Top 5 K-pop groups

K-pop continues to gain a following worldwide for its catchy tunes and energetic concerts.

By Anjali Rai, Reporter • November 22, 2023

K-pop is not going anywhere, so those looking to jump into the genre should start with these five groups. (Photo illustration created by Wildcat Chronicle Staff using images by Cait Ellis via Unsplash and Mayor Icons via Flaticon)

K-pop has been a worldwide phenomenon for several years with many successful groups in the industry. With new groups debuting every single year, the industry has become more and more competitive. These are some of the few groups that are popular among all of K-pop.

Those looking to checkout New Jeans should start with "OMG" or "Super Shy". (By Spotify, New Jeans)

#5 New Jeans

New Jeans is a group consisting of five members that debuted on July 22, 2022. Their debut song “Attention” gained mass popularity for its bright and fresh concept and has now over fifty million views on YouTube. Despite being rookies, New Jeans surpassed many who have been in the industry longer, establishing themselves as a fast-growing group.

Following the fresh concept, New Jeans recently released an album with the title track “Super Shy” which has been an ongoing TikTok dance trend with over a million posts. In addition to their music, New Jeans has had many great opportunities with companies like McDonald's, Apple, as well as Coca-Cola. With all their achievements, it is hard to deny them from being one of the most popular K-pop groups.

With a more futuristic concept, Aespa is considered one of the more unique K-pop groups. (By Spotify, Aespa)

#4 Aespa

Aespa is a girl group with four members that debuted under SM Entertainment, one of the biggest K-pop agencies. They debuted on November 20, 2020, with the song “Black Mamba” which gained the media’s attention for its unique AI concept. "Black Mamba" was a huge hit and has now over two hundred million views on the music video.

After their first release, Aespa continuously made hit after hit that won them multiple awards. Some of their most popular songs are "Next Level", "Savage", and "Girls".

Apart from Korea, Aespa was also able to expand their fanbase to countries all around the world with the help of their Korean-Japanese member, Giselle, and their Chinese member, Ning Ning. On April 23, 2023, they got the opportunity to perform at Coachella, one of the largest music festivals in America. All four members bring different talents and charm to the group which makes it hard not to stan.

Twice last recorded in the studio in 2021, so fans are anxiously awaiting the next new tracks. (By Spotify, Twice)

#3 Twice

Twice is a nine-member girl group composed of both Korean and Japanese members. They debuted on October 20, 2015 with their title song “Like Ooh AHH” which has now four hundred twenty-five million views on YouTube.

This group was mostly known for their cute and bubbly concept that was captured in their music and stage performances. Some songs that are good examples of this concept are "Cheer Up", "Knock Knock", and "Signal".

With every comeback in their decade-long career, Twice never fails to catch the media’s attention as well as set ongoing trends. Twice will always remain one of the biggest K-pop girl groups due to the huge impact that they have left in the industry. Not only did they win an extraordinary amount of awards, but they have also captured people’s hearts with their music and dance.

Even non-K-pop fans likely know at least one BLACKPINK song, most likely "How You Like That", as the group has made its way to mainstream media. (By Spotify, BLACKPINK)

#2 BLACKPINK

BLACKPINK is a four-member girl group under YG Entertainment, one of the largest K-pop companies in the industry. They debuted on August 8, 2016, with the song "Whistle" and have since been growing worldwide.

Throughout their career, the group has created numerous hits and collaborated with many well-known artists like Lady Gaga and Selena Gomez. In 2019, BLACKPINK made their appearance at Coachella with an exciting performance, a significant turning point for the group as they became the first K-pop group to perform at the festival.

Apart from the group's success, what makes BLACKPINK so appealing to the media are their unique characteristics. Each of the four girls, Lisa, Rosé, Jennie, and Jisoo, has their own talents and skills that make them easy to love and enjoy.

No other group quite compares to BTS, the most successful K-pop performers of all-time. (By Spotify, BTS)

#1 BTS

When people hear the term K-pop, BTS is often the first group that comes to mind, and that is just one of the reasons why BTS is ranked number one on this list.

BTS is a seven-member boy group that made their debut on June 12, 2013 with the song "No More Dream". In the early years of their debut, they were not very popular. However, in 2015, when they released their song "I Need You," the group started gaining more attention.

From then on, BTS consistently released music that reached an increasingly large audience. Not only were they the first K-pop group to top the US charts with their album "Love Yourself: Tear," but they also became the first group to appear at the United Nations.

What makes BTS so beloved is the message behind their music, which raises awareness about important topics like self-love and bullying. Through their music choices, fans are able to relate to and feel connected with the group. BTS has been a worldwide sensation for the past few years and will continue to be so.

About the Contributor

Anjali Rai, Reporter

Anjali is a senior at West Chicago Community High School. In her free time, she enjoys dancing and exploring various different types of music. Apart from dance and music, she likes to spend her time reading romance novels. Anjali is an optimistic person and strives to have a successful life ahead of her.

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