April (girl group)
| Company type | Girl group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | August 24, 2015 in Seoul, South Korea |
| Founder | DSP Media |
| Defunct | January 28, 2022 |
| Fate | Disbanded |
| Headquarters | Seoul , South Korea |
Area served | South Korea, Japan |
Key people | Chaekyung, Chaewon, Naeun, Yena, Rachel, Jinsol |
| Products | Music albums, singles, concerts |
| Owner | DSP Media (later RBW Entertainment) |
Number of employees | 6 (final members) (2022) |
| Parent | DSP Media (until acquisition by RBW Entertainment) |
April () was a South Korean female idol group established by DSP Media. Their debut occurred on August 24, 2015, with the EP Dreaming and its leading track "Dream Candy". The group's final roster consisted of six members: Chaekyung, Chaewon, Naeun, Yena, Rachel, and Jinsol. The ensemble officially disbanded on January 28, 2022.
Name
The group's name merges 'A', symbolizing 'the top girl group', with 'pril', which denotes charming girls, collectively representing 'the best and most delightful girls'. They were also referred to as 'Sa-wori' (사월이), 'Apple' (에플), or 'Pril-e' (프릴이). Fans affectionately dubbed them 'Chung-jeong-dol' (청정돌), translating to pure idols.
2015: Debut and Somin's exit
On February 9, 2015, DSP Media revealed the formation of April, following their previously launched girl groups Fin.K.L, Kara, and Rainbow. The initial lineup comprised six members—Somin, Chaewon, Hyunjoo, Naeun, Yena, and Jinsol—who debuted with the EP Dreaming featuring the lead single "Dream Candy".
Leader Somin departed from the group on November 9 to focus on solo endeavors and personal development; this was confirmed by DSP Media. Subsequently, she debuted as part of the co-ed group KARD. April proceeded as a quintet, releasing the single album Boing Boing with its title track "Muah!" and B-side "Glass Castle" on November 25. This was followed by a Christmas-themed special album Snowman on December 21.
2016: Spring release and lineup adjustments
DSP Media announced the official fan club name "Fineapple" () on February 12, 2016. Two days later, April presented a mini-concert titled "Everland Romantic Concert" in celebration of Valentine's Day. On February 18, they earned the Girl Group Rookie of the Year award at the 22nd Korean Entertainment Arts Awards.
Their second EP, Spring, was launched on April 27 and contained six tracks including the lead single "Tinkerbell" (). During promotional activities, Hyunjoo temporarily stepped back due to health reasons, leading April to promote as a four-member unit.
To commemorate their first anniversary, April held their inaugural solo concert Dream Land at Baek Am Art Hall in Seoul on August 21. Another concert took place in Tokyo on October 15 where Yoon Chae-kyung joined as a guest participant.
Hyunjoo officially exited the group on October 29 to pursue an acting career after a seven-month hiatus. Subsequently in November, Chaekyung—previously appearing as a guest member—and Rachel were added to the lineup.
2017: Releases of Prelude, Mayday, and Eternity
On January 3, 2017, April unveiled their third EP Prelude as a six-member ensemble, featuring the title song "April Story" (). They conducted their comeback showcase that same day. On February 14, they performed a rendition of Apink's "Luv" for the centennial episode of The Show. Starting February 16, they promoted "Wow" on M Countdown. The digital single "So You" was released on February 26. On March 20, they hosted their second Japanese fan meeting "[#April Japan Fanmeeting 2017～April Story～]" in Tokyo.
April debuted the tennis court-themed music video for "Sting" on April 4 through the premiere episode of their reality series A-IF-Ril, which consisted of five episodes. Their second reality show, April Secret, began airing on Naver TV starting May 8.
Their second single album Mayday was released on May 29. The music video for "Sting" was reissued under the title "Lovesick", accompanying the lead track "Mayday". They showcased "Lovesick" live on M Countdown on June 22.
The fourth EP titled Eternity was launched on September 20 with "Take My Hand" as its lead single. On October 18, it was announced that April would hold their second solo concert in Japan named "April 2nd Live Concert in Japan 2017 「Dream Land」 (Take My Hand)" scheduled for December 10. Additionally, they performed a Christmas concert in Korea titled "2017 SPECIAL CHRISTMAS APRIL EVE".
2018: The Blue, Entry into Japan, and The Ruby
DSP Media revealed on January 30, 2018, the upcoming release of a secret single scheduled for February 7, which was later identified as part of a special unit album. This subunit, composed of members Jinsol and Naeun, introduced the track "My Story".
On February 26, DSP Media announced that April would make a full-group comeback on March 12 with their fifth extended play The Blue, featuring the lead single "The Blue Bird".
On March 22, the agency confirmed April's debut in the Japanese market, planned for the following month. The group officially entered Japan on April 25 with a Japanese rendition of their 2016 single "Tinkerbell", accompanied by the B-side "Yes, sir!" and instrumental versions. Their promotional activities included television appearances and fan events throughout Japan.
Reports emerged on September 17 about an autumn comeback, which member Jinsol later verified. Subsequently, on October 4, DSP Media confirmed the release of their sixth EP The Ruby, which was launched on October 16 with the title track "Oh! My Mistake".
2019–2020: Return to Japan, Da Capo, and Hello Summer
April released the Japanese single "Oh-E-Oh (Japanese ver.)" on January 16, 2019. During the same month, they contributed the song "Magic Dream" to the soundtrack of the drama My Strange Hero.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, DSP Media postponed April's scheduled March comeback to April on March 11, 2020. On April 10, it was announced that their seventh EP, Da Capo, would be released on April 22. The agency explained that "Da Capo" is a musical term signifying "from the beginning." Both the EP and its lead track "Lalalilala" were released on April 22. The EP reached number five on the Gaon Album Chart, while "Lalalilala" attained number 40 on the Gaon Digital Chart, representing their highest chart positions to date.
On July 14, 2020, DSP Media announced April's summer return with a special single album titled Hello Summer, which was released on July 29 with the lead single "Now or Never".
2021–2022: Bullying Allegations and Group Dissolution
On February 28, 2021, an individual claiming to be Hyunjoo’s brother posted allegations that her departure from April was caused by intense bullying from other members, including an attempted suicide. DSP Media denied these accusations and declared intentions to pursue legal action against Hyunjoo and her relatives. The controversy led to significant negative consequences for the group members, including loss of endorsement contracts and acting opportunities. On April 18, 2021, Hyunjoo publicly corroborated these claims and asserted that DSP Media was obstructing her efforts to terminate her contract.
After a year of inactivity and following RBW Entertainment’s acquisition of DSP Media, it was announced on January 28, 2022, that April would disband after six years together. This decision came after thorough consideration.
Members
- Former
- Somin () (2015)
- Hyunjoo () (2015–2016)
- Chaekyung () (2016–2022)
- Chaewon () (2015–2022)
- Naeun () (2015–2022)
- Yena () (2015–2022)
- Rachel () (2016–2022)
- Jinsol () (2015–2022)
EPs
- Dreaming (2015)
- Spring (2016)
- Prelude (2017)
- Eternity (2017)
- The Blue (2018)
- The Ruby (2018)
- Da Capo (2020)
Television
| Year | Program | Broadcasting Channel |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Here Goes April | Naver V Channel |
| 2016 | Daily APRIL | AfreecaTV |
| 2017 | A-IF-Ril | Mnet |
| April Secret | Naver V Channel |
Honors and Recognitions
| Award Event | Year | Category | Nominee / Work | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Rising Star Award - Female Group | April | Template:Won | ||||
| Gaon Chart Music Awards | 2016 | New Artist of the Year | April | Template:Nom | ||||
| 2016 | Star of Tomorrow, Rising Star Award | April | Template:Win | ||||
| Korean Culture & Entertainment Awards | rowspan="2" | 2017, 2018 | K-Pop Artist Award | April | Template:Won | ||||
| 2016 | Female Rookie of the Year | April | Template:Won | ||||
| Seoul Music Awards | rowspan="4" | 2016 | Bonsang Award, Rookie of the Year, Popularity Award, Hallyu Special Award | April | Template:Nom | ||||
| 30th Seoul Music Awards | rowspan="3" | 2021 | Bonsang Award, K-wave Popular Award, Popularity Award | April | Template:Nom | ||||
| 31st Seoul Music Awards | 2022 | U+Idol Live Best Artist Award | April | Template:Nom |
External Resources
- Articles with short description
- April (girl group)
- K-pop music groups
- Musical groups established in 2015
- Musical groups disestablished in 2022
- South Korean girl groups
- South Korean dance music groups
- Musical groups from Seoul
- 2015 establishments in South Korea
- 2022 disestablishments in South Korea
- DSP Media artists
- South Korean musical quintets
- Japanese-language singers of South Korea