Dissecting Girl Groups

Ever wonder what it takes to form a hit Korean girl group?

Except singing ability, these are the member essentials you need to turn a girl group into an IT girl group.

Kpop has had its good number of girl groups, especially in 2009, but the best of the best have a few things in common…

1. The Cute One


The one that makes your mouth sore, because they seem so sweet. The cute one is adorable and bubbly, and it doesn’t even look like she’s trying. Not only does the cute one look young, but she can pull off “aegyo” (acting cutesy) without blinking an eye. The cute one adds that little bit of “young and innocent” that every girl group needs!

Examples of the cute one: Kara’s Han Seung-yeon, Girls Generation’s Sunny, Wondergirl’s Sohee, f(x)’s Sulli.

In the epitome of cuteness, Sohee solidified her position as a cute girl with her sudden “omona” in the Wondergirl’s “Tell Me” music video from 2007, making men’s hearts melt.


2. The Sex Appeal


Whether they can pull off that come-hither gaze or have a 10-point body wave, the sexy one is a must have. Though sexy can mean many things, in Korean, “sexy” means anything that can make a young Korean man blush. Sometimes sexy comes across as a charismatic dancer, a female momjjang (best body), or in the aggressiveness of a female rapper. The sex appeal is so important, this girl can easily go solo, like Lee Hyori or Son Dambi.

Examples of the sex appeal girl: After School’s UEE, Wondergirls‘ Yubin, Brown Eyed Girls‘ Ga-in, 4Minute’s Hyun-ah.

After a dance in booty shorts for Jinro’s Cool soju (Korean alcohol) endorsements, UEE’s popularity sky rocketed. This year, Brown Eyed Girls boasted their sex appeal with a hip-swaying “Abracadabra” dance with a yoga dance break.



3. The Absurb One


All of her inconsistencies make most fans want to take a second look. Her personality is a little… strange, but that’s part of her charm. Usually popular on variety programs, the absurd one as a winning smile, contrary to her otherwise strange way of thinking. A bit of a standout amongst other Koreans, it turns out the absurd one in the group is usually gyopo (Korean person living outside Korea, a second-generation of Korean descent).

Examples of the absurd one: Girls Generation’s Jessica, Kara’s Nicole, 2NE1’s Sandara Park, Wondergirl’s Sunmi.

Nicole’s train of thinking is strange enough that she got her own corner on KBS variety program “Star Golden Bell,” where guests have to guess the word or phrase that she is describing. Seems simple, but Nicole pulls out all the stops, describing the word by how it looks in Korean and using the “sounds like” hint fairly often.

4. The Funny Girl


Not to be confused with the absurb one, the funny girl brings out laughter because she’s trying to. If she wasn’t in a girl group, she could very well be a comedian. The funny girl doesn’t shy away from using props or voice imitations. She isn’t embarrassed by a little self-deprecating humor. The funny girl is also well-liked by variety programs, and other members followed the funny girl obediently for more television exposure.

Examples of the funny girl: Girls Generation’s Sooyoung, Brown Eyed Girls‘ Narsha, Secret’s Han Sun-hwa

By far, Sooyoung is well-known for being funny among 8 other non-comedian types. Sooyoung distinguishes herself from the other Girls Generation members because her jokes don’t involve making fun of the other members or spilling their secrets. Talented in imitations, Sooyoung is well-known for being “good on variety programs.”

There you have it! The essential members of any girl group, throw in an ulzzang (best face) and some vocal ability, and you too can make a Korean pop girl group!


Source: Popseoul