5 Best Girl Group Concepts in K-Pop
K-Pop groups’ frequent releases provide us with a plethora of concepts and themes that resonate with their music, fashion, and image. K-Pop girl groups, in particular, are known for having quirky or dark concepts that aim to amuse the general public. Concepts and themes for each album are carefully considered by the creative and art directors, producers, and artists. This is one of the main reasons why fans fell in love with Korean Pop groups; it’s more than just a music album; it’s an art form.
f(x) – Red Light
The teasers shook the entire K-Pop community. Known for having unique concepts, f(x) never failed to deliver the most eccentric and dark concept by a girl group during its release. The girls wore make-up on only one side of their eyes. The eye without makeup has bright colors, whereas the bare eye has a patch. This is related to their single “Red Light,” in which the lyrics state, “Open your eyes and look wide,” implying that one can see the truth while the other is skeptical of whether it’s love or not.
Red Velvet – Peek a Boo
The maturity and empowered concept encapsulated the girls during its release when “red” and “velvet” finally met, matching its album title, “Perfect Velvet.” The album’s tunes, teasers, outfits, and, most notably, the music video, can all be interpreted as synonyms for mystery. The girls wore bright glittery rainbow dresses in the music video, as well as blood-red dresses that emphasized their white pale skin. The red crochet crowns were the cherry on top. This album’s stills are straight out of a Vogue cover.
(G)-IDLE – Lion
The song that cemented their “Savage” persona. Every outfit featured in this album should be displayed and preserved in their entertainment complex. The red diamond-encrusted gowns are reminiscent of the 2018 Met Gala theme, “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” The music video is pure art. Shot in regal settings with its members sitting in bejeweled royalty thrones surrounded by museum-worthy art installations, and survived in animalistic settings.
New Jeans – Attention
The latest buzz in town. Since 2020, Koreans have fallen in love with Y2K concepts all over again, and it resonates with current trends among artists, influencers, and fashionable individuals. The newest girl group in town piqued our interest not only with their song but also with the concept of their album. The music video screams youth; it’s visually appealing without being overly staged. It conveys a mature love vibe, but the dark mood shifts to a bright, colorful, youthful one. The song describes the thrills and excitement of falling in love, with the singers telling their crushes to pay attention to them. Fans were taken aback by the labels’ decision to release the full music video without providing any information about its members.
aespa – Savage
The ladies of the future. Following the overwhelming success of “Next Level,” the group returns with Savage, another futuristic concept. The teaser image revealed their futuristic headdresses, which add to their enigmatic appearance. Kim Wook, aespa’s stylist, used fashion to serve as an “Easter Egg” to fans, which is when someone hides a hidden message or spoiler in something. Winter’s outfit, he said, was inspired by the idea of a storm, whereas Karina’s was inspired by the idea of sparks. Giselle’s outfit was designed to represent a “black hole,” which equates with the wilderness concept of “KWANGYA,” while NingNing’s symbol represents “code,” which alludes to the concept of “Next Level.” Kim Wook confirmed that the outfits themselves represented theories about each member’s role in the group’s worldview, “KWANGYA.”
Credit: SM Entertainment
