Chile’s emerging boy bands are adapting K-pop’s highly choreographed, group-focused model to create a local pop scene, with Q_ARE among the leading examples. The trend matters because it shows how the global popularity of acts such as BTS is influencing not only audiences but also the way young performers are trained, marketed and brought together in Latin America.

Q_ARE was formed through a casting project in Santiago and combines polished singing and dance routines with Spanish-language songs and Chilean musical influences. The six-member group debuted in 2024 and has built a following through social media and live appearances, while presenting itself as Chilean or Latin pop rather than simply K-pop. Its rise has helped popularise the label “ChisPop”, referring to Chilean pop shaped by K-pop’s performance style.