15.
#15 FT Island
The band that brought that pop rock sound to K-pop. Their personalities are infectious and you can see their genuine fun-nature shine through whenever they're on video. The boys also enjoy a lot of success in Japan. They received 1.6% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
14.
#14 INFINITE
These guys were so influential that SM Entertainment wanted to do a merger with Woollim. Ever since appearing on 'You Are My Oppa' the boys have been heart-throbs to numerous fans all across the globe. They received 1.7% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
13.
#13 CNBLUE
CNBLUE had a bit of a head start compared to other groups thanks to Yonghwa being in the popular drama 'You're Beautiful.' Like their FNC brethren FT Island, these boys are talented musicians and bring that band flavor to K-pop. They received 1.9% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
12.
#12 2PM
GOT7 is all the rage these days but 2PM was even more popular in their prime. The boys took Korea by storm after they debuted as they were flaunting their six packs everywhere, encouraging men to get in shape. You can probably thank them for the chocolate abs craze in K-pop. They received 2.5% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
11.
#11 SHINee
I remember when they first debuted and saw Taemin's bowl haircut while thinking, "Hmm... I don't know about these guys, this might be SM's first failure at a boy group." Boy, have they proved me wrong! They're fashion trendsetters and bring that R&B flavor to K-pop. The boys are also popular in Japan and have topped the Oricon charts numerous times. They received 2.9% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
10.
#10 BTS
They're not from the biggest entertainment company but they're one of the most popular artists in all of K-pop, it's a testament to their hard work and lovable personalities. Besides EXO, no one sells more albums than these guys in Korea. Their ARMY keeps growing by the day. They received 3.2% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
9.
#9 B2ST
Although not as popular as they once were, B2ST had a profound effect on K-pop. In their prime, they were winning Daesang awards and making Cube Entertainment proud. Back in April of 2016, Hyunseung announced his departure from the group but B2ST still live on as a 5-member group. They received 3.5% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
8.
#8 Sechs Kies
When DSP Media saw SM Entertainment killing the K-pop game with H.O.T, they decided to strike back with a boy group of their own. Today, you can be a fan of many boy groups but back in 1997, you only had two choices: H.O.T or Sechs Kies. They received 7.7% of the total vote from panelists surveyed. For more info on Sechs Kies,
check out this article.
7.
#7 EXO
No one sells a million copies of their albums (regular + repackaged) anymore but these guys did it 3 years in a row. They've been through a lot since their debut with members leaving the group, but they're at the top of their game in K-pop right now. They received 10% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
6.
#6 Super Junior
A group that debuted with 12 members... 12?!? It was a bold move back in 2005 but it paid off as the boys would go on to become one of the most popular boy groups in history. For four years in a row, they were the best-selling artist in all of K-pop, selling numerous records. They received 12.1% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
5.
#5 Shinhwa
At 18 years and counting, they're the longest running boy group in K-pop history. They were once just another boy band under SM, but today, they are living legends, re-writing history every time they take the stage. They received 14.2% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
4.
#4 TVXQ
A lot of SM boy groups on the list, which is a testament to how they have the boy group formula down to a science. TVXQ led the resurgence of the second generation groups and they were the biggest act in K-pop at their peak. They also enjoyed much success in Japan, breaking down barriers for boy groups to have success there. Unfortunately, there were some issues that caused 3 members to leave. They received 15.6% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
3.
#3 g.o.d
Their down-to-earth charm combined with their deep well of talents allowed the group to propel to the top and become one of Korea's most beloved, if not highly-respected pop groups. They're still going after 17 years in the industry. They received 18.9% of the total vote from panelists surveyed. For more info on g.o.d
check out this article.
2.
#2 H.O.T
Another SM boy group on the list and they're the OG's. Do you like K-pop boy bands? If so, you can mainly thank H.O.T as they're the forerunners of K-pop boy groups. There may have been other pioneers in the Korean music landscape but none had a bigger effect on the K-pop movement as we know it than H.O.T. They received 28.8% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
For a history lesson on H.O.T, check out this article.
1.
#1 BIG BANG
Big Bang is the only K-pop group that can claim that
they earned more money than Maroon 5. There are K-pop artists who struggle to fill small venues abroad but Big Bang regularly sells out the largest arenas everywhere they go. They deserve the nickname, "Kings of K-pop." They are the #1 boy group of the past 20 years and received 44% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
SHARE
Log in to comment