COME TOGETHER WITH... MONSTA X
Here's the lowdown on the K-Pop sensations
By jessica jurkschat
19 september 2019
South Korean hip-hop boy band, MONSTA X, are taking over! They whirled into the K-pop world in 2015 and have since recorded three albums, six EPs and clocked up hundreds of millions of YouTube views. Meet our newest ambassadors - Shownu, Wonho, Minhyuk, Ki-hyun, Hyungwon, Jooheon and IM, who are supporting Goal 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.
We caught up with them during their tour in London. Watch our video to see them in action. And for anyone who’s not well-versed in the world of K-pop, here’s the lowdown on MONSTA X.
100% of profits from the sales of #TOGETHER products go to charities that advance the Sustainable Development Goals. Find out more here.
MONSTA X got together in 2015 on Korean reality TV talent show NO. MERCY
The must-watch survival show pitted 13 boy bands against one another. Just like X-Factor each band faced weekly challenges and were mentored by some of the biggest names in the industry (think Wheesung, San E, Hyorin and more).
'Only if the world works as one; we can achieve the Goals'
It didn’t take them long to take over North America.
Their first full-length studio album, The Clan, debuted in the number one spot on Billboard’s World Albums chart in the USA.
The group have a signature glam look.
They love a smokey eye and a leather trouser. ‘We’re stage performers, so I like wearing something that shines from head to toe’ said IM in a recent GQ article.
Their fanbase is called Monbebe.
The boys came up with this name themselves! Monbebe translates to “my baby” in French.
Their first solo live-tour sold out in just five minutes.
Their first live tour “X-Clan Origins” took place in Seoul and sold out 2,500 seats in just five minutes.
In just over four years, MONSTA X has won a total of 27 awards.
The awards range from Best Rising Star Boy Group to Korean Popular Music Awards to MTV Music Video Awards and everything in-between.
When seven became six
Wonho left the band in November 2019. A statement from the band's management Starship Entertainment explained ""After a long discussion with Monsta X's member Wonho, we have agreed that it's best to part ways amicably at this point. We greatly respect Wonho's decision who wants to make sure the recent chain of events doesn't distract from all the exciting things that are happening for Monsta X now and what lies ahead in the future."
Helping stop the spread of Coronavirus
Monsta X pledged 100 million won - around USD 84,000 - to help stop the spread of coronavirus. The band, who hail from South Korea which had one of the largest outbreaks of the virus outside mainland China, donated the money to the non profit organisation Good Neighbors International.