dearALICE : The British Trailblazers Taking The Pop World by Storm

Photography Massimiliano Giorgeschi

Styling Adele Cany @StellaCreativeArtists

Grooming Skincare: Shamirah Sairally

Grooming Hair Styling: Sandra Hadi

Styling assistant Savannah Morgan Jones

Styling assistant My Olsson Paljkin

Photography Assistant Isabella Armora

Words: Adina Ilie

Breaking barriers and defying expectations, dearALICE isn’t just stepping into the pop scene—they’re reshaping it.

Forget everything you thought you knew about basic pop music. dearALICE isn’t just joining the conversation—they’re kicking down the door. The group—Blaise Noon, Dexter Greenwood, Olly Quinn, James Sharp, and Reese Carter—has ignited international buzz with their fusion of British pop originality and razor-sharp K-Pop performance precision.

Pop groups rarely follow the path dearALICE has taken. They took on the notoriously intense Korean idol training system, emerged sharper, hungrier, and more unstoppable than ever, and now they’re making their play for the global stage. Chronicled in the BBC docuseries Made in Korea, their rise has been anything but conventional—but that’s exactly what makes them so damn compelling.

Their launch comes under an unprecedented partnership between LA-based media and tech powerhouse gamma., Korean entertainment giant Kakao Entertainment, and SM Entertainment—the force behind aespa, RIIZE, NCT, and EXO—signalling a seismic shift in cross-cultural collaboration.

Now, with their debut single Ariana OUT NOW, dearALICE sits down with FAULT to talk about their whirlwind journey, navigating two industries, and what makes them tick—FAULTs and all.

What was your background before stepping into the uncharted territory of Made in Korea?
dearALICE: We come from different backgrounds, but we all had experience in singing and dancing before making the leap into K-pop. It was a whole new world for us. Adjusting to the industry was intense, and while it took a minute to find our footing, we embraced the culture and the challenge head-on.

Top: Gant

How does K-pop training compare to your experiences in the UK?
dearALICE: The biggest difference is the approach. In the UK, artists are encouraged and built up, while in Korea, the system breaks you down and reshapes you into a performer. Praise is rare, which pushes us to constantly level up. It’s brutal at times, but looking back, we wouldn’t have gotten this far without that pressure. If we hadn’t gone through that, there’s no way we would’ve made it to Episode Six of Made in Korea.

Jumper: Pleasing
Trousers: Mango
Trainers: Converge
Jacket: Ark/8

How did appearing on Made in Korea shape your journey?
dearALICE:: It’s like being thrown in at the deep end. We were living with people we’d never met before, training non-stop—it felt like a social experiment. There was a moment early on when things weren’t clicking, and we all thought, “What have we gotten ourselves into?” Five strangers, on the other side of the world, chasing the same dream. But by the end of our time in Korea, we weren’t just a band—we were best mates, brothers. That experience bonded us in a way nothing else could.

Jacket: Puma
Cap: The MILF Wellness Club

How does your management support you as a group in navigating both Western and Asian markets?
dearALICE: We’re lucky to have a team that understands both worlds. SM Entertainment operates in the UK, LA, and Korea, which means we’re not tied to just one market. We can keep our British identity while still being deeply connected to the Korean industry. There’s no roadmap for what we’re doing, so having a management team that gets both cultures is crucial.

Jumper: Tommy Hilfiger
Trousers: Dsquared2

What is the story behind your debut single Ariana?
dearALICE: Ariana is a really special track for us. It’s written from the perspective of a boyfriend whose girlfriend is completely infatuated with social media. The song captures that feeling of being overshadowed by an idealised version of someone who doesn’t even know you exist. It’s got an electronic beat, a stadium-chanting chorus, and a ton of energy, making it the perfect debut track to introduce who we are.

Jacket: Levi’s
Vest: Hugo

How did the song come about?

dearALICE:It was originally written as a duet with a female vocal, but when we heard it, we knew it had potential as a full-band song. We worked on it, removed the female part, and made it something uniquely ours. It’s interesting, too, because fans have been interpreting it in different ways. Some see it as an LGBTQ+ anthem, others as a broader statement of fame and obsession. We love that—it means people are connecting with it in their own way.

Where do you see yourselves going from here?
dearALICE: The dream? World domination. But right now, we’re focused on building momentum—dropping singles, working on an EP, and keeping the content coming. Fans have been waiting, and we’re finally ready to give them everything we’ve been working on. It’s all about maintaining that energy and letting the music do the talking.

Do you feel pressure as the first British K-pop-inspired band?
dearALICE: It’s more exciting than anything. There’s no playbook for what we’re doing, so we’re figuring things out as we go. That means trial and error, but it also means creative freedom—we get to shape our own sound, our own image, and our own identity. It’s a little terrifying, but it’s also the best part of the journey.

Looking back, how do you feel about your journey so far?
dearALICE: Imposter syndrome is real. We’ve had those moments—standing backstage before a huge performance, thinking, “How did we get here?” But the second we step onto the stage, it all makes sense. Whether we’re in a tiny rehearsal room or in front of thousands, we know this is exactly where we’re meant to be.

What is your FAULT?
Reese: I can be a bit impulsive at times. I’m working on having more patience.
Dexter: I tend to overthink. I’m trying to be more present.
Blaise: I can be overcritical of myself. I need to practise more kindness.
James: I don’t think people are faulty. We’re all perfect the way that we are. There are no faults as long as you’re being authentic.

Olly: I am impatient, which makes me efficient and focused on quick results, but I get frustrated when things take longer than expected.

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