In another exciting year of new music, writers Eileen and Siena discuss the debuts that captivated their hearts in 2024!
Siena: Ranking debuts is something I find uniquely difficult. There’s little information, and rookies with big company support have a huge advantage over smaller label groups (something, alas, very much reflected in my picks for 2024). There’s also a part of me that just wants to say “go rookies!” and leave critique out of it.
That being said, the major factors informing my list were music quality, concept (execution and originality), and potential, which is basically a combination of stage presence, creative momentum, and because I’m slightly jaded, the likelihood of a group’s future success. Potential pulls more weight when there’s less material to work with, as is the case with my third and fifth picks, who have only released three singles and one mini album respectively.
Meovv and Izna are sister groups, both springing from The Black Label (Izna is co-managed with WakeOne). That’s where the tangible similarities end. Five-member Meovv were shrouded in secrecy pre-debut and helm close to the girl-crush concept Black Label lead producer Teddy Park is known for thanks to his work with 2NE1 and Black Pink. Seven-member Izna were formed as publicly as possible, on an Mnet survival show and, based on debut mini N/a, are opting for a softly chic style. At the very least, direct creative competition seems unlikely, even if the possibility of The Black Label getting stretched too thin between groups looms large; Meovv’s achilles heel is their small discography and Izna’s rollout was painfully slow.
With that being said, both groups have enormous, you guessed it, potential. Izna have embraced a 2010s music style that helps them stand out with easy-listening, sweetly catchy pop that is further elevated by a stellar vocal line. Meovv are also no slouches vocally or performatively. Indeed, it is the five members insane stage presence that pushed them to pick #3 versus Izna’s pick #5. Meovv have also been refreshingly experimental in their rookie releases, from the wacky “Meow” to introspective ballad “Toxic.” I’m excited to see more from both groups.
Eileen, what influenced you most when picking your top rookies?
Eileen: Like you Siena, I also focused on concept execution and music strength when forming my list with the title track carrying the most weight. But when it comes to potential, I excluded prospects of mainstream success and mainly looked at how well the debuts established the rookie groups’ identity. This is partially how Rescene and Waker made it into my top five.
Truthfully, I’m uncertain how these two groups will fare in the future simply because the chances of small company acts breaking out are extremely slim. The restraints from these types of situations seems more apparent with Waker as they only had one music show performance for their debut single which occurred an entire month after it was initially released, undoubtedly hurting their likeliness to gain traction. But despite probable financial limitations, the group’s first mini album Mission of School was pretty solid and a bit lengthy with seven original songs. “Atlantis” offers a dreamlike, inspiriting pop tune shaped by retro synths and electric guitars. Meanwhile, “Dash” showcases an edgier side of the members as their vocals are bolstered by more intense electronic sounds. While perhaps not the most distinguishing, I’m still quite impressed with Waker’s foray into the industry.
In contrast, Rescene revealed only two songs for their debut—“YoYo” and “UhUh.” The former is a hazy dance-pop number with a variety of synths helping to produce a soft, surreal air. Moreover, the members’ vocal harmonies work to fill up the mysterious space and immerse listeners into the ambience. It’s a nice introduction to the group and fits well as a pre-release track; though, it’s the lead single “UhUh” that’s really attention-grabbing. Looking at it now, the title almost seems too simple for how engrossing the production is. Its dark synth bass that’s present throughout the tune is striking and continuously propels the energy. The more melodic topline and addition of brass in the post-chorus heightens the atmosphere even more, and all these elements come together at the end to deliver a truly imposing finale. I’m looking forward to seeing how Rescene develops this sound further.
I’ve noticed the remaining picks on our top five lists overlap. Continuing the topic of success, Illit’s debut was an undeniable hit for both domestic and international listeners as “Magnetic” enjoyed a spot on the music charts for much of the year. What was it about their debut that stood out to you?
Siena: I definitely take your point on how less-prominent debuts deserve even more praise for their achievements: I also enjoyed Rescene’s music, and want to shout out fellow ‘nugu’ debut Say My Name.
Of course, Illit couldn’t be further from that territory, for better and for worse; It’s arguably Hybe and their questionable management practices that pose the biggest threat to Illit’s future. For now though, their music was some of the strongest of the debut crop, from “Magnetic,” to follow-up “Cherish (My Love),” to a number of excellent B-sides. I also respected how clear and fleshed out their concept was even if, truth be told, it’s not entirely my personal taste.
Best-described as a kind of whimsical witch meets coquette aesthetic, Illit’s concept is frankly, hard to pull off. I really admire how all of the members, including those who arguably might not be super suited to this style, work hard to make Illit’s world come to life in a believable and fun way. I’m curious to see how this concept evolves, and I’m rooting for them.
Eileen, what impressed you about Illit’s debut?
Eileen: Admittedly, I was rather late to the Illit hype. I heard a lot of news about their success from their impressive album sales to their perfect all-kill, but I never got around to listening to their debut EP until some weeks after its release. My expectations going in were understandably high, and it only took me a few seconds of listening to “Magnetic” to understand why it was such a hit. It’s accessible, satisfying, and seriously catchy. Though it falls victim to the short length trend, the production quality more than makes up for it. This also extends to the accompanying B-sides which all sound exceedingly coherent when put together.
While the easy listening sound can quickly feel monotonous, I really enjoy the group’s take on it. I had trouble finding the right words to describe their concept, but I think your descriptors of whimsical and the coquette aesthetic are spot on.
The members of the last girl group on our lists aren’t exactly rookies, considering all five used to be part of Loona. And in a way, Artms’s debut almost feels like a comeback with creative director Jaden Jeong seemingly picking up where he left off with the ethereal electropop sound of Loona’s first few releases. His influence on Artms’s style is especially obvious and fortunately for me, his music taste matches my own fairly well. I love the sparkly synths and melodic hooks all throughout DALL, and the smooth yet punchy production is incredible. It presents a somewhat more polished version of the dreamy, fairylike image that Loona originally had. Although their pre-releases weren’t initially striking to me, they work extremely well in making the record cohesive and I usually find myself playing the album as a whole from start to finish rather than picking out specific songs to listen to.
What about Artms impressed you, Siena? And how did their debut take your number one spot?
Siena: As you note, Artms have a head start on many debuts since they’re building off a previously established identity…not to mention the members’ performance experience. These factors have served many former Loona members well in their next projects, including one of my 2024 honorable mention debuts, soloist Yves. Nevertheless, I found Artms’ debut to have a remarkably clear and original vision. I love their decision to debut with a full album, immediately creating a substantial discography. Additionally, in the visual realm, Artms are doing things I haven’t really seen before in K-pop, or at least not executed with this much skill and commitment.
Debut track “Virtual Angel” is one of my favorite K-pop releases in quite some time, and captures the qualities that make Artms special: visual daring, achingly emotive musicality, and an interest in subtle yet substantive engagement with mature themes, in this case the dark side of fandom culture. Every group on my list, and many additional rookies, are full of talent and potential. However, it’s Artms’ unbridled creativity that makes them the most exciting rookies of the year to me.
Creativity is also a strong suit of TWS, my number two pick. The first boy group from Pledis since Seventeen, TWS’ boyish charm and sharp dance skills do bring to mind their seniors, but the septet have largely succeeded in establishing their own thing. Their concept, full of school days nostalgia and coming-of-age narratives, is hardly uncommon (one of my honorable mentions, NCT Wish, is in a similar boat), but their execution is praise-worthy. From pastel-colored MVs, to athletic choreography packed with cheeky details, to their consistently catchy tracks, TWS have a clear vision and are bringing it to irresistible life. If I had to quibble a bit, I’d note that the group works wonderfully as a unit but are still honing their individual performance identities. Still, the future seems bright for TWS, especially given their fantastic end-of-year comeback “Last Festival,” which is both my favorite release of theirs to-date and points intriguingly to a potential concept shift.
In a rather delightful parallel, both our number one picks are each other’s number two selections! Eileen, what made TWS your favorite rookies of 2024?
Eileen: I remember briefly covering TWS’s “Plot Twist” after it was released in an Unsung Artists post and though I didn’t know it at the time, the group’s debut would be the start of one of the most memorable debut years for a K-pop act in some time. Their boyish image isn’t anything we haven’t seen before as you’ve pointed out, but they add just enough quirks to their concept that makes it feel so pure and refreshing.
Also, I appreciate how this school theme from the group’s debut is properly continued with their subsequent releases. “Plot Twist” expresses the clumsy and slightly nerve-racking experiences on the first day of the semester while “If I’m S, Can You Be My N?” moves us later into the year, including the familiar sight of cram schools for teenage students as well as a summer track and field competition. As for the ending, “Last Festival” shows the boys’ graduation and a touching farewell to their youthful days. TWS’s growth throughout the school year from meeting to parting is quite straightforward yet still so effective and brilliantly presented. And this is alongside several vivid and addictive pop tunes!
Honestly, I wouldn’t mind if Pledis kept using the school setting for TWS but “Last Festival” implies that the series has come to a close. I’m a bit sad to see it go, but I’m even more excited to see how they’ll further develop their sound in the future.
Our top rookies of 2024 all showed a lot of potential with different sounds, concepts, and backgrounds. It’ll be interesting to see how they’ll grow and evolve over the next year.
(YouTube [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Korea JoongAng Daily. X. Images via Pledis Entertainment, WakeOne, Belift Lab, MODHAUS.)
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