For those who think K-Pop is a relatively new thing, let me tell you – IT’S NOT! There are hundreds, maybe even thousands, of K-pop bands out there, and most of them are extremely talented! So with all the K-pop boy bands, past and present, it was hard to pick the top four to evaluate this round – and I spent a couple weeks thinking about who should make the cut! I also changed my mind several times while writing the previous K-pop post! But, in the end, I decided on who I think have been the most influential, and popular, K-pop boy bands in the last twenty years; BIGBANG, BTS, EXO and SHINee.

So let’s get on with this nail-biter of a throwdown! Results will be at the bottom to keep you guessing!

BIGBANG

Long considered the “kings” of K-pop before enlisting in their mandatory military service in 2017, BIGBANG set the bar (and set it pretty high!) for a lot of boy bands of the 2010s They are considered one of the most influential acts in K-pop history and were one of the first mainstream Korean hip-hop groups. And not only did G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, Daesung and Seungri have a ton of hits as a group, but several members – G-Dragon, T.O.P and Taeyang in particular, had EXTREMLY successful solo careers. Since coming out of the military, G-Dragon, T.O.P, Taeyang, and Daesung have since regrouped (Seungri resigned from the entertainment industry in March, 2019 after some scandals) and were planning a comeback at Cochella this year – before COVID derailed all concert plans.

How does BIGBANG stack up?

Criteria	Details	Points
Longevity (core years)	The group debut in 2006 and stayed together until 2017 when most members started enlisting. There were a couple hiatuses during all their years together but the band never actually broke up – just did solo projects. I won’t count their recent regroup because they actually haven’t put out any new material or had an opportunity to tour – but I hope to see them in on the road in 2021!	11
Number of albums	I am counting Korean and Japanese releases as separate albums, so BIGBANG has 8.	8
Billboard World Digital Songs (Total + 5 points for #1 )	30 top singles with 25 top 10 hits, and 4 number #1 hits including Bang Bang Bang.	50
Choreo-ability (1-10)	BIGBANG does choreography, but they aren’t necessarily known for some of the intense group choreography of other K-pop bands. However, they have a certain improvised style, and definitely stage presence that makes up for perfect, stylized choreography. And of course, some of their members (Taeyang and G-Dragon) are some of the best solo dancers out there.	7
Swoon/Scream-ability (1-5)	BIGBANG fans are intense – and the band causes hysteria like no other!	3
Trendy-ness (1-5)	Not only did BIGBANG create their own path – a hiphop influenced K-pop boy band – but they also influenced many of the K-pop stars of today. Bands like BTS look up to BIGBANG and artists like G-Dragon. BIGBANG also pushed the envelope in a lot of other areas – fashion, hair, and even tattoos (GD has over 20) – which are not that common on K-pop idols.	3
Total		82

BTS

By now, everyone everywhere (unless you are living under a rock) has heard of BTS. They are on the cover of every magazine and newspaper, have topped the Billboard charts for many weeks in 2020, have received countless honors including speaking to the UN general assembly as a part of their Love Myself anti-violence campaign in partnership with UNICEF, became the youngest ever recipients of the Korean Order of Cultural Merit for their contributions in spreading Korean culture and language. AND just last week, they have been nominated for their first Grammy! But also, BTS is consistently able to connect with their fans (or ARMY) and inspire countless good things – so much so that they have been voted top social artist since 2017, taking the title from Justin Bieber who held the title since 2011. And seriously, if you don’t know who RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook are, check out my previous post and give some of their songs a listen. You won’t regret it!

But how does BTS stack up?

Criteria	Details	Points
Longevity (core years)	BTS debuted in 2013 and are still going strong today!	7
Number of albums	Again, albums here are complicated, but I am going to count all full length studio albums Korean and Japanese.	9
Billboard World Digital Songs (Total + 5 points for #1 )	131 songs on the the list with 100 in the top 10 and 23 number 1 hits including Boy With Luv, DNA and Idol. Also, BTS is the ONLY boy band on this list to have 2 #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits – Dynamite and Savage Love hitting number 1 in this year!	246
Choreo-ability (1-10)	BTS is knows for their complicated group choreogrpahy. Some of their dances are among the hardest to perform, and their members give it their all ever time. And their dance line of J-Hope, Jimin and Jungkook are some of the best dancers out there!	9.5
Swoon/Scream-ability (1-5)	The duality of all these members is crazy. Sometimes regular people, sometimes other-worldly superstars. And that makes them relatable, and swoon-worthy at the same time. A deadly combo!	5
Trendy-ness (1-5)	As I mentioned above, their ability to connect with people regardless of language, location and circumstance is AMAZING. They are currently at the top, have no signs of slowing down, and are influencing pop music as we know it. And almost every week one of the members or a BTS hashtag is trending on social media – so trendsetters to say the least!	5
Popular Vote (extra 5 points)	They didn’t need it, but BTS recieved the most votes so will get 5 extra points!	5
Total		286.5

EXO

This band is the second band on this list to be labelled “Kings of K-pop” (but how many kings can their be?) and have consistently ranked on Forbes Korea Power Celebrity List since their debut. In 2012, EXO’s first album XOXO was the first Korean album to sell over 1 million copies in twelve years. Since then, that record has only been broken by BTS, and then again by themselves! With immensely popular members Xiumin, Baekhyun, Suho, Lay, Chen, Chanyeol, Sehun, D.O., and Kai, they are also known as the most “fit” of the K-pop groups, with most members hitting the gym regularly, and of course because of their affinity for crop tops.

But how does EXO stack up?

Criteria	Details	Points
Longevity (core years)	Exo debuted in 2012 and are still going strong today – even with some members in military and solo projects underway.	8
Number of albums	Complicated, but I am counting, Korean, Mandarin and Japanese albums – and with all of that, they have 7.	7
Billboard World Digital Songs (Total + 5 points for #1 ))	77 songs on the list with 44 Top 10 hits and 4 number 1’s including Monster and Love Shot.	97
Choreo-ability (1-10)	I know lots of K-pop enthusiasts have weighed in on the long standing debate of who has the better dance/choreography – EXO or BTS. I have watched a fair amount of both and EXO definitely has some solid dancer – Kai and Lay in particular. And their choreo is HARD. But maybe in their live stages they lose a little bit where BTS stays sharp and true to their choreo.	8.5
Swoon/Scream-ability (1-5)	EXO fans are some of the most passionate around. And will debate the the pros of their band vs any other band all day long. And the band has some serious hits and ability to make the crowd go wild!	4
Trendy-ness (1-5)	EXO are social trendsetters similar to BTS. Anytime they have acomeback or one of their members is spotted out, they are trending on social media. If that isn’t trendi-ness, I don’t know what is!	4
Total		128.5

SHINee

I have a huge soft spot for SHINee! Known as one of the best live vocalists and dancers in K-pop, they have been called the “Prices of K-pop” (more royalty references!). The band of Onew, Key, Minho, Taemin and the late Jonghyun were everywhere between 2013 and 2017, winning artist of the year at the MMA awards and winning best dance performance 3 years in a row. With the devastating death of Jonghyun in 2017, the group tried to rally and finished the tour for their Five Album. But after finishing the tour without Jonghyun, Onew, Key and Minho enlisted for their mandatory military service while Taemin put out a couple successful solo albums. Everyone is out of the military now though, so maybe we’ll see a SHINee comeback in 2021?

But how does SHINee stack up?

Criteria	Details	Points
Longevity (core years)	With a debut in 2008, and hiatus in 2018, this is the longest standing group on the list with 10 years!	10
Number of albums	Again, counting Korean and Japanese albums – and with that they have 12.	12
Billboard World Digital Songs (Total + 5 points for #1 ))	They have 29 songs on the list with 17 top ten hits. Sadly, no number 1 songs.	29
Choreo-ability (1-10)	They are known for their highly synchronized and complex dance routines, having been awarded the Best Dance Performance Award at the Mnet Asian Music Awards three times in a row for their dance performances to Sherlock, Dream Girl and View. And of course they have their resident dance master Taemin!	8
Swoon/Scream-ability (1-5)	Lots of screaming and swooning in SHINee’s 10 years. But compared to the other bands on the list, there are probably less burst eardrums.	2.5
Trendy-ness (1-5)	Shinee is known for their fashion style, and working with designer Ha Sang-beg, which features a lot of colors, high-top sneakers and skinny jeans. Their style has created a fashion trend amongst students which the media dubbed the “Shinee Trend”.	4
Total		65.5

and the winner is….

Let me know what you though of this throwdown in the comments below.

Next up, BATTLE OF THE CHAMPIONS!!