ALPHA DRIVE ONE (알파드라이브원)

Formed through Mnet's survival program Boys II Planet, ALPHA DRIVE ONE (알파드라이브원, stylized as ALD1) made their debut on January 12, 2026, as a two-member act under Wakeone Entertainment. Their early activity quickly positioned them within a wide-reaching performance circuit, including a slot alongside SM Entertainment artists EXO and NCT WISH at a Mega Concert in May 2026 — an unusual early-career placement that signaled the group's intended reach across K-pop's generational lines.

Debut and Formation

ALPHA DRIVE ONE comprises two members, Leo and Sangwon, who came together through Mnet's *Boys II Planet*, one of the network's idol competition formats. Their debut in January 2026 marked Wakeone's continued investment in competition-to-debut pipelines, a model the label has navigated before. The group's fandom carries the name ALLYZ.

Music and Activity

Less than five months after debut, ALPHA DRIVE ONE moved toward their first comeback with *No School Tomorrow*, described as a prologue single. The title track, "OMG!," was previewed via a music video teaser released in May 2026. The teaser leaned into a youth-oriented aesthetic — capturing what the group framed as the free energy of adolescence, centered on the image of boys breaking away from school following news of its closure. The mood was described as sensuous and trend-conscious, gesturing toward a sonic and visual identity built around the textures of young adulthood.

The group's concert schedule in the months following debut included the May 30 Mega Concert, where they were set to share a stage with established SM Entertainment acts. That booking, early in a group's run, reflected both the breadth of the event's lineup and the ambitions of their management.

A Difficult Early Chapter

The group's trajectory in early 2026 was complicated by an off-camera incident involving a member. In April, Wakeone publicly addressed controversy surrounding Kim Geon-woo — identified in coverage as a member of ALPHA DRIVE ONE — after remarks he made during his trainee period surfaced. The agency acknowledged that the comments were inappropriate and attributed them to dissatisfaction expressed without awareness that his microphone was active. As a consequence, Kim Geon-woo halted his activities and was absent from upcoming fan concert appearances. The situation presented a significant reputational test for a group still in the earliest stages of building its public profile, and Wakeone's decision to take institutional responsibility was notable in how quickly it followed the disclosure.