Old K-pop

Two Two: The 1994 Pop Phenomenon That Captured Korea

Two Two (투투) ruled the summer of 1994 with “One and a Half.” Explore the band-rooted co-ed group’s members, key songs, and place in Korean pop history.

Solid (솔리드): The Trio That Made R&B Sound Korean

Solid's 1995 hit Holding the End of This Night made R&B a natural part of Korean pop. How three Korean-American friends got there, album by album.

How R.ef Brought Club Music into Mainstream Korea

Before they were stars, R.ef were club DJs. The story of Farewell Formula, Shout in Silence, 3.7 million records sold, and the messy birth of K-pop.

Kim Gun-mo: The Voice of Korea's 1990s Music Boom & the Reggae Pop Pioneer

Explore Kim Gun-mo's rise in 1990s Korean pop, from Pinggye and Wrongful Meeting to record-breaking album sales and genre-blending reggae pop.

E.O.S.: The Synth-pop Group That Arrived Before K-pop Went Electronic

Discover E.O.S, the pioneering South Korean techno-rock band led by vocalist Kim Hyung-joong. Explore their music, key tracks, history, and activities since their 1993 debut.

Noise: The Group That Brought House Music into Mainstream Korea

How Noise brought club-influenced dance music into Korea's mainstream in the 1990s and became one of the era's defining dance groups.

015B (공일오비) The Project Group That Changed Korean Pop

015B (공일오비), the legendary 1990s producer group that revolutionized K-pop with Korea's first guest vocalist system, urban synth-pop, and timeless hits

Kim Won-jun: Korea's Original Teen Idol Before K-pop

Explore Kim Won-jun, one of Korea's earliest teen idols, singer-songwriters, and fashion icons before the rise of K-pop.

Kim Jong-seo (김종서): The Rock Legend Who Brought Korean Rock to the Mainstream

How Kim Jong-seo became a defining voice of Korean rock, from his band years to a solo career that brought rock vocals into the mainstream.

DEUX and the Rise of Korean Hip-Hop Before K-pop

How DEUX helped reshape Korean dance music in the early 1990s through hip-hop, new jack swing, and a new approach to performance.

ZAM: One of Korea's Earliest Planned Co-ed Dance Groups

How ZAM emerged as one of Korea's earliest planned co-ed dance groups and helped shape the country's early 1990s dance-pop scene.

Lee Deok-jin & Shin Sung-woo: The Heartthrobs Who Made Rock Mainstream in Early 1990s Korea

Renaissance of 90s Rock & Ballads: Both artists expanded the diversity of South Korean pop music in the 1990s alongside contemporaries like Seo Taiji and Boys and Shin Seung-hun.