1. UNCHILD: High Up Entertainment Prepares New Girl Group After STAYC

High Up Entertainment, the company behind STAYC, began a new chapter in K-pop with the launch of its next girl group, UNCHILD. The project quickly attracted attention because it marked the agency’s first new girl group in about six years since STAYC’s debut, raising expectations over what kind of sound, image and concept High Up would introduce to a new generation of fans.

The group was presented as a new project with a different identity from the “Teen Fresh” image often associated with STAYC. Early coverage described UNCHILD as a group with a bolder direction, built around a distinctive visual style and a concept focused on breaking away from familiar patterns.

Interest grew even more after Na Haeun was confirmed as one of the members. Before her idol debut, Haeun was already known in South Korea as a young dance prodigy, with appearances on television and a long history of dance-related content that made her a familiar name among K-pop fans.

With UNCHILD, High Up positioned its new girl group as one of the rookie acts to watch in 2026. The connection to STAYC helped bring early attention, but the group began building its own identity through a concept tied to youth, freedom and rule-breaking energy.