These K-pop stars are from North Korea. You'd never know it from their music.



Evergreen These K-pop stars are from North Korea. You’d never know it from their music. 1VERSE and BE BOYS have shied away from promoting members as ‘defector idols,’ a label that can be a double-edged sword Jooheon Kim October 9, 2025 SHARE COPY LINK FACEBOOK X LINKEDIN MASTODON North Korean defector artist Seok (left), current member of 1VERSE, and Hyuk, another defector who was initially a member of the group. \| Image: Screenshots from 1VERSE's Instagram, edited by NK News In the music video for their first single, the five members of the K-pop boy band 1VERSE show off their dance moves in a grassy field to a soundtrack of slick synth-pop, riffing on the title “Multiverse” while singing about how every version of a person is worthy of love. But while the new group is looking to make its mark through music, the band’s debut arguably attracted attention less for its artistry than for the fact that two of its members originally hail from North Korea, with numerous media reports heralding the arrival of “defector idols.” Seok and Hyuk © Korea Risk Group. All rights reserved. No part of this content may be reproduced, distributed, or used for commercial purposes without prior written permission from Korea Risk Group. Get the Daily Update & Podcast Updates Start your day with the North Korea stories that matter most – as selected by Trending

Evergreen

These K-pop stars are from North Korea. You’d never know it from their music.

1VERSE and BE BOYS have shied away from promoting members as ‘defector idols,’ a label that can be a double-edged sword

Jooheon Kim October 9, 2025

These K-pop stars are from North Korea. You’d never know it from their music.

North Korean defector artist Seok (left), current member of 1VERSE, and Hyuk, another defector who was initially a member of the group. | Image: Screenshots from 1VERSE's Instagram, edited by NK News

In the music video for their first single, the five members of the K-pop boy band 1VERSE show off their dance moves in a grassy field to a soundtrack of slick synth-pop, riffing on the title “Multiverse” while singing about how every version of a person is worthy of love.

But while the new group is looking to make its mark through music, the band’s debut arguably attracted attention less for its artistry than for the fact that two of its members originally hail from North Korea, with numerous media reports heralding the arrival of “defector idols.”

Seok and Hyuk

These K-pop stars are from North Korea. You’d never know it from their music.

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Jooheon Kim

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