2000s Korean Pop Music History - THE YEAR OF 2010

21st century is when the culture and new media are joined together, thus, the world can encounter (or share) new culture very easily. 



K-pop is one of the pop culture in Korea that has been spot-lighted. In the early 2000s, marketing on Korean drama and its OST as well as idols in oversea countries succeeded to grab their attention. Consequently, K-pop was known as Korean Idols Music at that moment.



The development of new media, such as social network services as well as streaming services, Korean ballad, hip-hop and other genres has introduced to the world. Spontaneously, the strength of K-pop such as, easy melody, showy performance, music videos with the stories that arouse audiences’ interest, etc. causes to grab attention from Asian countries. Not only the Asian countries. Since 2011, K-pop has been spread out to western countries and also grabs their attention easily.



Consequently, the interpretation of k-pop has expanded. 





The exhibition “2000s K-pop History” introduces the trend of Korean Pop culture by using k-pop contents from every year. “2000s K-pop History” would help people to understand Korean culture and Korean pop culture and expect people to enjoy it.

The Year of 2010





          The year of 2010 could be called the year of neo-Korean wave with the popularity of Girls’ Generation, Kara and Super Junior in Asian music market. 

Kara of DSP, which made K-pop popular in Japan, put its first Japan regular album <<girls’ talk>> on the 2nd top at Oricon Daily Chart. 



Girls’ Generation’s the second Japan single <gee> was ranked top at Oricon Daily Chart and 2nd at Oricon Weekly Chart. Girls’ Generation of SM released its second regular album <<oh>> in February, 2010. The title song <oh> of the album was ranked at all music sites and KBS Music Bank in 7 days of its comeback. It was ranked top at <<music bank k-chart>> 5 weeks in a row, and was chosen as Mutizen Song for 3 weeks at <<sbs popular music>>. In March, it released <run devil run> with its teaser video and name of the album and title song through Bugs, a music site. It started playing in Asian countries after this album. It made a debut in Japan with the song <genie>, and the song was ranked the second on Oricon Daily Chart. The second song <gee> released on October 20 was ranked top at Oricon Daily Chart and second at Weekly Chart by selling 60,000 copies. The next songs <mr. taxi> and <run devil run> had the same record, and over 150,000 copies of all of these songs were sold. In November, the song <hoot> was top at KBS Music Bank for 5 weeks, and chosen as Mutizen song.

Miss A of JYP made a debut this year. Called another Wonder Girls, it was formed aiming Asian markets like China. The name of the group, composed of 4 multi-national girl members, means “Miss Asia that has A-class ability” and “Ace of singing and dancing”. 

After the group with good singing ability and good looks made a debut stage with the song <bad girl good girl> at M-Countdown, it was chosen as “the most loved singer” by Melon, and its popularity continued. It also had debut stages at KBS Music Bank, MBC Show Music Center and SBS Popular Songs, where it captivated the public’s attention with sexy costumes and mature performance unlike a new star.

Another JYP’s group 2PM also gained popularity with the songs <without u>and <i'll be back> that year. The song <without u> released in May was ranked top at M-Countdown for 3 weeks and KBS Music Bank K-Chart, and chosen as Mutizen song at SBS Popular Music for 2 weeks. 

The song <i'll be back> was ranked top at KBS Music Bank K-Chart and M-Countdown for 2 weeks, and chosen as Mutizen song at SBS Popular Music. It was awarded the best male group of the year at 《12th Mnet Asian Music Award》 held in November, and Top 10 at the second 《Melon Music Award》

JYP had <2 Difference Tears> by Wonder Girls, by 2AM along with Miss A and 2pm.

The group Sistar of Starship Entertainment, which was composed of 4 girls(Hyorin, Bora, Soyou, Dasom), made a debut with the song <push push> in June.The name Sistar is the compound word of sister and star, claiming that “We will be a big star in the music industry as amicably as sister.”

After they released the second single album <shady girl>, it began to gain popularity, and with the third single album <you, such a trifle man> it became one of the greatest girl groups of K-pop.

ZE:A and Nine Muses of Star Empire made their debuts that year. 



ZE:A composed of 9 boys held concerts at 50 places of the country starting in October of 2009, and released its first single album 《Nativity》 on January 7, 2010. It had a debut stage at KBS Music Bank, and gained attention even before their debut with the contract with Warner Music and Sony Music.

Nine Muses, another group of the same company, made a debut with the song <no playboy> in the album 《Let's Have A Party》.

 Star Empire said that the group was formed to be a gateway that makes the members become singers, MC, models and actors. The 9 member-group made television appearances and other activities for 3 weeks after its debut stage at M-Countdown in August, 2010.

Regarding hit songs by entertainment companies,YG had <go away>, <clap your hands> and <can't nobody> by 2NE1. 

SM had <lucifer> by Shinee and <nu abo> by f(x) along with Girls’ Generation.

Cube had <shock> by Beast and <huh> by Fourminute, DSP had <lupin> and <jumping> by Kara, and Core had <bo peep bo peep> by Tiara. 



Other Idol groups’ songs gained popularity including Davich’s <time, please stop>, CNBLUE’s <alone>, and Secret’s <magic>.