Astro (South Korean band)

Astro (아스트로), a South Korean boy band formed by Fantagio, currently consists of four members: MJ, Jinjin, Cha Eun-woo, and Yoon San-ha. The group originally debuted as a sextet on February 23, 2016, with the extended play *Spring Up*. Billboard later named them one of the best new K-pop acts of 2016. Two members have since left: Rocky departed on February 28, 2023, and Moonbin died on April 19, 2023.

The group was assembled through Fantagio’s rookie development program “i-Teen,” with the final lineup and name announced in August 2015. That same month, they starred in the web drama *To Be Continued* alongside Kim Sae-ron, Seo Kang-joon, and Hello Venus. After the drama, they launched the “Meet U” project, traveling across South Korea to perform cover songs and hold fan meetings. A KakaoTalk Plus Friends account was set up, and Fantagio promised to announce a debut date once 10,000 friends were added—a goal reached by December 2015. Their debut showcase on January 28, 2016, sold out in under a minute, far exceeding the 1,000-person limit, where they also revealed their official fan club name, Aroha. A reality TV show, *Astro OK! Ready*, aired on MBC every1 from January 21 to February 18, 2016.

*Spring Up* and its lead single “Hide & Seek” were released on February 23, 2016, with showcases held at Lotte Card Art Center and Wapop Concert Hall. Within a week, the EP reached number six on the Billboard World Albums Chart and number four on the Gaon Album Chart. On February 25, the music video for “Cat’s Eye” dropped, featuring clips from *To Be Continued*. On April 13, Astro was among the Korean acts invited to the LeTV Entertainment Awards in China. Their second EP, *Summer Vibes*, arrived on July 1, peaking at number six on the Billboard World Albums Chart and number two on the Gaon Album Chart. The music video for “Breathless,” featuring labelmate Choi Yoo-jung of Weki Meki, surpassed half a million views in three days. On July 31, they performed before over 20,000 people at KCON 2016 in Los Angeles’s Staples Center. Just five months after debuting, they held their first solo mini concert, *Astro 2016 Mini Live – Thankx Aroha*, at the KEPCO Art Center in Seoul from August 27 to 28, followed by showcases in Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand through October and November. Their third EP, *Autumn Story*, was released on November 10, with a music video for “Confessi