tvN drama "Respond1997" is sparking a discussion.

The 1990s are a very nostalgic time for those who are currently in their 20s and 30s. They can remember their high school years when they were going crazy over H.O.T and Sechs Kies, as they watch "Respond 1997" which is quite successful in drawing out their memories.

The main female lead is someone who does not hesitate in pulling all nighters in order to get a glimpse of H.O.T and the audience, most of whom can remember this time are laughing and reminiscing as they sing along to their favorite songs from these first generation idol bands. 

For those that can clearly remember themselves in 1997, the year is full of memories and nostalgia. It could remain in their favorite singers' tapes or CDs, or it can be carried in an item like the H.O.T gloves. 

Can the teenagers right now understand just how much influence H.O.T and Sechs Kies had back in the days? They were the two rivaling and main boy bands at the time, and it was a time where the internet was not developed and the fan girls had a much harder time following the bands than people do now.

Fan girls had to actually buy their records at record stores, wait for hours and days in front of their concert venues and worship the ground that the band walked on.

Then what did the idols look like? H.O.T, Sechs Kies, Shinhwa, FinKL, and S.E.S tended to dance together and wear unified outfits that clearly showed that they were one. They had to be the role models for their fans and the first generation idols put on performances that were according to the general image of the band, rather than play to their individual strengths and characters.

The idol groups now can choose not to perform military-style dances that make you seem like one moving object. The ones that unify the angle at which their elbows bend, the height at which they jump garner more attention for how closely they work together. 

The idols now days give themselves much more leeway and difference amongst the members than the first generation idols did but they have a generally similar pattern in their outfits. Even the groups that are known for their unity end up becoming very different when individual members start doing their own activities and start to appeal to audiences with their unique characters. 

Girls Generation's Taeyeon, Tiffany and Seohyun all were active as solos, which set them apart from the general Girls Generation image of colorful skinny jeans or wearing uniforms. 

On the other hand, some of the idol groups nowadays go for differentiating each member from the group and sometimes it's hard to believe that they are in one group. They no longer wear the same clothes like they did in the 90s but as the audience becomes more interested in fashion, the idol group performance outfits are also going through changes accordingly.

2NE1 is the most notable group when it comes to fashion. They show a different color palate and styling for each performance and they make sure that each member is wearing things that are most flattering to them. For Bom, who has pretty legs, a tight mini-skirt and for thin Dara, a loose fit item works best. 

BEAST and TEEN TOP are stepping away from the military-style images and showing a new side of their styles, as they begin to play up each member's characteristics with different outfits. 

Just as those who remember 1997 went through growing pains, the idols of 2012 have changed just as much. In 2027, we hope that there could be "Respond 2012."