‘Lore’ distinguishes one K-pop group from another

As a cultural movement encompassing vast genres, K-pop has sprouted countless creative branches, one of the most enriching being lore. Referring to the fictional worlds or storylines crafted by many K-pop artists, lore began emerging in the 2010s as a tool for defining groups’ identities. EXO, considered one of the pioneers of this trend, debuted as a boy group drawing inspiration from the concept of exoplanets. According to the storyline, members come from an unknown world, with their memories