# SS501
**SS501** (더블에스오공일, pronounced "Double-S Five-Oh-One") is a South Korean boy band formed by [DSP Media](https://www.edgepedia.org/dsp-media), active from 2005 to 2010 as a five-member group and revived in 2025 by three of its original members under the name FIVE O ONE. The original lineup consisted of [Kim Hyun-joong](https://www.edgepedia.org/kim-hyun-joong), Heo Young-saeng, Kim Kyu-jong, Park Jung-min, and Kim Hyung-jun.[1](https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/ss501) The group debuted on June 8, 2005 with the single "Warning" (경고) and became one of the leading second-generation K-pop boy bands, known in Japan as well as Korea for songs such as "Snow Prince," "U R Man," "Love Like This," and "Because I'm Stupid."[2](https://wipi.ai.kr/en/SS501%20discography) • [3](https://news.sbs.co.kr/english/article.do?news_id=N1008085299)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Debut | June 8, 2005, with the single "Warning" (경고) under DSP Media[2](https://wipi.ai.kr/en/SS501%20discography) • [4](https://m.skyedaily.com/pdf_view.html?pdf_url=%2Fdata%2Fskyn_pdf%2F2023%2F20230109%2Fweb%2F20230109-18) |
| Original members | Kim Hyun-joong, Heo Young-saeng, Kim Kyu-jong, Park Jung-min, Kim Hyung-jun[1](https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/ss501) |
| Name meaning | The first "S" stands for Super Star, the second for Singer; "501" means five members forever united as one[4](https://m.skyedaily.com/pdf_view.html?pdf_url=%2Fdata%2Fskyn_pdf%2F2023%2F20230109%2Fweb%2F20230109-18) • [5](https://ss501.jp/profile.html) |
| Group activity span | 2005 to June 2010, when contracts with DSP Media expired; the group has never officially disbanded[2](https://wipi.ai.kr/en/SS501%20discography) |
| Discography | 4 studio albums, 10 EPs, 4 compilation albums, 10 soundtrack albums, 20 video albums, and 21 music videos[2](https://wipi.ai.kr/en/SS501%20discography) |
| Japan debut | "Kokoro," August 1, 2007; Oricon weekly chart No. 10, described by the group's official profile as the first time an Asian group's debut single entered the top 10[5](https://ss501.jp/profile.html) |
| Reunion | Three members (Kim Hyun-joong, Heo Young-saeng, Kim Kyu-jong) regrouped as FIVE O ONE in 2025 for a 20th-anniversary world tour[6](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/ss501-members-reunite-for-special-20-year-anniversary-tour/12462970) |
| Fandom name | Triple S[7](https://librewiki.net/wiki/SS501) |
## Name and formation
The group name encodes its founding idea. According to a Korean profile feature, "SS" stands for "Super Star" and "501" for five members who remain one forever; the group's Japanese official profile adds that the second "S" stands for "Singer."[4](https://m.skyedaily.com/pdf_view.html?pdf_url=%2Fdata%2Fskyn_pdf%2F2023%2F20230109%2Fweb%2F20230109-18) • [5](https://ss501.jp/profile.html) DSP Entertainment, the agency that had earlier launched Fin.K.L and SechsKies, introduced the members to the public from March 2005 through the Mnet rookie discovery program *M! Pick*, which showed their debut preparations and early training.[4](https://m.skyedaily.com/pdf_view.html?pdf_url=%2Fdata%2Fskyn_pdf%2F2023%2F20230109%2Fweb%2F20230109-18)
The group debuted on June 8, 2005 with "Warning" on the cable music channel KMTV's *Show! Music Tank*.[4](https://m.skyedaily.com/pdf_view.html?pdf_url=%2Fdata%2Fskyn_pdf%2F2023%2F20230109%2Fweb%2F20230109-18) At debut the members were positioned as multi-entertainers trained from the start for varied activities beyond music, a contrast with the older practice of groups moving to individual work only after several albums.[8](https://news.nate.com/view/20050823n46083)
## Career, 2005 to 2010
**Early hits.** The first two singles, "Warning" and "Snow Prince" (released December 5, 2005), established the group; "Snow Prince" in particular became a winter signature song that has been revived at year's end ever since, and was later remade by the group MIRAE.[9](https://www.namu.moe/w/2nd%20SS501) • [4](https://m.skyedaily.com/pdf_view.html?pdf_url=%2Fdata%2Fskyn_pdf%2F2023%2F20230109%2Fweb%2F20230109-18) The first studio album, *S.T 01 Now*, followed on November 10, 2006 and peaked at No. 45 on the Korean chart.[2](https://wipi.ai.kr/en/SS501%20discography)
**Japan.** SS501 first performed in Japan in April 2006, on the stage of the [Nippon Budokan](https://www.edgepedia.org/nippon-budokan) at the event marking the launch of the music channel Mnet Japan.[5](https://ss501.jp/profile.html) The Japanese debut single "Kokoro" was released on August 1, 2007 through [Pony Canyon](https://www.edgepedia.org/pony-canyon) and reached No. 10 on the Oricon weekly chart, which the group's official profile describes as the first entry by an Asian group into the top 10 with a debut single.[5](https://ss501.jp/profile.html) Two Japanese studio albums followed: *SS501* (October 24, 2007, No. 20 in Japan) and *All My Love* (May 13, 2009, No. 10).[2](https://wipi.ai.kr/en/SS501%20discography)
**Peak years.** In 2008 the group released the special album *U R Man*, promoted by a three-member unit of [Heo Young-saeng](https://www.edgepedia.org/heo-young-saeng), Kim Kyu-jong, and Kim Hyung-jun while Kim Hyun-joong was acting in the drama *Boys Over Flowers* and Park Jung-min was performing in the musical *Grease*; the unit also recorded "Because I'm Stupid" (내 머리가 나빠서) for that drama's soundtrack.[10](https://www.namu.moe/w/SS501/%EC%9D%91%EC%9B%90%EB%B2%95) • [11](https://www.ilyo.co.kr/?ac=article_view&entry_id=160034) The 2008 single "Deja Vu" and the 2009 mini album *Rebirth* with the title track "Love Like This" marked the group's commercial peak: the mini album reached No. 1 on digital charts soon after release, won first place on KBS *Music Bank*, and sold more than 100,000 copies.[12](https://enews.imbc.com/News/ViewAmp/5685) A 2009 Asia tour took the group to Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Shanghai for the first time, with a warmer response in the Chinese-speaking market than expected.[12](https://enews.imbc.com/News/ViewAmp/5685)
**Hiatus.** The third mini album, *Destination* (May 2010), containing "Love Ya" and "Let Me Be the One," was the group's last release before the break; it was prepared over three months after the Asia tour with the American producer Steven Lee.[13](https://www.soompi.com/article/360397wpp/new-albums-and-singles-preview-2010-may-week-5) • [14](https://www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20260328031800005) When all five members' contracts with DSP Media expired in June 2010, each moved to a different agency, and group activity stopped. The members have consistently emphasized that the group was never officially disbanded.[2](https://wipi.ai.kr/en/SS501%20discography) • [15](https://v.daum.net/v/20250502125324855) Kim Hyung-jun moved to S-Plus Entertainment, and Kim Kyu-jong and Heo Young-saeng to B2M Entertainment.[16](https://www.namu.moe/w/SS501)
## Units and partial reunions
Because the members signed with different companies after 2010, later group activity took the form of units. In January 2016, Heo Young-saeng, Kim Kyu-jong, and Kim Hyung-jun returned as the unit Double S 301 (더블에스301), a name changed from SS501 because of a trademark issue over the original name; Kim Hyun-joong and Park Jung-min were absent, both serving mandatory military service at the time.[11](https://www.ilyo.co.kr/?ac=article_view&entry_id=160034) During SS501's original run, Kim Hyun-joong had served as the group's leader, while Heo Young-saeng leads the Double S 301 unit.[17](https://namu.moe/w/%EA%B9%80%ED%98%84%EC%A4%91%281986%29?from=%EA%B9%80%ED%98%84%EC%A4%91%28SS501%29)
## The 2025 reunion as FIVE O ONE
In May 2025, Kim Hyun-joong's agency Henecia announced that three members, Kim Hyun-joong, Heo Young-saeng, and Kim Kyu-jong, would reunite as the group FIVE O ONE to mark the 20th anniversary of SS501's debut, beginning with a world tour.[6](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/ss501-members-reunite-for-special-20-year-anniversary-tour/12462970) • [3](https://news.sbs.co.kr/english/article.do?news_id=N1008085299) The tour opened with "2025 FIVE O ONE: 20th Anniversary World Tour" at Olympic Hall in Seoul's Olympic Park on July 12 and 13, 2025, the trio's first Seoul concert celebrating the anniversary.[6](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/ss501-members-reunite-for-special-20-year-anniversary-tour/12462970) • [18](https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003645.000011710.html)
The reunion followed years of quiet preparation. According to a Yonhap interview, the five members had met once a year for about five years to discuss resuming activity; a 15th-anniversary attempt in 2020 came to nothing, and the 2025 reunion went ahead with three members. Kim Hyun-joong said the two absent members, Park Jung-min and Kim Hyung-jun, viewed the timing differently, and expressed hope for a future chance for all five to appear together.[14](https://www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20260328031800005) A 2024 report of a full five-member reunion for the anniversary was commented on by Kim Hyun-joong's agency, but the tour that materialized featured three members.[19](https://www.soompi.com/article/1695887wpp/kim-hyun-joongs-agency-briefly-comments-on-report-about-ss501-reunion)
The tour continued through Japan and beyond: NHK Hall in Tokyo (September 5 and 6, 2025), NHK Osaka Hall (January 11 and 12, 2026), AXA Dreamland in Hong Kong (January 31 and February 1, 2026), KBS Arena in Seoul (March 7 and 8, 2026), and PACIFICO Yokohama (May 8 and 9, 2026).[20](https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/ss501-1bd799d4.html) Setlists have centered on the group's catalog, opening with "U R Man" and including "Snow Prince," "Deja Vu," "Love Ya," and "Love Like This."[20](https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/ss501-1bd799d4.html) A new studio album, *Set it Off*, was released on March 7, 2026 under Henecia and Kakao Entertainment, the group's first Korean studio album since *S.T 01 Now* in 2006.[2](https://wipi.ai.kr/en/SS501%20discography)
## Place in second-generation K-pop
SS501 is counted among the representative groups of K-pop's second generation, alongside TVXQ, Super Junior, and BIGBANG, and is regularly listed with a debut date of June 8, 2005 in generational surveys of the field.[21](https://kpopdiscover.com/ja/generations/2nd/) • [22](https://www.repositorio.jesuita.org.br/bitstream/handle/UNISINOS/12411/J%C3%BAlia%20Fauth%20da%20Motta.pdf?sequence=1) Contemporary accounts placed the group in direct comparison with TVXQ, and retrospective commentary describes the group at its peak as standing level with TVXQ and [Super Junior](https://www.edgepedia.org/super-junior).[8](https://news.nate.com/view/20050823n46083) • [23](https://thebiaslist.com/2019/06/16/random-shuffle-review-ss501-deja-vu/) The group's early and sustained work in Japan, beginning with the 2006 Budokan stage and the 2007 Oricon top-10 debut single, is cited as part of the first wave of K-pop boy groups building audiences there before the industry had a system for it.[5](https://ss501.jp/profile.html) • [24](https://kpopdiscover.com/en/groups/ss501/)
## References
1. [SS501 Concert & Tour History, Concert Archives](https://www.concertarchives.org/bands/ss501)
2. [SS501 discography, WIPIVERSE](https://wipi.ai.kr/en/SS501%20discography)
3. ['20th Anniversary' SS501 Kim Hyun-joong·Heo Young-saeng·Kim Kyu-jong Make a Reunion, SBS World News](https://news.sbs.co.kr/english/article.do?news_id=N1008085299)
4. [SS501 프로필, Sky Daily (2023년 1월 9일)](https://m.skyedaily.com/pdf_view.html?pdf_url=%2Fdata%2Fskyn_pdf%2F2023%2F20230109%2Fweb%2F20230109-18)
5. [PROFILE, SS501 Official Fan Site](https://ss501.jp/profile.html)
6. [SS501 members reunite for special 20 year anniversary tour, The Korea JoongAng Daily](https://www.koreajoongangdaily.com/entertainment/ss501-members-reunite-for-special-20-year-anniversary-tour/12462970)
7. [SS501, Libre Wiki](https://librewiki.net/wiki/SS501)
8. [<인터뷰> 가요계의 전설 꿈꾸는 SS501, 네이트 뉴스 (2005)](https://news.nate.com/view/20050823n46083)
9. [2nd SS501, Namu Wiki](https://www.namu.moe/w/2nd%20SS501)
10. [SS501/응원법, Namu Wiki](https://www.namu.moe/w/SS501/%EC%9D%91%EC%9B%90%EB%B2%95)
11. [SS501 허영생 김규종 김형준 3인조 컴백…김현중 박정민 제외 이유는?, 일요신문 (2016)](https://www.ilyo.co.kr/?ac=article_view&entry_id=160034)
12. [SS501, 금주 국내 방송활동 마무리, iMBC 연예 (2009)](https://enews.imbc.com/News/ViewAmp/5685)
13. [New Albums And Singles Preview - 2010 May Week 5, Soompi](https://www.soompi.com/article/360397wpp/new-albums-and-singles-preview-2010-may-week-5)
14. [20주년에 뭉친 SS501 3人…"팬들과 천천히 돛단배처럼 항해를", 연합뉴스 (2026)](https://www.yna.co.kr/amp/view/AKR20260328031800005)
15. [SS501 members reunite as Five O One, Daum](https://v.daum.net/v/20250502125324855)
16. [SS501, Namu Wiki](https://www.namu.moe/w/SS501)
17. [김현중(1986), Namu Wiki](https://namu.moe/w/%EA%B9%80%ED%98%84%EC%A4%91%281986%29?from=%EA%B9%80%ED%98%84%EC%A4%91%28SS501%29)
18. [SS501メンバーによるユニットFIVE O ONE、世界ツアーがスタート！, ぴあ株式会社プレスリリース](https://prtimes.jp/main/html/rd/p/000003645.000011710.html)
19. [Kim Hyun Joong's Agency Briefly Comments On Report About SS501 Reunion, Soompi](https://www.soompi.com/article/1695887wpp/kim-hyun-joongs-agency-briefly-comments-on-report-about-ss501-reunion)
20. [SS501 Concert Setlists, setlist.fm](https://www.setlist.fm/setlists/ss501-1bd799d4.html)
21. [第2世代K-popグループ一覧, KPOP DISCOVER](https://kpopdiscover.com/ja/generations/2nd/)
22. [Júlia Fauth da Motta, K-pop and the second generation of idols (thesis)](https://www.repositorio.jesuita.org.br/bitstream/handle/UNISINOS/12411/J%C3%BAlia%20Fauth%20da%20Motta.pdf?sequence=1)
23. [Random Shuffle Review: SS501 – Deja Vu, The Bias List (2019)](https://thebiaslist.com/2019/06/16/random-shuffle-review-ss501-deja-vu/)
24. [SS501 profile in English, KPOP DISCOVER](https://kpopdiscover.com/en/groups/ss501/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Music › Music scenes › East and Southeast Asian pop scenes › K-pop and the Korean popular music scene › Artists, groups, and people: K-pop and the Korean popular music scene › First- and second-generation idol groups and 1990s dance acts › Surnames K to S*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license