NU'EST
| Company type | Idol group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | March 15, 2012 |
| Defunct | March 15, 2022 |
| Headquarters | South Korea |
| Products | Music albums, singles, concerts |
| Owner | Pledis Entertainment |
NU'EST (; an abbreviation for New Establish Style Tempo) was a South Korean male idol group created and managed by Pledis Entertainment. The ensemble was composed of five members: JR, Aron, Baekho, Minhyun, and Ren. Their official debut occurred on March 15, 2012, with the single "Face," and the group officially disbanded on March 15, 2022, following the departure of Aron, JR, and Ren from Pledis Entertainment after fulfilling their decade-long contract.
Pre-debut
Prior to their debut, NU'EST contributed as backup dancers on releases by labelmates such as After School Blue's "Wonder Boy" and participated in Pledis Entertainment's holiday project "Love Letter" under the name Pledis Boys. JR appeared in the music video for Orange Caramel's "Bangkok City" as well as in Uee's solo song "Sok Sok Sok." Baekho took part in After School's "Play Ur Love" music video, while Minhyun featured in Orange Caramel's "Shanghai Romance" video.
JR, Minhyun, Aron, and Ren also appeared alongside After School's Lizzy in a commercial campaign for New Balance. The identities of JR and Baekho as NU'EST members were unveiled on KBS's Hello Counselor by After School's Kahi, sparking online buzz. At that time known as "After School Boys," the group performed alongside After School at the SBS Gayo Daejeon. Additionally, Minhyun and Ren walked the runway at Park Yoon-so's F/W 2012–13 Seoul Fashion Week show titled 'Big Park'.
2012–2014: Debut with Face, Action, Hello, Sleep Talking, Re:BIRTH and Japanese debut
NU'EST officially debuted on March 15, 2012, with their single "Face," performing live on M! Countdown that same day. During their promotional period, they aired a reality series titled Making of a Star: NU'EST Landing Operation.
Their inaugural EP, Action, was released on July 11, 2012, coinciding with their designation as ambassadors for Korea's Scout Association. That year saw NU'EST expanding their reach internationally through events across Japan, Australia, various Asian countries, and the United States, including appearances at KCON. In December, they secured endorsement deals with McDonald's.
In January 2013, Baekho and Ren made appearances in the drama series Jeon Woo-chi. The group followed up with their second EP, Hello, released on February 13; they also held their first solo concert titled Show Time NU’EST Time on the same day. NU'EST featured on SBS MTV Diary alongside labelmates Hello Venus. In March, they celebrated their first anniversary with a concert event in Japan. Aron began hosting the radio program Music Access on Arirang in April.
On August 22, 2013, NU'EST put out their third EP, Sleep Talking, with its title track serving as the lead single. In March 2014, Ren took part in a special stage commemorating the 400th episode of Music Core, performing alongside members from BtoB, A-Jax, and VIXX.
Their first full-length album, Re:Birth, was released on July 9, 2014, featuring "Good Bye Bye" as its primary track. On November 5 of that year, NU'EST made their official Japanese debut with the single "Shalala Ring".
2015–2016: Japanese activities, Q Is and Canvas
On February 27, 2015, NU'EST introduced the digital single "I'm Bad," followed by a limited edition physical version on March 15 to commemorate their third anniversary. Baekho was unable to participate in the title track due to vocal cord surgery but contributed vocals to the B-side "A Scene Without You." On April 2, Minhyun collaborated with indie musician Fromm on the track "The Aftermath." Aron concluded his role as DJ for Arirang's Music Access on April 19. The group held their inaugural North American solo showcase in Dallas on May 3, an event arranged by My Music Taste.
Their second Japanese single, titled "Nanananamida," was released on May 20. On August 14, Aron began hosting his own program, Aron's Hangout, broadcasted on SBS PopAsia. NU'EST's first full-length Japanese album, Bridge the World, was launched on November 18, following pre-release tracks including the title song "Bridge the World" and "Cherry." The latter served as the theme for their Japanese film debut, Their Distance.
The group's fourth extended play, Q is, was released on February 17, 2016, featuring the lead single "Overcome," with promotional activities commencing the following day. Their fifth EP, Canvas, along with its lead track "Love Paint (Every Afternoon)," came out on August 29. This release earned them their first nomination on music shows such as The Show. On October 6, a music video for "Daybreak," a duet between Minhyun and JR from the Canvas album, was unveiled.
2017–2018: Participation in Produce 101 Season 2 and formation of NU'EST W
Facing a decline in commercial success and discussions about disbandment, members JR, Baekho, Minhyun, and Ren took part in the reality competition show Produce 101 Season 2 at the start of 2017. Their involvement led to increased sales of prior albums such as Q Is and Canvas, resulting in a resurgence in popularity and chart reappearances. After the show's conclusion, NU'EST's earlier works reached top positions on the Gaon Chart. Minhyun secured a spot within the top 11 contestants and joined the temporary group Wanna One, promoting exclusively with them for approximately one and a half years. Meanwhile, JR, Baekho, and Ren formed NU'EST W to continue group activities until Minhyun's return. Leveraging this renewed attention, NU'EST W promoted "Hello," a single originally released in 2013, which climbed to number 11 on Inkigayo.
Following the show, JR and Ren became endorsers for the cosmetics brand Labiotte; Baekho and Aron later joined as models as well. Ren also obtained a regular role on JTBC's variety program Learning the Hard Way, while Aron appeared on Raina’s single "Loop."
Minhyun’s contract with Wanna One concluded on December 31, 2018; however, he officially rejoined NU'EST by late January 2019 after arrangements allowed him to complete scheduled year-end performances as part of Wanna One. His final activity with Wanna One was their four-day concert series titled Therefore, ending on January 27, 2019.
2019–2020: Releases of Happily Ever After, The Table, The Nocturne, and Drive
After nearly two years apart, NU'EST renewed their contract with Pledis Entertainment. To celebrate their seventh anniversary on March 15, 2019, they released a special digital single titled "A Song For You."
On April 3, Minhyun debuted a solo digital single called "Universe," serving as a pre-release for an upcoming NU'EST album; its music video was filmed across Budapest and Milan. From April 12 to April 14, the group held their first solo concert in six years named "Segno," attracting an audience of 36,000 attendees. Their sixth EP, Happily Ever After, was launched on April 29 with lead track "Bet Bet." This release marked their first full-group comeback in three years and concluded the "Knights searching for the Queen" trilogy initiated in 2016. The EP achieved triple crowns on Gaon's weekly charts for album sales, digital downloads, and background music during April 28 – May 4. In May, they also released "Blessing," an early track considered for debut back in 2012.
On October 21, NU'EST unveiled their seventh EP titled The Table, featuring the lead song "Love Me," which secured victories across all five major music broadcast programs—earning them first-time wins on both Show! Music Core and Inkigayo.
Seven months later, on May 11, 2020, they released their eighth EP The Nocturne, led by the single "I'm in Trouble." This album topped Gaon's Album Sales chart along with Retail Album, Download, and BGM rankings. Notably, "I'm in Trouble" debuted at number six on Gaon’s Digital Chart—marking their first Top 10 lead single as a full group excluding releases under NU'EST W.
On October 7 of the same year, NU'EST issued their second Japanese studio album entitled Drive, marking their first Japanese album release since Bridge the World five years prior.
2021–2022: Romanticize, individual ventures, Needle & Bubble, and the group's conclusion
On April 19, 2021, NU'EST unveiled their second full-length album, Romanticize, featuring "Inside Out" as the lead track. Due to Aron taking a short break beginning in January 2021 because of anxiety, only four members actively promoted the record until his return in June. The album achieved the top position on Hanteo's weekly sales ranking and secured two number-one spots on the Gaon Music Chart. The title single earned victories on music shows such as M! Countdown, Music Bank, Show! Music Core, and Inkigayo, marking their second grand slam on music programs since their 2019 hit "Love Me".
Afterward, throughout 2021, each member concentrated on solo activities. JR made his acting debut in SBS's drama Let Me Be Your Knight; Minhyun appeared in tvN's Alchemy of Souls and briefly reunited with Wanna One at the 2021 Mnet Asian Music Awards; Aron hosted a talk show exclusively on Twitter called Circle Room; Baekho ventured into musical theater with roles in Midnight Sun and Altar Boyz; Ren took the lead in the musical production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.
From November 26 to 28, the group held their first live concert in two years, titled The Black, at Seoul's Jamsil Indoor Stadium. On December 2, NU'EST received the Best Achievement award at the Asia Artist Awards. They also appeared in prominent year-end events including the KBS Song Festival and SBS Gayo Daejeon, showcasing their signature stage presence.
It was announced on February 28, 2022, that their exclusive contract with Pledis Entertainment would conclude on March 14. While Baekho and Minhyun chose to renew their agreements with the agency, Aron, JR, and Ren decided to part ways. The group officially confirmed their disbandment through handwritten letters addressed to fans, expressing their intent to pursue individual careers. To commemorate their ten-year journey and formal disbandment, a compilation album titled Needle & Bubble was released on March 15.
Members
Philanthropic Activities
In celebration of their seventh anniversary since debut in March 2019, the group contributed financial support to The Snail of Love. This aid was designated for cochlear implant surgeries and language rehabilitation therapies aimed at children. Additionally, their donation helped fund music education initiatives designed to assist individuals with developmental disabilities in connecting through musical experiences.
NU'EST-M
Between 2013 and 2014, NU'EST-M was established through a partnership with Yuehua Entertainment to engage the Chinese audience. This subunit included all five members alongside Jason, a trainee from Yuehua Entertainment. They produced Mandarin versions of the tracks "Face" and "Sleep Talking."
NU'EST W
From July 17, 2017, until December 31, 2018, the group promoted under the subunit name NU'EST W while Minhyun was active exclusively with Wanna One. During this period, NU'EST W released three extended plays before concluding their promotional activities in 2018.
Discography
Korean Studio Albums
- Re:Birth (2014)
- Romanticize (2021)
Japanese Studio Albums
- Bridge the World (2015)
- Drive (2020)
Television
| Year | Title | Details | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Making of A Star: Landing Operation | 8 episodes | |
| 2013 | NU'EST MTV Diary | 5 episodes | |
| NU'EST in Love | 5 episodes | ||
| 2014 | NU'EST's Latin Dream Show | ||
| 2016 | NU'EST Private life | 4 episodes | |
| 2019 | NU'EST Road | 4 episodes |
Film
- Their Distance (2015)
Concerts
| Year | Event | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2013 | NU'EST Show Time in Seoul | |
| NU'EST Debut 1st Anniversary Live ～ Show Time | ||
| NU'EST L.O.Λ.E.'s Party | ||
| 2014 | NU'EST Debut 2nd Anniversary Live ～ Show Time 2 | |
| NU'EST Autumn Live | ||
| 2015 | NU'EST First Solo Show In Dallas | |
| 2016 | NU'EST Live ～ Show Time 4 | |
| 2017 | NU'EST W Special Mini Concert | |
| 2018 | NU'EST W - Double You Encore | |
| 2019 | NU'EST Love Page | |
| 2021 | NU'EST Concert <The Black> |
Tours
| Year | Tour Name |
|---|---|
| 2014 | NU'EST Japan Tour One L.O.Λ.E. |
| NU'EST Latin America Tour | |
| Re:Sponse Europe Tour | |
| 2015 | NU'EST Japan Tour ～ Show Time 3 |
| NU'EST World Tour Concert RE:VIVE | |
| NU'EST Japan Tour ～ Bridge the World | |
| 2016 | NU'EST Japan Tour 'One for L.O.Λ.E' |
| 2018 | NU'EST W <Double You> |
| 2019 | NU'EST Tour <Segno> |
External Links
- Articles with short description
- NU'EST
- 2012 establishments in South Korea
- K-pop music groups
- Musical groups established in 2012
- Musical groups from Seoul
- Pledis Entertainment artists
- Ariola Japan artists
- South Korean boy bands
- South Korean dance music groups
- South Korean synth-pop groups
- Hybe artists
- Musical groups disestablished in 2022
- 2022 disestablishments in South Korea
- Japanese-language singers of South Korea