K-Pop‘s 5th Gen has officially begun, and xikers are already dominating it. The 10-member boy group, known previously as KQ Fellaz 2, first debuted in March 2023 under KQ Entertainment — and have since begun to make waves in the K-pop world.
Keep reading for a guide to xikers.
Who Are xikers?
The group consists of Minjae, Junmin, Sumin, Jinsik, Hyunwoo, Hunter, Junghoon, Seeun, Yujun and Yechan.
Like most K-pop groups, their band name was intentionally chosen to represent their “concept,” or overall image. “Xikers stands for x-hikers,” Minjae explained to WhyNow in May 2023. “X is the symbol of infinite possibilities and hikers means the boys who are traveling to find their own dream or future.”
Debuting from KQ Entertainment, which is also home to popular boy group ATEEZ, xikers first debuted in March 2023. Led with their double lead singles, “Tricky House” and “Rockstar,” xikers debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Emerging Artists Chart at the time.
Prior to their debut, xikers had already performed on some big stages thanks to the spotlight shared by ATEEZ, including KCON 2023 and 1theK’s “Countdown Dance” video. Along with that, ATEEZ member Hongjoong even helped on the production of their first album.
“Hongjoong sent us detailed directions for each song’s vibe and how it should sound, along with the guide versions, and they helped a lot when we worked on the lyrics,” Minjae said in a press conference prior to debut. “Not only Hongjoong, but all the ATEEZ members gave us a lot of feedback and advice. They’re like a huge pillar for us.”
Not only have ATEEZ given xikers a lot of advice, but the members have revealed that the 4th Gen band is one of their biggest inspirations.
“I was inspired by ATEEZ and BTS’ dance practice videos,” Yujun said in an interview with NME. “Whenever I had the chance to stand on stage when I was younger, I’d always feel a rush of pride and confidence from hearing the cheers of the audience. This naturally led to my dreams of ‘becoming an idol and standing on an even bigger stage.’”
Scroll through our gallery for a guide to xikers.
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