Top 7 Kpop Groups of All Time: Who do you think is on the list?

If you’re interested in Korean culture, it’s almost impossible to miss Kpop. Korean pop or Kpop refers to the Korean pop groups that have swept the world over the past two decades. Well-known for their flashy clothes, catchy beats, and pretty faces, it’s no wonder Kpop has become so popular. Kpop has become a global phenomenon and the artists have created some of the top songs in the world today.

New to Kpop and want to know which Korean music groups to check out? Or maybe want to join the debate on the top Kpop groups today? Read on to find the most popular Kpop groups old and new, as a bit of an introduction to the world of Hallyu music.

Learn more about the top Kpop groups of all time:

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What to know about Kpop

Before diving into some of the best Kpop groups of all time, let’s cover some of the basics:

Kpop is a part of what is referred to as the ‘Hallyu Wave’. This wave refers to the impact that Korean culture is having on the world whether it’s through music, dramas, fashion, or beauty.
When it comes to discussing Kpop groups and the best, it’s important to know about time periods in the Kpop industry.
- The first generation of Kpop groups debuted between 1996 and 2004.
- Groups that debuted between 2005 and 2012 are considered the 2nd generation of Korean pop groups and really began the global Hallyu wave.
- Groups that debuted between 2013 and 2018 are considered the 3rd generation of Korean pop groups.
- The newest generation of Kpop groups is the fourth generation with debuts from 2019 until the present.
The Kpop industry is worth over $5 billion.
Fans of Kpop groups show their adoration for groups in a variety of ways, but one thing unique to Korean music groups is that a lot of groups have their own lightstick. A lightstick is something like a very decorated flashlight that can be connected to other lightsticks of the same type at a concert so they can all flash to the beat of a song.

BTS (방탄소년단)

Debut Year: 2013
Debut Song: No More Dream
Company: BigHit Entertainment
Fandom name: Army
My Favorite Song: 00:00 (Zero O’Clock)

BTS is without a doubt the biggest Kpop group in the world today. They are the most streamed group on Spotify and the most followed group on Instagram, so you’ve probably heard of them before. The group consists of seven members: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook.

BTS is so big that even people who don’t tend to listen to Kpop have heard of them or would recognize their music. Since their debut, BTS has released 17 albums. Under Big Hit Entertainment, they are considered one of the most successful and popular Kpop groups of all time.

The group is currently on a well-deserved hiatus, so that allows new fans to catch up on all their music. Being on hiatus has also allowed their members to pursue solo projects, like J-Hope’s new album Jack In The Box which came out in July. Their influence extends outside of Kpop, though. BTS have been nominated for two Grammys and have attended the United Nations three times.

Last year, they were appointed Special Presidential Envoys to promote Korean culture around the world. They’ve also collaborated with many brands, both Korean and American. My grandmother, who only listens to country music, knows BTS because I wanted to get the BTS Meal at McDonald’s when it launched in May of 2021.

Three songs that will make you love BTS:

“Dynamite”
“Spring Day”
“On”

Blackpink (블랙핑크)

Debut Year: 2016
Debut Songs: Whistle and Boombayah
Company: YG Entertainment
Fandom Name: Blink
My Favorite Song: Kill This Love

Blackpink is the most popular girl group right now. They have four members: Jisoo, Rosé, Lisa, and Jennie. They’ve repeatedly charted on Korean and western music charts, including their debut songs, Whistle and Boombayah. The music video for their song “Ddu-Du-Ddu-Du” is the most watched music video on Youtube for any Korean artist ever.

Since their debut, they’ve released 9 albums, EPs, and singles. Their most recent comeback, Born Pink, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200. In fact, they are the first Kpop girl group to have four number 1 singles on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart. Like BTS, they’ve had a lot of collaborations with various companies due to their influence.

Three songs that will make you love Blackpink:

“Lovesick Girls”
“As If It’s Your Last”
“Ddu-du Ddu-du”

Twice (트와이스)

Debut Year: 2015
Debut Song: Like OOH-AHH
Company: JYP Entertainment
Fandom Name: Once
My Favorite Song: Feel Special

Twice is a 9-member girl group under JYP Entertainment that debuted through the program “Sixteen”. Their members, hailing from Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, are Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu. They became famous in 2016 with their single “Cheer Up” that won song of the year at the MNET Asian Music Awards (MAMA).

They are also the highest-selling Kpop girl group of all time. As of December 2020, they’ve sold over 10 million albums. They’re known as the “Nation’s Girl Group” and their choreographies have often become viral trends. A good example of this is Nayeon’s solo album “IM NAYEON” which came out earlier this year. Since its release, the title song “Pop” has become a popular trend on Tiktok and Youtube.

Three songs that will make you love Twice:

“I Can’t Stop Me”
“Like Ooh-Ahh”
“Scandal”

EXO (엑소)

Debut Year: 2012
Debut Song: MAMA
Company: SM Entertainment
Fandom Name: EXO-L
My Favorite Song: Growl

EXO had a really unique concept when they debuted. They originally had twelve members and were split into two subunits, EXO-K and EXO-M. EXO-K consisted of the Korean members Suho, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, D.O, Kai, and Sehun. EXO-M, with the M standing for Mandarin, had the Chinese-speaking members Kris, Xiumin, Lay, Chen, Luhan, and Tao.

They gained popularity by having Korean and Chinese versions of their title tracks in an effort to make their music as accessible to fans as possible. This concept was retired when Kris, Luhan, and Tao left the group in 2016 though, leaving the current nine members. Exo’s albums have consistently sold over one million copies per comeback, and each member has various solo activities in music, movies, and TV. Most recently, Xiumin came out with his first solo album “Brand New”.

Three songs that will make you love Exo:

“Love Shot”
“Groove”
“Going Crazy”

SHINee (샤이니)

Debut Year: 2008
Debut Song: Replay
Company: SM Entertainment
Fandom Name: Shawols (Shinee World)
My Favorite Song: Don’t Call Me

Shinee is a four-member group from SM Entertainment that has been releasing music since 2008. They originally debuted with 5 members: Onew, Jonghyun, Key, Minho, and Taemin until Jonghyun’s unfortunate passing in 2017. Shinee became famous for their live vocals on stage and their complex choreographies, earning them many awards and the title “Princes of Kpop”.

The group put out albums consistently until Key, Minho, and Onew enlisted in the military. This allowed their youngest member, Taemin, to develop a solo career and become one of the best-known solo artists in the whole industry, once again for his impressive dance skills.

Taemin’s popularity helped the group when the members returned from military service. Shinee had a whole group comeback in 2021 with “Don’t Call Me”, which is actually how I found out about them in the first place.

Three songs that will make you love SHINee:

“Lucifer”
“Sherlock”
“View”

Girls Generation (SNSD) (소녀시대)

Debut Year: 2007
Debut Song: Into The New World
Company: SM Entertainment
Fandom Name: SONE (So One)
My Favorite Song: Lionheart

Girls Generation, Top Kpop groups — Photo Credit: **Pinkvilla.com**

Girls Generation, also known as SNSD as an acronym of their Korean name Sonyeo Sidae, is arguably the most popular Kpop girl group of all time. The group originally consisted of 9 members: Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, Seohyun, and Jessica, but Jessica left in 2014. They rose to popularity in 2009 with the single “Gee”, which became the most popular song on the Korean streaming service Melon for the entire early 2000s Their third album, “The Boys” was the best-selling album in Korea in 2011.

After 2017, SNSD took a 5 year hiatus to focus on their solo careers. Taeyeon and Hyoyeon focused on music while Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun focused on acting. Tiffany and Yuri did both music and acting, and Sunny became known as the “variety show queen” for her appearances on television shows. In August 2022, SNSD had a comeback to celebrate their 15th anniversary called “Forever 1”.

Three songs that will make you love Girls’ Generation:

“Tell Me Your Wish (Genie)”
“Into The New World”
“Paparazzi”

BigBang (빅뱅)

Debut Year: 2006
Debut Song: We Belong Together
Company: YG Entertainment
Fandom Name: V.I.P
My Favorite Song: Still Life

BigBang is probably the most influential Kpop group on the list. They inspired many idols to get into the industry, including members of BTS, namely RM. BigBang started off as a 5 member group with G-Dragon, T.O.P. Taeyang, Daesung, and Seungri, though Seungri retired in 2019.

Eleven of their singles have reached #1 on the Gaon Digital Chart, and various songs by the group have collectively stayed atop Melon’s charts for 51 weeks. They’ve sold over 150 million records digitally and physically, and they were the first Korean artists to be listed on the Forbes Celebrity 100 list in 2016.

BigBang has had such a strong influence on the industry that, when they had their first comeback in 5 years, everyone was talking about it. They released the single “Still Life” on April 5, 2022, with barely any advertisement or promotion and it currently has 73 million views on Youtube and 39.5 million streams on Spotify. They are known for their musical experimentation and stage presence and are trendsetters in the Kpop industry.

Three songs that will make you love BigBang: