Hanteo Rewind 2025 Says TXT, ENHYPEN, BOYNEXTDOOR, and CORTIS Are the Next Boy Group Tier

Hanteo Chart used its April 10 release of Hanteo Rewind: 2025 Chapter 2 to argue that the next power tier in boy group K-pop is already here, with TXT, ENHYPEN, BOYNEXTDOOR, and CORTIS positioned as the main case studies. According to Hanteo News, the chapter tracks 2025 album sales, digital performance, and tour scale to show how each act is building on the global market that BTS cracked open first. That framing matters because Hanteo is not just recapping fandom noise. It is packaging certified sales data and platform-level growth signals into a cleaner industry story about who is actually converting buzz into measurable momentum. For fourth and fifth generation watchers, this reads less like a history lesson and more like a scoreboard, especially with 2026 already turning into a race over who can sustain numbers across every lane at once.

Hanteo says the full Hanteo Rewind: 2025 project will roll out across five chapters, with new installments arriving every Friday at 6 PM KST, according to the release plan published by Hanteo News. Chapter 1 centered on BTS and the global expansion era. Chapter 2 shifts the lens to the acts now fighting over what comes next. That is a smart editorial pivot. BTS remains the genre's defining benchmark, but 2026 K-pop is really about which younger groups can hold scale across albums, streaming, and real-world touring at the same time. Hanteo is clearly betting that TXT, ENHYPEN, BOYNEXTDOOR, and CORTIS belong in that conversation.

Why Hanteo put TXT, ENHYPEN, BOYNEXTDOOR, and CORTIS in one lane

Hanteo frames Chapter 2 around what it calls the continuation of BTS's lane, but the more useful read is that these four acts represent different versions of next-generation scale. TXT already has the seniority, catalog depth, and arena-grade profile to feel like the safest pick in the group, especially after TXT's April comeback rollout reminded everyone how disciplined BigHit's release machine still is. ENHYPEN sits in a more aggressive performance lane, and their latest Seoul sellout story made the touring argument for them before Hanteo even published this chapter. BOYNEXTDOOR brings a more conversational, personality-driven identity, while CORTIS represents the newer upside play. According to Hanteo News, the common denominator is measurable growth across albums, digital metrics, and live reach, which is exactly the trio of categories labels now need to win together.

TXT still looks like the clearest benchmark in this pack

TXT feels like the stabilizer in Hanteo's lineup because the group already operates with the polish of a top-tier legacy act while still fitting the next-generation label. The five-member group has spent the last few years proving it can scale beyond the shadow of BTS, and Hanteo's choice to place TXT at the front of the chapter is not subtle. It signals who the platform sees as the most complete bridge between fourth-generation credibility and broad market durability. We have been tracking that shift for a while, and it is hard to argue with the logic. TXT has the sales base, the international recognition, and the release consistency to make every comparison feel less hypothetical. If Hanteo wanted one act to anchor the chapter's thesis before moving into the wider field, TXT was the obvious call, according to the official Hanteo News framing and the group's recent comeback cycle under BigHit Music.

ENHYPEN and BOYNEXTDOOR show two different ways to build real scale

ENHYPEN and BOYNEXTDOOR matter here because they are growing through very different strengths. ENHYPEN continues to look like the more visibly global performance brand, with touring demand and event-scale intensity doing a lot of the heavy lifting, while Belift Lab keeps tightening the group's premium positioning. BOYNEXTDOOR, by contrast, is building through relatability, fast-rising visibility, and a tone that feels lighter on mythology and heavier on direct audience connection. That split is useful. Not every next-generation winner has to scale the same way, and Hanteo's data-first framing leaves room for multiple growth models inside one chapter. BOYNEXTDOOR's inclusion also lands well with the group's broader 2026 visibility, including its new regular Japanese TV foothold. If TXT looks like the polished benchmark, ENHYPEN and BOYNEXTDOOR look like two very different proofs that the market underneath that benchmark is getting crowded fast.

CORTIS is the wildcard that makes this report feel current

CORTIS is the inclusion that gives Chapter 2 actual forward tension. TXT and ENHYPEN are already established enough that their presence feels expected, and BOYNEXTDOOR has been climbing long enough to fit the same logic. CORTIS changes the energy because the group reads like a bet on where fan attention and industry infrastructure could be heading next, not just where they have already landed. That is the value of Hanteo doing this as an annual report instead of a pure awards recap. It can use current data to make a future-facing argument. According to the official chapter summary surfaced through Hanteo News, CORTIS belongs in this set because the growth pattern is already visible in the numbers. Whether that translates into the same long-term staying power as the other names is still open, but the point of the report is that the market has started taking the possibility seriously.

What this means for the 2026 boy group race

Hanteo's Chapter 2 is really a framing device for the rest of the year. It tells labels, fans, and advertisers which names are already winning enough across certified sales, digital activity, and live footprint to be treated like the next major competitive block. That does not mean the story is settled. Another comeback, a breakout single, or a major tour leg can still change the hierarchy fast. But as a snapshot, the report is sharp. It says the post-BTS expansion era is no longer an abstract idea. It already has faces, numbers, and market tiers attached to it. TXT looks like the current benchmark, ENHYPEN looks like the most forceful live-scale challenger, BOYNEXTDOOR looks like a fast-rising culture play, and CORTIS looks like the speculative upside name. Hanteo has basically drawn the board early, and now the rest of 2026 gets to test whether that read holds.