Before Blackpink, Twice and Red Velvet – 7 top second generation K-pop girl groups, from Kara to Girls Generation

Second-generation girl groups have done so much for the Hallyu scene: they put all-female ensembles back in the spotlight, challenged gender stereotypes through their daring concepts and enchanted the world with the charm of K-pop.

Here are seven girl groups who first made their mark in the early 2000s that you need to know about.

1. Brown Eyed Girls: sexy bad girls

Debuting in 2006, it wasn’t until 2009 that the Brown Eyed Girls peaked to stardom, following their hit Abracadabra. While the concept behind the song’s music video was met with controversy due to its sensual scenes, the group continued to top charts and win awards. Abracadabra also sparked the “arrogant dance” trend.

2. Wonder Girls: retro queens

Following their debut in 2007, Wonder Girls became the first South Korean group to penetrate the US Billboard Hot 100 with their song Nobody, which also sparked a dance craze. Having launched English songs, toured Asia and the US and even collaborated with American pop stars, Wonder Girls are credited with paving the way for succeeding K-pop artists to gain entry to the Western market.

3. Girls’ Generation: nation's girl group

At a time when the K-pop scene was dominated by male artists, Girls’ Generation successfully trained the spotlight on new-generation girl groups. They defined the quintessential girl group look: uniforms and heels on stage performances, innocent and cute beauty looks, and an overall feminine style.

The epitome of bubblegum pop, Girls’ Generation made coloured jeans a trend with their bestselling hit, Gee in 2009. The girls have released iconic hits one after another since, experimenting with R&B, electro-dance music and more. To date, Girls’ Generation maintains its influence and remains an iconic K-pop group.

4. Kara: pretty but natural