Boyfriend () is a South Korean
boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform Love song, love songs marketed towards girls and young ...
formed by
Starship Entertainment
Starship Entertainment () is a South Korean entertainment company founded in 2008 and became an independent subsidiary of Kakao Entertainment in 2013.
They had been recognized for their contributions to the Hallyu Wave, being home to several ...
in 2011. They are the first boy group to have twin members. The group consists of
Kim Dong-hyun, Shim Hyun-seong, Lee Jeong-min,
Jo Young-min
Jo Young-min (; born 24 April 1995) is a South Korean actor, model and singer. He is a member of Boyfriend.
Biography and career
Born on 1995, April 24 in Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is the capital an ...
,
Jo Kwang-min
Jo Kwang-min (, born 24 April 1995) is a South Korean actor, model and singer, rapper. He is a member of Boyfriend.
Biography and career
He was born on 24 April 1995 in Seoul
Seoul (; ; ), officially known as the Seoul Special City, is t ...
and No Min-woo. They debuted on
Mnet
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
's ''
M Countdown
''M Countdown'' () is a South Korean music program broadcast by Mnet. The show features appearances by popular music artists who also perform live on stage. It is broadcast from CJ E&M Center Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul.
Bro ...
'' on May 26, 2011 with "Boyfriend".
On May 17, 2019, Starship Entertainment announced that Boyfriend disbanded. They reformed on April 30, 2021 and returned with the digital single "Ending Credit" on May 26 for their 10-year anniversary. On December 29, 2021, Boyfriend made a comeback under the new name "BF" and released the EP ''Adonis''. BF celebrated their 11th year anniversary by releasing a fan song "Canvas" on May 26, 2022.
History
Pre-debut
Youngmin and Kwangmin trained under
JYP Entertainment
JYP Entertainment Corporation () is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, tale ...
for two years. By their 100th day mark of being child actors, the twins had appeared in over 300 commercials. During his high school years, Donghyun starred in a variety show ''Conduct Zero'' where six rebellious high school students were made into exemplary students.
2011: Debut
On May 26, 2011, Starship Entertainment released their debut single "Boyfriend". In response to fans concerned that the group had limited its appeal in mid-July, Boyfriend changed their choreography for their single "Boyfriend" when appearing on music shows after rehearsing for two days. After ending their promotions for "Boyfriend", the group followed-up with the song "You & I", which received a more positive response from music critics.
On October 6, Boyfriend's second single, "Don't Touch My Girl", was released. Their December 2011 single "I'll Be There" peaked at #2 on the Gaon music charts.
2012: ''Love Style'', Japanese debut and ''Janus''
The group signed a contract with Japanese management agency '
Being
In metaphysics, ontology is the philosophical study of being, as well as related concepts such as existence, becoming, and reality.
Ontology addresses questions like how entities are grouped into categories and which of these entities exis ...
', their first Japanese special album entitled "We Are Boyfriend" was released on June 6. They marked their debut with a 10,000 seat showcase on June 30 at the
Nippon Budokan
The , often shortened to simply Budokan, is an indoor arena located in Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan. It was originally built for the inaugural Olympic judo competition in the 1964 Summer Olympics. While its primary purpose is to host martial arts con ...
. On May 2, Hyunseong released a solo song, "Only You", for the originalnsoundtrack (OST) of ''
The King 2 Hearts
''The King 2 Hearts'' () is a 2012 South Korean television series, starring Ha Ji-won and Lee Seung-gi in the leading roles. It is about a South Korean crown prince who falls in love with a North Korean special agent. The series aired on Munhwa ...
''.
Their debut Japanese single song is called "Be my Shine". On June 7, Boyfriend released their first mini album "Love Style" on 14 June 2012. On July 1, Boyfriend successfully completed their debut Japanese showcase 'First Date with Boyfriend in Japan' at the Nippon Budokan.
Aside from their domestic comeback, Boyfriend released the short music videos for their second Japanese 'double single' "Dance Dance Dance" and "My Lady". Their first full-length album ''
Janus
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus ( ; la, Ianvs ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janu ...
'' was released in November 2012.
In December 3, Boyfriend released the music videos for their Japanese 'double single' "Dance Dance Dance" and "My Lady".
The boys held a
high touch event in celebration of their second single album, 'Kimi to Dance Dance Dance/My Lady', on December 1 and 2 at the Kobe World Hall and the Saitama Super Arena. Boyfriend performed for their 1st solo Japanese concert entitled "Love Communication 2012 ~Xmas Bell~". They held 5 concerts at the Tokyo Dome City Hall from December 22 to 24 with a total of 12,500 fans in all.
KBS Joy released a video teaser for
Boyfriend's Hello Baby
''Hello Baby'' () is a South Korean reality show where celebrities experience parenthood by raising children ages 5 and under. The main purpose is to see whether or not the celebrities make "good" parents.
The show aired for seven seasons, and ...
season 7 released on December 27. The members started shooting for the reality series this December, and the first broadcast was released on January 4 of 2013 at 11PM KST.
2013: ''I Yah'', On & On, ''Melody of Eyes'', Seventh Mission and ''Pinky Santa''
Boyfriend will become the first foreign artist to sing for the anime. Their song, "Hitomi no Melody", is the title song of their 3rd Japanese single album, which was released on March 27. The song was picked up as the ending theme song for ‘Detective Conan’, and as such, there was a ‘Detective Conan’ album version in addition to the regular album versions.
Melody of Eyes
"Melody of Eyes (Hitomi no Melody)" is the third Japanese single by the South Korean boy band Boyfriend. It was released on March 27 in 4 different editions. "Hitomi no Melody" was the 44th ending theme song of long time Japanese anime series ''D ...
made it to the top 5 for 6 days and their highest ranking was 2nd place on
Oricon
, established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan and Western music. It started as, which was founded by Sōkō Koike in Nov ...
.
On 23 May, Starship Entertainment announced that Boyfriend would be making a comeback with a new digital single entitled "
On & On" on 28 May as a surprise gift for celebrating the group's second anniversary in music industry. Starship Entertainment released a music video teaser on May 27 and on the next day they released the official music video. On May 30th, Boyfriend's Donghyun has been cast to play the lead male role in musical "Thousandth Man." The musical was presented at Shibuya AiiA Theater Tokyo starting from 28 September 2013. On 14 June, Jeongmin was rushed to a hospital after their schedule in Japan, and was diagnosed with acute appendicitis and ordered to rest for 17 days after being discharged. Boyfriend continued to promote as five members and followed their schedule during this period. Boyfriend released a special Christmas premium single in Japan on November 20 this year. The single is entitled '
Pinky Santa
"Pinky Santa" is the fourth Japanese single by South Korean boy band Boyfriend from their 4th Japanese single album of the same name which features Japanese actor and actress Taishi Nakagawa
is a Japanese actor, host, and model. He is best k ...
' which obviously utilizes color pink, but pinky also means the smallest finger which is used when promising. Pinky Santa landed on the Weekly Single Chart which rose to number 5 in Oricon.
2014: ''Obsession'', ''Witch'' and ''Bewitch concert''
Boyfriend successfully wrapped up their solo concert in Puerto Rico, becoming the first-ever K-pop group to do so. On March 8, the group performed in front of 1,700 fans at the 'Centro De Bellas Artes Luis A Ferre'. Boyfriend also performed in the United States for the first time, performing in Chicago on March 11 and Dallas on March 13.
On March 26, 2014, Boyfriend released their fourth Japanese Single "My Avatar" together with a music video.
On May 15, 2014, they posted
selfie
A selfie () is a self-portrait photograph, typically taken with a digital camera or smartphone, which may be held in the hand or supported by a selfie stick. Selfies are often shared on social media, via social networking services such as F ...
s whilst shooting for their music video, hinting at a new release that year. On May 21, 2014, a short trailer was posted on their official YouTube channel. Boyfriend's second Korean EP, ''
Obsession'', was released on June 4. The EP contains new six tracks, with the lead single "Obsession".
On July 23, Boyfriend's second Japanese album, ''
Seventh Color
''Seventh Color'' is the second Japanese album by the South Korean boy group Boyfriend
A boyfriend is a male friend or acquaintance, often specifying a regular male companion with whom a person is romantically or sexually involved.
A bo ...
'' was released. The album also released in three versions.
On October 9, Boyfriend began their comeback stage with their new track, "Witch" on ''
M Countdown
''M Countdown'' () is a South Korean music program broadcast by Mnet. The show features appearances by popular music artists who also perform live on stage. It is broadcast from CJ E&M Center Studio in Sangam-dong, Mapo District, Seoul.
Bro ...
''. Their third Korean EP, ''
Witch
Witchcraft traditionally means the use of Magic (supernatural), magic or supernatural powers to harm others. A practitioner is a witch. In Middle Ages, medieval and early modern Europe, where the term originated, accused witches were usually ...
'', was released on October 13. The EP contains six tracks, including their second anniversary single "On & On" previously released in 2013. They held their first domestic concert, ''The First Chapter in Seoul "Bewitch"'' on 23 November 2014 at Olympic Hall, Olympic Park.
2015–2016: ''Boyfriend in Wonderland'', First world tour, and Japanese promotions
In March 2015, Boyfriend released their fourth Korean extended play, ''
Boyfriend in Wonderland
''Boyfriend in Wonderland'' is the fourth EP by South Korean boy band Boyfriend
A boyfriend is a male friend or acquaintance, often specifying a regular male companion with whom a person is romantically or sexually involved.
A boyfrie ...
'', with "Bounce" serving as the lead single. In the following month, they began their first world tour, "The First Chapter: "Bewitch" starting in Taiwan and following into Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico, Finland, Russia, and France.
In May 2016, Boyfriend released their eleventh Korean digital single, "
To My Bestfriend
"To My Bestfriend" (Korean 약속할게) is the second digital single released by South Korean boy band Boyfriend
A boyfriend is a male friend or acquaintance, often specifying a regular male companion with whom a person is romantical ...
" to celebrate their fifth anniversary since their debut as a group. In November, they released their eighth Japanese single, "
Jackpot
Jackpot or Jackpot! may refer to:
* A prize, such as a progressive jackpot
* Gardena jackpots, a poker variant
* Jackpot, Nevada, a community on the Nevada–Idaho state border
Comics
* Jackpot (comics), several comic book characters
* ''Jack ...
". This single marked as their second single released under Kiss Entertainment in the Japanese music industry.
2017–2019: ''Summer'', ''Never End'', and disbandment
Boyfriend released their ninth Japanese single, "
I Miss You", in February 2017. Five months later, they released their first Japanese extended play, ''
Summer
Summer is the hottest of the four temperate seasons, occurring after spring and before autumn. At or centred on the summer solstice, the earliest sunrise and latest sunset occurs, daylight hours are longest and dark hours are shortest, wit ...
'', with "Summer" as the lead single. Two years after releasing their fourth Korean extended play, Boyfriend released their fifth EP, ''Never End'' with title track "Star", in August 2017.
Four Boyfriend members, Jeongmin, Donghyun, Kwangmin and Minwoo, auditioned for the KBS idol-rebooting show ''
The Unit
''The Unit'' is an American action-drama television series created by David Mamet that aired on CBS from March 7, 2006, to May 10, 2009 with the total of four seasons and 69 episodes. The series focuses on a top-secret military unit modeled aft ...
'', with only Donghyun passing the audition. While ranking in the top nine for most of the show, he was eliminated in the last episode with a final ranking of 12.
On May 25, 2018, Boyfriend released "Sunshower", a special song to commemorate the group's seventh anniversary. Jeongmin helped composed the track, and its lyrics were written by him, Donghyun, Kwangmin, and Minwoo.
With teaser images released by Donghyun, it was confirmed that Boyfriend would have a Japanese comeback on February 27, 2019.
Boyfriend disbanded on May 17, 2019.
2021: 10th anniversary and reunion
To commemorate their 10th anniversary, Boyfriend decided to reunite and released the digital single "Ending Credit" on May 26, 2021.
On December 29, Boyfriend made a comeback under the new name "BF" and released the EP ''Adonis''.
Discography
* ''
Janus
In ancient Roman religion and myth, Janus ( ; la, Ianvs ) is the god of beginnings, gates, transitions, time, duality, doorways, passages, frames, and endings. He is usually depicted as having two faces. The month of January is named for Janu ...
'' (2012)
* ''
Seventh Mission
''Seventh Mission'' is the Japanese debut album by the South Korean boy band Boyfriend. It was released on May 29, 2013, in four different editions.
Background
The title of the album “SEVENTH MISSION” represents the six members and the seventh ...
'' (2013)
* ''
Seventh Color
''Seventh Color'' is the second Japanese album by the South Korean boy group Boyfriend
A boyfriend is a male friend or acquaintance, often specifying a regular male companion with whom a person is romantically or sexually involved.
A bo ...
'' (2014)
* ''Bouquet'' (2019)
Members
*
Donghyun (동현)
* Hyunseong (현성)
* Jeongmin (정민)
*
Youngmin (영민)
*
Kwangmin (광민)
* Minwoo (민우)
Awards and nominations
References
External links
Starship Entertainment Profile
{{DEFAULTSORT:Boyfriend
K-pop music groups
Musical groups established in 2011
South Korean boy bands
South Korean dance music groups
Starship Entertainment artists
Being Inc. artists
2011 establishments in South Korea
Musical groups from Seoul
Musical groups disestablished in 2019