K-Pop Generations - 1992 until today

K-Pop Blog > Overview > K-Pop Generations

Have you ever come across the term "Generations" in our K-Pop ABC or elsewhere? What exactly is it and which bands belong to which generation, you can find out here!

K-Pop has been divided into "generations" since its emergence in the 90s. Each lasts several years and is characterized by certain aspects. The exact year in which a generation began or ended differs by one or two years, depending on the source, because that's where opinions differ.

We will briefly introduce you to the generations and their best-known representatives:

• 1st Generation: 1992 - 2003
• 2nd Generation: 2003 - 2012
• 3rd Generation: 2012 - about 2019
• 4th Generation: about 2019 - today

1st Generation: 1992 - 2003

The first generation began with the three-member boy band "Seo Taiji and Boys," which debuted in 1992 and revolutionized Korean music. They incorporated rap and English terms into their songs, laying the foundation for K-pop as we know it today. The generation is heavily influenced by American influences and is very similar to classic pop.

Find out more details about the first generation here!

Among the most famous groups of this time are:

• Seo Taiji and Boys
• H.O.T
• S.E.S
• g.o.d
• Shinhwa

Here are a few examples:

H.O.T

Shinhwa

2nd Generation: 2003 - 2012

In the period from 2003 to 2011, K-pop artists became bolder and thus slowly developed their own style. They also spread their music, and with it their language and culture, more and more throughout Asia and sometimes even beyond: for example, Korean stars gave more and more concerts in the United States or in European countries such as Spain or France.

The second generation is often referred to as the "Golden Age of K-pop," because the artists spread K-pop, released countless now legendary hits, and helped the scene flourish.

If you want to know more about the second generation, you're in the right place!

Among the most famous groups of the second generation are:

• BIGBANG
• Super Junior
• Girls' Generation
• Wonder Girls
• SHINee
• 2NE1

Here are a few examples:

SHINee

Girls' Generation

3rd Generation: 2012 - 2019

During the third generation, K-pop made its international breakthrough thanks largely to BTS. Although Korean artists had fans all over the world even before that, the global media finally took notice of K-pop. Since then, the various bands have achieved not only national, but also significant international success.

The music itself has evolved greatly since the first generation. While it was clearly oriented towards American influences and classic pop in the beginning, it now also contains elements from many other musical genres, such as techno or rock.

Learn more about the third generation here!

These are a few of the most famous bands from that time:

• EXO
• BTS
• GOT7
• Red Velvet
• TWICE
• BLACKPINK
• Monsta X
• Seventeen
• NCT

Here are a few examples:

Red Velvet

BTS

4th Generation: 2019 - Today

The fourth generation is characterized by a much stronger use of digital media such as social media channels and the groups also target the global music market very early. In addition, the generation was of course very much influenced by the Corona Pandemic. Among other things, it has led to the development and promotion of online concerts and new digital platforms.

Exactly when it starts is highly debated, but the generally accepted cutoff is probably somewhere in 2018/ 2019.

Dive deeper into the fourth generation here!

These are currently a few of the most well-known representatives of the fourth generation:

• Ateez
• Stray Kids
• ITZY
• TXT
• Enhypen
• aespa
• IVE

Here are a few examples:

ITZY

TXT (Tomorrow X Together)