21 K-Pop Groups to Know (and Love)

12. EXID

Time for another acronym! EXID stands for “Exceed in Dreaming”, according to an interview conducted not long after the group’s debut. Though you’re supposed to say “E-X-I-D”, you can also just say it phonetically if you’re feeling lazy. This group debuted in 2012 and is currently under the label BANANA Culture. EXID is also notably produced by a famous songwriter in the industry, Shinsadong Tiger.

The girl group started out as a six-piece group, dropped three members, then added two new ones for its current five-member lineup. Previously, several members had spent time with JYP Entertainment as trainees, meaning that JYP was planning to debut them as performers at one point.

Notably, EXID re-released a song after a fantaken video of one of its performances in 2014 became a viral hit, probably at least partially because it focused on one member’s fierce rendition of the choreography. Sometimes it really does take that long to break out in this competitive industry.

Just this year, the group released its first full album, Street, after first releasing two EPs. The above track, “L.I.E”, served as the lead single from Street.

For more from EXID, check out “Up & Down“, the song that turned into a viral hit; “Ah Yeah“, from their second EP; and “Every Night“, their debut single.