21 K-Pop Groups to Know (and Love)

19. Sistar

Sistar wants you to get up and dance, and also just read their name like “sister”, as they pronounce it that way in their songs. Quite a few of this group’s songs also don’t sound that different from U.S. pop music, specifically stuff from singers like Ariana Grande. That makes their work a fairly easy entry point in that respect.

The group’s work also deals with slightly more adult themes, which is why you’ll see that little “15” marker shown briefly at the start of the above music video. Ditto with the choreography.

The group debuted in 2010 for Starship Entertainment and has four members. It also has a subgroup, Sistar19, consisting of Hyolyn and Bora. (Yes, this subgroup literally features half of the group’s members.) Sistar19 has released songs like “Gone Not Around Any Longer,” which has more of a hip hop-inspired sound.

Sistar will also be returning shortly, with the official Twitter account advertising a solo album for Hyolyn. Neither the subgroup nor the solo album are really out of the ordinary as of late, but it’s important to note more and more groups are adopting these practices to help keep their name known and relevant to the conversation.

Other songs to know for Sistar include “Touch My Body“, another song that sounds pretty close to American pop; “Shake It“, which has some seriously bright colors; and “So Cool“, which anchored their first album.