21 K-Pop Groups to Know (and Love)

9. TVXQ

Occasionally referred to as DBSK or Tohoshinki (the latter especially in Japan), TVXQ’s full name, Tong Vfang Xien Qi, loosely translates to “Rising Gods of the East”. The group has been called the “Kings of K-pop“, but it may be more appropriate to call them the gods.

Originally debuting in 2003 under SM Entertainment, TVXQ started as a five-man group. A now-infamous lawsuit over contract disputes led to three of the five members leaving and starting their own group, JYJ, in 2010. (JYJ and its members’ solo works both deserve some listens as well.) Meanwhile, the two remaining members of TVXQ continued on as a double act, using the same name.

The group will almost certainly be best-known for its pre-breakup 2008 album, Mirotic, from here until eternity. It’s sold over half a million copies to date. The titular single actually got banned from radio play for a little while.

TVXQ is also notable for its huge success in Japan, releasing 8 albums there to complement its 8 Korean albums. Like many K-pop groups, the group incorporates dance, hip hop, and R&B, but has also included electronic or big band-esque influences in certain singles.

Additional tracks to check out include “Mirotic“, which needs no introduction; “Spellbound“, featuring the two current members of TVXQ; and “Wrong Number,” also from the pre-breakup days.