Where Are The K-Pop Girl Groups In America In 2017
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JANUARY 19: South Korean girl group Girls' Generation perform on stage during the 21st High1 Seoul Music Awards at Olympic gymnasium on January 19, 2012 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
When South Korean girl group Girls’ Generation appeared on TheDavid Letterman Show in 2012 to perform the English rendition of “The Boys,” they were the first K-pop act to appear on primetime American television. Five years after they and other contemporary female acts attempted to break into the U.S. market, the song’s hook of “girls bring the boys out” has proved prophetic. While K-pop's women were the leaders of the first wave into the stateside scene, nowadays it is male K-pop acts that are making big moves with hardly a female act in sight.
One of the dominant girl groups in Korea’s music industry since their megahit “Gee” in 2009, Girls’ Generation was one of several prominent female acts in the late ‘00s and early ‘10s that aimed to move into the U.S. market through English-language releases and dedicated activities in America; BoA, a popular soloist, released an eponymous English-language album in 2009 that became the first-ever Korean album to appear on the Billboard 200 chart; Wonder Girls saw moderate success with English-language tracks, toured on their own and with The Jonas Brothers, and even had a made-for-TV movie; 2NE1 became the first K-pop girl group to hold an arena show in the States, appeared in major ad campaigns, and made waves through musical and fashion collaborations.
Male artists like Rain and Se7en similarly actively pursued the market even as other K-pop acts began holding stateside concerts, but until Psy and Bigbang hit it big in 2012, K-pop’s biggest moments in the U.S. belonged to women.
But, despite these major achievements a few years back, K-pop women are a rarity in the stateside market at a time when the Korean music industry is making waves in a big way. The last few months of 2017 in particular have seen the rise of K-pop to America’s pop consciousness with BTS’ impressive charting records and a variety of television appearances, including the penultimate performance at this year’s AMAs. But the septet is far from being the only K-pop boy band that has hit the U.S. shores this year; more than a dozen boy bands and male solo artists have held concert tours in the States.
Compared to the consistent push of girl groups a few years ago, America’s K-pop scene has shifted away from women: less than 10 girl groups attended K-pop-oriented music festivals, including KCON and a Korean music-focused event at SXSW, and there wasn't a single girl group that toured this year. Meanwhile, the only female acts to hold stand-alone concerts this year were soloists with distinct identities: Jessi, a Korean-American hip-hop artist, HyunA, a pop star known for her sex appeal, and appearing in “Gangnam Style,” Ailee and Hyolyn, both rich-toned divas. KARD, a co-ed quartet, was the only K-pop act to feature more than one woman touring the States this year. Last year was a bit better with CL, the front-woman of the now-defunct 2NE1, and the girl group Apink hosting solo tours in the States.
">SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA - JANUARY 19: South Korean girl group Girls' Generation perform on stage during the 21st High1 Seoul Music Awards at Olympic gymnasium on January 19, 2012 in Seoul, South Korea. (Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)
When South Korean girl group Girls’ Generation appeared on TheDavid Letterman Show in 2012 to perform the English rendition of “The Boys,” they were the first K-pop act to appear on primetime American television. Five years after they and other contemporary female acts attempted to break into the U.S. market, the song’s hook of “girls bring the boys out” has proved prophetic. While K-pop's women were the leaders of the first wave into the stateside scene, nowadays it is male K-pop acts that are making big moves with hardly a female act in sight.
One of the dominant girl groups in Korea’s music industry since their megahit “Gee” in 2009, Girls’ Generation was one of several prominent female acts in the late ‘00s and early ‘10s that aimed to move into the U.S. market through English-language releases and dedicated activities in America; BoA, a popular soloist, released an eponymous English-language album in 2009 that became the first-ever Korean album to appear on the Billboard 200 chart; Wonder Girls saw moderate success with English-language tracks, toured on their own and with The Jonas Brothers, and even had a made-for-TV movie; 2NE1 became the first K-pop girl group to hold an arena show in the States, appeared in major ad campaigns, and made waves through musical and fashion collaborations.
Male artists like Rain and Se7en similarly actively pursued the market even as other K-pop acts began holding stateside concerts, but until Psy and Bigbang hit it big in 2012, K-pop’s biggest moments in the U.S. belonged to women.
But, despite these major achievements a few years back, K-pop women are a rarity in the stateside market at a time when the Korean music industry is making waves in a big way. The last few months of 2017 in particular have seen the rise of K-pop to America’s pop consciousness with BTS’ impressive charting records and a variety of television appearances, including the penultimate performance at this year’s AMAs. But the septet is far from being the only K-pop boy band that has hit the U.S. shores this year; more than a dozen boy bands and male solo artists have held concert tours in the States.
Compared to the consistent push of girl groups a few years ago, America’s K-pop scene has shifted away from women: less than 10 girl groups attended K-pop-oriented music festivals, including KCON and a Korean music-focused event at SXSW, and there wasn't a single girl group that toured this year. Meanwhile, the only female acts to hold stand-alone concerts this year were soloists with distinct identities: Jessi, a Korean-American hip-hop artist, HyunA, a pop star known for her sex appeal, and appearing in “Gangnam Style,” Ailee and Hyolyn, both rich-toned divas. KARD, a co-ed quartet, was the only K-pop act to feature more than one woman touring the States this year. Last year was a bit better with CL, the front-woman of the now-defunct 2NE1, and the girl group Apink hosting solo tours in the States.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tamarherman/2017/11/30/where-are-the-k-pop-girl-groups-in-america-in-2017/
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