TUIDE

ABD, the HYBE Label Built Exclusively for Girl Groups: Their First Answer Sheet

At 6:00 PM on August 24, 2026, the seven-member girl group TUIDE made their official debut with their first mini-album TUNE & PLAY. They are the inaugural artist under ABD, a brand-new label founded under HYBE Music Group dedicated exclusively to girl groups, boasting an all-teenage, multinational lineup. As of October 7, six weeks post-debut, their track record has grown substantially: 110,000 copies sold in their first week, No. 1 on Apple Music Korea, No. 1 on the US Billboard Emerging Artists chart, and an official selection as Billboard's "K-Pop Rookie of the Month" for September. Starting October 8, they return to music show stages with their B-side track "Echo" instead of their title track. A fandom name and their first music show trophy are still yet to come.

At a Glance

The group name "TUIDE" is a blend of "Tune," meaning adjusting and matching a flow, and "Tide," signifying the natural ebb and surge of water. Eldest member Seohee, who introduced the group at their debut showcase, explained, "It means we will carve out a rhythm and flow entirely unique to TUIDE." Rather than flattening their colors into a single uniform shade, the team focuses on letting each individual's texture overlap naturally. Seohee summed up the group in one word as "vivid," adding, "Instead of forcing our personalities to fit a single mold, we are a team that harmonizes while letting each member's individuality shine." When asked about role models, rather than citing specific senior artists, they answered, "Our goal is to establish TUIDE's own distinctive color."

Member Profiles

Here is a breakdown of the members, starting with the most frequently searched information. Click on a name to open that member's detailed profile. In keeping with HYBE's typical approach, TUIDE has not assigned rigid traditional positions such as "main vocal" or "lead dancer," nor have they appointed an official leader. The "Role / Strengths" column below reflects what the members personally highlighted during their debut showcase.

Birthdates are cross-referenced from fan profile platforms and debut press reports. As the agency has not issued a single formal profile listing all exact birthdates, the facts directly confirmed through press coverage are restricted to "born between 2006 and 2011" and "Seah and Yi Hani were born in 2011." These dates can be treated as definitively established once official birthday notices are released. Based on this timeline, the group's first birthdays after debut belong to Saki (October 9) and Seohee (October 11), falling just two days apart right during their "Echo" music show promotional week.

In terms of age, Seohee is the eldest, followed by a middle trio born in 2008 (Seoyeon, Elena, and Jia), and a maknae line of three born in 2010–2011 (Saki, Seah, and Yi Hani). The gap between the eldest and the youngest members is five years, making the average age at debut roughly 17 years old.

The roster spans South Korea, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Elena shared during the showcase that she moved from the US and grew up singing R&B, while Saki hails from Japan. Yi Hani was born in the UK and carries both Korean and British heritage (she shares the same Korean name as actress Honey Lee / Lee Hanee, so searching "TUIDE Yi Hani" yields the most accurate results), and Jia similarly bridges Korean and American backgrounds. Personal background details, including family relationships, are omitted here as they remain outside the scope of what the agency has made public. This multinational, all-teenage setup reflects an industry standard visible across the wider girl group landscape.

Just prior to debut, all seven members trained at Pledis Entertainment before transferring to ABD upon its establishment. Because details regarding prior affiliations or training durations remain the subject of various unconfirmed rumors, only information corroborated by primary news coverage is included here.

Debut EP 'TUNE & PLAY' and the 'Soultronic' Sound

Their first mini-album TUNE & PLAY contains five tracks: title song "SUN KISS," alongside "ABD," "Echo," "Flip-Flop Girl," and "GRLS." The album title connects the journey of tuning distinct musical languages into a shared rhythm (TUNE) with the moment of elevating that discovered joy to its peak (PLAY). Hitmaking production duo GroovyRoom helmed production across the entire project.

The genre keyword championed by the group is "Soultronic." Melding the warm melodicism of soul with the sharp, modern grooves of electronic music, the sound reinterprets the sonic textures of 1990s R&B, house, UK garage, and G-funk for contemporary listeners. The title track "SUN KISS" hinges on the contrast between an unpolished, gritty instrumental and effortless topline melodies, crafting an auditory impression reminiscent of late-summer sunlight.

Their choreography also reflects this artistic philosophy. Saki shared, "Because there is a lot of freestyle choreography, it captures the natural gestures and personal expressions the members use in everyday life." Rather than proving their synergy through rigid, knife-sharp synchronization (kal-gunmu), they chose to preserve individual freedom of movement—a choice that aligns directly with Seohee's statement that the group "doesn't force everyone into one mold."

Stage styling reinforces this casual direction. On music show stages for "SUN KISS," TUIDE appeared in outdoor-inspired staples like windbreakers and hiking cargo pants, while stage sets mirrored their music video by placing cars and trees to recreate a campsite. For the first three weeks of promotions, they consistently favored approachable, lifestyle-oriented looks over elaborate performance costumes.

Debut 3-Week Report Card — As of September 17

What began immediately after debut as "charting all songs on the Melon Hot 100" expanded into a far more significant run over the following three weeks. Key milestones unfolded chronologically:

Moving over 110,000 copies in the first week is an exceptional figure for a rookie girl group, ranking 10th all-time for girl group debut albums on the Hanteo Chart. While trailing the ~300,000 debut-week sales posted by LE SSERAFIM, NewJeans, or ILLIT, it remains an remarkably high benchmark for a newly minted label's first artist without any separate pre-debut promotions. Digital performance showed even stronger upward momentum during week three than during debut week. "SUN KISS" reached No. 1 on Apple Music Korea on September 14 and held its ground, while maintaining top-tier positions on the Melon Hot 100, Spotify, and YouTube weekly popular music charts. Dance challenges also surged: both "SUN KISS" and "GRLS" topped 40,000 videos on TikTok, ranking 4th and 6th on Instagram's "Trending Audio," respectively.

Early interest in Japan has registered as well. Ahead of an official Japanese release, the track entered Line Music's Top 100 and charted on the Oricon Weekly Album Chart. However, formal promotional activities in Japan have not yet been announced.

A music show win is still pending. As of September 17, no broadcast or cable music show trophies have been reported. Nevertheless, the group has sustained strong public visibility with regular performances across M Countdown, Music Bank, Show! Music Core, and Inkigayo since their debut week.

Offstage: Radio, YouTube, and Editorials

Beginning in their second week, the group stepped up variety and broadcast appearances. On September 1, they appeared on KBS Cool FM's Paul Kim's Music Plaza to discuss their album, followed by live radio renditions of "SUN KISS" on MBC FM4U's Kim Shin-young's Noon Song of Hope and other programs. Because radio live sessions feature minimal vocal post-processing, they serve as a litmus test for a rookie group's genuine vocal talent; TUIDE earned strong reviews for their stable live harmonies.

On YouTube, they made guest appearances on popular channels like BDNS (빠더너스) and Idol Human Theater. Their quirky, endearing comedic sensibility—standing in sharp contrast to their relaxed confidence on stage—became a hot topic, with Saki's personal talents circulating widely across social media. Scenes of the members bonding over small hobbies like customizing keyboard keycaps and playing with squishies (mallangi) are frequently cited by fans as prime examples of their warm team chemistry.

Their editorial debut came on August 25, the day after debut, when they graced the cover of Super ELLE for ELLE Korea's September issue. Posing together as a complete group, Jia reflected on their bond during the interview: "Our individual colors are all different, but we are all looking in the exact same direction." As of October 7, no commercial endorsement deals have been officially announced.

On September 12, members Seohee, Jia, and Seah served as special MCs for MBC's Show! Music Core. Taking on hosting duties just three weeks after their debut, the three shared afterward, "It was a true honor to be part of the broadcast as special MCs."

Week 6: Billboard Milestones and B-Side 'Echo'

By late September, strong global metrics began rolling in. Their Billboard chart performance breaks down as follows:

In their feature article selecting TUIDE as the Rookie of the Month, Billboard highlighted their sound as "soultronic that marries the warm soulfulness of R&B with the sleek polish of electronic textures," noting how all seven voices blend into a cohesive whole while retaining their unique timbres. In that interview, the members noted, "When our hearts connect first, that's when the best synergy comes through in our vocals and performances."

Industry seniors also jumped in on the challenge trend. By September 4, cumulative TikTok videos featuring "SUN KISS" and "GRLS" passed 160,000. Participants included Seoyeon's older sister Jihyo of TWICE, SEVENTEEN members (Dino, Mingyu, Seungkwan, THE 8), TOMORROW X TOGETHER's Taehyun, ENHYPEN's Sunoo and Ni-ki, LE SSERAFIM's Hong Eunchae, and TWS members (Youngjae, Kyungmin, Jihoon).

In the second week of October, TUIDE returns to music shows to promote B-side track "Echo," scheduled for M Countdown on October 8, Music Bank on October 9, Show! Music Core on October 10, and Inkigayo on October 11. "Echo" was originally unveiled before debut during their exclusive fan event, TUIDE EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW [PLAYGROUND], and this promotional run comes as a direct response to fans requesting live broadcast stages. The track marries deep house with uptempo classic house, using clever lyrics that contrast one-sided feelings to an "echo" and reciprocal love to "stereo."

ABD's Place on the HYBE Label Map

ABD stands for "A Bold Dream," an upstart label whose establishment was officially announced on May 8, 2026. Representing an extension of HYBE's multi-label strategy to grant creative units greater autonomy and operational focus, ABD's key distinction is its identity as a dedicated girl group label. Unlike other HYBE labels that manage both boy groups and girl groups side by side, ABD was architected from day one purely to produce girl groups—and TUIDE is their inaugural project.

Looking deeper into its corporate standing reveals an interesting structure. Official press statements from HYBE and ABD describe the company as "a new label founded under HYBE's multi-label strategy." However, shareholding figures disclosed at its launch indicated an 85% stake held by Pledis Entertainment and 15% by Master Professional (MP) Han Sung-soo, leading some industry observers to view ABD as a specialized subsidiary established by Pledis rather than a direct HYBE subsidiary. The fact that all seven members trained at Pledis before shifting over aligns with this relationship.

HYBE has introduced girl groups on an approximate two-year cycle—LE SSERAFIM and NewJeans in 2022, ILLIT in 2024—and TUIDE occupies the next slot in that cadence. While previous groups emerged from labels with pre-existing operational rosters, TUIDE is the maiden outing for an entirely new label, meaning ABD's institutional reputation rests largely on this debut.

Overall production was overseen by Master Professional (MP) Han Sung-soo, the visionary producer behind After School, SEVENTEEN, IZ*ONE, and TWS, as well as the former CEO of Pledis. TUIDE is notably the very first team he has produced without designating an official leader. The guidance he offered the members was grounded and understated: Elena noted, "He advised us that finding genuine enjoyment throughout the practice process is what matters most," while other members recalled him frequently emphasizing, "Always stay grateful."

Three Buzzworthy Highlights and Their Same-Month Rival

Three key talking points have fueled public interest:

First, Seoyeon is the younger sister of TWICE's Jihyo. This revelation went viral as soon as the debut lineup surfaced. During the showcase, Seoyeon shared her sister's heartfelt advice: "You'll spend even more time with your members than with your own family, so trust and rely on each other, be each other's pillars, and enjoy promoting beautifully together."

Second, an all-teenage lineup. With the youngest members born in 2011, the group's debut average age is notably young. While this age range brings certain working-hour limits on schedules, it allows the team to develop an expansive, multi-year coming-of-age narrative. It also draws frequent comparisons to fellow peer rookies debuting since 2024, such as RESCENE and MEOVV. Interestingly, while both RESCENE and MEOVV took the stage at fall festivals for Seoul National University and Inha University, TUIDE was absent from the college festival lineups announced through September 17.

Third, Han Sung-soo's creative helm. As the first instance of a producer widely celebrated for boy group dynasties taking the lead at an all-girl-group imprint, the industry is keeping close tabs on how his production playbook translates into this new space.

August 2026 proved to be a high-stakes month, with major entertainment giants launching rookie girl groups just five days apart. Prior to TUIDE, JYP Entertainment launched OURBIRTHDAY on August 19 with their debut single "Our Birthday."

OURBIRTHDAY adopted a rollout strategy that introduced members through Side A and Side B units before gathering as a full ensemble, whereas TUIDE relied on teaser reels and visual concept films before debuting immediately as a complete seven-member group. Ultimately, TUIDE counterbalanced its shorter public warm-up period with 110,000 first-week sales and a No. 1 digital chart surge in week three. The two rookie powerhouses are widely expected to cross paths again in year-end Rookie of the Year races.

Frequently Asked Questions

Has the official fandom name been decided? As of October 7, 2026, an official fandom name has not been announced. It was not revealed during their debut showcase, subsequent media coverage, or radio appearances. Typically, fandom names are finalized several weeks to months after debut via fan naming contests or official agency statements.

Who is the leader of TUIDE? The group does not have an official leader. Eldest member Seohee handled group introductions during their showcase. While some international wikis list Seohee as the leader, domestic press releases confirm that no leader position has been assigned.

What is the age order of the members? From oldest to youngest: Seohee (Oct 2006) → Seoyeon (Mar 2008) → Elena (Apr 2008) → Jia (Aug 2008) → Saki (Oct 2010) → Seah (Jan 4, 2011) → Yi Hani (Jan 7, 2011). These dates are sourced from community profile registries and await official confirmation from the agency.

Have they achieved a No. 1 win on music shows? As of October 7, no music show wins have been recorded. Their benchmark accolades to date include hitting No. 1 on Apple Music Korea, surpassing 110,000 first-week album sales, and topping the Billboard Emerging Artists chart.

Which tracks are worth checking out besides the title track? "GRLS," which was performed alongside the title track at their showcase, enjoyed strong reception, peaking at No. 18 on the Melon Hot 100 (August 25) and inspiring over 40,000 TikTok creations. "ABD," named directly after their label, also serves as a bold musical thesis statement for the group.

When are their next scheduled activities? From October 8 through October 11, they will perform B-side track "Echo" across four major music shows. As of October 7, concrete plans for their next official comeback or formal Japanese debut have not yet been announced.

Sources: TenAsia 'Echo' Music Show Promotions (Oct 7) · Ilgan Sports Billboard Rookie of the Month (Sept 29) · Sports Kyunghyang Music Core Special MC (Sept 13) · Sports Kyunghyang Challenges (Sept 4) · ELLE September Issue Cover · Star News Top 10 Debut Sales (Aug 31) · Star News Stage Styling (Sept 9) · CBC News Variety & Radio Activities (Sept 17) · Newsis ABD Establishment · TenAsia Showcase · Asia Economy · Money Today · NewsPim · Kprofiles Member Profiles · English Wikipedia TUIDE