H.O.T. at 30: How 5 teenagers helped build K-pop
The blueprint that K-pop now exports to the world, with its casting and training pipeline, its fixed member roles and its official fan club carrying a designated color, was drawn up in under five years by a group of teenagers who introduced themselves to the nation on live TV. That was 30 years ago. On Sept. 7, 1996, a group of five male high school students — Moon Hee-jun, Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony…
In 1996, five high school students—Moon Hee-jun, Jang Woo-hyuk, Tony An, Kangta, and Lee Jae-won—emerged as H.O.T., the first act signed by SM Entertainment, a major K-pop company. Their debut performance of "Age of Violence" on live TV captivated viewers, particularly teenagers, and marked the beginning of the structured blueprint that K-pop now exports worldwide.
This concept included a casting and training pipeline, fixed member roles, and an official fan club with a designated color. H.O.T. filled the void left by Seo Taiji and Boys, another popular boy band that had retired earlier that year. SM Entertainment meticulously planned and executed the formation of H.O.T., setting a concept first and then filling it through casting and auditions.
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- H.O.T. at 30: How 5 teenagers helped build K-pop koreatimes.co.kr
