K-pop’s newest It group, BABYMONSTER, have made their meteoric rise thanks to an easy swagger and an onstage charisma well beyond their years. Their name, so the story goes, was meant to evoke this notion. It was a moniker chosen to signify the infinite potential of youth (“BABY”) and their towering skills as performers (“MONSTER”), and so far, the boundary-pushing music and robust fan response has matched these ambitions. BABYMONSTER is YG Entertainment’s first girl group since debuting BLACKPINK in 2016—and it’s clear why the powerhouse label took its time forming its latest ensemble. Consisting of AHYEON, RAMI, and RORA from South Korea; RUKA and ASA from Japan; and PHARITA and CHIQUITA from Thailand, the group is an ultimate A-team of young pop stars, each with unique gifts and perspectives as artists.

In 2023, their inspirational pre-debut release, “DREAM,” premiered at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot Trending Songs list, while its follow-up, the funky hip-hop banger “BATTER UP,” has scored hundreds of millions of streams worldwide. With the release of their first official EP, [BABYMONS7ER], the group is already setting themselves apart in the hypercompetitive K-pop world with their pristine pop vocals, eye-catching choreography, and energetic live performances.

[BABYMONS7ER]’s seven tracks, which cover genres ranging from hard-hitting hip-hop to soulful ballads, spotlight the group’s versatility. The EP sold more than 400,000 copies in its first week, setting the record for the highest first-week sales for a debut album by a K-pop girl group.  

Part of BABYMONSTER’s remarkable success is due to their tight-knit teamwork and direct involvement in the creative process. The music video for “SHEESH,” for example, features jaw-dropping, colorful sets and bold, stylish costumes that the girls helped conceive. Even the tiniest details—like the kinds of gestures used in a particular music video—are carefully thought out by the members, resulting in show-stopping performances marked by meticulous artistry and flawless execution. One of the vocal directors on their EP was none other than RAMI herself, who guided her bandmates’ vocals and drew out each member’s strengths.

Another secret behind BABYMONSTER’s rapid ascent is actually no secret at all: These girls have been consistently garnering widespread praise for their strong vocal abilities. Their recent performances on music showcases like Mnet’s M Countdown and it’s Live highlighted their raw talent and proved that they could effortlessly belt out their stirring melodies and high-octane hip-hop live on-stage.

Lead single “SHEESH,” whose title was chosen to denote the surprise people feel when listening to BABYMONSTER’s songs, is a dark, grungy hip-hop anthem that declares BABYMONSTER has entered the global music scene. Thanks partly to its catchy chorus and choreography, “SHEESH” broke the record for the fastest debut music video by a K-pop group to surpass 100 million views—a milestone reached in just 10 days. 

[BABYMONS7ER] includes the group’s pre-debut single “DREAM,” which fittingly describes their journey to becoming BABYMONSTER. The emotional and mellow “Stuck in the Middle” showcases the members’ incredible vocal range and rich harmonies as they detail a complicated relationship: “You tell me that you need me / Then you walk away / Keep promising forever / With the words you say it’s true / Don’t know what I’m supposed to do.”

“BATTER UP,” a signature YG hip-hop tune co-written by ASA, one of the group’s rappers, has amassed 108 million streams and rising on Spotify alone. Replete with beat drops and explosive, rapid-fire verses, the song’s fierce message of empowerment (“I’m on a mission / Don’t need permission / No matter what, I’m gonna make my own decisions”) carries on the strong legacy of YG.

The EP also contains “LIKE THAT,” an upbeat number about mutual attraction written by pop superstar Charlie Puth, gifted to the group after seeing AHYEON's viral cover of his song “Dangerously.” 

BABYMONSTER’s stunning accomplishments have led the media to call them “monster rookies” (a term used to refer to K-pop groups that have achieved enormous success in a short time), giving a whole new meaning to their name. But while all these accolades and record-breaking feats are impressive, the members won’t let fame go to their heads. 

“We want to become artists who provide positive energy and inspiration through our music, and we want to continue to communicate with our fans often and make fun memories with them,” says BABYMONSTER.

Starting with the release of its first EP, BABYMONSTER is now gradually expanding its global influence. The group is currently on their very first fan meeting tour covering five Asian regions (Tokyo, Jakarta, Singapore, Taipei, Thailand) to communicate with fans all over the world. In addition, it will expand its scope to the global market by performing at Japan's largest music festival "Summer Sonic 2024" in August.