The popularity of K-Pop is rising every day. Plenty of Korean girl groups are rising in popularity each day and have lots of fans all around the world. There are many K-Pop girl groups, but the following top 10 are considered to be the most popular K-Pop girl groups in 2021.
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Top 10 Most Popular K-Pop Girl Groups (2020)
Which of the K-Pop girl groups listed above is your favorite? Make sure to vote for the group you like the most in the poll at the end of the article. But if your favorite is missing in the list, tell me about it in the comment section below!
Black Pink | Top 10 Most Popular K-Pop Girl Groups
1. BlackPink
Years Active: 2016–present
Albums: BlackPink consists of five singles, two EPs and ten music videos. BlackPink released its first single on CD entitled Square One on August 8, 2016.
Members: Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, Lisa
BlackPink, also stylized as BLACKPINK, is the highest-charting female K-Pop band formed by YG Entertainment. The four-member group consisting of Jisoo, Rosé, Lisa, and Jennie, debuted in 2016. Their single "Boombayah" became their first number-one hit on Billboard World Digital Songs chart and is the most-viewed debut music video by a Korean act! In 2017, BlackPink made a strong comeback with "As If It’s Your Last", that achieved over 14 million views on YouTube in less than 24 hours!
Production Company: YG Entertainment, Avex
Associated Acts: YG Family
Twice | Top 10 Most Popular K-Pop Girl Groups
2. Twice
Years Active: 2015–present
Albums: Twicetagram (2017)
Members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, Tzuyu
Twice is the first K-Pop girl group that earned Platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of Japan for both album and CD single in the same year! Formed by JYP Entertainment through the competition reality show SIXTEEN, the girl band debuted in 2015 with their mini-album The Story Begins. There are nine members: Jeongyeon, Nayeon, Jihyo, Mina, Dahyun, Chaeyoung, Momo, Sana, and Tzuyu. With wide recognition and popularity in the general public, Twice has been called the new/next "Nation’s Girl Group".
Production Company: JYP Entertainment, Warner Music Japan
Associated Acts: JYP Nation
Red Velvet | Top 10 Most Popular K-Pop Girl Groups
3. Red Velvet
Years Active: 2014–present
Albums: The Red (2015), Perfect Velvet (2017)
Members: Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy, Yeri
The group with the most number-one albums on the chart that received numerous awards for music, choreography, and popularity, such as Golden Disc New Artist Award and the Mnet Asian Music Award for Best Female Group in 2017, Red Velvet. Also formed by S.M. Entertainment, the group debuted in 2014 with four members: Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, and Joy. (In 2015, a fifth member, Yeri, joined the group). Red Velvet is known for their unique concept, defined by two different images, "Red" and "Velvet". "Red" is their brighter, vivid side, whereas "Velvet" reflects their softer, more elegant concept.
Production Company: SM Entertainment, Avex Trax
Associated Acts: SM Town, SM Rookies
Everglow | Top 10 Most Popular K-Pop Girl Groups
4. Everglow
Years Active: 2019–present
Albums: Arrival of Everglow, Hush
Members: Aisha, Sihyeon, E: U, Onda, Yiren, and Mia
Everglow is a K-pop girl group managed by Yuehua Entertainment, a multinational talent agency from Beijing. So, it’s no wonder the group is composed of members not from Korea but different countries of the world! It consists of 6 members: Onda, E:U, Sihyeon, Mia, Yiren, and Aisha. One more interesting fact is that each member has a specific position in the whole group. Everglow debuted in March 2019 with their very first album called “Arrival of Everglow”.
Production Company: Yuehua
GFriend | Top 10 Most Popular K-Pop Girl Groups
5. GFriend
Years Active: 2015–present
Albums: LOL (2016)
Members: Sowon, Yerin, Eunha, Yuju, SinB, Umji
Also known as Girlfriend, GFRIEND is a six-member girl group formed by Source Music in 2015. The K-Pop group consists of Sowon, Eunha, Yuju, Yerin, SinB, and Umji. Despite coming from a small company, the band won numerous 2015 female rookie awards and took first place on many music shows in 2016. It also should be noted that the pre-orders for their fourth album titled The Awakening with the title track "Fingertip" exceeded 100,000 units!
Production Company: Source Music, King Records
Associated Acts: N/A
Mamamoo | Top 10 Most Popular K-Pop Girl Groups
6. Mamamoo
Years Active: 2014–present
Albums: Melting (2016)
Members: Solar, Moonbyul, Wheein, Hwasa
Mamamoo is well known for their retro, jazz, and R&B concepts and vocal performances. They formed in 2014 with four members: Solar, Moonbyuk, Wheein, and Hwasa. The group debuted with their retro-inspired song with a funk rhythm, titled "Mr. Ambiguous" (to their first mini-album Hello) and was considered one of the best debuts of 2014. The next year they solidified their position in the K-Pop world with the album Pink Funky with the title song "Um Oh Ah Yeh". Known particularly for their funky pop songs, Mamamoo surprises the audience with a powerful pop ballad "Paint Me" (2017) that emphasizes the group’s soulful side.
Production Company: RBW
Associated Acts: Esna
EXID | Top 10 Most Popular K-Pop Girl Groups
7. EXID
Years Active: 2012–present
Albums: Street (2016)
Members: Solji, LE, Hani, Hyelin, Jeonghwa
EXID (short for "Exceed in Dreaming"), is a girl group under AB Entertainment with five talented members: LE, Soliji, Hani, Hyerin, and Jeonghwa. The band made their debut in 2012 with the single "Holla" but it was not until 2014, that the group gained popularity with the hugely successful single "Up & Down". At the beginning of 2017, EXID released the second Chinese single "Up & Down" and removed the original one from their YT channel.
Production Company: Banana Culture Entertainment, AB Entertainment
Associated Acts: C-Clown, Shinsadong Tiger, Bestie
Oh!GG | Top 10 Most Popular K-Pop Girl Groups
8. Oh!GG
Years Active: 2018–present
Albums: Oh!GG debuted with the single "Lil' Touch"
Members: Yuri, Yoona, Sunny, Taeyeon and Hyoyeon
Girls' Generation-Oh!GG is the second unit of already popular K-pop girl group Girls' Generation, formed in 2018. The thing is that in 2017, three members of the group decided to leave the agency and the group itself, leaving the group in hiatus. However, the group wasn’t disbanded – in August 2018, the new unit of the group consisting of the remaining members, debuted with the single “Lil Touch”. It’s considered one of the most successful female K-pop group units!
Production Company: SM
Associated Acts: Girls' Generation, SM Town
Itzy | Top 10 Most Popular K-Pop Girl Groups
9. Itzy
Years Active: 2019–present
Albums: It'z Icy
Members: Lia, Yeji, Ryujin, Yuna, and Chaeryeong
Formed by JYP Entertainment, K-pop girl group Itzy consists of 5 members: Ryujin, Yeji, Lia, Yuna, and Chaeryeong. They debuted in February 2019 with their single “It’z Different”. Itzy gained fame fast not only because it’s from one of Korea’s biggest and most successful K-pop agencies (miss A and TWICE came out of this label too), but also because some of its members like Chaeryeong and Ryujin have competed on various television shows. You can remember Ryujin from the show called Mixnine and Chaeryeong who appeared in many K-pop shows such as 2013’s K-Pop Star 3 and Sixteen (TWICE was formed through this show).
Production Company: JYP
IZ*ONE | Top 10 Most Popular K-Pop Girl Groups
10. IZ*ONE
Years Active: 2018–present
Albums: Color*Iz, Heart*Iz, Buenos Aires, Vampire
Members: Kang Hye-won, An Yu-jin, Lee Chae-Yeon, Kim Min-Ju, Hitomi Honda, Kim Chae-won, Sakura Miyawaki, Kwon Eun-bi, Jang Won-young, Nako Yabuki, Choi Ye-Na, Jo Yu-ri
Iz One is a K-pop/J-pop girl group created after the Mnet competition show Produce 48, the third season of Produce 101. You might be surprised or not, but it consists of twelve members! The group made its debut in October 2018 with its extended play Color*Iz. It didn’t take long for them to gain huge commercial success. Selling over 225,000 units and raising to the second place on South Korea's Gaon Album Chart, the new group subsequently got several awards of the New Artist of the Year.
Production Company: EMI
Associated Acts: AKB48, HKT48
