K-pop's next generation: Which rookie groups will debut in 2026?

K-pop's next generation: Which rookie groups will debut in 2026?

A new wave of K-pop rookie groups is lining up to enter the spotlight through 2026, as major agencies and audition programs prepare fresh act aimed at shaping the next generation of K-pop — even as the industry’s biggest names gear up for high-profile comebacks in the background. Among the earliest debuts is ALPHA DRIVE ONE (ALD1), an eight-member boy group formed through Mnet’s 2025 audition program “Boys II Planet.” Managed by WAKEONE, the eig…