The following is a list of South Korean idol musical bands. This includes a list of boy bands and girl groups, organized by year of debut.
Idol bands in South Korea started to appear after the success of Seo Taiji and Boys, whose debut in 1992 is considered a turning point in the history of Korean popular music. [1] [2] 2012 was a record year in K-pop in terms of number of rookie artists: 33 male groups and 38 girl groups debuted. [3] [4]
A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform love songs marketed towards girls and young women. Many boy bands dance as well as sing, usually giving highly choreographed performances. South Korean boy bands usually also have designated rappers.
Teen pop is a subgenre of pop music that is created, marketed and oriented towards preteens and teenagers. Teen pop incorporates different subgenres of pop music, as well as elements of R&B, dance, electronic, hip hop and rock, while the music of girl groups, boy bands, and acts like Britney Spears, is sometimes referred to as pure pop. Typical characteristics of teen pop music include Auto-Tuned or pitch-corrected vocals, choreographed dances, emphasis on visual appeal, lyrics focused on love, relationships, dancing, partying, friendship, puppy love and repeated chorus lines. Its lyrics also incorporate sexual innuendo. Teen pop singers often cultivate an image of a girl next door/boy next door.
K-pop, short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, rock, jazz, gospel, reggae, electronic dance, folk, country, disco, and classical on top of its traditional Korean music roots. The term "K-pop" became popular in the 2000s, especially in the international context. The Korean term for domestic pop music is gayo, which is still widely used within South Korea. While "K-pop" can refer to all popular music or pop music from South Korea, it is colloquially often used in a narrower sense for any Korean music and artists associated with the entertainment and idol industry in the country, regardless of the genre.
JYP Entertainment Corporation is a South Korean multinational entertainment and record label conglomerate founded in 1997 by J. Y. Park. It is one of the largest entertainment companies in South Korea, and operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management company, concert production company, and music publishing house. In addition, the company operates various subsidiary ventures and divisions worldwide.
Groove Over Dose, known by the acronym g.o.d, is a South Korean boy band formed by SidusHQ. Debuting in 1999, the group became one of the most popular boy bands of the early 2000s in South Korea. The members had gone on to solo careers in the entertainment industry after indefinitely discontinuing group activity in 2005 following the departure of a member. However, they regrouped as a quintet and made a comeback in July 2014. Although the group is largely known for their "story telling" lyrical style and signature blend of R&B and rap, their repertoire features a diverse array of genres ranging from hip hop to funk.
Highlight is a South Korean boy band formerly known as Beast. The band consists of four members: Yoon Doo-joon, Yang Yo-seob, Lee Gi-kwang, and Son Dong-woon. Originally a six-piece band, Jang Hyun-seung departed from the group in April 2016, and Yong Jun-hyung departed in March 2019. In late 2016, the group moved labels from Cube Entertainment to Around Us Entertainment and subsequently changed their name to Highlight in 2017.
Nicole Yongju Jung, referred to as Nicole, is an American singer based in South Korea. She is a member of South Korean girl group Kara. Her solo debut mini album, First Romance, was released on November 19, 2014.
B1A4 (Korean: 비원에이포) is a South Korean boy band formed by WM Entertainment. The group debuted on April 23, 2011 with the single "O.K" from the EP Let's Fly, after being introduced to the public through a webtoon. They have released nine studio albums and seven EPs, as well as four compilation albums. The group had considerable commercial and critical success in both the Korean and Japanese markets. They have also toured in the United States.
Jang Hyun-seung most often credited as Hyunseung, is a South Korean singer. He is best known as a former member of the boy group Beast. With Beast, he has released singles and albums in both Korean and Japanese. Beast won the Artist of the Year (Daesang) award at the Melon Music Awards in 2011.
Lee Ho-yang, known professionally as Shinsadong Tiger, is a South Korean music producer and songwriter. Even after debuting in 2001 at the age of 18, he has worked many odd jobs to fund his music career. He has become a prominent figure in the Korean pop music industry and is responsible for a number of popular songs. In 2010, he was named the "New Generation Producer" at the 18th Korean Culture Entertainment Awards, and in 2011 he was named as one of the most influential figures in the South Korean music industry by OSEN. Lee has also started his own label, AB Entertainment, in which he has debuted his own girl group, EXID.
An idol refers to a type of celebrity working in the field of K-pop in fandom culture in South Korea, either as a member of a group or as a solo act. K-pop idols are characterized by the highly manufactured star system that they are produced by and debuted under, as well as their tendency to represent a hybridized convergence of visuals, music, fashion, and dance. They usually work for a mainstream entertainment agency and have undergone extensive training in dance, vocals, and foreign language. Idols maintain a carefully curated public image and social media presence, and dedicate significant time and resources to building relationships with fans through concerts and meetups.
In South Korean culture, a sasaeng, or sasaeng fan, is an obsessive fan who stalks or engages in other behavior constituting an invasion of the privacy of Korean idols, drama actors or other public figures. The term sasaeng comes from the Korean words sa meaning "private" and saeng meaning "life", in reference to the fans' intrusion into celebrities' private lives. According to the estimates of celebrity managers in the Korean media, popular Korean celebrities may have "between 500 and 1,000 sasaeng fans", and be actively followed by about 100 sasaeng fans every day. Sasaeng fans are described as often being female, aged 13 to 22, and driven to commit what in some cases may amount to borderline criminal acts in order to gain attention from celebrities. Examples of such acts include seeking out celebrities at their dorms or homes, spreading rumours, stealing their personal belongings or information, harassing family members, and sending idols gifts such as lingerie.
Cultural technology is a system used by South Korean talent agencies to promote K-pop culture throughout the world as part of the Korean Wave. The system was developed by Lee Soo-man, founder of talent agency and record company SM Entertainment.
Park Sang-hyun, known by his stage name Thunder, is a South Korean singer, songwriter, actor and model. He is a former member of South Korean boy band MBLAQ. On December 16, 2014, it was announced that he had departed from the group to focus on studying music. He signed with Mystic Entertainment's music label APOP on February 11, 2015 and released his debut extended play on December 7, 2016.
"I Got a Boy" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Girls' Generation for their fourth Korean-language studio album of the same name. It was released on January 1, 2013, by S.M. Entertainment and KT Music. Produced by the group's long-time collaborator Yoo Young-jin and Will Simms, the song is described as a hybrid of various genres including bubblegum pop, dance, and electropop.
Kim Da-som, better known mononymously as Dasom, is a South Korean singer and actress. She is best known as a former member of South Korean girl group Sistar and formerly under Starship Entertainment. She has acted in films and television dramas, including Family (2012–2013), Melody of Love (2013–2014), The Virtual Bride (2015), Sister is Alive (2017) and He Is Psychometric (2019).
Big Star was a South Korean boy band formed in 2012. The group consists of Feeldog, Baram, Raehwan, Sunghak and Jude. Big Star was signed to Brave Entertainment. On July 1, 2019 Brave Entertainment announced that Big Star have disbanded after the members contracts expired.
Shin Hye-jeong, better known mononymously as Hyejeong, is a South Korean singer and actress. She is best known as a member of the South Korean girl group AOA.
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