K-pop 101: EXO

JPL

K-pop 101: EXO

With the rise of k-pop groups like BTS and Blackpink, I thought it would be fun to write about this topic. I was one of many who grew up listening to k-pop and I wanted to find a way to write about a group that is particularly important to me. Since this is a series, K-pop 101, I will be structuring this post into three parts. First, I will introduce the group in question with some background info. Next, I will mention notable moments in this group’s career. For the final section, I will be elaborating on the impact of this group in terms of k-pop as a whole.

Who are EXO?

EXO is a k-pop boy group currently consisting of 9 members of both Korean and Chinese descent, and their fans call themselves EXO-Ls. Their agency is under the company SM Entertainment. Some notable groups from SM are Girl’s Generation and Super Junior. Click here to find out more information about the impact of SM Entertainment on the K-pop industry.

EXO started off as a group of 2 sub-units: EXO-K (singing in Korean) and EXO-M (singing in Mandarin). The group initially consisted of 12 members, but due to some legal troubles, 3 of the Chinese members left the group in 2014. As of now, the members are not as active as a group and they are taking on individual projects.

Notable EXO Moments

One notable milestone is that EXO was the first k-pop group in 12 years to sell over 1,000,000 albums in one year (2013). They also performed at the closing ceremony of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. Along with these milestones, they are also the only non-royal figures to ever be projected onto Dubai’s Burj Khalifa. You can discover more of their achievements here.

The Impact of EXO

The achievements that EXO have collected do not reflect the impact they have had on k-pop. EXO is a group that not only has an impressive discography, but they are also a group that has been through much tribulation. The scandal of having 3 of their members leave the group right at their peak and getting backlash for dating other idols are just a few of the obstacles they had to go through. Even with all of the bad press, they still remain one of Korea’s most iconic boy groups of all time.

Personally, EXO is and will forever be my favorite boy group of all time. Every current member is incredibly talented at what they provide for the group. Kai, for example, is their main dancer. He has since released solo singles and EPs that showcase his dancing incredibly well. Chen, one of the lead vocals of EXO, has featured his warm and powerful vocals on many popular k-drama soundtracks. This group is really the only group I still keep up with to this day and I believe that that shows how much they have impacted me and my life.