AxMxP Is Billboard’s K-Pop Rookie of the Month for September: Exclusive Photos
FNC Entertainment — the agency behind P1Harmony and AOA, whose 2014 hit “Miniskirt” is still covered worldwide — may be best remembered as one of the early drivers of band music’s mainstream popularity in K-pop. For newer fans, that legacy might come as a surprise. Beginning with FTISLAND in 2007, followed by CNBLUE and N.Flying, FNC Entertainment has long explored the intersection of rock and K-pop. More than a decade later, the label is introducing a new band: AxMxP (pronounced A-M-P), a four-member unit consisting of vocalist/rapper HA YOO JOON, guitarist/vocalist KIM SHIN, drummer CRU, and bassist/vocalist JU HWAN.
Their name stands for Amplify Music Power, symbolizing a mission to broadcast their voices through music like an amplifier. Officially debuting on Sept. 10, AxMxP embodies the essence of a true rookie, arriving with a full-length self-titled album spanning 10 tracks that traverse punk rock, rock ballad, modern pop-rock and hip-hop rock. At their debut showcase, held before more than 2,000 fans, the members — all between ages 15 and 20 — powered through the entire setlist with striking poise and even moments of relaxed enjoyment. That confidence reflects the know-how FNC Entertainment has honed across years of band development.
Like many bands who gradually build their chops through club gigs and joint concerts before breaking into the mainstream, AxMxP has already spent years on diverse stages. Through the label’s Band Kingdom tour, they have performed in Tokyo, Kaohsiung, Taipei and more, gaining crucial experience and a sense of unity as a live act.
Still, these credentials are only part of the story. The real reason AxMxP earned Billboard Korea’s September Rookie of the Month title lies in the undeniable quality of their debut. Their showcase revealed not just technical polish but also an openness to genre and a serious commitment to taking ownership of their stage. Above all, their energy conveyed joy, sincerity and fearlessness. Here are the voices of AxMxP’s four members as they begin their journey.
