WAKEONE’s ALPHA DRIVE ONE and izna have partnered with REPUBLIC Collective, a division of Universal Music Group, to accelerate the groups’ international expansion,
Partnership deal
Under the agreement, REPUBLIC Collective will support both acts’ overseas marketing strategies, album rollouts, and broader global distribution efforts.
The partnership is positioned as a key step in strengthening the international presence of both groups as they continue to expand beyond the Korean market, and underscores WAKEONE’s broader strategy of positioning its new-generation acts for sustained international visibility.
izna’s ascent
Formed through Mnet’s global audition program ‘I-LAND 2,’ izna debuted in November 2024 after being selected by fans from more than 217 countries and regions. The six-member group consists of MAI, BANG JEE MIN, KOKO, RYU SA RANG, CHOI JUNG EUN, and JEONG SAE BI.
The name stands for “anytime, anywhere, anything is na,” with na meaning “me” in Korean.
In June 2026, izna released their third mini-album ‘SET THE TEMPO,’ led by the title track ‘METRONOME,’ arriving roughly eight months after their previous release ‘Not Just Pretty.’ The rookie act’s expanding fanbase was reflected in their first Japan fan concert ‘Not Just Pretty,’ which sold out in January 2026, following a similarly sold-out fan concert in Korea in November 2025.
ALD1’s trajectory
ALPHA DRIVE ONE, also referred to as ALD1, emerged from Mnet’s reality competition show ‘BOYS II PLANET,’ where more than 26 million votes were cast by fans across 223 countries and regions. The final eight-member lineup was announced on September 2025, before the group officially debuted in January 2026 with the mini-album ‘EUPHORIA.’
The album sold more than 1.44 million copies, making it the second-highest-selling K-pop debut album, while also reaching No. 7 on the Worldwide iTunes Album Chart and the top five in 18 regions, including Japan, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Taiwan, and Russia, according to the group’s label. Additonally, ALD1 swept first place across four major Korean music shows with its debut track ‘FREAK ALARM’ — a feat not achieved by a boy group in nine years.
In May 2026, the group released their prologue single album ‘No School Tomorrow,’ led by the track ‘OMG!’
International growth push
WAKEONE, a South Korean entertainment company under CJ ENM’s entertainment division, has also built a track record of launching successful survival-show–formed acts beyond izna and ALD1, including groups such as ZEROBASEONE and Kep1er, both of which achieved commercial performance and global visibility after debut.
The label has additionally managed solo artists including JO YURI, KIM JAE HWAN, and Ha Hyunsang, who have maintained active releases and dedicated fanbases.