Starship Entertainment & Amuse Join Forces for 7-Member K-Pop Boy Group AEN

Starship Entertainment has unexpectedly unveiled AEN, a new 7-member Korea-Japan joint boy group developed in partnership with Japanese entertainment company Amuse. The group was announced on June 1, 2026, with their official profile and first stage news revealed simultaneously. AEN is set to make their debut performance at a greeting showcase in Tokyo later this month.

Key Facts

• AEN is a 7-member boy group consisting of 4 Korean members and 3 Japanese members
• The members are Jiyong, Bomin, Kyuhyun, Haru, Junseo, Kaira (who gained attention through Starship's 2025 global project 'Debut's Plan'), and Japanese newcomer Haruto
• The group name AEN is an acronym for "A New Era of Now," meaning "a new generation that defines and creates this moment anew"
• In Japanese, AEN also carries the meaning of "eternity" (永遠), reflecting the group's ambition to continuously grow and change
• AEN will hold a greeting showcase titled "AEN Greeting Showcase 'First Encounter'" on June 27 at 3 PM at TOKYO SGC HALL ARIAKE, marking their first stage in Japan
• The showcase will be a free event for 3,000 fans invited through a lottery system
• Applications for the invitation lottery will be accepted from June 1 at 6 PM to June 8 at 11:59 PM
• Details about the showcase will be announced on AEN's official Japanese website at 6 PM on June 1
• The showcase is being directed by Seishiro, a dancer, choreographer, and director acclaimed for his musical sense, compositional skills, and unique worldview
• AEN plans to operate as a next-generation global group based in Korea and Japan, targeting the world stage beyond Asia

Key Terms

• 'Debut's Plan': A survival program documenting the debut process of Starship's new boy group, released via YouTube in 2025, which helped introduce member Kaira

Key Quote

"AEN is a 7-member group composed of 4 Koreans and 3 Japanese." — Starship Entertainment

Next

• AEN's first public performance will take place at the "AEN Greeting Showcase 'First Encounter'" on June 27 in Tokyo
• The group is expected to operate as a global act based in both Korea and Japan, with ambitions beyond Asia