Vietnamese seven-member boy band Uprize, formed from finalists on the television talent competition “Show It All”, has launched with its debut album “Thăng” and ambitions to reach international audiences. The group matters as Vietnam’s first idol act built on the K-pop model, combining Korean industry expertise with an explicitly Vietnamese musical and cultural identity.

Backed by a joint venture involving SYE, YeaH1 Group and Sony Music, Uprize released “Thăng” in June; it reached the top of Vietnam’s iTunes chart and trended on YouTube Music. Members Leon, Lavm, Dylan, PN, Wônbi, BeX and O.D say they collaborate without rigid roles, intend to sing mainly in Vietnamese, and believe emotion and energy can overcome language barriers.