THE TRACE BEHIND K-POP GIRL GROUPS
BY JIN YOUNG HAN
Are you familiar with 2NE1 or Girls’ Generation? Many
people enjoy listening to Korean-pop music, also
known as K-pop nowadays. There are thousands of K-
pop groups from Korea alone. The majority of the K-
pop group members are not only able to sing well,
but can also dance, act, or play instruments. They also
always practice their skills, record music, shoot music
videos, and appear in dramas, films, or TV shows. Their
fame is not given to them by their entertainment
companies, but earned individually.
Usually, only the most beautiful, the most talented,
the most unique, and the most hard-working groups
can become successful in the entertainment world
after numerous attempts. Most of the famous K-pop
idols are talented in various fields. They know how to
sing, dance, act professionally, play one or multiple
instruments, and compose lyrics and songs while
having a sense of humor on reality shows. However,
there are many downsides of being a K-pop idol, such
as not having privacy, being physically attacked,
emotionally abused, and receiving too much attention
and high expectations all the time. Yet, thousands of
young girls and boys around the world still practice as
trainees wishing that they could be the second Big
Bang, the second Girls’ Generation.
“I know many K-pop girl groups. For example, Girls’
Generation, AOA, MissA, 4Minute, A-Pink, Girl’s Day,
DIA, and even more,” said Yu-Jeong Kim, a sophomore
student at SLAS. Moreover, she added, “My favorite K-
pop girl group is AOA, or Ace of Angels, because they
are beautiful and talented at the same time. Also, I “I enjoy listening to female K-pop groups’ songs,”
think living as an idol is very difficult.”
commented So-Mi Park, another sophomore student
at SLAS. She also added, “I think these K-pop groups
The very first K-pop girl group to emerge was S.E.S., need to belong to entertainment companies because
and their debut date was in 1997. Following S.E.S., they can get lessons and advice, and also practice
numerous groups started to assemble as well. Then, regularly. However, I assume that they are also very
large entertainment companies formed. The three tired everyday because they have a lot of work to do
most well-known entertainment companies in Korea and expectations to live up to.”
are JYP, SM, and YG. They promoted some of the most
famous K-pop girl group, including Wonder Girls, Becoming a celebrity and being famous may not be
Girls’ Generation, 2NE1, and f(x). The female groups as easy as it seems. People cry, sweat, and even bleed
that formed more recently are Mamamoo, GFriend, to achieve their dreams of being someone who is
BLACKPINK, and I.O.I. Most of these groups sing songs recognized and acknowledged by the world. Learning
along with dance moves. They usually enter how to be a K-pop idol is very difficult, and can be time
entertainment companies through auditions or and energy consuming. Yet in the end, we will think
casting, and receive lessons for singing, dancing, that all our past experiences and efforts are worth it,
playing instruments, composing, and even acting. and allowed us to be the person we are now. In
They spend months to years training before they can conclusion, all the young generations should find what
officially debut on screen or on music programs. The they are passionate about and do their best to achieve
process of becoming an idol is very tiring, and it still their goals.
is after they enter into the entertainment world.
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