Ok-Pop Or Not? Rookie Boy Group Debuts Amid Heated Dialogue

On November 10, 2025 (KST), a five-member boy group AM8IC debuted with a showcase held at MBC. So what’s the catch about this rookie “Ok-Pop” idol?

Nicely, it’s that each one 5 members are Chinese language.

AM8IC was produced by Yoon Beom No, a Korean choreographer-turned-CEO of TOV Leisure. Yoon Beom No, who has labored in China for a very long time—with over 800 idol trainees throughout 50 companies and on Chinese language survival packages like Youth With You 2—shared that it has all the time been his want to produce a bunch made completely of Chinese language members.

Though it’s a Korean firm, we established our base in China to succeed in this level. It was my want to plan a bunch made completely of Chinese language members. Ok-Pop has now change into extra than simply music—it’s a system. From the beginning, the purpose was for Chinese language members to develop and succeed throughout the Ok-Pop market. We invited Korean instructors and our firm crew to China to use the Ok-Pop system precisely as it’s, then moved the debut preparations to Seoul to proceed them.

— Yoon Beom No

This, sadly, has not been properly obtained by Korean Ok-Pop followers. Following AM8IC’s debut information, on-line communities like theqoo have been participating in heated discussions over whether or not the group may actually be “thought of as Ok-Pop.”

• “What the precise f*ck?”
• “I guess this group was made as a result of not lots of Chinese language trainees get to debut as of late.”
• “I watched their efficiency. Their visuals are OK. The tune can be alright, haha. It was all in Korean, too. I imply, XG places out all-English songs, so I believed no less than these guys have some decency. Like another person commented, this feels way more like a localized ‘Ok-Pop’ group.”
• “It’s C-Pop.”
• “How would this be Ok-Pop? It’s C-Pop. Don’t be ridiculous.”
• “Return to China.”

• “Certain, it may be Ok-Pop. Why not? We have already got a bunch of Ok-Pop idol teams with out Korean members.”
• “That is actually terrible. They have to suppose so little of Korean audiences. It’s so irritating.”
• “It’s Ok-Pop, IMO. However TBH, it seems like they’re attempting to construct basis right here after which return to China to make huge cash. It’s apparent they’re all going to terminate their contracts and run off ultimately.”
• “China likes taking every thing away from Korea… So we’ll declare this one. Doesn’t matter in the event that they’re all Chinese language or Japanese. Ok-Pop is ours.”
• “We’re nonetheless saying Korean nationality is the one factor that constitutes Ok-Pop? C’mon, LOL. With that logic, ‘Golden’ wouldn’t be Ok-Pop. The artists are actually fictional characters.”
• “In the event that they’re all Chinese language, that makes it a C-Pop group, not Ok-Pop. How weird.”

Evaluating AM8IC to teams like BLACKSWAN and XG, netizens stay fiercely divided between those that imagine Ok-Pop is a style and people who argue that the “Ok” in Ok-Pop must be unique to Koreans.

• “It’s not C-Pop as a result of the group was produced by a Korean in a Korean model. That makes it Ok-Pop.”
• “It might be finest to make it tremendous clear. They’re a Chinese language group produced in a Ok-Pop model.”
• “They held their showcase at MBC…?”
• “Lmao. I guess all of them will attempt to terminate their contracts and go away the group in a 12 months.”
• “Wait, isn’t MBC’s mascot additionally named am-bic?”
• “It’s Ok-Pop if Koreans produce it Korean model. That’s the way it has all the time been. Plus, it’d be extra furiating to have them exploit the Ok-Pop system after which insist that they’re not Ok-Pop.”
• “I believe it’s solely truthful we name it Ok-Pop if it’s a Korean particular person producing it… I hope they make some huge cash and pay lots of taxes to the Korean authorities.”

Learn extra:

Are Non-Korean Idols Thought-about Ok-Pop? BTS Provides Their Opinion