Welcome to another edition of Where Are They Now? This time we follow a few breakout members of groups that didn’t quite make it big.
The K-pop industry is unforgiving, and if a group can’t manage to secure a niche and a fandom in a very short time period, then they are destined to fail. Even those hidden gems that make us wonder “how didn’t they succeed?” can’t make it without the support of the public and end up disbanding or fading into oblivion. With that being said, when those things happen, it’s up to the individuals of the group to decide how their careers will continue, either in music or otherwise.
In the case of disbanded groups, there’s always the question of “What will they do next?”. While the fans of a certain group may want the members to continue doing music, that may not always be the best move. Sometimes having a group disband can be the motivation to do something different. Eden of LC9 is an example of this. LC9 had a much talked about debut with “Mama Beat,” the video for which showed ultraviolence in a new way, making for a powerful debut. However, the group couldn’t keep up the momentum and disbanded after releasing only one mini album.
Eden took the time after disbandment to move back home to Canada and resume his studies. In an interview with HelloKpop, he revealed that he has been enrolled in The Sauder School of Business at the University of British Columbia. Though he’s been focused on his studies, music is still in Eden’s heart. He’s worked with Hallyu Entertainment to become one of the headlining acts during their Kpop All Night series of performances in the US. He’s signed to MMP Entertainment and still releases music periodically, both through their channel and his personal one.
Just because an artist doesn’t sing or rap anymore, doesn’t mean music is no longer in their blood. Artistic expression comes in many forms. Take Rome of C-Clown. Three years after their debut with “Solo,” C-Clown disbanded among much turmoil, which included Rome mysteriously changing his name on social media, and leaving cryptic messages before the news broke out.
That hasn’t put a damper on Rome’s drive at all. Though he’s stepped away from the spotlight, you’ve seen his touch and probably didn’t even realize it. “Eung Freestyle,” Mino’s “Body,” and Amber’s “Borders” are just a few of the videos he’s been a part of production of through Dream Perfect Regime (DPR). The group edits and directs music videos for a variety of artists and Rome is a part of it all.
If you’ve been missing out on Rome or his activities, then you need not do so any longer. He’s active on Twitter and Instagram, and DPR projects are all over YouTube, their website, and Facebook.
Though other avenues are always open, there are those who, once they get a taste of their dream, just can’t let it go. That’s where K of Wonderboyz comes in. News of Wonderboyz’s disbandment broke in early 2015. Many held their single “Tarzan” as the one that would bring their career into an upswing. Despite the group’s ending, the members have persevered.
K now goes by the moniker OWOL and has moved to the Korean underground hip hop scene. Before signing with CHITWN Music Inc., he released the single “I Know It” on Soundcloud. His first single as OWOL was “Dream On You“. His second solo single, “Nuna” will feature Microdot, who rose to fame from the Mnet reality series Show Me the Money 4. Be on the lookout for it some time this month.
With an industry as demanding and fickle as the K-pop industry, there’s no telling how a group may fare when they step into the spotlight. No matter whether they become the top of their class or have to take a more roundabout approach on the way to their dreams, the thing that remains certain is that if music is truly in their hearts and souls, they will find a way. Whether they fit it into already busy schedules, move from in front of to behind the camera, or switch up their name and style to take their career in a different path, we wish them well in their endeavors. For now, we’ve caught up with a few of our favorite missing boy group members and look forward to what they have in store for us next.
(HelloKpop, Hallyu Entertainment, Dream Perfect Regime, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook [1][2], Soundcloud, CHITWN Music Inc., YouTube [1][2][3][4][5][6], Images via Nega Network, DPR, CHITWN Music Inc.)
