15.
#15 f(x)
I think they could've been higher on this list if they had more of a push from SM. The girls are quite popular but they could've been even bigger and it's a shame that they're not. Sulli left the group in 2015 to focus more on her acting career. They received 1.1% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
14.
#14 4minute
They've disbanded but they were one of the most popular girl groups in K-pop history during their prime. It's a shame their popularity slowly declined over the years. They received 1.3% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
13.
#13 KARA
Another group that has disbanded. They achieved superstardom when they expanded into Japan. For the early 2010's, TVXQ was the only foreign group that could rival their sales numbers in Japan. The girls broke many records for a foreign girl group in Japan and won numerous awards. It's a shame that they disbanded and if they never did, they would most likely be much higher on this list. They received 1.6% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
12.
#12 AOA
These girls are versatile as they can portray a sexy image and an innocent one as well. They've topped numerous charts and won many times on music shows. They received 2.1% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
11.
#11 A-Pink
The girls have enjoyed a steady climb in popularity after winning the "Rookie of the Year" award at the 1st Gaon Chart Awards. At one point, people put them on par with Girls' Generation and 2NE1. A refreshing innocent girl group in a sea of sexy groups. They received 3.3% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
10.
#10 G-Friend
Despite being from a small company, these girls have quickly risen to become one of the most popular girl groups in all of K-pop. In a way, their rise is like a female version of BTS' rise in popularity. Everything they touch these days seem to turn to gold and they've enjoyed perfect all-kills, an achievement that is hard to achieve. They received 5.9% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
9.
#9 SISTAR
You know you're successful when your unit group's dance practice video racks up millions of views and that's exactly what happened to SISTAR with SISTAR19's "Ma Boy." They have enjoyed much success on the digital charts with #1's release after release. They received 7% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
8.
#8 TWICE
Well... that was fast. Some of the groups on this list have been around since some of you were even born but TWICE is on this list and they haven't even celebrated their 1 year anniversary yet! It's a testament to their surging popularity. Let's see what else they have in store for us! They received 7.7% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
7.
#7 2NE1
Where art thou, oh 2NE1... they haven't released music in forever. Their impact was still great on the music landscape as they set K-pop on fire with a hot debut. They brought a lot of attitude and were seen as cool. They had the biggest potential to break out in the West but you know what they say about that, potential is nothing, execution is everything. Unfortunately, they've been MIA for a while and Minzy left the group earlier this year. They received 9.3% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
6.
#6 IU
Technically not a "girl group" but Sports Donga included solo artists as the panelists chose the artists. She's a national treasure and earned the nickname "Nation's Little Sister." She received 11.9% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
5.
#5 BoA
She's nicknamed "Queen" and for good reason. She's consistently demolished the charts with every new release. Her fan base is global, and her reputation is legendary, for BoA was Korea's first true Hallyu pop star. She broke down many barriers for Korean artists in Japan and routinely became a million seller. She received 14.3% of the total vote from panelists surveyed. For a history of BoA,
check out this article.
4.
#4 Wonder Girls
Girls groups weren't that popular after the initial OG (S.E.S) girl group era ended but that all changed in 2007 when the lovely Wonder Girls unleashed "Tell Me" and took Korea over by storm. They followed that up with "Nobody," which was a mega-hit and even toured with the Jonas Brothers in the United States. They received 17.3% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
3.
#3 S.E.S
SM's original girl group. If you haven't heard of S.E.S. – Sea (Bada), Eugene, Shoo –then you're unaware of one of the most important groups in K-pop history. It's been nearly 20 years since they debuted and their impact can still be felt today. These girls are the OG girl group of K-pop. They received 17.8% of the total vote from panelists surveyed. You can read more about the
history of S.E.S here.
2.
#2 Fin.K.L
Fine Killing Liberty was one of the "original" idol girl groups and a defining one of the era. They burst on the Korean music scene in 1998 and were known for their soulful ballads while mixing in more traditional pop and gradually morphing into a more mature group. Their success helped create the blueprint for today's idol groups. They received 18.7% of the total vote from panelists surveyed. You can read more about the
history of Fin.K.L here.
1.
#1 Girls' Generation
High album sales are usually reserved for boy groups but these girls routinely top album charts. Ever since their debut, the girls have found their way into the hearts of fans all across the globe. They're one of the prominent figures of the Hallyu Wave and draw a large crowd wherever they go. Girls' Generation is the standard where all other girl groups are measured against. They are the #1 girl group over the past 20 years and received 55.7% of the total vote from panelists surveyed.
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