The Female Wave in K-pop
Feature - Josefine Jensen
From being banned to being praised, the female solo scene in Korean music has elevated through hardships for the past decade. The truth is, women rule the solo scene in South Korea.
Women in the music industry in South Korea have had to watch as their male counterparts have succeeded, until a few women took matters into their own hands to make it big. Photo: Screenshot from music video “Gucci” / Youtube
Jessi = SSENUNNIE
Jessi is not a new Korean artist, quite literally the opposite. She debuted in 2005 but it was not until 2015 she really started making her name known to the public, both in South Korea and globally with the song called “SSENUNNI”. SSENUNNI/SSEN OENNI (쎈언니) means strong-minded woman or strong sister. In South Korea, you call a female older than you unni/eonni (언니) if you are also a female to show respect. (If you are male, you call a female older than you noona (누나)). The same year she released this single, Jessi was on the very first season of “Unpretty Rapstar”, a spin-off of the male version of the show “Show Me the Money”. The show is a reality competition show for rappers. She placed second on the show, but gained a lot of popularity amongst the audience which fired up her solo career.
“Who are you to judge me?”
She didn’t win Unpretty Rapstar, but Jessi won the audience. Photo: Screenshot from music video “Gucci” / Youtube
Jessi has been loved and hated, praised and criticized for being outspoken, loud, confident and strong-minded. She has made success on reality shows with her charismatic personality and humor. She has been criticized for her looks, being “too plastic” many times, her answer has always been the same, a version of saying “yes, so what?”. On the EP “u2verse” from 2017, the song “Spirit Animal” contains a line saying “Wait me, plastic? Hm, I’m fantastic, my momma says I’m pretty, yo’ momma, she a fan, bitch!” Serving girl power, “u2verse” contains other hip hop-power songs like “Gucci” about her success.
Jessi’s success has only climbed from there after she signed with P Nation, PSY’s music company (which we will come back to further down in the article).
Bubble Pop!
On a summer day in the middle of 2011, Hyuna released her first EP “Bubble Pop!”. The promotion for the EP was cut short due to a ban on Korean Broadcasting for having too sexually suggestive choreography in her performances for TV.
If you don’t know much about K-pop, but always wondered who that girl from the subway was in the “Gangnam Style” music video, let me introduce you to Hyuna. (Fun fact: she also featured on the song for a different version released one month after the original.) Hyuna debuted in a girl group called 4minute back in 2009 with four other members. The group disbanded in 2016, but Hyuna had built a strong solo career and continued with her own music after the disbandment.
Fired due to dating
Hyuna debuted under CUBE Entertainment, the same entertainment company as a boy group called Pentagon, who debuted in 2016. It is not uncommon that artists from the same company collaborate, and in 2017 Hyuna and a singer, Hui plus a rapper E’dawn (later called Dawn) from Pentagon made the trio project called Triple H. Many idol contracts state that you are not allowed to date while under company contract, but after two releases from Triple H it leaked that Hyuna was dating E’dawn. Triple H disbanded and both E’dawn and Hyuna were fired by CUBE.
After being fired from CUBE Entertainment for dating another idol in the company, the offers did not fall short to win over the star Hyuna. Photo: Screenshot from music video “365 FRESH” / Youtube
“I’m not that good girl, that good girl, I do what I like. (...) Won’t be that good girl, that good girl that everyone likes. What’s wrong with being myself?”
Hyuna got many offers from other agencies after departing from CUBE (rumors had it even CUBE tried to get Hyuna back), but she decided on signing with P Nation, PYS’ company, which he started after leaving YG Entertainment (E’dawn was also signed to the P Nation company). In 2022 Hyuna left P Nation.
The Baddest Female
The self-proclaimed baddest female, CL debuted in 2009 with the group 2ne1 under YG Entertainment. YG Entertainment built a different style and sound from other companies at this time, they were hip hop-focused and went hard on the beats. The company debuted artists who did not necessarily fit the beauty standard in K-pop, they went for a “rougher” look. This did not mean that women in the company were let off easily, YG (CEO) had told the members of 2ne1 and CL multiple times that they were ugly, especially without makeup on. CL had to fight to show that talent meant more than just looks, which she truly did with her solo career.
She’s been nominated “ugliest female idol” and been told not to go out without makeup by her company CEO, CL has worked hard to show she is the female on top. Photo: Screenshot from music video “Baddest Female” / Youtube
“Some people want to tell me what’s right for me, and I have to stick up for myself all the time.”
2ne1 had fun pop songs to begin with, but the tone changed when “I Am the Best” was released in 2011. The beat went hard and the song was catchy, but in a different way than they had been before. It was ultimately this sound that would stick with the group and make huge success both in and outside of South Korea. This sound became the blueprint for YG Entertainment’s groups, BIGBANG’s “Fantastic Baby” and “BANG BANG BANG”, iKON’s “Dumb and Dumber” and “ANTHEM” and Mino’s (from Winner) “I’m him”, just to name a few.
CL had her solo debut in 2013, paving the way for other female solo artists in the industry, with the song “The Baddest Female”. The style of the song was so different from what other women had done in the K-pop industry, and it became a hit. The song debuted as #1 on MelOn Music and #4 on the Gaon Chart, showing that Korea was ready for it.
In late 2015 CL released the song “Hello Bitches”, announcing that she is here to stay.
They walked so others could run
Yes, I could have mentioned so many others, but I wanted to really focus on some of the women that truly paved the way for newer artists in South Korea. The history behind these women who are incredible, facing much trouble and difficulties in their home country, as well as globally, having to make their name known in a very much male dominated industry with the type of music they released. To narrow it down to “only” three does not feel justifiable to the others. This article only touch the surface of these women and I highly suggest you deep dive into their stories on your own, if I sparked an interest.
The solo music industry is blooming for women in South Korea, but some had to walk so others could run. Photo: Screenshot from music video “Bubble Pop!” / Youtube