1st generation modern K-pop (1992–2001) avatar
Yohan Yukiya Sese-Cuneta
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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

  • This list is in no way complete.
  • Arranged in chronological order of debut (first performance and/or song/video release, whichever is earliest)

1992

Seo Taiji & Boys

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

서태지와 아이들(Seotaiji and Boys) - 난 알아요(I Know) M/V

‘뮤직비디오’ 라는 개념이 정립되지도 못했던 1992년..

The work shown above is Copyrighted to seotaiji.

  • 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)

Uhm Jung-hwa - Pupil - 눈동자

Saturday Night Music Show

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCfestival.

Deux

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

DEUX - Turn around and look at me, 듀스 - 나를 돌아봐

Saturday Night Music Show

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCfestival.

Solid

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

솔리드 - 이젠 나를 (Give Me A Chance)

The work shown above is Copyrighted to JohanKimRNB.

1994

Jinu

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

나는 캡이었어 – 김진우

The work shown above is Copyrighted to southkoreanfolksongs.

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)

박진영 - ‘날 떠나지마’ (1995)| J.Y. Park - ‘Don’t Leave Me’ 【KBS 가요톱10】

The work shown above is Copyrighted to Again 가요톱10 : KBS KPOP Classic.

1995

Turbo

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

Turbo - My childhood dream, 터보 - 나 어릴적 꿈

MBC Top Music 19951124

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCkpop.

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)

음악캠프 - Kim Jong-kook - Because I’m a man, 김종국 - 남자니까

Music Camp 20020202

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCkpop.

  • 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

H.O.T - Warrior’s Descendant, HOT - 전사의 후예

MBC Top Music

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCkpop.

1997

Uptown

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

Uptown - Lets meet again

One of uptowns first hits!

The work shown above is Copyrighted to AC-1.

Yoo Seung Jun

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

Yoo Seung-jun - Nightmare, 유승준 - 가위

MBC Top Music 19970614

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCkpop.

JINUSEAN

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

JINUSEAN - GASOLINE M/V

featuring YG from Jinusean’s 1st album JINUSEAN (1997.3)

The work shown above is Copyrighted to YG ENTERTAINMENT.

Sechs Kies

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

Sechs Kies - School byeolgok, 젝스키스 - 학원별곡

MBC Top Music 19970628

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCkpop.

  • 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)

Haha - Love song, 하하 - 사랑가

Music Camp 20050319

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCkpop.

  • 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)

Babyvox - Hair cut, 베이비복스 - 머리 하는 날

MBC Top Music 19971004

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCkpop.

  • 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)

Diva - Yes, 디바 - 그래

MBC Top Music 19971018

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCkpop.

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)

NRG - I can do, 엔알지 - 할 수 있어

MBC Top Music 19971213

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCkpop.

S.E.S

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

S.E.S - I’m your girl

MBC Top Music 19980110

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCkpop.

  • 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)

RAIN (비) - Bad Man (나쁜 남자) (Official Music Video)

The work shown above is Copyrighted to JYP Entertainment.

Shinhwa

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

19981004 신화 천일유혼

⭐️2차 가공 & 재업로드 금지⭐️ 19981004 인기가요 신화 천일유혼

The work shown above is Copyrighted to Venus19980324.

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)

[MV] Fin.K.L(핑클) _ Blue Rain

The work shown above is Copyrighted to 1theK (원더케이).

핑클 - 내 남자친구에게

SBS인기가요 980906

The work shown above is Copyrighted to takeaway.

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

[MV] Lee Hyori(이효리) _ 10 Minutes

The work shown above is Copyrighted to 1theK (원더케이).

1TYM

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

1TYM - 1TYM M/V

from 1TYM’s 1st album ‘One Time For Your Mind’ (1998.11)

The work shown above is Copyrighted to YG ENTERTAINMENT.

1999

g.o.d

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

G.O.D - 어머님께 (Dear Mother) MV (HQ)

The work shown above is Copyrighted to parkerlewisrocks.

  • 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)

Drunken Tiger - I Want You 난 널 원해 [MV]

드렁큰 타이거 - 난 널 원해 (1999) music video

The work shown above is Copyrighted to O.

2000

BoA

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

BoA 보아 ‘ID; Peace B’ MV

Original Release in 2000, Remastered in 2021.

The work shown above is Copyrighted to SMTOWN.

  • 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)

PSY - 새(BIRD) M/V

1st Album ‘PSY FROM THE PSYCHO WORLD!’ (2001.1)

The work shown above is Copyrighted to officialpsy.

  • 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)

쥬얼리 - 사랑해

SBS 인기가요

The work shown above is Copyrighted to Entertainment World.

Jang Na Ra

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

Jang Na-ra - Buried my face in tears, 장나라 - 눈물에 얼굴을 묻는다

Music Camp 2001090

The work shown above is Copyrighted to MBCkpop.

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

  1. [S.E.S.] YouTube: S.E.S. ‘Dreams Come True’ MV ↩︎

  2. [Nylon Beat] YouTube: Nylon Beat - Rakastuin mä looseriin -live (27.1.1996) ↩︎

  3. [Nylon Beat] Wikipedia: Nylon Beat ↩︎

  4. [BoA] YouTube: BoA 보아 ‘No.1’ MV ↩︎

  5. [BoA] YouTube: Every Heart-ミンナノキモチ- / BoA ↩︎

  6. [BoA] YouTube: BoA 보아 ‘Milky Way’ MV ↩︎

  7. [BoA] YouTube: BoA 보아 ‘아틀란티스 소녀 (Atlantis Princess)’ MV ↩︎

  8. [BoA] YouTube: BoA 보아 ‘Only One’ MV (Dance ver.) ↩︎

  9. [BoA] Heyday: Legend of Kpop? Korean Teenagers React to BoA’s golden days ↩︎ ↩︎

  10. [BoA] Japan Times: No constrictions on BoA’s ambitions ↩︎

  11. BoA ↩︎

  12. [PSY] YouTube: PSY - GANGNAM STYLE(강남스타일) M/V ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

  13. [PSY] Guinness World Records: [PSY secures new YouTube world record with “Gentleman”](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2013/4/psy-secures-new-youtube-world-record-with-gentleman-48291 “PSY secures new YouTube world record with “Gentleman”) ↩︎ ↩︎

  14. [Jang Na Ra] YouTube: 음악캠프 - Jang Nara - Sweet Dream, 장나라 - 스윗 드림, Music Camp 20021026 ↩︎

  15. [Jang Na Ra] YouTube: [MV] 장나라(Jang Nara) - Someday [당신의 하우스헬퍼 OST Part.4 (Your House Helper OST Part.4)] ↩︎

  16. [Jang Na Ra] YouTube: Jang Nara - Calling love, 장나라 - 사랑 부르기, Music Core 20070224 ↩︎

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Yohan Yukiya Sese-Cunetaㆍ사요한・謝雪矢·ᜌᜓᜃᜒIf this is not the end of oblivion, then I shall live everyday as if my life were to end this very day.

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The YOOki Chronicles

The YOOki Chronicles is Yohan Yukiya Sese-Cuneta’s return into casual and personal blogging. The name “YOOki” is a mash-up of the acronym of YourOnly.One and my nickname ᜌᜓᜃᜒ (Yuki・雪矢).

Interestingly, according to Chinese legend, 柳 (YOO) is an ancient Chinese surname. The ancestors of the surname were closely linked with the ancient sage-king named Yu Shun. In Korea, the 유 (YU) lineage traces to the Xia, Han, and Joseon dynasties. Holders of the surname Yu or Yoo had a reputation for charity and diligence.1

It is also the word for “willow” or the “willow tree” which means graceful or slender; and a tree growing near a body of water which provide continuous nourishment and resources for everyone. It can also mean to exist, an oil (anointment(?)), and simply as “U” (you).

The Hanzi 紀 (ki) character means to record, be disciplined, provide order. While the Hangeul equivalent, 키 (ki), means energy, spirit, a banner, and a period of time; and is also a suffix used to make a gerund or an infinitive.

  1. 「유」 Yoo (Korean surname); CC-BY-SA 3.0 Unported License ↩︎

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