#23: Nichkhun, “Lucky Charm”

While seemingly a relatively new phenomenon, listeners may be surprised to learn that the history of K-pop can be traced back to the Korean Wave, which began in the 1990s. At the time, global interest in Korean art and culture started to rise, and Seo Taiji and Boys is recognized as the first K-pop band. Debuted in 1992, the group was active for only four years, but they helped to launch a long-lasting music tradition. Along with groups like H.O.T. and S.E.S, these bands are considered the first generation of K-pop and K-pop idols. Before the Korean Wave, the history of Koreans performing popular music in the West can be traced back to the Kim Sisters (see #8 of this resource), who came to fame in the 1950s for singing covers of American pop songs to GIs stationed in South Korea.

It is no accident that K-pop began booming in the 1990s. In the decade, the K-pop industry began receiving government support comparable to the support and funding that the US government funnels into the automotive industry. This backing was an attempt to improve South Korea’s image and gain cultural capital while dealing with the 1997 Asian financial crisis.  In the early 2000s, a second generation of K-pop bands, including 2PM, Girl’s Generation and SHINee, emerged, bringing higher standards in vocals and choreography, and took on new challenges. The first generation set the precedent for scouting and training idols, and the second generation followed suit, setting a precedent for K-pop idol marketing and career building. The second generation were also the firsts to headline their own world tours. With larger, more diverse fanbases to now cater to, producing more music in other languages became more important. For 2PM, a majority of their international marketing focused pn Japan and Thailand. This led them to record Japanese versions of numerous versions. Also paramount to the success of the second generation was experimenting and expanding the group’s musical influences and aesthetics. K-pop artists were no longer limited to influence from Western pop and hip-hop.  For the boy groups especially, it became more acceptable to experiment with different sounds and moods from R&B to EDM and hyperpop. 2PM is a prime example of this shift, going from a tougher, traditionally masculine aesthetic into a more mature, softer, and sensual reset in their latest album, Must, released in 2021. The third generation of K-pop expanded the global influence of K-pop as megastars BTS and Blackpink began to dominate pop culture. K-pop groups began getting invited to perform at international music festivals, landing numerous covetable brand deals, and collaborating with big-name artists outside of Korea like Coldplay and Megan Thee Stallion. Fan service or catering to fanbase wants and whims became a large part of K-pop culture during this time as well. In comparison to the second generation, the rise of social media and streaming became an important and more intimate and personal way for groups to interact with and reach new fans. While the fourth generation has continued to streamline the road to success in K-pop, the beloved second generation, many of whom had begun to move into solo careers or fade into obscurity, are starting to make their comebacks. With these groups having debuted in the mid-2000s or 2010s, many are approaching their 15th or even 20th anniversary since their debut. 2PM celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2023 with a set of solo concerts. Since then, members have mostly focused on solo projects, but in July of 2025, JYP officially announced 2PM’s return to the stage.