History of K-Pop: (G)I-DLE
It’s still somehow surreal to think that 2018 is now more than four years ago–K-Pop has transformed so much just in that time. (G)I-DLE’s debut came at a peak moment of success for their company CUBE Entertainment, just a few months before all hell would break loose over the HyunA and DAWN (E’Dawn at the time) dating rumors and resulting backlash. (G)I-DLE was their first girl group in three years, following CLC in 2015. Before the group’s formation, leader Jeon Soyeon had become fairly well recognized for her participation in Produce 101 (ranking at 20 in the final episode) and the third season of Unpretty Rapstar where she finished as the second runner-up.
Debut EP I was released on May 2, 2018 and almost immediately charted well. Title track “LATATA” exceeded five million views within the first week, which was quite a feat at the time. It also got the group their first music show win on May 22. The album peaked at No. 5 on the Billboard World Albums Chart, and even upon first release, the group was already being considered leaders in the next generation of K-Pop.
Three months later, their first single “HANN (Alone)” was released. This time, the music video garnered 4.9 million views within 24 hours. In addition, the single peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales Chart.
More international recognition came for (G)I-DLE in late 2018 with the formation of K/DA, a virtual K-Pop group related to the League of Legends universe that featured Soyeon and Miyeon alongside American artists Madison Beer and Jaira Burns. The success of their debut single “POP/STARS” is undeniable, with the single shooting to No. 1 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales Chart. Today, the single boasts over 530 million views and showcases the start of the virtual group phenomenon.
Moving into 2019, (G)I-DLE’s second EP I made was released in February with the lead title “Senorita.” For this album, we see writing and composition credit on every track for Soyeon, as well as one song penned by Minnie. “Senorita” was not as well-received as previous releases, highlighted by the fact that the music video currently sits at 100 million less views than its predecessor.
Their second digital single “Uh-Oh” was released in June 2019 once again to a tepid response. Personally speaking, I’m not sure why the response to the single was so indifferent, as it showcases a ‘90s inspired hip-hop concept that we don’t get very often from K-Pop groups.
For the remainder of 2019, (G)I-DLE competed on the first season of Queendom, perhaps due to the falling popularity of their releases. Their final special track for the show, “LION,” became a sleeper hit and re-entered the real time charts on music sites, despite the group ultimately finishing in third place in the competition.
2020 was a disruptive year for everyone, and despite having their first world tour permanently postponed and comeback pushed back, the girls still managed to return to the K-Pop scene in April with EP I trust and title track “Oh my god.” This EP became their highest selling record to date, with 100,000 copies sold in the first three days. It also gave them their first No. 1 spot on the Gaon Weekly Album Chart, marking a turning point in their career. The group would also sign with Republic Records for support in breaking into the American market with this release.
Single album DUMDi DUMDi was released in August 2020. This ranked as the second best-selling girl group single album in history upon release, solidifying the group’s rise in popularity. The next Korean release, I burn, came in January 2021, and it would top the iTunes Top Album Chart in 51 different countries. Title track “HWAA” took home 10 music show wins and a triple crown, marking the most wins since their debut in 2018.
In 2021, there were a slew of bullying allegations sweeping the K-Pop world, and unfortunately (G)I-DLE’s Soojin became swept up in this rumor mill. While initially she only went on hiatus due to the accusations, she would eventually be pushed to leave the group in August. During that time of the scandal, group activities ceased, and instead Soyeon released her first solo EP Windy, while Yuqi made her solo debut with single album A Page.
The next group comeback as five members took place in February of this year with their first studio album I NEVER DIE and lead single “TOMBOY.” This single became the group’s first chart-topper on the Gaon Digital Chart and the K-Pop Hot 100, and went on to achieve a Perfect All Kill.
Miyeon would be the next member to make a solo debut with her first EP MY in April. After that, the group embarked on a world tour that spanned the United States, Southeast Asia, and Japan. They most recently came back this month with their fifth mini-album I love, with title track “Nxde” receiving critical acclaim for its boldness and tackling taboo topics.
(G)I-DLE is a group that we’ve watched form and find immediate success, but also struggle before coming out on top once again, despite any setbacks. There’s no doubt they are a leader in the early fourth generation space and only have more records to break moving forward.