2015 was a great year for the K-pop world. And with a lot of great music came a lot of great moments from some of K-pop's best groups.
Let's take a look back on some of the best K-pop moments of the year that hopefully will be followed by even better things in 2016.
Big Bang Release "MADE" Project Album
Three years since Big Bang's last group album, the YG Entertainment boy band returned with its "MADE" project album. Beginning in May, Big Bang released two singles each month. Between topping numerous music charts and raking in top honors at year-end award ceremonies, Big Bang could do no wrong throughout 2015.
Super Junior Hit Their First Decade
Another K-pop group that could do no wrong was Super Junior, who celebrated a solid decade in the industry by becoming the first group under SM Entertainment to take control of their own career with a new sub-label. Super Junior also released two special albums to celebrate their ten years since debut.
B.A.P Return After Contract Nullification Lawsuit
The K-pop boy band made their comeback with the album "Matrix" in the second half of this year after over a year's absence from the industry following a lawsuit. After settling their differences with their agency, TS Entertainment, B.A.P made a strong comeback with the single "Young, Wild & Free."
Zico everywhere. Literally.
Block B's Zico just couldn't be avoided in 2015, even if you tried. Beginning in February with the release of "Well Done," Zico had multiple chart-topping songs appearing on the Korean music charts, including "Turtle Ship, "Boys and Girls," and "Say Yes or No."
2NE1 Appears at 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA)
At this month's live MAMA ceremony, K-pop girl group 2NE1 shocked viewers around the world with a surprise appearance following leader CL's solo performance. The girl group had been on hiatus following a 2014 scandal involving member Park Bom, and the MAMA performance was their first live broadcast performance together in over a year. Following the event, YG Entertainment denied rumors of an upcoming comeback from the group.
Hyukoh Blew Up
Indie band Hyukoh made it big with hits like "Comes and Goes" and "Wi ing Wi ing," and became the first true crossover indie act to be signed with a major K-pop entertainment agency. YG Entertainment brought Hyukoh under its wing over the summer, under the auspices of the Epik High-run label HIGHGRND.
Epik High Became Producers
Speaking of, Epik High's Tablo became the head of YG Entertainment's first sub-label, HIGHGRND. Along with signing indie band Hyukoh, HIGHGRND signed Code Kunst this year, and took over handling upcoming projects from YG Entertainment soloist Lee Hi.
BTS Kills It
With hit singles like "I Need U" and "Run" off of their "The Most Beautiful Moment In Life, Part 1" and "The Most Beautiful Moment In Life, Part 2," BTS could do no wrong throughout the year. They traveled the world, with concerts in Asia, North America, and Australia, and won numerous awards for their songs and at this year's MAMA. Apart from a situation in New York City regarding an alleged gun threat, 2015 was BTS's best year ever.
Psy Returns
"Gangnam Style" will forever haunt the rapping funnyman, but with the year-end releases of "Daddy" and "Napal Baji (Bell-Bottom Jeans)" Psy proved that he still has what it takes to create addictive, hilarious songs that have meaning. Psy's seventh album featured numerous celebrities on it, including will.i.am, 2NE1's CL, Ed Sheeran, JYJ's XIA Junsu, and Zion.T
CL Says "Hello Bitches" To U.S. Audiences
2NE1 killed it at MAMA with their surprise performance, and CL did some amazing dance moves in PSY's "Daddy," but it was her Korean-English single "Hello Bitches" that garnered CL the most attention this year. The dance-heavy track featured CL at her best, a new take on her baddest female personality, and garnered a lot of attention from international media- the song itself was revealed first by Vice's Noisey outlet.
KCON Headed To NY, Japan And Korea For First Time
KCON, the LA-based three-day convention devoted to Korean pop culture, grew over 2015 to include a one-day event in Newark, New Jersey in the New York City area, and also to Saitama, Japan and South Korea's own Jeju Island. The event's expansion this year highlighted the spread of K-pop's fanbase and growing interest in K-beauty, Korean food, and other aspects the Hallyu wave.
Red Velvet Taught The World To Love "Ice Cream Cake" And Yeri
Red Velvet debuted in 2014 and hit it big amongst K-pop fans, but it was the hypnotic, eerie sound of "Ice Cream Cake" that really launched the group to success earlier this year. "Ice Cream Cake" was the first time that add-on member Yeri was introduced to the public, a risky decision from an entertainment agency that has dealt with numerous line-up changes over the past two years. But Yeri was accepted by the fans, and the group's "The Red" album later this year was one of the best albums from any K-pop girl group.
G-Friend Went Viral Thanks To "Me Gustas Tu" Slippage
Girl group G-Friend gained attention earlier this year for debuting with a concept similar to that of debut-era Girls' Generation, but it was in September that G-Friend went viral for the worst reason possible. During a performance of "Me Gustas Tu" on a wet stage, member Yuju slipped and fell multiple times. The video was spread over the world through a variety of online news sources, including Time and the Daily Mail. While it was for something negative, the video led to G-Friend capturing the attention of fans with their talent and diligence.
Seventeen and Monsta X Make The World Love Them
While many groups struggle upon debut for recognition by the greater K-pop world, new boy groups Seventeen and Monsta X held their own with their unique colors and concepts this year. Both of the groups had multiple releases this year, and appeared on a variety of shows and events throughout the year. Seventeen's album sales were phenomenal and equivalent to that of some more established K-pop groups, while Monsta X garnered a lot of attention for their aggressive hip-pop style.
Mamamoo Show They're The Best
The girl group gained major popularity in South Korea with hits this year like "Um Oh Ah Yeh" and "Girl Crush." Unlike most other K-pop idol groups that don't appeal to the larger pubic audience in Korea, Mamamoo's vocal talent could do no wrong this year and they surpassed expectations.
Idol Actors Excel In Korean Dramas
Korean idols who try to make it into actin always are greeted with a bit of a cautious welcome. While some idols gave less than stellar performances in dramas and films, Super Junior's Siwon and Girl's Day's Hyeri astonished audiences with their performances in "She Was Pretty" and "Reply 1988," changing the perception that idol-actors were unable to hold the attention and act up to the standards expected of non-idol actors.
Primary & Zion.T Came Into Their Own This Year
K-pop idol groups are certainly pop culture leaders in South Korea today, but the electronic producer Primary and hip-hop artist Zion.T released hit after hit this year. Zion.T's collaboration with Crush, "Just," and his solo "Eat," along with a variety of others, couldn't be avoided in 2015, and Primary rose to prominence writing songs for some of the best singers in Korea, including Hyukoh, members of Mamamoo and AOA, and many others.
MBLAQ, Wonder Girls, EXO, and Girls' Generation Return After Line-Up Changes
After a member or multiple members leave, there's always a question about the relevance and longevity of a K-pop act. MBLAQ lost two members, Wonder Girls lost two and saw the return of former member Sunmi, EXO has ongoing member issues, and Girls' Generation's line-up changed for the first time since debut with Jessica Jung leaving the group in 2014. And each group came back better than ever, with new styles and sounds to impress the K-pop world with in 2015.
Twice and Oh My Girl Offered Up Something New For Girl Groups
K-pop girl groups tend to offer up much of the same thing: We've seen sexy concepts, we've seen strong concepts, we've seen cute concepts. But in 2015, WM Entertainment's Oh My Girl offered up something cute, hilarious, and fantastical without being too girlish while JYP Entertainment's Twice debuted with a fierce, amusing concept (and became one of the most talked about girl groups of 2015.) Here's hoping to more of these two in 2016.
K-Pop Was Literally Everywhere
Or at least on numerous continents, in many, many cities. There were K-pop concerts in Asia, North America, South America, Australia, Africa, and Europe in 2015. Middle East and Indian fans saw K-pop concerts for the first time. K-pop went viral via international news outlets multiple times throughout the year and truly gained relevance in the music world.
What were your favorite K-pop moments of 2015? Share them with us in the comments section below!
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Tamar Herman is a multi-media journalist and the co-founder of KultScene. She is a freelance writer and copy editor, and has written for MTV Iggy, Noisey, and Paste Magazine.
