Fifth-generation groups like Riize and NCT Wish favor simplicity as fans seek 'easier' emotional connection
The way K-pop is consumed has continued to evolve in distinct ways, often shaped by its core audience of young, highly engaged fans.
Industry insiders say boy groups, which once leaned heavily on elaborate fictional universes to build fan engagement, are now shifting toward more grounded and relatable concepts.
Acts such as BTS, Seventeen and Tomorrow X Together have long incorporated overarching narratives into their releases, encouraging fans to piece together clues across extended videos and content. Among them, Enhypen stands out for maintaining one of the most detailed and continuous storylines.
The group’s vampire-themed universe, introduced at its 2020 debut, uses mythology to explore themes such as fame, transformation and brotherhood. The narrative extends across its music, videos and the webtoon series “Dark Moon: The Blood Altar.”
However, some fans are growing tired of having to continuously follow and interpret complex storylines. As a result, newer groups are opting for concepts that feel closer to everyday life and are easier to relate to.
Fifth-generation acts such as Riize, TWS and NCT Wish exemplify this shift, focusing less on intricate lore and more on themes like first encounters, friendship, youthful emotions and ordinary moments. These narratives aim to deliver immediate emotional resonance through their simplicity and familiarity.
NCT Wish offers a notable example: While the group has maintained its Cupid-inspired motif since debut, it does not impose the storyline on listeners. In the highlight medley for its first album “Ode to Love,” Cupid is portrayed not as a fantasy figure but as an amnesiac college student — a setup that audiences can easily grasp without needing deeper narrative context.
Building on this accessible storytelling, NCT Wish has also contributed to a growing fan-driven trend known as “Wishcore,” a term combining the group’s name with “core.” Unlike traditional fandom practices centered solely on music consumption, such trends reflect how fan engagement is expanding into broader subcultural expressions.
“Wishcore” has gained traction as a microtrend among Gen Z fans, particularly on platforms like TikTok in South Korea and Japan, blending elements of fashion, aesthetics and identity tied to the group.
Still, industry observers view the shift as part of a broader cycle.
“K-pop is highly trend-driven, and these large narrative concepts tend to come and go in cycles,” an entertainment company official said. “Vampire themes, for example, were not new when Enhypen adopted them. Similar concepts appeared in earlier generations as well.”
The official added that K-pop has historically moved between fantastical and relatable concepts, with the current wave reflecting a return to more grounded storytelling.
“Compared to grand, complex narratives, using themes that feel closer to everyday life makes it much easier to connect with audiences,” he said.
jaaykim@heraldcorp.com
