⏲️a long ride! ﹏ the evolution of s-pop.

Instructions

ᝪ　　　　 ✦　 　 evolution of spop 　　　　⏲️　　　 (Keep in mind not all of this may be accurate, and I might be completely wrong, but this is all based on research and memory) 　　　　꒰ ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ꒱ So… how did S-pop even start? This is a really big community filled with creative people having fun, but sometimes you might wonder — where did all of this even begin? Well, S-pop most likely started around 2020-2021, and the person who seems to have created the concept was @CS_GIRL_KPOPER (Julissa). She's most likely the one who built the very first "company" in S-pop called I-LAND ENTERTAINMENT, which pretty much marked the beginning of what we now know as S-pop. At first, it was mostly soloists who would claim a lookalike (faceclaim) and use an already existing K-pop song as theirs — basically a full roleplay concept! Eventually, this expanded to groups, companies, and fanbases, slowly creating the S-pop ''industry' we have today. Back then, the main focus was on coding, lyric videos, and roleplaying as K-pop idols. Most groups didn’t use their real voices and instead used free music from YouTube or already existing K-pop songs. Despite this, the community still managed to grow like CRAZY. 1️⃣ THE FIRST GROUP The first-ever group to be created in S-pop was most likely Hotpink under I-LAND ENTERTAINMENT. Most of their faceclaims were Blackpink members, and they gained HUGE attention. Their most popular song, NOT SORRY, even gained over 500+ views which was a pretty big deal back then. Some of their songs: https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/474779947 https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/621284988 https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/545219720/ https://scratch.mit.edu/projects/621284988 — 1 year anniversary! Hotpink kind of became the blueprint for S-pop groups at that time and lowkey led the first generation. Another popular group under I-LAND was 3D, debuting with their song "Next Step": Another group under I-LAND was PG: The thing that made I-LAND ENTERTAINMENT unique was that they were one of the first few companies that actually had members who sang with their real voices but still used free music from YouTube. ⚔️ THE BIG 3 COMPANIES IN 1ST GEN During 1st gen, there were basically 3 major companies that dominated and led S-pop. Blue Flame Entertainment Rose Quartz Creative I-Land Entertainment (which also had a sub-label called OCEAN LABEL) (OCEAN LABEL: These companies were like the SM, YG, and JYP of S-pop at that time and were responsible for the most popular groups and projects. ⚙️ THE CODING ERA Another HUGE thing about 1st gen S-pop was the heavy use of coding. People were literally coding full-on music videos, lyric videos, teasers, and group debuts. Like… people were putting in the WORK! Some iconic projects from that time: Most of these groups didn’t use their own vocals but instead relied on free music and already existing K-pop songs. BUT — some soloists actually did use their real voices: Things like SVS and even documentaries seemed to exist then! 2️⃣ THE SHIFT: 2ND GENERATION (2021-2022) Moving into 2nd gen, things started changing A LOT. People started using their real voices more, thumbnails/designs got more professional, and there was a clear shift in overall quality. One of the most popular soloists during this time was Yuri: New major companies started rising: MN3 Entertainment: Home to rising stars like R3DCH3RRY. Yeong-Won Labels: This era also introduced more coordinated award shows, virtual variety shows, and professional content. Platforms like Dispatch Korea and Knowing Bros made their debut, giving S-pop a more lifelike experience. Like any growing community, S-pop also had its share of controversies. One of the most notable was the AI voice scandal. This was first revealed by we verse, and more were revealed by and shook the community for a while.