MONSTA X: Third Generation KPOP Global Frontliner

Home  >  Blog  >  Monsta X: Third generation K-pop global frontliner

Table of Contents

The third era of K-pop is actively expanding to the rest of the world, especially to the West, Even though K-pop expresses music in a different and unfamiliar language, it finally connected to people from various nationalities globally. Aside from BTS, NCT, and SEVENTEEN, there is another K-pop boy group that is on the frontlines in conquering the international music scene. And that is MONSTA X. Let us get to know them here:

monsta x third generation kpop global frontliner delivered korea

Where It All Started

In an MNET survival idol show in 2014 called NO.MERCY, thirteen trainees from Starship Entertainment fought for a spot in an upcoming boy group. The trainees who survived the tough competition debuted as the 7-member boy group MONSTA X composed of Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Jooheon (now Joohoney), I.M., and Wonho on May 14, 2015. According to Starship Entertainment, “The name signifies the emergence of a monster who will dominate the K-pop scene, as well as the meaning of ‘My star‘, as ‘Mon‘ means ‘my‘ in French. The X in the name refers to the existence of the unknown.”

no mercy trainees
NO.MERCY Trainees
Source: alldayeverydaykpop.weebly.com

Sign Up & Receive 2 DK Points

Become a member of Delivered Korea & save on your next international shipment!

MONSTA X 101

MONSTA X is one of those K-pop groups that offers a different sound to the industry. Basically, they are considered “hip hop idols”. But as you listen to their discography, you will hear a wide variety of aggressive sounds like electronic instrumentals, distinct vocals, and ruthless rap verses. Some people may even consider it as “loud and noisy” music, but this musical style has been a great influence on the fourth era of K-pop. It seems that the new generation of K-pop listeners loves this combination of hip-hop, pop, and EDM genres. Listen to their songs, Trespass, Hero, Fighter, Dramarama, Shine Forever, Beautiful, All In, Jealousy, and Puzzle to get started with their amazing discography.

monsta x trespass debut teaser
MONSTA X Trespass Debut Teaser
Source: koreaboo.com

All the group members play huge roles to complete MONSTA X. Big artist names like K.Will, Hyorin, Soyou, Mad Clown, Wheesung, and Rhymer chose and evaluated them in NO.MERCY, so you can expect nothing less than the best vocal, rap, and dance lines from the group. With their larger-than-life personalities, they also charmed not just South Korea, but the world’s audiences with their crazy antics as variety show guests and hosts. Are you curious now? Get to know more about them here:

Sohn Hyun Woo

Sohn Hyun Woo, also known as Shownu, is the leader of MONSTA X. He is responsible for most of MONSTA X‘s choreographies, which you will surely find as beautiful as their music. He also showcased his dance talent to the industry through the dance show “Hit The Stage“.

monsta x's shownu
MONSTA X's Shownu
Source: allkpop.com

Lee Min Hyuk

Lee Min Hyuk, or just Min Hyuk, is a visual and sub-vocalist of MONSTA X. He is considered the “mood maker” of the group, making him the best representative of variety shows. Min Hyuk has already proven his hosting skills as an MC in Inkigayo and Back to the Idol.

monsta x lee min hyuk
Min Hyuk as Inkigayo MC
Source: kpopstarz.com

Yoo Ki Hyun

Yoo Ki Hyun, or just Ki Hyun, is the main vocalist of MONSTA X. He contributes immensely to the music composition and writing of lyrics of their songs. And according to the other members, he is especially good at cooking ramen.

monsta x kihyun
MONSTA X's Ki Hyun
Source: hellokpop.com

Chae Hyung Won

Chae Hyung Won, or just Hyungwon, is the lead dancer, visual, and center of MONSTA X. You have probably seen him before through the famous “sassy” meme. The guy is full of talents because aside from being a king of memes, he is also a popular DJ under the name H.ONE.

monsta x hyungwon
MONSTA X's Hyungwon "sassy" Meme
Source: pinterest.com

Lee Joo Heon

Lee Joo Heon, now called Joohoney, is the main rapper of MONSTA X. Naturally, he contributes to the writing of lyrics and rap verses in the group’s songs. Being one of the best rappers in the industry, he was chosen as one of the rap trainers in the famous MNET idol survival show, Produce X 101.

joohoney at produce x 101
MONSTA X's Joohoney at Produce X 101
Source: koreaboo.com

Im Chang Kyun

Im Chang Kyun, also known as I.M., is the lead rapper and maknae of MONSTA X. Together with Joohoney and Ki Hyun, he also contributes to the production of the group’s songs. And he also speaks the best English among the members as he stayed in Boston, USA for 3 years and 4 years in Israel.

monsta x im chang kyun i.m.
MONSTA X's I.M.
Source: hellokpop.com

Lee Ho Seok

Lee Ho Seok, also known as Wonho, is a former visual, lead vocalist, and lead dancer MONSTA X member who left the group in 2019. He is now signed with Highline Entertainment, a subsidiary of Starship Entertainment, as a solo artist and producer.

monsta x former member lee ho seok wonho
MONSTA X's former member Wonho
Source: allkpop.com

Sign up & Receive 2 DK Points

Become a member of Delivered Korea & save on your next international shipment!

Expansion to the West

In 2018, three years after their debut, MONSTA X finally get the international recognition that they deserve. With exposure from foreign media giants Billboard and Forbes, they were able to catch the attention of more global audiences. In fact, they were the first K-pop group to perform at iHeartRadio’s Jingle Ball Tour. Following through are their guests to famous American shows like The Ellen Show, Good Day New York, Good Morning America, Jimmy Kimmel, and more.

monsta x at jingle ball tour 2018
MONSTA X at Jingle Ball Tour 2018
Source: hellokpop.com

MONSTA X keeps rising on the world stage up to this day, even through the pandemic. According to Forbes, they occupied one-quarter of 25% of Billboard’s World Digital Songs Chart. With this feat, it is no wonder why talented music producers collaborated with them like Steve Aoki with Play It Cool, French Montana with Who Do U Love, and Sebastian Yatra with Magnetic.

Sign up & Receive 2 DK Points

Become a member of Delivered Korea & save on your next international shipment!

MONSTA X's Marketability

Considering all these successes, MONSTA X has proven that they are one of the most marketable K-pop groups today. Brands like LITMUS, Kappa, Great Ocean, Tony Moly, Doota Duty-Free, and Urban Decay chose MONSTA X to endorse their products. But what keeps the group more financially stable is its own official merchandise. MONBEBEs, the group’s name for their own fans that means “my baby”, play a huge role as their target market. If you are one of them, here are some of the popular merchandise that you can buy to support them.

MONSTA X Official Lightstick

monsta x lightstick
MONSTA X Official Lightstick

MONSTA X Collection of Official Albums and DVDs

monsta-x-mini-album-one-of-a-kind-4-version-set
Collection of Official Albums and DVDs

MONSTA X Clothing like Tees and Hoodies

monsta x apparel
MONSTA X's Clothing like Tees and Hoodies

MONSTA X Accessories like Hats, Masks, and Towels

monsta x accessories
MONSTA X's Clothing like Tees and Hoodies

To show genuine support to MONSTA X, you should buy from trusted and reliable shops like Amazon, KPOPMART, KPOPTOWN, Gmarket, Official Shop, and more. Having a wider international audience, buying merchandise, and shipping them to the rest of the world may be confusing and difficult for new fans. Fortunately, there are now package forwarding services to help you with your purchasing experience. One of the best shipping companies out there is DELIVERED KOREA. They offer not just shipping services but also consolidating and personal shopping services. To know more about them, check out our website.

delivered korea wbsite
Delivered Korea Homepage