BEAST (B2ST) Members Profile 2026: Bio, Debut, Career Timeline & Latest Updates
BEAST – originally promoted as B2ST and later written simply as BEAST – is the South Korean boy group that now continues its career under the name HIGHLIGHT. The group debuted under Cube Entertainment in 2009, went through two major lineup changes, left Cube after its original contracts ended, and relaunched as HIGHLIGHT in 2017. Today, the active lineup consists of Yoon Doojoon, Yang Yoseob, Lee Gikwang, and Son Dongwoon, with Around Us Entertainment serving as the group’s agency.
The BEAST-to-HIGHLIGHT story is more complicated than a simple name change. The group first had to deal with Jang Hyunseung’s departure in 2016 and then Yong Junhyung’s departure in 2019. In 2024, the four-member HIGHLIGHT regained the right to use the BEAST trademark, but Around Us confirmed that the group’s active name would remain HIGHLIGHT. That distinction is important when researching older BEAST releases alongside the group’s present-day activities.
Quick Overview
| Field | Verified Information |
|---|---|
| Group | BEAST / B2ST; currently HIGHLIGHT |
| Group Type | Boy group |
| Original Agency | Cube Entertainment |
| Current Agency | Around Us Entertainment |
| Current Members | Yoon Doojoon, Yang Yoseob, Lee Gikwang, Son Dongwoon |
| Original Members | Six |
| Current Lineup | Four |
| Original Debut | October 2009 |
| Officially Recognized Debut Date | October 16, 2009 |
| Debut EP | Beast Is the B2ST |
| Debut Title Track | “Bad Girl” |
| Original Fandom | B2UTY |
| Current Official Fan Club | LIGHT |
| HIGHLIGHT Relaunch | March 20, 2017 |
| Current Official Name | HIGHLIGHT |
| BEAST Trademark | Use rights regained in 2024 |
| Latest Original Group Mini Album | From Real to Surreal – April 28, 2025 |
| Latest Group Digital Single | “RAINBOW” – October 16, 2025 |
| Latest Group Release Overall | HIGHLIGHT LIVE 2025 [RIDE OR DIE] – December 18, 2025 digitally; limited physical edition dated December 26 |
| Current Status | Active as HIGHLIGHT |
| Next announced group event as of Sept. 4, 2026 | 2026 HIGHLIGHT FAN CON, October 16–18, Seoul |
The agency’s current HIGHLIGHT profile lists four members and gives their official positions as leader/vocal, main vocal, and vocal. Around Us also continues to publish active group and member schedules in 2026.
Table of Contents
Who Is BEAST / B2ST?
BEAST was introduced by Cube Entertainment in 2009 as a six-member boy group. Before debut, the project was publicly known as B2ST, a name associated with “Boys to Search for Top.” The spelling changed to BEAST around the group’s debut period, although the B2ST styling remained closely associated with the group and its early branding.
What made BEAST unusual for a rookie group was the amount of pre-debut experience already present in the lineup. Lee Gikwang had debuted as the solo artist AJ earlier in 2009; Yoon Doojoon had appeared through JYP’s Hot Blood project; Jang Hyunseung had been part of the televised Big Bang selection process; Yong Junhyung had prior group experience with XING; and Yang Yoseob and Son Dongwoon had spent years training before BEAST’s debut.
That background also explains an important part of BEAST’s early identity: the members entered the group with very different experiences instead of following a single straight trainee-to-debut path.
How BEAST Was Formed
Cube Entertainment began publicizing B2ST in 2009 through the television project MTV B2ST, giving viewers an early look at the members before their formal debut. Contemporary reporting described the group as a six-member Cube project and specifically highlighted the members’ previous entertainment experience.
The members’ pre-debut routes
Yoon Doojoon had trained under JYP Entertainment and appeared on Hot Blood, the reality program associated with the selection process for future 2AM and 2PM members.
Jang Hyunseung had been a contestant in the pre-debut selection process for Big Bang before later debuting with BEAST. He subsequently described that experience in interviews, including a 2015 conversation with TV Report.
Lee Gikwang had already debuted as the solo act AJ in April 2009 before joining BEAST. His later comments about having experienced multiple “debuts” accurately reflect how unusual his early career path was.
Yong Junhyung had prior experience with the project group XING before moving to Cube and becoming part of BEAST.
Yang Yoseob and Son Dongwoon had spent extended periods training before debut. Dongwoon also later said that he had been considered for a JYP project associated with 2PM.
The result was a group whose members already understood different sides of the Korean idol system before BEAST officially arrived.
Official Debut
BEAST’s debut chronology has three dates that are often blended together:
- October 14, 2009: the debut mini album Beast Is the B2ST was released.
- October 15, 2009: BEAST held its debut showcase in Seoul.
- October 16, 2009: the group made its first major television performance on KBS Music Bank with “Bad Girl.”
For that reason, October 16, 2009 is the most useful date to use when a reader asks for BEAST’s official debut date, while October 14 remains the album’s actual release date. Contemporary coverage confirms the sequence, and Around Us has continued to use October 16 in anniversary-related materials.
The debut EP, Beast Is the B2ST, established the group’s early dance-pop/R&B direction and included “Bad Girl,” “Mystery,” and “Oasis.”
BEAST / HIGHLIGHT Members
The current HIGHLIGHT lineup is officially documented by Around Us as four members. The agency’s current profile lists Doojoon as leader and vocal, Yoseob as main vocal, and Gikwang and Dongwoon as vocalists.
| Member | Professional Name | Official Role | Birth Date | Nationality | Verified Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yoon Doojoon | Yoon Doojoon | Leader, Vocal | July 4, 1989 | South Korean | Original BEAST member; current HIGHLIGHT leader |
| Yang Yoseob | Yang Yoseob | Main Vocal | January 5, 1990 | South Korean | Original member; major solo vocalist |
| Lee Gikwang | Lee Gikwang | Vocal | March 30, 1990 | South Korean | Debuted solo as AJ before BEAST |
| Son Dongwoon | Son Dongwoon | Vocal | June 6, 1991 | South Korean | Youngest of the original six; singer and musical performer |
Birth dates and current official roles are taken from Around Us’s current HIGHLIGHT artist profile.
Member-by-Member Profiles
Yoon Doojoon
Yoon Doojoon (윤두준) is the leader of HIGHLIGHT and has held that leadership role since the group’s BEAST years. Around Us currently lists him as Leader, Vocal, with a birth date of July 4, 1989.
His pre-debut history was unusually visible. Doojoon appeared on JYP’s Hot Blood and had been considered for a future idol lineup before joining Cube’s new group. That experience gave him a longer pre-debut public profile than many rookies had in 2009.
Within BEAST, he became one of the group’s most recognizable members while also building a substantial television and acting career. His solo music eventually expanded into the 2020 mini album Daybreak, which Around Us lists as his first mini album.
By 2026, Doojoon’s work remains broader than group music. Around Us was still publishing his individual official activities in July 2026, including promotion around his personal handwritten font project.
Yang Yoseob
Yang Yoseob (양요섭) is HIGHLIGHT’s main vocalist, according to the current Around Us profile. He was born January 5, 1990.
Yoseob entered BEAST after years of training and became one of the central vocalists of the group’s sound. His career has remained particularly music-focused, with a solo catalog that includes 白 (2018) and the full-length Chocolate Box (2021). Around Us’s discography also documents his later solo releases.
His 2026 activity was especially substantial. Around Us announced his third mini album, Unloved Echo, for release on February 9, 2026, with the agency subsequently documenting promotional activities and music-show appearances.
He then carried the project into a dedicated solo concert tour, with Seoul dates on May 30–31 followed by Tokyo, Singapore, and Taipei stops. The agency announced the tour’s conclusion on July 21, 2026.
Lee Gikwang
Lee Gikwang (이기광) was born March 30, 1990 and is officially listed by Around Us as a Vocal member of HIGHLIGHT.
His pre-BEAST career is one of the group’s defining pieces of history. Gikwang debuted as the solo artist AJ in April 2009, only months before BEAST’s group debut. He later described BEAST and HIGHLIGHT as separate major “debut” stages in a career that repeatedly reinvented itself.
That early solo experience developed into a sustained individual music career. Around Us lists his first full album, PREDATOR, in April 2023.
Gikwang has also remained active across entertainment rather than limiting himself to group music. Official agency materials continued documenting his television-related activities into late 2025 and his wider HIGHLIGHT schedule into 2026.
Son Dongwoon
Son Dongwoon (손동운) was born June 6, 1991 and is officially listed as a Vocal member of HIGHLIGHT.
Dongwoon was part of the original BEAST lineup and had trained under JYP before joining Cube. Contemporary coverage of BEAST’s formation notes his long preparation period, while later interviews documented how close he came to a different JYP debut path.
His post-group career has expanded into solo music and musical theatre. Around Us’s discography includes his solo releases Act 1: The Orchestra and Happy Birthday, while agency materials in 2025–2026 also documented his musical activities.
In 2026, he also released the official photo book Pages From, with Around Us publishing the project and related fan events in March and July.
Former BEAST Members
Jang Hyunseung
Jang Hyunseung was one of BEAST’s original six members. Cube announced on April 19, 2016 that he had withdrawn from the group and would focus on solo activities. The agency said BEAST would continue as a five-member group consisting of Doojoon, Gikwang, Yoseob, Junhyung, and Dongwoon.
Yong Junhyung
Yong Junhyung was one of the five members who continued after Hyunseung’s exit and participated in the transition from BEAST to HIGHLIGHT. He later left HIGHLIGHT in March 2019, with Around Us confirming his departure in an official statement.
For a current members profile, these two departures matter mainly because they explain why the lineup moved from six members in 2009 to four today.
The BEAST-to-HIGHLIGHT Name Change
This is the single most important piece of context for readers searching for “B2ST members” today.
After their original Cube Entertainment period ended, the five remaining members established Around Us Entertainment and adopted the new group name HIGHLIGHT. Around Us announced the new name in February 2017 while the members were dealing with a dispute over the rights to the BEAST name.
HIGHLIGHT’s first release under the new identity was the mini album Can You Feel It?, released on March 20, 2017. The agency described it as the group’s new beginning after nine years of BEAST activities.
There was an important later development: in April 2024, Around Us announced that it had reached an agreement with Cube Entertainment allowing HIGHLIGHT to use the BEAST trademark again. The group nevertheless chose to continue active promotions under HIGHLIGHT.
That decision explains an interesting recent development: the four members could once again release material under the BEAST name without abandoning HIGHLIGHT as their active group identity.
Career Timeline
| Year | Career Development |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Cube introduces the six-member B2ST project through MTV B2ST. Beast Is the B2ST is released October 14; showcase follows October 15; television debut arrives October 16 with “Bad Girl.” |
| 2010 | “Shock” gives BEAST its first music-show victory on M! Countdown on March 25. BEAST also wins a Rookie Award at the 25th Golden Disc Awards. |
| 2011 | Fiction and Fact becomes a major career milestone. Circle Chart reported more than 100,000 first-half sales and a No. 3 ranking in the first-half album market. BEAST also wins Best Dance Performance – Male Group at the 2011 MAMA for “Fiction.” |
| 2011 | BEAST expands its Japanese and overseas concert activity, including a 9,500-person concert at Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan as part of the United Cube event. |
| 2016 | Jang Hyunseung leaves the group; BEAST continues as five. |
| 2017 | The five former BEAST members begin promoting as HIGHLIGHT. Can You Feel It? becomes the first mini album under the new group name. |
| 2019 | Yong Junhyung leaves HIGHLIGHT, leaving the quartet that continues today. |
| 2021 | HIGHLIGHT returns with The Blowing after a lengthy group hiatus. |
| 2022 | HIGHLIGHT releases its first full-length album, Daydream, followed by the fourth mini album After Sunset. |
| 2024 | HIGHLIGHT regains the right to use the BEAST trademark but confirms it will continue promoting as HIGHLIGHT. |
| 2025 | Switch On is followed by the sixth mini album From Real to Surreal. HIGHLIGHT also releases the BEAST-branded pre-release “Endless Ending” and the 16th-anniversary digital single “RAINBOW.” |
| 2025–26 | HIGHLIGHT undertakes the RIDE OR DIE Asia tour and releases its live album. |
| 2026 | HIGHLIGHT remains active, with official solo work from several members and a three-day HIGHLIGHT fan concert scheduled for October 16–18 in Seoul. |
Music and Major Releases
The full BEAST discography is extensive, but a few releases are especially useful for understanding the group’s development.
| Release | Type | Release Date | Title Track / Key Song | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beast Is the B2ST | EP | Oct. 14, 2009 | “Bad Girl” | Establishes the original BEAST identity |
| Shock of the New Era | EP | Mar. 2010 | “Shock” | Era in which BEAST earned its first music-show win |
| Mastermind | EP | Sep. 2010 | “Breath” | Shows stronger dramatic dance-pop production |
| Lights Go On Again | EP | Nov. 2010 | “Beautiful” | Part of the group’s rapid 2010 growth |
| Fiction and Fact | Studio album | May 17, 2011 | “Fiction” | Major sales, chart and award milestone |
| Highlight | Studio album | Jul. 3, 2016 | – | Final major BEAST-era full album before HIGHLIGHT |
| Can You Feel It? | EP | Mar. 20, 2017 | “Plz Don’t Be Sad” | First HIGHLIGHT release |
| Daydream | Studio album | Mar. 21, 2022 | “DAYDREAM” | First HIGHLIGHT full-length album |
| Switch On | EP | Mar. 11, 2024 | “BODY” | Preceded 2024 BEAST trademark recovery |
| From Real to Surreal | EP | Apr. 28, 2025 | “Chains” | Sixth HIGHLIGHT mini album; includes “Endless Ending” |
| “RAINBOW” | Digital single | Oct. 16, 2025 | “RAINBOW” | 16th-anniversary release |
| HIGHLIGHT LIVE 2025 [RIDE OR DIE] | Live album | Dec. 18/26, 2025 | Live set | Documents the 2025 concert cycle |
Around Us’s official album archive documents the HIGHLIGHT releases, while Circle Chart provides contemporary context for From Real to Surreal. The BEAST-era Fiction and Fact release date is also independently listed by Apple Music.
Why “Fiction and Fact” still matters
The group’s 2011 era was the clearest point at which BEAST moved from promising rookie to established major act. Circle Chart reported that Fiction and Fact had surpassed 100,000 copies in the first half of 2011, ranking third in the period’s domestic album sales.
At the same time, “Fiction” won Best Dance Performance – Male Group at the 2011 MAMA, while “On Rainy Days” also earned a Music Bank victory during the album’s promotional period.
Taken together, those results show why 2011 is generally the strongest reference point when discussing BEAST’s commercial breakthrough rather than simply listing famous songs.
Major Achievements
First music-show win
BEAST earned its first music-show victory on March 25, 2010, when “Shock” won first place on M! Countdown. The victory came less than six months after debut and is one of the clearest early indicators that the group had quickly moved beyond rookie status.
Rookie recognition
At the 25th Golden Disc Awards in December 2010, BEAST received the Rookie Award.
2011 MAMA award
BEAST won Best Dance Performance – Male Group at the 2011 Mnet Asian Music Awards for “Fiction.”
2011 album performance
Circle Chart’s historical data shows Fiction and Fact exceeded 100,000 sales during the first half of 2011 and placed third among albums in that period.
International expansion
By August 2011, BEAST was already performing at Japan’s Nippon Budokan, where the United Cube concert drew 9,500 attendees for the Japanese date. This is useful historical evidence of the group’s overseas audience well before the HIGHLIGHT era.
Latest Verified Updates
HIGHLIGHT has a confirmed October 2026 fan concert
The most important current group-level update found for this article is the 2026 HIGHLIGHT FAN CON [18년차 아이돌인 내가 이세계에선 데뷔조 연습생?!], officially announced by Around Us on August 26 and updated on September 1, 2026.
The event is scheduled for October 16–18, 2026, at Jangchung Gymnasium in Seoul, with three performances. The theme plays directly with the group’s longevity: HIGHLIGHT is presented as an 18-year veteran group suddenly placed back into the role of debut trainees.
The timing is notable. October 16 is also the date historically associated with BEAST’s 2009 television debut, so the 2026 fan concert effectively sits on the group’s anniversary date.
The latest original group studio release remains From Real to Surreal
Around Us released HIGHLIGHT’s sixth mini album From Real to Surreal on April 28, 2025, with “Chains” as the title track. The album was accompanied by a clear promotional campaign and multiple official fan events.
Before the mini album, the group released “Endless Ending” on April 16, 2025 under the BEAST (HIGHLIGHT) identity. This was made possible by the group’s 2024 agreement concerning the BEAST trademark, while Around Us still kept HIGHLIGHT as the official active group name.
HIGHLIGHT remains active through group and solo schedules
The group released the live project HIGHLIGHT LIVE 2025 [RIDE OR DIE] in December 2025, documenting a 25-song concert set.
In 2026, the individual members have also remained active. Yang Yoseob released Unloved Echo and completed the Fade In Asia tour, while Around Us continued to document Dongwoon’s official projects and other HIGHLIGHT-related schedules.
As of September 4, 2026, I found no official announcement of a new HIGHLIGHT group studio album or comeback beyond the announced fan-con schedule. That is an evidence-based status note rather than a claim that no future release is planned.
What We Verified
The strongest evidence supports the following core facts:
- The group debuted as BEAST, after being introduced publicly as B2ST, under Cube Entertainment in 2009.
- The debut EP was Beast Is the B2ST, released October 14, 2009, with “Bad Girl” as the lead song.
- October 16, 2009 is the group’s established television debut date.
- Jang Hyunseung left in April 2016, reducing BEAST to five members.
- The five continued as HIGHLIGHT in 2017.
- Yong Junhyung later left HIGHLIGHT in March 2019.
- The present official HIGHLIGHT lineup is Doojoon, Yoseob, Gikwang and Dongwoon.
- HIGHLIGHT regained use rights for the BEAST trademark in 2024 but chose to continue promoting as HIGHLIGHT.
- From Real to Surreal was released April 28, 2025.
- “RAINBOW” was released October 16, 2025 as the group’s 16th-anniversary digital single.
- A three-day HIGHLIGHT fan concert is officially scheduled for October 16–18, 2026.
What Is Not Officially Confirmed
A few categories commonly found on generic BEAST profile pages were deliberately excluded because they were not necessary or did not meet the evidence standard for this article.
There is no reliable basis here for presenting future group comebacks, unreleased music, contract negotiations, private finances, relationships, or other personal matters as established facts.
I also avoided repeating old fan-profile statistics such as historical height/weight figures when they were not needed to answer the reader’s actual search intent and were not part of the current agency profile.
One additional caution is worth noting: BEAST and HIGHLIGHT should not be treated as two unrelated groups. The official history, the members’ continuity, and the 2024 trademark agreement establish a direct lineage, but the article should still distinguish the BEAST era from the HIGHLIGHT promotional identity.
Official Accounts and Sources
HIGHLIGHT / Around Us
Official agency:
Around Us Entertainment
HIGHLIGHT artist page:
HIGHLIGHT official artist page
Official Instagram:
@Highlight_AUent on Instagram
Official X/Twitter:
@Highlight_AUent on X/Twitter
Official YouTube:
HIGHLIGHT Official YouTube
Official HIGHLIGHT Shop:
HIGHLIGHT Shop
Japan Official Fan Club:
HIGHLIGHT Japan Official Fanclub
Around Us’s own channel notice confirms the Instagram, X/Twitter and YouTube accounts above.
Sources & References
Primary Sources
Around Us Entertainment – HIGHLIGHT official profile
Confirms current four-member lineup, birth dates and official current positions.
Open the HIGHLIGHT profile
Around Us Entertainment – Artist career/discography
Used to verify group and solo releases, including Daybreak, Daydream, After Sunset, The Blowing, Can You Feel It?, and later projects.
Open the HIGHLIGHT career page
Around Us Entertainment – 6th mini album release notice
Verified the April 28, 2025 release of From Real to Surreal and “Chains.”
Around Us Entertainment – 2025 RIDE OR DIE live release
Verified the live album release.
Around Us Entertainment – 2025 RAINBOW notice
Verified the 16th-anniversary digital single.
Around Us Entertainment – 2026 HIGHLIGHT FAN CON announcement
Verified the October 16–18, 2026 Seoul fan concert and its schedule.
Around Us Entertainment – official online-channel announcement
Verified HIGHLIGHT’s official Instagram, X/Twitter and YouTube addresses.
Chart / Music Sources
Circle Chart – first-half 2011 album sales
Verified Fiction and Fact passed 100,000 sales in the first half of 2011 and ranked third for the period.
Circle Chart – From Real to Surreal
Provided context for the 2025 release and the inclusion of “Endless Ending.”
Apple Music – Fiction and Fact
Independent confirmation of the album’s May 17, 2011 release date.
Apple Music – HIGHLIGHT latest release listing
Used to distinguish the latest overall group release, the 2025 live album, from the latest original studio mini album.
Reputable News / Interviews
Korea JoongAng Daily – BEAST trademark recovery
Used for the 2024 trademark agreement and the group’s decision to continue as HIGHLIGHT.
Soompi – Jang Hyunseung departure
Used to verify the April 2016 lineup change.
Soompi – BEAST to HIGHLIGHT transition
Used to verify the 2017 naming change and the trademark dispute context.
Soompi – Yong Junhyung departure
Used to verify the 2019 lineup change.
Soompi – BEAST first music-show victory
Used to verify the March 25, 2010 “Shock” win.
Soompi – 2011 MAMA results
Used to verify BEAST’s Best Dance Performance – Male Group win for “Fiction.”
Oricon – BEAST at Nippon Budokan
Used to verify the 2011 Japan concert attendance and the group’s early international activity.
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