Battle (South Korean band)
| Company type | Boy band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2006 |
| Defunct | 2010 |
| Headquarters | Seoul , South Korea |
| Products | Music singles |
Battle () was a South Korean boy band that made their debut on December 17, 2006, with the release of their inaugural single "Crash". They first gained public attention by winning the reality competition Let's Coke Play! Battle Shinhwa!. The lineup included Ryu, Tae-hwa, Lio, Chris, and Hwi-chan. Shin Ki-Hyun, who was personally chosen by Shinhwa's Eric, departed from the group in 2008. After the dissolution of Good Entertainment, the band disbanded but reunited for a performance in 2019.
Formation
The members of Battle were selected through the reality program Let's Coke Play! Battle Shinhwa!, which was hosted by members of Shinhwa and backed by Good Entertainment, M-NET, and Coca-Cola. Each Shinhwa member handpicked candidates based on their skills in singing, dancing, and stamina. Initially, Kim Jang Hyun was part of the group but left due to creative differences; he was subsequently replaced by Hwi-chan.
2006—2007: Debut and initial tour
Battle launched their career with the single Crash, characterized by prominent guitar and drum elements accompanied by a dark-themed music video. The single also contained "Icarus", a ballad emphasizing vocal harmonies, as well as "Flying Up", a rap number. Their debut stage on SBS Gayo received moderate applause but revealed promise despite early critiques regarding their vocal abilities. They later delivered a more polished live performance on MBC Music Core.
Capitalizing on their increasing popularity in Thailand, Battle embarked on their first concert tour there starting April 30, 2007. Their follow-up single "Tell Me! (Mal Hae)" achieved a 7th place ranking in monthly album sales with over 10,000 copies sold during May. Building on this momentum, they expanded into the Chinese market with appearances on programs such as CCTV-4's Joonghwajeong after arriving in Beijing on July 31, 2007.
2008: Kihyun's exit, Step by Step, and individual pursuits
On June 2, 2008, Kihyun announced his departure from Battle shortly before the group's comeback. On May 30, Battle launched an updated official website featuring new photos and daily teasers for their upcoming album. Their music video release was delayed by two hours. The group made their comeback appearance on Music Bank's Summer special broadcast on June 13. Although a comeback in 2009 was anticipated, members Hwi-chan and Lio enlisted for mandatory military service on June 2 and July 7 respectively, resulting in a hiatus for the group. Meanwhile, remaining members pursued solo activities: Ryu ventured into acting, Chris pursued music studies in New York City, and Taehwa began a solo music career.
Despite these developments, Good Entertainment affirmed that the group had not disbanded.
2009—2010: Military enlistments, Good Entertainment's bankruptcy, and indefinite pause
On October 6, 2009, Jin Taehwa debuted his first solo single under the name Zin Taehwa.
Although no formal statement was issued regarding Ryu’s military enlistment, he entered service during this period. Following Good Entertainment’s bankruptcy, Battle’s activities were suspended indefinitely.
2019: I Can See Your Voice
On January 25, 2019, member Hwi-chan was eliminated during the initial round of I Can See Your Voice. Subsequently, all members except Lio reunited to perform "Step by Step," commemorating their accomplishments over the previous decade.
Members
- Ryu
- Taehwa
- Hwichan
- Chris
- Kihyun
- Lio
Awards
| Year | Accolades |
|---|---|
| 2007 |
|
Singles
| Release Title | Release Date | Songs Included |
|---|---|---|
| Crash (Crazy Love) | December 14, 2006 |
|
| Tell Me (Malhae) | May 30, 2007 |
|
| Step by Step | June 10, 2008 |
|