What do you get when a savvy songwriter and music producer turned CEO mixes together two North Koreans, a Japanese dance teacher, a Chinese-American, and a Thai/Lao singer who is a self-taught dancer?  You get a whole lot of chaos and a pre-debut group poised to skyrocket to success.  Read on to learn about the incredible journey from concept to cohesive group as Kdrama Jen introduces you to 1Verse.  Come and learn why she is the biggest fangirl of Michelle Cho, the CEO that brought the group together, and hear all about why more people need to know about this group and the label, Singing Beetle.  Are you ready?  

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Ok…hear me out.  Have you watched the drama Imitation?  If you haven’t, you should go check it out. It features several members of ATEEZ, so it is a favorite among ATINY (ATEEZ fans), but I happened to be rewatching it while I was first discovering the pre-debut group SB Boyz.  At the time, SB Boyz was made up of two members—they were North Koreans and this was under a new label called Singing Beetle. In order for you to have more context, I will tell you that SB Boyz evolved into the current group known as 1Verse (pronounced Universe). So, why am I talking about an obscure Kdrama?  Well, let me explain how the CEO in the drama, Imitation, strategically built interest in his new group. 

He started by introducing them as individuals, so people were able to see their personalities and unique traits. Then, he slowly revealed their singing and dancing talents.  By the time they were ready for debut, they already had a solid fanbase. He also humanized the Kpop machine and paid the members a living wage. He didn’t have the same kind of restrictions and rules as other companies. From a marketing perspective, I really thought he was brilliant. So, it was pretty amazing when I could see something similar happening in real life!

As I was rewatching this drama, I began to learn more about Michelle Cho and her new label, Singing Beetle. First, I immediately became a fan of Michelle Cho. She was previously SM Entertainment’s A&R, and you could easily crown her a hitmaker, working her magic on songs sung by some of the most famous Kpop artists and groups. Have you heard of Kai?  Have you heard of Produce 101?  Have you heard of Baekhyun? Seventeen? I found her influence and talent behind many of the songs I sing in the shower or have on my workout playlist.  So, right away, I decided to follow this new endeavor of hers closely.  

With a similar playbook to the CEO in Imitation, Singing Beetle also began by sharing the group’s concept. This new group would have two North Korean artists. We were introduced to Hyuk and Seok. Hyuk was an aspiring rapper and was diligently working on learning to dance.  He came from a very difficult situation in North Korea. In early interviews, he shared that he had to beg in the streets for food and he risked his life to defect to South Korea when he was only 13 years old. He had interrupted schooling and the education he did have was often filled with propaganda. In a later interview, Hyuk said that when he was growing up he did not even know there were other countries outside of North Korea. Despite all of this, Hyuk was bubbly and enthusiastic.  

Seok always appeared shy and much quieter than Hyuk.  He was a professional football (soccer) player, and he came to South Korea when he was 19 years old. Singing Beetle has been very careful not to reveal too much about these future Kpop stars from North Korea because that could create a dangerous situation for anyone they left behind.  

It was at this point, when it was just Hyuk and Seok, that I first started following their journey. It was mostly random mentions on Reddit, but I consumed every article or post I could find.  This became much easier in 2023, when Hyuk and Seok were joined by Kenny.  Around this time, they also launched a YouTube channel called SB Boyz Unplugged.

With the addition of Kenny, the dynamics of the group changed. Kenny, a Chinese-American and former SM trainee, joined Hyuk and Seok. Through the YouTube show “SB Boyz Unplugged,” it became very clear that he brings a frenetic energy and a bit of silliness to the group. Through the YouTube channel and social media, Singing Beetle introduced pre-debut fans to the personalities of Hyuk, Seok, and Kenny. Then, the show introduced everyone to Aito, a Japanese dancer who was once a trainee with Kenny in Korea. 

Aito appeared quiet, mature, and sweet. Despite his apparent maturity, Aito became the maknae (youngest member) of the group.  He was only 18 years old when he joined the others.  For the first time, SB Boyz Unplugged showed a small glimpse of dancing talent when they posted part of his audition. Shortly after, there would be clips that showed the group as they practiced dancing.  At this point, anyone following is fully pulled in by their daily antics and their range of personalities, so a chance to see a little dancing felt like a gift.

For several months the YouTube show revealed little vignettes that allowed for a behind the scene glimpse of their training—which included training in dancing, singing, English, Korean (for Kenny and Aito), and  international relations with a focus on cultural appreciation. Michelle Cho’s degrees from Korea University in International Relations and Harvard in International Education certainly did not go to waste! We also see how Singing Beetle is differentiating itself from the traditional entertainment company machine by truly caring about the members’ mental health.  There is an episode of SB Boyz Unplugged that shows Michelle Cho personally taking Seok to receive a diagnosis and treatment for his anxiety. This might come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the co-founder of Singing Beetle, Joe Lim. Not only is he an Obama Leader (along with Michelle Cho) and a talented CFO, but he is also noted for his work addressing social issues, such as depression and suicide, through Social Impact Bonds.  With leadership like this, Singing Beetle is already forging new pathways in Kpop.

Throughout early 2024, fans were also able to see Hyuk’s evolution as a beginner dancer and rapper to full-fledged songwriter and artist.  He released a single called Ordinary Person and he wrote a song for the group TWICE.  Along the way, we get glimpses of the other members’ potential talent through social media posts and short clips from practice, but in September 2024, they announced that it would be the last episode of SB Boyz.  Shortly after, they revealed their new name: 1Verse. 

Around that time, there were a number of solo covers that were released.  Kenny showcased his vocals, Seok and Hyuk collaborated on an Epik High song together, and Aito dropped a sizzling dance cover of Ten’s Birthday.  Then, 1Verse came together with a cover of the Stray Kids song LaLaLaLa with both singing and dancing, a vocal only cover of Fools by Troye Sivan and a vocal/dance cover of Halahala by ATEEZ.  Finally, fans were able to see how the individual talents would weave together.  As follow ups, there were more solo covers, including a beautiful solo by Seok singing a Day6 song that really highlighted his talent.

Can we just stop and admire the brilliance of Michelle Cho? It has been a slow tease as we have moved from concept to personalities to individual talents to the beginning of a cohesive group. Over time, the fan base has increased as well. I am convinced her background as a devoted fan of the girl group Fin.K.L  is also contributing to her marketing strategy.  She understands what fans want because she has lived the fangirl life. Isn’t the element of surprise and the little Easter eggs along the way what keep us going as fans? I have absolutely set my alarm clock in order to be the first to hear a new announcement. This just adds to the excitement. So, as you have followed this story, you can’t possibly think this is all Michelle Cho had in store, right?

In December 2024, a few days before Christmas, Singing Beetle suggested there might be another surprise. Many fans were speculating it would be a debut announcement, but instead the surprise was the addition of a new member! At the time of writing this blog post, they have introduced Nathan as the newest member of 1Verse.  They have shared that he is Thai-Lao from Arkansas in the USA, he is a vocalist and he played Super Smash Bros competitively.  They also shared his cover of Justin Bieber’s Mistletoe, so it was immediately clear that he has the vocal range and talent to round out the group’s sound.  But, there’s more… I felt like he looked familiar, so I did some digging and remembered that there was something that came through my social media feed a while ago (maybe last year?) of someone who started learning EXO’s Growl as a kid and practiced it year after year. When I did a little more research, I found that viral video featured Nathan Kousol, the very same Nathan who is now a confirmed member of 1Verse.  He is a self-taught dancer and singer, and anyone with social media can see for themselves how all of that perseverance and hard work paid off.

So, I am a Michelle Cho Fangirl, a Joe Lim Fangirl (you have to read more about his work with social impact bonds), a Singing Beetle Fangirl, and a 1Verse certified OG fan. That last claim is completely legit—I have a fan badge and everything: I am OG Fan 529! I think in order for anyone new to truly appreciate this group, though, you will need to experience it for yourselves. So, what are you waiting for?  Join their YouTube channel (you can be a member for $1 per month), follow them on social media, watch back-episodes of SB Boyz Unplugged, and get ready for them to debut.  I’ll be first in line!

Oh, and go watch Imitation.  It’s an underrated show that gives some interesting commentary on the Kpop industry.  Maybe you will see for yourselves how a humanized approach to Kpop might not just be a work of fiction— it is happening before our eyes through the work of Singing Beetle.  

Until next time, I remain

Kdrama Jen 1Verse OG Fan #529

Dramas with a Side of Kimchi