Every now and then, we at Kpop Ireland like to look back on the early days of Kpop. It’s always so much fun to see where all this madness began! This week we are going to jump back in time to show you some old school groups you should definitely listen to.
Get ready to swoon! Shinhwa are the first group on our list that you need in your life. You’ll also be glad to know they are still releasing tracks to this day! They debuted back in 1998 with 6 members, who have all had solo careers too. If you are into your 90’s boybands, you’re in for a treat!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw3n0IzGEnc
Next up are the ladies of Baby Vox! They debuted in 1997 and are considered one of the most popular female groups of the late 1990 – 2000’s. Check out those fabulous 90’s hairstyles in this live performance of their track ‘Killer’ on MBC’s Music Camp in 1999.
Fin.K.L (pronounced ‘pinkul’) debuted in 1998 and were even more popular than Baby Vox. They unofficially disbanded in 2002, but reunited for a single in 2005. They have some seriously phenomenal voices too, as you can see in this video for their debut R&B style track ‘Blue Rain’. Like most Kpop groups of the 90’s, they have a strange name with initials. Fin.K.L. stands for Fin Killing Liberty, and was intended to mean that they stood against “the oppression of all freedom” (fin means “end” in French). (No stranger than High-five Of Teenagers though!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OmtOsYIxo8
Speaking of High-five of Teenagers, we can’t really leave them out can we? H.O.T are credited as the first Kpop idol group. They’re pretty important in the history of Kpop, so they are a must for any ‘classic’ list. Here’s one of their tracks from when they adopted more of a rock sound in 1999.
Kpop Ireland’s Favourite
We’re going to end with H.O.T‘s sister group S.E.S. They debuted in 1997, before Baby Vox and Fin.K.L., and had three members. We decided to show off one of their ridiculously cute releases from their 1998 album Sea & Eugene & Shoo, simply called ‘I Love You’. Enjoy the super sweetness!
Are you full to the brim of 90’s nostalgia yet? What are your favourite 90’s Kpop songs? Let us know in the comments!
