Sistar, 2NE1, Girls’ Generation are hottest 3

Girls’ Generation or 2NE1?

A recent survey of entertainment industry experts showed that Girls’ Generation and 2NE1 are the two groups still at the top of K-pop, but are now sharing the turf with Sistar.

Five album directors, three promoters, two K-pop reporters, and two training managers were surveyed by the Sports Chosun, a daily specializing in entertainment and sports news. The girl groups were evaluated and ranked into six categories based on sales, popularity, impact on the K-pop scene and growth potential.

It found that the four-member Sistar has proven its star quality with such hits as “Give it to Me” last year, to make the top tier.

The nine-member Girls’ Generation also lived up to its fame last year by winning several international music awards with its January release of “I Got a Boy.”

The four-member 2NE1 were rated as faring generally well in domestic and overseas markets; the group has announced a world tour for this year.

“In contrast to Girls’ Generation, Sistar has concentrated on the domestic market. And this was crucial in beating out its long-time rival in the survey,” an unidentified music industry insider was quoted as saying in a related story.

Just below the top group stood f(x) and Girl’s’ Day, the former affirming its future potential with the last year’s hit song “Rum Pum Pum Pum” and the latter with this year’s “Something.”

The survey said a third category is comprised of miss A, 4minute, Secret and A pink. It was followed closely by After School, Brown Eyed Girls, Crayon Pop, Dal Shabet and KARA. KARA fell by one notch, compared with the same survey last year, due to the departure of two popular members ㅡ Nicole and Kang Ji-young ㅡ in January.

Credits: Korea Times