[Profile] VCHA: America’s First K-Pop Girl Group (+KG Member Reports Abuse)

VCHA is JYP Entertainment’s first US-focused K-Pop group, featuring a diverse lineup of members from different ethnicities, including Asian, Black, White, Hispanic and of mixed heritage. They aim to redefine the K-Pop landscape with a global touch.

Members

VCHA is made up of six talented people:

1. Lexi (leader)

• Born: November 22, 2005 (19 years old)

• Charismatic leader and versatile performer.

• Signature number: 22 (your date of birth).

2. Camila

• Born: August 10, 2005 (19 years old)

• Known for her vibrant energy and multilingual abilities (English, Spanish and French).

• Signature number: 8 (her grandmother’s favorite number).

3. Kendall

• Born: June 1, 2006 (18 years old)

• Loved for her warm stage presence and deep voice.

• Signature number: 4 (one favorite).

4. Savannah

• Born: July 26, 2006 (18 years old)

• Shows exceptional vocal and dance skills.

• Signature number: 18 (the date of his A2K hearing in New York).

5. KG

• Born: June 17, 2007 (17 years old)

• Notable for his confident rapping skills and commanding charisma on stage.

• Signature number: 12 (number of his childhood basketball jersey).

6. Kaylee

• Born: November 24, 2009 (15 years old)

• The youngest member, adored for his pure voice and bright personality.

• Signature number: 24 (your date of birth).

Education and training

VCHA’s journey began on A2Ka survival show where contestants were scouted in the United States and subjected to rigorous K-Pop style training at JYP headquarters in Korea. This intense process included vocal, dance and linguistic training, resulting in a refined group ready for the global stage.

Producer JY Park described the K-Pop training process as similar to “Olympic-level preparation”, emphasizing the discipline and dedication required. Despite being an American-based group, VCHA’s DNA remains rooted in K-Pop, making them a revolutionary group.

Music and style

• Genres: Pop, K-Pop, R&B

• Debut singles:

• SeVit (NEW LIGHT): Pre-debut single released on September 22, 2023, featuring the title track YOUniverse.

• Girls of the Year: Debut album released on January 26, 2024, containing the title track of the same name.

• Latest version: Only one (Single, March 15, 2024).

Their music fuses Korean production values ​​with Western influences, resulting in universally recognizable songs.

Challenges and controversies

After the release of their second single album in March, there has been no significant news about VCHA. They have not uploaded short films or personal posts since June, and their official accounts have only posted birthday messages for members. This inactivity has led fans to speculate about the group’s status, with some suggesting that the team may be reorganized as a five-member group due to Kaylee’s potential absence.

While VCHA had a promising debut, recent events have sparked concern among fans. Member KG filed a lawsuit against the company in May 2024, alleging mistreatment and citing mental health issues within the group. Her statement referenced industry-wide issues, including an alleged suicide attempt by an unnamed member, sparking speculation and concerns, particularly about Kaylee, who had been on hiatus.

Despite these challenges, VCHA’s fan base, VLIGHTSshe remains fiercely loyal, offering unwavering support to the group as they face these hardships.

Facts

• All members are native English speakers and come from North America. Among them, Kaylee speaks Korean, Savannah speaks Spanish, and Camila speaks both French and Spanish. All members have undergone basic training in the Korean language.

• During active periods, the members are expected to live in the United States, while during the off-season they will reside in South Korea for training and album production. Before their debut, all members lived in Korea for about nine months, staying in hotels as accommodation.

• Before participating in the A2K auditions, none of the members had lived in Korea, studied K-pop, or spoken Korean. As native North Americans working in the United States, concerns were raised about how they would deal with cultural differences, such as rigorous K-pop training, rigid schedules, shared dormitories, public dating bans, intense diets, maintaining an appropriate public image and critical opinions on K-pop idol culture in Western media. A JYP representative said VCHA follows California entertainment laws for training and will continue to adhere to those guidelines.

• On September 22, 2023, just three hours after the final episode of A2Kthe pre-debut title track “YOUniverse” was released, followed by VCHA’s debut performance on Music Bank five hours later. The next day they appeared Show! Musical core. Fans were surprised by this active promotional approach compared to JYP’s Japanese girl group NiziU, which initially focused on domestic activities. Reception was positive internationally, with the music video topping YouTube’s list of best-selling music videos worldwide in one day and reaching high positions on various US trending charts.

• The VCHA singing group was created by Kendall. It involves creating a “V” with both hands and crossing them downwards to symbolize “spreading the light”, reflecting the meaning of the group’s name.

• From A2K aired at 10:00 KST, many viewers, such as students and workers, were unable to watch it live. However, the thumbnail for VCHA “YOUniverse” the music video appeared on YouTube’s recommendation page on the last day of A2Krevealing the final six-member lineup and unintentionally ruining the episode for some viewers.

• VCHA debuted on stage as the opening act for TWICE READY TO BE around the world. After their first performance in Mexico, they shared their thoughts on platform X (formerly Twitter).