Kiki and Wooz achieve Billboard K-pop Best 1st and 7th place... '404(New Era)' single ranks 1st

Artists under Kakao Entertainment’s labels have been included in Billboard’s list of the best K-pop releases for the first half of 2026 in the United States. WOODZ, KiiiKiii, and MONSTA X’s ShownuXHyungwon’s albums and songs were each ranked. In Billboard’s ″Top 25 Best K-pop Albums of the First Half of 2026,″ announced on the 20th local time, WOODZ’s Archive. 1 ranked 7th, KiiiKiii’s Delulu Pack ranked 12th, and ShownuXHyungwon’s LOVE ME ranked 14th. Earlier, on the 15th, in the ″Top 25 Best K-pop Songs of the First Half of 2026,″ KiiiKiii’s mini-album Delulu Pack title track ″404 (New Era)″ ranked 1st, and WOODZ’s pre-release single ″CINEMA″ from his first full-length album ranked 17th. Billboard described WOODZ’s Archive. 1 as ″boasting an extensive sound composed of 17 tracks, reminiscent of experimental rock music from the 1990s.″ They also introduced WOODZ as a solo artist who has established himself by focusing on rock and crossover sounds while exploring various genres. Regarding KiiiKiii’s Delulu Pack, they stated, ″KiiiKiii, who produced ’404 (New Era),’ one of the best K-pop songs of the first half of this year, captures the everyday instincts of the post-internet generation living amid relentless concept competition and weekly changing music trends.″ ShownuXHyungwon’s LOVE ME was evaluated as a work that maintains MONSTA X’s strong image while adding the two members’ delicate and soft sensibilities. WOODZ and KiiiKiii were also named in The FADER’s ″Top 30 Best Albums of the First Half of 2026.″ After releasing his first full-length album Archive. 1 in March, WOODZ conducted a world tour in Incheon, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia, Berlin, Sydney, São Paulo, and other locations, and will continue his schedule in seven North American cities, including Los Angeles and San Jose, starting on the 25th. KiiiKiii promoted with the mini-album Delulu Pack this year, with tracks from the album charting on domestic music charts and the Billboard Global charts in the U.S. Additionally, a new release titled Why KiiiKiii is scheduled for August 10. Kakao Entertainment supports its artists’ overseas activities through music distribution, marketing, and overseas partnerships under its affiliated labels.