HYBE will debut a new J-pop boy band named aoen with seven Japanese members, the K-pop company said Wednesday.

The seven-member boy band was put together through Japanese television channel Nihon TV's audition program "Oen-High ~Where dreams begin~" that aired from February to April this year.


The "Oen" from the title means "support" in Japanese, which is also included in the band's name, aoen. The name is also a play on words for the Japanese word for blue, aori, according to HYBE.

The members are the seven winning participants of "Oen-High": Yuju, Ruka, Haku, Sota, Kyosuke, Gaku and Reo.

The fan club will be named aoring, meaning that fans and aoen come together in a full circle and become connected to embark on their collective journey through music.

"We ask for your love and support for aoen, which will endeavor to become the next J-pop boy group," YX Labels said.

YX Labels is a Japanese music label owned by HYBE Japan, founded in 2017. CEO of Pledis Entertainment Kim Yeon-su is also the CEO of YX Labels. The company also manages HYBE's boy band &Team.

BY YOON SO-YEON [yoon.soyeon@joongang.co.kr]