The 1st Generation of K-Pop Music started in 1992 and ended in 2001. Here are the pioneering groups and solo acts who started the modern K-pop that we all know today.

For an explanation on how we defined each generation, see: YourOnly.One’s K-pop Generations

1992

Seo Taiji & Boys

• Hangul: 서태지와 아이들
• Debut: 1992-04-11
  • Song: 난 알아요 (Nan Arayo; I Know)

• Also known for:
  • Starting the modern K-pop music.
  • The first modern K-pop boy group.
• Wikipedia: Seo Taiji and Boys

1993

Uhm Jung Hwa

• Hangul: 엄정화
• Debut: 1993-01-16 as solo
  • Song: 눈동자 (Pupil)

• Debut: 2020-10-10 as a member of supergroup Refund Sisters
• Wikipedia: Uhm Jung-hwa

Deux

• Hangul: 듀스
• Debut: 1993-04-23
  • Song: Turn Around and Look at Me

• Wikipedia: Deux (band)

Solid

• Hangul: 솔리드
• Debut: 1993-12-15
  • Song: Give Me A Chance

• Wikipedia: Solid (band)

1994

Jinu

• Hangul: 지누
• Also known as: 김진우 (Kim Jin Woo)
• Debut: 1994-03-09
  • Song: 나는 캡이었어 (I Am Awesome)

• Debut: 1997-03-01 as a member of JINUSEAN
• Wikipedia: Jinu

JYP

• Hangul: 박진영
• Also known as: J. Y. Park; The Asiansoul
• Debut: 1994-09-01
• Founder of JYP Entertainment (1997)
  • Song: 날 떠나지마 (Don’t Leave Me)

• Wikipedia: Park Jin-young

1995

Turbo

• Hangul: 터보
• Debut: 1995-09-06
  • Song: 나 어릴적 꿈 (My Childhood Dream)

• Wikipedia: Turbo (South Korean band)

Kim Jong Kook

• Hangul: 김종국
• Fandom name: Papitus
• Debut: 1995-09-06 as a member of Turbo
• Debut: 2001-12-12 as a solo act
  • Song: 남자니까 (Because I’m A Man)

• Also known for:
  • Running Man host
  • Bodybuilder
• Wikipedia: Kim Jong-kook

1996

H.O.T

• Hangul: 에이치오티
• Also known as: Highfive Of Teenagers
• Fandom name: Club H.O.T.
• Debut: 1996-09-07
  • Song: Descendants of Warriors

• Wikipedia: H.O.T.

1997

Uptown

• Hangul: 업타운
• Debut: 1997
  • Song: 다시 만나 줘 (Let’s Meet Again)

• Wikipedia: Uptown (band)

Yoo Seung Jun

• Hangul: 유승준
• Also known as: Steve Seung Jun Yoo
• Debut: 1997 March
  • Song: 가위 (Gawi; Nightmare)

• Wikipedia: Yoo Seung-jun

JINUSEAN

• Hangul: 지누션
• Debut: 1997-03-01
  • Song: Gasoline

• Wikipedia: Jinusean

Sechs Kies

• Hangul: 젝스키스
• Fandom name: YellKies
• Debut: 1997-04-15
  • Song: 학원별곡 (School Anthem)

• Did you know?
  • They pioneered the idol fandom culture.
• Wikipedia: Sechs Kies

Haha

• Hangul: 하하
• Debut: 1997-05-01 as a solo act
• Debut: 2001 as a member of 지키리 (Z-kiri)
• Debut: 2005-02-18 as a solo act
  • Song: 사랑가 (Love Song)

• Debut: 2012-07-30 as a member of RGP (레게 강 같은 평화; Reggae Peace like a River)
• Did you know?
  • He is married to K-pop singer, Byul.
  • He is a Running Man host.
  • He is an Infinite Challenge host.
• Wikipedia: Haha (entertainer)

Baby V.O.X

• Hangul: 베이비복스
• Fandom name: Baby Angels
• Debut: 1997-07-10
  • Song: 머리 하는 날 (Hair Cut)

• Did you know?
  • They were the first modern K-pop girl group.
  • They were also the first modern K-pop girl group to break into the Chinese market.
• Wikipedia: Baby Vox

DIVA

• Hangul: 디바
• Debut: 1997-08-29
  • Song: 그래 (Yeah)

• Wikipedia: Diva (South Korean group)

NRG

• Hangul: 엔알지
• Also known as: New Radiancy Group
• Fandom name: Cheonjae Ilwoo
• Debut: 1997-10-28
  • Song: 할 수 있어 (I Can Do It)

• Wikipedia: NRG (South Korean band)

S.E.S

• Hangul: 에스이에스
• Fandom name: Friend
• Debut: 1997-11-01
• Name stands for Sea, Eugene, and Shoo
  • Song: I’m Your Girl

• Sample songs:
  • Dreams Come True ¹, Korean version of Rakastuin mä looseriin ² by Finnish girl group Nylon Beat ³.
• Wikipedia: S.E.S. (group)

1998

Rain

• Hangul: 비
• Fandom name: Clouds
• Debut: 1998 as a member of Fanclub
• Debut: 2002-05-13 as a solo act
  • Song: 나쁜 남자 (Bad Guy)

• Debut: 2020-07-25 as a member of supergroup SSAK3
• Wikipedia: Rain (entertainer)

Shinhwa

• Hangul: 신화
• Fandom name: Shinhwa Changjo
• Debut: 1998-04-19
  • Song: 천일유혼 (Sharing Forever)

• Wikipedia: Shinhwa

Fin.K.L

• Hangul: 핑클
• Also known as: Fine Killing Liberty
• Fandom name: Pinky
• Debut: 1998-05-25
  • Song: Blue Rain; 내 남자친구에게 (To My Boyfriend)

• Wikipedia: Fin.K.L

Lee Hyo Ri

• Hangul: 이효리
• Fandom name: HyoRish
• Debut: 1998-05-25 as a member of Fin.K.L
• Debut: 2003-08-13 as a solo act
  • Song: 10 Minutes

• Debut: 2020-07-25 as a member of supergroup SSAK3
• Wikipedia: Lee Hyori

1TYM

• Hangul: 원타임
• Fandom name: Hip-Hop Village
• Debut: 1998-11-15
  • Song: 1TYM

• Wikipedia: 1TYM

1999

g.o.d

• Hangul: 지오디
• Also known as: Groove Over Dose
• Fandom name: Fan god
• Debut: 1999-01-13
  • Song: 어머님께 (To Mother)

• Did you know?
  • They were originally to be named as GOT6.
• Wikipedia: g.o.d

Drunken Tiger

• Hangul: 드렁큰 타이거
• Debut: 1999-02-02
  • Song: 난 널 원해 (I Want You)

• Wikipedia: Drunken Tiger

2000

BoA

• Hangul: 권보아
• Fandom name: Jumping BoA; SOUL (Japan)
• Debut: 2000-08-25 as a solo act
  • Song: “ID; Peace B”

• Sample songs:
  • No.1 ⁴
  • Every Heart-ミンナノキモチ- ⁵
  • Milky Way ⁶
  • Atlantis Princess ⁷
  • Only One ⁸
• Debut: 2022-01-01 as a member of GOT the beat a subgroup of supergroup Girls On Top
• Did you know?
  • She was discovered by SM Entertainment at the age of 11 and trained for two years.
  • She debuted at the young age of 13.
  • BoA can sing well not just in Korean but also in English, Japanese, and Chinese.
  • She’s known as the Star of Asia. ⁹
  • First Korean to be in Billboard. ⁹
  • She’s called the Queen of K-pop.
  • BoA was the first K-pop act to break in Japan after the restriction of imports between Japan and Korea was lifted. ¹⁰
  • She is the only non-Japanese with three albums which sold one million copies in Japan. [^boa-dyk-japan-times]
  • BoA is one of three female pop star with six consecutive number 1 studio albums in the Oricon charts since her debut. The other two are highly popoular and successful Japanese stars Ayumi Hamasaki and Utada Hikaru. ¹¹
• Wikipedia: BoA

2001

PSY

• Hangul: 싸이
• Also known as: 엽기가수 (The Bizarre Singer)
• Fandom name: PSYcho
• Debut: 2001-01-19
  • Song: 새 (Bird); 끝 (The End)

• Sample songs:
  • 강남스타일 (Gangnam Style) ¹²
• Did you know?
  • Gangnam Style earned PSY multiple Guinness World Records as the “Most Viewed Video Online”, “Most ‘Liked’ Video Online”, “First Video to Receive 1 billion views”. ¹³ As of 2022-01-28 20:25:35+0800:
    • Likes: 23 million ¹²
    • Views: 4,320,893,237 ¹²
    • Since: 2012-07-15 ¹²
  • Gentleman also entered the Guinness World Records as the “Most Viewed Video Online in a 24-hour period” hitting 38.4 million views on 2013-04-14. ¹³
• Wikipedia: Psy

Jewelry

• Hangul: 쥬얼리
• Fandom name: Jewel Box
• Debut: 2001-03-30
  • Song: 사랑해 (I Love You)

• Wikipedia: Jewelry (group)

Jang Na Ra

• Hangul: 장나라
• Fandom name: Fly Nara Love
• Debut: 2001-05-04
  • Song: 눈물에 얼굴을 묻는다 (Burying My Face In Tears)

• Sample songs:
  • 스윗 드림 (Sweet Dream) ¹⁴
  • Someday ¹⁵ OST for Your House Helper
  • calling love ¹⁶
• Wikipedia: Jang Na-ra