Apeace
Largest K-pop boy band, known for daily Japan performances.
Apeace (에이피스 in Korean, エーピース in Japanese) was a South Korean boy band managed by Golden Goose Entertainment. Originally called Double B 21, it held the record as the largest K-pop boy band with 21 members. That number dropped to 15 on June 30, 2014, and by July 29, 2018, the group had 12 members. The members were selected and trained by producer Kim Kyungwook, who had previously worked with H.O.T., Shinhwa, and TVXQ.
Before the group's debut, two future members—Hwang Du-hwan and Kim Wan-chul—were slated to join the fifth generation of XING (Crossing(X) in New Genre) from XING Entertainment in 2009. Several members had modeling backgrounds. Ji Hyun-sung, Park Jae-won, Heo Chang-woo, and former members Hwang Seok-hyun and Im Ho-jun modeled for DCM Models Management between 2008 and 2010. Yoo Dong-ho and Park Jae-won appeared on SBS's *Star School* in 2009 alongside models like Kim Woo-bin. Other members who modeled before debuting included Hong Sung-ho, Song Seung-hyuk, Lee Tae-woo, Choi Yeong-won, Im Yeong-kyun, Kim Seung-hyung, Min Jin-hong, Son Yu-chang, Oh Seung-hyun, and Lee Myung-eun. Yoo Jae-deok (J.D.) appeared on the 100th episode of *Star King* in 2009 as part of a kids' rock band when he was 12. He later became the main vocalist for a kids' progressive metal band called MetallateM, active from 2010 to 2012.
The original lineup, known as Double B 21, consisted of four sub-units: Sky, Earth, River, and Burning. Sky debuted with the single "One" on Mnet's *M Rookies* on August 25, 2010. All members performed together for the first time on October 24, 2010, at Lotte World, and released the debut single "S.O.S" on October 27, 2010. In early 2011, they changed their name to Apeace and promoted "S.O.S" in Thailand. After a hiatus, members Jung Man-soo, Im Ho-jun, Lee Ha-neul, Hwang Seok-hyun, Im Yeong-kyun, Oh Seung-hyun, and Kim Dae-geon left the group. Kim Dae-geon later joined F.Cuz.
In 2011, the group officially became Apeace. They released their debut mini-album *We Are the One* in June, along with a music video for "Lover Boy" on September 7. The group was restructured into three seven-member sub-units: Lapis, Jade, and Onyx. Jeong Eun-ho was replaced by Lee Tae-woo. Japanese media covered them, including Sankei Sports, Kuraberu Kurabera, and a special program on Fuji TV. Members Son Yu-chang, Kim Seung-hwan, Lee Tae-woo, Hwang
- origin
- South Korea
- years_active
- 2010–present (as of source)
- former_name
- Double B 21
- label
- Golden Goose Entertainment
- producer
- Kim Kyungwook
- largest_member_count
- 21
- current_member_count
- 12
Quick Facts
- Landscape
- yes
- Origin
- Seoul, South Korea
- Genre
- K-pop · J-pop
- Years Active
- –2021
- Label
- Golden Goose Entertainment
- Website
- apeace.jp
- Current Members
- see Members
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The original line-up debuted in 2010 as Double B 21 with the single 'S.O.S' in October 2010. All members appeared together for the first time on 24 October 2010 at Lotte World and released the debut single 'S.O.S' on 27 October 2010. In early 2011, they changed their name to Apeace and promoted 'S.O.S' in Thailand. After a hiatus, several members left, and the group officially became Apeace in 2011, releasing the debut mini-album 'We Are the One' and the music video for 'Lover Boy' on 7 September 2011. The group was split into three sub-units: Lapis, Jade, and Onyx. From 2011 to 2014, Apeace performed daily concerts at K Theater in Yebisu Garden Place, Tokyo, accumulating 2,199 performances and a cumulative audience of over 330,000 people.
Reader's Guide
Apeace is significant as the largest K-pop boy band by member count, reaching 21 members at its peak. Their sustained daily performance schedule in Japan from 2011 to 2014—totaling 2,199 shows—demonstrated a unique model of constant live engagement with fans, distinct from typical K-pop promotional cycles. The group's evolution from Double B 21 to Apeace, and the subsequent graduation of members in 2014, reflects the fluid membership structure common in large K-pop groups. Their Japanese debut and regular monthly concerts after 2014 highlight their strong foothold in the Japanese market. The involvement of producer Kim Kyungwook, who worked with iconic groups like H.O.T., Shinhwa, and TVXQ, adds to their historical context within the broader K-pop industry. Apeace's legacy includes pioneering a high-volume live performance strategy and maintaining a dedicated fanbase through consistent local presence in Japan.
Did You Know?
- Member Yoo Jae-deok (J.D) appeared on Star King's 100th episode in 2009 at age 12 as part of a kid's rock band.
- Apeace won a leadership award at the Republic of Korea Record Culture Awards on 17 February 2014.
- From their debut in Japan until their last performance at K Theater, Apeace had a total of 2,199 daily performances.
- Apeace received a trophy for Japan-Korea Diplomatic Normalization 50th Anniversary on July 19, 2015.
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