H.O.T. (; pronounced "H. O. T.", acronym for Highfive Of Teenagers) was a South Korean
boy band
A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform Love song, love songs marketed towards girls and young ...
that was created by
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 ...
in 1996. They are considered to be the first
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 ...
''idol group'' and their successful formula became the model for many K-pop groups that followed them.
The group consisted of five members:
Moon Hee-joon
Moon Hee-joon (; or spelled Moon Hee-jun; born March 14, 1978) is a South Korean pop rock singer-songwriter signed under SidusHQ. He initially rose to fame as the leader of former boy band H.O.T. under SM Entertainment.
Biography 1996–2001: ...
,
Jang Woo-hyuk
Jang Woo-hyuk (Hangul: 장우혁; Hanja: 張佑赫; born May 8, 1978) is a South Korean singer and rapper. He debuted in 1996 as a member of the best-selling K-pop boy band H.O.T. After the band broke up due to a contract dispute, Jang and tw ...
,
Tony Ahn
Tony Ahn (; born June 7, 1978) is a South Korean singer, best known as a member of boy band H.O.T.
After H.O.T. disbanded in 2001, its ex-members Tony Ahn, Jang Woo-hyuk and Lee Jae-won formed the dance music trio jtL. Eventually, JTL unoffic ...
,
Kangta
Ahn Chil-hyun (born October 10, 1979), known professionally as Kangta (stylized sometimes in all caps and formerly as KangTa), is a South Korean singer, composer, songwriter, record producer, actor and radio personality. He is well known as a ...
, and
Lee Jae-won.
H.O.T. sold over 6.4 million records in South Korea during their career.
They were also commercially successful in China and Japan, and were among the first stars of the
Korean Wave in Asia.
The group broke up in 2001 following a contract disagreement with SM Entertainment, prompting hundreds of fans to stage protests against the company.
Formation
H.O.T. was formed in 1996 by record producer
Lee Soo-man
Lee Soo-man (, born 18 June 1952) is a South Korean business executive and record producer who is best known for being the founder of SM Entertainment, a multinational South Korean entertainment company based in Seoul. He has also been referred ...
, the founder 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 ...
. Lee had polled high school students to find out what their ideal pop group would be like, and he used this information to create H.O.T.
The first member to join the group was
Kangta
Ahn Chil-hyun (born October 10, 1979), known professionally as Kangta (stylized sometimes in all caps and formerly as KangTa), is a South Korean singer, composer, songwriter, record producer, actor and radio personality. He is well known as a ...
, who Lee discovered at an amusement park. Next to join were friends and singing partners
Moon Hee-joon
Moon Hee-joon (; or spelled Moon Hee-jun; born March 14, 1978) is a South Korean pop rock singer-songwriter signed under SidusHQ. He initially rose to fame as the leader of former boy band H.O.T. under SM Entertainment.
Biography 1996–2001: ...
and
Lee Jae-won. The fourth to join was
Jang Woo-hyuk
Jang Woo-hyuk (Hangul: 장우혁; Hanja: 張佑赫; born May 8, 1978) is a South Korean singer and rapper. He debuted in 1996 as a member of the best-selling K-pop boy band H.O.T. After the band broke up due to a contract dispute, Jang and tw ...
who attracted Lee's attention after winning first place in a dance contest. Finally,
Tony Ahn
Tony Ahn (; born June 7, 1978) is a South Korean singer, best known as a member of boy band H.O.T.
After H.O.T. disbanded in 2001, its ex-members Tony Ahn, Jang Woo-hyuk and Lee Jae-won formed the dance music trio jtL. Eventually, JTL unoffic ...
joined the group after auditioning for Lee in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
.
History
1996–97: Debut and breakthrough
H.O.T. debuted in September 1996 with the album ''
We Hate All Kinds of Violence
''We Hate All Kinds of Violence...'' is the debut studio album by South Korean boy group H.O.T., released through SM Entertainment on September 7, 1996. Two singles were promoted off of the record—"Warrior's Descendant" and "Candy". It experie ...
,'' which was a success, selling 1.5 million copies.
Their first single, "Descendants of Warriors," was a critique of schoolyard bullying, while their second single, "
Candy
Candy, also called sweets (British English) or lollies (Australian English
Australian English (AusE, AusEng, AuE, AuEng, en-AU) is the set of varieties of the English language native to Australia. It is the country's common language an ...
", was a cheerful
bubblegum pop
Bubblegum (also called bubblegum pop) is pop music in a catchy and upbeat style that is considered disposable, contrived, or marketed for children and adolescents. The term also refers to a rock and pop subgenre, originating in the United States i ...
song that established H.O.T.'s popularity, especially among teenage girls.
That year, H.O.T. won Best New Artist at the
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 ...
.
In July 1997, H.O.T. released their second album, ''
Wolf and Sheep,'' which sold 1 million copies in ten days.
The album included the singles "Wolf and Sheep," "Happiness," and "We Are the Future," the first of which was banned from airplay due to its use of strong language.
Nonetheless, the album was both commercially and critically successful, winning the Grand Prize at both the 1997 Golden Disc Awards and the 1997
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 ...
.
Additionally, "We Are the Future" was nominated for an
International Viewer's Choice Award at the
1998 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1998 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 10, 1998, honoring the best music videos from June 17, 1997, to June 12, 1998. The show was hosted by Ben Stiller at Gibson Amphitheatre in Los Angeles.
Madonna was the most successful winn ...
.
By this time, H.O.T. had become a "social sensation" in South Korea,
and with their success came the rise of K-pop fan culture.
In 1997, H.O.T. also released their first Chinese album, the sales of which helped the group survive the slump in South Korean record sales that followed the
Asian financial crisis
The Asian financial crisis was a period of financial crisis that gripped much of East Asia and Southeast Asia beginning in July 1997 and raised fears of a worldwide economic meltdown due to financial contagion. However, the recovery in 1998–1 ...
.
1998–99: ''Resurrection'', controversy and ''I Yah''
H.O.T. released their third album, ''Resurrection'', in September 1998. The album, which featured a variety of styles including
hardcore hip hop
Hardcore hip hop (also hardcore rap) is a genre of hip hop music that developed through the East Coast hip hop scene in the 1980s. Pioneered by such artists as Run-DMC, Schoolly D, Boogie Down Productions and Public Enemy, it is generally cha ...
, sold more than 1.1 million copies by the following year.
At the 1998 Seoul Music Awards, ''Resurrection'' was awarded the Grand Prize, which it shared with ''Special Album'' by
Sechs Kies
Sechs Kies (pronounced as ; ko, 젝스키스) is a first generation South Korean boy band. Making their debut on April 15, 1997, they are one of the first K-pop idol groups, credited with pioneering the idol scene and fandom culture. The grou ...
.
Netizen
The term netizen is a portmanteau of the English words ''internet'' and '' citizen'', as in a "citizen of the net" or "net citizen". It describes a person actively involved in online communities or the Internet in general. s accused the album of plagiarism on account of alleged similarities between the album's lead single "Line Up!" and "
Killing In The Name
"Killing in the Name" is a protest song by American rock band Rage Against the Machine, and appears on their 1992 self-titled debut album. It was released as the lead single from the album in November 1992. It features heavy drop-D guitar riff ...
," a song by American rock band
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine (often abbreviated as RATM or shortened to simply Rage) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerfor ...
.
However, the song won the International Viewer's Choice Award for MTV Korea at the
1999 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1999 MTV Video Music Awards (stylized as 9999 MTV Video Music Awards) aired live on September 9, 1999, honoring the best music videos from June 13, 1998, to June 11, 1999. The show was hosted by Chris Rock at the Metropolitan Opera House in N ...
.
H.O.T. released a live
greatest hits album
A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be crea ...
in April 1999. On June 25, H.O.T. performed alongside
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
and popular South Korean girl group
S.E.S. at a benefit concert in Seoul arranged by Jackson. In September 1999, H.O.T. released their fourth album, ''I Yah!''. The album's title track was about a 1999 fire that killed kindergarten students at the
Sealand Youth Training Center in South Korea. The album sold more than 1.3 million copies. Within that same month, H.O.T. became the first K-pop group to perform at the
Seoul Olympic Stadium
The Seoul Olympic Stadium (), also known as Jamsil Olympic Stadium (formerly romanised as ''Chamshil''), is a multi-purpose stadium in Seoul, South Korea. It is the main stadium built for the 1988 Summer Olympics and the 1986 Asian Games, 10th ...
, where 72,000 fans saw them perform.
2000–01: ''Outside Castle'', ''Age of Peace'' and disbandment
In February 2000, H.O.T. performed for 13,000 fans in
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
at their first concert in China. The group became immensely popular among Chinese teenagers, and their success inspired S.M. Entertainment and other South Korean entertainment companies to promote their artists in China.
H.O.T. released their fifth album, ''Outside Castle'', in September 2000. That year, the group also starred in the
sci-fi movie ''Age of Peace,'' in which they portrayed soccer players living in a futuristic society.
Despite H.O.T.'s popularity at the time, the movie was not a hit.
H.O.T. announced its disbandment at a press conference in Seoul in May 2001. Members An, Lee and Jang told the press that they were leaving S.M. Entertainment because they could not come to an agreement with the company over a new contract. In the following days, hundreds of the group's fans protested outside of S.M. Entertainment headquarters. Some fans blocked roads and threw rocks at the company headquarters' windows to protest what they believed were unjust actions against H.O.T. on the part of S.M. Entertainment.
It was later reported that the contractual disagreements between H.O.T. and S.M. Entertainment concerned the group members' pay, which was only about $10,000
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
for every 1 million albums they sold.
After the split, Kangta and Moon were offered lucrative contracts by S.M. Entertainment as solo artists. An, Lee and Jang signed to Yejeon Media and formed a three-member group called
jtL
JTL (제이티엘) were a South Korean dance music group, consisting of the former H.O.T. members who left SM Entertainment – Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony Ahn and Lee Jae-won. The group was named after the initials of the members' stage name. After ...
, which experienced moderate success before they disbanded in 2003. All five former H.O.T. members have since pursued solo careers and are still active in the entertainment industry.
2018–2019: Reunion and later career
In February 2018, H.O.T. was featured on the South Korean variety show ''
Infinite Challenge
''Infinite Challenge'' (; abbreviated as ''Mudo'') is a South Korean television entertainment program, distributed and syndicated by MBC, that ran from 2005 to 2018.
As of January 2013, it had the largest market share for its timeslot; with ...
'' in the "Saturday, Saturday is for Singers" () special, a recurring segment on the show which showcases famous singers from the 1990s and was notably responsible for the reunion of their first-generation counterparts Sechs Kies. All five members appeared on the show, marking their first appearance as a complete group since 2003.
During the years in between disbandment and the reunion, the possibility of a reunion had been repeatedly brought up. Following the successful reunions of their fellow first-generation groups
g.o.d
Groove Over Dose, known by the acronym g.o.d (), is a South Korean boy band formed by IHQ (company), SidusHQ. Debuting in 1999, the group became one of the most popular boy bands of the early 2000s in South Korea. The members had gone on to sol ...
and
Fly to the Sky
Fly to the Sky ( ko, 플라이 투 더 스카이) is a South Korean R&B duo consisting of Brian Joo and Hwanhee. Initially marketed as K-pop idols, the duo later developed a more mature image and became one of the most popular R&B groups in So ...
in 2014, a
Naver
Naver (Hangul: 네이버) is a South Korean online platform operated by the Naver Corporation. It was launched in 1999 as the first web portal in South Korea to develop and use its own search engine. It was also the world's first operator to in ...
online poll revealed that H.O.T ranked first as the first-generation idol group K-pop fans most wanted to see again. In 2016 it was reported that the members had been in contact with one another and met with
Lee Soo-man
Lee Soo-man (, born 18 June 1952) is a South Korean business executive and record producer who is best known for being the founder of SM Entertainment, a multinational South Korean entertainment company based in Seoul. He has also been referred ...
to discuss the possibility of reuniting for the 20th anniversary of their debut but it ultimately did not come to fruition.
On August 31, 2018, it was announced that H.O.T. would be independently holding their reunion concert, 'Forever
ighfive Of Teenagers, on October 13 and 14 in
Seoul Olympic Main Stadium with 100,000 attendees.
Discography
Studio albums
Live albums
Compilation albums
Singles
Guest album appearances
* ''
Christmas In SMTOWN'' (1999)
* ''
Christmas Winter Vacation in SMTown.com'' (2000)
* ''
Christmas Winter Vacation in SMTown.com - Angel Eyes
SM Town (stylized as SMTOWN) is a musical collective for the recording artists under South Korean entertainment company SM Entertainment.
SM Town artists have performed at the annual SM Town Live world tours since the SM Town Live '08 Asia tour ...
'' (2001)
Filmography
* ''Age of Peace'' (2000)
Concert and tours
*1998 – H.O.T. The 1st Concert,
Olympic Gymnastics Arena
The Olympic Gymnastics Arena (), also known as the KSPO Dome since 2018, is an indoor arena located within the Olympic Park in Seoul, South Korea. It has a capacity of 15,000 and can be extended upto 20,000.
It was constructed between 31 Aug ...
*1998.Feb.21 ~ Mar.31 – USA Live Tour, New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Hawaii
*1999.Jan.22 ~ Feb.3 – H.O.T. The 2nd Concert, Seoul Sejong Center, Busan, Gwangju (65,400 attendees)
*1999.Sept.18 – 99 Live In Seoul,
Seoul Olympic Main Stadium (45,000 attendees)
*2000.Feb.1 – 2000 H.O.T. Live Concert In Beijing (15,000 attendees)
*2001.Feb.27 – 2001 H.O.T. Live Concert – H.O.T. Forever,
Seoul Olympic Main Stadium (80,000 attendees)
*2018.Oct.13~14 – 2018 Forever
igh-five Of TeenagersConcert,
Seoul Olympic Main Stadium (100,000 attendees)
*2019.Sep.20~22 – 2019
igh-five Of TeenagersNEXT MESSAGE Concert,
Gocheok Sky Dome
The Gocheok Sky Dome () is a domed baseball stadium located in Gocheok-dong, Seoul, South Korea. It is the home ballpark of KBO League, KBO club Kiwoom Heroes. The stadium is primarily used for baseball and has a capacity for 16,744 spectators fo ...
(60,000 attendees)
Awards
Listicles
See also
*
jtL
JTL (제이티엘) were a South Korean dance music group, consisting of the former H.O.T. members who left SM Entertainment – Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony Ahn and Lee Jae-won. The group was named after the initials of the members' stage name. After ...
References
External links
Official website (archived)(in Korean)
{{DEFAULTSORT:H.O.T.
SM Town
Grand Prize Golden Disc Award recipients
Grand Prize Seoul Music Award recipients
K-pop music groups
South Korean dance music groups
South Korean boy bands
Musical groups established in 1996
Musical groups disestablished in 2001
SM Entertainment artists
MAMA Award winners