Summary of #FangirlGuide: A look at the biggest groups of K-pop’s 3rd Generation
- Who is the 3rd generation K-pop?
- Who is the first LGBT kpop idol?
- What is 7 Years Curse in K-pop?
- Which K-pop idol is LGBT?
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Third-generation K-pop (roughly 2012-2018/2019) saw global explosion, featuring iconic groups like BTS, BLACKPINK, TWICE, EXO, Red Velvet, and SEVENTEEN, defining the era with massive international reach, social media engagement, and diverse musical styles, solidifying K-pop’s worldwide presence with hits and groundbreaking concepts.
This video highlights some of the most popular songs from the 3rd generation of K-pop:
40s
K-Ville Entertainment
YouTube • Sep 11, 2023
Key Characteristics of 3rd Gen:
Global Expansion: K-pop became a truly worldwide phenomenon.
Social Media Rise: Direct fan interaction via Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Diverse Concepts: From dark hip-hop (BTS) to vibrant girl-crush (BLACKPINK) and unique sounds (Red Velvet, Mamamoo).
Prominent Groups:
Boy Groups: BTS, EXO, SEVENTEEN, GOT7, NCT, Monsta X, WINNER, iKON.
Girl Groups: BLACKPINK, TWICE, Red Velvet, Mamamoo, GFriend, Oh My Girl, WJSN.
This video provides a reaction to the interactions between 3rd generation K-pop groups:
1m
The MTF Plug 2
YouTube • Dec 16, 2023
Watch this video to learn about the Big Three of the 3rd generation for boy groups:
59s
nova
YouTube • Nov 14, 2025
The “Big 3” (Often Debated, But Key Players):
BTS, BLACKPINK, and TWICE are frequently cited as leaders in sales, reach, and impact.
This generation set the stage for the 4th gen, with groups like Stray Kids bridging the gap around 2018-2019.
10 Top 3rd Gen Kpop Groups (2026 List)
The Big 3 of 3rd-gen Kpop are BTS, BLACKPINK, and EXO of this era. These three groups got the biggest in sales, worldwide reach, a…
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Best 3rd Generation K-Pop Girl Groups: Blackpink, TWICE, Red …
Best 3rd Generation K-Pop Girl Groups: Blackpink, TWICE, Red Velvet & More. … Following the path paved by their preceding musica…
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4 Generations of K-Pop Explained – Kpop Exchange
Third Generation (2012-2019) BLACKPINK, TWICE, SEVENTEEN, and Red Velvet. This generation also saw the rise of social media, with …
Kpop Exchange
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#FangirlGuide: A look at the biggest groups of K-pop’s 3rd Generation
Ask any outsider if they know any K-pop idol, and there’s a 100% chance that they’ll mention someone from the 3rd Generation.
While the 2nd Generation kickstarted the Hallyu wave, the 3rd Generation showed how far its influence can go. The era witnessed artists hit all-time highs in music, infuse diverse genres into their discography, and be more creative when in fandom-driven content around 2012 to 2018.
The 3rd Generation’s impact is truly groundbreaking in K-pop, and their influence remains strong until this day. So, here’s a look at some of the biggest groups of this era. Can you believe this is less than half of its artists?
The undisputed global icons
BTS, BLACKPINK, and TWICE have done it all: break records, set timeless trends, and make a name in the international music scene. These groups—and its members—rose to the top with their iconic discography, undeniable star power, and the “It” factor. Their fame set such a high bar that they’ve cemented their status as the groundbreakers of their respective music labels.
BTS
Members: RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, Jungkook
Must-listen tracks: Whalien 52, Moving On, 21st Century Girl, Paradise, Pied Piper, Could you Turn Off your Cellphone
BLACKPINK
Members: Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé, Lisa
Must-listen tracks: Typa Girl, Love to Hate Me, Sour Candy (with Lady Gaga), Don’t Know What to Do, Pretty Savage, Stay
TWICE
Members: Nayeon, Jeongyeon, Momo, Sana, Jihyo, Mina, Chaeyoung, Dahyun, Tzuyu
Must-listen tracks: Icon, Bring It Back, Perfect World, Sunset, Love Line, Scandal
The masters of versatility
These groups are also big names in the music scene after mastering the art of K-pop. It’s one thing to be well-known in the global market yet they’ve established themselves for their vocals, visuals, dance skills, and performance abilities. They embrace their own concepts to a tee—also finding a way to shatter expectations in every release.
EXO
Members: Suho, Xiumin, Lay, Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol, D.O., Kai, Sehun
Former members: Luhan, Tao, Kris
Sub-units: EXO-K, EXO-M, EXO-CBX, EXO-SC
Must-listen tracks: Lady Luck, Tender Love, Cloud 9, Touch It, Groove, Stay
Red Velvet
Members: Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy, Yeri
Sub-unit: Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi
Must-listen tracks: Red Dress, Cool Hot Sweet Love, Perfect 10, Milkshake, So Good, Stupid Cupid
SEVENTEEN
Members: S.coups, Wonwoo, Mingyu, Vernon, Woozi, Jeonghan, Joshua, DK, Seungkwan, Hoshi, Jun, The8, Dino
Sub-units: Hip-Hop Unit, Vocal Unit, Performance Unit, SVT Leaders
Must-listen tracks: Thinkin’ about you, Our dawn is hotter than day, Change Up, To you, Together, March, Fearless
GOT7
Members: Jay B, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, Yugyeom
Sub-units: JJ Project, JUS2
Must-listen tracks: Moon U, Take My Hand, Something Good, Hard Carry, Drive Me to the Moon, Poison
NCT
Members: Taeyong, Taeil, Johnny, Yuta, Kun, Doyoung, Ten, Jaehyun, WinWin, Jungwoo, Lucas, Mark, Xiaojun, Hendery, Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Jaemin, YangYang, Shotaro, Sungchan, Chenle, Jisung
Sub-units: NCT 127, NCT Dream, NCT U, WayV
Must-listen tracks: Know Now (NCT U), Love on the Floor (NCT 127), Good Time (WayV), Arcade (NCT Dream), Tasty (NCT 127), Dive Into You (NCT Dream)
The vocal monsters
Groups that belong to the 3rd Gen are talented singers, but Mamamoo and BTOB are the best in the vocal department. The fandom phrase “all members are main vocalists” rings true for these units since they pull off their songs with ease. Even if you’re not a fan of theirs, it’s hard to not be wowed by their performances on music platforms and live stages.
Mamamoo
Members: Solar, Moonbyul, Wheein, Hwasa
Must-listen tracks: Age Gag, High Tension, Cat Fight, Chuck, No More Drama, Angel
BTOB
Members: Eunkwang, Minhyuk, Changsub, Hyunsik, Peniel, Sungjae
Former member: Ilhoon
Sub-units: BTOB-BLUE, BTOB 4U
Must-listen tracks: Remember That, It’s Okay, The Feeling, Someday, Friend, Star, U & I
The undisputed winners of survival shows
K-pop’s 3rd-Gen marked the “Produce” era where survival shows birthed many iconic groups. While some units are meant to be “permanent,” “project groups” like I.O.I and Wanna One are meant to be stepping stones for the members of the entertainment industry. What makes them unforgettable is that every moment was meant to be cherished since time with fans is limited.
I.O.I (Disbanded)
Members: Somi, Sejeong, Yoojung, Chungha, Sohye, Kyulkyung, Chaeyeon, Doyeon, Mina, Nayoung, Yeonjung
Sub-unit: Whatta Man unit
Must-listen tracks: Crush, Knock Knock Knock, Ping Pong, Hold On, When the Cherry Blossoms Fade, More More
Wanna One (Disbanded)
Members: Daniel, Jihoon, Daehwi, Jaehwan, Seongwoo, Woojin, Guanlin, Jisung, Minhyun, Jinyoung, Sungwoon
Sub-units: Lean on Me unit, The Heal unit, Triple Position unit, No. 1 unit
Must-listen tracks: Flowerbomb, Beautiful (Part II), Wanna Be (My Baby), We Are, Awake!, One’s Place
MONSTA X
Members: Shownu, Minhyuk, Kihyun, Hyungwon, Joohoney, I.M.
Former member: Wonho
Must-listen tracks: Beastmode, Gone Bad, She’s The One, Newton, Zone, Fallin’, Disaster
WINNER
Members: Yoon, Jinu, Hoony, Mino
Former member: Taehyun
Must-listen tracks: Fool, Different, Sweet Home, Have A Good Day, SOSO, Teaser
iKON
Members: Bobby, Jay, June, Song, DK, Chan
Former member: B.I.
Must-listen tracks: Apology, Cocktail, Sinosijak, Dragon, Holding On, Jerk
The rulebreakers and icons of unique identities
Changing concepts is normal, however, GFriend, Cosmic Girls, AOA, and EXID have such unique identities that you just know when a song is theirs. Some of them switched their branding along the way, but there’s something about their vibe that matches what they’re going for—as if they’re meant to embrace certain images in all their glory.
GFriend (Disbanded)
Members: Sowon, Yerin, Eunha, Yuju, SinB, Umji
Must-listen tracks: Say My Name, Ave Maria, Truly Love, Room of the Mirrors, Love Spell, Night Drive
EXID
Members: Solji, Elly, Hani, Hyelin, Jeonghwa
Must-listen tracks: Me & You, Leggo, Boy, Cream, The Vibe, IDK (I Don’t Know)
Cosmic Girls (WJSN)
Members: Seola, Bona, Exy, Soobin, Luda, Dawon, Eunseo, Yeoreum, Dayoung, Yeonjung
Members on hiatus: Xuanyi, Cheng Xiao, Meiqi
Sub-units: WJSN Chocome, WJSN The Black
Must-listen tracks: Super Moon, Renaissance, Cantabile, Pantomime, Luckitty-Cat, Masquerade
AOA
Members: Hyejeong, Seolhyun, Chanmi
Former members: Youkyung, Choa, Mina, Jimin, Yuna
Sub-units: AOA Black, AOA White, AOA Cream
Must-listen tracks: 10 Seconds, Confused, Just the Two of Us, Joa YO!, Without You (AOA Black), Feeling
The underrated slayers who deserve more
Unfortunately, not all singers have the chance to shine in K-pop’s oversaturated industry. These groups are on the radar but only a few have the chance to witness more of their greatness. There’s no doubt that these slayers release good music, but seeing them fall under the “underrated” spectrum feels like a crime.
OH MY GIRL
Members: Hyojung, Mimi, YooA, Seunghee, Yubin, Arin
Former members: JinE, Jiho
Sub-unit: OH MY GIRL BANHANA
Must-listen tracks: Flower Tea, Swan, Underwater Love, Butterfly, Illusion, Echo
Momoland
Members: Hyebin, Jane, Nayun, JooE, Ahin, Nancy
Former members: Daisy, Taeha, Yeonwoo
Must-listen tracks: Ready or Not, Chiri Chiri, Inst., Falling U, Bingo Game, Hug Me
NU’EST (Disbanded)
Members: JR, Aron, Baekho, Minhyun, Ren
Sub-unit: NU’EST W
Must-listen tracks: Galaxy, Dress, Moon Dance, ylenoL (NU’EST W), Trust Me, Love Paint (every afternoon)
DAY6
Members: Sungjin, Young K, Wonpil, Dowoon
Former member: Jae
Must-listen tracks: 1 to 10, Sweet Chaos, Beautiful Feeling, Deep In Love, Be Lazy, How Can I Say
The Rose
Members: Hajoon, Woosung, Dojoon, Jaehyung
Must-listen tracks: Definition of ugly is, Childhood, California, Baby, Candy (so good), Sorry
Dreamcatcher
Members: JiU, SuA, Siyeon, Handong, Yoohyeon, Dami, Gahyeon
Must-listen tracks: Fairytale, Locked Inside A Door, Jazz Bar, 4 Memory, The Curse of the Spider, Red Sun
PRISTIN (Disbanded)
Members: Nayoung, Roa, Yuha, Eunwoo, Rena, Kyulkyung, Yehana, Sungyeon, Xiyeon, Kyla
Sub-unit: Pristin V
Must-listen tracks: Black Widow, Tina, Get It (Pristin V), We, Aloha, Over n Over
ASTRO
Members: MJ, JinJin, Eunwoo, Moonbin, Rocky, Sanha
Sub-units: Moonbin & Sanha, JinJin & Rocky
Must-listen tracks: Like Stars, Sunset Sky, Dear My Universe, SNS, Blue Flame, Heart Brew Love
CLC (Disbanded)
Members: Seunghee, Yujin, Eunbin, Sorn, Elkie, Seungyeon, Yeeun
Must-listen tracks: Like It, Bae, Show, Mistake, What Planet Are You From?, Depression
Lovelyz
Members: Baby Soul, Jiae, Jisoo, Mijoo, Kei, Jin, Sujeong, Yein
Must-listen tracks: Dream in a Dream, Good-bye Chapter 1, Daydream, Emotion, Just, Floral