Music transcends language barriers, and K-pop songs have been proving this for over a decade, even before BTS made Billboard Hot 100 history with their English single “Dynamite” charting at number one. So the question arises: which K-pop group became the first to make their mark on Billboard Hot 100?
BTS is definitely the most influential K-pop group of all time as far as streaming number goes. The group entered Billboard’s most challenging Hot 100 chart in 2017 with the banger “DNA.” The genre-bending track ranked at number 67 on October 14, 2017. But they were not the first K-pop group to make a mark on the much-coveted Billboard chart.
Who was the first K-pop group to chart on the Billboard Hot 100
A decade before BTS‘ Dynamite, JYP Entertainment’s K-pop girl group Wonder Girls made history with their song Nobody, which entered Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart at No. 76 on October 31, 2009. The retro concept of the song and catchy lyrics made it an instant hit.
A year after the release of its Korean version, Wonder Girls dropped the English version of the song. Rapper Yubin’s opening line, “You know I still love you baby, and it’ll never change,” became relatable to many, and soon, the song made its mark on Billboard Hot 100, showing its popularity outside Korea.
But even before their success at Billboard, Wonder Girls started promoting their music in the United States.
They joined the popular boyband Jonas Brothers on the North American leg of the Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009 and attended 45 concerts together. Along with Nobody, Wonder Girls also released the English version of the song “Tell Me.”
While Wonder Girls could not keep their Billboard Hot 100 momentum intact, music critics hail the girl group’s undeniable influence on the global music scene, paving the way for the K-pop groups arriving at the scene a decade later.
