Popular Korean Groups: Snsd (Girls' Generation)

In the years before the group's debut, the nine members of now Korean sensation group SNSD worked as models and actresses, appearing in ads, commercials, and various shows. Their label, SM Entertainment, tapped the nine girls on the shoulder and began to train them to become the singers they are today. In 2005, SM Entertainment released news of the nine-member girl group's creation. Fans of the entertainment industry scoured the Internet, filtering out who they thought would be the entertainment giant's next big hit.

In 2007, leader Taeyeon led the other eight members (Jessica, Tiffany, Sunny, Hyoyeon, Yuri, Sooyoung, Yoona, Seohyun) in the group's very first performance in a high school. There, they performed 다시 만난 세계 (English: Into the New World). Eventually this song would be turned into SNSD's first single and put out for physical release. SNSD performed on Korea's big three shows (SBS Inkigayo, MBC Music Core, KBS Music Bank), a ritual often translated into actual debut, the week of August 5th, 2007.

SNSD's first album, Girls' Generation, a cover of a song by Lee Seung Chul, began the group's album releases, with promotions on the aforementioned music shows starting in late 2007. The Korean market bought 121,143 copies of this album.

The biggest impact Girls' Generation has made appeared in January of 2009. What exactly had come? It was the First Mini Album - Gee. With addicting moves, unforgettable lyrics, and a catchy tune, Gee instantly put SNSD in the record books. Gee remained as #1 in KBS Music Bank's weekly rankings for 9 straight weeks. The Wonder Girls (a rival girl group) had previously held this mark at 6 straight weeks.

Along with their popular music, the group became one of Korea's favorites off the stage. Leader Taeyeon now hosts a radio show, where she exhibits her off-stage, bubbly personality. In fact, through various appearances on shows and radio programs, each of the 9 members have earned themselves various nicknames, such as Ice Princess for the American-born Jessica, Kid Leader for Taeyeon, and Aegyo (Cuteness) Queen for Sunny.

There is no doubt that, through their continuing production of addicting and catchy tunes (as demonstrated by recent releases like Oh! and Run Devil Run), a exponentially growing domestic and international fanbase, and appearances off-stage, SNSD will continue to capture the hearts and headphones of Korean pop music lovers worldwide.