Why K-pop groups turn to subunits for new creative chemistry

NCT subunit JNJM debuted in February as the latest addition to the boy group's expanding roster of units. Courtesy of SM Entertainment

Across the K-pop industry, established groups are increasingly turning to subunits as both a creative experiment and a business strategy, forming smaller lineups that can explore sounds, concepts and audiences beyond the parent group.

The trend has only accelerated this year. In the first five months of 2026 alone, K-pop boy band Seventeen's vocal duo DK x Seungkwan debuted with the mini-album "Serenade" in January, while NCT's duo unit JNJM released its first EP "Both Sides" in February. Most recently, boy band DRIPPIN's trio ChaDongHyeop unveiled its debut single in May.

Together, the releases suggest something more deliberate than occasional side projects. In today's K-pop industry, the subunit projects have evolved into structural tools.

Avoiding uncertainty

For entertainment agencies, the logic is relatively simple. Launching a new idol group requires years of trainee development, financial investment and no guarantee of success.

A subunit avoids much of that uncertainty. It arrives with an existing fanbase, brand recognition and promotional infrastructure already in place, while allowing agencies to test out different concepts or markets without fundamentally altering the identity of the original group.

BSS, the three-member subunit of K-pop boy band Seventeen, has become one of the genre's most successful unit acts with its upbeat, energetic sound. Courtesy of Pledis Entertainment

An industry insider from a major local entertainment label described the rise of idol subunits as "a natural evolution," noting that smaller units allow agencies to better spotlight the individual strengths and personalities of the artists.

"There is now a growing trend of companies planning unit activities from the earliest stages of a group's development, even before debut," the insider told The Korea Times on condition of anonymity.

Benefit for idol groups as well

For the idols themselves, the appeal is equally clear.

Within large groups, members often settle into fixed positions over time. Subunits can disrupt that structure, giving artists room to take on different creative roles and reveal sides of themselves that might otherwise remain overshadowed within the full group. That sense of novelty, in turn, fuels fan engagement and creates a new cycle of anticipation, content and discussion.

Cha Jun-ho of ChaDongHyeop put it plainly in a recent interview with The Korea Times held ahead of the unit's debut.

"DRIPPIN has tried a lot of different things across albums," he said. "But what sets this debut apart is that it's built around something entirely new."

Orange Caramel, the three-piece subunit of girl group After School, performs during the 2013-2014 NH NongHyup V-League volleyball awards ceremony at 63 Convention Center in Seoul's Yeongdeungpo District, April 8, 2014. Newsis

While subunits became far more systemized in later generations of K-pop, the format itself is not new. Early examples such as Super Junior-K.R.Y. and Super Junior-T in the mid-2000s hinted at the possibilities of smaller member combinations.

Deliberate strategy

By the early 2010s, however, subunits had evolved from occasional side projects into a more deliberate strategy.

Girls' Generation-TTS, formed by three members of the nine-member girl group, presented a more vocally-focused ensemble compared to the parent act. Around the same period, Orange Caramel, a unit derived from girl group After School, pushed the idea even further, embracing a quirky and cutesy retro concept that shared little resemblance to the original group's image.

A similar dynamic was introduced by WJSN and its subunit WJSN Chocome. While WJSN built its identity around a more cosmic and polished concept, Chocome leaned into bright, playful bubblegum pop. The goal was not to replicate the original group, but to occupy a different space alongside it.

Boy band Seventeen has also gradually rolled subunits out over time, using them to engage different segments of its fandom. Units such as BSS, JxW, HxW and CxM each highlighted different member combinations and musical styles. DK x Seungkwan, the group's first unit centered entirely on vocals, continued that strategy in January.

In doing so, the projects have already demonstrated that the subunit projects could function as more than simply scaled-down versions of larger acts. It could cultivate its own identity and audience.

Members of Girls' Generation-TTS, from left, Tiffany Young, Taeyeon and Seohyun perform during the showcase for their second mini-album "Holler" at Woori Financial Art Hall in Seoul's Olympic Park, Sept. 16, 2014. Newsis

NCT as successful example

Some K-pop companies have gone even further, building the subunit model directly into a group's core identity.

Introduced in 2016 by SM Entertainment, NCT was conceived from the outset as a network of interconnected teams under an "ever-expanding lineup" concept. NCT U operates through rotating members — NCT 127 is centered around Seoul; NCT DREAM was originally structured around younger members; and WayV targets Chinese-speaking audiences. More recent additions include NCT DoJaeJung, NCT WISH and JNJM.

Across its various units, NCT has surpassed 45 million album sales in Korea, illustrating the flexibility of the system — an overarching brand continuously reshaped for different needs.

K-pop company Modhaus is on a similar track. Its 24-member girl group tripleS is built almost entirely around rotating subunits, with fans voting through the company's exclusive app to determine member lineups. Since debuting in 2022, the group has operated through more than 15 different unit configurations.

The company's boy group, idnt, follows the same blueprint, introducing its 24 members through three successive unit debuts. In this model, the subunit is no longer simply an extension of the group. It becomes the group's primary operating structure.

K-pop act tripleS consists of 24 members, an unusually large lineup for a girl group / Courtesy of Modhaus

Ultimately, the subunit thrives on limitation. A smaller lineup, a narrower concept or a more focused mood often results in work that feels sharper and more distinct.

As K-pop groups continue to grow larger and their audiences increasingly global, subunits have become one of the industry's preferred ways of staying flexible. Rather than constantly introducing entirely new acts, companies are finding ways to deepen and diversify the groups they already have.