Kaachi
British girl group blending K-pop with Western pop.
Kaachi (stylised as KAACHI; Korean: 가치; RR: Gachi; lit. 'value') were a British girl group formed by FrontRow Records. They debuted on 15 April 2020 with the digital single "Your Turn." The group originally had four members, but Dani left on 23 July 2021, and Coco left on 2 September 2022. Kaachi officially disbanded on 28 February 2023, after the remaining members Nicole and Chunseo also departed.
The group was formed in January 2020. Its first lineup included Nicole, Dani, Chunseo, and KG, all former members of the British K-pop dance cover group UJJN. KG left later that January for personal reasons and was replaced by Miso. Kaachi performed "Your Turn" before its release at Super Kpop Weekends in London on 29 February 2020. Miso left in March 2020 and was replaced by Coco.
"Your Turn" was released on 15 April 2020, with its music video following on 29 April. The song blended Europop, K-pop, and hip-hop. It drew criticism from some K-pop fans over the group's perceived lack of training, three members lacking Korean heritage, and shortcuts in the idol training process, but also praise for its global approach to the genre. On 29 April 2020, producer Monica Lee posted a video clarifying rumours, including that Simon Cowell was involved and that the group had mocked other idols. On 26 May 2020, Channel 4 released a mini-documentary, *The UK’s First K-Pop Girl Group*, about the filming of the "Your Turn" music video. It drew criticism because the choreography was not finished until the night before filming. Plagiarism rumours also circulated.
On 24 September 2020, the group announced their first comeback with the pre-release single "Photo Magic," planned for an October release and inclusion on a mini-album slated for 2021. They performed at Joy Ruckus Club's Asian-American virtual music festival on 17 October 2020. "Photo Magic" was released on 4 November, described as a fusion of British grime, hip-hop, and K-pop. On 1 January 2021, they performed it at the London New Year's Day Parade. Spanish versions of "Your Turn" and "Photo Magic" were released on 30 June 2021.
Dani's contract expired and she left on 23 July 2021. The group released "The One Thing" on 19 August as a trio. They performed at Joy Ruckus Club's New Beginnings with K-Pop Superfest on 27 August, premiering "Extra Special," which was officially released on 2 September.
Quick Facts
- Origin
- London, England
- Genre
- Pop, K-pop
- Label
- FrontRow Records
- Past Members
- Nicole / Coco / Dani / Chunseo
- Years Active
- 2020–2023
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Kaachi was formed in January 2020 through FrontRow Records, with an original lineup of Nicole, Dani, Chunseo, and KG, all former members of the British K-pop dance cover group UJJN. KG departed in January 2020 and was replaced by Miso, who left in March 2020 and was replaced by Coco. The group debuted on 15 April 2020 with 'Your Turn', performing the song prior to release at Super Kpop Weekends in London on 29 February 2020. Their debut drew criticism from K-pop fans over alleged lack of training and three members lacking Korean heritage, but also praise for a groundbreaking concept of K-pop being open globally. On 26 May 2020, Channel 4 posted a mini-documentary, 'The UK’s First K-Pop Girl Group', which drew further criticism for the group not finishing choreography until the night before the music video shoot. On 24 September 2020, the group announced their first comeback with the pre-release single 'Photo Magic', planned for an October release and inclusion on a mini-album slated for 2021. They performed at Joy Ruckus Club's Asian-American virtual music festival on 17 October 2020. 'Photo Magic' was released on 4 November, described as a fusion of British grime, hip-hop, and K-pop. On 1 January 2021, they performed it at the London New Year's Day Parade. Spanish versions of 'Your Turn' and 'Photo Magic' were released on 30 June 2021. Dani's contract expired and she left on 23 July 2021. The group released 'The One Thing' on 19 August as a trio. They performed at Joy Ruckus Club's New Beginnings with K-Pop Superfest on 27 August, premiering 'Extra Special', which was officially released on 2 September. Their fifth single, 'G', was released on 26 November 2021. Coco left on 2 September 2022, and Kaachi officially disbanded on 28 February 2023, after the remaining members Nicole and Chunseo also departed. After the disbandment, Nicole and Chunseo formed the group ATTI, debuting with EP 'Peaches' on 6 October 2023; Coco did not join ATTI.
Reader's Guide
Kaachi's significance lies in being an early UK-based group to adopt the K-pop idol model, sparking debate about cultural authenticity and globalisation in K-pop. Their career was marked by rapid lineup changes, with four members departing between 2020 and 2022, and a disbandment after only two years. Despite criticism over training and heritage, they were praised for expanding K-pop's reach. After disbandment, three former members—Coco, Nicole, and Chunseo—reformed as ATTI, releasing a pre-debut single 'Blue' on 11 August 2023 and an EP 'Peaches' on 6 October 2023. Kaachi's legacy is as a short-lived but notable experiment in transnational pop, illustrating both the challenges and possibilities of K-pop outside Korea.
Did You Know?
- Kaachi's debut single 'Your Turn' was performed live at Super Kpop Weekends in London on 29 February 2020, before its official release.
- The group was featured in a Channel 4 mini-documentary titled 'The UK’s First K-Pop Girl Group' on 26 May 2020.
- Three of the four original members lacked Korean heritage, which drew criticism from K-pop fans.
More in English pop girl groups 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced