FACTS ABOUT YOUR KPOP IDOL

BEAST or B2ST 비스트

Beast (/ˈbiːst/; Korean: 비스트; stylized as BEAST or B2ST) is a six-memberboy band from South Korea, formed in 2009 by Cube Entertainment. The band's members are Yoon Doo-joon, Jang Hyun-seung, Yong Jun-hyung, Yang Yo-seob, Lee Gi-kwang, and Son Dong-woon.

Beast has released two Korean full-length album, six Korean mini-albums, one Japanese full-length and various singles. The group's debut release was in October, 2009, when their first mini-album, Beast Is the B2ST, was made available. They then released their first full-length album, Fiction and Fact, in 2011,[1] receiving their first triple crown on M.net's M! Countdown for their lead single Fiction. In the same year, Beast made their Japanese debut with the release of the single,Shock (Japanese Version).

The group gained attention for the lack of industry success previously experienced by its members, with media outlets referring to them as "a group of recycled material".[2] However, the group has achieved significant commercial and critical accolades with time, winning the Bonsang award at the Seoul Music Awards in both 2011 and 2012. Beast won the Artist of the Year (Daesang) award at the Melon Music Awards and Album of the Year for Fiction and Fact at the Gaon Chart Awards for the second quarter of the year in 2011. "Fiction" also won a Daesang for "Song of the Year" at the 2011 KBS Music Festival. They repeated this feat in 2012 winning Artist of the Year at the Melon Music Awards.[3]

History

2009-2010: Debut and Shock of the New Era

Prior to their debut, Korean news outlets reported that Cube Entertainment would be releasing a new boy group known as "B2ST", pronounced "Beast".[4] This name was changed to "Beast" before their debut, but the group retains the original stylisation in all their promotional material.[5] Beast's fanclub name became "B2uty" and "B2sties", in reference to the fairy tale of Beauty and the Beast.

In October 2009, Beast held their debut showcase at the MTV GongGae Hall and made their live performance debut on KBSMusic Bank with their debut single, "Bad Girl".[5][6] A documentary recording the story of the group's debut titled MTV B2ST was filmed during this time, showing the members as they filmed their first music video and bonded with each other.[7] Their debut mini-album, Beast Is the B2ST featured five songs, including the intro track "Beast Is the B2ST", "Mystery" and "Oasis". The song "Yet" (아직은, Ajigeun) was banned from airplay due to swearing in Jun-hyung's rap. Beast won their first award, Rookie of the Month for December, awarded by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.[8]

In early 2010, Beast promoted their second single, "Mystery", from the mini-album, with live performances on the weekly music shows. The members created their own humorous amateur music video for the song, featuring fellow Korean pop singers including members of Girls' Generation and Kara. The mini-album went on to sell 40,000 copies,[9] an unusual feat for a Korean rookie group, with the album's original print run of 20,000 copies selling out in its first month.[10]

In January 2010, Beast and their labelmates, girl group 4minute, signed with world-wide album company Universal Music Group for their international promotions and album launches,[11] and began their first international promotions in Taiwan with 4minute.[12] The group was awarded the Best Newcomer Award alongside girl groups T-ara and After School at the 19th Seoul Music Awards in February 2010.[13]

"Shock" (2010)

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"A sample from Beast's second title track, Shock."

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Beast released their second mini-album Shock of the New Era in March 2010 with the lead single "Shock". The mini album's release took place a day earlier than scheduled after it was leaked on YouTube.[14] The group achieved their first number-one win on Mnet's M! Countdown with "Shock".[15] The album quickly sold 20,000 copies in Korea,[16] and was certified into the Gold Disk category in Singapore.[17] Reviews of the title track described it has having both powerful vocals and a rock-influenced strong sound, a departure from the pop feel of their debut single, and praised the complex choreography for the track in live performances.[18][19][20]