K-Pop Groups Worth Noting

Let's start at the beginning.

What is K-pop?

K-pop is mainstream, popular music that originates from South Korea.

K-pop is characterised by simple songs with addictive hooks, and accompanying synchronised dance routines. K-Pop is not just pop music, however! It can include different musical genres such as electronic music, Hip-Hop, and rock.

K-pop is a fairly new form of music but it has taken the world by storm.

Some believe that it all started with BTS, who are hands down one the most popular K Pop groups in existence. But in truth, K Pop idols have been frequenting Western music charts for over 10 years. Who remembers Psy, with his bizarre horse dance, claiming that Oppa has Gangnam Style?

This satirical expression from Seoul’s trendy Gangnam district in South Korea smashed records. Debuting at number one on the Gaon music chart, it also made number two on the American Hot 100. Actually, it made it onto the top music charts in over 30 countries.

Only three months after debuting in South Korea, Gangnam Style got into the Guinness Book of Records as the first music video to reach over one billion views on YouTube. Today, that number is at more than four billion.

If chart activity is worth measuring music by, audiences around the globe are primed for what popular K Pop groups and solo artists have on offer. There are also many types of K-Pop artists or categories to choose from:

• the top boy bands
• top girl bands
• solo artists or K Pop idols
• multi-talented entertainers

From Butter to Baby Shark, the K-Pop scene is able to delight every audience.

Whether it is rap, ballads, modern or traditional, this aspect of Korean culture is worth a look. In this article, we will take a look behind the scenes at the workings of the extremely popular culture of Korean music.

K-Pop Shows

It seems no nationality is exempt from the excitement of the next big music act. In South Africa, the extremely popular, televised Idols South Africa, inspired by the UK version, has enjoyed 18 seasons.

In South Korea, music shows do not operate in the same way. In fact, South Korean pop idols are cultivated so to speak and not randomly chosen. A good example of this is the girl group, Twice.

In South Korea, entertainment businesses — like YG JP, JYP and SM Entertainment amongst others — hold regular auditions for prospective idols. Candidates who make the cut go through rigorous training that can take years. These idols in the making learn how to dance as well as sing.

They are drilled on everything from how to walk, talk and present themselves in public, to honing their talent. Usually, combinations of varying talents are grouped and then split up to find the perfect mix of vocal talent, stage presence and appearance before idols make their debut.

In cases where idol’s trainers cannot make a decision about whom they like, they will put the vote to the general public. In other instances, idol groups perform on various music shows to increase their popularity. This was the case with Blackpink, a top girl group that featured on the Seoul Broadcasting show Inkigagayo only two weeks after its debut.

The show, whose name means 'popular song', has been an important part of K-Pop culture since 1991. Each Sunday, it invites famous Korean celebrities to perform their latest songs. In Seoul and throughout South Korea, these music stars are called idols but are not necessarily popular K Pop groups.

In South Korea, the correct term for popular music is gayo.

The Top K Pop Idols

If you are interested in popular music, you will know that K Pop bands like BTS and Blackpink top the list. Bangtan Sonyeondan (in English called Bulletproof Boy Scouts) are on a hiatus to fulfil their military service even though their management team maintain their press and social media profiles. This means that Blackpink is on centre stage for the moment.

While Blackpink may seem a bit edgy, compared to Red Velvet Red, there is certainly a melodic happiness that infuses their music. Their videos are more upbeat and colourful and their beat is definitely danceable. Red, on the other hand, has a strong cultural vibe, however they're not yet that popular outside of Korea.

In Korea, they are massively popular, having topped the Gaon charts at least 12 times since their debut in 2014. They have also broken the record for most girl group albums to reach number one on that chart.

So, with BTS not in the running at the moment, boy band Enhypen, new to the idol scene, is currently filling their space. The same entertainment group, Belift Lab, now represents both boy bands through their merger of CJ EMN and Hybe.

BTS fans, loyal as they are, will no doubt find solace in the new boy band. Boasting the same amount of members, they are much like their famous counterparts in many ways. They even endorse similar products, but, oddly neither band endorses any traditional Korean food brands!

Idol Actors

Idols experience all-encompassing training that goes way beyond just singing and dancing. Many also learn how to play musical instruments and take acting classes. For instance, Lee Jun-ho, who stars in the royal drama, The Red Sleeve, began his acting career in the boy band 2PM while also earning a Master's degree in cinematography at Seoul's Sejong University while training to become an idol.

Similarly, Lee Seung-gi had no great intentions of ever entering the entertainment industry. He was first discovered while playing in his high school band. He only started acting five years after his debut as a singer.

While idol training is arduous and success is certainly not guaranteed, entertainment companies still choose to train their selected idols from scratch. This is because the burden to be perfect in the entertainment business can be overwhelming, as demonstrated by the tragic and untimely loss of SHINee's Kim Jong-hyun. Even so, some idols like Choi Min-ho from SHINee or Ok Taec-yeon from 2PM have positively transitioned from music into acting. Other examples include Park Hyung-Sik and Im Si-wan from boy band ZE:A.

As for girl group band members, Girls' Generation has Im Yoon-ah, Seo Ju-hyun, and Choi Soo-yong, who have both dabbled in acting. Kwon Na-ra from Hello Venus also moved onto the actor’s stage.

She has not yet starred in any Korean films but you will find her in some excellent stage productions.

The Balladeers of Korean Music

In South Korea, music isn’t just limited to K Pop idols. The music scene provides a varied range of styles, including orchestra, rap, orchestra, rock and folk. There’s no doubt, balladeers in Korea have a unique ability to mesmerise their audiences. Vocalists like Park Hyung-sik and Lee Seung-gi are well known for their beautiful ballads, but there are also plenty of others who are equally as impressive.

Yang Da-il's song "Darling" is a fantastic example of just how a singer can produce a beautiful melody on its own. His voice is powerful, but his talent is quite as effortless as the balladeer Ji Jin-seok. Still, both of these singers pale in contrast to Park Won, whose raw vocal power is something worth hearing.

Park Won recently teamed up with Bae Suzy on a sweet song, and their voices accompanied each other perfectly. For those seeking an example of a more traditional female vocalist, Lyn (Lee Se-jin) is a great choice. She has contributed to many soundtrack albums over her 20-year career and has a beautiful voice that will transport you into another dimension.

Lee So-ra, who began as a jazz singer before embracing ballads, is well known for playing with her voice just for fun. Her control, singing style and dulcet tones may remind you of Loreena McKennitt.

Meanwhile, Lee Sung-hee, who first discovered Lee Seung-gi, is widely considered to be Korea's National Diva. Although traditional Korean music is not her personal style, her audience, global fans, and the press swoon over her like they would any pop star. Her latest album, featuring fantastic songs from the royal drama The Red Sleeve, makes her one of those K Pop idols not to miss.

If Korean culture, tradition, music and foods intrigues you then don’t miss our article on the the Korean ageing system.