How Girls' Generation shaped K-pop as we know it

It's Been a Minute

NPR

News Commentary, Society & Culture, News, Spirituality, Religion & Spirituality

4.6 • 8.8K Ratings

🗓️ 13 September 2022

⏱️ 20 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

To celebrate their 15th anniversary, the K-pop group Girls' Generation put out their newest album, 'Forever 1.' Today, we're taking a look back at their career and how they changed the standards for K-pop through music, choreography and beauty. Their impact doesn't stop at that — Girls' Generation's debut song is now being used to change the world, just not in the way they planned. Guest host Elise Hu discusses their legacy with music critic Tamar Herman and Korean film and culture scholar Michelle Cho.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You're listening to It's Been a Minute from NPR.
0:02.4	I'm Elise Hugh, and today we're getting into K-pop,
0:06.6	specifically a girl group that set the standard
0:09.3	for the genre and the industry.
0:11.6	["Gurl's Generation"]
0:17.9	Girls Generation, we're talking about Girls Generation.
0:20.8	["Gurl's Generation"]
0:25.7	Girls Generation debuted in 2007
0:27.9	and remains one of the most beloved prominent K-pop groups
0:31.6	in South Korea and arguably the world.
0:34.0	They've released more than 20 singles
0:35.8	in seven albums with songs in many languages.
0:38.7	They've toured around the world,
0:40.4	headlining sold out concerts.
0:42.4	And last month, they returned from a five-year hiatus
0:46.4	with a 15-year anniversary album forever one.
0:49.8	["Gurl's Generation"]
1:04.2	Not every K-pop group's name ends up being prophetic,
1:07.8	but it really does feel like it was kind of Girls Generation
1:10.3	for this long while.
1:12.1	That's Culture writer and K-pop Stan Tamar Herman,
1:15.3	who is going to unpack their music in charm.
	...

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