Co-Ed K-Pop groups are uncommon compared to traditional groups because of the risks of being unable to maintain a steady fanbase, but fans are growing increasingly accepting of mixed-gender groups. Some of the most notable co-ed groups that have left lasting impacts include Troublemaker, Triple H, Zam, Koyote, Two Two, Uptown, and Roo’Ra. Ultimately, co-ed K-pop groups are able to share unique chemistry and sound that oftentimes cannot be replicated by girl groups and boy bands. 

First up, let's look at some old school K-pop Co-Ed Groups who paved the way:

ZAM (1993)

Roo'Ra (1996)

Two Two (1994)

UPTOWN (1997)

Now, here are five of the new school co-ed K-pop groups you should check out!

SSAK3

SSAK3 is a Summer project group formed from the reality show, Hangout with Yoo (alt. title: How Do You Play?) hosted by Yoo Jae-suk. SSAK3 is the abbreviation of the name, Summer X Dance X Yoo Jae-suk, and means “to sweep” in Korea. Its concept is a throwback to upbeat co-ed dance groups that were once very popular. SSAK3’s members include Rain, Lee Hyori, and Yoo Jae-suk, who are promoting under the revamped stage names, B-Ryong, Linda G, and Yoo-Dragon respectively. Though SSAK3 has been performing tremendously well on music charts, some netizens state that their appearance is unfair to the traditional idol groups also promoting during this time. However, most agree that SSAK3’s debut was very eye-catching and impressive, gaining well-deserved attention.

Lucky J

Lucky J is a South Korean hip-hop group formed by YMC Entertainment. The three members consist of J’Kyun, J-Yo, and Jessi, who rose to popularity after her appearance on Unpretty Rapstar in 2015. Their first single, “Can You Hear Me?” was released in 2014, followed by “No Love” in 2016. At the moment, it seems like the members of Lucky J are focusing on pursuing solo careers, but people are eagerly awaiting a Lucky J reunion.

Jessi has recently released her new album, “NUNA,” meaning “older sister/woman” in Korean. The title track, NUNU NANA expresses Jessi’s life motto of living according to one’s point of view instead of being swayed by others’ negativity. Lee Hyori, an icon for female empowerment as well, was also featured in the music video. Jessi and Lee Hyori’s great chemistry was certainly appreciated by fans in search of bold and sexy female artists in K-pop!

KARD

KARD is a four-member co-ed group formed under DSP Media, consisting of J. Seph, B.M, Somin, and Jiwoo. KARD is known for their EDM and tropical house sound, and some of their most popular songs include “Oh Nana,” “Hola Hola,” and “Ride on the Wind.”

The two female members, Somin and Jiwoo, also participated in the Korean special version of Super Junior’s 2018 release, “Lo Siento,” and it is likely that they were chosen because of their experience in co-ed groups to perform with Super Junior.

Recently, Jiwoo has participated on Good Girl, a survival show featuring strong underground rappers and female idols challenging hip-hop R&B music. Jiwoo has received a lot of praise for her assertive stage presence, with performances like “Take You Down” and “Wet,” and though she did not go on to win the final round, viewers were certainly impressed by her skills!

AKMU

AKMU, the abbreviation for Akdong Musician, is a South Korean duo that gained popularity on K-Pop Star 2. The members consist of siblings Lee Chanhyuk and Lee Suhyun, They debuted under YG Entertainment in 2014 with the album, "Play." The siblings are known for their amazing soul and folk-pop songs, and some of their most famous songs include “Be With You” for Scarlet Heart Ryeo, “Dinosaur,” and “Melted.”

Suhyun also recently participated in the OST for the hit 2020 drama, It’s Okay To Not be Okay, (alt. title: Psycho But It’s Okay).

LALARY

Lalary is an eight-member group consisting of members from Vietnam, China, Japan, Mexico, America, and Korea that debuted on August 29th, 2019 with the single, LALARY. The members include Canaco, Susie, Sabrina, Hope, Eddie, Jinny, Stephny, and Soorim.

One of Lalary’s arguably most popular members is Eddie, who gained global recognition during his participation on the show, Under Nineteen. Though he initially struggled on the show due to the language barrier, his lack of vocal training, and his sexual orientation, Eddie’s impressive dancing skills helped him rise to fame. After being eliminated on the show on episode 12, Eddie went on to join Lalary, a global co-ed musical group.

Check out Lalary content on Eddie’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channe...