Entering the entertainment industry does not grant you the certainty of gaining fame and success. While some have to work for years, honing their craft till they splash out into popularity, some find glory instantly. In today's article, we take a look at ten celebrities who found recognition and fame right at their debut.
1. Big Bang
Dubbed as the Kings of K Pop, Big Bang made its debut in 2006. They are known as the most influential K Pop stars who helped in spreading the Korean wave around the world. Their first album - Big Bang vol.1- since 2007 debuted at number three and sold over 110,000 copies. They also released a number of hit singles. Their song Lie became a huge hit and topped the charts for a record-breaking six weeks. It also won the Song of the Year award at M-Net Km Music Festival.
2. Shinee
Before their debut, the group was promoted as trendsetters in the music industry, and they did exactly that. They are known as 'Princes of K Pop' and brought quite a change in the industry through their fashion, music, and choreographies. Their first EP Replay debuted at number 10 on the Korean Music Charts and peaked at number 8. The song has also become a must-known amongst K Pop stars. They won Rookie of the Month at Cyworld Digital Music Awards and Hot New Stars award at M-Net's 20's Choice Award. Their first full-length album, The Shinee World, debuted at number three and sold 30,000 copies.
3. B.A.P
B.A.P was a K Pop group whose debut single 'Warrior' has gained immense popularity even after their disbandment. Their EP Warrior debuted at number 10 in the Billboard's Worlds Albums Charts. B.A.P single Warrior sold over 10,000 copies within two days of release. Their single Warrior was critiqued as powerful and charismatic by MTV Korea. The group was set on the path of success but unfortunately disbanded due to circumstances. B.A.P is the biggest band of the K Pop world whose split will remain a mystery.
4. Blackpink
The queens of K Pop have been queens since the start of their careers. Their debut album, Square One, consisting of songs Whistle and Boombayah charted at number one and two on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales chart and made Blackpink the fastest act to do so. They also won first place on Inkigayo thirteen days after their debut, setting a record for the shortest time taken to win at a music program after their debut. Whistle also topped the Gaon chart, and they also topped charts in China.
5. Seo Taiji And The Boys
Seo Taiji and the boys are regarded as game-changers in the Korean music industry. They introduced rap to Korean popular music. Their debut single, "Nan Aarayo" was one of the first Korean rap songs and was a huge hit. It was so popular that MTV Iggy said, "K Pop will never be the same again." Their debut album sold 1.5 million copies within one month of its release and won a Golden Disc Award. In 2015, Rolling Stone ranked Nan Aarayo at 36 on its 50 Greatest Boy Band Songs of all Times.
6. Winner
Winner, as their name suggests are definitely winners. They were so successful since their debut that they were called "Monster Rookies". The group debuted with 2014 s/s with "Empty" and "Color Ring" as lead singles. They became the fastest group to win a music show, doing so within five days of debut. Their album topped the Gaon Album Charts and entered the Billboard World Album charts. They also won 'Top 10 Artist' at Melon Music awards followed by many Best New Artist Awards at Gaon and Golden Disc Awards.
7. Itzy
Itzy debuted in 2019 with their album Itz Different with the lead single Dalla Dalla. They were the biggest Billboard debut, with Dalla Dalla entering at number 3 and peaking at number 2 on the World Digital Song Sales chart. They also are the fastest girl group to have a music show win, winning M Countdown eight days after their debut. Dalla Dalla also became the first debut song to get the platinum certification. Itzy won various Best New Female Music Artist awards at the end of 2019. Dalla Dalla also broke the record of the most-viewed K Pop debut music video within 24 hours.
8. 2NE1
2NE1 is one of the bestselling girl groups of all time and was active between 2009 and 2016. They were famous for breaking out of the mold of a typical girl group image, experimenting with musical styles, fashion, and performances. They debuted with their EP 2NE1 in 2009 with lead singles "Fire" and "I Don't Care". Their album gained recognition in South Korea and other parts of Asia with "I Don't Care" winning the Song of the Year award at the MNet Asian Music Awards. This made them the first group to win a daesang in the same year of debut.
9. iKON
iKON debuted with a 'pre-single' My Type with a music video that surpassed 1.7 million views on YouTube. They also took their first show win even though they had not made their first official live appearance at Music core. My Type received 'triple crown' from Gaon for being at the top on the chart for digital, download, and streaming simultaneously for the 39th week of 2015. iKON also trended on Weibo and hit the number one spot with My Type on Chinese music streaming sites QQ Music and Youku.
10. Exo
Exo debuted in 2012 and since then have been labeled as the 'Kings of K Pop various media outlets. They debuted with 'Mama' in China and Korea simultaneously with Mama peaking at number one on Gaon charts in Korea. It entered the Billboard World Albums Chart at number 8 and China's Sina Album Chart at number 2. Exo won the Best New Asian Group at the 2012 Mnet Music Awards and the Newcomer Award at the Golden Disc Awards.
