H.O.T. was a South Korean boy band that was created by SM Entertainment in 1996. They are considered to be the first K-pop idol group and their successful formula became the model for many K-pop groups that followed them. The group consisted of five members: Moon Hee-joon, Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony Ahn, Kangta, and Lee Jae-won.
H.O.T. sold over 6.4 million records in South Korea during their career. They were also commercially successful in China and Taiwan, and were among the first stars of the Korean Wave in Asia.
The group broke up in 2001 following a contract disagreement with SM Entertainment, prompting hundreds of fans to stage protests against the company.
Currently, only Kangta, an executive of SM Entertainment, remains at the company.