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뉴이스트

Boy group · Pledis Entertainment (until 2022) · since 2012

NU'EST

뉴이스트

Five members, a slow climb that turned around after Produce 101 and a ten-year run with Pledis. NU'EST ended group activities in March 2022 with the farewell album Needle & Bubble.

15years on 15 March 2027 · in 144 days

Their story

Out of Pledis Boys

NU'EST started in a trainee team. JR, Aron, Baekho, Minhyun and Ren trained together in Pledis Boys at Pledis Entertainment, a team that later also produced Tempest. The five debuted in March 2012 with the single Face, whose video dealt with school violence. The name stands for New, Established, Style and Tempo. A first full album, Re:Birth, followed in 2014. Wins on music shows did not come.

Waiting as NU'EST W

Television turned things around. In 2017 JR, Baekho, Minhyun and Ren entered Mnet's Produce 101 Season 2, and within weeks sign-ups for the official fan cafe tripled. Minhyun made the final line-up of Wanna One. The other four went on as NU'EST W, and the W stood for "wait". That autumn "Where You At" won on M Countdown. Once Minhyun was back, the full group won with "Bet Bet" in 2019, seven years after debut. Later that year "Love Me" won on all five major music shows.

A song for each time of day

The early videos for "Face" and "Action" carried social themes. The 2016 EP Canvas showed another side. It follows a single day, with a song for each time of day, and the members helped write and produce it. Its lead single "Love Paint (every afternoon)" blends future bass and R&B with orchestral sounds. Back as five, they released "Bet Bet", "Love Me" and "I'm in Trouble". Their second full album, Romanticize, followed in 2021, led by "Inside Out".

How it ended

NU'EST ended group activities in March 2022, when the contracts of JR, Aron and Ren with Pledis ran out. The farewell album Needle & Bubble came out ten years to the day after their debut. Its song "Again" was written and composed by Baekho. Since then each member has gone his own way, in solo music, acting or work outside entertainment. In September 2023 all five met up again and shared group photos. No group comeback has been announced.

Timeline

  1. The members train in Pledis Boys, a trainee team that later splits into NU'EST and Tempest.

  2. Debut with the single Face.

  3. First full album, Re:Birth.

  4. JR, Baekho, Minhyun and Ren join Produce 101 Season 2; Minhyun makes the final Wanna One line-up.

  5. JR, Aron, Baekho and Ren continue as the unit NU'EST W, the W standing for "wait".

  6. First release as a full five again, Happily Ever After, after Minhyun's return.

  7. First music show win in seven years, with "Bet Bet" on Show Champion.

  8. "Love Me" wins on all five major music shows, a grand slam.

  9. Farewell album Needle & Bubble with "Again"; group activities end.

  10. All five members meet up and share group photos for the first time since the split.

  11. 22 October 2026

Start with these 5 songs

  1. FaceThe debut single, whose video dealt with school violence.2012
  2. Love Paint (every afternoon)Title track of Canvas and a fan favourite from their electro R&B years.2016
  3. Bet BetThe full-group comeback that gave them their first music show win.2019
  4. Love MeTheir grand slam song, with wins on all five major music shows.2019
  5. AgainThe farewell single, written and composed by Baekho.2022

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In the Fan Chart

The Fan Chart on The Crowd adds up every fan's top 10. Here is where NU'EST stands.

    Add NU'EST to your setlist

    For L.O.Λ.E

    JRLeader

    김종현
    Name
    Kim Jong-hyeon
    Born
    8 June 1995

    Debuted solo as Kim Jonghyeon with Meridiem (2022), writing lyrics for nearly every track.

    AronOldest member

    곽영민
    Name
    Kwak Young-min
    Born
    21 May 1993

    From the United States; in 2026 he told fans he had taken an office job in marketing.

    Baekho

    강동호
    Name
    Kang Dong-ho
    Born
    21 July 1995

    The first NU'EST member to go solo, with the EP Absolute Zero in October 2022.

    Minhyun

    황민현
    Name
    Hwang Min-hyun
    Born
    9 August 1995

    Played Seo Yul in the 2022 tvN fantasy drama Alchemy of Souls.

    RenYoungest member

    최민기
    Name
    Choi Min-gi
    Born
    3 November 1995

    Made his solo debut in June 2023 with the EP Ren'dezvous and "Ready to Move".

    Quick answers

    When did NU'EST debut?

    On 15 March 2012 under Pledis Entertainment, with the single Face.

    Who were the members of NU'EST?

    Five: JR (leader), Aron, Baekho, Minhyun and Ren.

    What is the NU'EST fandom called?

    L.O.Λ.E, pronounced "love". The letters echo the consonants of the Korean name 뉴이스트 (ㄴㅇㅅㅌ).

    What does NU'EST stand for?

    New, Established, Style and Tempo: the group set out to sound different from other artists.

    Is NU'EST disbanded?

    The group ended its activities on 14 March 2022, when the contracts of JR, Aron and Ren with Pledis ran out. All five met up again in September 2023, but no group comeback has been announced as of October 2026.

    Know your NU'EST?Six K-pop questions a day in the Daily, and a collectible card for every finished set.

    Play the Daily

    Our NU'EST stories

    팬문화
    K-popFeature27 Sep 20246 min read

    From white balloons to global campaigns: a history of K-pop fandom

    Last checked 22 October 2026. Sources include Korea JoongAng Daily, The Korea Times, The Korea Herald and Sports Kyunghyang. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.