Victon (; stylized as VICTON, an acronym for Voice to New World) is a South Korean
boy group
A boy band is a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform love songs marketed towards girls and young women. Many boy bands dance a ...
formed in 2016 by
IST Entertainment
IST Entertainment () is a South Korean entertainment company under Beyond Music.
History Plan A Entertainment
In 2011, A Cube Entertainment was established as an independent label of Cube Entertainment. A Cube signed its first solo artist Huh ...
(formerly A Cube Entertainment, Plan A Entertainment, and Play M Entertainment). The group is composed of six members:
Seungwoo, Seungsik, Sejun,
Hanse
The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
,
Byungchan and Subin. Originally a septet, Chan left the group on October 11, 2022, after being charged for
driving under the influence
Driving under the influence (DUI) is the crime of driving, operating, or being in control of a vehicle while one is impaired from doing so safely by the effect of either alcohol (drug), alcohol (see drunk driving) or some other drug, whether re ...
(DUI). They debuted on November 9, 2016, with their extended play ''
Voice to New World
''Voice to New World'' is the debut extended play by South Korean boy group Victon. The EP was released on November 9, 2016, by Plan A Entertainment.
Background and release
After the finale of their pre-debut reality show ''Me & 7 Men'', a te ...
''.
History
Pre-debut
Members Chan,
Seungwoo, Seungsik and
Byungchan joined
A Cube Entertainment
IST Entertainment () is a South Korean entertainment company under Beyond Music.
History Plan A Entertainment
In 2011, A Cube Entertainment was established as an independent label of Cube Entertainment. A Cube signed its first solo artist Huh ...
in 2014 and were among the company's first batch of male trainees.
Hanse
The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
and Sejun joined a year later, followed by last-minute addition, former
Cube Entertainment
Cube Entertainment Inc. () is a South Korean entertainment company. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production company, and music publishing house. Cube are known for h ...
trainee Subin.
Several of the members had experience working with their label-mates whilst still trainees, having been back-up dancers for
Apink
Apink (; ) is a South Korean girl group formed by IST Entertainment, (formerly Play M Entertainment, A Cube Entertainment, and Plan A Entertainment) and managed by Choi Creative Lab as of April 2024. The group debuted on April 19, 2011, with the ...
at their 2015 "Pink Island" concerts and recorded backing vocals for
Huh Gak
Huh Gak (; born November 15, 1984) is a South Korean singer. He rose to fame after winning the 2010 Mnet talent competition series '' Superstar K 2'', during which he became known as "the Korean Paul Potts".
Early life and education
Huh Gak ...
's album.
2016: ''Me & 7 Men'' and debut
In August 2016, Plan A Entertainment (formerly A Cube Entertainment) released details regarding the new group they planned to debut, referred to as "Plan A Boys", and their upcoming reality show that would chronicle the group's preparation for debut, titled ''Me & 7 Men,'' with the first episode airing August 30 on
Mnet
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
.
On September 1, Seungsik, Sejun and Hanse released a digital single as Plan A Boys in collaboration with Huh Gak titled "#Begin Again", accompanied by a music video starring Huh Gak and all seven members of the group.
Following the finale of ''Me & 7 Men'', the group's official debut was set for November 9. For their debut, Plan A held a debut showcase for the group on November 9, announcing their group name Victon, an acronym for "Voice to a New World", with their debut EP ''
Voice to New World
''Voice to New World'' is the debut extended play by South Korean boy group Victon. The EP was released on November 9, 2016, by Plan A Entertainment.
Background and release
After the finale of their pre-debut reality show ''Me & 7 Men'', a te ...
'' with the dual title tracks "I'm Fine" and "What Time Is It Now?" being released the same day.
2017: Further EP releases
On March 2, 2017, Victon released their second EP, ''
Ready
Ready may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Ready'', a 2002 British short starring Imelda Staunton
* Ready (2008 film), ''Ready'' (2008 film), an Indian Telugu-language film by Srinu Vaitla
** Uthamaputhiran (2010 film), ''Uthamaputhiran'' (201 ...
'', with the lead single titled "Eyez Eyez". Despite being relative rookies, the members were personally involved in the production process, with Hanse writing all his rap parts and Chan and Seungwoo co-creating the choreography for "Eyez Eyez" and the other promoted song "Blank" (얼타). "Eyez Eyez" is primarily in the
futuresynth
Synthwave (also called retrowave, or futuresynth) is an electronic music microgenre that is based predominantly on the music associated with the film soundtracks of action films, science fiction films, and horror films of the 1980s. Other influe ...
genre, with the group's second EP intended to show a different musical side to the group than their debut release. Critics also noted from its music video and more sophisticated choreography that the group had adopted a more mature and charismatic image.
Victon's third EP, ''
Identity
Identity may refer to:
* Identity document
* Identity (philosophy)
* Identity (social science)
* Identity (mathematics)
Arts and entertainment Film and television
* ''Identity'' (1987 film), an Iranian film
* ''Identity'' (2003 film), an ...
'', was released on August 23, with a total of five tracks including the lead single "Unbelievable". They also held a comeback showcase at the Samsung Hall at Ewha Womans University on the same day as the album's release.
Their fourth EP, ''
From. Victon'', was released on their one year anniversary on November 9. The EP contains six tracks including the title track "Remember Me".
2018: Busking project and ''Time of Sorrow''
On February 18, 2018, Plan A Entertainment announced that Victon would have a three-week
busking
Street performance or busking is the act of performing in public places for gratuity, gratuities. In many countries, the rewards are generally in the form of money but other gratuities such as food, drink or gifts may be given. Street performa ...
project in various locations throughout Seoul and Gyeonggi Province. They performed songs from their previous albums as well as unreleased songs such as "On My Way", performed by Hanse and Seungsik.
On May 23, Victon released their first single album ''Time of Sorrow''. The song topped the Tower Records chart in Japan, despite the group not having made their official debut in the country and only performed at
KCON Japan.
2019: ''Produce X 101'' participation, comeback with 6 members
In early 2019, Seungwoo and Byungchan participated as contestants in ''
Produce X 101
''Produce X 101'' () is a 2019 South Korean boy group survival reality show on Mnet and the fourth and final season of the ''Produce 101'' franchise. The public, referred to as "national producers", "produces" a boy band by choosing 11 members ...
''. On July 11, it was announced by Play M Entertainment (formerly Plan A) that Byungchan would be leaving the show permanently to recover from the increasing pain from his chronic
Achilles tendinitis
Achilles tendinitis, also known as Achilles tendinopathy, is soreness of the Achilles tendon. It is accompanied by alterations in the tendon's structure and mechanical properties. The most common symptoms are pain and swelling around the back of ...
. On the final episode on July 19, Seungwoo came third in the vote rankings and became a member of new boy group
X1, originally on a contract for five years.
Victon made their comeback as a six-member group on November 4 with their fifth mini album ''
Nostalgia
Nostalgia is a sentimentality for the past, typically for a period or place with happy personal associations. The word ''nostalgia'' is a neoclassical compound derived from Greek language, Greek, consisting of (''nóstos''), a Homeric word me ...
'' and lead single "Nostalgic Night". The release attracted much more attention and the group became a top 3 trending search topic on domestic online music sites. "Nostalgic Night" earned the group their first
music show win since their debut. After completing domestic promotions, they embarked on an Asian concert tour, playing at venues in Thailand, Philippines, Japan and Taiwan before concluding it with two sold-out encore concerts at the
Olympic Hall
Olympic Hall is a music venue located within the Olympic Park, Seoul, Olympic Park, in Bangi-dong, Songpa District, Seoul, South Korea. It opened in 2003.
In 2011, the Olympic Hall was renovated as a concert hall by the Ministry of Culture, Spo ...
in Seoul, the first time they have held their own full concert.
2020: Continued releases and solo work
Play M announced on January 29 that following a solo fanmeeting in February, Seungwoo would return to promote with Victon and the group would make a comeback in March, following X1's disbandment earlier that month. On March 9, Victon released their sixth mini album ''
Continuous
Continuity or continuous may refer to:
Mathematics
* Continuity (mathematics), the opposing concept to discreteness; common examples include
** Continuous probability distribution or random variable in probability and statistics
** Continuous ...
'' and its lead single "Howling". Their lead single, “Howling”, achieved first place on ''
The Show
Show or The Show may refer to:
Competition, event, or artistic production
* Agricultural show, associated with agriculture and animal husbandry
* Animal show, a judged event in the hobby of animal fancy
** Cat show
** Dog show
** Horse show
** S ...
'', on March 17, and was the group's first win with all seven members. It was announced later by Play M that member Byungchan would sit out of group promotions due to a herniated disk in his neck. From April 14 Seungwoo and Seungsik co-hosted the radio show ''Blanket Kick'' (이불킥), which airs on
Naver
Naver (; stylized as NAVER) is a South Korean online platform operated by the Naver Corporation. The company's products include a search engine, email hosting, blogs, maps, and mobile payment.
History
Naver was the first Korean web provide ...
's streaming app
Naver NOW. on Tuesday nights; Chan eventually replaced Seungwoo as co-host on July 20, 2021, due to the latter's impending enlistment.
On June 2, the group returned with their second single album ''
Mayday
Mayday is an emergency procedure word used internationally as a distress signal in voice-procedure radio communications.
It is used to signal a life-threatening emergency primarily by aviators and mariners, but in some countries local organiz ...
''. They won first place on ''The Show'' on June 9 for "Mayday", marking the group's third win.
In August, Seungwoo made his solo debut with the EP ''
Fame'' and lead single "Sacrifice", making him the first member of Victon with an official solo debut.
In October, Hanse confirmed he was working on a solo mixtape release, although without a set release date.
On November 4, it was announced that Victon would be releasing their first full studio album ''
Voice: The Future Is Now'' on December 1 with the lead single "What I Said". Subsequently, it was announced that the release of their new album would be delayed after the members had come into contact with an external staff member who had tested positive for
COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic.
The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
. Although all members tested negative, they decided to complete the quarantine period.
2021: ''Voice: The Future is Now'' and Seungwoo's enlistment
Following the delay, the album was released on January 11, 2021. The group held a comeback show that same day and it was aired on
Mnet
M-Net (an abbreviation of Electronic Media Network) is a South African pay television channel established by Naspers in 1986. The channel broadcasts both local and international programming, including general entertainment, children's series, ...
and its digital channel M2. The album includes four solo songs, one each for Seungsik, Chan, Sejun and Hanse, respectively.
Following the release of their first studio album, the members worked on solo projects in 2021. In March, Hanse and Chan participated in Seoul Fashion Week as models for the collection "SETSETSET", marking their second consecutive appearance as models at Seoul Fashion Week. Seungwoo released his second EP ''Fade'' and lead single "See You Again" on June 28. He enlisted for his
mandatory military service
Conscription, also known as the draft in the United States and Israel, is the practice in which the compulsory enlistment in a national service, mainly a military service, is enforced by law. Conscription dates back to antiquity and it contin ...
as a member of the military band on July 28. Then, in August, Seungsik released the single "Look for the Silver Lining" in collaboration with the music company Clef, as part of a donation project for the charity Good Neighbors. Then, Hanse made his solo debut on September 25 with the digital album ''Blaze'' with the double title tracks "Take Over" and "Public Enemy".
In October, Seungsik, Hanse, Sejun, and Chan participated in a charity project with the charity Good Neighbors for the
International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
The International Day for the Eradication of Poverty is an international observance celebrated each year on October 17 throughout the world. The first commemoration, "World Day to Overcome Poverty" took place in Paris, France, in 1987 when 100,00 ...
.
On November 9, Victon released the single "Sweet Travel" to commemorate their fifth anniversary. On November 26, Chan tested positive for COVID-19.
2022: ''Chronograph'', ''Chaos'' and Chan's departure
On January 18, Victon returned with their third single album ''Chronograph''. The album included the lead single of the same name and its English version, which is their first song in English. The music video for "Chronograph" reached 10 million views within three days, the fastest of the group's music videos to reach that mark. The album was also noted for offering a more "environmentally conscious" version of buying the album, where those who purchased the album could order a version that just had the normal inclusions of a physical album, such as photocards, but then also receive a digital version of the album.
In March, the group released an original soundtrack for the drama ''
Business Proposal
''Business Proposal'' () is a South Korean romantic comedy television series based on the web novel of the same title written by HaeHwa. Directed by Park Seon-ho and written by Han Seol-hee and Hong Bo-hee, it stars Ahn Hyo-seop, Kim Se-jeon ...
'' titled "You are Mine", with Seungsik, Sejun, and Byungchan participating.
On May 31, Victon released their seventh mini album ''Chaos'' and its lead single "Stupid O'clock".
On October 11, IST Entertainment announced that Chan would be leaving the group following his
DUI
Driving under the influence (DUI) is the crime of driving, operating, or being in control of a vehicle while one is impaired from doing so safely by the effect of either alcohol (see drunk driving) or some other drug, whether recreational or ...
charge, and the group will remain with 6 members.
In October, the group announced their eighth EP ''Choice'', was released November 15.
2023: Military service and contract renewals
On January 27, Seungwoo became the first member to be discharged from the military.
On February 1, the agency confirmed that Seungsik will enlist in the military on March 20, 2023. After basic training, he will be sent to the Army Personnel Command's Army Military Music Equipment Battalion.
On March 31, IST Entertainment officially announced that Sejun would enter the training center on June 13 and undergo basic military training before serving as an active duty soldier.
On April 20, IST Entertainment officially announced that members Byungchan, Hanse, and Subin did not renew their contracts with the agency, while members Seungwoo, Seungsik, and Sejun have their exclusive contract periods partially changed due to their military service, so they will retain their artist status for the time being.
Members
Current
*
Seungwoo () – rapper, vocalist, dancer
* Seungsik () – leader, vocalist
* Sejun () – vocalist
*
Hanse
The Hanseatic League was a Middle Ages, medieval commercial and defensive network of merchant guilds and market towns in Central Europe, Central and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Growing from a few Northern Germany, North German towns in the ...
() – rapper, dancer
*
Byungchan () – vocalist
* Subin () – vocalist, rapper
Former
* Chan () (2016–2022) – dancer, vocalist
Timeline
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bar:Seungwoo from:11/09/2016 till:end
bar:Seungwoo from:05/03/2019 till:01/06/2020 color:black
bar:Seungwoo from:07/26/2021 till:01/27/2023 color:black
bar:Seungsik from:11/09/2016 till:end
bar:Seungsik from:01/31/2023 till:09/19/2024 color:black
bar:Chan from:11/09/2016 till:10/11/2022
bar:Sejun from:11/09/2016 till:end
bar:Sejun from:06/13/2023 till:12/12/2024 color:black
bar:Hanse from:11/09/2016 till:end
bar:Byungchan from:11/09/2016 till:end
bar:Byungchan from:05/03/2019 till:11/04/2019 color:black
bar:Subin from:11/09/2016 till:end
Discography
Studio albums
Extended plays
Single albums
Singles
Collaborations
Music videos (Korean)
Filmography
Reality shows
List of concerts tours
VICTON First Europe Tour 2018
Victon 1st Asia Tour
List of joint concert tours
Awards and nominations
Notes
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
K-pop music groups
South Korean boy bands
IST Entertainment artists
2016 establishments in South Korea
South Korean dance music groups
Musical groups established in 2016