Scenario: You've been tasked with planning a huge event. Let's say it's at the level of the Super Bowl halftime show. You are given the privilege of selecting any 3 girl groups ever to put on a performance for the ages and show the crowd how they can light up a stage and bring incredible energy to the building. Who do you pick? For me, it's 1. Mamamoo. Am I biased? Maybe. But for live performances, I think they're the best ever. I've seen many, many groups in person, and while they all impressed me to an extent, Mamamoo is just different and they were literally built for this. Live powerful vocals, amazing charisma, kinetic force in how they command the stage and audience, and their chemistry and comfort with mic in hand is actually palpable. Easy top spot for me. 2. 2NE1 Are you ready for the B-E-S-T? Do yourself a favor and watch their performance video for Crush. Or even look at their recent reunion at Coachella. This is another group that just oozes stage presence, but their fiery and fierce energy is second to none and I haven't seen anything like it in K-Pop since. The first girl group I ever became a fan of, and my biggest regret remains not being deep enough in the K-Pop rabbit hole to go see them tour back in 2013. 3. Dreamcatcher This was tough. Really, really tough. But Dreamcatcher, for me, has an intensely passionate desire to entertain the audience and nail some of the most intricate choreography you'll see from any girl group while doing it. They don't have the otherworldly vocals of Mamamoo or the frenetic energy of 2NE1, but their immaculately crafted and powerful choreography is honestly second to none. One of the most unique girl groups in K-Pop history, and they've earned a spot on my list. Honorable Mention: LE SSERAFIM Yes, I'm cheating by listing a 4th group. They're just too new to make my top 3, but if they keep it up...they could even challenge Mamamoo. They're creative, diverse and take amazing risks to put together some of those most memorable stages you'll see. They just need more time. Who are yours?
