Cix

Having accumulated experience across multiple reality competition formats, the K-pop quintet Cix prepared for their official arrival by starring in a dedicated ten-part series during summer 2019. Titled Hello Cix, the program paved the way for the group’s inaugural release, the sleek EP HELLO Chapter 1: Hello, Stranger, which blended smooth R&B textures with rap-inflected pop.

Assembled by C9 Entertainment from a roster of skilled vocalist/dancer/performers, the lineup featured rapper BX alongside Kim Seung-hun, Kim Yong-hee, Yoon Hyun-suk, and Bae Jin-young. Prior to uniting as Cix, several members had appeared on televised contests including Stray Kids, Treasure Box, and Produce 101, Season 2, while Bae Jin-young had previously belonged to the short-lived ensemble WANNA ONE. The Hello Cix broadcast, which aired in June 2019, introduced each member’s distinct background and personality across its ten episodes. One month later the five-piece debuted with the five-song collection HELLO Chapter 1: Hello, Stranger, fusing high-gloss pop, subtle trap elements, and BX’s intermittent rap breaks; the project reached number two on the Gaon charts and marked the group’s first live performances. Cix followed up in November of that year with the second EP, HELLO Chapter 2: Hello, Strange Place.