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South Korean girl groups refer to the all-female idol groups who are part of the K-pop industry. Korean girl groups have aided in the globalization of Korean culture. First generation girl groups S.E.S. and Fin.K.L are cited to have laid the groundwork for the Hallyu wave in the 2000s.[1] However, the Jeogori Sisters and The Kim Sisters, the first South Korean group to succeed in the United States, have also been noted as the origins of South Korean girl groups.[1][2] The Pearl Sisters also introduced an emphasis on performance, a change from the music-centered performances.[1] In 2009, Wonder Girls' "Nobody" entered Billboard Hot 100, the first K-pop song to do so.[3] The growth of girl groups has led to more opportunities for female idols to have more creative input and control, such as (G)I-dle being directly involved in the creative process, in comparison to Girls' Generation receiving their first writing credit in 2011, four years after debut.[4]

Generation 1

South Korean girl groups that debuted in 1997 to 2002, arranged in alphabetical order.

Best-selling generation 1 South Korean girl groups
Group Duration Members Notable singles Best-selling album
Baby Vox 1997–2006
  • "Ya Ya Ya" (1998)
  • "Get Up" (1999)
  • "Killer" (1999)
  • "Why" (2000)
  • "Betrayal" (2000)
  • "DDoll" (2001)
  • "Coincidence" (2002)
  • "What Should I Do" (2003)
 Come Come Come Baby (1999)
Fin.K.L
  • 1998–2005
  • 2019
White (1999)
S.E.S.
  • 1997–2002
  • 2016–17
Love (1999)

Other girl groups

Generation 2

South Korean girl groups that debuted in 2003 to 2011, arranged in alphabetical order.

Best-selling generation 2 South Korean girl groups
Group Duration Members / sub-units Notable singles Best-selling album
2NE1 2009–15
2NE1 (2009)[5]
4Minute 2009–16
2Yoon
  • "Hot Issue" (2009)[b]
  • "Muzik" (2009)[b]
  • "What a Girl Wants" (2009)[b]
  • "HuH" (2010)[b]
  • "I My Me Mine" (2010)[b]
  • "Heart to Heart" (2011)[b]
  • "Mirror Mirror" (2011)[b]
  • "Volume Up" (2012)[b]
  • "What's Your Name" (2013)[a]
  • "Is It Poppin'?" (2013)[b]
  • "Gain Weight" (2014)[b]
  • "Whatcha Doin' Today" (2014)[a]
  • "Crazy" (2015)[b]
 Volume Up (2012)
After School
  • 2009–15
  • 2021
Virgin (2011)[6]
Apink Since 2011
  • Apink BnN
  • Apink Chobom
Pink Memory (2015)
Brave Girls
  • 2011–13
  • 2016–18
  • 2020–23
  • Eunyoung
  • Seo-a
  • Yejin
  • Yoojin
  • Hyeran
  • Hayun
  • Minyoung
  • Yujeong
  • Eunji
  • Yuna
Summer Queen (2021)
Brown Eyed Girls
  • 2006–15
  • 2019
Sound-G (2009)
f(x)
  • 2009–16
  • 2019
Pinocchio (2011)[7][8]
Girl's Day
  • 2010–15
  • 2017–18
  • "Twinkle Twinkle" (2011)[b]
  • "Expect" (2013)[b]
  • "Female President" (2013)[b]
  • "Please Tell Me" (2013)[b]
  • "Something" (2014)[b]
  • "Darling" (2014)[a]
  • "I Miss You" (2014)[b]
  • "Ring My Bell" (2015)[b]
  • "I'll Be Yours" (2017)[b]
 Love (2015)[9]
Girls' Generation
  • 2007–17
  • 2021–22
The Boys (2011)
Kara
  • 2007–15
  • 2022–23
Step (2011)
Miss A
  • 2010–13
  • 2015
A Class (2011)
Secret 2009–14
Moving in Secret (2011)[10]
Sistar 2010–17
Sistar19
  • "Push Push" (2010)[b]
  • "Shady Girl" (2010)[b]
  • "How Dare You" (2010)[b]
  • "So Cool" (2011)[a]
  • "Alone" (2012)[a]
  • "Loving U" (2012)[a]
  • "Give It to Me" (2013)[a]
  • "Touch My Body" (2014)[a]
  • "I Swear" (2014)[a]
  • "Shake It" (2015)[a]
  • "I Like That" (2016)[a]
  • "Lonely" (2017)[a]
 So Cool (2011)[11]
T-ara
  • 2009–17
  • 2020–22
Funky Town (2012)[12]
Wonder Girls 2007–17
The Wonder Years (2007)

Other girl groups

Generation 3

South Korean girl groups that debuted in 2012 to 2017, arranged in alphabetical order.

Best-selling generation 3 South Korean girl groups[g]
Group Duration Members / sub-units Notable singles Platinum-certified albums[13]
AOA 2012–19
Blackpink Since 2016
EXID
  • 2012–20
  • 2022
SoljiHani
GFriend 2015–21
I.O.I 2016–17
Mamamoo Since 2014
Mamamoo+
Momoland 2016–23
Oh My Girl Since 2015

Oh My Girl Banhana

Red Velvet Since 2014
Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi
Twice Since 2015
MiSaMo

Other girl groups

Generation 4

South Korean girl groups that debuted since 2018, arranged in alphabetical order.

Best-selling generation 4 South Korean girl groups[y]
Group Duration Members Notable singles Platinum-certified albums[13]
(G)I-dle Since 2018
Aespa Since 2020
Itzy Since 2019
Ive Since 2021
Iz*One 2018–21
Kep1er 2022–24
  • Yujin
  • Xiaoting
  • Mashiro
  • Chaehyun
  • Dayeon
  • Hikaru
  • Huening Bahiyyih
  • Youngeun
  • Yeseo
Le Sserafim Since 2022
NewJeans Since 2022
  • Minji
  • Hanni
  • Danielle
  • Haerin
  • Hyein
Nmixx Since 2022
  • Lily
  • Haewon
  • Sullyoon
  • Bae
  • Jiwoo
  • Kyujin
  • Jinni (former)
STAYC Since 2020
  • Sumin
  • Sieun
  • Isa
  • Seeun
  • Yoon
  • J

Other girl groups

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca Number-one song on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds dt du dv dw dx dy dz ea eb ec ed ee ef eg eh ei ej ek el em en eo ep eq er es et eu ev ew ex ey ez fa fb fc fd fe ff fg fh fi fj fk fl fm fn fo fp Top-ten song on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar Top-ten song on Japan's Oricon Singles Chart.
  4. ^ Number-one song on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart and Japan's Oricon Singles Chart.
  5. ^ a b c Top-ten song on South Korea's Circle Digital Chart and Japan's Oricon Singles Chart.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Number-one song on Japan's Oricon Singles Chart.
  7. ^ Girl groups that have a million-seller single on Gaon Digital Chart or Circle Digital Chart.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v The song is certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.
  9. ^ The song is certified 2× Platinum by the Korea Music Content Association; Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association; Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan, Recording Industry Association of America, France's Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique, and the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry; and Silver by the British Phonographic Industry.
  10. ^ The song is certified Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association and the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry, Gold by Italy's Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana and Portugal's Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa, and Silver by the British Phonographic Industry.
  11. ^ The song is certified Platinum by the Korea Music Content Association, the Australian Recording Industry Association, and the Recording Industry Association of Japan; Gold by France's Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique, Portugal's Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa, and the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry; and Silver by the British Phonographic Industry.
  12. ^ The song is certified 2× Platinum by Music Canada; Platinum by the Korea Music Content Association, the Australian Recording Industry Association, and the Recording Industry Association of Japan; Gold by France's Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique, Portugal's Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa, and the Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry; and Silver by the British Phonographic Industry.
  13. ^ a b c Top-ten song on the Billboard Global 200 and South Korea's Circle Digital Chart.
  14. ^ The song is certified Platinum by the Australian Recording Industry Association and Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan, Music Canada, and IFPI Norway.
  15. ^ The song is certified Platinum by the Korea Music Content Association and the Recording Industry Association of Japan, and Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association.
  16. ^ a b Number-one song on the Billboard Global 200.
  17. ^ a b The song is certified Platinum by Music Canada, and Gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association and the Recording Industry Association of Japan.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l The song is certified Platinum by the Korea Music Content Association.
  19. ^ a b Top-ten song on the K-pop Hot 100.
  20. ^ a b The song is certified Silver by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.
  21. ^ a b c d e f g h The song is certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.
  22. ^ a b c The song is certified Platinum by the Korea Music Content Association and the Recording Industry Association of Japan.
  23. ^ a b The song is certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan and Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
  24. ^ Formerly known as Elris
  25. ^ Girl groups that have multiple platinum-certified albums from Korea Music Content Association.
  26. ^ The song is certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of Japan and the Recording Industry Association of America.
  27. ^ Top-ten song on the Billboard Global 200.
  28. ^ Originally a sub-unit group of Loona in 2017

References

  1. ^ a b c Park, Jin-hai (May 22, 2018). "History of Korean girl groups revisited". The Korea Times. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  2. ^ "A Brief History of K-pop". The Los Angeles Film School.
  3. ^ Bell, Crystal (May 24, 2022). "2NE1 to BlackPink: How K-Pop's Girl Groups Took Over The World". Nylon. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  4. ^ Daly, Rhian (August 18, 2022). "New generations: SNSD, NewJeans and the evolution of K-pop girl groups". NME. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  5. ^ "ː YG LIFE BLOG". July 18, 2011. Archived from the original on July 18, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  6. ^ "gaon chart". August 10, 2014. Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  7. ^ "국내 대표 음악 차트 가온차트!". gaonchart.co.kr. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  8. ^ "국내 대표 음악 차트 가온차트!". gaonchart.co.kr. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  9. ^
  10. ^ "국내 대표 음악 차트 가온차트!". gaonchart.co.kr. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  11. ^ "gaon chart". 2015-07-09. Archived from the original on 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  12. ^ "국내 대표 음악 차트 가온차트!". gaonchart.co.kr. Retrieved 2018-05-11.
  13. ^ a b "Circle Chart Album Certifications". Retrieved January 12, 2024.
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