LAPost/Los Angeles (August 16, 2026)
By: Richard Ren/LAPost

As the spotlight of KCON LA 2026 moved between the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena, one newly debuted boy group stood out: a group that officially debuted only four months ago.

They are not from Korea. Instead, MODYSSEY is a Korea-based project boy group made up entirely of seven Chinese members.

During KCON LA 2026, held Aug. 14–16, MODYSSEY appeared three times: at the Dance Stage on the afternoon of Aug. 15, at the M COUNTDOWN STAGE that evening at Crypto.com Arena, and at the Music Den Stage on the morning of Aug. 16. For a group only four months into its career, the packed schedule was more than a series of performances. It gave the members an opportunity to meet international fans at one of the largest K-pop cultural festivals in the United States.

MODYSSEY was also included in the Day 2 lineup of the M COUNTDOWN STAGE alongside some of the biggest names in K-pop. For a group that had only recently made the transition from a survival show to an official debut, the appearance represented an important measure of industry recognition.

MODYSSEY was launched by ONECEAD, a new label jointly established by CJ ENM and Xinsheng Entertainment (JYP China), and is the label’s first boy group. Its seven members — Yichen, Sun Hengyu, Yan Qiuyue, LYNN, Li Zihao, Xue Suren and Fan Zheyi — all came from the final winning lineup of PLANET C: HOME RACE. They range in age from 20 to 27 and come from Liaoning, Jilin, Tianjin, Yunnan, Jiangxi and Hong Kong.

The name “MODYSSEY” combines “Music” and “Odyssey,” reflecting the idea of seven young performers embarking together on a musical journey. Their fans are known as “MODU,” representing “all of us.”

The group officially debuted April 13 with its first single album, 1. Got Hooked: An Addictive Symphony. The title track, “HOOK,” was created with the participation of 3RACHA, the production team behind Stray Kids. Its highly rhythmic sound and memorable melody quickly became one of the defining elements of the group’s early performances.

On Aug. 1, MODYSSEY also underwent an important leadership change. Former leader Sun Hengyu stepped down from the position to focus more on music production, while Li Zihao officially took over as leader.

In just a few months, the group has therefore had to do more than establish itself as a new act. It has also been building its own musical identity and internal structure.

MODYSSEY made its first KCON LA appearance at the Dance Stage on the afternoon of Aug. 15.

After the performance, their booth was quickly surrounded by fans, with the line at one point approaching 1,000 people. By the time they were scheduled to appear at the Music Den Stage the following morning, the area in front of the stage had drawn one of the largest crowds of the day.

It was difficult to explain the reaction simply as curiosity about a new group.

For many fans, MODYSSEY’s appeal begins with its unusual composition: seven Chinese young men who chose to debut through the Korean idol system and use K-pop as a vehicle for reaching a global audience.

Lucy Chen, from Chicago, and Jiji Liu, from New York, were among those fans. Carrying MODYSSEY support signs, they watched the performances and repeatedly cheered loudly when the members took the stage.

In an interview, they said they had begun following the members through PLANET C. “Together, I started following them. Thanks, Boys Planet 2,” they said. They particularly praised MODYSSEY’s dancing and singing, as well as the members’ looks and original choreography.

For a group that has existed for only a short time, such fandom extending across cities and cultures may say more than a single round of applause.

The most closely watched of MODYSSEY’s KCON LA appearances came on the evening of Aug. 15 at the M COUNTDOWN STAGE.

At Crypto.com Arena, the group performed its debut title track, “HOOK,” followed by One Direction’s “What Makes You Beautiful.”

“HOOK” showcased the group’s strongest K-pop characteristics: tightly synchronized choreography, a powerful rhythm and highly coordinated movement among the seven members.

“What Makes You Beautiful,” meanwhile, offered a lighter and more approachable side of the group, connecting them with the Los Angeles audience in a different way.

The two performances were met with sustained applause and loud cheers.

The following morning at the Music Den Stage, MODYSSEY performed “REVENANT” and “Main Dish.” Appearing on three different stages in succession made the group one of the most visible new acts across KCON LA’s daytime programming.

The interaction at the Music Den Stage was particularly revealing.

Rather than using a conventional rapid-fire interview, the host built a game around the letters in “ODYSSEY,” asking the members to choose letters and answer questions connected to their debut, life as a group and ambitions for the future.

Asked what they most wanted to achieve after beginning this “musical journey,” one member offered a simple answer:

“I just want to enjoy the stage and show the best performance for the people that are loving us.”

Enjoying the stage and giving their best performance to the people who love them — the answer neatly captured the group’s current state of mind.

Asked what had changed most since their debut, a member pointed to the six people beside him as one of the biggest changes in his life.

“They’re my family now.”

The transformation from trainees to officially debuted performers, and then to seven people traveling together to international stages, has given the members a bond that resembles a family.

When the host asked what they enjoyed most about living as MODYSSEY members, the answer was equally simple:

“Every moment.”

For a group only four months into its career, nearly everything — performing, traveling and meeting fans — still carries the excitement of something new.

The host also asked what kind of music MODYSSEY hopes to create. The members said they want to make music with distinctive character and continue searching for a musical identity of their own.

When asked about the most memorable comment they had recently seen on social media, one member recalled messages from fans welcoming MODYSSEY to KCON LA.

Then came the question about the one thing they absolutely wanted to accomplish in 2026.

The answer immediately prompted cheers from the audience:

“I want to come back to KCON LA again.”

It was more than a wish. It became one of the most direct moments of interaction between the group and the Los Angeles audience that day.

The Music Den Stage host also highlighted the group’s connection to PLANET C: HOME RACE and introduced special content prepared by the members.

For MODYSSEY, HOME RACE was where their shared journey began. KCON LA, meanwhile, represented one of their first major opportunities to face a large North American K-pop audience.

The interview concluded with a group photo and audience interaction. The host invited the members and fans to count down together before shouting the group’s name.

On the KCON LA stage, MODYSSEY was no longer simply seven young performers from a survival show.

They now have their own songs, their own fans, their own stages and an increasingly clear global path.

Before arriving in Los Angeles, MODYSSEY had just completed a series of activities in China.

On Aug. 8, the group appeared at the NEWMARS Music Festival in Qingdao, followed by a fan-signing event on Aug. 9. The large outdoor music festival was produced with the participation of China Central Newsreel and Documentary Film Group under China Central Television and was broadcast through major Chinese platforms including Sina Weibo and Douyin.

This was not MODYSSEY’s first activity in China.

In May, the group held a fan-signing event in Shanghai; in July, it returned to the same city for another fan event in response to strong demand. The group also performed “HOOK” at the Live Stage of Bilibili World 2026, one of China’s largest youth and subculture events.

In other words, before arriving in Los Angeles, MODYSSEY had already completed an intensive round of activities in the Chinese market.

The group’s growth can also be seen in its sales and performance history.

MODYSSEY’s debut single album, 1. Got Hooked: An Addictive Symphony, recorded first-week sales of more than 300,000 copies. The group also received consecutive awards at the 2026 Seoul Music Awards and KMA 2026. At the same time, it has appeared at KCON JAPAN 2026, Seoul Park Music Festival, Chinese fan events and major music festivals.

That trajectory distinguishes MODYSSEY from many traditional rookie groups.

Rather than waiting to establish itself in Korea before beginning an overseas expansion, the group has entered stages in Korea, Japan, China and the United States within its first few months.

Qingdao came before Los Angeles; a major Chinese music festival came before KCON LA.

For these seven Chinese young men, that route may be creating a distinctive identity. They trained and debuted within the Korean idol system while bringing their own Chinese cultural backgrounds, and they are now using K-pop as a global language through which to connect with young audiences across different countries.

On Aug. 16, after completing their Music Den Stage performance, MODYSSEY left Los Angeles and returned to Korea.

Three days, three stages, multiple performances, and extensive interaction with hosts and fans gave the group much more than a rookie showcase at KCON LA.

More importantly, the Los Angeles response demonstrated something significant: MODYSSEY’s fan base is beginning to extend beyond Korea and China toward a broader international K-pop audience.

From the “Say Say MODYSSEY” chants in Qingdao to the cheers in Los Angeles, from the intensity of “HOOK” to the accessibility of “What Makes You Beautiful” and Chinese-language covers, MODYSSEY is beginning to answer one of the most important questions facing any new group: What kind of group do they want to become?

The answer is not yet complete.

But as KCON LA came to an end, when the members told thousands of American fans that they hoped to return to KCON LA next year, the Chinese boy group that debuted only in April had clearly begun writing the next chapter of its own Odyssey.