21 K-Pop Groups to Know (and Love)

7. f(x)

Though this girl group takes its name from a math function, the group itself pronounces its name as “F-X” in songs like “Nu Abo“. Another SM Entertainment group, f(x) burst onto the scene in 2009. Unlike their labelmates Red Velvet, the group focuses on electropop and dance-pop (and yes, they have played in the United States).

f(x) started off with 5 members. However, last year, one of its members left after a hiatus. She will instead focus on an acting career. Meanwhile, the other four members continued on under the same name, releasing a new album, 4 Walls, with the title track of the same name shown above.

As reviewers have said in the past, f(x) remains a really great entry point into K-pop because its sounds are so familiar, even to an international audience. Furthermore, member Amber’s solo work includes some songs entirely in English, like “Breathe Again“. That might serve as a necessary aural palate cleanser.

Aside from “Nu Abo” and “Breathe Again”, you can also check out “Electric Shock“, which has nearly 100 million views on YouTube; “Hot Summer“, which features a hot pink tank (we’re not kidding); and “Rum Pum Pum Pum“, off of their second album Pink Tape.