iKon facts for kids

iKon
iKon in January 2019 From left to right: Song, DK, Jay, Chan, Bobby, Ju-ne
Background information
Origin	Seoul, South Korea
Genres	K-pop hip hop
Years active	2015–present
Labels	YG YGEX 143
Members	Jay Song Bobby DK Ju-ne Chan
Past members	B.I

iKon (pronounced "eye-con") is a super popular South Korean boy band that started in 2015. The group has six talented members: Jay, Song, Bobby, DK, Ju-ne, and Chan. They were originally a seven-member group, but one member, B.I, left in June 2019.

Before their official debut, the members were part of exciting TV shows like WIN: Who is Next and Mix & Match. These shows helped decide who would be in the final group. iKon's first album, Welcome Back (2015), was a huge hit! It had many chart-topping songs like "My Type" and "Apology." This album sold millions of copies and helped them win many music awards.

Over the years, iKon released more successful songs and albums. Their 2018 song "Love Scenario" was incredibly popular, staying at number one on the charts for six weeks! In December 2022, iKon moved to a new company called 143 Entertainment. They released their third studio album, Take Off, in May 2023 and have been on a world tour.

The Story of iKon

How iKon Began

Before iKon officially started, some members were already showing their talents! B.I, for example, appeared in a song in 2009. Ju-ne was on a TV show called Star King when he was just thirteen.

Many of the members joined YG Entertainment as trainees in 2011 and 2012. Jay, Bobby, B.I, Ju-ne, Song, and DK all trained hard together. They were known as "Team B."

In 2013, Team B competed in a TV show called WIN: Who Is Next. They battled against another group, Team A, to see who would debut first. Team B didn't win, but they gained many fans. They even released two songs during the show!

Then, in 2014, Team B appeared in another show, Mix & Match. This show was created to pick the final members of a new boy group called iKon. The name "iKon" comes from the idea of becoming an "icon for Korea." Bobby, B.I, and Jay were already chosen. The other members of Team B competed with new trainees. In the end, Ju-ne, DK, and Song kept their spots, and Chan was added as the final member.

After Mix & Match, iKon met many fans in South Korea, Japan, and China. Thousands of fans wanted to see them! Even before their official debut, Billboard magazine named them one of the "Top 5 K-Pop Artists to Watch in 2015."

Their Exciting Debut

iKon officially debuted on September 15, 2015, with their single "My Type." The music video for "My Type" quickly gained over 1.7 million views on YouTube in just one day! They even won their first music show award with this song before performing it live. "My Type" was a huge success, topping many music charts in Korea and China.

iKon at a NEPA campaign launch in September 2015

Their debut album, Welcome Back, was released in two parts. The first part came out on October 1, 2015. Just two days later, iKon held their first concert, "Showtime," in Seoul. All 13,000 tickets sold out, which was amazing for a new group! The concert was also watched by over 500,000 fans online.

iKon continued to release more hit songs from their album, like "Rhythm Ta" and "Apology." "Apology" reached number one on the Gaon Digital Chart. By December 2015, they released more singles, including "Dumb & Dumber."

Global Adventures and New Music

In January 2016, iKon made their Japanese debut with a Japanese version of their Welcome Back album. It sold over 61,000 copies in its first week! They won "New Artist Award" at the 58th Japan Record Award.

iKon for LG Corporation

Later in 2016, iKon went on their first Asian tour, visiting places like Taiwan, China, and Singapore. They also had two big Japanese arena tours, performing for hundreds of thousands of fans! In May, they released a digital single called "#WYD," which reached number three on the Gaon Digital Chart.

iKon also took part in a Chinese dance show called Heroes of Remix in 2016. They won three times and received great reviews for their performances. They won several awards in China, including "Asian Most Popular Korean Group."

In 2017, iKon went on their first Japan Dome Tour, performing in huge venues like the Kyocera Dome. They were one of the fastest groups to hold a concert in a Japan dome after their debut! They also released a new album series called New Kids, starting with New Kids: Begin in May.

Big Hits and Changes

iKon released their second studio album, Return, in January 2018. The main song, "Love Scenario", became a massive hit! It stayed at number one on the Gaon Digital Chart for a record-breaking six weeks. This made iKon the first artist to achieve such a long run at the top.

In 2018, iKon went on another big tour, visiting eight cities across Asia and even Australia for the first time. They finished their New Kids album series with two more EPs, New Kids: Continue and New Kids: The Final.

In June 2019, a member, B.I, left the group.

New Chapters and Challenges

iKon released their third EP, I Decide, in February 2020. The lead single was "Dive." This was their first release after B.I's departure. The EP reached number three on the Gaon Album Chart.

In March 2021, iKon released a new digital single called "Why Why Why." They also competed in a reality show called Kingdom: Legendary War with other K-pop boy groups. For the show's finale, they performed a song called "At Ease."

iKon released their fourth EP, Flashback, in May 2022, featuring the lead single "But You." They also held a successful Japan Tour in Kobe and Tokyo. In December 2022, after seven years, the members of iKon left YG Entertainment when their contracts ended.

On January 1, 2023, all the members of iKon signed with a new company, 143 Entertainment. They announced plans for a new album and a world tour. Their third studio album, Take Off, was released in May 2023, and they have been on their "Take Off" world tour, performing in Asia, Europe, and North America.

Meet the Members

Here are the talented members of iKon!

Music They've Made

Tours and Performances

Headlining Tours

• iKoncert: Showtime Tour (2016)
• Japan Tour (2016–17)
• Japan Dome Tour (2017)
• Japan Tour (2018)
• Continue Tour (2018–19)
• iKon Japan Tour 'FLASHBACK' (2022)
• iKon World Tour 'TAKE OFF' (2023)

Joint Tours

• YG Family – Power World Tour (as Team B) (2014)

Opening Act

• Big Bang – Japan Dome Tour X (2014–15)

On Screen Appearances

iKon has appeared in many TV shows and online series!

• WIN: Who Is Next (2013–14, Mnet)
• Mix And Match (2014–15, Mnet)
• Heroes of Remix (2016, JSTV)
• iKon Idol School Trip (2017, JTBC)
• iKon TV (2018, YouTube & JTBC)
• iKon Heart Racing Youth Trip (2018, Olleh TV)
• YG Future Strategy Office (2018, Netflix)
• Kingdom: Legendary War (2021, Mnet)
• Icon of Taste: One Summer Night (2021, Wavve)
• iKon On Air (2022, YouTube)

Awards and Recognitions