Welcome to the weekly HEART TOP 100 ranking from October 1st to October 7th, 2023. These K-Pop idols have received a lot of support and love from global fans!

On Kpopmap, fans have been sharing their love and admiration for their favorite idols by pressing the heart vote on their profiles. Their amount and ranks are now available in the newly opened HEART TOP 100 ranking. It is an ongoing vote (with no assigned period). The hearts voting is unlimited and is always open. So, cast your hearts for the K-Pop group of your choice, as well. Go to the Kpopmap profile of your favorite K-Pop group and press their heart.

Thank you to those who are participating and supporting your favorite artists on Kpopmap. Here, we highlight the additional hearts that have been added to your beloved idols over the course of this past week.

Here are the weekly top 10 most supported K-Pop groups by global fans from the first week of October.

 

10. VCHA - 15,680 hearts

9. woo!ah! - 29,219 hearts

8. CSR - 36,312 hearts

7. Lapillus - 42,040 hearts

6. Stray Kids - 42,553 hearts

5. LUN8 - 46,853 hearts

4. ASTRO - 51,635 hearts

 

3rd Place. EXO - 52,643 hearts

 

2nd Place. BVNDIT - 154,062 hearts

 

1st Place. Apink - 158,836 hearts

 

Check out the top 10:

Access the current HEART TOP 100: HERE. 

Which K-Pop idol do you support? Let us know in the comments! Stay tuned for the next ranking.

While Hallyu (the Korean wave) is gaining recognition globally, international fans have become more proactive in showing their love for it. This has stemmed from K-Dramas trending in different countries, the opening of K-Food restaurants in several cities, the rise in K-Pop cover dance crews, and more.

Recently, on Kpopmap, we published an article looking into the Hallyu scene in South Africa. South Africa boasts the biggest Hallyu scene in Sub-Saharan Africa with booming interest in K-Pop, K-Dramas, and more.

You can read more about that in the article below.

One of the rising aspects of Hallyu fan culture in South Africa is the K-Pop dance cover crew culture. Many crews have been posting dance covers of their favorite K-Pop artists' work and showing off their talent.

We had the pleasure of interviewing Seoul Flame, a South African dance crew under Nikel Studios based in Johannesburg, South Africa. They also showed us an exclusive look into their dance practice covering (G)I-DLE's 'Nxde' and ITZY's 'ICY'. The passion in the dance studio was palpable as they gave their all to the choreography. You can watch their performance of 'Nxde' here.

In the interview, we asked them about what inspired them to start doing K-Pop dance covers, their K-Pop biases, their K-Pop dance inspirations, and more.

 

Firstly, thank you for meeting with Kpopmap today! Please introduce your crew and your members to our readers.

Seoul Flame is a dance crew under Nikel Studios that specializes in K-Pop boy group and girl group covers.
Nikel
Hi, I'm Eghz. I'm 13 years old and in the 8th grade. I like dancing and playing games, especially Roblox.
Eghz
I'm Cass. I'm 19 and doing accounting filing but I plan to go to med school. I like The Sims and crocheting.
Cass
I'm Claire. I'm 29 and I'm a chartered accountant. I like dancing, hip-hop, tennis, PlayStation, and board games.
Claire
Hi. I'm Nikel (pronounced Ny-kel - 나이클 in Korean) and I'm 20 years old. I'm a dance instructor and entrepreneur who is studying accounting.
Nikel
I'm Tash. I'm 15 years old, in grade 10, and I like to read and dance.
Tash
I'm Lara. I'm 25 and a strategist. I do media marketing and digital strategy. In my free time, I really enjoy weightlifting, K-Pop dancing, and fangirling. This group is my everything this year. I help Nicole run the social media and we have lots of big plans this year. I hope to build experience with brand building through it. I'm also the mother of the group when I'm not busy with everything else. My love language is acts of service and I love taking care of the other members.
Lara

What inspired you to start a K-Pop dance crew? How did you find your members and what do you hope to show people through your dancing?

I got into K-Pop in 2019. I saw 'Kill This Love' by BLACKPINK recommended to me and I instantly fell in love. Then I got into BTS and was obsessed with their dancing thanks to their dance practice videos. My friends became obsessed, too. Then Spur (a South African restaurant) had a singing competition and I performed 'Kill This Love'. That's when I got into K-Pop and dancing and would learn the dances through dance videos. I made a new school friend who likes K-Pop. My friend recommended a TikTok video of 'Mafia In The Morning' to me, too. So, I came for the crew's first lesson which was TXT's 'Good Boy Gone Bad' and I decided that I need to come back. Seoul Flame is like my second family. It feels like it's meant to be, like fate.
Eghz
She used to be so quiet and shy but we started practicing and helping her build her confidence. It's a testament to how we want to nurture people. It's not about coming to be the best dancer but about watching people blossom.
Lara (about Eghz)
As an ex-ballet dancer, I wanted to do some form of dance for versatility and balance. I started stanning in 2017 and that's how everything came to be.
Cass
I started down the rabbit hole with BTS. I started stanning a year ago, started listening to their music, and started loving K-Pop and listening to more. I just thought that I wish I could dance and sing. Then I heard about the K-Pop dance studio here and had a free trial day with another member. I've been performing ever since.
Claire
K-Pop dance practices were the inspiration. Dancing by yourself isn't as fun as dancing with a crew which just looks beautiful. You get to fangirl and fanboy collectively. I met everyone through TikTok and posted about the auditions there.
I got into K-Pop in 2017. One of my friends was obsessed and I wanted in on what she was on. I researched and watched 'Blood Sweat & Tears'. That was the moment that I knew I wanted to be a dancer. My friend from a previous dance crew contacted me and asked if I wanted to join them. We performed at the Changwon K-Pop World Festival and came second for the regional round. There were so many BTS performances at Starbucks in Rosebank, too. A couple of members decide to form a crew from there and then we performed 'Black Mamba' (by aespa) at an event and got first place. A couple of months after that, I started my own dance studio by saving up some money and here we are almost 8 months later.
Nikel
I got into K-Pop during the pandemic. Thirst traps on my feed made me curious. I was like, "These guys! Who are they?!" Then I got into BTS and it was all uphill from there and just keeps going up until heaven. I got into K-Pop and started posting on TikTok. The community was really engaging and supportive - I made online friends. Fast forward 2 years, I went to my first ARMY event in Johannesburg and went alone. I met a group of girls who took me in and the community/culture took me in as they recognized me from TikTok. I was watching the performances at this ARMY event and guess who was performing (Nikel). I followed everyone after that. K-Pop as an art form has a lot of hard work put into it and it made me hungry to get back into dancing. The dances are actually so difficult. I'm grateful to Nikel for creating the opportunity to explore K-Pop dancing. I joined the crew and here we are - the thing that keeps me going every week.
Lara

Can each member please share their favorite K-Pop artist and what you love about them?

My favorite groups at the moment are ENHYPEN and NewJeans, but I think NewJeans takes the cake. I like them a lot because they're close to my age. I really like their music and it gives me a lot of energy. My NewJeans bias is HaeRin. She's just so cute. I just like her.
Eghz
My favorite K-Pop artist of all time is BTS. They own that spot forever. They're the embodiment of my dance journey from their humble beginnings to mine. My bias is obviously YoonGi. Why? I don't know. He's just amazing. Talented. Meow. Yes.
Cass
BTS. No question about it. They started me on this K-Pop journey. I stayed not because of the good music, but because of what they stand for and the fact that they are willing to address multiple issues that many don't. They always put the team first above themselves. They have come from humble beginnings and have a humbled outlook. They seem genuine and I like that they produce their own music that is meaningful and not just a song to sing. I feel like they have a lot to give and are always giving. They're still giving a lot even during their group hiatus and are caring for ARMY. They don't mind if you like other groups... There's a quote about how even if your journey as an ARMY comes to an end, it's okay because it means they've helped you through your journey. I love OT7, you can find amazing qualities among all the members.
Claire
Mine is BLACKPINK. I'm not a BLINK but they're my ultimate. I'm a multi-stan because I love a lot of groups. My playlist is filled with a lot of groups. I love girl groups and their dances. It doesn't mean I don't like boy groups but I like the flowing style of girl groups. My BLACKPINK bias is Lisa. I love the way she's so consistent with every performance. She's never lacking on stage. I love every member of BLACKPINK. Yes, Lisa is my bias but I still love them regardless. I'm also still waiting for JiSoo's solo.
Nikel
The group I choose is LE SSERAFIM. They're great and powerful performers. They encourage me stage presence-wise. My bias is Huh YunJin. She's so dedicated to her craft and so specific with her dancing.
Tash
They have similar dance styles and their both critical of themselves even when they did well.
Lara (about Tash)
BTS and BLACKPINK got me into K-Pop. Going through a girl group phase in 2020, I got more and more into K-Pop. ITZY and Stray Kids have been quite prominent. Their style and music has really struck a chord with me. My ultimate group is Stray Kids. No Bias. OT8. The reason for that is I can really relate to every member. Everybody in the group brings out a different element in me. They as a group inspire me the most now. Watching all the videos, and the series that they do - I wanna emulate that in our own group. They bring me peace. That is my safe space. Their music, energy, and performance really inspire me to do what I do.
Lara

What does K-Pop mean to you?

Family without judgment. It goes without saying, all of the K-Pop events we've had in South Africa so far... I can go in there feeling like a child without judgment and we all just get each other and support each other. We just click. Soul-relating click that you can have with someone.
Cass
Growth through adversity. K-Pop as a whole and as a genre has had to go through a lot and a lot of people still judge it, but once they listen to it... It's like, "How did I not know this before?!" It's a gateway into a culture. Not without hard work. The thing about K-Pop is making it look easy but a lot of hard work behind the scenes to keep fans and fandom happy.
Claire
It's amazing because you can go to an event and have learned a dance, and everyone there will be in sync, even though you've never met before in your life.
Nicole
Echoing off what Cass said. The sense of family. There's so much judgment and there's a harsh stigma with being a fan. But once you find someone into K-Pop and K-Dramas, it's like an instantaneous family-like bond. I feel like they're some of the most genuine people. It's my safe space. If I have anxiety, I can just learn a K-Pop dance. I don't think I've felt this sense of community anywhere else. Be you. Be obsessed. Bring your dance moves and off-key vocals!
Lara

Are there any K-Pop idols who are your inspiration when it comes specifically to dancing? Who do you think is the best dancer in K-Pop in your personal opinion?

Hanni from NewJeans. I chose her because if you look at her pre-debut dance videos she was really stiff before (just like me) but now she's really really good and she inspires me. I want to be like her someday.
Eghz
Since my dance roots are ballet... When I started getting into BTS, I watched their auditions and that's how YoonGi became my bias. JiMin speaks to a part of me, though. He's the best dancer I've seen in my life. If I don't become him in terms of dance, I will die today.
Cass
Obviously, since BTS is my bias... But I can't pick between the two. j-hope and JiMin both bring their own styles of dance into play but are both so cohesive in the unit. And they are beautiful.
Claire
It's very difficult to give someone the title of the best dancer when there are different styles. Girl group and boy group are two different things. It's like comparing K-Pop and ballet. In terms of boy group, I'd have to go with j-hope just because I aspire to move like that. He makes it look so easy. The way he moves... It's like a supernatural being.
In terms of girl group, Lisa from BLACKPINK. She's a great mentor in terms of dancing. The way she mentored on "Youth With You" proved that she's a great dancer. She's two different people in person compared to on stage. She's got like this switch. The moment she's on stage, she's her best self.
Nikel
Huh YunJin because her dancing is very powerful. It's not just moving your body but sending a message. I think she does that really well and I think she's very inspirational.
Tash
I'm drawn the most to JungKook's dancing style. I think if I can continue pushing myself I can get there. j-hope is my bias, but I'll never be as smooth as him. Realistically, it's JungKook. He makes it look so effortless. I think it's art watching him dance.
For girl group, I'd choose ITZY's RyuJin or MAMAMOO's HwaSa. I think their stage presence is also something that I want to go after. When they walk onstage, that's all I see. To challenge that dark feminine energy. They're giving that every time they walk on stage.
Lara

What is the best K-Pop cover that you think you’ve performed as a crew so far? Do you have any significant moments from your cover dance crew experience?

As Seoul Flame, we've done two covers but performed them multiple times. 'Venom' by BVNDIT and 'Pink Venom' by BLACKPINK. We had to go with our fangs out. It was a bit difficult with the one performance for our end-year production. So, we had to split the routines. Our best 'Venom' performance was at the Korean Film and Food Festival. It was amazing. There were so many people and other groups performing. We performed 'Pink Venom' at our year-end show and switched up the formation. We did a 4-member routine with 8 members, which was a bit complicated to do but we pulled it off pretty well. It'll be up by March (most likely) make sure to check it out!
Nikel

K-Pop dance crew culture has become more prominent in South Africa over the years. In fact, Hallyu (K-Pop, K-Dramas, etc.) is becoming more popular in South Africa in general. What do you think about this?

It's about time.
Cass
It's a great shift in culture.
Claire
It's great because hopefully some artists will come over to South Africa and tour SA. We will sell our kidneys for tickets.😅
Nikel
Will sell friends for tickets. Not these ones, other friends.😅
Lara

Lastly, as South Africans who love K-Pop, do you have anything special you want to say to your idol or to readers from other countries?

I just want to thank the idols for helping us through tough times. K-Pop helps with a lot of things.
Eghz
Stay well. Eat well. Be healthy. Make sure that no matter what you can always rely on the community. As much as we are disconnected, we are still together as idols and fans. So, rely on us as fans sometimes.
Cass
Firstly, thank you for all the effort that you put in to be an idol. It must be hard behind the scenes but we appreciate being able to be part of your fandom. I hope that your future comebacks go well with no injuries. Thank you for being genuine. We appreciate your time.
Claire
I just wanna say thank you to all the artists for their music. It's such a blessing. Especially the ones with deep lyrics. Special mention to (G)I-DLE and 'Nxde' - the whole message behind that song is amazing.
Nikel
I want to thank you for being you and making music that I can listen to. Without K-Pop I don't know where I'd be right now. Stay safe. Eat well. Thank you.
Tash
To the idols, thank you so much for creating a space, music, and art that can help us get through a tough time. Your dedication is inspiring and you helped me find my second family. Put yourselves first. We love a concert, etc. but it hurts more to see you unwell.
To the communities in South Africa and around the world, the idols always ask us to show each other love. Let's show each other support and let's have a good time.
*All members nod along ferociously. Snaps and claps.*
Lara

Thank you again to Seoul Flame for taking the time to answer this interview with us. We're wishing you all the best with your K-Pop dance cover career! Follow the Seoul Flame crew on their official social media channels: Instagram / TikTok / YouTube.

How is K-Pop dance cover crew culture in your country? Let us know in the comments!

 

2022 was a tough year for many groups, that lost members or worse, disbanded. We decided to compile in this list some of the groups we think will be the most missed this year!

Let's look back at those groups bellow:

 

1. IMFACT - 3, January

IMFACT was a group under Star Empire, debuting on the 27th of January in 2016. The members were SeoWool, TaeHo, JiAn, Lee Sang and UngJae and they parted away with their agency at the end of their contract.

Some of memorable IMFACT's songs:

 

2. N.CUS - 5, January

N.CUS was a group under KYURI Entertainment, debuting on the 27th of August in 2019. The members were Hwan, Myeong, Seo SeokJin, SungSub, EOS, HoJin, EunTaek, Soon, IF, Yuan, SeungYong and HyeonMin, and they parted away with their agency at the end of their contract.

Some of memorable N.CUS' songs:

 

3. April - 28, January

April was a group under DSP Media, debuting on the 24th of August in 2015. The members were Somin (now a member of KARD), Kim ChaeWon, Lee NaEun, Yun ChaeKyung, Yang YeNa, Seong NaYeun and, Lee JinSol and they parted away with their agency at the end of their contract.

Some of memorable April's songs:

 

4. MVP - 16, February

MVP was a group under PH Entertainment, debuting on the 13th of March in 2017. The members were KangHan, RaYoon, GiTaek, P.K, Jin, Been, Sion.

Some of memorable MVP's songs:

 

5. NU'EST - 14, March

NU'EST was a group under Pledis Entertainment, debuting on the 15th of March in 2012. The members were Hwang MinHyun, Aaron Kwak, Kim JongHyeon, BaekHo and Ren.

Some of memorable NU'EST's songs:

 

6. TRCNG - 28, March

TRCNG was a group under TS Entertainment, debuting on the 10th of October, in 2017. The members were JiHun, Luke, TaeSeon, HakMin, WooYeop, JiSung, HyunWoo, SiWoo, HoHyeon and KangMin, and they parted away with their agency due to mistreatment.

Some of memorable TRCNG's songs:

 

7. ARIAZ - 10, April

ARIAZ was a group under Star Empire, debuting on the 24th of October in 2019. The members were YunJi, DaWon, SiHyeon, YeoRi, HyoGyeong and JuEun.

ARIAZ's memorable song:

 

8. HOT ISSUE - 22, April

HOT ISSUE was a group under S2 Entertainment, debuting on the 28th of April in 2011. The members were NaHyun, MayNa, HyeongShin, DaNa, YeWon, YeBin and DaIn.

Some of memorable HOT ISSUE's songs:

 

9. CLC - 20, May

CLC was a group under Cube Entertainement, debuting on the 19th of March in 2015. The members were Oh SeungHee, YuJin (now a member of Kep1er), Jang SeungYeon, Sorn, Jang YeEun, Elkie and Kwon EunBin.

Some of memorable CLC's songs:

 

10. LUNARSOLAR - 22, May

LUNASOLAR (previously Rookie Planet and First Love) was a group under JPlanet Entertainment, debuting on the 2nd of September in 2020. The members were Eseo, TaeRyeong, Jian, and Yuuri.

Some of memorable LUNARSOLAR's songs:

 

11. G-reyish - 31, May

G-reyish was a group under Hyuk&Company, debuting on the 1st of June in 2017. The members were ShinYoung, YeNa, YeSo, HyeJi and HyunSeo.

Some of memorable G-reyish's songs:

 

12. ZPZG - 17, June

ZPZG was a group under J Star Entertainement, debuting on the 25th of September in 2014. The members were Hyo, Hwi, TaeHwang and WonJun, and the history of the group is a little bit difficult to follow. Indeed, they disband on March 3, 2016, only to be formed again in October 31st, 2019. However, in June of last year, they announced their second disband, only for the members to be split into two new groups, ABLUE and ANTARES.

Some of memorable ZPZG's songs:

 

13. BlingBling - 25, July

BlingBling was a group under MAJOR9, debuting on the 17th of November in 2020. The members were YuBin, Cha JuHyun, Marin, Choi JiEun, NaRin and Ayamy.

Some of memorable BlingBling's songs:

 

14. GIRLKIND - 13, August

GIRLKIND was a group under Next Level Entertainment, debuting on the 17th of January in 2018. The members were XeHeun, JK, Medic Jin, and Sun J.

Some of memorable GIRLKIND's songs:

 

15. Botopass - 25, August

Botopass was a group under XX Entertainment, debuting on the 26th of August in 2020. The members were MiHee, Shiho, Ria, HaRin, AhYoon, SeoYoon, Cui Xiang and JiWon.

Botopass' memorable song:

 

16. DIA - 17, September

DIA was a group under MBK Entertainment, debuting on the 14th of September in 2015. The members were Eunice, JuEun, HuiHyeon, Jenny, YeBin, Jung ChaeYeon, EunChae, SomYi and Cho YiHyun, and they parted away with their agency at the end of their contract.

Some of memorable DIA's songs:

 

17. HINT - 27, September

HINT (previously TURAN) was a group under Star Pro Entertainment, debuting on the 10th of July in 2013. The members were NaEl, HyeJin, ArRa, Cherry and HaeSol.

Some of memorable HINT's songs:

 

18. BVNDIT - 31, October

BVNDIT was a group under MNH Entertainment, debuting on the 10th of April in 2019. The members were YiYeon, SongHee, JungWoo, SiMyeong and SeungEun.

Some of memorable BVNDIT's songs:

 

19. D-CRUNCH - 9, November

D-CRUNCH was a group under All-S Company, debuting on the 6th of August in 2018. The members were O.V, HyunWook, HyunHo, HyunOh, HyunWoo, MinHyuk, ChanYoung, JungSeung, and Dylan.

Some of memorable D-CRUNCH's songs:

 

20. bugAboo - 8, December

bugaboo was a group under A Team Entertainment, debuting on the 25th of October in 20121. The members were ChoYeon, EunChae, Yoona, Rainie, Cyan and Zin.

Some of memorable bugAboo's songs:

 

21. Bonus: Mamadol - 4, February

Mamadol was a project group, composed of former members of famous K-Pop groups or celebrities. The particularity? Each of them is a mother, giving the name Mamadol. The members were SunYe (Wonder Girls), Park JungAh (Jewelry), KaHi (Afterschool), Byul (soloist), Yang EunJi (Baby V.O.X Re.V) and Hyun JyuNi (actress).

 

What groups made your list? Do you have another in your mind? Let us know in the comment below!