5 Iconic K-Pop Girl Groups

Whether or not you’re a fan of K-pop, everyone loves to see some mega-talented girls slaying on the stage. If you’re looking for some new groups to explore or simply need confirmation that your faves are the best, you’ve come to the right place.

TWICE

Since 2015, TWICE has consistently released banger after banger. In their early years, TWICE was best known for adorable, bubblegum songs and concepts. The group’s sound has grown up with the nine members to what it is today—glamorous, danceable pop that’s addictive and easy to sing along to. Their most recent album, “BETWEEN 1&2,” boasts seven unskippable tracks including the title track “Talk that Talk.”

IVE

Although much newer to the K-pop scene than TWICE, IVE has been making a name for themselves with a comparably glamorous pop sound. Their third single “After LIKE” is an unfairly catchy pop take on the disco genre. The song samples Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and, coupled with its stunning and high-quality music video, has cemented these girls—in my mind, at least—as girl group legends.

Girls’ Generation

Girls’ Generation has been running the K-Pop industry since their debut in 2007. Their songs “Gee,” “Genie” and “I Got a Boy” are a few of many of their songs that are still beloved and iconic to this day. After a five-year hiatus, the group returned this summer with their seventh album “FOREVER 1” in celebration of their 15th anniversary.

aespa

Something about their futuristic, almost hyper-pop sound has me putting aespa’s discography on repeat. Their name may sound nonsensical, and that’s because it’s a mixture of the words “avatar” and “experience”. There may appear to only be four members in the flesh, but aespa also includes four virtual members, all of whom are 3D-animated “AI” counterparts to the four real members. How iconic is that?

Red Velvet

Since 2014, the five members of Red Velvet have established themselves as some of the best vocalists in K-pop. The group is known for having two different concepts—the upbeat pop “Red” and the elegant R&B “Velvet”—and slaying hard doing both. Their most recent single, “Feel My Rhythm,” is a pop take on classical music, remixing Bach’s “Air on the G String” into a legendary pop bop.

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• k-pop
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