Boys Planet Spinoff EVNNE Named Next-Gen Hallyu Star at 2026 Newsis K-EXPO

EVNNE walked away from the 8th Newsis Hallyu Expo on August 28 with the Hallyu Special Award, a prize reserved for the next generation of acts expected to drive the global Korean Wave. The ceremony was held at the Crystal Ballroom of Lotte Hotel Seoul in Jung-gu, with the award presented by Newsis CEO Yeom Young-nam.

Accepting the honor, the group said they felt privileged to receive a meaningful award at a gathering dedicated to building the Hallyu movement together. They extended thanks to their fanbase, NB (stylized as 엔브), and to the staff at their agency, Jellyfish Entertainment.

"Thanks to our fans' love, we've been able to meet them across Korea and in so many places around the world," EVNNE said in their acceptance remarks. "We see this award as a signal to work even harder, and we'll keep doing our best to share the appeal of K-pop."

Who EVNNE are

EVNNE debuted in September 2023 as a spinoff group formed through Mnet's survival competition Boys Planet. The group's name carries the meaning of "a new star rising in the night sky," a detail that reads less like marketing copy now that their trajectory has been this consistent.

Since debut, they have completed a large-scale global solo tour spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, and were named a K-pop Rookie to Watch by Billboard. Earlier this year they released their first single Backtalk (뱉어) and promoted in both Korea and Japan. Last year's world tour covered 25 cities across Asia, the Americas, and Europe, and their fifth mini-album LOVE ANECDOTE(S) produced the title track How Can I Do, which earned them two music show wins.

About the Hallyu Expo

The Newsis Hallyu Expo launched in 2019 with a focus on sustaining the Korean Wave and strengthening the cultural industry's global competitiveness. Organized by independent news agency Newsis, the annual event is backed by the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Seoul Metropolitan Council, the Korea Creative Content Agency, and the Seoul Tourism Foundation. Last year's Hallyu Special Award went to girl group RESCENE.

For a group not yet three years into their run, the award is a concrete marker: the industry bodies that track Hallyu's direction have already placed EVNNE in the conversation. The early returns on their touring numbers and music show record suggest they intend to stay there.