South Korean, Japanese, and Filipino girl group UNIS brought the latest chapter of their K-pop story to fans in Japan in September, performing their new single ahead of a first fan meet event in the country.  

With the new single “Curious,” released on August 6, eight-member UNIS delivered to fans its first new music since the release of debut mini album “We UNIS” in March, after the group formed through South Korean television audition survival show Universe Ticket.  

UNIS touched down in Tokyo for a release event on September 2 with the group’s Japanese members, Nana and Kotoko, taking center stage to introduce a performance of the new single in front of around 150 excited fans at a record store in the capital’s Shibuya district.　

It was some 18 million K-pop fans, however, who made their voices heard when they voted for the singing and dancing talent that would become UNIS during the audition show Universe Ticket, aired by South Korean broadcaster SBS between last November and January.  

Would-be K-pop idols sent in their applications for Universe Ticket from 128 countries, with a final field of 82 contestants taking part in the show - 82 being the country code of South Korea, the home of K-pop. By the show’s conclusion, 82 had become eight and the UNIS lineup was made complete – four members from South Korea, two from Japan, and two from the Philippines. 

In its latest survey on overseas perceptions of Hallyu, or “Korean wave,” culture published in April, South Korea’s Culture, Sports and Tourism Ministry found K-pop to be the most cited first image of the country among respondents for the seventh consecutive year. 

Upon UNIS making its debut, Elisia cited K-pop girl group Twice as role models. Formed in 2015, also through a reality television show, nine-member Twice includes three members from Japan and one from Taiwan, alongside the members from Korea. In its nine years, the group has achieved considerable success, selling over 20 million albums in Korea and Japan. 

“I think the strength of UNIS lies in its diversity and its ability to adapt to all concepts,” UNIS leader Jin Hyeonju said.

UNIS performs in the universal language of K-pop, and the Filipino and Japanese members work towards fluency in Korean, if they haven’t reached it already, but the girls also appear to have fun with each other's language and culture.

“Recently the Filipino members taught me the (Tagalog) phrase mahal kita. It means, “I love you,”” Nana, one of the group’s Japanese members, said.

“I heard the (Japanese) word kirakira means “sparkling.” I think it’s a really cute word and it’s really nice to say, too,” Elisia said. 

"You don't really notice it, but we’re getting closer together and getting to know each other more. And we get to have more inside jokes together,” she said.