Who Are The Top K-Pop Boy Group Contenders For “Rookie Of The Year”? Netizens Weigh In

If 2022 was the year for K-Pop girl groups, then 2023 seems to be seeing the rise of boy groups once again. With major companies like SM Entertainment and HYBE Labels debuting new boy groups, fans are excited to see what the new era will bring.

One of the most anticipated categories at end-of-the-year awards shows is the “Rookie of the Year” category, and there are some solid contenders for the award this year in terms of boy groups!

IVE winning a “Rookie of the Year” award in 2022

Recently, K-Pop fans discussed the three boy groups that they think have the most likely chance of earning “Rookie of the Year” awards this year. The topic was shared on an online forum post, and listed the three top contenders as follows:

HYBE Labels’ subsidiary KOZ Entertainment‘s first boy group, BOYNEXTDOOR, has had a pretty solid start to their career. They debuted on May 30 with the single album Who! and title tracks “But I Like You”, “One and Only”, and “Serenade”, and it has sold nearly 250k copies.

They also just had their first comeback with the EP Why.. on September 4, making them the only one of the three who have been around long enough to have a comeback.

BOYNEXTDOOR | KOZ Entertainment

Arguably the most anticipated boy group debut this year was that of ZEROBASEONE. The members got a huge boost in popularity and interest from their time on Boys Planet, and their debut album, Youth in the Shade, made an astounding two million sales, which is unheard of for a first album!

They debuted on July 10, so they’re still new to the K-Pop industry, but they definitely have a solid chance at earning “Rookie of the Year” awards for 2023.

ZEROBASEONE | WAKEONE

Finally, SM Entertainment debuted their first non-NCT-related boy group since 2016 with RIIZE on September 4. Though they have only just debuted, the fact that they’re under a label as huge as SM Entertainment and have popular former-NCT members Sungchan and Shotaro among their line-up, they have been getting a ton of news coverage and interest already.

Their debut album, Get a Guitar, has already made nearly half a million sales in the first couple of days since it was released! This number will only go up in the coming days, though by how much, we’ll have to wait and see.

RIIZE | SM Entertainment

Here’s what netizens are saying about the possible contenders for the “Rookie of the Year” end-of-the-year awards.

| The Qoo

• “RIIZE will probably take it since they’re from SM Entertainment”
• “ZEROBASEONE is 100% the ROTY. Have you seen their accomplishments?”
• “I think it’s going to be a close call between two of the groups”
• “How did ZEROBASEONE do? Personally, I see potential in all three groups”
• “ROTY goes to ZEROBASEONE for sure. Unless they decide to double-up on winners”
• “One of these groups is literally a super rookie that debuted, like, yesterday. So we don’t know how they’ll do, haha. If they outrun ZEROBASEONE, then maybe”
• “It hasn’t been that long since RIIZE debuted, though”
• “There are plenty of award ceremonies coming up. They can take turns winning at each one”
• “Let the awards decide for themselves who the ROTY is”

Who is your top choice for “Rookie of the Year”?