considering that NewJeans is the current top girl group, why f(x) cant make it even into top 5 back then ?

Well for one that was just how stacked 2nd gen was.

And I'm positive a case can be made that they were in the top 5 for at least 2011 and 2012 and maybe even 2013.

Make no mistake f(x) was huge. They were only one of maybe 4 or 5 girl groups who sold over 100k with one album. Hot Summer and Electric Shock were HUGE digital sellers and in 2011 they beat SNSD as the military's favorite girl group.

f(x) were still pretty huge, no? I remember Four Walls and Red Light being a huge thing in the kpop community back then (even on forums where everyone had Krystal sigs and DPs lol).

They just lacked the super dedicated fandom that other gg’s had but they charted and sold pretty well in the top tier of 2nd gen girlgroups.

f(x) was top 5 during their Danger-Electric Shock-RPPP eras

Victoria alone already garnered a lot of public love with Khuntoria couple. Not to mention Sulli (rip) was one of the IT girl back then and was well loved for her visuals.

Edit: I missed out Hot Summer too. And they were the 2nd best selling GGs that time. How could them not in top 5?

Quote from hypernova

f(x) were still pretty huge, no? I remember Four Walls and Red Light being a huge thing in the kpop community back then (even on forums where everyone had Krystal sigs and DPs lol).

They just lacked the super dedicated fandom that other gg’s had but they charted and sold pretty well in the top tier of 2nd gen girlgroups.

Red Light Krystal was a phenomenon! No other idol beats her blonde. I swear to god.

the world wasn’t ready for their genius yet

Quote from girlgroupstan21

so lets break down the TOP 5 rank

1-SNSD

2-2NE1

3-WG

4-KARA

5-SISTAR/T-ARA

if f(x) were to be placed on top5, who will be replaced ?

Display More

WG, Kara (and Tara after their scandal) were long gone during F(x) prime time. The top5 during 2nd gen was very fluid and at any point of time, top 5 are different.

If they talk about overall, Tara lost it all after their scandal. Their last hit was Number 9 and was barely a decent hit. Sistar only did well with their title tracks but barely sell any album i.e. no fandom power. Their sales are even worst than 2nd tier GG like AOA and Girls Day. They couldnt even sell out a decent sized concert/fanmeeting whatever it was.

In comparison F(X) has both physical sales (2nd overall) and digital sales (Hot Summer, Danger and Electric Shock). So they arguably can be #5

I think it's mostly because they debuted way to soon, in a very awkward time when SNSD was at their pike, therefore i think they just got overshadowed. SNSD was just such a phenomon. If they just debuted 3 years later (lets say 2012), it would have been much better for them to properly shine.

Also along that, a lot of RV great songs would have suited them perfectly like Ice cream cake or Russian Roulette while RV could have slayed more with songs like Red Flavor/Power up and Bad Boy/Psycho.

So basically f(x) ended up in an awkward sandwich between SNSD and RV, hencefor why they warent more popular and impactful as they could have been.

Ps: also i disagree with the f(x) and NJ comparaison, their artwork is obviously inspired because MHJ is behind but music wise they're pretty distinctive tho. F(x) is more electro pop while NJ has more rnb and hip hop inspiration amongst other factors.

Quote from girlgroupstan21

so lets break down the TOP 5 rank

1-SNSD

2-2NE1

3-WG

4-KARA

5-SISTAR/T-ARA

if f(x) were to be placed on top5, who will be replaced ?

Display More

easy, number one

Quote from girlgroupstan21

so lets break down the TOP 5 rank

1-SNSD

2-2NE1

3-WG

4-KARA

5-SISTAR/T-ARA

if f(x) were to be placed on top5, who will be replaced ?

Display More

Its definitely tough to remove any of those groups. One of the problems is how to we determine popularity based on sales? Because yes Sistar and T-ara did better in digitals but when it comes to physicals f(x) was outselling every group on this list except SNSD and 2NE1.

SM

SM

NJ is not the current top GG, how many times do i have to bust out the stats showing Ive superiority? Must i upload my screenshots of Steve Choi again?

also there is the question of generation and eras. what was consedered as more indie in the 10's tend to become more maintream amongst the younger gen and could very likely become the trend today.

For example Lana used to be pretty indie but she is exploding right now. f(x) wasn’t indie lol but was heavily indie inspired hence they didn’t get as big as more mainstream groups like SNSD, Kara or Sistar.

In this regard, if f(x) debuted today they would have been NJ fied and probably be just as popular. THEY woule have become the trendsetters and the 'moment'.

Quote from BlackpinkHouse

NJ is not the current top GG, how many times do i have to bust out the stats showing Ive superiority? Must i upload my screenshots of Steve Choi again?

Bruh NJ is already the 2nd most popular GG globally

Once they get more music & stats & obviously touring they will become universally known as BP direct competitor

They were top 5 for a bit though, even fighting for the second place for a few years

Between 2010 to 2012 Fx were having hits like Pinocchio, hot summer and electric shock, were second best selling gg in Korea, had very popular members like Krystal, Sulli and Victoria who were on tv and had cfs. At that point in time they had strong cases to be right up there with 2ne1, Tara Kara etc even beating them in certain criterias. IMO in 2012 fx were probably the 2nd biggest gg in town as they had a bumper year while others floundered (2ne1 weren’t active much, Tara scandal, Kara mainly focused on Japan and weren’t doing as well in Korea, WG were hiatus again).

Such a baffling question that ignores when the groups debuted, what music they generally do and when they do it.

It more or less goes "f(x) did garage and New Jeans do garage... why different?"

f(x) began with electropop, and they weren't even the only ones doing it at the time. They were in that circle of 2ne1/f(x)/4minute of having that general sound at the outset. So out the gate they had comparable, similar sounding big groups to them.

New Jeans popped into the scene with 90s rnb, comparatively lane-less when it came to top groups.

f(x) didn't even touch Garage until SM as a whole was going through its House phase in the mid 2010s, which subsequently was f(x) last album.

As opposed to New Jeans doing their Garage/DnB/Jersey thing since their first comeback and into their second ep.

And that's with a gap of 7 years between em

But putting sound aside for a moment, New Jeans brand, like the BRAND of the group itself is astronomical compared to f(x). There was no point where f(x), the group, was so hot trend wise that they were seen as the forerunners.

Their best performing year digitally was 2011, whereas otherwise, much like 4minute, they were pretty squarely in 2ne1's shadow and lacked the penchant for top of the top hits like other groups that weren't solidly in that electropop lane.

They couldn't match Wonder Girls, T-ARA's or Sistar's track record of hits.

They were utterly eclipsed by their Sister group SNSD in brand recognition, public acknowledgement and fandom size.

They didn't have Japan like Kara.

They weren't as dominant back then because SM didn't give them enough recognition as Girls Generation was the most dominant SM girl group of second gen. They had a fine discography and Amber one of the best female rappers then imo, but didn't get the credit they deserved which was a mighty shame. They were my second bias girl group at the time but were stuck in the SM dungeon for too long imo.

And ignoring all that.

We're talking about an era where 20 TWENTY T W E N T Y Girl Groups managed to make it onto the year end charts with more than one hit.

Have some perspective.

Quote from Fluffers

But putting sound aside for a moment, New Jeans brand, like the BRAND of the group itself is astronomical compared to f(x). There was no point where f(x), the group, was so hot trend wise that they were seen as the forerunners.

And to be fair f(x) was never intended to be that kind of group. That was SNSD job. They got the push, the mainstream songs, and all the resources the company had to make them that group just like NewJeans is getting now. Same thing happened with Twice and Itzy.

Look Pink Tape birthed gen3 and 4 Walls gave us Rude Love and that’s all that matters

Quote from jxckie

Look Pink Tape birthed gen3 and 4 Walls gave us Rude Love and that’s all that matters

A lot of facts dropped here.

Quote from girlgroupstan21

so lets break down the TOP 5 rank

1-SNSD

2-2NE1

3-WG

4-KARA

5-SISTAR/T-ARA

if f(x) were to be placed on top5, who will be replaced ?

Display More

WG was on top for a hot second before JYP ruined them, same with Tara and their scandal

By the time fx debuted WG wasn't even active in SK

Fandom wise fx>>>>>sistar look at album sales

Kara had an advantage over fx in Japan but in SK pretty equal

All of those groups were top but at different timelines

"NewJeans and f(x) have the same exact formula in term of concept and music"

huh?? Wdym same exact music? Please tell me what songs are you referring to because I can't think of any

Because ✨️SM✨️

WHILE hybe/Ador accept and give so many opportunities to nj, I feel like SM rejected a lot of opportunities for fx including regular comebacks.

Quote from kookiekookie

"NewJeans and f(x) have the same exact formula in term of concept and music"

huh?? Wdym same exact music? Please tell me what songs are you referring to because I can't think of any

I think they are referring to the 4 Walls album. That was the only time f(x) and NJ were close musically.

Quote from gerrard174

Not to mention Sulli (rip) was one of the IT girl back then and was well loved for her visuals.

Fx had two IT girls, Krystal and Sulli with Victoria also having huge popularity.

They are one of the prettiest girl groups ever. People still talk about Sulli and Krystal combo.

The real tea is F(x) laid the bedrock for western audiences to take interest in Kpop before any of the “mainstream” kpop acts did among older audiences. F(x) was more known in the west than people think, they just struggled compared to their competition in korea itself.

Quote from girlgroupstan21

1-SNSD

2-2NE1

3-WG

4-KARA

5-SISTAR/T-ARA

TARA, WG and KARA lost a bit of popularity and momentum during fx peak years. I feel like fx peaked, popularity wise, from 2012/3-2015.

Quote from sveznalica

TARA, WG and KARA lost a bit of popularity and momentum during fx peak years. I feel like fx peaked, popularity wise, from 2012/3-2015.

Feel like people forget that Wonder Girls bounced back in their later years. And those projects were bigger digitally than f(x)'s last ones

Quote from Fluffers

Feel like people forget that Wonder Girls bounced back in their later years. And those projects were bigger digitally than f(x)'s last ones

While fx had hits, year after year up until their last year. That shouldn't be underestimated either.

Quote from sveznalica

While fx had hits, year after year up until their last year. That shouldn't be underestimated either.

Sure, but other than Danger, none were as dominant as WG's hits. And it's not like f(x) was on some utterly insane run while WG was away.

Quote from Fluffers

Sure, but other than Danger, none were as dominant as WG's hits. And it's not like f(x) was on some utterly insane run while WG was away.

If nothing they were consistent and even individually members were extremely popular.

maybe f(x) was born in the wrong generation

NJ is my ult bias but seriously, Krystal, Victoria, and Sulli are IT girl's potential

Quote from girlgroupstan21

what is the factor that hindering f(x) ?

SM prioritized snsd more. SNSD was still in their prime when f(x) debuted.

2ne1 who debuted the same year as them was way more popular since they're YG's first gg and BIGBANG's first junior so the hype was so big back then.

The only answer to your question op is that they don't have a public friendly song. As someone who stan f(x) since 2010, i can remember how knetz criticized their weird concepts and lyrics. Even sulli don't understand nu abo lyrics. There's a reason why they were called an experimental group.