Top 20 most popular Kpop groups in the world - which is the most famous band?
Kpop is short for popular Korean music, a blend of numerous genres and styles from numerous countries worldwide. Kpop includes elements of electronic, gospel, jazz, experimental, R&B, hip-hop, pop, and numerous other genres. The term Kpop became popular in the mid-2000s. There are numerous Kpop solo artists and bands. Which are the most popular Kpop groups in Korea?
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Bands are incredibly popular in Kpop, a fact somewhat attributable to the music style's beginnings. There are numerous boy bands and girl groups in the genre, some of which have been around for over a decade.
Which are the most popular Kpop groups?
Here is a look at the most popular Kpop groups in 2022 based on the top songs with the most views on YouTube.
20. Fly to the Sky
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- Members: Brian Joo and Hwanhee
- Years active: 1999–2009, 2014–present
- Labels: SM Entertainment, PFull Entertainment, H2 Media
Fly to the Sky was formed in late 1998 by the SM Entertainment label. Brian did his audition while he was still a student at Holy Spirit High School in New Jersey, while Hwanhee's audition came from one of his high school festivals.
The band's track, Missing You, currently has 4.6 million views on YouTube.
19. ONF
Source: Getty Images
- Members: Hyojin, E-Tion, J-Us, Wyatt, MK, and U
- Years active: 2017-present
- Labels: WM, Victor
Having been on the scene for less than five years, ONF is one of Kpop's newest bands. Their repackaged album titled City of ONF was released in April 2022 and contained some of the band's best tracks to date. One of their best tracks, Your Song, has 22 million views on YouTube.
18. Miss A
Source: Getty Images
- Members: Fei, Jia, Min, and Suzy
- Years active: 2010–2017
- Labels: JYP Entertainment, Universal Music Group
Miss A was active between 2010 and 2017 and consisted of Fei, Jia, Min, and Suzy. The group's debut track was Bad Girl Good Girl and went on to top the Gaon Digital Chart, making Miss A the first-ever band to have a number one debut song. Today, Bad Girl, Good Girl has 82 million YouTube views.
17. T-Ara
- Members: Qri, Eunjung, Hyomin and Jiyeon
- Years active: 2009–2017, 2020–present
- Labels: MBK, Dingo, EMI Japan, Banana Culture
The group's name is pronounced 'tiara.' Their second mini album, titled John Travolta Wannabe, included the track Roly-Poly, which became the T-Ara's top-grossing song. It was also the most downloaded song of 2011 in South Korea. Their best-performing song on YouTube is titled Number Nine and has about 86 million views on YouTube.
16. Kara
Source: Getty Images
- Members: Gyuri, Seungyeon, Hara, Youngji, Nicole Jiyoung, and Sunghee
- Years active: 2007–2016
- Label: DSP
Kara was formed in 2007 and remained active until 2016. The group's name was derived from the Greek term for 'sweet melody.' The group initially started off to a rocky start but quickly found its footing with a more refined R&B sound. One of the best tracks is titled Step and has 114 million YouTube views.
15. Wonder Girls
- Members: Yeeun, Sunye, Sunmi, Hyuna and Sohee
- Years active: 2007–2017
- Labels: JYP, DefStar, Jonas, Studio J
Wonder Girls was a South Korean girl group formed in 2007 by JYP Entertainment. The group's first single was titled Irony. In 2007, the group released its debut album titled The Wonder Years, which included the massively successful track, Tell Mem, which topped numerous Korean charts. Another of the group's top tracks, Nobody, currently has 119 million views on YouTube.
14. Monsta X
Source: Getty Images
- Members: I.M, Jooheon, Minhyuk, Wonho, Shownu, Kihyun and Hyungwon
- Years active: 2015–present
- Labels: Mercury Tokyo, Maverick, Starship, Epic, Columbia UK
This band was formed through a reality TV talent show known as No Mercy. Monsta X's debut mini-album was released in 2015. This was followed by The Clan, the group's debut full-length studio album. The album got to the number one spot on Billboard's World Albums in the US chart. Today, their track, Hero (Rooftop Version), has more than 129 million YouTube views.
13. Wanna One
- Members: Kang Daniel, Park Ji-hoon, Lee Dae-hwi, Kim Jae-hwan, Ong Seong-wu, Park Woo-jin, Lai Kuan-lin, Yoon Ji-sung, Hwang Min-hyun, Bae Jin-young and Ha Sung-woon.
- Years active: 2017–20192021–2022
- Label: YMC, Stone Music, Swing
Wanna One's highly energetic electro-pop songs and stabilized choreography has made the band members remarkable popular in Korea. Their top track, Energetic, has 157 million views on YouTube.
12. Seventeen
Source: Getty Images
- Members: S. Coups, Jeonghan, Joshua, Jun, Hoshi, Wonwoo, Woozi, DK, Mingyu, The8, Seungkwan, Vernon, and Dino
- Years active: 2015-present
- Label: Pledis, Geffen, Universal
While one might assume this Kpop band has seventeen members, it does not. The band's name was created from the average age of the members at the time of inception. The band has 13 members divided into three teams: performance, hip-hop, and vocal. Seventeen's track, Don't Wanna Cry, has 235 million views on YouTube.
11. NCT
- Members: Haechan, Mark, Kun, Winwin, Lucas, Jeno, Jisung, Yuta, Jungwoo, Johnny, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun, Taeyong, Jaemin, Renjun, Chenle, and Taeil
- Years active: 2016-present
- Label: SM, Avex Trax, Capitol
NCT stands for Neo Culture Technology. This is a South Korean boy band formed by the hugely popular SM Entertainment in 2016. The group currently consists of 18 members divided into four different sub-units, namely NCT U, NCT 127, NCT Dream and WayV. The band's single, Make a Wish (Birthday Song), has 254 million views on YouTube.
10. Girls' Generation/SNSD
Source: Getty Images
- Members: Taeyeon, Sunny, Tiffany, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, and Seohyun
- Years active: 2007–20172022–present
- Labels: SM, EMI Japan, Interscope
SNSD, also known as Girls' Generation, is one of the top 10 most popular Kpop groups today. The group made its musical debut in 2007 and has since released nine studio albums and numerous singles. Besides singing, members of SNSD have also appeared in various films and TV shows. Today, one of their top tracks, I Got a Boy, has 257 million views on YouTube.
9. Stray kids
- Members: Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Hyunjin, Han, Felix, Seungmin, and IN
- Years active: 2017-present
- Label: JYP, Epic Japan, Republic
Stray Kids made their musical debut in 2018 after releasing their EP titled I Am Not. Still, the band members had been somewhat popular before then due to their association with some already established Kpop bands. They had also been part of JYP Entertainment's survival show known as Stray Kids. One of their most popular songs, God's Menu, has 350 million views on YouTube.
8. Red Velvet
Source: Getty Images
- Members: Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy, Yeri
- Years active: 2014-present
- Label: SM, Avex, Trax
Red Velvet is a South Korean girl group formed in 2014. The group originally had four members, with Yeri joining later in March 2015. The group's debut mini-album was titled Ice Cream Cake. Today, Red Velvet's most viewed song o YouTube is Bad Boy, with more than 367 million views.
7. GOT7
Source: Getty Images
- Members: Jay B, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom
- Years active: 2013-present
- Label: JYP Entertainment
The Got7 band is renowned for incorporating martial arts and street dancing in their live performances. The band members released their first EP titled Got It? in 2014. Their debut studio album was known as Flight Log: Turbulence and premiered at No.1 on Billboard's World Albums chart. Today, Got7's hit track, Just Right, has 408 million YouTube views.
6. EXO
Source: Getty Images
- Members: Xiumin, Suho, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai and Sehun.
- Years active: 2012-present
- Label: SM, Avex
EXO is among Korea's most popular bands. They recently decided to make their music more accessible to a wider fanbase. This resulted in the split that birthed EXO-M and EXO-K. The former records and releases songs in Mandarin, while the latter does so in Korean. EXO's most viewed song on YouTube, Love Shot, has over 530 million views on YouTube.
5. Momoland
- Members: Ahin, Hyebin, Jane, JooE, Nancy and Nayun
- Years active: 2016-present
- Label: MLD Entertainment
Momoland was formed by MLD Entertainment in 2016. The band members got together through the 2016 reality show titled Finding Momoland. The group's debut mini-album, Welcome to Momoland, was released in November 2016. In 2017 two new members joined, and three left, leaving the current six. Their track, Bboom Bboom, has 577 million views on YouTube.
4. Twice
Source: Getty Images
- Members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, and Tzuyu
- Years active: 2015–present
- Labels: JYP Entertainment, Warner Japan, Republic
Twice is one of the most famous Kpop groups today. The group was formed by the winners of a reality television show known as Sixteen. The group members released their debut EP titled The Story Begins in October 2015.
Since then, the group has released numerous albums and singles. One of their most popular songs, What is Love, has more than 600 million views on YouTube.
3. BigBang
- Members: G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, and Daesung
- Years active: 2006–2018, 2022–present
- Labels: YG, Universal J, YGEX, Warner Taiwan
BigBang is best known for its unique music style that blends Kpop and conventional hip-hop. The band was formed in 2006. The members then took a 4-year break between 2018 and 2022 before coming back together. One of their hit songs, Bang Bang Bang, has 606 million views on YouTube.
2. BTS
Source: Getty Images
- Members: Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jungkook
- Years active: 2013-present
- Label: Big Hit, Pony Canyon, Def Jam Japan, Columbia, Universal
One cannot talk about Kpop without mentioning BTS. It is one of the most popular Kpop bands of all time. The band was formed in 2010 but only released its first track in 2013. Since then, BTS has had numerous successes, with eight of its songs hitting number one in 100 countries. Today, one of their best-known songs, Dynamite, has more than 1.5 billion views on YouTube.
1. Blackpink
Source: Getty Images
- Members: Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, and Lisa
- Years active: 2016-present
- Label: YG, YGEX, Interscope
Blackpink made its musical debut in 2016 and has become known for its catchy songs, powerful dance routines, and stylish fashion sense. The four-girl group is renowned for numerous hit songs, including As If It's Your Last and Boombayah.
Blackpink is the most popular Kpop group worldwide in 2022. The group has more than five songs that have surpassed the 1-billion-views mark on YouTube. The top performing one is Ddu-Du Ddu-Du, with 1.9 billion views.
What are the most popular Kpop groups?
Blackpink, BTS, and BigBang are the most popular Kpop groups internationally.
What are the most popular Kpop girl groups?
Blackpink, Twice, and Momoland are the most popular Kpop girl groups today.
What are the most popular Kpop boy groups?
BTS, BigBang, and EXO are the most popular Kpop boy bands in 2022.
Have you been looking for the most popular Kpop groups of all time? This guide has you covered. Kpop has risen remarkably since its inception in the mid-2000s. Today, there are numerous girl groups and boy bands that have taken the world by storm in the Kpop genre.
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Salma Rashid Salma Rashid is a journalist with over three years experience in the digital world space. She holds a Degree in Purchasing and Procurement Management from Mount Kenya University. Salma has been writing for Briefly since 2019 and has grown to become a specialist at creating stimulating blog posts. Email: salmarashidabdul@gmail.com
Jackline Wangare (Lifestyle writer) Jackline Simwa is a content writer at Briefly.co.za, where she has worked since mid-2021. She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University. She has more than five years in writing. Jackline graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (2019) and a Diploma in Marketing (2015) from Kenyatta University. In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024. Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.
