[Edaily Starin KIM HYUNSIK Reporter] Will a new popular girl band emerge to succeed QWER? According to the music industry on the 3rd, Authentic—a label under Mound Media, the agency representing singer-songwriter Han Roro—will debut the four-member rookie girl band AIWEO in the second half of this year. With the growing popularity of band music and music festivals, attention is focused on whether AIWEO will successfully establish itself in the market.

◇Applying Han Ro-ro’s Formula for Success
AIWEO recently unveiled their group name and lineup through their official social media channels, marking the start of full-scale preparations for their debut. Through pre-debut content in a documentary format, Authentic is building AIWEO’s narrative by revealing, one by one, the members’ reasons for getting into music and the process of coming together as a team.
From the very beginning, Authentic has emphasized a distinct production philosophy and storytelling approach for iueo. Notably, Han Roro, a senior artist at the agency, has stepped in to lend her support by writing a novel that captures iueo’s worldview.
The novel conveys a message about “the courage to overcome fear and take on new challenges, and the strength that comes from that courage.” Through the story of a girl who, having faced her fears, reaches out first to another girl who resembles her, the novel embodies the group’s vision that “different beings come together to create a single resonance.”
Han Roro is a rising star born in 2000 who has earned the title “Gen Z rock star” by gaining popularity with emotional rock-style songs that blend literary lyrics—which capture the unstable emotions and stories of youth—with lyrical melodies.
Han Roro, who majored in Korean literature in college, garnered attention last year by turning her novel *Grapefruit-Apricot Club*—published in conjunction with her new album—into a bestseller. This further solidified her image as an artist capable of crafting her own unique stories.

Authentic plans to carry forward this production direction—which proved successful with Han Roro—to IUEO as well.
An Authentic representative explained to Edaily that day, “Through the response Han Ro-ro received, we confirmed the value and potential of art that speaks of love and solidarity, and we planned I-U-E-O to showcase a production philosophy that embodies these values.”
The representative added, “What sets IUEO apart is that it is a girl band centered on the universal human values of ‘love’ and ‘solidarity,’” and elaborated, “We look forward to creating music that resonates with the youth of today at the heart of the growing domestic band scene.”
They have also established a long-term direction for the band’s activities. An Authentic representative stated, “True to the nature of a band, we plan to focus on live performances and festivals while releasing a new album every year to steadily expand the repertoire for our solo concerts,” adding, “We aim to convey Aiueo’s unique human charm to fans through content that captures the diverse personalities and dynamics of the four members.”

◇ More Girl Bands Are Emerging… But the Bar for Success Remains High
The emergence of I-U-E-O has drawn attention as it coincides with the band music craze sweeping the K-pop industry. With popular boy bands such as Day6, Lucy, and X-Dinary Heroes dominating the digital music and live performance markets, and various music festivals continuing to thrive, the audience and fan base for band music has grown significantly.
Among girl bands, QWER—which debuted in October 2023—is currently on a path to success. Composed of members who began their careers as online streamers, QWER garnered attention even before their debut. They have made a name for themselves in the digital music market by scoring back-to-back hits with songs like “Addicted to Worrying” and “My Name Is Clear,” while also building a solid fanbase.
QWER has also increased its presence in the live performance market. Last year, they embarked on their first-ever world tour, traveling across North America and Asia, and expanded their reach by entering the Japanese market. Furthermore, they achieved a rare feat for a girl band by successfully completing an overseas tour.
Their upward momentum continues. They will kick off their second tour on the 12th and 13th at Korea University’s Hwajeong Gymnasium in Seoul, before visiting major Asian cities such as Taipei, Fukuoka, Osaka, Tokyo, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
Following QWER’s success, attempts to break into the girl band market have continued steadily. In 2024, the two-member girl band Angel Noise debuted, and this year, groups such as Latency and Alice Syndrome have thrown their hats into the ring. The girl group Singing Tomboys, which debuted in 2017, even announced a transition to a girl band format and released a new album.
However, no group has yet firmly established itself by securing a mainstream hit song, a dedicated fanbase, and strong live performance capabilities. “Latency,” a band formed by former girl group members—including Hyunjin from “Girls of the Month” and Ji-won, Ha-eun, and Semi from “Signature”—which had garnered high expectations, has faced difficulties continuing its activities as members have left the group one after another.
An indie music industry insider stated, “The band music market has traditionally been dominated by male musicians and fans, so girl bands face relative difficulties in building a pool of musicians and a fan base from the very beginning.” They added, “Since it’s not easy to cultivate a dedicated fan base that consistently purchases albums and attends concerts, it’s crucial to plan a girl band with sufficient preparation time and a long-term vision for their activities.”