Writer: Preeti Patil (Mumbai, Maharashtra)
Editor: Divya Sonawane (Pune, Maharashtra)
ASTRO, the group known for their perfect sync and rising popularity, debuted on February 23, 2016, under Fantagio Entertainment. The group originally consisted of six members — JinJin, MJ, Eunwoo, Moonbin, Rocky, and Sanha. Before debuting, they were known as “i-Teen” during their trainee days.
ASTRO also made their acting debut through the web drama To Be Continued, a light-hearted series created to promote the group before their official debut. Over the years, they have won the hearts of many fans and grown into the wonderful idols they are today.
The group’s name, ASTRO, comes from the Spanish word for “star,” symbolizing their wish to dream together with their fans and shine brightly with them. On their debut day, they also revealed their fandom name, “AROHA,” short for ASTRO Hearts All Fans, along with a logo featuring a heart and a triangle intertwined — representing their close bond with fans. Like other fandoms, AROHA also has its own colors: Vivid Plum and Space Violet. A year later, their first official lightstick, featuring a star-shaped logo, was unveiled.
Let’s get to know the members:
JinJin: Leader, Main Rapper, Lead Dancer
JinJin, the group’s leader, is also a songwriter. His members often tease him as a “slow rapper” because he talks slowly. A multitalented artist, he can play the drums and beatbox. He also attended the NY Dance Academy in Ilsan and participated in several dance competitions.
MJ: Main Vocalist
MJ, the oldest member of ASTRO, is also a musical theatre actor. He was cast in the Korean production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in April 2020. He often posts song covers, including “Goodbye” from the K-drama Hotel Del Luna. Known as the “happy virus” of the group, MJ is famous for his fun and chaotic personality.
Cha Eun-Woo: Vocalist, Visual
Eunwoo is well-known to both K-pop and K-drama fans. He has starred in several dramas such as Hit the Top (2017), My ID Is Gangnam Beauty (2018), Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (2019), and the hit True Beauty (2020–21). He has also volunteered at the Nowon Welfare Center for the Blind. In October 2019, he held his first international solo fan meeting, Just One 10 Minute, in Bangkok, Manila, and Kuala Lumpur.
Moonbin: Main Dancer, Lead Vocalist, Center
Moonbin was a child actor before becoming an idol. He appeared in the 2009 hit K-drama Boys Over Flowers as the younger version of Kim Bum’s character. He also starred in web dramas like Moment of 18 (2019) and The Mermaid Prince (2020). Moonbin often posted dance covers of other K-pop groups, with his most popular being ITZY’s Wannabe. Though he once took a hiatus due to health issues, he made a strong comeback in 2020.
Rocky: Main Dancer, Lead Rapper, Vocalist
Known as ASTRO’s “Dancing Machine,” Rocky has helped choreograph many of the group’s performances. He was the runner-up in 1theK’s Dance War, competing against eight other contestants. In 2018, he also appeared on Hit The Stage, a dance competition where K-pop idols team up with professional dancers.
Sanha: Lead Vocalist, Maknae
Yoon San-ha, the youngest member — often called ASTRO’s “evil maknae” — has also explored acting, starring in the 2019 web drama Love Formula 11M. He loves watching cat videos when he feels stressed or can’t sleep.
ASTRO debuted with the mini album “Spring Up”, which had soft and cozy vibes. It featured the title track Hide and Seek and the pre-released single Cat’s Eye (also known as Puss in Boots), which first appeared in their web drama. Four months later, they released their second mini album, “Summer Vibes” with the title track Breathless. The same year, they released their third extended play, “Autumn Story,” with the lead single Confession. This album also included a hidden track, Confession Talk (고백 talk) — an audio message from the members. The red version featured MJ, Moonbin, and Sanha, while the orange version featured JinJin, Eunwoo, and Rocky.
In early 2017, ASTRO completed their seasonal album concept with “Winter Dream,” featuring Should Have Held On (Again) as the title track. Their fourth extended play, “Dream Part 01,” included Baby, followed by “Dream Part 02” with the track Crazy Sexy Cool. As the final part of their “Dream” series, the album also featured a poem by Eunwoo titled “Wish,” hidden thanks to” messages, and Polaroid photos of the members.
In 2018, the group released their special album “Rise Up,” featuring the title track “Always You,” before going on a short hiatus.
After eight months, ASTRO made a comeback with their first full-length album, “All Night”, which earned them their first-ever music show win. Shortly after, they officially debuted in Japan with the mini album Venus, featuring three original Japanese tracks and Japanese versions of Baby, Always You, and All Night. Later that year, they released their sixth mini album, “Blue Flame.”
In 2020, ASTRO released their seventh extended play “Gateway,” with the title track Knock. The same year, they launched their first subunit Bad Idea. The group also released the digital single “No, I Don’t.”
Their most recent comeback was their second full-length album, “All Yours,” featuring the title track One. They also released fan-dedicated songs like One & Only and You & Me for AROHA.
Over the years, ASTRO has earned several awards, including: K-pop Singer Award at the 2016 Korea Cultural Entertainment Awards, the Hallyu Popularity Award at the 2017 Seoul Awards, the New Wave Award at the 2017 Asia Artist Awards, and the Global Hot Trend Award at the 2019 Soribada Best K-Music Awards.
ASTRO has made countless memories with their fans. Despite facing ups and downs, hiatuses, and member absences, their hard work has never gone unnoticed. ASTRO is a dedicated and passionate group that never fails to make their fans proud — so let’s keep cheering for them and showing them love!
Let us know in the comments: What is your favourite track on ASTRO’s albums?
ASTRO as the name say they are truly stars of happiness for everyone who loves to see them and listen their songs their hard work and dedication helps them to achieve the place there they are now and a lot in future if I say my favourite member of astro are should be everyone but I love mj fun and chaotic moments he always gives me motivation to never leave your inner childishness. Eunwoo is the one whom not just singing but most of k stans are fan of his acting too I can surely say his acting skills and that charming looks anyone can fall for him with those. The name of their fandom is so amazing AROHA and the way they think for their fans Is truly commendable so amazing and informative article I really love to know about them more.
This article beautifully captures ASTRO’s journey, growth, and bond with AROHA. Reading about their music, personalities, and milestones really reminds me why they feel so special as a group. Each member shines in their own way, and their dedication truly shows through their work. A very informative and warm read for both old fans and new ones. 💜✨
All Night by ASTRO is a soft, romantic song about wanting to talk to someone you love all night. It gives calm, warm vibes and feels like missing someone late at night and waiting for their call. The song is gentle, emotional, and very comforting to listen to. 💙
Astro like the name suggest lost in cosmos.they are not just band but a feeling each members shine in their own their music, performance,stage dance it’s like theya re perfect in their field.
This personality feature gives such a warm insight into ASTRO’s charm both on and off stage. It’s amazing to see how each member brings their own energy and sincerity into their performances and fan interactions, making them not just musicians but storytellers. Articles like this help fans appreciate the human side of idols — their dedication, teamwork, and passion — which is just as inspiring as their music and stage presence.
Such a well-researched and beautifully written piece on ASTRO. You’ve captured their journey, growth, and bond with AROHA perfectly. A must-read for both new fans and long-time AROHA!
Reading ASTRO’s journey from the beginning reminds me why they mean so much to me and everyone. They’ve been through so much, and yet they still shine like stars. We love you forever 💜
I am not very familiar with Astro but i know Eunwoo and about his dramas. Its really nice to see how the Astro stands out for their warmth, talent, and genuine bond. Their music, personalities, and connection with fans give them a very comforting and positive image.
ASTRO truly live up to their name, spreading happiness through their hard work, talent, and genuine love for their fans, with each member shining in their own unique way. MJ’s fun energy, Eunwoo’s acting and charm, and their bond with AROHA make them impossible not to love.
OMG 😭💜 ASTRO is literally everything! From JinJin’s raps to Eunwoo’s visuals, and Moonbin and Rocky’s dancing—my heart can’t handle it 💖✨ I swear every album is a vibe, and I could listen to All Yours on repeat forever! AROHA forever! 💫🎶
The fact that ‘ASTRO’ comes from the Spanish word for ‘star’ really sums them up perfectly. 🌟
I love how the article highlighted their seasonal album concepts—Winter Dream with ‘Should Have Held On (Again)’ is still such a masterpiece! Also, JinJin being teased as the ‘slow rapper’ despite his crazy skills will never not be funny. Proud to be an Aroha!
I’ve always liked ASTRO’s music, but reading this made me appreciate their personalities even more 💫 They seem genuinely warm and easy going not just polished on stage, but real people with stories and quirks. Makes me want to go back and listen to their songs with fresh ears 🎧
Reading this makes me want to explore their music properly. I knew Eunwoo from dramas but didn’t realize how rich ASTRO’s discography is. Adding them to my playlist!
A heartfelt and well-detailed tribute that beautifully traces ASTRO’s journey, growth, and bond with AROHA. It captures not only their musical evolution but also the individuality of each member, making it a warm celebration of their legacy and hard work.
I originally came here because I’m a huge fan of Cha Eun-woo’s acting in True Beauty and My ID is Gangnam Beauty, but this article really opened my eyes to the rest of the group! I had no idea ASTRO had such a rich history, starting all the way back from their ‘i-Teen’ days and their own web drama.
It’s so impressive to see how multi-talented they are—from Rocky’s choreography skills to MJ’s musical theatre background. The meaning behind the name ‘AROHA’ and the symbolic colors is so thoughtful, and it makes me appreciate the bond they have with their fans even more. I’m definitely going to dive into their ‘Dream’ series and the All Yours album today. Thank you for such a detailed and welcoming introduction to the fandom! 💜🌟”
i really like “Twilight” and “One & Only” – because as the song cover says “Aroha, you are my one & only love” was quite touching when it was recommended to me by spotify when I searched for soft astro songs. ASTRO was the group that first introduced me to the world of K‑pop. It all started when I watched a drama starring Cha Eunwoo—his visuals definitely caught my attention, and before I knew it, I was spending hours watching ASTRO in the beginning. Thanks to them, even though I’m an ARMY now, I still listen to ASTRO’s music every now and then. They were the ones who opened the gate to the world of K‑pop for me, and I’ll always be grateful for that.
Moonbin was my favorite and he will always be. I miss his lovely smile and pure personality 🥺. It still hurts, but his warmth and talent will forever remain a part of why ASTRO means so much to me. I’ll always be grateful to them for opening this journey and for the memories that stay with me.
I’m not an aroha though but have listened to some of their music & a fan of eunwoo though. Article covered their musical journey so beautifully. They’re fun though I’ve watched them on one of the shows once. Every member has his own unique qualities & they blend perfectly in a group 💓