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K-pop dates back to the late 1980s, with the first generation groups taking charge then. Generating from South Korea, K-pop is evolving and is currently in its fourth generation phase.
K-pop groups formed between 1990 and 1999 are known as the first-gen of K-pop. These first-generation groups consisted of some of the most talented and successful performers, which paved the way for many new K-pop groups.
Apart from the groups, notable K-pop personalities like Park Jin-young, the founder of JYP Entertainment, and Bang Si-hyuk, founder of HYBE Labels, also rose to stardom during the first generation.
Hence, let's look back at the 5 most popular first-generation K-pop groups.
5 First generation K-pop groups you should know about
1) Seo Taeiji and Boys
Seo Taiji and Boys debuted in 1992 and took the entire country by storm. The three-member boy group under Yedang Company was highly successful during their active years and is credited for incorporating rap into popular Korean music.
The three members included Seo Taiji, Yang Hyun-suk (founder of YG Ent.), and Lee Juno. After their debut, the boy group released music frequently before they disbanded in 1996. All of the albums released by Seo Taiji and Boys were smash hits in the country, making them one of the most influential groups.
The group is said to have given birth to modern K-pop by experimenting with Korean ballads and combining them with western music styles, thereby changing the face of Korean music. Some of their hits include I Know, Classroom Idea, and Comeback Home.
Interestingly, RM, leader of the hit-maker group BTS, has cited Seo Taiji and Boys as one of his musical influences.
2) H.O.T (Highfive Of Teenagers)
H.O.T, an acronym for Highfive Of Teenagers, made its debut under SM Entertainment in 1996. Considered the first K-pop idol group due to their successful training structure, H.O.T is also among the first Korean artists to spread the Korean wave across borders.
The group included five members: Moon Hee-joon, Kangta, Lee Jae-won, Jang Woo-hyuk, and Tony An. The group was formed by Lee Soo Man of SM Ent. after an extensive poll where he asked high school students about their ideal K-pop group.
His hard work paid off with H.O.T's debut, which sold over 6.5 million units and was equally popular in Japan and China. Unfortunately, the group disbanded in 2001 following problems with their contract, which later led to multiple protests against the company.
Hits from the group include Candy, Hope, We Are The Future, and many more. H.O.T is one of the best-selling first-generation K-pop group.
3) S.E.S
S.E.S., formed by SM Entertainment again, also belonged to the first generation. The three-member group consisted of Sea, Eugene, and Shoo, who debuted in 1997 with the mini album I'm Your Girl. The debut album sold over 650,000 copies, making it the second best-selling album by a female group in the country.
The follow-up albums by the girl group Sea & Eugene & Shoo, Love, and A Letter From Greenland brought mainstream success to the group, with Love becoming the best-selling album during this period.
Throughout its career, S.E.S. gave its fans new and fresh concepts by evolving themselves. Unfortunately, the group disbanded in 2002, with a compilation album released in 2003 as their last.
For their 20th debut anniversary, S.E.S. reunited and released a brand new track for its fans. Other popular hits include I'm Your Girl, Dreams Come True, and Just A Feeling.
4) Sechs Kies
Formed by Daesung Planning (DSP Media) in 1997, Sechs Kies was a six-member first-generation K-pop idol group that debuted with their first album School Anthem. It was reported that more than 1,800,000 album copies were sold, making them an instant hit in South Korea.
The group had Eun Ji-won, Lee Jae-jin, Kim Jae-duck, Jang Su-won, Kang Sung-hoon, and Ko Ji-yong. The sextet was considered one of Korea's first highly successful groups and was credited with spreading the idol fandom culture.
After three successful years of making music for their immense fanbase, Sechs Kies disbanded. Fortunately, they revamped and are now signed under YG Entertainment, functioning as a four-member group without Ko Ji-yong and Kang Sung-hoon.
The group released their latest single, Don't Look Back, in 2021. Other hits from the band include Com' Back, The Way of Man, and Couple.
5) Fin.K.L
Labelmates with Sechs Kies, Fin.K.L, was another first-generation K-pop group that ruled the era. The four-member girl group consisted of members Lee Hyori, Ock Joo-hyun, Lee Jin, and Sung Yu-ri, who made their debut in 1998 with the album Blue Rain.
Fin.K.L became extremely popular in the country with the release of songs such as To My Boyfriend and Forever Love. After releasing multiple hit albums, the group became inactive after 2005. The girl group then reunited in 2019 and released a new album, Fin.K.L Best Album.
The group evolved from ballads to R&B, showing their versatile talents to the fans, making them one of the most popular female groups from the first-gen.
