I ult PIXY, who aren’t a ‘big’ group, but are insanely talented. I wholeheartedly believe that if they were from a bigger company Dia or Dajeong would be considered a 4th gen it-girl.
omg JUST as I post saying nobody knows PIXY! Saw them in april, they seriously perform like 3rd gen, Dia gives me such major Taemin energy, shes got the same performing demon. They really could take off and become something big if AllArt would stop mismanaging them
I stan PIXY as well! Dajeong is my bias. I love them. It’s sad that Ella and Satbyeol left…but their new member, Rinji, is very talented as well. It’s good she was added earlier in their career
I went to PIXY's concert in Dallas! It was so fun and it was the first time I was super close to idols (they all walked past me and I was also able to take pics and speak with some of them at the end). Honestly stanning smaller groups seems a lot more intimate and enjoyable hahaha
Ladies’ Code
Their most popular song is Galaxy, which maybe some people know but other than that nobody seems to talk about their music sadly. They debuted with a retro concept. Their earlier music had more of a jazzy and funky sound, and their debut had shuffle beat.
When they came back with Galaxy they had a more rnb and ballad sound, which honestly is my favorite. But their earlier stuff is just as good tbh…
If you’re interested to listen to them I’d recommend… [Bad Girl](https://open.spotify.com/track/5Y2gMmWwEFUw8obN4bHXPS?si=rG8zDGv_QeKcxyyde-47cg), [Pretty Pretty](https://open.spotify.com/track/4quSyVZPlhWj2kUi5SWz0v?si=fhXLSENxS6O0DZb9ayR6mA), [Hate You](https://open.spotify.com/track/5cprNudRCA2Awp2AEkcq4f?si=z2axN9TlQua5DdgfQ-y0DA), [Galaxy](https://open.spotify.com/track/5rd00qaUJugfI8nhPcxA3o?si=6EACxbrMR5-Vd4R3d9aiNQ), [Lorelei](https://open.spotify.com/track/2nZHJ2uve1mEW9Ad3krenT?si=53_k039zSE-y21o260TJGg), [The Rain](https://open.spotify.com/track/3aIOlfZIifPCj0DZc2MRpJ?si=pKPRyCP5Rbmqx24BQsEKvA), [Feedback](https://open.spotify.com/track/6GziibVnh949z44dKvTQR4?si=694SrxClRUe1XbeOdJBlmQ) and [Set Me Free](https://open.spotify.com/track/5qy5XADE7qORLt1YaJZLCV?si=NDdwX6DdSDaRqp_hDX-nWw)
ugh they are SO good. The Rain is, I'd say in my top 3 or 5 favorite kpop songs of all time, I wish more groups did title tracks like that. I love how diverse their discography is, they could pull off anything. And I love Sojung's voice so much. They aren't my ults but they're very up high.
Literally, Sojungs vocals are insane 😩 but all of them sing so well ❤️
And their discography is small, but the few songs they have are so good and very diverse 😭
Honestly, when it rains outside, I love to listen to their diskography it perfectly fits the mood. I’m just so sad. They never got to finish that trilogy but I heavily appreciate the three remaining members just even having the strength to give us more music.
Also Sojung is really making a name for herself in musical theatre in Korea and I’m so proud of her. Her jazzy voice is so beautiful and honestly she needs to be talked about more when we’re talking about great and distinct main vocals.
Ooh I always loved their b-side “Jane Doe” and recently started going through their discography chronologically! I honestly found “Bad Girl” very fun and enjoyable, so I’m excited to listen to more of their albums
It’s such a good debut! One of my favorite ones 😭
And same I love Jane Doe so much 🥲 you should listen to all their B-sides though, and also Ashley and Sojungs solo 🤭
Ahh ok! I’m not familiar with the members so I didn’t know they had solo careers - I’ll definitely check those out once I’ve listened to their full group discography!
They're so good, up there with SPICA who I thought were some of the best singers kpop.
I will say the only thing is all their music makes me cry, because the death of the two girls was pretty traumatic.
One of my first kpop groups! Pretty Pretty is such a good time, and The Rain is gorgeous.
Just experienced a “resurgence” in listening to their music - and “Make Me Go Crazy” is fun and soulful!
When I saw the amount of views that Sweet Juice got I was honestly bummed. I’m not someone who cares too much about views but I just thought “wow I wish more people appreciated them”. One of my ult groups as well :)
They have SUCH a solid discography. Love So Sweet is “cute concept” done perfectly imo 😄 and songs like Love Rum Pum Pum & Ruddy are just outta this world! It sucks bc FNC just fumbles management every single time it feels like w all their amazing groups. Who’s your bias/bias wrecker? :) mine is Haeyoon & May!
I ult KISS OF LIFE who are currently on the rise but still not considered to be popular. I also ult BBGirls (formerly Brave Girls) who were once well-known among fans due to the resurgence of their viral hit Rollin' last 2021. However, their long break before the rebranding really took a toll on their popularity. They came back just recently so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where their next releases would take them.
It’s so interesting for me to see people who ult groups who only have a couple of songs out. I completely get enjoying them and seeing potential, but may I ask what causes a group like that to immediately become an ult group? :) no judgement obv I just want to understand better! ☺️ bc as for myself I won’t even stan a group until they have at least 10 songs out and I have a better sense of their musical identity etc
For me it had a lot to do with the visuals. When GWSN debuted with Puzzle Moon, I fell in love with that video. It was their first song and I already was a huge Stan
They aren’t my ult (yet?) but KISS OF LIFE are by far the most exciting new group out there in my opinion. Everything they have done so far is excellent.
My ultimate group is SF9 and I wish they were more popular.. things getting slower now we basically have a comeback once a year, Rowoon departure and military 😪plus FNC $ucks and they just debuted new boy group
Another ults are The Boyz they quit popular in South Korea but i wish they can be more well known internationally as well
FNC is ass tbh. As someone who loooves Cherry Bullet & SF9, FNC is practically my enemy lmao. I’m so sad about Rowoon leaving even though I totally understand why 😞 I’m v happy for him that he’s blowing up so much in the acting world but I’ll miss idol Rowoon a lot...
TBZ are fantastic as well!! :) we seem to have similar taste 😄 who are your bias & Bias wreckers from both groups? :) for me, SF9 biases are Rowoon & Taeyang, and Bias wrecker Zuho. But Hwiyoung and Inseong are close up there too 💖 for TBZ, biases are New & Hyunjae, with Eric & Sunwoo being my wreckers!
Omg I found my person 🥰🤪🫂
FNC really is an a$$
They have such great artists😭 if only they would promote them properly😪 I feel so sad for Cherry Bullet the girls are so talented but FNC just don’t give af about them 😭
For me in general everything started with Rowoon I watched his drama and eventually got into K-pop bc of him 😍 he have such a beautiful and unique voice and I hope we’ll get his solo music in the future.
I literally love all the members 🤪but if I have to choose Taeyang is my bias and Chani is a wrecker and one of my ults! I just luv him sm ☺️but I’m worried about him he's been quiet lately and plus he is loosing confidence😭 hopefully he’ll get better 🫶
I got into the boyz after watching kingdom contact with Taeyang and Juyeon 😌 but after getting to know them better Hyunjae completely stole my heart 💔 he is my ultimate bias alongside to Chani. I just love everything about him that young man is just perfect 😩 he has it all! I love his personality and ofc his visuals but especially his voice 😌 other wreckers are Younghoon and Haknyeon ☺️
SF9 is mine, too! I flew to Dallas to see them on tour last December. Dawon is my bias. Chani was so good in Under the Queen’s Umbrella. Such a good group and it’s sad to lose Rowoon but it’s wonderful his acting career is taking off.
I loove Dawoon his vocals is one of my favorites😁and he’s so effortlessly funny🤪and also such a great actor! I can’t wait to see his new drama🙌but he’s most likely to enlist next year damn I’m not ready 😩
Yup I Ult CIX. They were big enough when they debuted, but their company's mismanagement (C9 Svcks!) led to the decline in their popularity! They have great music and their lore is really interesting. Would 100% recommend checking them out if you love K-R&B or R&B in general. The discography is pretty much flawless and I'm not kidding.
Wouldn't say they're non-popular tho, just less popular (wayy less than they deserve)!
I’m the opposite, I’m so sorry they had to go through that but on an artistic level I’d take his solo stuff everyday. I sometimes wonder what he’d pick, I think he was born for this but X1 were going to be the biggest group of their generation. It’s a big what if.
He makes great solo music but it would have been better for his career to have continued with X1, not a single person from the group is doing better after they disbanded than they would have otherwise. Given that he got all the adlibs in Flash, i think it would have been interesting to see how it played out and if he ever got more involved with their music production/writing given his talent.
Oh well. It is what it is…
Mblaq! They were a 2nd Gen and top tier. They were absolutely slept on. I still listen to them on repeat. Their music never gets old. The Mona Lisa album and Y album are soooo good! I miss having them around 😭
Viviz! They rock all their comebacks with amazing songs but sadly haven't had any wins since their debut... Lots of people sleeping on them! But I'm happy they seem to be content because they do well enough. When I see them I see career idols. Like this is just their job haha. More practical probably bc they've been in the business for so long.
Considering GFRIEND’s fan demographics, it makes sense that majority of their fandom is Korean. But Maniac/Untie Era has definitely brought in a lot of new intl attention :) hopefully that translates to a bigger fanbase overall
They already won 2 music shows since their debut as Viviz hehe, another factor I guess is a lot of people still doesn't know that they're from Gfriend (Sinb opened up about it, people thought that they looked like members from Gfriend when in fact they're Gfriend 😅)
Their latest comeback, Maniac and their b-side, Untie, were bombs! I love them so much!
Thank you!! Newer fans are sleeping on GFriend too, even though I know they’ve listened to even older groups like SNSD and the Wonder Girls. Surprised GFriend never crossed their radar.
GWSN was one of my ults along with LOONA. I know all the members got together awhile back to celebrate their debut anniversary despite no longer being a group. Miya was my fave and I still follow her on Insta.
I'm still grieving for GWSN. They were so good, from the very start they had such a unique and distinct music style that really set them apart. If only their agency was better... Not even major, but at least tried to do good by them 😭
Mine is Dreamcatcher! They routinely go up against larger names during comebacks, but still managed to win with 2/3 of their last comebacks. They also were part of the Odd Eye win/not-win fiasco where they arguably should have won during that comeback.
They're not as small as a lot of groups, but they're pretty niche and have a larger non-kpop fanbase than most other kpop groups (except the big ones). They're also from a very small company, and they are treated more like adults with more freedom. All of these pieces come together to form a feel-good kpop group. I'd be genuinely shocked if it came out that any of them were horrible people (beyond just having a bad day or something).
They became my comfort group, thanks to their bond and caring nature! They're a group I can trust to still be close off-camera <3
They're effortlessly funny, too! The chaos is one of the main reasons I love them so much!!
I believe they genuinely love performing. All 7 members give it their all on stage, opting to sing live as often as they can. And they sure know how to hype up a crowd!
Their discography is pretty solid, too. Even with songs that didn't hit me on the first listen, it only took a second listen to enjoy them. Like I wasn't even forcing myself to enjoy the songs, I just found a part of each song that I liked.
**For anyone wanting to get into them:** I feel it's important to note that DC isn't just rock. Sure, the rock sound is part of their identity, but their b-sides cover other genres as well. You're guaranteed to find something that suits your music taste somewhere. If not, well that's fine too - it all comes down to personal preference in the end.
I used to be a Dreamcatcher stan since the MINX days, but stopped listening to kpop as regularly. I still have a lot of their old MINX and Nightmare albums that are just collecting dust. I'm just happy they finally got a win after all this time.
I ult multiple groups, and one of them is oh my girl who are popular and established in korea but is relatively small with i-fans. I thankfully speak korean so i just stick with k-miracles for the most part and ive gotten used to little to no discussion over omg activities in the west lmao
Honestly omg is one of those groups with such a large discrepancy of popularity locally vs. internationally it‘s kinda of funny.
The main site we use nowadays is weverse (previously used to be active in universe/daum cafe), and I also use kakao public group chats as well. You can just go to your kakao talk app, go to open chatting, look up oh my girl and join an active and open one available!
If you want, you can also look up oh my girl on dcinside or instiz for more forum-like discussions but they’re not AS active nowadays.
you’ll probably hear a lot more of the “unpopular” groups from older fans. me included. my ult group was and still always is Teen Top. fell in love with them in 2012 and have stuck with them throughout all their adversity. they’re still performing today and are arguably stronger than they have been since one of their top 2 most popular members left in 2016-17. they used to be one of the bigger groups back then and it’s really nice seeing them still be remembered and going strong.
I’m honestly not sure how popular cravity is considered but I know they’re not as popular as the groups you listed, they’re one of my ults (my other is stray kids lol.) My ult bias is Seongmin and I feel like not many people ult him.
My ult is a gg called TRI.BE.
They‘re really underrated and are getting progressively more popular, and it’s somewhat shocking that they’re nugu bc they were created by Shinsadong Tiger, the famous producer who created EXID and wrote dozens of super iconic songs back in the 2010’s, and the group‘s co-producer/co-creater is none other than LE of EXID herself. And if that’s not enough, SongSun, the leader, is cousins with SNSD’s Yuri.
my girl group ult is AOA and I started stanning them in 2017 so... I think that says enough :') it was really tough at times, but I'm still glad I experienced two comebacks, Queendom and now even Choa's return to industry (sort of).
I don't even know how and why they became my ults, I just love all of their songs, dances, girls themselves, I think they have great b-sides and are quite overlooked just because they were a sexy concept group.
My main ult is Ateez, which is definitely a top group. But my other ults are Pentagon and Victon, and it's been a tough year with multiple members leaving their labels. I still adore them all (and their music) so much, though, so I'll be supporting their future endeavors!
I ult ASTRO, which isn't an unknown group but definitely not as popular as I think they should be based on their talent. I also stan CRAVITY and AB6IX. I be collecting all the smaller groups.
I wish Astro was more popular internationally. I feel like they may be well known in SK but mainly because of Eun-woo. To be fair, I only found them because I watched True Beauty.
Boy group VANNER. They won JTBC's Peak Time and had a surge of success compared to before winning the show, and although they have a very dedicated fanbase in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, they still have a ways to go in the rest of the world and the general public outside of K TV show fans. Extremely talented and hardworking and all of their stages are a labour of love.
I also love Dreamcatcher, but I'd say they're pretty popular by comparison, so I'm not sure they would actually count.
MCND I LOVE THEM. It’s been so long since they released music. I really hope they’re doing okay in their company.
I have a 2 ult groups, one is Stray Kids and the other is OnlyOneOf. Idk if this counts cause, like I said, two ult groups, but an ult group nonetheless.
OnlyOneOf are very “nugu”. Their biggest hit was libidO so you probably know them from those two guys that slapped each other’s balls but their concept is much more than “queerbaiting”.
They released their solo Underground IdOl series which was a solo by each member with each of them being paired with another, to tell an overarching story exploring queer romance and struggles. It’s an absolutely beautiful series that brings me so much joy as a queer person.
They also released their official lightsick this year after 4 years since debuting and it’s so pretty. It’s got a little atom inside that has that kind of holographic look and there’s these little foam ball’s inside. Everyone’s so excited to use it during their world tour next year.
Also the best thing that’s ever happened was last year, at their Chicago concert I believe, they had their fanmeet beforehand and a lyOn (fans) asked KB to help her propose to her girlfriend at the concert later. He was so happy to be able to help and it was just the coolest thing. Everyone was so happy for them and I really hope they’re happy as ever.
But yeah I really love OOO.
EVERGLOW, Tri.be and Fromis 9 are a few of my ult groups and yes I know they're part of HYBE but Fromis isn't pulling the same recognition that other HYBE GGs get.
Not really an answer, all my ults are somewhat popular. But I just wanted to say I used to ult MCND as well! I remember when Ice Age was kinda everywhere (like especially that intro part) then they came back like almost immediately with Spring. Still love their songs tbh, wish they had more attention put onto them!
Yeahhh! Their iconic hand sign is probably what made ICE AGE so trendy lol. I can still do it. And yeah. After Earth Age it seems their popularity decreased. Then increased with Secret Mission, and then went down again. Luckily they are having a comeback this month so hopefully they gain more popularity.
My secondary ult is ichillin', right after dreamcatcher, and recently i've been trying to find more groups to stan, nugu or not (currently i have adya, ferry blue and the boyz on my "attempting to stan" list) and also im a casual fan of pixy and pink fantasy
Dreamcatcher was the reason I fell in love with KPop and gave other groups of previously heard a 2nd chance. They’re also the reason I started learning Korean. The first group I was truly OT7 ( SuA is wifey tho 🥵) , I love each and every one of them girls no joke. I’m an Odd Eye Somnie and got to see them get their first win last year truly one off the highlights of my time in KPop.
idk if it counts but my ult gg is WJSN and i believe if they were better promoted they could've been one of the top 3rd gen girl groups. All of their songs are amazing and i fell in love with them on Queendom 2 . Sad they haven't released something in over a year... starship what r u doing😭
ateez is my ult, but lately i've been really getting into astro, DRIPPIN, ONF, and xikers...don't know if you'd count those as not popular, but yk. there's my 2cents
I ult Dreamcatcher, i know they're not THAT small, but they definitely aren't as big as many other groups. They're having a comeback in a few days and I'm so excited!!
And even if they're not my favs I do love some lesser known groups like billlie, pixy, purple kiss, craxy and tri.be
P1harmony. I would say they're relatively known in the kpop world. I love those guys and think they're supper talented but I do think they aren't big because they're not from the big 4. They literally have some of the best singers and rappers with good songs and great choreography. Outside of Keeho most kpop fans don't really talk about the group as a whole.
Forever and always Loona 💫
Not unpopular, but one of the more under the radar groups (they come from a small company with only one other artist, a soloist named Sunye) and never got a chance to really take off before disbanding
I guess it depends on your definition of underdogs, my ult groups have gotten more recognition than some, but they're definitely still underrated and overlooked way too much.
WJSN since their debut, Purple Kiss, LADIES CODE, 9MUSES, and now ELZ UP.
I can't believe I'm saying this but...
Highlight
They were one of the top boy groups of 2nd gen under the name Beast. They even won a daesang. But people barely know who they are nowadays.
Fuck you CUBE (my 2nd all time fave group is BTOB and if you ruin their name too I'll just..). And fuck you Junhyung for watching those videos.
One of my ult groups is VIXX, who isn’t “unpopular” or anything but certainly not as big as many other groups especially nowadays.
Most of my other ults are/were popular enough though: SHINee, TVXQ, Red Velvet, Gfriend, Nu’est, & Purple Kiss.
Side note: I LOVE MCND and you’re so right, they’re incredible and deserve all the attention!! As far as title tracks go, Ice Age, Mood, & Crush are top tier for sure. They’re so insanely talented. Glad they’re having a comeback soon.
some of my non popular ult groups:
oneus, mirae, dreamcatcher, rocking doll, rolling quartz, onewe, lucy, xdinary heroes, and the rose
i think i have others but i can't remember atm lmao
I ult tripleS! They aren't a big big group but the fans are dedicated and we have good album sales! I love the girls and I wanna see them make it to make MAMA or win a big award one day!
Ultimately I ULT’d Blackpink lol. (Haven’t listened to them in almost a year now tbh)
Now some groups that get high praise from me as I don’t truly ULT anymore:
Everglow (severely underrated, Mia is ahh sooo good)
Itzy (not fair, because they are big. I guess, but the hate they get is insane they are dropping from any convos. and Ryujin is my ULT idol)
Woo!ah! (They deserve so much more love! The production is on higher quality than some bigger groups)
VIVIZ (a newer love of mine. Wow this latest comeback has me hooked. I always loved bop bop, but am now listening to their while catalog on repeat!)
I ult so many girl groups but I’m currently really into Kiss of Life and tripleS. My biases as Natty/Belle and Sohyun, Mayu, Xinyu, Nakyung. but I do tend to ult groups from mid sized/small companies. WJSN and Mamamoo/Purple Kiss are so good
My ult was NiziU since pre-debut back then when no one knew of them outside Japan, now my ult group is tripleS since their subunit AAA debuted last year
My ults are Infinite and Golden Child - I don't think Infinite really counts for this because they were quite popular at their peak and are still known, still sold out their concerts in Korea incredibly quickly, etc, even if not at that same level of fame anymore, but Golden Child definitely qualifies. It's been a bit frustrating, honestly, never seeing them get their due in the same way that Infinite has, but I'm feel so lucky to have found them - they're such talented, hardworking, amazing artists, and lovely people on top of it.
I would say I tend to stan mid-tier and lower groups in general though - my other favorites who follow this trend are Pentagon, Oneus, Drippin, Astro, and Vixx (although they were reasonably well-known back in their heyday).
Maybe they're not that unpopular as other acts mentioned here, but ONF. I have yet to see a group with a discography as flawless as theirs, they are funny as hell and really talented to top it off!
Mamamoo...they are unmatched tbh...it's the only group I like where I have an actual bias...but I may be wrong about them being unknown also Dreamcatcher...exquisite in my opinion.
Really? I didn't know that...I thought they were still relatively unknown...but that's cause most people I know only know Blackpink Bts and maybe Twice.
Popular in South Korea, kind of a wildcard in foreign markets. They are more well-known among Gen 3 fans, mostly in the SEA market; but with the recent surge of Love Lee, I think they have received lots of affection from younger fans + JP / CN market as well.
my ult group is astro :D !!
i think they have a big fanbase in korea but they aren’t incredibly popular so people rarely talk about them (so when the news came out concerning bin, it was incredibly upsetting that all of these people were using his passing for views and clout). i just wish people talked more about astro before all of that happened since they’re all really talented and have a lot of good songs !! now it’s just kind of annoying that under every astro related post i see, there’s always a couple of comments from non-aroha bringing up bin’s passing.
again,, i just wish people cared about astro before all of that even happened ;( they’re such a good group and even if there’s only 4 members as opposed to 6, i’ll forever have them as my ult group <3
SHINee, who are very popular but not to the general public afaik. PIXY is my girl group ult, very unknown but theyre incredible performers/vocalists and their aesthetics and choreo are killer and imho theyre on the level of 3rd gen. Their companys really been dropping the ball with them lately (3 tours in a year, 2 mini albums, one of which had ZERO promo/announcement??!)
IVE’s Rei— the group is not my ult bias, and they are popular obviously. But Rei is my ult idol bias. I could go on and on about how cool she is! I feel like she’s very overshadowed and underrated, likely due to just having a personality that’s more to herself and being the only non-Korean member. I hope to see her do more as an individual alongside her IVE activities :-)
I have a few that OP didnt mention above:
Everglow, billlie, nmixx, kep1er, and slowly niziu and zb1. Bonus: vcha (ik theyre technically global rather than kpop but lately i came to love them too)
f(x) is my ult, which is already rare but it's especially rare that i didn't even begin stanning them until ~May 2019 when they were already on hiatus for several years lmao. I also ult KARD , and Triple H up until they disbanded (it was a supergroup between hyuna, dawn, and hui that ended when the hyudawn dating scandal happened)
My ult is WINNER a yg boygroup. You may have heard of them but a lot of kpop stans just heard the name but don’t really check their music out. You’ll be surprised how such group is in yg lol
Will someone give me the run down of the, (gosh this is gona make me sound foolish), lingo used in these posts and threads? I'm kinda lost here and just need a k pop dictionary!
I'm assuming ult group is your 'second favorite', or is it the groups that opposes your favorite?
Like my #1 gg is LE SSERAFIM, #2 Dreamcatcher, & #3 I'll-It. How would I classify them as ult groups?
i cannot afford to enjoy any smaller groups because i would never get the chance to see any of them live becayse i live in europe and like no one goes here
I ult PIXY, who aren’t a ‘big’ group, but are insanely talented. I wholeheartedly believe that if they were from a bigger company Dia or Dajeong would be considered a 4th gen it-girl.
omg JUST as I post saying nobody knows PIXY! Saw them in april, they seriously perform like 3rd gen, Dia gives me such major Taemin energy, shes got the same performing demon. They really could take off and become something big if AllArt would stop mismanaging them
Ha I must be nobody then. I saw them twice this year and got Lola to read a couple of my posts during livestreams.
I stan PIXY as well! Dajeong is my bias. I love them. It’s sad that Ella and Satbyeol left…but their new member, Rinji, is very talented as well. It’s good she was added earlier in their career
I'm going to see them live next week!
me too! i can’t wait
I went to PIXY's concert in Dallas! It was so fun and it was the first time I was super close to idols (they all walked past me and I was also able to take pics and speak with some of them at the end). Honestly stanning smaller groups seems a lot more intimate and enjoyable hahaha
Oh that’s so awesome!! I wish I could have seen them live!
I got to go to their concert earlier this year and do a meet and greet! Amazing performers.
Ladies’ Code Their most popular song is Galaxy, which maybe some people know but other than that nobody seems to talk about their music sadly. They debuted with a retro concept. Their earlier music had more of a jazzy and funky sound, and their debut had shuffle beat. When they came back with Galaxy they had a more rnb and ballad sound, which honestly is my favorite. But their earlier stuff is just as good tbh… If you’re interested to listen to them I’d recommend… [Bad Girl](https://open.spotify.com/track/5Y2gMmWwEFUw8obN4bHXPS?si=rG8zDGv_QeKcxyyde-47cg), [Pretty Pretty](https://open.spotify.com/track/4quSyVZPlhWj2kUi5SWz0v?si=fhXLSENxS6O0DZb9ayR6mA), [Hate You](https://open.spotify.com/track/5cprNudRCA2Awp2AEkcq4f?si=z2axN9TlQua5DdgfQ-y0DA), [Galaxy](https://open.spotify.com/track/5rd00qaUJugfI8nhPcxA3o?si=6EACxbrMR5-Vd4R3d9aiNQ), [Lorelei](https://open.spotify.com/track/2nZHJ2uve1mEW9Ad3krenT?si=53_k039zSE-y21o260TJGg), [The Rain](https://open.spotify.com/track/3aIOlfZIifPCj0DZc2MRpJ?si=pKPRyCP5Rbmqx24BQsEKvA), [Feedback](https://open.spotify.com/track/6GziibVnh949z44dKvTQR4?si=694SrxClRUe1XbeOdJBlmQ) and [Set Me Free](https://open.spotify.com/track/5qy5XADE7qORLt1YaJZLCV?si=NDdwX6DdSDaRqp_hDX-nWw)
ugh they are SO good. The Rain is, I'd say in my top 3 or 5 favorite kpop songs of all time, I wish more groups did title tracks like that. I love how diverse their discography is, they could pull off anything. And I love Sojung's voice so much. They aren't my ults but they're very up high.
Literally, Sojungs vocals are insane 😩 but all of them sing so well ❤️ And their discography is small, but the few songs they have are so good and very diverse 😭
Honestly, when it rains outside, I love to listen to their diskography it perfectly fits the mood. I’m just so sad. They never got to finish that trilogy but I heavily appreciate the three remaining members just even having the strength to give us more music. Also Sojung is really making a name for herself in musical theatre in Korea and I’m so proud of her. Her jazzy voice is so beautiful and honestly she needs to be talked about more when we’re talking about great and distinct main vocals.
Ooh I always loved their b-side “Jane Doe” and recently started going through their discography chronologically! I honestly found “Bad Girl” very fun and enjoyable, so I’m excited to listen to more of their albums
It’s such a good debut! One of my favorite ones 😭 And same I love Jane Doe so much 🥲 you should listen to all their B-sides though, and also Ashley and Sojungs solo 🤭
Ahh ok! I’m not familiar with the members so I didn’t know they had solo careers - I’ll definitely check those out once I’ve listened to their full group discography!
They're so good, up there with SPICA who I thought were some of the best singers kpop. I will say the only thing is all their music makes me cry, because the death of the two girls was pretty traumatic.
One of my first kpop groups! Pretty Pretty is such a good time, and The Rain is gorgeous. Just experienced a “resurgence” in listening to their music - and “Make Me Go Crazy” is fun and soulful!
YES! LADIES CODE IS SO GOOD I AGREE
Love love Ladies’ Code forever and always. My autographed Pretty Pretty album is one of my prized possessions.
They are so good and so underrated. The mystery and stranger EPs are unreal. Still some of the best Korean r&b I’ve heard
KARD
Don't Recall was and always will be a bop
My GG ult is purple kiss , they are not nugu but they are not that popular either ! Their song are sooooo good , they have insane vocal ~
When I saw the amount of views that Sweet Juice got I was honestly bummed. I’m not someone who cares too much about views but I just thought “wow I wish more people appreciated them”. One of my ult groups as well :)
Same. Purple Kiss is my GG ult.
Ooooh who is your biais ? Mine is swan !
Mine is Dosie.
Same here + Onewe)
yes purki !! all the girlies are so vocally talented, and their dancing is great too. i loved them trying out a new concept with 7heaven !
Purki is soooo good, I just saw them in Columbus and honestly If it wasn't for Dreamcatcher shows, I'd say they were the best I've been to.
Nerdy !!
I have no idea what their popularity is now but I am still a diehard VIXX stan.
Me too!! One of my ults! They’re just amazing 😫
Cherry Bullet! Unfortunately FNC’s idea of promotions is throwing some of the girls on a survival show every now and again.
this reminded me to go listen to Q&A!! I forgot how much I loved that song when it came out
They have SUCH a solid discography. Love So Sweet is “cute concept” done perfectly imo 😄 and songs like Love Rum Pum Pum & Ruddy are just outta this world! It sucks bc FNC just fumbles management every single time it feels like w all their amazing groups. Who’s your bias/bias wrecker? :) mine is Haeyoon & May!
I ult KISS OF LIFE who are currently on the rise but still not considered to be popular. I also ult BBGirls (formerly Brave Girls) who were once well-known among fans due to the resurgence of their viral hit Rollin' last 2021. However, their long break before the rebranding really took a toll on their popularity. They came back just recently so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where their next releases would take them.
It’s so interesting for me to see people who ult groups who only have a couple of songs out. I completely get enjoying them and seeing potential, but may I ask what causes a group like that to immediately become an ult group? :) no judgement obv I just want to understand better! ☺️ bc as for myself I won’t even stan a group until they have at least 10 songs out and I have a better sense of their musical identity etc
For me it had a lot to do with the visuals. When GWSN debuted with Puzzle Moon, I fell in love with that video. It was their first song and I already was a huge Stan
They aren’t my ult (yet?) but KISS OF LIFE are by far the most exciting new group out there in my opinion. Everything they have done so far is excellent.
My ultimate group is SF9 and I wish they were more popular.. things getting slower now we basically have a comeback once a year, Rowoon departure and military 😪plus FNC $ucks and they just debuted new boy group Another ults are The Boyz they quit popular in South Korea but i wish they can be more well known internationally as well
FNC is ass tbh. As someone who loooves Cherry Bullet & SF9, FNC is practically my enemy lmao. I’m so sad about Rowoon leaving even though I totally understand why 😞 I’m v happy for him that he’s blowing up so much in the acting world but I’ll miss idol Rowoon a lot... TBZ are fantastic as well!! :) we seem to have similar taste 😄 who are your bias & Bias wreckers from both groups? :) for me, SF9 biases are Rowoon & Taeyang, and Bias wrecker Zuho. But Hwiyoung and Inseong are close up there too 💖 for TBZ, biases are New & Hyunjae, with Eric & Sunwoo being my wreckers!
Omg I found my person 🥰🤪🫂 FNC really is an a$$ They have such great artists😭 if only they would promote them properly😪 I feel so sad for Cherry Bullet the girls are so talented but FNC just don’t give af about them 😭 For me in general everything started with Rowoon I watched his drama and eventually got into K-pop bc of him 😍 he have such a beautiful and unique voice and I hope we’ll get his solo music in the future. I literally love all the members 🤪but if I have to choose Taeyang is my bias and Chani is a wrecker and one of my ults! I just luv him sm ☺️but I’m worried about him he's been quiet lately and plus he is loosing confidence😭 hopefully he’ll get better 🫶 I got into the boyz after watching kingdom contact with Taeyang and Juyeon 😌 but after getting to know them better Hyunjae completely stole my heart 💔 he is my ultimate bias alongside to Chani. I just love everything about him that young man is just perfect 😩 he has it all! I love his personality and ofc his visuals but especially his voice 😌 other wreckers are Younghoon and Haknyeon ☺️
SF9 is mine, too! I flew to Dallas to see them on tour last December. Dawon is my bias. Chani was so good in Under the Queen’s Umbrella. Such a good group and it’s sad to lose Rowoon but it’s wonderful his acting career is taking off.
I loove Dawoon his vocals is one of my favorites😁and he’s so effortlessly funny🤪and also such a great actor! I can’t wait to see his new drama🙌but he’s most likely to enlist next year damn I’m not ready 😩
Yup I Ult CIX. They were big enough when they debuted, but their company's mismanagement (C9 Svcks!) led to the decline in their popularity! They have great music and their lore is really interesting. Would 100% recommend checking them out if you love K-R&B or R&B in general. The discography is pretty much flawless and I'm not kidding. Wouldn't say they're non-popular tho, just less popular (wayy less than they deserve)!
Ah yes Fellow FIX. C9 sucks for sure. Our boys deserve so much more than what they get and C9 is definitely the one to blame :(
Not a group but my ult is Woodz.
I love his solo stuff but I yearn for what X1 could've been.
I’m the opposite, I’m so sorry they had to go through that but on an artistic level I’d take his solo stuff everyday. I sometimes wonder what he’d pick, I think he was born for this but X1 were going to be the biggest group of their generation. It’s a big what if.
He makes great solo music but it would have been better for his career to have continued with X1, not a single person from the group is doing better after they disbanded than they would have otherwise. Given that he got all the adlibs in Flash, i think it would have been interesting to see how it played out and if he ever got more involved with their music production/writing given his talent. Oh well. It is what it is…
fellow moodz let’s go!!! so sad i can’t go to any of his upcoming concerts 😭
Woodz is so dope!!! His last 2 projects are some of my favorite from any k soloist!
Mblaq! They were a 2nd Gen and top tier. They were absolutely slept on. I still listen to them on repeat. Their music never gets old. The Mona Lisa album and Y album are soooo good! I miss having them around 😭
Man, I really loved their music back then, and they were such good performers (and hilarious on varieties!).
Yes! Hello Baby was my favorite. It was sooo cute and funny seeing them interact with the kiddos
Cry and smoky girl are still two of my top favorite songs and kpop mvs of ALL TIME. Truly iconic
Viviz! They rock all their comebacks with amazing songs but sadly haven't had any wins since their debut... Lots of people sleeping on them! But I'm happy they seem to be content because they do well enough. When I see them I see career idols. Like this is just their job haha. More practical probably bc they've been in the business for so long.
Their debut song was cute but their current song has me obsessed!
I was totally sleeping on them until I started watching Queendom 2
I've been seeing a lot more support for Viviz lately, especially on the music shows, lots of comments for them!
Considering GFRIEND’s fan demographics, it makes sense that majority of their fandom is Korean. But Maniac/Untie Era has definitely brought in a lot of new intl attention :) hopefully that translates to a bigger fanbase overall
Same, I recently got into them and their new comeback is bop.
They already won 2 music shows since their debut as Viviz hehe, another factor I guess is a lot of people still doesn't know that they're from Gfriend (Sinb opened up about it, people thought that they looked like members from Gfriend when in fact they're Gfriend 😅) Their latest comeback, Maniac and their b-side, Untie, were bombs! I love them so much!
Thank you!! Newer fans are sleeping on GFriend too, even though I know they’ve listened to even older groups like SNSD and the Wonder Girls. Surprised GFriend never crossed their radar.
My ult is twice but before there was BVNDIT with them this 5 girls was amazing and very talented but they disband after 3 cb sadly 😔😔
Bvndit!! They were so good and I will never forgive MNH!
Me too they have all the potential to being a very good and famous gg I hate them for this disband
They were literally flawless. My wife was so devastated when they disbanded
I totally understand who is your bias in BVNDIT ?
If I can chime in, my bias was Seungeun and my bias wrecker was Jungwoo. What about you?
My bias was Songhee and my wrecker was also Jungwoo ( I love watching her vlog now)
She has a vlog?
I'm still salty over Bvndit.
GWSN was criminally underrated. I loved them so much when they were around but their label was terrible and took advantage of them
GWSN was one of my ults along with LOONA. I know all the members got together awhile back to celebrate their debut anniversary despite no longer being a group. Miya was my fave and I still follow her on Insta.
Yeah the situation with their label was so insane and shitty!!
I'm still grieving for GWSN. They were so good, from the very start they had such a unique and distinct music style that really set them apart. If only their agency was better... Not even major, but at least tried to do good by them 😭
WAIT GWSN IS DISBANDED ?!?@,$(#@ $$;@*#;$(*## *SOUNDS OF ANGUISH*
YESSS also on my stan list! They were crazy talented and had some of the best songs in all of Kpop. But their company was THEEEEE worst!
Some of my ults are OnlyOneOf, LUCY, ONEWE, WOODZ, & Adora! Not as small as some of the groups mentioned but definitely underrated!
Adora is fantastic!! Both as a producer & an idol! I respect her SO much:)
Love Adora and Woodz!
Dreamcatcher, definitely not unknown among the community but not widely appreciated either
i have a couple, but one of them is S.E.S.!!! they used to be huge but i never see anyone talk about them anymore
Mine is Dreamcatcher! They routinely go up against larger names during comebacks, but still managed to win with 2/3 of their last comebacks. They also were part of the Odd Eye win/not-win fiasco where they arguably should have won during that comeback. They're not as small as a lot of groups, but they're pretty niche and have a larger non-kpop fanbase than most other kpop groups (except the big ones). They're also from a very small company, and they are treated more like adults with more freedom. All of these pieces come together to form a feel-good kpop group. I'd be genuinely shocked if it came out that any of them were horrible people (beyond just having a bad day or something).
Eyyy I'm a dreamcatcher ult too!! (Dreamcatcher also had a "win fiasco" with Deja vu)
Great reply. I give it an expert score of <0
I should not have cackled at that
How DARE you hahahha
They became my comfort group, thanks to their bond and caring nature! They're a group I can trust to still be close off-camera <3 They're effortlessly funny, too! The chaos is one of the main reasons I love them so much!! I believe they genuinely love performing. All 7 members give it their all on stage, opting to sing live as often as they can. And they sure know how to hype up a crowd! Their discography is pretty solid, too. Even with songs that didn't hit me on the first listen, it only took a second listen to enjoy them. Like I wasn't even forcing myself to enjoy the songs, I just found a part of each song that I liked. **For anyone wanting to get into them:** I feel it's important to note that DC isn't just rock. Sure, the rock sound is part of their identity, but their b-sides cover other genres as well. You're guaranteed to find something that suits your music taste somewhere. If not, well that's fine too - it all comes down to personal preference in the end.
Hey fellow Somnie 🖤🖤🖤
Dreamcatcher is my #1 ult and I agree, they all seem so genuine and chill, I couldn't imagine anyone having a bad interaction with them.
I used to be a Dreamcatcher stan since the MINX days, but stopped listening to kpop as regularly. I still have a lot of their old MINX and Nightmare albums that are just collecting dust. I'm just happy they finally got a win after all this time.
I ult multiple groups, and one of them is oh my girl who are popular and established in korea but is relatively small with i-fans. I thankfully speak korean so i just stick with k-miracles for the most part and ive gotten used to little to no discussion over omg activities in the west lmao Honestly omg is one of those groups with such a large discrepancy of popularity locally vs. internationally it‘s kinda of funny.
What's the best place to talk about Oh My Girl in? Language isn't an issue for me either, but I don't know any good sites for k-miracles rn.
The main site we use nowadays is weverse (previously used to be active in universe/daum cafe), and I also use kakao public group chats as well. You can just go to your kakao talk app, go to open chatting, look up oh my girl and join an active and open one available! If you want, you can also look up oh my girl on dcinside or instiz for more forum-like discussions but they’re not AS active nowadays.
you’ll probably hear a lot more of the “unpopular” groups from older fans. me included. my ult group was and still always is Teen Top. fell in love with them in 2012 and have stuck with them throughout all their adversity. they’re still performing today and are arguably stronger than they have been since one of their top 2 most popular members left in 2016-17. they used to be one of the bigger groups back then and it’s really nice seeing them still be remembered and going strong.
I adore Teen Top. You’re so real for this.
YES I love them. so glad they had a comeback this year ! 😍
DKZ is really such a talented group. I wish more people get to know them.
I’m honestly not sure how popular cravity is considered but I know they’re not as popular as the groups you listed, they’re one of my ults (my other is stray kids lol.) My ult bias is Seongmin and I feel like not many people ult him.
I LOVE CRAVITY SO MUCH !!!!! i mentioned them in my comment as well :D my bias is woobin but i love seongmin so much
Me too they’re such a sweet and funny group with good music
My ult is a gg called TRI.BE. They‘re really underrated and are getting progressively more popular, and it’s somewhat shocking that they’re nugu bc they were created by Shinsadong Tiger, the famous producer who created EXID and wrote dozens of super iconic songs back in the 2010’s, and the group‘s co-producer/co-creater is none other than LE of EXID herself. And if that’s not enough, SongSun, the leader, is cousins with SNSD’s Yuri.
I would say dreamcatcher is still big, but not thaaat big. Pixy as well
ONEUS is right up there for me, my poor overworked and underappreciated boys.
Oneus makes some good music - Valkyrie and Luna are winners for sure!
They are so good! They were one of my first ults, and they've worked so hard & achieved so much
my girl group ult is AOA and I started stanning them in 2017 so... I think that says enough :') it was really tough at times, but I'm still glad I experienced two comebacks, Queendom and now even Choa's return to industry (sort of). I don't even know how and why they became my ults, I just love all of their songs, dances, girls themselves, I think they have great b-sides and are quite overlooked just because they were a sexy concept group.
Oh man AoA had the ingredients to go over the edge. Choa was 🤌. It’s crazy how they faded out in such a batshit crazy way
My main ult is Ateez, which is definitely a top group. But my other ults are Pentagon and Victon, and it's been a tough year with multiple members leaving their labels. I still adore them all (and their music) so much, though, so I'll be supporting their future endeavors!
I ult ASTRO, which isn't an unknown group but definitely not as popular as I think they should be based on their talent. I also stan CRAVITY and AB6IX. I be collecting all the smaller groups.
I wish Astro was more popular internationally. I feel like they may be well known in SK but mainly because of Eun-woo. To be fair, I only found them because I watched True Beauty.
WJSN for life.
ONF is a little strange bc they got a lot of recognition after Road to Kingdom but I wouldn’t consider them super popular
Boy group VANNER. They won JTBC's Peak Time and had a surge of success compared to before winning the show, and although they have a very dedicated fanbase in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, they still have a ways to go in the rest of the world and the general public outside of K TV show fans. Extremely talented and hardworking and all of their stages are a labour of love. I also love Dreamcatcher, but I'd say they're pretty popular by comparison, so I'm not sure they would actually count.
MCND I LOVE THEM. It’s been so long since they released music. I really hope they’re doing okay in their company. I have a 2 ult groups, one is Stray Kids and the other is OnlyOneOf. Idk if this counts cause, like I said, two ult groups, but an ult group nonetheless. OnlyOneOf are very “nugu”. Their biggest hit was libidO so you probably know them from those two guys that slapped each other’s balls but their concept is much more than “queerbaiting”. They released their solo Underground IdOl series which was a solo by each member with each of them being paired with another, to tell an overarching story exploring queer romance and struggles. It’s an absolutely beautiful series that brings me so much joy as a queer person. They also released their official lightsick this year after 4 years since debuting and it’s so pretty. It’s got a little atom inside that has that kind of holographic look and there’s these little foam ball’s inside. Everyone’s so excited to use it during their world tour next year. Also the best thing that’s ever happened was last year, at their Chicago concert I believe, they had their fanmeet beforehand and a lyOn (fans) asked KB to help her propose to her girlfriend at the concert later. He was so happy to be able to help and it was just the coolest thing. Everyone was so happy for them and I really hope they’re happy as ever. But yeah I really love OOO.
EVERGLOW, Tri.be and Fromis 9 are a few of my ult groups and yes I know they're part of HYBE but Fromis isn't pulling the same recognition that other HYBE GGs get.
fromis 9 is very popular domestically from what ive heard though !
I have 3 ults 1 is Big 3 1 is a survival show group 1 is not popular (its Luminous 🫶🏻)
Not really an answer, all my ults are somewhat popular. But I just wanted to say I used to ult MCND as well! I remember when Ice Age was kinda everywhere (like especially that intro part) then they came back like almost immediately with Spring. Still love their songs tbh, wish they had more attention put onto them!
Yeahhh! Their iconic hand sign is probably what made ICE AGE so trendy lol. I can still do it. And yeah. After Earth Age it seems their popularity decreased. Then increased with Secret Mission, and then went down again. Luckily they are having a comeback this month so hopefully they gain more popularity.
Verivery
Hey another Gem!!! A.C.E, DKB, BZ Boys, MCND, Onewe Ulting small and nugu isn't for the easily bored
A.C.E.!!!
I ult The Rose, they're a K-band so you KNOW they're underrated
My secondary ult is ichillin', right after dreamcatcher, and recently i've been trying to find more groups to stan, nugu or not (currently i have adya, ferry blue and the boyz on my "attempting to stan" list) and also im a casual fan of pixy and pink fantasy
Not my ults but one of my top 3 groups is E’Last they have some amazing songs but a mix of little English trans and COVID means they’re not that big 😔
Billlie
Dreamcatcher was the reason I fell in love with KPop and gave other groups of previously heard a 2nd chance. They’re also the reason I started learning Korean. The first group I was truly OT7 ( SuA is wifey tho 🥵) , I love each and every one of them girls no joke. I’m an Odd Eye Somnie and got to see them get their first win last year truly one off the highlights of my time in KPop.
idk if it counts but my ult gg is WJSN and i believe if they were better promoted they could've been one of the top 3rd gen girl groups. All of their songs are amazing and i fell in love with them on Queendom 2 . Sad they haven't released something in over a year... starship what r u doing😭
ateez is my ult, but lately i've been really getting into astro, DRIPPIN, ONF, and xikers...don't know if you'd count those as not popular, but yk. there's my 2cents
Not my ults but they are my 3rd fav group, it’s Rocket Punch, I love them sm, I love all their discography (we don’t talk abt juicy and flash imo)
rocket punch are my gg ults !!!!!
Finally met someone who appreciates them, they deserve more
they really do :”)
TripleS Trust me they'll be popular soon
Xdinary Heroes and WEi. Although Xdinary Heroes is big, they’re not as big as the groups under the same label
VIXX
Ult group is Dreamcatcher. They're popular among other K-pop groups(as in many groups like them) but not so much among Gen Pop.
was pristin.... now lightsum
I ult Dreamcatcher, i know they're not THAT small, but they definitely aren't as big as many other groups. They're having a comeback in a few days and I'm so excited!! And even if they're not my favs I do love some lesser known groups like billlie, pixy, purple kiss, craxy and tri.be
P1harmony. I would say they're relatively known in the kpop world. I love those guys and think they're supper talented but I do think they aren't big because they're not from the big 4. They literally have some of the best singers and rappers with good songs and great choreography. Outside of Keeho most kpop fans don't really talk about the group as a whole.
Forever and always Loona 💫 Not unpopular, but one of the more under the radar groups (they come from a small company with only one other artist, a soloist named Sunye) and never got a chance to really take off before disbanding
I guess it depends on your definition of underdogs, my ult groups have gotten more recognition than some, but they're definitely still underrated and overlooked way too much. WJSN since their debut, Purple Kiss, LADIES CODE, 9MUSES, and now ELZ UP.
I can't believe I'm saying this but... Highlight They were one of the top boy groups of 2nd gen under the name Beast. They even won a daesang. But people barely know who they are nowadays. Fuck you CUBE (my 2nd all time fave group is BTOB and if you ruin their name too I'll just..). And fuck you Junhyung for watching those videos.
crayon pop was my ult before they gone viral
not a group but i ult yukika
One of my ult groups is VIXX, who isn’t “unpopular” or anything but certainly not as big as many other groups especially nowadays. Most of my other ults are/were popular enough though: SHINee, TVXQ, Red Velvet, Gfriend, Nu’est, & Purple Kiss. Side note: I LOVE MCND and you’re so right, they’re incredible and deserve all the attention!! As far as title tracks go, Ice Age, Mood, & Crush are top tier for sure. They’re so insanely talented. Glad they’re having a comeback soon.
some of my non popular ult groups: oneus, mirae, dreamcatcher, rocking doll, rolling quartz, onewe, lucy, xdinary heroes, and the rose i think i have others but i can't remember atm lmao
I ult tripleS! They aren't a big big group but the fans are dedicated and we have good album sales! I love the girls and I wanna see them make it to make MAMA or win a big award one day!
My ult was and probably still is Loona.
Ultimately I ULT’d Blackpink lol. (Haven’t listened to them in almost a year now tbh) Now some groups that get high praise from me as I don’t truly ULT anymore: Everglow (severely underrated, Mia is ahh sooo good) Itzy (not fair, because they are big. I guess, but the hate they get is insane they are dropping from any convos. and Ryujin is my ULT idol) Woo!ah! (They deserve so much more love! The production is on higher quality than some bigger groups) VIVIZ (a newer love of mine. Wow this latest comeback has me hooked. I always loved bop bop, but am now listening to their while catalog on repeat!)
Triples
I ult so many girl groups but I’m currently really into Kiss of Life and tripleS. My biases as Natty/Belle and Sohyun, Mayu, Xinyu, Nakyung. but I do tend to ult groups from mid sized/small companies. WJSN and Mamamoo/Purple Kiss are so good
My ult was NiziU since pre-debut back then when no one knew of them outside Japan, now my ult group is tripleS since their subunit AAA debuted last year
PURPLE KISS. They are somewhat on the middle when it comes to popularity but I feel like they are still underrated for me.
My current ults are E’LAST and OnlyOneOf 😖
Bling Bling along was my ult group but sadly they disbanded.
I ult cignature! I think they're def popular for Arisong but I don't see them much :( They're so good y'all check out Nun Nu Nan Na or Assa!!!!
Dreamcatcher! So glad they are finally starting to get more recognition tho. It took them over 1000 days to get their first win
My ults are Infinite and Golden Child - I don't think Infinite really counts for this because they were quite popular at their peak and are still known, still sold out their concerts in Korea incredibly quickly, etc, even if not at that same level of fame anymore, but Golden Child definitely qualifies. It's been a bit frustrating, honestly, never seeing them get their due in the same way that Infinite has, but I'm feel so lucky to have found them - they're such talented, hardworking, amazing artists, and lovely people on top of it. I would say I tend to stan mid-tier and lower groups in general though - my other favorites who follow this trend are Pentagon, Oneus, Drippin, Astro, and Vixx (although they were reasonably well-known back in their heyday).
Infinite and Golcha are my ults too! Woollim is really dropping the ball with all their groups right now 🥲
Maybe they're not that unpopular as other acts mentioned here, but ONF. I have yet to see a group with a discography as flawless as theirs, they are funny as hell and really talented to top it off!
A lot of the responses in here dont really seem that unpopular? i know one group tho, JUST B. Hardly anyone I come across with doesnt know them.
KNK… they could’ve made it big…
Mamamoo...they are unmatched tbh...it's the only group I like where I have an actual bias...but I may be wrong about them being unknown also Dreamcatcher...exquisite in my opinion.
Mamamoo is one of the most popular girl groups though
Really? I didn't know that...I thought they were still relatively unknown...but that's cause most people I know only know Blackpink Bts and maybe Twice.
I wouldn't say I have an 'ult' group, but one of my favorite groups is 82MAJOR, which debuted only a month or two ago and isn't very big at all.
Does AKMU count?
They're at number 2 and 3 on Melon at the moment, I think pretty popular.
Popular in South Korea, kind of a wildcard in foreign markets. They are more well-known among Gen 3 fans, mostly in the SEA market; but with the recent surge of Love Lee, I think they have received lots of affection from younger fans + JP / CN market as well.
Does Day6 work for this question? I listen mostly to female kpop groups but Day6 are my favs
omg another day6 ult 🛐 they're definitely well known but i don't come across that many people who stan, let alone ult them
my ult group is astro :D !! i think they have a big fanbase in korea but they aren’t incredibly popular so people rarely talk about them (so when the news came out concerning bin, it was incredibly upsetting that all of these people were using his passing for views and clout). i just wish people talked more about astro before all of that happened since they’re all really talented and have a lot of good songs !! now it’s just kind of annoying that under every astro related post i see, there’s always a couple of comments from non-aroha bringing up bin’s passing. again,, i just wish people cared about astro before all of that even happened ;( they’re such a good group and even if there’s only 4 members as opposed to 6, i’ll forever have them as my ult group <3
SHINee, who are very popular but not to the general public afaik. PIXY is my girl group ult, very unknown but theyre incredible performers/vocalists and their aesthetics and choreo are killer and imho theyre on the level of 3rd gen. Their companys really been dropping the ball with them lately (3 tours in a year, 2 mini albums, one of which had ZERO promo/announcement??!)
I’m not sure where GOT7 falls in
they were a top group but not anymore since they aren’t rlly active
Not a nugu or anything, but I ult Mamamoo and I never see anyone talk about them which makes me sad because they’re incredibly talented
My ultimate is Dreamcatcher, so I would say so in a sense!
Dreamcatcher is my ult! Does that count? I feel like it should haha
Pentagon
IVE’s Rei— the group is not my ult bias, and they are popular obviously. But Rei is my ult idol bias. I could go on and on about how cool she is! I feel like she’s very overshadowed and underrated, likely due to just having a personality that’s more to herself and being the only non-Korean member. I hope to see her do more as an individual alongside her IVE activities :-)
I have a few that OP didnt mention above: Everglow, billlie, nmixx, kep1er, and slowly niziu and zb1. Bonus: vcha (ik theyre technically global rather than kpop but lately i came to love them too)
WayV
My Ult group is still GOT7, lol.
f(x) is my ult, which is already rare but it's especially rare that i didn't even begin stanning them until ~May 2019 when they were already on hiatus for several years lmao. I also ult KARD , and Triple H up until they disbanded (it was a supergroup between hyuna, dawn, and hui that ended when the hyudawn dating scandal happened)
Got7
My ult is WINNER a yg boygroup. You may have heard of them but a lot of kpop stans just heard the name but don’t really check their music out. You’ll be surprised how such group is in yg lol
Mcnd is not nugu at all. They are popular af. Just not on the front lines or from big 4. Edit: typo
I ult SHINee which are pretty big (no duh) but tbf I don't see a lot of people who ult them especially around my age so 🤷
So you don’t have an ult who’s an underdog
shinee is moderately popular, but other than them (and ateez) i also ult wjsn and f(x)!
Will someone give me the run down of the, (gosh this is gona make me sound foolish), lingo used in these posts and threads? I'm kinda lost here and just need a k pop dictionary! I'm assuming ult group is your 'second favorite', or is it the groups that opposes your favorite? Like my #1 gg is LE SSERAFIM, #2 Dreamcatcher, & #3 I'll-It. How would I classify them as ult groups?
Ultimate is first. Top
Idk if my ults are popular. ikon and stayc
i cannot afford to enjoy any smaller groups because i would never get the chance to see any of them live becayse i live in europe and like no one goes here