Fin.K.L ( ko, 핑클) is a South Korean
girl group
A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...
formed by
DSP Media
DSP Media (Hangul: DSP 미디어) is a South Korean entertainment company established in 1991 by Lee Ho-yeon. The company operates as a record label, talent agency, music production company, event management and concert production company, and ...
in 1998 consisting of members
Lee Hyori
Lee Hyo-ri (; born May 10, 1979) is a South Korean singer, record producer, activist, actress and television presenter. Dubbed as the "Nation's Fairy" during her ''Family Outing'' days, she debuted as a member of South Korean girl group Fin.K.L ...
,
Ock Joo-hyun
Ock Joo-hyun (; sometimes spelled Ock Ju-hyun; born March 20, 1980) is a South Korean singer and musical theatre actress, known mostly for her role as the lead singer of the South Korean girl group Fin.K.L. After their unofficial breakup in 2 ...
,
Lee Jin
Lee Jin (born March 21, 1980) is a South Korean singer and actress. She made her entertainment debut as a member of the K-pop girl group Fin.K.L, along with Lee Hyori, Ock Joo-hyun, and Sung Yu-ri. After Fin.K.L came to an unofficial end in 2002 ...
, and
Sung Yu-ri. Fin.K.L was one of the most popular
K-pop
K-pop (), short for Korean popular music, is a form of popular music originating in South Korea as part of South Korean culture. It includes styles and genres from around the world, such as pop, hip hop, R&B, experimental, rock, jazz, gos ...
groups of the late 1990s and early 2000s, alongside rival girl group
S.E.S. The group cemented their popularity in South Korea with the release the songs "
To My Boyfriend
"To My Boyfriend" () is a song performed by South Korean girl group Fin.K.L, released on May 25, 1998, as part of the group's debut studio album '' Blue Rain'' by DSP Media. Stylistically, "To My Boyfriend" is a summer-themed dance and bubblegu ...
" in 1998, "
Forever Love" in 1999, and "Now" in 2000.
The group released four full-length albums: ''Blue Rain'' (1998), ''White'' (1999), ''
Now
Now most commonly refers
to the present time.
Now, NOW, or The Now may also refer to:
Organizations
* Natal Organisation of Women, a South African women's organization
* National Organization for Women, an American feminist organization
* Now ...
'' (2000), and ''Eternity'' (2002). They won several major awards including New Artist of the Year at the 1998
Golden Disc Awards
The Golden Disc Awards (, formerly spelled the Golden Disk Awards before 2015) is an annual South Korean major music awards ceremony that honors achievements in the local music industry. The awards ceremony was founded with the purpose to promo ...
, the Grand Prize at the 1999
Seoul Music Awards
The Seoul Music Awards (; SMA) is a major South Korean music awards show presented by the newspaper ''Sports Seoul''. The award winners are selected based on a combination of criteria, including music sales, popular votes, and expert judges' op ...
, and Best Female Group at the
2000 Mnet Music Video Festival.
Fin.K.L became inactive after releasing the single, "Fine Killing Liberty", in 2005. However, Fin.K.L reunited on a variety show in July 2019 and released ''Fin.K.L Best Album'', including a new song titled "남아있는 노래처럼 (Just Like The Song That Remains)" on September 22.
[ ]
Name
Their name stands for Fin Killing Liberty, and was intended to mean that the group stood against "the oppression of all freedom" (''
fin
A fin is a thin component or appendage attached to a larger body or structure. Fins typically function as foils that produce lift or thrust, or provide the ability to steer or stabilize motion while traveling in water, air, or other fluids. Fin ...
'' means "end" in
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
and
French). The group's name was selected by a poll of young people by the record company before the group's inception. This is the reason for the lack of clear meaning in Fin.K.L's English name, for the Korean name was selected first.
History
1998: Formation and debut
The first member to be discovered for Fin.K.L was its lead singer, Ock Joo-hyun. She was discovered through a radio singing contest, which she won by singing
Mariah Carey's 1993 hit "
Hero
A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or Physical strength, strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ...
".
Ock told her friend Lee Jin about this group and encouraged her to join; Lee was selected after singing Eco's "Blessed Me" ( ko, 행복한 나를) for her audition. The next member to be selected was Sung Yu-ri, who was discovered while on a school field trip. As for the fourth member, Annie Lee (who formed Tashannie with
Yoon Mi-rae
Natasha Shanta Reid (born May 31, 1981), better known by her Korean name Yoon Mi-rae (), often stylized as ''Yoonmirae'', is an American-born South Korean-based solo rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer, who is also a member of Korean hip ho ...
) was accepted, but decided to depart after a few months. Lee Hyori, who was found while in a mall taking sticker pictures with friends, was brought into the group.
Fin.K.L debuted in 1998 with its first album ''
Blue Rain''. The trend of late 1990s K-pop was to have groups sing cute, catchy music, as evidenced by the success of
SM Entertainment
SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. () is a South Korean multinational entertainment agency. It is one of South Korea's largest entertainment companies where it was established in 1995 by record executive and record producer Lee Soo-man. The company ha ...
groups
S.E.S. and
H.O.T. In contrast, Fin.K.L's initial strength was in R&B ballads led by Ock's vocals; this was shown by their first single "Blue Rain". Fin.K.L's next hit "To My Boyfriend" ( ko, 내 남자친구에게) was a more typical pop song and followed popular conventions at the time. (
Yuki Hsu
Yuki Hsu (born 3 March 1978) is a Taiwanese singer and actress from Taiwan. She is perhaps best known for her series of hits in Taiwan between 1998 and 2001. Most of her songs in her early career are upbeat, catchy, melodic dance tracks, often ...
, a Taiwanese singer, sang a remake version of "To My Boyfriend" not long after the song's success in South Korea.) They capped off their first album activities with a third single, "Sad Tears" ( ko, 루비), which was a ballad about a lost love, and giving that love up for the good of everyone involved. The group also created a music video for a fourth single (which was eventually just left as a video and not promoted).
1999: ''White'' and ''S.P.E.C.I.A.L''
Fin.K.L released a follow-up album on May 13, 1999, with ''White''. Two hit songs from this album were "
Forever Love" ( ko, 영원한 사랑) and "Pride ( ko, 자존심). Their second album had less of a focus on ballads, although the slow R&B song "Waiting for You" was performed occasionally. Also, Fin.K.L began limiting their music videos to one or two per album; a video was never made for "Waiting for You". Like their first, this album was very successful, selling almost 700,000 copies.
The group released a "decimalized" or "half" album (which usually signifies either a limited or special release, such as a cover album or a themed record). Their first "half" album was released on November 24, 1999, and their two most famous songs from this album were "To My Prince" ( ko, 나의 왕자님께), a ballad, and "White" ( ko, 화이트), a seasonal pop song. ''S.P.E.C.I.A.L'' also contained a remake version of "Like an Indian Doll" ( ko, 인디언 인형처럼), a popular song sung by
Na-mi
Gim Myeong-ok (; born October 9, 1957), better known by the stage name Na-mi (), is a South Korean singer. She was considered a "superstar" and "icon" of Korean pop music in the 1980s and early 1990s.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''I Loved Y ...
(나미) in 1989. No music videos were made in support of the album's release. The album sold in excess of 340,000 copies.
Because of its release date, Fin.K.L created a "winter" theme for their performances and dressed in wintry outfits to promote "White". To complete the theme, they often had fake snow falling during their "White" performances; however, this created a problem in that the snow was quite slippery, causing members and back-up dancers to slip and even occasionally fall. Due to the limited release of the album, Fin.K.L has a shorter promotion schedule. However, both of these 1999 albums helped Fin.K.L win a ''daesang'' (Korean for 'grand prize') at the end of the year.
2000–2001: ''Now'' and ''Melodies & Memories''
Fin.K.L's third album ''
Now
Now most commonly refers
to the present time.
Now, NOW, or The Now may also refer to:
Organizations
* Natal Organisation of Women, a South African women's organization
* National Organization for Women, an American feminist organization
* Now ...
'', released on October 6, 2000, emphasized the physical maturity of Fin.K.L members. Unlike the previous catchy tunes and cute outfits, Fin.K.L members were dressed in semi-formal attire for performances for the hit single "Now" (the album's title song). "Feel Your Love", their follow-up single, had their members in school uniforms that signified transformation to womanhood. Only "Now" was promoted with a music video and a busy performance schedule; the second single was relatively ignored. The album sold over 400,000 copies.
The group released their second "half" album on April 13, 2001, 6 months after their last album. ''Melodies & Memories'' was a special album consisting of remakes of Korean hits from the 80s and 90s. Instead of targeting their main fanbase of teenage listeners, this album appealed to adults in their 20s and 30s by arousing nostalgia. Singles from this album include Lee Ye-rin's "Always Like This Moment" ( ko, 늘 지금처럼), and Hye Eun-yi's 1981 single "You Wouldn't Know" ( ko, 당신은 모르실 거야). Like their third album, ''Memories & Melodies'' only had one music video promoting the album (the one for "You Wouldn't Know"). However, much effort went into this video, as it recreated scenes from four popular movies for each of the members, including scenes from ''
Pretty Woman''. Sales at the end of 2001 totaled 259,259 copies.
In 2000, they also recorded "True Love" for a South Korean drama,
''All About Eve''.
2002: ''Eternity''
Their last studio album so far was released in the spring of 2002. The first single, "Forever" ( ko, 영원), was a depressing ballad about waiting forever for a lost love. This was accompanied by a video depicting four tragic stories mainly about the loss of innocence: Sung portrays a prostitute, Ock a sick housewife, Lee Jin a moody artist who eventually kills herself, and Lee Hyori as a boxer who loses a finger. This song became very popular, although it was not as heavily promoted as their other lead singles. Their second single, "Don't Go Away", was chosen by the fans via the group's website, because it was felt that Fin.K.L had not had an upbeat single for a while. However, this single was promoted for a short time before being abruptly dropped. By the end of 2002, the album sold 261,518 copies.
2003–2006: Solo activities, "Fine Killing Liberty" and indefinite hiatus
Fin.K.L decided to go their separate ways, although not officially breaking up. Lee Hyori and Ock have since released solo albums, while Lee Jin and Sung have acted in dramas and hosted various shows. At the end of 2005, the group made a comeback and released "Fine Killing Liberty", a
digital single
In music, a single is a type of release, typically a song recording of fewer tracks than an LP record or an album. One can be released for sale to the public in a variety of formats. In most cases, a single is a song that is released separat ...
that had 4 songs (including the title track) and a music video. However, due to lack of promotion (as the group did not perform on the various music shows), the single failed to chart. Instead of ignoring the single, though, they have since released a special ''Fin.K.L Forever'' set that had two DVDs (one with their music videos and the other with various performances) and a photobook that also had the "Fine Killing Liberty" single in CD form.
They have continued to work in the entertainment industry and stay in the public eye. Sung has continued acting, starting with the drama ''Bad Girls'' ( ko, 나쁜 여자들) and receiving positive attention in 2003 for ''
Thousand Years of Love
''Thousand Years of Love'' () is a 2003 South Korean television series starring Sung Yu-ri, So Ji-sub and Kim Nam-jin. It aired on SBS from March 22 to May 25, 2003 on Saturdays and Sundays at 21:45 for 20 episodes.
Plot
Over a thousand years ...
'' ( ko, 천년지애). Sung also played the lead roles in the dramas ''My Platoon Leader'' ( ko, 막상막하) and ''
First Love of a Royal Prince
''First Love of a Royal Prince'' (; also known as ''A Prince's First Love'') is a 2004 South Korean television series starring Sung Yu-ri, Cha Tae-hyun, Kim Nam-jin and Jin Jae-young. It aired on MBC from June 23 to August 26, 2004 on Wednesday ...
'' ( ko, 황태자의 첫사랑). She was also in the drama series, ''
One Fine Day'' ( ko, 어느 멋진 날) and ''
The Snow Queen
"The Snow Queen" ( da, Snedronningen) is an original fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. It was first published 21 December 1844 in '' New Fairy Tales. First Volume. Second Collection'' (''Nye Eventyr. Første Bind. Anden Samli ...
'' ( ko, 눈의 여왕), she received high praise and won awards for both performances in 2006. Sung also starred as Heo Yi-nok in the drama ''
Hong Gil-dong'' ( ko, 쾌도 홍길동) co-starring
Kang Ji-hwan
Kang Ji-hwan (born Jo Tae-gyu; March 20, 1977) is a South Korean actor. He began his career in musical theatre, and has since starred in television dramas such as ''Be Strong, Geum-soon!'' (2005), ''Capital Scandal'' (2007), '' Hong Gil-dong ...
and won a Best Couple award. Lee Jin has also worked in television, hosting various shows and even joining a popular comedy show for a season. Both Sung and Lee Jin won "Best Actress" in their respective categories (drama and comedy) at the end-of-year awards in 2002. Lee Jin has also debuted in the South Korean film industry and has tried to distance herself from her Fin.K.L image.
After her solo album "Nan..." in 2003, due to significant weight loss, Ock became very popular in 2004. She debuted as a musical actress in 2005 in "Aida", and after initial struggles has since went on to become one of the highest profile musical actresses in Korea with ticketing power rivaling her male counterparts, having starred in the Korean-language adaptations of ''
Rebecca
Rebecca, ; Syriac: , ) from the Hebrew (lit., 'connection'), from Semitic root , 'to tie, couple or join', 'to secure', or 'to snare') () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical ...
'', ''
Elisabeth'', ''
The Count of Monte Cristo
''The Count of Monte Cristo'' (french: Le Comte de Monte-Cristo) is an adventure novel written by French author Alexandre Dumas (''père'') completed in 1844. It is one of the author's more popular works, along with ''The Three Musketeers''. Li ...
'', ''
Wicked
Wicked may refer to:
Books
* Wicked, a minor character in the ''X-Men'' universe
* '' Wicked'', a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name
* ''Wicked'', the fifth novel in Sara Shepard's ''Pretty Little Liars'' s ...
'', ''
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the villain of the penny dreadful serial ''The String of Pearls'' (1846–47). The original tale became a feature of 19th-century melodrama and London urban legend, legend. A barber fr ...
'', ''
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
'', original musical ''
Mata Hari
Margaretha Geertruida MacLeod (née Zelle; 7 August 187615 October 1917), better known by the stage name Mata Hari (), was a Dutch exotic dancer and courtesan who was convicted of being a spy for Germany during World War I. She was executed by ...
'', and many more. Her third and last studio album, ''Remind'', came out in 2007, she has since released OSTs and independent ballads. Lee Hyori, though, has been the standout solo member, releasing her first solo album in 2003 which catapulted her to the top of the charts and won her many advertising contracts. However, she encountered controversy on her second album's lead song "Get Ya!", because it had elements that were very similar to
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
's "
Do Somethin'
"Do Somethin" is a song by American singer Britney Spears from her first greatest hits album, '' Greatest Hits: My Prerogative'' (2004). It was written and produced by Christian Karlsson and Pontus Winnberg (known collectively as Bloodshy & Ava ...
". Although she moved on to her second single "Shall We Dance?", promotional activities were quickly stopped. Her 2007 single "Toc Toc Toc", released in March 2007, reached #1 on the Music Industry Association of South Korea's monthly charts.
By the fall of 2006, all the members of Fin.K.L had left DSP Entertainment and signed on with different companies. Although there was continued speculation on the status of the group, Fin.K.L never officially disbanded.
2008–2019: Reunions and ''Camping Club''
Fin.K.L reunited and performed together on December 19, 2008, during a concert by Lee Hyori. In September 2010, Ock became the host of the KBS Cool FM music program ''Gayo Plaza'' (가요광장). Her program began airing on September 20, 2010, and her first guests were Lee Hyori, Lee Jin, and Sung as members of Fin.K.L.
In May 2019, a Fin.K.L reunion variety show was announced to air on
JTBC
JTBC (shortened from ''Joongang Tongyang Broadcasting Company'' (; stylized as jtbc) is a South Korean nationwide pay television network. Its primary shareholder is JoongAng Holdings, with a 25% stake. It was launched on 1 December 2011. JTBC ...
. The television series, ''Camping Club'', featured the Fin.K.L members reuniting and traveling around the country; the show premiered on July 14.
On September 22, 2019, the group released a single, "남아있는 노래처럼 (Just Like The Song That Remains)," marking their first release since 2005.
Discography
Studio albums
Compilation albums
Extended plays
Singles
Awards and nominations
See also
*
List of best-selling girl groups
A girl group is a popular music act featuring several female singers who generally harmony, harmonize together. Girl groups have been popular at least since the heyday of the The Boswell Sisters, Boswell Sisters beginning in the 1930s, but the t ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fin.K.L
K-pop music groups
Musical groups disestablished in 2002
Musical groups established in 1998
Musical groups reestablished in 2005
South Korean girl groups
1998 establishments in South Korea
DSP Media artists
MAMA Award winners
Grand Prize Seoul Music Award recipients