Golden days for girl groups

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

2NE1

At the start of the year, Girls Generation-fever hit the nation. Since then, heated up by the emergence of new idol groups like After School, 2NE1, and 4Minutes, the girl group scene is flourishing. Having passed two years since their debut, Girls Generation dominated the music industry in the first half of 2009. The title song, "Gee," topped KBS' music chart for nine consecutive weeks, which was an unprecedented record for female singing groups. Also, 72,000 albums were sold, second highest among all contemporary singers. Consisting of nine members aged from 18 to 20, Girls Generation has attracted a mostly young following.

The groups' next title song, "Genie," once again confirmed their top status. The song received an explosive reaction from fans. If their earlier song, "Gee," was a girlish approach, the new song emphasized mature lady images out of the nine girls.

New female groups joined the wave and fired up the atmosphere further.

In January, After School, adopting the tried-and-tested concept of school girls, introduced "AH," their debut song. Their hot gym clothes as stage outfits, matched with electric hip-hop music captured K-pop fans' attention. Before releasing their second single album, the team recruited new member E-ui, adding freshness and vivacity to the group. Then, the second song, "Diva" quickly joined the top K-pop line.

In May, girl group 2NE1 came into the spotlight (some say as a woman version of Big Bang). Nearly 10,000 mini-albums were bought in first three months since their debut. Title song "Fire" set records and their following song, "I Don't Care," is currently continuing the stream, smashing charts for five consecutive weeks. In July, it was the most downloaded song, beating out "Gee" by Girls Generation.

Teenage girl group 4Minutes debuted in June, stepping into the limelight even before they hit the stage,

4Minute enthralled TV viewers with their stylish and "candy funky" retro music. Their colorful outfits revived even retro fashion. On Aug. 20, the group released their first mini album, "For Muzic." (LOL I think the article writer should checked through her information)

Having recently made their comeback, Brown Eyed Girls and Kara are carrying on the girl group fad.

Brown Eyed Girls initially drew fans' attention for their sensational music videos. Then, their so called "arrogant dance," was unleashed on stages across the country for the song "Abracadabra," of their third album. The song topped M.net music charts for three weeks, for the first time since their debut in 2006. "Unlike other idol groups, Brown Eyed Girls has climbed their way up the peak by themselves," said the agent executive at a press conference.



Using local popularity as a stepping stone to still greater fame, some girl groups are attempting to make an advance overseas.

Following Rain, BoA, and Se7en, this summer, Wonder Girls made their debut in the United States, with the English version of "Nobody," a mega-hit song in Korea. Last month Wonder Girls finished tour openings for Jonas Brother's concerts, in front of tens of thousands of people each night. Appearing on a national TV talk show and a Disney radio channel, the group is increasing their recognition on the continent. The group even topped iTunes top 100 chart, coming in at 78.

Some groups are incorporating foreign-educated or foreign-born women into their acts.

In Girls Generation, Soo-young studied in Japan and Hyo-yeon studied in China. Tiffany and Jessica are American-born who came to Korea seeking stardom.

A member of the group Kara is also from North America. Her not-so-perfect Korean appeals local fans as cute. It is said the group will expand abroad in the second half of 2009.

4Minutes is also getting ready for their international debut. According to a phone interview with an executive of CUBE Entertainment, 4Minute has begun hammering out plans to expand into other East Asian countries. "Wonder Girls' successful debut and performances in United States will be a good example for many local girl groups seeking a U.S. debut," said the executive.

The golden days of girl groups seems to just beginning.

Source

Comments

[parkjinyoung.livejournal.com]

lol :( that is such an unfortunate picture of wonder girls

[d-magix.livejournal.com]

Ikr. I was like who the hell is in that horrendous picture, when I realise it's the Wonder girls.

[blooberrie.livejournal.com]

mte :\

[hp-groupie.livejournal.com]

FOR REAL. Where were you at when they chose this picture!?

[trugeminipnai.livejournal.com]

and what's "the korea herald"

they're under jyp.

[dinobyte.livejournal.com]

the team recruited new member E-ui

LOL EWWIE.

[fuuyu-hsj.livejournal.com]

SNSD will always be my favourite girl group ♥
Nice if they groups debut in US, but I wish they'd come to Germany…
I doubt that will ever happen though -.-

[wondererx.livejournal.com]

really? i found that comment rather biased
i mean, which girl group mentioned here DIDN'T work hard?
many were trained for years before they debuted, and have gone through just as much as them.
the brown eyed girls were just unfortunate that they didn't debut at the rigth time with a "fresh" image.
their unfortune doesn't justify the comment that other girl groups aren't where they are beacuse of themselves.
the only way this comment would stand is if BEG had composed/produced their own albums.

[cuekey.livejournal.com]

That Wonder Girls picture looks maj awkward, imo.
And WTF @ The Korean Herald...?

[filmsession.livejournal.com]

rofl it's called the arrogant dance?

[onerainysunday.livejournal.com]

lol @ the photo fail after resizing.

[stopthedisco.livejournal.com]

Lol how could the writer name Sooyoung, Hyoyeon, Jessica, and Tiffany but not Nicole?

[t8l8.livejournal.com]

This reporter has the sales figures wrong. SNSD has already passed the 100k mark and 2NE1 is already nearing 100k mini-albums sold, not 10k.

[erbalurbal.livejournal.com]

lol the afterschool pic looks like someone shopped yoona onto gahees face wtf.

Nicole is from "north america" ...are they just not sure if she is canadian or not? lol

[aggar.livejournal.com]

2NE1 , BEG > SNSD photo are fine BTU the rest were distorted .

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

How was the audience response?

[kawaiisis86.livejournal.com]

loves it!

[d-magix.livejournal.com]

Her eye seems to be missing.

[missatira.livejournal.com]

the numbers in this article dont seem very accurate. 2ne1 sold 10,000 albums in 3 months? i think they sold more than that. and i dont think the CD has even been out for 3 months.

i want mroe boy bands

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

Yeah those numbers are wrong.

[hi-junpei.livejournal.com]

With all the girl groups out this year, so many of them seem so worthless (2NE1, KARA, new!BEG). Hopefully the talented ones (SNSD, T-Ara, 4minute, After School) stay and the others just fade away.

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

[hi-junpei.livejournal.com]

Honestly, they have more vocal talent than 2NE1. Even in this clip.

[ashiva.livejournal.com]

Whatever floats your boat LOL

[t8l8.livejournal.com]

LMAO! xD
Delusional fans.. :x

[hi-junpei.livejournal.com]

You could at least have the decency to reply to me. I'm not even a big 4minute fan, I just don't think 2NE1 is any better, especially when their "best" singer sounds like she's an out of breath 300lb wannabe gospel singer.

[https://users.livejournal.com/--slasher/]

LOL, this performance is so epic(ally bad) XDD

[riiche.livejournal.com]

Worst perf ever.

[albeitalways.livejournal.com]

let's look at it this way, 2ne1-- three can sing, two can rap, one is...well below subpar. 4minute-- two can hiss/mumble, one can screech and two can sing.

[cherrypop.livejournal.com]

wait wait, the one that is below subpar can dance. she danced hyuna, nicole and gain right out of the water in that dance smackdown.

[schizofragile.livejournal.com]

no no no. I think she/he meant that "below subpar" isn't a rapper. and not a good singer either. :P

[trannas.livejournal.com]

Damn, even my friends and I singing karaoke are better than that.

[wondererx.livejournal.com]

LOL thank you.
hate it when ppl exaggerate how great their idols are without seeing their flaws

[schizofragile.livejournal.com]

I beg to disagree with BEG. :3 They are def better than some other groups.

[nene718.livejournal.com]

idk why I thought SNSD has been around for a long time.

[gabbeeee.livejournal.com]

I wouldnt say they never managed to succeed until after gee when their first album did sell over 100k and sprouted some songs that reached the number 1 spot. i think it was just that gee was THE song that brought them to a much higher status.

[chalakchalak.livejournal.com]

"Genie" is more mature than "Gee"????
Befuddled person here.

[evil-zucchini.livejournal.com]

In image and sound, I suppose? For Gee, they were going for cutesy and for Genie they were doing sexy mature.

[rikayla.livejournal.com]

New female groups

BEG is not new... >__>"

[evil-zucchini.livejournal.com]

wtf Korea Herald. Either this article was written crappily in Korean, or it was translated crappily. Writer didn't even bother checking his/her information or the name of that Kara member from North America. XDDD

[cutelittlebows.livejournal.com]

Korea Herald?
Anyway, LMFAO @ the Wg piccy.

[https://users.livejournal.com/--slasher/]

to call it a picture would give the photographer far too much credit.

[izabera.livejournal.com]

Does anyone have a link comparing the sales for all the girl groups in 2009?

[lovegraciie.livejournal.com]

i totally lol at E-ui.
like, erm...
the reporter needs to do research properly. \: