Group Profile
- Group Name: ASTRO (아스트로)
- Debut: February 23, 2016
- Current state: Active
- Years Active: 2016–present (10 years)
- Entertainment Company: Fantagio
- Fandom: AROHA
- Group Color: Vivid Plum & Space Violet
- Members: MJ, Jinjin, Cha Eun-woo, Yoon San-ha
- Oldest Member: MJ
- Youngest Member: Yoon San-ha
- Most Popular Member: Cha Eun-woo
- Notable Albums: Spring Up, Summer Vibes, All Light, All Yours, Gateway
- Country: South Korea
- Generation: 3rd Generation K-pop group
- Leader: Jinjin
ASTRO (아스트로) is a South Korean boy group under Fantagio, debuting on February 23, 2016. The group is active in K-pop music while also participating in acting, broadcasting, and advertising. ASTRO currently consists of four members: MJ, JinJin, Cha Eun-woo, and Sanha.
Meaning of the Name
The name “ASTRO” originates from the Greek and Latin roots astron and astrum, meaning “star.” Space and cosmic themes are consistently featured in their album titles, tours, and promotional imagery. The tour series Astroad (a blend of ASTRO and “road”), the album All Light (2019), and Drive to the Starry Road (2022) all utilize semantics related to the sky and light. Fan concerts often follow this theme, such as Stargazer, Stargraphy, and the Astro Aroha Festival.
Fandom & Lightstick
ASTRO’s official fandom is named AROHA (아로하), announced at their debut showcase on February 23, 2016. The name signifies “love” and represents the bond between the group and their fans. “Aroha” also coincides with the Māori word for “love.” Fans frequently use the shortened nickname ROHA (로하).
The official lightstick, named Robong, has been released in three versions. The first version featured a star-shaped head. The second version retained the star symbol, glowed in the group’s official color (vivid plum), and integrated Bluetooth connectivity. The device supports three lighting modes: steady, slow flicker, and fast flicker.
Popularity
ASTRO’s fanbase is primarily concentrated in South Korea, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Singapore. The group performed at KCON 2016 in Los Angeles before approximately 20,000 spectators just months after their debut. Billboard included ASTRO in its list of notable K-pop rookie groups for 2016, and in April of that year, the group was invited to the LeTV Entertainment Awards in China.
The group’s demographic is largely comprised of young audiences, while Cha Eun-woo’s individual acting projects have significantly expanded the group’s public reach. The album Drive to the Starry Road (2022) topped the Gaon Weekly Retail Album Chart during its release week. The group’s third Japanese tour in June 2022 was held at the Makuhari Messe International Exhibition Hall, with a total capacity of approximately 40,000 seats.
Prior to debut, the group launched the Meet U project, aiming to attract 10,000 KakaoTalk Plus Friends followers to announce their official debut date; this goal was achieved in December 2015. The sub-unit Moonbin & Sanha debuted in September 2020 and secured a music show win in just eight days.
Awards
- 2016: Korean Culture Entertainment Awards – K-Pop Star Award
- 2017: Asia Artist Awards – New Wave Award; Seoul Music Awards – K-Wave Special Award; Dahsyatnya Awards (Indonesia) – Outstanding Guest Star
- 2018: Global VLIVE Top 10
- 2019: Soribada Best K-Music Awards – Global Hot Trend Award
- 2020: Soribada Best K-Music Awards – Bonsang Award and Global Artist Award; Korean Culture Entertainment Awards – K-Pop Artist Award
- 2021: THE FACT Music Awards – Artist of the Year (Bonsang); Asia Artist Awards – Best Musician Award
The albums All Yours (2021) and Switch On (2021) were certified Platinum by Gaon Chart, becoming the group’s first albums to reach this milestone.
Musical Style
ASTRO utilizes a wide range of genres, spanning pop, R&B, EDM, hip-hop, and rock throughout their career. During the 2016–2017 period, the group employed a bright, youthful concept characteristic of third-generation K-pop boy groups.
Since 2019, their promotional image has transitioned to a more mature style: “All Night” combined EDM structures with rock elements; “Blue Flame” utilized heavy hip-hop rhythms; “After Midnight” (2021) featured a disco concept; and “Candy Sugar Pop” (2022) returned to a vibrant pop style.
Additional Information
ASTRO originally consisted of six members: MJ, JinJin, Cha Eun-woo, Moonbin, Rocky, and Sanha. Rocky departed from the group on February 28, 2023, following the expiration of his contract with Fantagio. Moonbin passed away on April 19, 2023. Since then, the group has continued its activities with the remaining four members.
Throughout their career, ASTRO has debuted three sub-units:
- Moonbin & Sanha debuted in September 2020.
- JinJin & Rocky debuted on January 3, 2022, with the mini-album Just Breath.
- ZOONIZINI, consisting of MJ and JinJin, debuted on August 13, 2025, with their first mini-album DICE. The sub-unit’s name is a combination of “Jun” from MJ’s real name (Kim Myung Jun) and “Jin” from JinJin’s real name (Park Jin Woo).
In the Japanese market, ASTRO debuted on April 3, 2019, with the mini-album Venus. This release features six tracks, including Japanese versions of songs from their Korean discography and an original track written specifically for the Japanese market: “Hanasakemirai”.