K-pop’s popularity has spiked in recent years, leaving a huge impact on music and media. K-pop is short for Korean pop music, which is mostly made up of idol (refers to a celebrity working in K-pop) girl groups and boy groups. Most groups have vocalists, rappers, and dancers. Their music videos feature dazzling visuals and eye-catching concepts with impressive hooks and vocals. Each group has its own loyal fanbases. 

With each generation of K-pop groups, the more known the genre becomes. The second generation was the first time K-pop got international recognition. Second-generation groups like Wonder Girls, Big Bang, Girls Generation, Sistar, and Shinee all helped spread K-pop’s popularity throughout the early and mid-2000s, and all are still hugely influential today. 

The third generation of K-pop started around 2013, led by legends like BTS, Blackpink, Red Velvet, Twice, and EXO. These bands experiment with different genres, unlike past ones. They are also the first to do tours, performances, and other events in the United States. BTS alone has pushed many boundaries in their journey to mainstream U.S. success. They performed on Saturday Night Live, at Grand Central Station, and on New Year’s Eve in Times Square. 

Now comes the fourth generation, already being dominated by the 5-member girl group “New Jeans.” The members consist of Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin, and Hyein (ages 14-18). They are well-known for their Y2k aesthetic (referring to 90s/2000s trends and futuristic designs), girly fashion, and upbeat songs. They debuted July 2022, releasing their debut single “Attention”, which has about 42 million views on Youtube as of February 2023. New Jeans has climbed to the Billboard Hot 100 list with their song OMG, released January 2023. They have also been nominated for the Hanteo Music Awards 2022 at Seoul’s Jamsil Arena. NewJeans is only the third K-pop group to chart two songs simultaneously in the top 10 of the Global 200. They are also the fastest to accomplish this, as they are less than a year into their career. 

New Jean’s songs are extremely catchy and their choreography is fun to watch. The girls are fashion-forward and relatively young, representing a majority of the K-pop fanbase. New Jeans has set the standards for the fourth generation of K-pop idol groups. It is fascinating how quickly they seemed to grow. With millions of streams and an active fanbase, New Jeans has already left a large influence on the K-pop industry, possibly becoming one of the most famous girl groups ever.