History of K-Pop: INFINITE
With the recent resurgence of second generation groups coming back into the spotlight of the K-Pop world, we are feeling a bit nostalgic. Names like BIGBANG and 2NE1 come to the forefront when discussing the second generation, but there are plenty of other groups that were also very important to the growth of K-Pop in that time. One group that seems to have fallen off the radar in that department is INFINITE, who many will argue released one of the greatest K-Pop songs of all time in the form of “The Chaser.” Yet, despite that claim to fame, many newer fans do not seem to be very familiar with INFINITE and their impact on the K-Pop world.
INFINITE debuted in the later years of what is considered second generation, coming very close to third generation, which may be why they got a bit lost in the shuffle of the generational narrative. The group debuted in 2010 with mini-album First Invasion and title track “Come Back Again.” Even before debut, the members were recognizable for working with Epik High, with Hoya and Dongwoo working as backup dancers for the group, while Sunggyu, L, Woohyun, and Sungjong appeared in the music video for “Run.”
The first comeback came in six months with second mini-album Evolution and lead single “BTD (Before The Dawn).” This was the first comeback to chart via the Music Bank K-chart. In March, they released their first single album Inspirit and hit the top 40; however, the group’s big break didn’t really hit until the first studio album Over The TOP and title track “Be mine.” This comeback gained the group their first music show win, with the album peaking at No. 2 on the Gaon Weekly Album Chart.
The legacy solidified in 2012, when the group held their first solo concert in Seoul at the beginning of the year in mid-February, followed by dates in late February in Tokyo. Along with steady growth in the Japanese market, the group’s stamp forever on the K-Pop world would come along in May with the release of the third mini-album INFINITIZE and title track “The Chaser.” Not only is this still considered one of the greatest K-Pop song releases to date, at the time it gave the group their first triple crown on M!COUNTDOWN and was named the best K-Pop song of the year on Billboard.
INFINITE enjoyed popularity from this going forward, with successful releases through 2013 and embarking on a world tour in August that included dates in North America, Europe, and Dubai. Fourth mini-album New Challenge and title “Man In Love” peaked at No. 1 on both the Gaon Weekly Album Chart and the Gaon Monthly Album Chart, with the title bringing home a total of seven music show wins. Single album DESTINY and its title of the same name came out mid-July and continued to chart at the top.
In 2014, the second studio album Season 2 was released with the title track “Last Romeo.” This album hit another new mark for INFINITE, with the album peaking at No. 7 on the U.S. World Albums Chart. While “Destiny” may have been considered the start of this, it was solidified with the release of “Last Romeo” that the group was exploring darker and more intense concepts. This was showcased the most in the repackage title “Back,” which showed the boys entangled in an intense gang fight to save a kidnapped girl. The darker concepts proved to be a boon for INFINITE’s career, as they continued to top the charts and remain in the public eye as they shifted focus.
2015 INFINITE holds a special place in my heart. The release of Reality and title “Bad” came around the time I joined the K-Pop world, and the song remains one of my favorite K-Pop releases to date. It wasn’t just me that was so enamored with this release; the title brought home six music show wins.
In 2016, EP INFINITE ONLY would be the last release from the full group. Contracts for the members all came up in 2017, and as everything ironed out, only six of the seven members renewed their contracts. Member Hoya decided not to, and as a result left the group completely to go solo. Member changes always tend to have an impact on the group, especially after their big break. With Hoya leaving, the next comeback from the group didn’t occur until 2018, the same year leader Sunggyu would be required to enlist for his military service. Third studio album TOP SEED and lead title “Tell Me” would be the final full group release to date.
The last release we’ve received from INFINITE was in 2019 via single “Clock,” which was promoted with only five members. Since then, all the members slowly began to enlist for their military service and contracts began to expire once again while away. The first to leave Woollim Entertainment was L, who said he would continue to be a part of INFINITE and has since been taking on more acting roles. Leader Sunggyu completed his service in 2020 and has been somewhat active after also choosing to leave Woollim, being the most recent INFINITE member to have a comeback.
Both Sungyeol and Dongwoo were also discharged in 2020, and followed behind Sunggyu in leaving the company in 2021. Woohyun is the only member that currently remains under Woollim Entertainment and made a comeback in October 2021 which he spoke to us about. Maknae Sungjong finished service in 2021 and did choose to renew his contract with Woollim. Despite renewing in 2021, Sungjong ultimately decided to not renew the contract with Woollim again in January of this year. L is the last member to enter the military, only leaving earlier this year in February.
So what does the future hold for INFINITE? It’s hard to say right now when we are still waiting for enlistments to be completed. With all but one member leaving their original agency, comebacks would be few and far between since individual schedules are hard to manage. It seems like things were off for the group ever since Hoya left, with their releases becoming so infrequent that they would get lost among the shuffle of all the other groups on the scene. Despite future uncertainty, however, there is no questioning the impact that INFINITE has left on the K-Pop world. With the recent resurgence of second generation K-Pop, we hope to see them come back and showcase their talents once more as well.
Edited by Kelly Sipko