RIIZE and KIRAS Make a Serious Entrance as the New Generation of K-POP Artists, Proving Their Presence on Domestic and International Stages

New K-POP groups are actively performing across various domestic and international stages to solidify their positions in the market. RIIZE, under SM Entertainment, has garnered attention recently by winning five awards on music shows through promotions for their first full-length album, “ODYSSEY.” On June 8, the group performed at a alumni festival event held at Yonsei University’s open-air theater in Seoul, delivering powerful performances of tracks such as “Fly Up,” “Boom Boom Bass,” “Love 119,” “Get A Guitar,” “Siren,” and “Hug,” receiving overwhelming cheers from the audience. Additionally, RIIZE appeared on Japan’s leading music show, TV Asahi’s “MUSIC STATION,” on June 6, where they performed “Fly Up” to widespread praise for being a track that dominates various music charts. Amid support from local fans, the members delivered a performance reminiscent of a youth musical, showing greater maturity as this was their third appearance on “MUSIC STATION.” They also received positive feedback during a live interview. RIIZE further rewarded their fans by releasing a part-change version of the “Fly Up” performance on their official YouTube channel. The group will kick off their “2025 RIIZE CONCERT TOUR [RIIZING LOUD]” at the KSPO DOME in Seoul from July 4 to 6. Meanwhile, the new girl group KIRAS held a showcase on the afternoon of the 9th at Ilji Art Hall in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, to celebrate the release of their debut single “KILL MA BO$$” and their new song “ZILLER!” “ZILLER!” is a trendy country-inspired teen pop track with a powerful and energetic EDM-based performance, offering a fresh contrast to the upbeat style of “KILL MA BO$$” and highlighting KIRAS’s cute and charming personality. The members explained the meaning behind their group name and shared their ambitions. Member Harin stated, “It is a combination of ‘giwa,’ which refers to mischievous kids in Eastern cultures, and ‘askal,’ meaning troublemakers, reflecting our goal of becoming the troublemakers who shine in the K-pop scene.” Rumi said, “We prepared hard and will show our best performance moving forward.” In particular, Leader Lingling, who is the first Chinese-Malaysian K-pop member, attracted attention even before her debut and had previously appeared on Mnet’s “I-LAND2.” Lingling shared, “It was difficult on ‘I-LAND’ because I had to handle everything alone, and while it’s challenging to lead the team as leader in KIRAS, the members have followed well and supported each other, which helped us prepare thoroughly.” She also revealed that she practiced by watching live streams of IVE’s Jang Won-young even before debut, demonstrating her dedication as a newcomer. Lingling expressed her determination by saying, “I prepared hard to live up to being Malaysia’s first K-pop girl group. The positive response from Malaysian fans motivated me to work even harder, and I really want to go to Malaysia soon to meet them in person.” KIRAS cited BLACKPINK as their role model, with Lingling emphasizing, “When I watch their performances, I see their overwhelming energy and charisma, and we want to achieve the same.”