MADEIN is turning the page and starting a brand new chapter with their upcoming release.

On January 22, the group officially announced their return with the single album ‘Girl Meets Boy’. Along with the announcement, they unveiled a promotion schedule and tracklist, building anticipation for what lies ahead. The single, featuring two new tracks, is scheduled to drop in early February.

This comeback serves as a significant milestone, marking MADEIN’s first release as a reorganized four-member group. The shift follows a period of major lineup changes: members Yeseo and Suhye officially departed in December 2025, following Gaeun‘s exit in November 2024.

Moving forward, the group will proceed with active members Mashiro, MiU, Serina, and Nagomi. Fans can look forward to the new era of MADEIN when ‘Girl Meets Boy’ releases on February 9.

A new era of K-Pop super rookies has officially begun. ALPHA DRIVE ONE, the group formed from the survival show Boys II Planet, has achieved a historic milestone that hasn’t been touched by a boy group in nearly a decade.

In a stunning display of momentum, the group secured a "Grand Slam" on South Korea’s three major public broadcasting music programs. With their debut track "FREAK ALARM," the group took home the #1 trophy on KBS’s Music Bank, MBC’s Show! Music Core, and SBS’s Inkigayo consecutively.

This achievement is significant; it marks the first time in nine years that a rookie boy group has swept all three public broadcast wins with a debut song. The last boy group to achieve this was the legendary Wanna One. In the broader K-Pop landscape, the only other recent act to manage this feat was NewJeans in 2022.

Adding to their trophy case, ALPHA DRIVE ONE also clinched a win on Show Champion, bringing their total music show wins to four. Their physical sales have been equally monstrous, with the group becoming a million-seller within just one week of their album’s release.

Netizens Debate the "Empty House" Theory

The record-breaking run has sparked heated debates across online communities. While some detractors argued the group benefited from an "empty house" (a period with weak competition), fans were quick to point out the heavy hitters currently promoting. ALPHA DRIVE ONE secured their wins against major established acts like ENHYPEN, EXO, ILLIT, and WOODZ.

Netizens left comments praising the group’s live performance skills during their encore stages, noting:

• "People claimed it was an empty house, but they won against ENHYPEN. That argument doesn’t hold up."
• "It’s surprising that ZB1 didn’t manage this with ‘In Bloom,’ but ALD1 did it."
• "They didn’t dodge the encore and sang live really well. That vocal stability is key."
• "Nine years since Wanna One… this is actually a massive deal."

With a five-year contract ahead of them, ALPHA DRIVE ONE has set a incredibly high bar for the 5th/6th generation of K-Pop, proving that their fandom power and public appeal are forces to be reckoned with.