Before 1990, at that time, most of the singers were folk or trot singers(known for its use of repetitive rhythm and vocal inflections) rather than dance singers who you can see this-days in K-POP. It was difficult to get the attentions of young people. Also, there was far from to be called an I-DOL.
Hair A bungee hat with bangs down was popular, and it is characterized by a pointy hair that has been sprayed with gel.
This boy group called 'Seo Taiji and Boys' can be said to be the beginning of K-pop. After their debut, it becomes an opportunity to attract attention from young people in their 30s and 40s. It has been reorganized from trot and folk music to dance music for teens and twenties.
Fashion There is a hip-hop fashion of those who started from young people on the street and had a huge influence on the fashion of young people in the 1990s, regardless of gender.
This Hip-hop fashion started from 'Seo Taiji and Boys' in Korea. They favored the plus-size style of wearing loose-fitting tops and very oversized clothing and wearing large, clunky shoes. They appear in primary-colored costumes. What was as unique as the subtle attraction created by the melodramatic lyrics, upbeat rap, and powerful whirlwind dance was wearing hats and costumes that did not have the brand tag removed. Many children and young people at the time followed this fashion, which was created after they went on stage with a brand attached because it was a sponsored product. 'Seo Taiji and Boys' showed off a naughty style by wearing a bungee hat, round glasses, and a long necklace, sometimes locking the overalls' suspenders on one side.
Seo Taiji and the boys retired with the words, "We showed everything we could try." At the time, when Seo Taiji and boys disbanded, the public's reaction was not only frustrated fans of currently active idol singers, but the entire nation was disappointed. This is because the most popular idol group, which was called 'the eternal idol of youth', suddenly announced their retirement one day. After this group retired, K-pop gradually expanded and many groups began to appear.
Music style They released a song using rap. Rap using Korean pronunciation, harmony between electronic music and metal, speedy beat, and whirlwind dance opened a new horizon for the new generation of music. We can't imagine it now, but actually, at the time, being able to freely rap in Korean was a hot topic in itself.
Style The snowboard look was a huge nuisance. Board clothes, Lee Juno's mask, and Seo Taiji's knit hat with the S logo, bobbed hair, and sunglasses were very popular and created numerous parodies. They aggressively express their rock spirit with intense visuals with their hair dyed in red, purple, and green.
The boy group 'H.O.T.', which debuted on September 7, 1996, became an icon in the pop culture world, taking the position of 'Idol of teenagers', which had been absent since the retirement of Seo Taiji and Boys.
Style H.O.T brought a warm and cute atmosphere, and the bright colors and numbered T-shirts were iconic outfits. Rather than Seo Taiji and the boys, they kept their hair plain or tied hairs to one side to match the cute concept.
From 1997, The number of boy groups has increased and gained popularity even in China and Japan, and girl groups are also starting to debut. Most of the groups are usually short-lived and retired.
Style Large-sized clothes have been in fashion continuously, but since 1997, they have been wearing suits and dark-colored clothes, and they have also worn school uniforms to show boyish beauty. As the so-called scissor cut, in which the side hair is grown long and pointed, became popular, the hair was gradually grown to the jawline.
S.E.S. is Korea's first girl group. If you had to point out an indicator of S.E.S.'s pan-Asian popularity at the time, it would be that they were the first Korean girl group to have an official fan club in three East Asian countries: Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. They also have a history of holding solo performances in Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
PIN.K.L is one of the representative girl groups of first-generation idols, they appealed to various concepts such as innocence, cuteness, maturity, and sexiness, showing different concepts for each song. From the bridal concept, sexy girl hip hop, suit concept, and school uniform concept, they really did all the concepts that a girl group can do.
Music Singers focused more on stage performances, and although songs using rap were still popular, there were also calm songs. The girl group also released songs that sounded warm and dreamy but also powerful.
Style It was especially symbolic to put the bangs on the side and keep it straight. Like antennae, which were called antennae bangs, the hair was styled on both sides of the face. S.E.S. and PIN.K.L were two-top girl groups and rivals at the time. They pushed different styles, S.E.S. often wore clean white suits, and PIN.K.L made various trends with various concepts. In particular, checkered cross-body bags were famous.
In the early 2000s, after the first-generation idol groups exited, many singers of a different type began to appear. Young solo singers gained popularity as well.
Singers who started their activities around 1995 usually ended their activities in the early to mid-2000. Shinhwa, Fin.K.L and H.O.T. etc. continued their activities, but their commercial destructive power was also not as good as before.
In the early and mid-2000s, BoA always took first place among male and female singers in not only Japan but also Asian charts such as China and Taiwan. As the only person invited at the age of 10, his position in both countries is absolute. She is still active and has continued her popularity to the extent that young people today know about her.
Music style Although they released various music styles, and even if debuted as a group, they released ballad music, R&B and bands not only dance music.
JAURIM is a singer who debuted in a band. She drew attention to her with her soft voice and dreamy mood. She made her debut 2000s, but she garnered attention around 2000s when she sang a song in her famous drama.
STYLE The fashion for tight-fitting clothes and oversized clothes suitable for hip-hop songs is gone for a while. Female singers often wore sparkling dresses that stood out on stage. It was fashionable to put some curls in the hair.
Style Straight hair with lots of layers was the trend, and it often see a mature and gentle style rather than a cute concept that was often seen in the past.
In fact, from the early to mid-2000s, the entertainment industry faced a period of stagnation. Unlike the past, when sales of albums and albums were really high, there has been a marked decrease. It was after 2005 that the entertainment industry began to receive attention again.
Since 2005, idols have been selected mainly from SM, YG, and JYP entertainment, which are large Korean idol agencies, and most of them have continued their activities even though they debuted as a group.
Fashion It is no exaggeration to say that they are a group that brought about a boom in Korean fashion. In particular, G-Dragon, one of the members of the Big Bang group, had the most influence on the fashion world.
Music Starting with Big Bang from YG Entertainment, dance music became famous again and more diverse groups than solo singers appeared. Rather than completely hip-hop songs, there were a lot of songs with a good mix of singing and rapping. You can hear the repetitive chorus and repetitive lyrics that you hear a lot now.
G-Dragon He is a trendsetter who led Asian fashion trends in especially the 2000s and 2010s but also even now. Beginning with G-DRAGON, a fashion celebrity representing Asia, in 2007, high-top fashion became popular. MCM, Thom Browne, Chrome Hearts, etc. became popular beyond Korea and even to China, and became the first band in Korea to receive active love calls from luxury brands.
BIGBANG is a group that symbolizes the second generation and leads the worldwide K-POP craze, called KING OF K-POP, celebrities of celebrities, national groups (bands), national idols, and devil's talent. It is a music band that represented an era by changing not only the music industry but also the fashion world and popular culture from the mid-2000s to the late 10s with high popularity, recognition, and ripple power.
Women's groups blew the craze again with the start of Wonder Girls and Girls' Generation. They debuted in JYP and SM Entertainment, respectively.
STYLE Long straight hair and shaggy cuts were out of fashion, and wavy or braided hair was especially popular. As for the outfit, the skirt was attached to the tight pants and the high heels were worn.
In the world of K-pop girl groups, where there was only one choice between cute and cute, 2NE1 is a pioneer group that pioneered a third path. In addition, the group's influence not only in music but also in other pop culture industries is considerable. The clothes, shoes, and accessories worn by 2NE1 members are quickly sold under the modifier “2NE1 style,” and 2NE1 faces can be seen in various magazine pictorials and advertisements. Now, the most dynamic and energetic girl group that can represent Korea in the 21st century is 2NE1. 2NE1 and Big Bang are under the same agency (YG entertainment) and often collaborate, and as dynamic idols, they were two tops.
Style Among the various idols of the time, these two groups made a new and unique fashion trend. They especially often wore their hair tied up very high and banged bangs.
As idols continued to show their popularity, groups with a large number of members debuted and usually made famous groups at large agencies. Also, they are grouped with multinational people as well as Koreans.
G-Dragon was famous for his everyday wear as well as his stage outfits. He has worn so many brands, including MCM bags, Thom Browne and Jordan shoes. Even if you look at his fashion now, he is famous for not being old-fashioned at all.
Style It was a time when women showed a lot of sexy images and concepts. Curly hair is still in vogue, and shaggy cuts and layered hair are gradually disappearing. They wore poop hair (hair curled up in a bun) or a ponytail. On the other hand, men's style was neat with a two-block style, and it was rare for the hair to come down to the tip of the chin.
SM Entertainment is a representative company that shows a world view and fantasy even in albums. EXO was one of them, and they were the hottest group in 2.5 to 3 generations before BTS.
BTS, which debuted in 2013 and swept domestic and international rookie awards, has grown into a representative boy group in Korea. It is called the '21st century pop icon' by causing a craze for BTS all over the world. Among the groups that did not debut as a major agency, they were the most successful. It is no exaggeration to say that BTS set up their own agency(HYBE entertainment).
Red Velvet received a lot of attention from their debut music video, and at that time, many people followed their half-half dyed hair.
NCT is a 23-member multinational boy group under SM Entertainment. In fact, there are very few cases where 23 members participate in one song, and activities are centered on individual subgroups and NCT U.
As one of the representative idol groups of the 3rd generation of K-POP, they are a world-class girl group that has set many records overseas and on the Billboard main chart. Currently, it is the only girl group in which all members are active as ‘Global Ambassadors’ of a global high-end brand.
In particular, in 2017 to 2018, idol audition programs such as Wanna One and IZone appeared, and project groups derived from them gained considerable popularity.
Style Large-sized clothes are completely out of fashion, unless it is an old concept on stage. Depending on the stage concept, there is a completely different style of clothing and makeup. It is a trend to find a makeup that is light and suitable for one's face rather than overly colored makeup or thick eyeline.
As K-pop became a craze all over the world, many people took to the stage in traditional Korean costumes or costumes with patterns.
K-pop continues to grow and is trying out really diverse concepts and unique things. More and more people are coming from abroad to audition for K-pop. There are various things, such as creating a story that continues by putting a world view into the album. K-pop, which started as a male group, is now receiving a lot of love from female groups as well. Also, they received many love calls from many brands and had a great influence on fashion.