Article: Top 10 Most Unique Groups In K-Pop

The rise in popularity of the genre has led to the debut of several idol groups making it harder and harder to catch the public’s attention every year. Although the number of K-pop groups has increased, the Hallyu wave has led to the rise of the genre like never before. Here are ten idol groups that have succeeded in doing so with their unique and memorable concept

1. Tem5ive

The five-member Filipina group debuted in 2016 with their Korean song Miracle. Although they are yet to make their official debut in Korea, they have performed at various venues around the country. During their 2017 performance at the Korean Celebrity Basketball League, they got the chance to meet Park Jin Young, the CEO of JYP Entertainment.

 

2. Loona

Debuting LOONA as a 12-member group was a 2-year project for Blockberry Entertainment. Unlike other groups in K-pop that debut as a whole unit and, as they gain popularity, split into sub-units or receive solo projects, the members of LOONA were unveiled one after the other over 18 months, with each member’s debut adding to the lore that follows their concept.

 

3. Eternity

The group debuted under Pulse9 and has launched 11 members who are AI. The members of the group were created using Deep Real AI, a deep fake technology. They released their first song, I’m Real, along with an eye-catching music video and short interview clips featuring the group’s members.

 

 

4. Mamadol

The group was formed through the reality show “Mama the idol” and features six former idols who left their thriving careers to give birth to and care for of their children. The group is proof that the career of female idols does not have to come to an end as they age or even go on to become wives and mothers.

 

5. Blackswan

Formerly known as the controversial RaNia, the now popular group Blackswan is well known for having a diverse and multi-cultural member line-up featuring the first Senegalese-Belgium K-pop singer Fatou and the first Brazilian-Japanese singer Leia. The group is yet to debut K-pop’s first Indian-born idol, Sriya Lenka.

 

6. Twice

Known as the biggest girl group in Asia, TWICE sets itself apart from other groups in K-pop with their cheerful and fun songs as well as a colorful sense of style that we see in the member’s hair, clothing, and make-up. The group has a unique line-up, with four out of the nine members being non-Korean. TWICE was the first group to feature a J-line consisting of Japanese idols, Momo, Sana, and Mina, and debuted the first Taiwanese idol Tzuyu.

 

7. Kard

Kard is undoubtedly the most popular co-ed group in K-pop today. The group consists of 4 members: J-Seph, BM, Somin, and Jiwoo. Although mixed gender groups are a rarity and are still considered controversial in K-pop, Kard has found success in both, Korean as well as international markets.

 

8. Nct

Debuting under SM Entertainment, the group NCT is the first K-pop group to feature 23 members and have a rotational unit. The main rapper of the group Mark Lee has gone on to debut five times both with NCT and its sub-units including NCT Dream, NCT U, NCT 127, and SuperM. They are the only group to have an unlimited number of members meaning that SM is yet to add more members to the group.

 

9. Lady

Debuting in 2005 under Logi Entertainment, the four-member girl group was the first to feature all transgender members. They released their first mini-album, “Attention,” in 2005. The group debuted at a time when the K-pop industry was still shockingly conservative. They were quick to disband in 2007.

 

10. Aespa

The fourth-generation group under SM Entertainment received massive attention after releasing their hit debut single Black Mamba. Aespa has both real and virtual members including, Karina, Giselle, Winter, Ning Ning, and their ae avatars. The company’s Chairman Lee Soo-man introduced the group and its concept as a way to “transcend the boundaries between the real and the virtual world.”