First Filipino K-pop group HORI7ON debuts in South Korea

Looks like a new K-pop group is about to swoon the hearts of music fans in Asia—and it's all-Filipino at that.

Pinoy K-pop group HORI7ON has debuted in South Korea with its first full-length album Friend-SHIP on July 24.  

The album features 21 tracks, with lead single SIX7EEN which combines “six,” representing the members’ multiple skills and talents, and “teen” from "teenager" for their youthful energy. It also features three pre-release tracks, Dash, Salamat, and Lovey Dovey. It also represents the group’s “first sail towards the horizon.” 

HORI7ON has seven members—Vinci, Kim, Kyler, Reyster, Winston, Jeromy, and Marcus—and is managed by the South Korean entertainment agency MLD Entertainment.

Haeun of K-pop girl group Lapillus and Leo and Noa of boy group TFN are labelmates featured on the album. 

HORI7ON was formed last February 12 through the Filipino TV audition show Dream Maker, which MLD Entertainment and Filipino TV network ABS-CBN collaborated on launching. Throughout the show, both Korean and Filipino viewers had the opportunity to vote. 

The group entered the Korean music industry to reach a bigger worldwide audience. Just like every K-pop idol, the septet underwent "K-training" for 100 days in preparation for its debut held at the 

Member Jeromy revealed that K-training is much stricter than those done in the Philippines, and group leader Vinci added that it is very well-structured. 

“We have a fixed schedule every day of what we should do and what we should train for, like vocal, language, and even dance. That’s what makes it a challenge for us,” Vinci said during the group's media and fan showcase held at Olympic Hall in Songpa-gu, Seoul.