Treasure

History

2017–2019: Formation and pre-debut activities

Following the establishment of YG Entertainment's representative boy bands Big Bang (2006), Winner (2014), and iKon (2015), speculations regarding their next group circulated in 2017. Early reports identified K-pop Star 2 (2012–2013) runner-up, Bang Ye-dam, as a core trainee, with reports citing the prospective line-up as the label's youngest male act, comprising trainees aged 15–17 with an average of four to five years of training. Additional trainees associated with the nascent project appeared on Stray Kids (2017), including Bang and K-pop Star's (2011–2012) Choi Rae-sung.

The band's formation was determined through the reality program YG Treasure Box (2018–2019), featuring twenty-nine trainees. The final seven: Haruto, Bang Ye‑dam, So Jung‑hwan, Junkyu, Park Jeong‑woo, Yoon Jae‑hyuk, and Choi Hyun-suk, were introduced as Treasure. A second unit, Magnum, consisting of Ha Yoon‑bin, Mashiho, Doyoung, Yoshi, Jihoon, and Asahi, was later disclosed. Both teams were to promote collectively as Treasure 13. Following Ha's departure, they were reorganized, and the two units were consolidated under the single name Treasure.

Several members had prior stints in entertainment; Junkyu worked as a child model, Bang Ye-dam recording for animated programs, and So Jung-hwan briefly starred as a child actor and performed with the Taekwondo demonstration team K-Tigers. Mashiho featured in Akdong Musician's Spring of Winter (2016), while Choi Hyun-suk and Junkyu competed in Mix Nine (2017–2018). Bang was the earliest recruit among the final lineup, joining YG Entertainment in June 2013. Mashiho entered later that year through a Japanese audition. Junkyu, Choi, Doyoung, and Jihoon joined through academy‑facilitated private auditions between 2014 and 2016. So was cast shortly before the broadcast of YG Treasure Box. Yoon, the only member street‑cast, entered the agency a few months prior to the show's premiere, as did Asahi.

2020–2022: Debut with The First Step tetralogy, reformation, and first Asia tour

In January 2020, Treasure was re-introduced to the public with promotional pictorials and a performance video for "Going Crazy" (미쳐가네; michyeogane), first revealed on YG Treasure Box (2018–2019) and co-written by Mino of Winner. Their re-introduction also included variety programs such as Treasure Map. Modeled using Big Bang's debut as a blueprint, plans were set to release new music 3–4 times throughout the year, similar to how the quintet debuted with single albums in 2006. Prior to their official debut, Treasure became the fastest Korean act to chart on the Billboard Social 50, remaining on the chart for six consecutive weeks, and peaking at number 3 on August 29. Additionally, the group amassed an estimated 1.49 million subscribers on their YouTube channel ahead of their debut.

Treasure debuted on August 7, 2020, with the single album The First Step: Chapter One, the inaugural installment of The First Step series. The release garnered 170,000 pre-orders, debuted atop the Gaon Album Chart, and received platinum certification from the Korea Music Content Association (KMCA). The music video for its lead single "Boy" surpassed 10 million views within 26 hours and 20 million views within six days, later becoming their first to reach 100 million views on YouTube. The second installment, released on September 18, entered the Gaon Album Chart at number two. Its titular single "I Love You" (사랑해; saranghae), topped Rakuten Music's monthly chart for September despite less than two weeks of tracking. The third installment followed on November 6 with the lead single "Mmm" and the B-side "Orange" (오렌지; olenji), the group's first self-produced work, written by Asahi. The series concluded with their first studio album, released on January 11, 2021. It marked their third number one on the Circle Album Chart and debuted atop for the month of January. The series ended with over 710,000 copies sold in three months and one million in five months, earning the band multiple awards, including their first at the Asia Artist Awards.

Treasure lent their voices to the soundtrack of the TV Tokyo Japanese anime, Black Clover. First revealed on January 5, 2021, in the anime itself, the song also served as the band's first original Japanese release. It was digitally released as two versions on January 22 and February 14, respectively; where the full version of "Beautiful" entered the Billboard Japan Hot 100 chart at number 58, and the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart at twenty-third. In commemoration of Black Clover's final episode, the full version was aired at the request of its director. Their Japanese debut album, sharing a title with their first full-length album, was released on March 31. It included the Japanese versions of all their Korean releases to date, with the group's newest single, "Beautiful", and the accompanied music video. The album debuted and consecutively charted at number one for four days on the Oricon Daily Chart, and debuted atop the weekly chart with over 57,000 sales in its first week. The band first appeared on terrestrial broadcast in Japan with the Nippon TV music program Buzz Rhythm, where they performed the Japanese version of "Boy", in conjunction to their official debut in the country.

2023–present: Reboot project and career expansion

The ten-piece reunited with the Black Clover franchise for its theatrical soundtrack, with "Here I Stand". It became their first number one hit on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, and first platinum certification awarded by the RIAJ ensued from its integration into their Japanese single album of the same title. Its certification was attained five days following its release on March 29, 2023, and placed second on the Oricon Weekly chart with 235,347 copies sold, generating ¥464.4 million ($3.51 million) in five days. The band toured for two months across five cities of Japan for a nationwide fan meeting until its completion on November 12, 2023. It resulted them to visit an audience of half a million attendees across all stages since the outset of the year, and steered the band to become the first Korean act to enter Tokyo Dome for a fan meeting.

Treasure ushered a "reboot" project through a partnership with Columbia Records for global distribution and local marketing in North America, in tandem to their first official sub-unit, T5, with So Jung-hwan, Junkyu, Jihoon, Yoon Jae-hyuk, and Doyoung. Its creation was fostered amidst those who raised their hands and believed to be the most "handsome" within the band, molding the self-proclaimed "flower boy quintet". Its digital single, "Move", served as a pre-release for the decet's second studio album, and marked Junkyu's first solely penned piece. Released on July 28, 2023 Reboot achieved a three-fold increase in sales since its last release, selling 1,718,517 copies across various formats in two days. Its titular single, "Bona Bona", reached a career high, charting at number 27 on the Circle Digital chart, and peaked at number 14 on the Billboard Japan Hot 100, a personal best amongst their Korean releases. Its B-side, "B.O.M.B", received interest as it topped the Billboard Hot Trending Songs chart, and became the band's first work to enter an official chart in the United Kingdom. In conjunction to their latest release, the band commenced on their second Asia tour, named after their second full-length album.

Cited as a continuation of a new era that launched with Reboot (2023), Treasure released the digital single "King Kong", on May 28, 2024. In Japan, Treasure was selected to sing the opening song "Reverse" for the Japanese TV series Densetsu no Atama Sho (Legendary Head Sho), starring Fumiya Takahashi. It was further incorporated into the band's second Japanese single album, King Kong / Reverse, and its release on August 21.

Public image

Dubbed the "fastest growing K-pop act in the world" of 2020 by Twitter, ranking above Tomorrow X Together and Stray Kids amidst other acts, the duodecet also placed sixth and ninth as the "Top 10 most mentioned K-pop artists in the world" and "Most tweeted K-pop accounts in the world", respectively, listed below musicians including BTS and Blackpink, and was the only group to be included in the Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 (Rising Star) beside Aespa and STAYC.

Other ventures

Endorsements

In their career, Treasure became endorsement models for the naturalist cosmetics brand, Manyo Factory, assisting in achieving its highest sales through the group's product advocacy to the viewers on a live broadcast hosted with CJ Olive Young, and I'mmune, an aloe immune health functional food under Univera. Ongredients, an eco-friendly organic beauty brand, also recruited them as its newest muse for their Korean and Japanese affiliates, as well as lifestyle sports brand, FCMM.

Treasure also partook in various partnerships, including with the global creative studio, Line Friends,—in which their products, branded as Truz, sold out domestically in one minute through the official smart store, and under an hour in eighteen countries abroad—Shinsegae's convenience store, Emart24, and its branches in Korea and Malaysia, Pucca Puzzle Adventure game, Thai shoe brand Baoji, Unilever Japan, Crocs, and Uniqlo.

Philanthropy

Members of Treasure joined senior label-mate, Sean of Jinusean's charity marathon event, Miracle 365, across various occasions ahead of their debut. Funds and awareness were raised to construct South Korea's first-ever Lou Gehrig rehabilitation hospital for those requiring medical treatment, resulted by the disability. Further acts include partaking in a program organized by YG Entertainment through the Blue Angel Volunteers at an animal shelter where they created shelters, cleaned, and restocked feed supply amidst other acts; and was involved in opening a school support fund through Naver's Happy Bean with Muju YG Foundation and Um Hong-gil Human Foundation, to construct schools for youths and adolescents, in Nepal's underprivileged areas. Treasure also donated ¥10 million ($66,485 approx.) to Red Cross for those affected by the 2024 Noto earthquake.

Treasure advocated for children diagnosed with cancer and partnered with YG Entertainment and Muju YG Foundation, to encourage individuals to provide help and create a difference by donating through the Naver platform. Happy Bean, and further used their social media platforms to advocate for the 51st Earth Day, voicing concerns on environmental problems which include climate change, and promoted how to confront these issues.

Artistry

Produced under YG Entertainment, which has traditionally presented music largely rooted in hip-hop, the act offered a broader notion, with sounds more in line with other conventional K-pop groups with strong dance performance-based elements. The twelve-piece (currently ten) line-up signified a departure from the label's previous bands with four to five members, and is also more in line with those, including NCT 127 and Seventeen. Its leader, Choi Hyun-suk, cited the band offered a "plus alpha" element to the existing traditional "YG style", creating synergy with their cadence-heavy dance performances.

The band is known to be heavily involved in their craft and music.

Influences

In the band's debut press conference, they stated their main role model and influence towards their careers were their labelmate seniors under YG Entertainment through their various music releases and videos.

Members

Adapted from their YGEX official website

Discography

The First Step: Treasure Effect (2021)

Reboot (2023)

Filmography

Television shows

YG Treasure Box (2018)

Treasure Map (2020–2022)

Shining Solo (2024)

Web shows

T.M.I (Treasure Maker Interaction) (2020–present)

Fact Check (팩트체크) (2020, 2023–present)

3-Minute Treasure (3분 트레저) (2020, 2023–present)

T-Talk (2020, 2023–present)

Treasure Studio (2020–2021)

Find Your Korea (2021)

TMI Log (2021–2022)

Treasure World Map (2023–present)

Re:all Treasure (2023–2025)

Yellow Days (2025)

Lovely Days(2025- present)

Web series

It's Okay, That's Friendship (2021)

The Mysterious Class (2021)

My BF is Treasure (2023)

Tours and concerts

Fan meetings