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R3THR0 (pronounced re-throw) is a South Korean boy band created and managed by J-Music. The group were formed on VESK TV's reality competition series 7 Tiers. The group is composed of seven members: Jay, Minhae, Beom-Seok, TaeTae, Jaesang, Duck and Insujo. They debuted in May 2022 with the digital single "Ring Ring Ring".
R3THR0 have been described as an "independently functioning" group, writing and producing all of their songs. Jay serves as the group's main producer, whilst Minhae choreographs all of the band's performances and TaeTae directs their concept photos, music videos, and other visual media. Known for their varied discography, their music shows influences from new jack swing, R&B, 2-step garage, funk, hip hop, and house, all the way to alternative rock, grunge, and electronica. Their first extended play (EP), titled Jingle, peaked atop the Circle Albums chart in August 2022, selling over 400,000 copies. This was succeeded in 2023 with the acclaimed EP From Now, which outperformed its predecessor, also spawning the group's first number 1 single in South Korea with "On Your Own".
The group's third EP, Treasure You, a primarily alternative rock record, released in 2024 to critical adoration globally, becoming the group's first million seller and topping the charts in multiple countries. This was succeeded by the group's first studio album, Playtesting, an extensive 17-song video game-centric project. The album went on to sell more than 1.8 million copies and dominated charts internationally upon release, further launching R3THR0 into stardom. The group later provided the theme tune to VESK TV's Sports At Six (2024-present), and officially debuted in Japan in December 2024 with the digital single "Step And Go".
Since debuting, R3THR0 have achieved significant popularity in South Korea and overseas, including Japan, Norway, and the United Kingdom. Their discography has seen critical acclaim, with praise directed towards the group's diverse range of genres and influences, unique lyrical themes, robust production, and the vocal capabilities of all seven members. They have won multiple awards, including Album of the Year at the Hangang Artistry Awards and Shining Groove Awards for Playtesting, and Record of the Year at the Melon Music Awards, also in 2024. As of 2024, R3THR0 have sold more than 3 million copies worldwide.
History[]
2022: 7 Tiers, debut, Jingle and "Candy"[]
The members of R3THR0 were all contestants on the J-Music and VESK survival programme 7 Tiers, a television show that gave ex-trainees a chance to debut. They are the products of two different teams from the show: Group B (Jay, Beom-Seok, Duck and Insujo) and Group J (Minhae, TaeTae and Jaesang). The series took place over 10 weeks and saw 10 groups competing against each other by performing covers or producing original songs. As part of competing, the winning group would choose which of the low-ranking groups to eliminate each week. Eventually, Group B and Group J were merged and a mixture of public votes and judges' decisions created the final 7-member lineup. The members were ranked from 1 to 7, with first place (Jay) being made the group's leader.
After finishing airing in March, R3THR0 were already given their debut song to record and learn choreography to. Due to the popularity of 7 Tiers, the general public highly anticipated the group's debut. J-Music announced that the group would debut in May of 2022 with the digital single "Ring Ring Ring". The short gap between the conclusion of 7 Tiers and the group's debut turned heads and raised questions as to whether the group was ready.
R3THR0 debuted on Music Bank on May 24, 2022. "Ring Ring Ring" was a success in the group's home country, debuting and peaking at Number 6 on the Gaon chart and winning 3 music shows during the single's promotional period. It was met positively by music critics who praised the group's chemistry and performance skills. "Ring Ring Ring" also charted on the Bubbling Under 100 chart in the United States, as well as in Norway and Belgium. It ended up number 12 on the month-end chart.
The group announced plans to release their first extended play (EP) in summer of 2022. The EP Jingle subsequently released on August 3, 2022, to positive reviews from music critics who praised the group's tone and concept, whilst criticising a lack of variation in sound. The EP peaked atop the Gaon albums chart, staying there for two weeks and selling over 400,000 copies. The EP's title track of the same name found commercial success in South Korea, peaking at number 4 on the Gaon chart and winning 8 music show awards.
In December, R3THR0 released a surprise single, "Candy", which served as a modern re-imagining of the 1996 single by H.O.T. of the same name. The song became R3THR0's third consecutive top 10 hit, peaking at number 8.
2023: Back In Time '23, "On Your Own", "From Now", Jay's Japanese Debut, Pepsi Collaboration[]
On January 19, 2023, J-Music announced plans to have R3THR0 host their first concert in South Korea, alluding to a selection of new, unreleased songs being performed. The concert date, March 17, was announced in February, with the concert taking place at Jamsil Arena. The concert received mixed reviews from critics and resulted in lower turnout than anticipated, most likely due to the group's small discography.
After the concert, the group announced their second mini album, From Now, scheduled for a May 30 release. A pre-release single, "On Your Own", was announced to be released on April 17. The song, inspired by 90s Britpop, featured lead rapper Insujo on electric guitar in the song. The song was heavily promoted prior to its scheduled release. Upon release, the song received acclaim from critics and fans, who praised the songs originality, production, structure, lyrics and vocal performances. The song became the group's first number 1 on Circle, winning a total of 9 music shows, and setting up a high standard for the mini-album's title track to follow.
Released on May 30, the single "From Now" received generally positive reviews from critics, though some criticised it as sounding too similar to the group's first three singles, "Ring Ring Ring", "Jingle", and "Candy". Despite this, it was a commercial success, debuting and peaking at number 9 on the Circle chart and winning two music show awards. Despite becoming the group's 5th consecutive top 10 single, many were disappointed that the album's pre-release had been far more successful than the title track. The mini-album released the same day, and received very positive reviews from critics. Many praised the vocal performances on the album, as well as the production and lyricism, also appreciating the wide variety of genres the group incorporated onto the record. The album peaked atop the Circle chart, and sold over 500,000 copies, beating Jingle.
In July, Jay announced plans to make a Japanese solo debut, which came as a shock to critics and fans considering Jay's presence in the music industry was only 18-months old. Jay collaborated with fellow bandmate Insujo to produce an alternative rock song, initially revealed as "Project X" but announced on August 1 as "Spirit Dreams Inside". Jay cited bands such as Tokyo Incidents, Oasis and L'Arc~en~Ciel as his musical influence. The song was released on August 12 and debuted at number 23 on the Japanese Oricon chart to positive reviews.
In October 2023, R3THR0 collaborated with Pepsi to produce a commercial set to air across Asia. The song featured in the commercial was composed and produced by TaeTae. The advert featured the group wearing Pepsi-branded clothing whilst performing to the song. Individual members also had their own solo promotional campaigns: Minhae, Beom-Seok and Insujo had solo advertisements that aired in South Korea, China and Japan respectively; Jay, Jaesang and Duck had photoshoots that were advertised in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada respectively.
In December, R3THR0 were nominated for 5 awards at the 2023 MBS Artist Awards, ultimately winning the Fresh Sound Award. They also performed "On Your Own" during the ceremony. In the aftermath of the awards, the group announced their third extended play, Treasure You, scheduled for a January 3, 2024 release. The announcement was succeeded by the release of a trailer for the album on December 18, and the album's track listing the following day. Concept photos for the album were released on December 22, 26 and 31, alongside track previews. R3THR0 appeared for an interview with NME on December 26, as well as with Norwegian broadcaster NRK1, promoting the upcoming album.
R3THR0 were named by the MBS Music Committee as one of 9 artists believeed to "have strong artistic and commercial potential that the media and general public must look forward to in 2024". On December 30, R3THR0 were invited to the 2023 MBS Musical Clash, where they performed "On Your Own" for Team Purple. Additionally, Jay partook in a collaboration stage with fellow boy group leaders Taiga (After School Club), Byeonghwi (EPHEMERA) and Donggun (RANDOMIZE), performing the song "Dancing On My Own" by Robyn. Minhae and Beom-Seok also featured in a collaboration stage, performing a cover of SNSD's "Into The New World" alongside members from SOLVIZ, EPHEMERA, MERAVI and ANP.
2024: Treasure You, Playtesting, Plug 'N' Play '24, "Give Me That", "Step And Go"[]
"Treasure You"'s music video teaser was released on January 1. The album released alongside the title track on January 3, digitally and in stores across the globe. The album sold just under 200,000 copies in its first day, the most for any R3THR0 album. The song was performed on Show Champion that same day, with its music video garnering over 5 million views in 24 hours. The album proceeded to sell over 1 million copies, becoming the group's best-selling release up until that point, and topped the charts in multiple regions, including South Korea, Japan and the United Kingdom. Sonically, the album diverged significantly from R3THR0's previous output, serving as a primarily alternative rock record. It received critical acclaim for its composition, lyricism, production, vocal performances, themes and concept, with critics and fans alike lauding the genre shift towards rock. Its acclaim launched R3THR0 further into the mainstream in South Korea and East Asia, whilst also growing their popularity in the West: major music publications such as Rolling Stone praised the album heavily, and R3THR0 saw their highest chart peaks in a variety of Western countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.
"Treasure You" became R3THR0's second number one single (after "On Your Own"), also charting across Asia and Europe. The song's music video achieved 20 million views in its first month, and as of March 2024 has over 40 million views. The song won 7 music show awards. Meanwhile, also in January, Jay collaborated with Celeztiel, a critically acclaimed soloist, to release the song "Do Flower Boys Dream of Utopian Cities?". The song was a sleeper hit worldwide, winning music shows upon release and charting atop the Circle Digital chart in South Korea, but elsewhere the song remained less successful until becoming a successful hit midway through the year. The song helped boost R3THR0's success in many Asian territories where they had previously been struggling, including Singapore, Malaysia, and the Phillipines.
In April 2024, Insujo was announced to be joining the music programme Rankdown @ MBS as an MC alongside Bae Yeju and Nara (Synesthesia). It was also in this month that Jay announced that R3THR0's first studio album was in development. This was followed a few days later by an official confirmation from J-Music, outlining that the full length studio album would aim to be released in July of that year. Throughout April and May, R3THR0 partook in the recording of the album. The recording schedule was tight and led to fatigue amongst the group members. Nabi's Bree was seen at J-Music's headquarters in Seoul, and her feature on the album was later announced on June 28.
On June 16, R3THR0 performed at Nabi's first fan concert, "GET YOUR WINGS". On June 19, R3THR0's first studio album, Playtesting, was announced. What followed was over a month of pre-release promotion, including a story-centric trailer for the album (released on June 26) and a pre-release single from the album, "You Stole My Heart". Unlike R3THR0's previous pre-release single, "On Your Own", "You Stole My Heart" was a commercial disappointment, becoming R3THR0's lowest charting song in South Korea to date, debuting and peaking at number 10 on the Circle Digital chart and falling the following week. It became only the second R3THR0 single not to win any music show awards (after "Candy"). Whilst similarly disappointing in Norway, where it peaked at number 17, the song fared well in Japan (perhaps thanks to its Pokemon-centric concept), peaking at number 3.
On July 7, Jay appeared alongside Celeztiel at the 2024 British Grand Prix in Silverstone, performing their hit single "Do Flower Boys Dream of Utopian Cities?". Jay also sung the British national anthem before the race, promoted Playtesting during Martin Brundle's grid walk, and waved the chequered flag tearfully as Lewis Hamilton won. Pre-orders for the album began on July 8 and lasted until July 15: during this time, Playtesting accrued over 1 million pre-orders internationally, setting a new record for the group. From July 11 to July 18, concept photos were released for the album. On July 20, the music video teaser for the album's title track, "Lights, Camera, Action!", was released.
On July 22, Playtesting and "Lights, Camera, Action!" both released worldwide. "Lights, Camera, Action!" set records for the group as their most streamed song within 24 hours (2.7 million streams on Spotify) and their most viewed music video within 24 hours (9.1 million views). It received positive reviews from music critics, enjoying the use of its Sonic Mania sample, its lyrical perspective as a villain's theme, the vocal and rap performances of the group members, and the production of the song. A global success, "Lights, Camera, Action!" charted in a variety of regions: it topped the charts in South Korea, Japan, and Norway, peaking within the top 10 in the United Kingdom, Singapore, and New Zealand, within the top 20 in Italy and Malaysia, within the top 40 in Australia and Canada, and within the top 100 in the United States and France. It was the biggest song in South Korea in August 2024, topping the monthly chart, and also finished atop the August monthly chart in Norway.
Playtesting received similarly positive reviews. Critics praised the album's extensive sampling, unique concept, cohesiveness, production, the vocal and rap performances of the group, and the song-writing, whilst some criticism was drawn to the length of the album and subsequent perceived lack of quality control. The album sold 1.2 million copies within its first week (including pre-orders), extending to 1.6 million copies within its first month. It topped the charts in South Korea (the fourth consecutive album by R3THR0 to do so), Japan, Norway, and the United Kingdom, peaking at number 2 in the United States and Canada. Elsewhere, the album charted within the top 10 in Australia, Italy, New Zealand, and the Netherlands, the top 20 in Ireland, the top 40 in Poland, France, and Switzerland, and the top 100 in Finland, Croatia, Belgium, and Hungary. As of 2024, it remains R3THR0's most commercially successful release.
Following the end of Playtesting promotions, R3THR0 announced their second concert, "Plug 'N' Play '24". The concert, held on October 1 and 2 at Jamsil Arena, initially sold out within 2 hours - following the addition of a second showing, the extra tickets also eventually sold out.. The concert featured a live band and orchestra, and an array of songs by the band: a stark contrast to their first concert which lacked original and recognisable songs. Reviews were immensely positive, with fans and critics alike viewing the concert as a "live redemption" for the band.
In November, R3THR0 were announced to have received 8 nominations at the 2024 Hangang Artistry Awards - the most of any artist that year. In the same month, the group won Best Male Group at the 2024 MAMA Awards - their only win from 7 nominations. At the ceremony, they performed the songs "Treasure You", "Humming The Bassline", and "Lights, Camera, Action!". On November 25, R3THR0 released the song "Give Me That", which served as the official theme song for VESK's Sports At Six (2024-present). The song peaked at number 9 in South Korea. On November 30, the group attended the 2024 Melon Music Awards. From a total of 7 nominations, the group won 4 awards, and garnered their first Daesang for Record of the Year. At the ceremony, they performed a large set of 5 songs: "New Save File", "Humming The Bassline", "Duel", "Lights, Camera, Action!", and "Treasure You". The set was widely acclaimed for its live band arrangements, production value, and cohesiveness, and went viral on social media.
On December 1, R3THR0 attended the 2024 Hangang Artistry Awards. From a total of 8 nominations, the group won a historic 5 awards, including Album of the Year for Playtesting. Jay also won Best Male Vocal Performer. At the ceremony, the group performed the songs "Treasure You" and "Lights, Camera, Action!". On December 14, R3THR0 won Album of the Year at the 2024 Shining Groove Awards. Insujo presented the award for Creator of the Year at the show. To finish off a successful - but busy - 2024, R3THR0 continued their annual December release tradition by officially debuting in Japan with a remake of the song "Step And Go" by ARASHI. The song peaked at number 3 on both the Oricon singles chart and the Japan Hot 100.
Members[]
| Stage Name | Positions | Real Name | Birthdate | Nationality | Official Color/ Emoji | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
Jay (어치) | Leader, Main Vocalist, Lead Dancer, Producer | Jay Kang | February 4, 2005 | British-Korean | Purple / 😜 | Active (2022-present) |
 |
Minhae (민해) | Main Dancer, Center, Sub Rapper | Lee Minhae | June 26, 2005 | Korean | Red / 🐇 | Active (2022-present) |
 |
Beom-Seok (범석) | Main Vocalist | Su Beom-Seok | August 29, 2004 | Korean | Sky Blue / 🎺 | Active (2022-present) |
 |
TaeTae (태태) | Main Rapper, Main Visual | Ae Tae | September 24, 2004 | Korean | Pink / 🗡️ | Active (2022-present) |
 |
Jaesang (재상) | Sub Vocalist, Sub Rapper, Lead Dancer | Seung Jaesang | December 2, 2004 | American-Korean | Peach / 🦅 | Active (2022-present) |
 |
Duck (오리) | Lead Vocalist | Gar Duck-Hwan | August 11, 2005 | Korean | Yellow / 🦆 | Active (2022-present) |
 |
Insujo (인스조) | Lead Rapper, Lead Visual, Lead Guitarist (Honourary) | Jong In-Su | March 18, 2004 | Korean | Black / ⛓️ | Active (2022-present) |
Discography[]
For streaming info, see R3THR0 Streaming Data
Albums[]
Studio Albums[]
| Title | Image | Details | Peak Position | Sales | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | JPN | UK | NOR | CAN | US | US World | ||||
| Playtesting |   |
|
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
|
| Moodscape |   |
|
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Extended Plays[]
| Title | Image | Details | Peak Position | Sales | Certifications | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | JPN | UK | NOR | CAN | US | US World | |||||
| Jingle |   |
|
1 | 8 | 94 | 13 | 38 | 110 | 4 |
|
|
| From Now |   |
|
1 | 2 | 22 | 1 | 11 | 70 | 2 |
|
|
| Treasure You |   |
|
1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 17 | 1 |
|
|
| Everybody Is Watching |   |
|
1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 21 | 2 |
|
|
Singles[]
| Title | Year | Peak Chart Positions | Music Program Wins | Album | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | JPN | NOR | US | CAN | UK | ||||
| Korean | |||||||||
| "Ring Ring Ring" | 2022 | 6 | - | 32 | - | - | - | 2 | Jingle |
| "Jingle" | 4 | 5 | 11 | - | - | 95 | 5 | ||
| "Candy" | 8 | 94 | - | - | - | - | 0 | From Now | |
| "On Your Own" | 2023 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 92 | 51 | 14 | 9 | |
| "From Now" | 9 | 13 | 3 | - | 70 | 93 | 2 | ||
| "Treasure You" | 2024 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 68 | 45 | 9 | 7 | Treasure You |
| "You Stole My Heart" | 10 | 3 | 17 | - | 88 | - | 0 | Playtesting | |
| "Lights, Camera, Action!" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 43 | 30 | 5 | 4 | ||
| "Give Me That" | 9 | 23 | 10 | - | - | - | 1 | Non-album single | |
| "The Concept of Love" | 2025 | 3 | 5 | 2 | - | 18 | 11 | - | Everybody Is Watching |
| Japanese | |||||||||
| "Step And Go" | 2024 | - | 3 | - | - | - | - | N/A | Non-album single |
| "—" Denotes songs that were not released in the region or did not chart. | |||||||||
Other Charted Songs[]
| Title | Year | Peak Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KOR | JPN | NOR | UK | |||
| "Ready, Set, Go!" | 2022 | 133 | - | - | - | Jingle |
| "Fraying Roots" | 2023 | 107 | - | 80 | - | From Now |
| "Underbelly" | 29 | 70 | 53 | - | ||
| "The Greatest" | 2024 | 77 | - | 13 | 94 | Treasure You |
| "Perfect" | 35 | 91 | 7 | 78 | ||
| "You're So Great" | 114 | - | 27 | - | ||
| "Adore" | 80 | 83 | 11 | 92 | ||
| "Pantomime Horse" | 103 | - | 30 | 26 | ||
| "A Harmonious Farewell" | 109 | - | 54 | - | ||
| "New Save File" | 160 | - | - | - | Playtesting | |
| "Humming The Bassline" | 21 | 56 | 80 | 90 | ||
| "A New Day" | 88 | 96 | - | - | ||
| "Behind Bars" | 91 | 77 | 48 | - | ||
| "Visiting The Sprites" | 24 | 39 | 18 | 71 | ||
| "School Days" | 45 | 28 | 36 | - | ||
| "Duel" | 30 | 48 | 83 | 98 | ||
| "Playtesting" | 73 | 90 | - | - | ||
| "Something Amiss" | 110 | - | - | - | ||
| "Gentle Breeze" | 78 | - | 90 | - | ||
| "Groove It" | 62 | 83 | 40 | 87 | ||
| "Our Heroes" | 95 | - | - | - | ||
| "Get It Together!" | 58 | 74 | 24 | 76 | ||
| "The Great Figure" | 2026 | 103 | - | - | - | Everybody Is Watching |
| "Summer's End" | 78 | 54 | - | - | ||
| "Death Wish" | - | 88 | - | - | ||
| "Imperfect World" | 41 | 66 | 29 | 80 | ||
| "You" (ft. Ni.U) | 6 | 15 | 47 | - | ||
| "Don't Say It's Over" | 31 | 25 | 35 | - | ||
Concerts and Tours[]
| Name | Date | City | Country | Venue | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| "Back In Time Concert 2023" | March 17, 2023 | Seoul | South Korea | Jamsil Arena | ~6,000 |
| "Plug 'N' Play Concert '24" | October 1-2, 2024 | ~22,000 | |||
| "Moodscapes World Tour '26" | TBA | Asia, North America, Europe | Various | TBA | |
Accolades[]
| Ceremony | Year | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hangang Artistry Awards (previously named the MBS Artist Awards before 2024) | 2023 | Musician of the Year | Nominated |
| Album of the Year - From Now | |||
| Best Group Act | |||
| Best Rock/Metal - "On Your Own" | |||
| Fresh Sound Award | Won | ||
| 2024 | Artist of the Year | Nominated | |
| Album of the Year - Playtesting | Won | ||
| Song of the Year - "Treasure You" | Nominated | ||
| Best Duo/Group Artist | Won | ||
| Best K-pop Duo/Group Album - Playtesting | |||
| Best Hip-Hop/Rap Recording - "Treasure You" | |||
| Best Album Recording/Engineering - Playtesting (for Jay Kang, Ae Tae, and Gar Duck-Hwan) | |||
| Best Music Video - "You Stole My Heart" | Nominated | ||
| Best K-pop B-side - "Get It Together!" | |||
| HKRT Year End Awards | 2024 | Artist of the Year | Nominated |
| Album of the Year - Playtesting | Won | ||
| Song of the Year - "Treasure You" | Nominated | ||
| Best Male Group | |||
| Best Vocal Performance - "Treasure You" | |||
| Best B-side - "Duel" | |||
| KAMA Awards | 2023 | SAMSUNG Galaxy Male Group of the Year | Nominated |
| Korean Music Awards | 2024 | Song of the Year - "On Your Own" | |
| MAMA Awards | 2022 | Best New Male Artist | Won |
| 2023 | Artist of the Year | Nominated* | |
| Album of the Year - From Now | |||
| Song of the Year - "On Your Own" | Nominated | ||
| Best Male Group | |||
| Best Vocal Performance (Group) - "On Your Own" | |||
| 2024 | Artist of the Year | ||
| Album of the Year - Playtesting | |||
| Song of the Year - "Treasure You" | Nominated* | ||
| Fans' Choice of the Year | Nominated | ||
| Best Male Group | Won | ||
| Best Vocal Performance (Group) - "Treasure You" | Nominated | ||
| Fans' Top 10 Choice (Male) | |||
| Melon Music Awards | 2022 | Top 10 Artist | |
| Best New Artist | |||
| 2023 | Song of the Year - "On Your Own" | Nominated* | |
| Top 10 Artist | Nominated | ||
| 2024 | Artist of the Year | ||
| Album of the Year - Playtesting | |||
| Song of the Year - "Treasure You" | Nominated* | ||
| Record of the Year | Won | ||
| Top 10 Artist | |||
| Millions Top 10 Artist - Playtesting | |||
| Best Male Group | |||
| Seoul Music Performance Awards | 2023 | Worldwide Listeners' Choice Award | |
| Best Male Group Award | Nominated | ||
| 2024 | Album of the Year - Playtesting | Won | |
| Best Male Group | Nominated | ||
| Best Male Group Dance Performance - "Lights, Camera, Action!" | Won | ||
| Hottest Trend Award | Nominated | ||
| Shining Groove Awards | 2023 | Best Vocal Performance Group (Male) | Won |
| 2024 | Album of the Year - Playtesting |
*indicates a longlisted nomination