A Blast From the Past with Two Two
In the spirit of the Y2K trends that are taking K-Pop by storm, let’s reminisce on the short-lived career of legendary ‘90s K-Pop band Two Two. This colorful co-ed quartet may not be famous outside South Korea, but you’d be hard-pressed to find a South Korean ‘90s kid who doesn’t know them and their classic 1994 song “One And A Half (일과 이분의 일).”
Composed of Kim Jihoon, Hwang Hyeyoung, Oh Jihoon, and Yoo Hyunjae, the group came from humble beginnings. In fact, Kim Jihoon and Oh Jihoon were middle school friends and often participated in school bands together. They later teamed up with Two Two’s eventual bass player, Yoo Hyunjae, and while attending the same university, the three frequently played the underground rock scene together.
Soon they were set to officially debut as a group called Traffic Light, a name which would later be changed to “Two Two” since all three men’s Korean ages were 22. Dissatisfied with an all-male debut, however, the group’s label, Fitness, recorded a new lead single including female vocalist Lee Yoonjung. However, Lee Yoonjung’s father disapproved of her participation in televised broadcasts, so Fitness added female guest member Hwang Hyeyoung to lip-sync Lee’s parts onstage.
Their debut album, Two Two, crashed onto the scene with lead single “One And A Half,” a flamboyant and bittersweet song about a man who sees that the girl he loves has moved on.
Two Two set the song apart from their K-Pop peers by designing an endearing and eccentric stage for promotions. While Kim Jihoon sang the lead vocal, Hwang Hyeyoung stoically and quietly danced beside him, interrupting her silence only to sing two short lines in the middle of the song. The knapsacks and short wigs she wore for some of the stages made waves in Korean fashion, and the song’s irresistible choreography is still beloved by many today. Even INFINITE’s Nam Woohyun participated in a light-hearted throwback performance of the song.
Showcasing their musical versatility, Two Two also promoted the album’s emotional ballad, “Even Your Tears (그대 눈물까지도).” In live performances of the song, Kim Jihoon’s powerhouse vocals never failed to take center stage.
Two Two topped the charts in August 1994, a great achievement for group leader Oh Jihoon, who composed every song on the album. The group later won “Rookie of the Year” at the Golden Disc Awards.
However, their initial success was short-lived, as both Yoo Hyunjae and Oh Jihoon soon left for their mandatory military service and Two Two disbanded. Though the group was never restored to its four original members, it would see two more iterations. First, in 1995, original members Lee Jihoon and Hwang Hyeyoung were joined by guest singers Lim Sungeun and Kim Jun. Then, following Kim Jihoon’s military enlistment, the group once again disbanded and reformed in 1996, this time under the name New Two Two. Fitness added members Kim Sukmin, Kim Jin, and Kim Jaewoo, and Hwang Hyeyoung remained as the only original member.
Though years have passed and younger Korean generations are forgetting Two Two, their legacy lives on in the work of every modern K-Pop group that stands on their shoulders. So, as fourth generation groups continue to bring back denim-on-denim, bucket hats, big gloves, bright colors, and ‘90s-inspired music production sounds, let’s remember the kings and queens who “did it first.”
Edited by Kelly Sipko