UNIS Comeback Confirmed: Girl Group Remakes B.B's '하늘땅 별땅' On Sept. 8
UNIS will release their first-ever remake single, "Haneulttang Byeolttang" (“Sky, Earth, Stars”), on September 8, the group's agency, F&F Entertainment, confirmed on September 2. The track reimagines a 1997 mega-hit by female duo B.B, bringing a nearly 30-year-old classic to a brand-new generation of listeners.
Hyeonju, Nana, Gehlee, Kotoko, Yunha, Elisia, Yoona, and Seowon will drop the single at noon across all online music sites. It marks UNIS's first remake release since their debut.
A 1990s Classic, Reborn for Gen Z
"Haneulttang Byeolttang" was released in 1997 as the title track of B.B's second album. The song's lyrics were written by Kang Eun-kyung, with music by Lee Kyung-seok. It became one of the defining hits of the late-1990s K-pop era and stayed recognizable for decades.
The track was even remade once before. In 2010, composer Lee Kyung-seok revisited it for his 20th-anniversary project, TWENTYth Urban, with the idol group T-ara performing the new version. That earlier remake shows how the song has stayed part of South Korea's pop-memory landscape.
The new UNIS version keeps the original's catchy melody and bright energy. According to F&F Entertainment's statement, reported by OSEN on September 2, the remake layers the eight members' "kitschy high-teen" charm and a trendy K-pop sound over the classic hook.
The generational gap is part of the story. Every UNIS member was born in the 2000s; none had been born when the song first came out in 1997. The eldest member, Jin Hyeon-ju, was born in 2001 and is just 24. Reviving a hit that predates the singers themselves taps into South Korea's broader retro-K-pop revival trend, where 1990s classics get reworked for young audiences.
Why '하늘땅 별땅' Still Resonates in South Korea
B.B's "하늘땅 별땅" has outlived the duo that made it famous. That earlier remake from T-ara is a sign of its staying power across K-pop generations.
UNIS's remake also rides a bigger wave. Korean acts are leaning hard into remakes right now. Taeyeon released a Korean version of a Japanese song. RIIZE reworked KARA's 2008 hit "Pretty Girl," AllKpop reported in August. That RIIZE remake earned the group its first music show win since its debut.
Streaming platforms are part of the reason. AllKpop notes that services now recommend older songs next to new releases. Short clips also highlight familiar choruses and dance moves.
The result cuts both ways. Older fans hear old favorites through new voices. Younger listeners discover songs that came out before they were born.
Comeback Amid Festival Booking and Contract Questions
The release follows news that UNIS will perform at the 20th Jangsu Hanwoo, Apple, and Red Food Festival. The event runs September 10–13 in Jangsu-gun, North Jeolla Province. UNIS is booked for the festival's second day, September 11, sharing the stage with singers Jeon Jae-myeong, Kim Yeon-ja, and Bae Gi-seong.
The festival stage gives UNIS a live audience just days after the single drops. But the bigger backdrop is the group's contract status. UNIS was formed through the SBS and F&F Entertainment joint audition program "Universe Ticket". They debuted in March 2024 with the mini-album WE UNIS.
Their activity contract with F&F Entertainment runs 2 years and 6 months, with an option to extend by 2 years through mutual agreement. Counting from the March 2024 debut, that initial term runs out around September 2026, which is about right now. The extension window is open, but no decision has been publicly confirmed.
The group has been building momentum heading into that decision. Their first Japan mini-album, UNI☆Sparkle!, reached No. 4 on the Oricon Daily Album Chart and No. 15 on Billboard Japan's Top Album Sales chart. Title track "GimmeSummer☆" also climbed the USEN request rankings.
Fans will get their first listen of "Haneulttang Byeolttang" on September 8, then possibly a live version at the Jangsu festival on September 11. The open question is what comes after, whether UNIS's next chapter continues under F&F Entertainment or takes a new shape.
Photo courtesy: F&F Entertainment