IST Entertainment Announces New Name For Upcoming Boy Group Formed On Survival Program

IST Entertainment has announced a new name for their upcoming boy group!

In early May, IST Entertainment’s survival show “THE ORIGIN – A, B, OR What?” came to an end and the agency announced the final lineup and team name for the upcoming boy group. The initially announced name was ABO, which stands for “At the Beginning of Originality.”

On June 3, IST Entertainment announced that the team’s name would be changing from ABO to ATBO and explained this decision in the following statement:

Hello. This is IST Entertainment.

First off, we want to deeply thank everyone who watched ‘THE ORIGIN – A, B, OR What?’

Through ‘THE ORIGIN – A, B, OR What?,’ which concluded on May 7, we showcased the process of selecting global idol members, and we announced that the team name of the new group formed through this process was ABO.

‘ABO’ captures ‘the aspiration to unfold their new, unique, and original story’ and means ‘At the Beginning of Originality.’

However, we have sufficiently understood global fans’ opinions that the team name ‘ABO’ could potentially be misunderstood with an incorrect meaning in other overseas regions. Considering this, after an internal discussion, we’ve decided to change the previously announced team name.

We want to announce that ‘ABO’ will continue promotions under the name ‘ATBO,’ which maintains its original meaning.

Currently, ‘ATBO’ is preparing in order to greet you with a more developed image and their goal is to debut in the second half of the year. We ask that you look forward to and give lots of love to ATBO’s debut, as they are standing at a new starting line to unfold their new, unique, and original story.

Thank you to everyone who used their precious time to share their opinions for ATBO.

ATBO is a seven-member boy group consisting of members Jeong Seunghwan, Oh Junseok, Seok Rakwon, Ryu Junmin, Bae Hyunjun, Yang Donghwa, and Kim Yeonkyu. They will be IST Entertainment’s first group since the agency’s merger and renaming last fall. In 2021, THE BOYZ‘s agency Cre.Ker Entertainment merged with fellow Kakao Entertainment subsidiary Play M, whose roster of artists included Apink, VICTON, Weeekly, and Huh Gak. The newly merged label was then renamed IST Entertainment.

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