SEOUL – South Korean entertainment agency YG Entertainment’s latest girl group Babymonster made its official debut on April 1 as a group of seven with the release of their first EP Babymos7er.

The South Korean K-pop act was previously launched as a sextet – South Korean members Rora and Rami, Thai members Pharita and Chiquita, and Japanese members Ruka and Asa – on Nov 27, 2023, with the single Batter Up.

“We are announcing our new beginning as a group of seven with Ahyeon joining us for the promotion of this album,” Rora, 15, told South Korean media at YG’s headquarters on April 1.

South Korean member Ahyeon, who was not in the initial line-up due to health issues, thanked the team for their support.

“I had a hard time psychologically so I had to focus on recovery. The support from my group members and fans helped a lot. Now I am fully recovered and I am happy to get back on stage,” said Ahyeon, 16.

The septet, aged 15 to 22, are YG Entertainment’s first new girl group in seven years, since the massively successful quartet Blackpink.

Babymonster are already looking forward to their first fan meeting tour that will take them to five countries in Asia - Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia - in 2024. Details have yet to be released.

“I’m happy that my parents will finally get a chance to see me perform on stage. It’s been my dream to perform as a K-pop idol on stage in Japan. It’s ...