION,” in Tokyo, Japan, in February to further accelerate its global expansion.