Top 10 Old-School K-Pop Groups
By Michelle Woo
S.E.S.
Before there was SNSD, 2NE1, Big Bang, and Wonder Girls, there was S.E.S., g.o.d., and H.O.T. Familiar with these names? You must be an O.G. K-pop fan.
See also:
*K-pop Till You Drop: The Skinny on the Korean Boy and Girl Groups That Get Major Play in Koreatown
*Our review of 2NE1 at Nokia Theatre, August 24, 2012
Today, the manufactured genre has flooded the global consciousness (perhaps you've heard of a little video called "Gangnam Style?"), but the roots were planted more than 15 years back, when the first crop of fresh-faced boy and girl bands stepped onto the stage in Seoul and captured the hearts -- and charged up the hormones -- of a teenage generation. The was no autotune, no off-the-wall costumes and dizzying special effects, just catchy tunes, fun dance moves and surprising talent. Here then, are the top 10 old school K-pop groups.
H.O.T.
Considered by many as the original Korean idols, H.O.T. (which stands for High-Five of Teenagers) connected with the nation's youth with songs about society and teen angst. The five boys -- Moon Hee Jun, Jang Woo Hyuk, Tony An, Kangta and Lee Jae Won -- debuted in 1996 and nearly every album they released sold over a million copies. They broke up in 2001.
S.E.S.
Debuting in 1997, the three-member group was considered the female version of H.O.T. While their image shifted from cutesy to edgy, the trio --Sea, Eugene and Shoo (ie S.E.S.) -- attracted legions of fans who loved their ethereal songs and sweet voices. The group released several successful albums before disbanding in 2002.
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