EXID
| Company type | Girl group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2012 |
| Headquarters | South Korea |
Area served | South Korea, Japan, China |
Key people | Solji, Elly, Hani, Hyelin, Jeonghwa |
| Products | Music albums, singles |
EXID (; ; acronym for "Exceed in Dreaming") is a South Korean female group formed in 2012, composed of five members: Solji, Elly, Hani, Hyelin, and Jeonghwa. Their debut occurred in February 2012 with the single "Whoz That Girl". While their initial reception was moderate, EXID surged in popularity in 2014 when their track "Up & Down" reached number one on the Gaon Singles Chart four months after release, propelled by a viral fan-recorded live video.
The group's second EP, Ah Yeah (released April 2015), saw commercial success, followed by their first full-length album Street (2016) and additional EPs. In May 2019, EXID declared an indefinite pause on Korean promotions after members left their agency Banana Culture, although they continued to release music in Japan, including studio albums Trouble (2019) and B.L.E.S.S.E.D (2020). They made a comeback in 2022 with their inaugural independent album X, commemorating their tenth anniversary.
2011–2013: Formation, debut, member changes, and Dasoni subunit
In May 2011, producer Shinsadong Tiger along with AB Entertainment recruited trainees from JYP Entertainment to establish a new girl group. The first trainee to join was Yuji, who ultimately did not debut. Yuji reached out to trainees Hani, Haeryung, and Jeonghwa, who were subsequently accepted by AB Entertainment. The lineup was completed by underground rapper Elly and trainee Dami, forming a six-member ensemble. Initially called "WT" ("Who's That"), the group later adopted the name EXID before their official debut. In December 2011, Elly featured on Huh Gak's single "Whenever You Play That Song," which charted in Korea. Due to Elly sustaining a leg injury, EXID's debut was postponed from January to February 2012. On February 3, AB Entertainment officially announced EXID's debut with the single "Whoz That Girl".
EXID's debut single "Whoz That Girl" was released digitally on February 16, 2012, as part of the single album Holla. The group made their debut stage on M Countdown, followed by appearances on Music Core and Inkigayo. The song peaked at number 36 on the Gaon Singles Chart, selling approximately 840,000 digital copies.
In April 2012, AB Entertainment revealed that Yuji, Dami, and Haeryeong had departed from the group; Yuji and Dami left to concentrate on education while Haeryeong pursued an acting career. They were succeeded by Solji, previously part of vocal duo 2NB, and Hyelin, who had been considered during the original selection process. With this new lineup, EXID returned in August 2012 with their second single "I Feel Good", featured on their first EP Hippity Hop. The EP debuted at number 13 on the Gaon Albums Chart, selling around 1,500 copies. In October of the same year, EXID released the digital single "Every Night", which is an alternative version of Elly's self-composed track "Phone Call" from their debut EP. "Every Night" entered the Gaon Singles Chart at number 43 with sales totaling approximately 105,000 digital copies.
On October 11, EXID contributed "Hey Boy" to MBC's sitcom The Thousandth Man. This track is a female adaptation of B1A4's "Hey Girl", rearranged into a reggae style by Shinsadong Tiger. On November 30, EXID collaborated with groups Big Star and D-Unit for a joint album and year-end concert titled "The Bugs Show Vol. 1", held on December 22 in Seoul. On December 6, EXID received the rookie award at the 20th Korea Culture & Entertainment Awards.
In February 2013, EXID released "Up & Down" as part of the soundtrack for Incarnation of Money. Shortly thereafter, members Hani and Solji formed the subunit "Dasoni", launching their debut single "Goodbye" along with the B-side "Said So Often" on February 15.
2014–2015: Breakthrough with "Up & Down" and Growing Popularity
In June 2014, EXID entered into an exclusive agreement with Yedang Entertainment and prepared for a comeback under the guidance of producer Shinsadong Tiger. On August 24, they showcased their return by performing their new track "Up & Down." The song was officially released on August 27 but initially experienced modest success, reaching only number 94 on the Gaon Chart. However, in October, a fan-recorded video featuring member Hani went viral across South Korean social media platforms, dramatically boosting the song's popularity. This viral moment propelled "Up & Down" into the top 10 on real-time music charts and eventually to the number one spot on Gaon. Following this rise, EXID resumed promotional activities on music shows, earning nominations and achieving their first wins on programs such as Show! Music Core, Inkigayo, and M Countdown. Their momentum continued into early January 2015 with additional victories on Music Bank and Inkigayo.
On April 13, 2015, EXID unveiled the music video for "Ah Yeah," the lead single from their second extended play. This release led to first-place wins on Inkigayo (April 26, May 3) and Show Champion (April 29, May 6).
In May of that year, EXID made their debut performance in the United States at the Korean Music Festival held in Los Angeles. Additionally, in July, they featured in their own season of the reality series Showtime broadcast on MBC Every 1.
On November 7, 2015, EXID received the MBC Music Star Award during the 2015 Melon Music Awards. Shortly after, on November 17, they released the music video for their single "Hot Pink."
2016: Expansion into China, Release of Street, and Solji's Hiatus
On January 11, 2016, EXID signed with Banana Project to broaden their activities into the Chinese market. Wang Sicong, CEO of Banana Culture Music, confirmed that their upcoming album would be launched simultaneously in both China and South Korea.
On March 2, Yedang Entertainment underwent rebranding to become Banana Culture and formed a joint venture in Seoul alongside Banana Project. EXID held their inaugural fan meeting in China titled 'EXID's LEGGO Show in Shanghai' on March 18.
The group released their first full-length album, Street, on June 1. The album contained twelve tracks primarily composed or written by member Elly and featured solo performances by lead vocalist Hani ("Hello") and main vocalist Solji ("3%"). Street reached number two on the Gaon Album Chart while its title track "L.I.E" peaked at number five as a single. With "L.I.E," EXID secured first-place wins on Show Champion (June 8), followed by victories on both Inkigayo and The Show.
On December 20, EXID debuted their first Chinese single "Cream" via QQ Music and YinYueTai platforms; it climbed to number six on Billboard's China V Chart. The next day, Banana Culture announced that Solji had been diagnosed with hyperthyroidism. Consequently, she took a temporary break from group activities during the 2016–17 awards season while the other members continued promotions as a four-member unit.
2017: Four-Member Promotions and EXID Asia Tour 2017
On January 10, 2017, EXID launched their second Chinese single titled "Up & Down" (). That same day, a censored version of the music video was uploaded to YouTube, replacing the initial release. While some Chinese viewers viewed the group's dance performance at the Forbidden City as controversial, others regarded it as acceptable.
On March 17, four members of EXID (with Solji absent) appeared at Mexico City's KCON festival. During the event, Hani performed a cover of "Ecos De Amor" by the Mexican duo Jesse & Joy. Due to Solji's continuing health complications, the group's comeback was postponed until April. Banana Culture Entertainment confirmed that EXID would continue activities as a quartet while Solji focused on recovering from hyperthyroidism.
April 10 saw the release of EXID's third extended play Eclipse, featuring the lead single "Night Rather Than Day". This EP debuted at number four on the Billboard World Albums chart, marking their highest placement to date. The group achieved several music show victories with "Night Rather Than Day," including three first-place awards on both The Show and Show Champion.
On May 12, Banana Culture announced the 'EXID Asia Tour 2017', which included stops in Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, and Seoul. The Taiwan concert was rescheduled from July 30 to August 26 due to Typhoon Nesat. Solji made an unexpected appearance during the Seoul encore before returning to treatment; this comeback was kept confidential from fans and fellow members. The tour concluded with their performance in Taipei on August 26.
EXID's fourth mini-album Full Moon was released on November 7, 2017. This project marked Solji’s return in recording sessions but did not include her participation in promotions or the "DDD" music video. On November 21, EXID earned first place on The Show with their track "DDD".
Beginning in December 2017, EXID initiated the re:flower project through social media channels, offering remastered and reimagined versions of previous non-title songs.
2018: Japanese Debut and Solji’s Comeback
On April 2, 2018, EXID released the single album Lady, promoting as a four-member unit due to Solji’s ongoing post-surgery recovery. The title track "내일해 (Lady)" achieved first place on The Show on April 10, marking a notable success in their promotional activities.
Banana Culture launched EXID's official Japanese website and fan club on May 11, revealing plans for their Japanese debut showcase scheduled for June 27 in Tokyo. At this event, they announced the forthcoming Japanese version of "Up & Down," set for release on August 22, along with their inaugural Japanese tour running from August 23 to 25. Solji confirmed she would rejoin the group by this time.
Solji made her public return under the alias 'Dongmakgol Girl' on MBC's King of Mask Singer on July 22 and July 29, ultimately securing the title of the 82nd 'Mask King.' Her comeback was further cemented when Banana Culture revealed she would participate in EXID’s performance at the 2018 Hallyu Pop Festival in Singapore on September 7. She took part in HallyuPopFest on August 10 and maintained her 'Mask King' status through five consecutive wins until October 21, when she unveiled her identity and discussed her return via the program that initially propelled her career.
To support their entry into the Japanese market, EXID released the music video for the Japanese version of "Up & Down" on August 10. The single debuted at number 15 on Oricon's Daily Singles Chart, indicating a strong reception.
On November 11, EXID returned as a full five-member group with the single album I Love You, accompanied by an official music video. The title track peaked at number five on Billboard's World Digital Song Sales chart, marking their highest position on this ranking to date.
2019–present: Group hiatus, Japanese projects, and 10th anniversary reunion
On December 31, 2018, EXID took the stage at the Taipei New Year's Eve Countdown event in Taiwan. In February 2019, they embarked on their second live tour across Japan, titled "2019 EXID Valentine Japan Live Tour." Their inaugural Japanese studio album, Trouble, was launched on April 3, 2019, reaching number 12 on the Oricon Albums Chart and number 23 on Billboard Japans Hot Albums chart. Additionally, it secured the number 10 spot on Billboard Japans Top Albums Sales with first-week physical sales totaling 4,831 copies.
In early May 2019, members Hani and Jeonghwa opted not to renew their contracts with Banana Culture. On May 15, the group released the EP "We" featuring the lead single "Me & You." The EP debuted at number 8 on the US World Albums Chart, marking their fourth entry within the top ten and sold 24,423 physical copies in South Korea during that month. Banana Culture confirmed that EXID would maintain their Japanese promotions as a five-member unit for an additional year, including the "2019 EXID Summer Live Tour" commencing in August. Later that year, they issued the Japanese single "Bad Girl For You" on December 25.
Hyelin exited Banana Culture on January 15, 2020, followed by Solji on February 5 and Elly on March 25. Despite these changes in membership, EXID unveiled their second Japanese album, B.L.E.S.S.E.D, on August 19.
EXID announced their comeback on July 14, 2022, with the 'EXID 2022 Japan-Final-Live Tour' set for September—a tour delayed since 2020 due to COVID-19. They reunited for a special broadcast commemorating their tenth anniversary on August 13. On September 7, through social media channels, EXID revealed plans to release a three-track single album titled X on September 29.
In March 2025, the group came together again to perform Baby Vox's "Get Up" during an Immortal Songs 2 special episode dedicated to "Artist Baby Vox."
Members
- Solji () – leader, vocalist (2012–present)
- Elly () – rapper (2012–present)
- Hani () – vocalist, dancer (2012–present)
- Hyelin () – vocalist (2012–present)
- Jeonghwa () – dancer, rapper, vocalist (2012–present)
Former members
Tours
- EXID's First Asia Tour (2017)
| Date | City | Country | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| June 17 | Kowloon | Hong Kong | Star Hall Kitec |
| July 15 | Kallang | Singapore | Kallang Theatre |
| July 20 | Taipei | Taiwan | NTU Sports Center |
| August 12 | Seoul | South Korea | Yonsei University Baekyang Hall |
- EXID FANCON Tour (2024–2025)
| 2024 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date | City | Country | Venue |
| March 2 | Tokyo | Japan | Zepp Haneda |
| 2025 | |||
| Date | City | Country | Venue |
| March 31 | Hanoi | Vietnam | Military Zone 7 Indoor Sports Complex |
| August 10 | Macau | China | Broadway Theater |
Discography
- Street (2016)
- Trouble (2019)
- B.L.E.S.S.E.D (2020)
Reality shows
| Year | Title | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | EXID's Showtime | 8 episodes aired |
| 2018 | Made In EXID | Total of 25 episodes |
Dramas
| Year | Title | Character |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 12 Signs of Love | Appeared as themselves (episode 8) |
Awards and nominations
Since their debut in 2012, EXID has secured four significant awards alongside 22 victories on various music shows. Their major breakthrough occurred with the digital track "Up & Down," which led them to their inaugural number-one position on M Countdown in January 2015, followed by triumphs on programs such as Music Bank, Inkigayo, and The Show.
| Award ceremony | Year | Category | Nominee / work | Outcome | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arirang's Simply K-Pop Awards | 2012 | Super Rookie Idol of the Year | EXID | Template:Won | |
| Cable TV Broadcast Awards | 2015 | Star Award | EXID | Template:Won | |
| Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards | 2015 | Discovery of the Year | EXID | Template:Won | |
| Golden Disc Awards | 2016 | Digital Bonsang | "Up & Down" | Template:Won | |
| Digital Daesang | "Up & Down" | Template:Nom | |||
| Korea Assembly Grand Award | 2016 | Artist of the Year | EXID | Template:Won | | |
| Korean Culture and Entertainment Awards | 2012 | Rookie Award | EXID | Template:Won | | |
| Korean Entertainment Arts Awards | style="text-align:center"| 2018 | Best Artist Group (Female) | EXID | Template:Won | |
| MBC Music Show Champion Awards | style="text-align:center"| rowspan=2 | 2015 | Best Champion Songs of 2015 | "Ah Yeah" | Template:Won | |
| Best Performance – Female | "Hot Pink" | Template:Won | |||
| Melon Music Awards | style="text-align:center"| rowspan=4 | 2015 Melon Music Awards | MBC Music Star Award | EXID | Template:Won | |
| Top 10 Artist Award | EXID | Template:Nom | |||
| Best Female Dance Song | "Ah Yeah" | Template:Nom | |||
| Song Of The Year | "Ah Yeah" | Template:Nom | |||
| Mnet Asian Music Awards | style="text-align:center"| rowspan=2 | 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards | Best Dance Performance – Female Group | EXID | Template:Nom | |
| Song of the Year | "Ah Yeah" | Template:Nom | |||
| Seoul Music Awards | style="text-align:center"| rowspan=3 | 2016 | Bonsang Award | EXID | Template:Won | |
| High1/Mobile Popularity Award | EXID | Template:Nom | |||
| Hallyu Special Award | EXID | Template:Nom | |||
| style="text-align:center"| rowspan=3 | 2018 | Bonsang Award | EXID | Template:Nom | ||
| Popularity Award | EXID | Template:Nom | |||
| Hallyu Special Award | EXID | Template:Nom | |||
| YinYueTai V Chart Awards | style="text-align:center"| 2016 | Best Breakout Artist | EXID | Template:Won |
External links
- EXID
- 2012 establishments in South Korea
- K-pop music groups
- Musical groups established in 2012
- Musical groups disbanded in 2020
- Musical groups reunited in 2022
- South Korean dance music ensembles
- South Korean girl groups
- South Korean synth-pop acts
- South Korean musical quintets
- Melon Music Award recipients
- Mandarin-language vocalists from South Korea
- Tokuma Japan Communications artists
- Musical groups disestablished in 2020