[OSENWORLD] With BTS’s legacy still defining the global stage and SEVENTEEN proving their staying power, the K-pop boy group scene is entering its fiercest power struggle yet. Stray Kids may be the current frontrunners, but rising challengers are rapidly closing in.
Stray Kids solidified their dominance with their fourth full album KARMA, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 — their seventh consecutive chart-topper, a feat unmatched in the chart’s 70-year history. Their expansion into stadium tours further underscores their global clout, pairing strong album sales with commanding live performances.
HYBE’s powerhouse juniors ENHYPEN and TOMORROW X TOGETHER are also showing formidable growth. ENHYPEN have filled stadiums and domes across Asia, the U.S., and Europe, while TXT continue to draw massive crowds on their North America and Europe tours. Both groups boast multiple tracks surpassing 100 million streams on Spotify and music videos with over 100 million views, cementing their positions in the global market.
The next generation is also rising fast. BOYNEXTDOOR have built a reputation for sticking to handheld mics and delivering raw live vocals, helping overturn the perception that boy groups lag in digital chart power. Their single I LOVE YOU Today Only found major streaming success, and they’ve since entered the U.S. Billboard 200 with every release while even landing a stage at Lollapalooza Chicago.
RIIZE, meanwhile, have combined striking visuals with addictive music, making waves with Love 119, which sampled izi’s iconic hit Emergency Room. Their growing popularity has already secured them a Tokyo Dome show for February 2026 — the fastest-ever dome debut for a K-pop boy group, achieved just two years and five months after debut.
Among rookies, CORTIS stand out as the strongest contender. Dubbed BTS and TXT’s younger brother group under BigHit Music, they quickly entered the Billboard 200 with their debut album and drew over 6 million monthly Spotify listeners by late September. ALPHA:DRIVE ONE, formed through Mnet’s Boys 2 Planet, is another dark horse, having surpassed one million followers on social media just two days after launch.
From global stadium acts to rookies rewriting records, the competition is wide open. As K-pop enters a new era of boy group rivalry, fans and industry watchers alike are asking the same question: who will wear the next crown?
/k_inside@osen.co.kr
