Fictional Kpop Groups That We Wish Were Real: If you ever found yourself singing along to a K-drama song, only to later find out that the group never actually existed, you’re in the club, friend. I refer to it as the “fictional K-pop stan” club, and I’m here to inform you, the hurt is real. K-dramas and movies have this strange little superpower of making K-pop groups real enough, well-written enough, and heart-meltingly cute enough that we’re left asking ourselves why the heck they’re not already taking over the charts and how good it would have been if they were a real K-pop group.
With stunning visuals, banger-level tracks and emotional arcs that match up with real-life idols, these fictional K-pop groups aren’t just the result of finely conceived plot devices; they’re fantasies that we really want to exist. And as someone who has searched not once but on several occasions for their non-existent groups, I can tell you with certainty: this heartbreak is article-worthy.
So let’s go through the groups that ought to have been, the ones that gave us playlists full of nothing but vibes and potential.
Fictional Kpop Groups That We Wish Were Real
ECLIPSE from Lovely Runner
We’ll start with the one that feels most real. Lovely Runner’s Eclipse is not some fantasy boy band — they’re an emotion. With the dreamy, heartbreakingly handsome guidance of Ryu Sun-jae (Byeon Woo-seok), this group made me feel like I’d lived with them through every debut performance, every all-night dance rehearsal, every scandal that the industry could throw at them.
Their music continues to echo in my mind, Sudden Shower and Run Run ringing out like comforting reminders of a time that never existed. The blend of retro pop-rock with brooding performances made me think of my adolescence, when I was fixated on stars who ‘understood me’. So infuriatingly beautiful that Eclipse checks all of the boxes — stage presence, chemistry, tear-jerking lyrics — only for it all to exist between the four edges of a TV screen.
Hi-Boyz from Resident Playbook
This is one that came out of nowhere and shook the table, Hi-Boyz from Resident Playbook. The moment When the Day Comes dropped in the show, I genuinely did a double take. The vocals by TXT? On point. The choreography? Sharp as hell. And Kang You-seok as Jaeil? This man was born to be an idol.
Hi-Boyz dropped an adorable throwback to those initial 3rd-gen vibes, when K-pop was all bubblegum, boyish cuteness and sappy dance ballads. There’s just something so innocent and genuine about their energy that reminded me of rookie groups a decade back who sang as if their whole heart was on that stage.
And let’s be real—Jaeil’s “washed-up idol” narrative should’ve been tragic, but somehow, it made him even more endearing. He wasn’t holding on to fame; he was holding on to hope. And we’ve all done it, right? Wanted to get back to something we loved? Hi-Boyz is like a time machine, to a time of K-pop that made us believe in possibilities.
Watermelon Sugar from Twinkling Watermelon
When I first heard the name Watermelon Sugar in Twinkling Watermelon, I chuckled at myself a little bit. But the joke’s on me because this band grabbed onto me in an instant. They’re sloppy, sentimental, sometimes just a mess — but they’re real where it really counts.
You root for them less because of their performances than because of their friendships and journey. Watching them grow, it was as if we were reading our favourite high school guitar bands’ nearly-made-it, indie rock diary. Their run ins with self-expression, family expectations, and identity hits a little too close for comfort, and to be quite honest, I wouldn’t even care if they never got a music show win — I would still stan. Give me a K-band that sings with heart and plays live under a summer sky, and I’m finished. Watermelon Sugar, you weren’t supposed to be this amazing.
Also Read: 7 Medical Kdramas Similar to Resident Playbook To Fix Your Soul and Fill in the Gap Left Behind
Dream Sweet from DOONA!
In a subdued, tearful drama, Doona! gave us an invented girl band that made a very real impression, Dream Sweet. Naturally led by Lee Doona (a.k.a. Bae Suzy in full-on idol glory), this was like the girl crush concept but with a glittery mascara tear at the corner of its eye.
The Whispering Spell is the sort of song which you would play to scream along at on stormy nights while you consider all the friendships you’ve made in the past. And seeing Doona navigate through fame, exhaustion, and yearning? It was like an open letter to our actual idols, the ones that we adore, but never actually know.
SHAX from Imitation
SHAX from Imitation is all you could possibly dream of how an idol drama should be—seething rivalries, dramatics, and a sprinkle of scandal. These guys weren’t created to be flawless — they were created to be human, and all that comes with it.
Watching SHAX reminded me of groups like EXO and BTS during their intense trainee and early debut days—brimming with pressure, tension, and impossible expectations. And yet, they did survive. The line-up, which included actual idols such as Lee Jun-young, ATEEZ’s Jongho and SF9’s Hwiyoung, just brought that much more credibility to the performances. Their songs may have been fictional, but the performance? Nothing short of legit. If SHAX ever did have a reunion concert, you’d find me and my lightstick screaming like it’s our first day of life.
There is a kind of heartbreak that is unique to loving an imaginary K-pop group. Whatever it is, one thing is for sure: I will keep adding their songs to the playlist and dream, for a brief second, that they do exist — rehearsing for their next comeback, waving fan signs, and living the dream I had wished for them.
Do you also have a fictional K-pop group from K-dramas that you wish were real? Comment your favourites below!
