The History Of K-Pop
The first pop artist in the Korean music scene to create the blueprint for K-Pop was Yang JoonIl. While this credit is often deferred to Seo TaiJi & Boys, it was Yang JoonIl who brought American influences to Korean pop, marking a shift from the predominant genres of folk and ballad and giving way to a sort of modernity, which was then successfully pioneered by Seo TaiJi in 1992. Seo TaiJi, who is also called the “Father of K-Pop” transformed Korean pop music from an imitative genre to an authentic new style which awakened a cultural revolution and finally gave birth to idol culture as we know it today. Formerly the bassist of Sinawe, a heavy metal/rock band, Seo TaiJi single-handedly created the first “K-Pop group” Seo TaiJi & Boys in 1992 with members Yang HyunSuk (former CEO of YG Entertainment) and Lee JuNo as dancers/choreographers and Seo TaiJi himself as the leader, producer, and songwriter. After 4 years of activity, at the peak of their success, the group disbanded in 1996, despite strong protestation from the youth. The unprecedented success of Seo TaiJi & Boys directed the attention of big corporations towards the commercial prospects of this new style of music, which prompted SM Entertainment to launch H.O.T in 1996 and set in place the first-ever idol training system. This was followed by the debut of prominent 1st generation K-Pop groups like Sechs Kies, SHINHWA, Baby V.O.X, S.E.S, Fin.K.L, g.o.d and so on. The turn of the century marked the conclusion of the 1st generation of K-Pop. The year 2000 ushered in the era of soloists like BoA and Rain, who went on to become some of the most influential artists in the industry with an indelible legacy. This transitional period was referred to as the “1.5 Generation” which opened up foreign markets for K-Pop. By 2005, the first generation of K-Pop effectively became inactive, and taking its place was a whole new crop of idol groups, most prominently TVXQ, SS501, SUPER JUNIOR, BIGBANG, Wonder Girls, Girls’ Generation, Brown Eyed Girls, SHINee, 2AM, 2PM, and U-KISS. Soloists like Lee SeungGi, IU, and YOUNHA also rose to stardom during this time. In this 2nd generation, non-Korean idols became commonplace as K-Pop grew into a global phenomenon, boosted by the power of social networking. 2009 to 2012 marked the interim period between the 2nd and the 3rd generation of K-Pop, characterized by the rise of electronic music influences in the genre. “Acting idols” and “entertainment idols” became commonly used terms to refer to idols who took on acting projects and were particularly adept at variety shows. Groups like BEAST (now, HIGHLIGHT), MBLAQ, INFINITE, BLOCK B, BTOB, VIXX, B.A.P, NU’EST, ZE:A, KARA, 2NE1, 4Minute, T-ARA, f(x), After School, miss A, Girl’s Day, SISTAR, APINK, AOA, EXID, Hello Venus, SECRET, BRAVE GIRLS and Nine Muses enjoyed unrestrained popularity. Among soloists, G-Dragon, HyunA, Lee Hi, Baek AYeon, and Ailee established themselves as forces to be reckoned with. However, the group that truly defined this generation of K-Pop was EXO. By the end of the 2.5 Generation, PSY’s ‘Gangnam Style’ paved the way for further expansion of K-Pop, and BTS, the current reigning King of K-Pop, made their debut. The 3rd generation of K-Pop was dominated by groups like BTS, GOT7, WINNER, TWICE, BLACKPINK, Red Velvet, SEVENTEEN, iKON, MONSTA X, ASTRO, SF9, PENTAGON, NCT, VICTON, WANNA ONE, MAMAMOO, GFRIEND, Oh My Girl, Weki Meki, CLC, LOONA, MOMOLAND, GWSN, IZ*ONE, LOVELYZ, I.O.I, DREAMCATCHER, KARD, and LABOUM. Survival reality shows, project groups, and audition programs became hugely popular at this time. In addition, more and more idol group members debuted as solo artists such as WOODZ, SHINee’s TaeMin, JongHyun, Key, Onew, (G)I-DLE’s SoYeon, BLACKPINK’s Jennie, 2NE1’s CL, Girls’ Generation’s HyoYeon, TaeYeon, SeoHyun, Tiffany and so on.
Are We In The 4th Generation Of K-Pop?
With the tail end of the 3rd generation came debates about the 4th generation of K-Pop. Netizens began to opine that this generational division had no clear basis and, as such, was rather meaningless. However, it is worth noting that every generation in K-Pop so far (that is, until the 3rd generation) has marked a significant change in the industry and presented distinguishing characteristics. Groups like ATEEZ, Stray Kids, Golden Child, and THE BOYZ debuted during the third generation of K-Pop, but in recent times, they have been actively referred to as the “4th generation”. At the same time, groups debuting in and from 2019 onwards, such as TXT, ONEUS, VERIVERY, CIX, AB6IX, DKB, MCND, TO1, CRAVITY, ENHYPEN, BAE173, TREASURE, GHOST9, WEi, MIRAE, P1Harmony, DRIPPIN, ITZY, STAYC, aespa, IVE, Kep1er, EVERGLOW, Cherry Bullet, Secret Number, woo!ah!, Weeekly, Purple Kiss, Billlie, NMIXX, VIVIZ, LE SSERAFIM and so on, have been generally accepted as the “4th generation” of K-Pop.
— sue 💤 (@exobvius) November 21, 2020 However, this placement is under scrutiny as Netizens point out that the term “4th generation” is being popularized by both fans and agencies in order to set newly debuted groups apart and give them a fresh playing field that separates them from third-generation groups like BTS and BLACKPINK, who remain unrivaled at the top. It was also during this time that Brave Girls, a group broadly classified as a second-generation group (2.5, to be specific), saw a miraculous resurgence in popularity with the age of newtro (new+retro). A middle-ground for this intermediate period, as suggested by Netizens, is the “3.5 Generation”, signaling a clear transition to a new generation that is not quite here yet. However, it is certainly undeniable that the current generation is well on its way to revolutionizing K-Pop, especially with virtual idols, A.I avatars, the introduction of metaverses, and more. Promotional periods for this generation have also changed considerably, with a targeted focus on building a global fanbase. A generational change, therefore, is inevitable.
The Criteria For Generational Division
There are as many perceived criteria for the division of generations in K-Pop as there are opinions on the same. With “generation” being a rather ambiguous term, there is no “right answer” per se. While some fans think that “generations” are divided by timelines, others think it is classified by the measure of success. Similarly, the general timing of K-Pop companies launching new groups is also considered fair reasoning for dividing generations by some. An interesting study by Kim YeonJeong, Head of Global K-Pop & K-Content Partnerships at Twitter outlines an analysis of generations in K-Pop on the basis of industry trends and social trends. According to this study, groups like THE BOYZ, Stray Kids, ATEEZ, TXT, (G)I-DLE, ITZY, TREASURE, ENHYPEN, and aespa are the 4th generation of K-Pop. You can read more here. From the overwhelming diversity in opinions, it is quite evident that generations in K-Pop will always be subject to debate. What generation of K-Pop do you think we are in? Share your thoughts with Kpopmap in the comments section down below! Netizens Discuss Comeback Promotion Periods: Do You Think K-Pop Idols Should Promote For Longer? FANBUZZ|Mar 23, 2022 Netizens Discuss The Importance Of Domestic Vs. International Fan Bases: Is One More Significant Than The Other? FANBUZZ|Mar 30, 2022
