EXO To BTOB: 5 K-Pop Bands From 2012 That Still Dominate The Korean Music Scene Today

These 5 K-pop bands debuted in 2012 and have defied all odds to stay relevant. Can you guess which ones made it? Find out now!

By
Ankita Mukherjee
- May 2, 2025 | 6:27 PM IST
• Follow Us
• Join Us

The K-pop industry is quite popular among people across the globe. Nowadays, the competition among K-pop bands is too high, so much so that groups form and disband due to issues that are out of their control. Many bands have disbanded or become inactive after their debut, not because they lack talent but because they fell behind in the competition to woo the audience.

Can you imagine that in 2014, 40 K-pop bands had debuted in the same timeline? Yes, that’s right. But, do you know how many of them are still active? Only 5. So, here are the 5 K-pop bands from BTOB to EXO that are still ruling the Korean music industry with their magic and popularity. Scroll ahead.

B.A.P

For those who don’t know, B.A.P debuted in the year 2012 on January 26 with their track ‘Warrior.’ The boy band consisted of these six singers originally – Yongguk, Himchan, Daehyun, Youngjae, Jong-up, and Zelo, under TS Entertainment. However, because of certain issues with their label, TS Entertainment, they left the label. This incident had sparked a conversation about whether the group disbanded or not. However, after a lot of speculations, the group members themselves had opened up about their reunion, and they sure did.

View Quiz

Last year, B.A.P members Bang Yongguk, Jung Daehyun, Yoo Youngjae, and Moon Jungup made a comeback for a series of special promotions. But, as they couldn’t use their previous band name, they went with their surnames as their group name instead. They are best known for their 7-year tenure as B.A.P, but the group is still active in the industry.

EXID

In February 2012, EXID debuted with the song ‘Whoz The Girl’. The girl group consists of Solji, Elly, Hani, Hyelin, and Jeonghwa. They rose to fame from being on the brink of disbandment. They released music and earned appreciation from their audience till 2020, when they took a break. However, they returned to celebrate their 10th anniversary with an independent album in 2022, and are also working on their solo careers. Although they haven’t dropped another music video in a long time, they are still very active as a five-member band in the industry, as they most recently appeared on KBS’s Immortal Songs 2.

BTOB

BTOB debuted on March 21, 2012, under the label Cube Entertainment. Originally consisted of seven members – Seo Eun-Kwang, Lee Min-Hyuk, Lee Chang-Sub, Im Hyun-Sik, Peniel Shin, Jung Il-Hoon, and Yook Sung-Jae, but in December 2020, Jung departed from the group. They had debuted with the track ‘Insane.’ Following the completion of the members’ military service, they continue to rule the music industry and are still quite active as a band. However, Eun-Kwang, Min-Hyuk, Hyun-Sik, and Peniel Shin established the BToB company, whereas Chang-Sub and Sung-Jae have joined separate agencies.

This is the reason why BTOB now promotes as a band of four members. They recently dropped a mini-album titled BToday in March 2025.

EXO

One of the most popular and controversial K-pop bands that has been active in the industry since debuting in 2012 is EXO. They debuted in April 2012 with their track ‘Mama’. The boy band consists of nine members: Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, and Sehun. They are all actively going on as a band and also following their solo careers. They released their last album, Exist, in 2023 to celebrate their 10th anniversary. However, D.O. once talked about their reunion, leaving everyone excited about their comeback. But, it’s most likely won’t happen before 2026 as Sehun is currently serving in the military.

VIXX

Another boy band that debuted in 2012 and is still active in the industry is VIXX. Originally, the group consisted of six members: N, Leo, Ken, Hyuk, Hongbin, and Ravi, but the lead vocalist, Hongbin, left the group in 2020, and Ravi had announced his exit following his military exemption scandal in 2023. Now, the four members are still connected to the band, while Leo, Ken, and Hyuk are active as a trio, and N is currently pursuing his acting career.

For the unversed, VIXX was formed through a reality show – MyDol, and had made their debut on May 24, 2012, with the track ‘Super Hero’.

Well, gaining fame is easy, but maintaining that status in this tough, competitive world is very difficult. Kudos to these 5 K-pop bands for staying active in the industry.

For more of the latest Korean updates, stay tuned to Koimoi!

Must Read: Weak Hero Class 2 Actor Lee Jun-Young’s 5 Must-Watch K-Dramas: From Melo Movie To The Impossible Heir

Follow Us: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Google News