Romeo (Korean: 로미오; Japanese: ロメオ), mostly stylized as ROMEO, is a South Korean boy band formed by Pony Canyon Korea and CT Entertainment in 2015. The group is composed of seven members: Seunghwan, Yunsung, Milo, Minsung, Kyle, Hyunkyung and Kangmin. They debuted with the release of their first mini-album The Romeo on May 7, 2015.
2015: Debut with The Romeo and comeback with Zero Inedit
At the end of April 2015, it was announced that Japanese company Pony Canyon made a partnership with South Korean agency CT Entertainment to debut a boygroup named Romeo, planning their debut in May.[1] A representative from CT Entertainment told the media, "There have been cases where Japanese music labels will sign on popular Korean acts, but it's unlikely for a Japanese music label to want to start a Korean group. This project is happening thanks to the great trust between Pony Canyon and CT Entertainment."[2] Following this announcement, their agency released a batch of teasers featuring the members, starting with Hyunkyung and ending with Yunsung and Minsung,[3][4][5][6][7] and finally a full group teaser on April 27.[8] Their agency released another teaser on April 30, this time featuring member Yunsung covering Michael Jackson's Man in the Mirror[9] before releasing the group's first teaser for their debut song "Lovesick" on May 2.[10] The full music video for "Lovesick" was released on May 7, alongside their debut EP The Romeo.[11] The group made its debut on stage on M! Countdown the same day.[12]
On October 28, it was announced that Romeo was going to make a comeback on November 5 with their second mini-album Zero In.[13] On October 30, the group released their first teaser for title song "Target" followed on November 1 by a second teaser.[14][15] On November 3, they released a medley of the songs from Zero In[16] and on November 4 they released the full music video for "Target".[17]
2016: Romeo Project, Miro and First Loveedit
On May 17, CT Entertainment revealed that Romeo was going to release a summer digital single named "Nightmare" on May 23.[18] The group released teasers featuring the seven members before releasing a video teaser on May 20.[19][20][21] The full music video for "Nightmare" was released on May 23 alongside the eponym digital single.[22]
On June 17, the group debuted the broadcasting of their first reality TV show named "Romeo Project in Taiwan" on MBC Music.[23]
On June 19, Romeo was announced to release a new EP on June 23, thus releasing teasers featuring different units.[24] The group then released two teasers, with an "Alice in Wonderland" concept, featuring SHINee's Minho, for their new song "Miro" from the eponym EP.[25][26] It was revealed that Minho took part in filming the group's comeback MV thanks to CT Entertainment's CEO who used to be SHINee's former manager.[27] The full music video for "Miro" was released on June 23 along with the eponym EP, which was released in three different unit versions.[28] A full group version of their new EP was released on July 5.[29] The group revealed that their choreography for "Miro" was inspired from the film The Maze Runner.[30]
On August 17, CT Entertainment announced that Romeo was going to release a special edition of "Miro" as "First Love" on August 22, featuring the title track "Treasure".[31] Furthermore, they also released some teasers with the members.[32]
2017: MIX NINEedit
On October 29, they Milo, Yunsung, Kyle, and Hyunkyung joined South Korean survival program MIX NINE.
"Without U" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on July 26, 2017.
^"Billboard Japan Hot 100". Japan Hot 100. Billboard. January 2, 2013.
"Without U". Billboard. August 3, 2017. Archived from the original on August 10, 2017.
^"Oricon Singles Chart - 1st week of September" (in Japanese).
^"週間 シングルランキング 2018年11月05日~2018年11月11日" [Oricon weekly CD Album Ranking from October 22, 2018 to October 28, 2018]. Oricon. November 15, 2018. Archived from the original on November 14, 2018.
^"로미오 Romeo in the V! (로미오? 로미오!)". Naver V Live. Retrieved July 9, 2016.
^"ROMEO "The ROMEO" EP – Credits Page" (in Korean). Tiskitosk @One Hallyu. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
^"ROMEO "ZERO IN" EP – Credits Page" (in Korean). Tiskitosk @One Hallyu. Retrieved July 8, 2016.
^"ROMEO "MIRO" EP – Credits Page" (in Korean). Tiskitosk @One Hallyu. Retrieved July 16, 2016.
^"5th Gaon Chart K-pop Awards, New Artist of the Year nominees". 5th Gaon Chart K-pop Awards. Kpop Construction. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
^"Seoul Music Awards Global". Seoul Music Awards. SportsSeoul. Archived from the original on December 8, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
^"7th Korean Entertainment Art Awards, Rookie of the Year Winning Speech". YouTube. Retrieved June 25, 2017.