Titan Content: Shaking Up the Global K-pop Scene with AtHeart’s Debut

From Seoul to LA, a new dream takes flight,
AtHeart shines bold with youthful light,
Titan rewrites K-pop with global might.

Amid an increasingly competitive and centralized K-pop industry, Titan Content has emerged as a bold new player with a powerful mission: to redefine the standard paradigm. Founded in May 2023, Titan Content is the first K-pop entertainment startup based in Los Angeles, USA—the heart of the global industry. But it’s more than just a new company. Titan is led by industry veterans who have shaped K-pop history from behind the scenes.

Among them is Han Se-min, former CEO of SM Entertainment, who now serves as Chairman of Titan Content. He is joined by CEO Kang Jung-ah, a former casting director at SM who trained and launched iconic acts like TVXQ and Girls’ Generation. Renowned choreographer Lia Kim—who has created routines for Lee Hyori, ITZY, Sunmi, and I.O.I—is Titan’s Chief Performance Officer (CPO). Visual direction is handled by Lee Gyeom, former publisher of Dazed Korea, now Titan’s Chief Visual Officer (CVO). All four founders appeared at the first Titan Founders Meetup held on August 6 in Hongdae, Seoul, to introduce their vision, mission, and their debut project: the girl group AtHeart.

A New Paradigm and Global Vision from Industry Veterans

For Han Se-min, Titan was born from a desire not just to compete in the global market but to lead it. “Rather than grow slowly, why not build a company that can stand shoulder to shoulder with global entertainment giants?” he said. Han emphasized that K-pop is no longer a passing trend in America—it has become a widely recognized genre, as seen through the popularity of groups like ATEEZ and Stray Kids. Titan, he explained, is built on an artist- and music-centered system rather than a business formula. Their core strengths lie in creative support across disciplines, global sensibility, and a solid international foundation.

CEO Kang Jung-ah added that her experience in launching The Boyz showed her the importance of global networks. “Even with talent, without infrastructure and overseas connections, your steps are limited. Titan is the answer to that gap,” she said. Lia Kim also had compelling reasons to join. She admitted being drawn to Han’s conviction when he said boldly, “I want to form a group that surpasses Blackpink and BTS.” That confident gaze, said Lia, was reason enough to believe in the project.

As founders, they’re not relying solely on past glories, but working toward a long-term vision. Titan aims to debut two girl groups, two boy groups, one virtual idol, and solo male and female artists by 2028. With its US base, they’re open to a future IPO on the American stock exchange, though the essence of the company remains rooted in the “K” of K-pop. Han shared that their global recruitment efforts span Hawaii, Manila, and Japan—though in the end, only six of the seven AtHeart members will debut due to health issues affecting one member, Aurora.

AtHeart: An Ambitious Debut with a Global Flavor

AtHeart is the first group formed under Titan Content. Comprised of six teenage girls—Mitch, Nahyun, Kaitlyn, Arin, Bom, and Seohyun—with an average age of 16, the group will release their debut EP Plot Twist on August 13 at 6:00 PM KST. The name AtHeart combines “Heart,” symbolizing love and emotion, with “At,” representing connection—a reflection of their desire to connect with the world through music. The member selection process was thorough to ensure diversity and cross-cultural appeal, including efforts to debut members from key markets like Japan and Southeast Asia.

The decision to debut a girl group first was also strategic. According to Han, “Girl group training periods tend to be shorter than boy groups, and the current industry momentum favors them.” This sentiment was echoed by the other Titan executives. As CPO, Lia Kim personally oversaw the performance development of AtHeart members. She specifically praised Arin as having the strongest performance potential among current girl group trainees. “If Arin didn’t debut, she could’ve been a trainer at 1Million,” Lia said. While technically not every member is perfect, she emphasized that AtHeart shines through their expressive and charismatic stage presence.

As the official debut approaches, public reactions continue to build—both on social media and in the comments section of their pre-debut video uploaded two months ago on their official YouTube channel. The video showcases the group’s early performances and instantly sparked excitement among K-pop fans curious about Titan Content’s first move.

Many comments praised the group’s energy and nostalgic concept. One user wrote:

“They are bringing back 2010s and anime feel and I’m here for it.”

Another praised the members’ individual talents:

“Don’t sleep on these girls… they have the best dancer Arin and Vocalist Bome Katelyn probably most talented K-pop group.”

Other YouTube comments expressed high expectations for AtHeart. One comment liked over 150 times shared enthusiastic support:

“@bisquitelregal: Not gonna lie, their visuals are seriously what caught my eye first—that’s what made me curious about them. Their songs and dances are super catchy too, and the choreography is on point. No one’s overshadowing anyone, everyone gets their center moment, so now I’m really excited to see their live performances. If their live vocals are solid too, then there’s literally no reason not to support them. I really hope their company gives them age appropriate and comfy outfits seriously, don’t overlook this, it’s super important for their safety. Girls, remember that attitude matters a lot as public figures. I can’t wait for your debut rooting for your success, fightinggg!!!”

Two other users chimed in agreement:

“@AFNET12: agree”

“@rmjjbe2: agree… everyone is equally pretty and talented”

However, alongside the praise, some netizens questioned the originality of the group’s concept. Several noted similarities in AtHeart’s name and style to another girl group previously introduced to the public.

Even so, loyal fans were quick to defend AtHeart. One of the most vocal responses came from user @eeio1065:

“@eeio1065: To those who are here just to mock these girls and accuse them of ‘copying’ other groups, leave them alone ‘cuz they did nothing wrong to you. If you don’t like their music, then it’s not intended for you! GO GET A LIFE AND LEAVE OUR GIRLS ALONE.”

This wave of support shows that, despite being at the very beginning of their careers, AtHeart has already captured the attention of fans eager for something fresh in the K-pop scene.

As their debut nears, AtHeart is also gaining buzz from the teaser video for Plot Twist, which features a special appearance by Girls’ Generation’s Choi Sooyoung. Her cameo, shared by her agency Saram Entertainment, has become a hot topic across social media.

K-pop fanbase accounts on Instagram and X have widely reposted the teaser. Netizen reactions have been mixed—some warmly welcomed the cameo, while others criticized Titan’s choice of a name and concept they felt closely resembled a previously delayed trainee group called H2H.

Critical comments included:

“Why does it have to be the same name as H2H?”

“AtHeart comes from a company founded by a former SM CEO? No wonder the group’s name feels familiar—this H2H concept has been around for a while 😌 and the agency even took former SM trainees.”

“H2H’s comeback was postponed, and now there’s this new group with a similar name and heart-themed concept 😂.”

“This group is claiming ties to former SM trainees (attention-seeking), especially since they just went viral for inviting Sooyoung to their MV.”

Still, some neutral or supportive voices emerged, like this comment from @3hanny:

“Why are all these comments so cynical? Sooyoung’s here because Titan Content’s CEO used to be SM’s CEO. Of course, he’d invite Sooyoung to model in their idol group’s MV—they’ve known each other for years. Plus, most of the people at Titan Content are former SM folks anyway.”

Another user offered a sarcastic but discussion-provoking take:

“Maybe they just want to be famous right away.”

Titan Content acknowledges that experience alone doesn’t guarantee success. “Of course, there will be failures—but that’s the nature of the music business: daring to create something new,” said Han. Their focus isn’t on chasing trends, but on pioneering the future. AtHeart marks the first step in a bigger vision: to make K-pop not just a cultural export, but a truly equal and innovative part of the global entertainment landscape.

Sources: MyDaily, Daum