List of South Korean girl groups
K-pop girl groups refer to South Korea's all-female idol groups who account for a large portion of the K-pop industry. Korean girl groups have aided in the global spread and promotion of Korean culture through their demonstrated prominence and popularity. First generation groups from the late 90's and early 2000's such as S.E.S., Fin.K.L, and Baby Vox are cited as building these foundations as the first successful all-female girl groups in Korea and through their participation in the first Hallyu Wave. In 2007 and onward, second generation groups such as Girls' Generation, Kara, T-ara, Wonder Girls, 2NE1, Sistar, and Apink revived the popularity girl group domestically in Korea as well as globally through the second phase of Hallyu. Groups that began the generation transitional shift in the early 2012's, such as AOA and EXID helped propel that for the third generation with groups that debuted in 2012 onward such as Blackpink, Twice, Red Velvet, GFriend, Mamamoo, Momoland, and I.O.I that have risen to distinction in recent years and helped contribute to the widespread attention and appreciation of K-pop.
Generation 1 (1997–2002)
| Group name | Duration | (Former) Members | Debut single | Breakthrough single | Notable singles | Best-selling Korean album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S.E.S. | 1997–2002 | Eugene,
Bada, |
"I'm Your Girl" (1997) | "I'm Your Girl" (1997) | "Dreams Come True" (1998)
"I Love You" (1998) "Twilight Zone" (1999) "Love" (1999) "Be Natural" (2000) "Just in Love" (2001) "U" (2002) |
Love (1999) |
| Baby Vox | 1997–2006 | Shim Eun-jin
Cha Yu-mi Jang Hyun-jung Jung Shi-woon Lee Gai |
"Hair Cut" (1997) | "Ya Ya Ya" (1998) | "Get Up" (1999)
"Killer" (1999) "Why" (2000) "Betrayal" (2000) "Doll" (2001) "Coincidence" (2002) "What Should I Do" (2003) |
Come Come Come Baby (1999) |
| Fin.K.L | 1998–2005 | Lee Hyori | "Blue Rain" (1998) | "Blue Rain" (1998) | "To My Boyfriend" (1998)
"Forever Love" (1999) "Now" (2000) "You Will Never Know" (2001) |
White (1999) |
Generation 2 (2006–2011)
| Group | Duration | (Former) Members | Sub-unit groups | Debut single | Breakthrough single | Best-selling singles | Best-selling Korean album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Eyed Girls | since 2006 | JeA | "Come Closer" (2006) | "L.O.V.E" (2008) | "L.O.V.E" (2008)
"Abracadabra" (2009) "Sign" (2009) "Sixth Sense" (2011) "Cleansing Cream" (2011) "Kill Bill" (2013) |
Sound-G (2009) | ||
| Girls' Generation | 2007–2017 (hiatus) | Taeyeon
Jessica (former) |
Girls' Generation-TTS | "Into the New World" (2007) | "Gee (2009) | "Girls' Generation" (2007)
"Kissing You (2007) "Gee" (2009) "Tell Me Your Wish (Genie)" (2009) "Oh!" (2010) "Run Devil Run" (2010) "Hoot" (2010) "The Boys" (2011) "I Got A Boy" (2013) "Mr.Mr." (2014) "Party" (2015) "Lion Heart" (2015) |
The Boys (2011) | |
| Wonder Girls | 2007–2017 | Ye-eun | "Irony" (2007) | "Tell Me" (2007) | "Tell Me" (2007)
"So Hot" (2008) "Nobody" (2008) "2 Different Tears" (2010) "Be My Baby" (2011) "The DJ Is Mine" (2012) "Like This" (2012) "Why So Lonely" (2016) |
The Wonder Years: Trilogy (2008) | ||
| Kara | 2007–2016 | Nicole
Sunghee |
"Break It" (2007) | "Pretty Girl" (2008) | "Honey" (2009)
"Wanna" (2009) "Mister" (2009) "Jumping" (2010) "Step" (2011) "Pandora" (2012) |
Step (2011) | ||
| 2NE1 | 2009–2016 | CL | "Fire" (2009) | "Fire" (2009) | "Fire" (2009)
"Lollipop" (2009) "I Don't Care" (2009) "Go Away" (2010) "Can't Nobody" (2010) "I Am the Best" (2011) "Lonely" (2011) "Hate You" (2011) "Ugly" (2011) "I Love You" (2012) "Come Back Home" (2014) "Goodbye" (2017) |
2NE1 (2009)[1] | ||
| T-ara | 2009–2017, since 2020 | Jiyeon
Boram (former) Soyeon (former) Hwayoung (former) Areum (former) |
T-ara N4 | "Lie" (2009) | "Bo Peep Bo Peep" (2009) | "TTL (Time To Love)" (2009)
"Bo Peep Bo Peep" (2009) "Like the First Time" (2009) "You Drive Me Crazy" (2010) "Roly-Poly" (2011) "Cry Cry" (2011) "We Were in Love" (2011) "Lovey-Dovey" (2012) "Day By Day" (2012) |
Funky Town (2012)[2] | |
| f(x) | 2009–2019 (hiatus) | Amber
Sulli (former) |
"La Cha Ta" (2009) | "Nu ABO" (2010) | "Nu ABO" (2010)
"Pinocchio (Danger)" (2011) "Hot Summer" (2011) "Electric Shock" (2012) "Rum Pum Pum Pum" (2013) "Red Light" (2014) "4 Walls" (2015) |
Pinocchio (2011)[3][4] | ||
| Secret | 2009–2018 | Hyoseong | "I Want You Back" (2009) | "Magic" (2010) | "Magic" (2010)
"Madonna" (2010) "Shy Boy" (2011) "Starlight Moonlight" (2011) "Love Is Move" (2011) "Poison" (2012) "Talk That" (2012) "Yoohoo" (2013) |
Moving in Secret (2011)[5] | ||
| After School | 2009–2015 | Nana | Orange Caramel | "Ah" (2009) | "Because of You" (2010) | "Because of You" (2010)
"Diva" (2009) "Bang!" (2010) "Shampoo" (2011) "Flashback" (2012) "First Love" (2013) |
Virgin (2011)[6] | |
| 4Minute | 2009–2016 | Hyun A | 2YOON | "Hot Issue" (2009) | "Muzik" (2009) | "Hot Issue" (2009)
"Muzik" (2009) "HuH" (2010) "I Me Mine" (2010) "Heart to Heart" (2011) "Mirror Mirror" (2011) "Volume Up" (2012) "What's Your Name" (2013) "Crazy" (2015) |
4Minutes Left (2011) | |
| Sistar | 2010–2017 | Hyolyn | Sistar19 | "Push Push" (2010) | "How Dare You" (2010) | "How Dare You" (2010)
"So Cool" (2011) "Alone"' (2012) "Loving U" (2012) "Give It 2 Me" (2013) "Touch My Body" (2014) "Shake It" (2015) |
So Cool (2011)[7] | |
| Miss A | 2010–2017 | Min | "Bad Girl Good Girl" (2010) | "Bad Girl Good Girl" (2010) | "Bad Girl Good Girl" (2010)
"Breathe" (2010) "Love Alone" (2011) "Goodbye Baby" (2011) "Hush" (2013) "Only You" (2015) |
A Class (2011) | ||
| Girl's Day | 2010–2019 (hiatus) | Sojin | "Tilt My Head" (2010) | "Expect" (2013) | "Expect" (2013)
"Female President" (2013) "Something" (2014) "Darling" (2014) "Ring My Bell" (2015) |
Love (2015)[8]\ | ||
| Brave Girls | since 2011 | Minyoung
Yujeong Eunji Yuna Eunyoung (former) Seoa (former) Yejin (former) Yoojin (former) Hyeran (former) Hayun (former) |
"Do You Know" (2011) | "Rollin'" (2017) | "Rollin'" (2017)
"We Ride" (2020) "Chi Mat Ba Ram" (2021) |
Summer Queen (2021) | ||
| Apink | since 2011 | Chorong
Naeun (former) Yoo-kyung (former) |
BnN | "I Don't Know" (2011) | "NoNoNo" (2013) | "I don’t know" (2011)
“My My” (2011) “NoNoNo” (2013) "Mr. Chu" (2014) "Luv" (2014) "Remember" (2015) "Five" (2017) "I'm So Sick" (2018) "Dumhdurum" (2020) |
Pink Memory (2015) | |
| * = have at least 1 single that have sold over 1 million copies ; bold = best-selling single | ||||||||
Other girl groups
- Dal Shabet (2011–2016, 2019)
- Nine Muses (2010–2019)
- Rania (2011–2015)
- Rainbow (2009–2016, 2019)
- SeeYa (2006–2011, 2020)
- Stellar (2011–2018)
- The Grace (2005–2010)
Generation 3 (2012–2017)
| Group | Duration | (Former) Members | Sub-unit groups | Debut single | Breakthrough single | Best-selling singles | Best-selling Korean album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AOA | since 2012 | Hyejeong
Yuna (former) Choa (former) Youkyung (former) Mina (former) |
AOA Black
AOA White |
"Elvis" (2012) | "Miniskirt" (2014) | "Miniskirt" (2014)
"Short Hair" (2014) "Like a Cat" (2014) "Heart Attack" (2015) "Good Luck" (2016) "Bingle Bangle" (2018) |
Heart Attack (2015)[10] | |
| EXID | 2012–2020 | Solji
Dami (former) Yuji (former) Haeryung (former) |
SoljiHani (formerly Dasoni) | "Whoz That Girl" (2012) | "Up & Down" (2014) | "Up & Down" (2014)
"Ah Yeah" (2015) "Hot Pink" (2015) "L.I.E." (2016) "DDD" (2017) "I Love You" (2018) |
Street (2016)[11] | |
| Mamamoo | since 2014 | Solar | "Mr. Ambiguous" (2014) | "Um Oh Ah Yeh" (2015) | "Um Oh Ah Yeh" (2015)
"You're the Best" (2016) "I Miss You" (2016) "Décalcomanie" (2016) "Yes I Am" (2017) "Starry Night" (2018) "Gogobebe" (2019) "Hip" (2019) |
Reality in Black (2019)[12] | ||
| Red Velvet | since 2014 | Irene | Red Velvet - Irene & Seulgi | "Happiness" (2014) | "Ice Cream Cake" (2015) | "Ice Cream Cake" (2015)
"Dumb Dumb" (2015) "Russian Roulette" (2016) "Rookie" (2017)" "Red Flavor" (2017) "Peek-a-Boo" (2017) "Bad Boy" (2018) "Power Up" (2018) "Psycho" (2019) "Queendom" (2021) "Feel My Rhythm" (2022) |
Queendom (2021)[13] | |
| GFriend | 2015–2021 | Sowon | "Glass Bead" (2015) | "Me Gustas Tu" (2015) | "Glass Bead" (2015)
"Me Gustas Tu" (2015) "Rough" (2016) "Navillera" (2016) "Fingertip" (2017) "Time for the Moon Night" (2018) |
Time for Us (2019)[14] | ||
| Oh My Girl | since 2015 | Hyojung
Mimi Jiho Binnie JinE (former) |
Oh My Girl Banhana | "Cupid" (2015) | "Nonstop" (2020) | "Secret Garden" (2018)
"Nonstop" (2020) "Dolphin" (2020) "Dun Dun Dance" (2021) |
Dear OhMyGirl (2021)[15] | |
| Twice | since 2015 | Nayeon | "Like Ooh-Ahh" (2015) | "Cheer Up" (2016) | "Like Ooh-Ahh" (2016)
"Cheer Up" (2016) "TT" (2016) "Knock Knock" (2017) "Signal" (2017) "Likey" (2017) "Heart Shaker" (2017) "What Is Love?" (2018) "Dance the Night Away" (2018) "Yes or Yes" (2018) "Fancy" (2019) "Feel Special" (2019) |
More & More (2020)[16] | ||
| Blackpink | since 2016 | Jisoo | "Whistle" / "Boombayah" (2016) | "Whistle" (2016) | "Whistle" (2016)
"Boombayah" (2016) "Playing With Fire" (2016) "As If It's Your Last" (2017) "Ddu-Du Ddu-Du" (2018) "Forever Young" (2018) "Kill This Love" (2019) "How You Like That" (2020) "Lovesick Girls" (2020) |
The Album (2020)[17] | ||
| I.O.I | 2016–2017 | Nayoung | I.O.I sub-unit | "Dream Girls" (2016) | "Dream Girls" (2016) | "Whatta Man" (2016)
"Very Very Very" (2016) "Downpour" (2017) |
Miss Me? (2016)[18] | |
| Momoland | since 2016 | Hyebin
Jane Nayun Ahin Yeonwoo (former) Daisy (former) Taeha (former) |
"Jjan! Koong! Kwang!" (2016) | "Bboom Bboom" (2018) | "Bboom Bboom" (2018)
"Baam" (2018) |
Great! (2018) | ||
| * = have at least 1 single that have sold over 1 million copies ; bold = best-selling single | ||||||||
Other girl groups
- 2Eyes (2013–2018)
- April (2015–2022)
- Alice (since 2017)
- Bestie (2013–2016)
- CLC (since 2015)
- Crayon Pop (2012–2017)
- DIA (since 2015)
- Dreamcatcher (since 2017)
- Fiestar (2012–2018)
- Gugudan (2016–2020)
- Hello Venus (2012–2019)
- Laboum (since 2014)
- Ladies' Code (2013–2020)
- Lovelyz (2014–2021)
- Pristin (2016–2019)
- Spica (2012–2017)
- Wassup (2013–2019)
- Weki Meki (since 2017)
- WJSN (since 2016)
Generation 4 (2018–present)
| Group | Duration | Members | Debut single | Breakthrough single | Best-selling singles | Best-selling Korean album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (G)I-dle | since 2018 | "Latata" (2018) | "Latata" (2018) |
|
I Burn (2021)[19] | |
| Iz*One | 2018–2021 | "La Vie en Rose" (2018) | "La Vie en Rose" (2018) |
|
Oneiric Diary (2020)[20] | |
| Itzy | since 2019 |
|
"Dalla Dalla" (2019) | "Dalla Dalla" (2019) |
|
Crazy in Love (2021) |
| Aespa | since 2020 |
|
"Black Mamba" (2020) | "Black Mamba" (2020) |
|
Savage (2021) |
| STAYC | since 2020 |
|
"So Bad" (2020) | "ASAP" (2021) |
|
Young-Luv.com (2022) |
| Ive | since 2021 | "Eleven" (2021) | "Eleven" (2021) |
|
Eleven (2021) | |
| Bold denotes best-selling single | ||||||
Other girl groups
- Ariaz (since 2019)
- Billlie (since 2021)
- Blackswan (since 2020)
- Bvndit (since 2019)
- Cherry Bullet (since 2019)
- Cignature (since 2020)
- Classy (since 2022)
- DreamNote (since 2018)
- Everglow (since 2019)
- Fanatics (since 2019)
- Fromis 9 (since 2018)
- GWSN (since 2018)
- Hot Issue (2021–2022)
- ILY:1 (since 2022)
- Kep1er (since 2022)
- Le Sserafim (since 2022)
- Lightsum (since 2021)
- Loona (since 2016)
- Lunarsolar (since 2020)
- Nature (since 2018)
- NeonPunch (2018–2020)
- Nmixx (since 2022)
- Pixy (since 2021)
- Purple Kiss (since 2020)
- Purplebeck (since 2019)
- Redsquare (since 2020)
- Rocket Punch (since 2019)
- Saturday (since 2018)
- Secret Number (since 2020)
- Tri.be (since 2021)
- Uni.T (2018)
- Viviz (since 2022)
- Weeekly (since 2020)
- We Girls (2018–2022)
- Woo!ah! (since 2020)
References
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- "2015년 08월 Album Chart". Gaon Chart (in Korean). Korea Music Content Industry Association. Retrieved September 12, 2015.
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- Total sales:
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- Cumulative sales of I Burn: 207,927
- "2021년 01월 Album Chart (see #3)". Gaon Music Chart (in Korean). Retrieved February 10, 2021.
- Cumulative sales of Oneiric Diary: 559,754
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{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
- "2021년 05월 Album Chart (see #85)". Gaon (in Korean). Retrieved June 3, 2021.