K-Pop’s first generation is often referenced as the foundation for the industry we enjoy now, but there aren’t enough good English-language sources that give its music the focus it deserves. I’m hoping to change that with a continuing flashback series, spotlighting personal highlights from the era – both iconic and obscure.
The era in question is often considered to run from the debut of Seo Taiji & Boys in 1992 to the emergence of TVXQ in late 2003. The music featured in this series will largely fit within that time frame, give or take a few years on either side.
It was a time of bonkers song structures, wild fashion, slamming techno beats, bad reggae impressions, flagrant use (theft?) of American pop samples, hearty power ballads, foul language, the growliest rapper tones you can imagine and an anything-goes scrappiness that’s impossible to pigeonhole. To borrow the name of a popular second-gen act, these years were the “big bang” of an emerging musical powerhouse, still finding its footing and throwing everything at the wall.
Check out other “Back to K-pop’s First Generation” reviews here.
The year is… 1991
(and 1988… and 2006…)
SHIN HAE-CHUL – TO YOU
I want to kick off this series with one of my all-time favorites – a masterpiece in my eyes and the eyes of many others. The late Shin Hae-chul is widely considered one of the most innovative talents of the era, a genre-spanning musician beloved for his unique vision. Within his diverse catalog, To You (그대에게) is the song that set everything in motion and will likely endure the longest.
Some songs just fill you with a swell of emotion from their very first moments. To You is so beloved as a cheering song, quickly becoming part of the very fabric of Korean music. It’s not uncommon to see audiences brought to tears during live performances and covers. You can sense the deep connection the music has made with its listeners.
To You exists in several iterations. First came its 1988 MBC University Song Festival debut, which took the nation by storm. Several years later, the first studio recording appeared on Hae-chul’s second solo album. Fifteen years after that, a third version appeared with his band N.EX.T on the remake album ReGame?. I consider this final version to be the definitive recording, buoyed by years of performance and musical development that fulfils the song’s full potential. It also seems to be an arrangement often referenced after Hae-chul’s passing. However, I do love the prominence of the swirling strings that encircle the chorus on the 1991 recording.
Above all else, To You is an anthem for the ages. It soundtracks sports festivals, political rallies and year-end performances. The song is celebratory and powerful, with a chorus that lifts spirits and an irresistible pomp and circumstance evident from the ceremonial stabs of its spirited introduction. You feel each reverberation in your chest, from the moment the brass gives way to a pounding rock beat. It has a primordial spirit, as if these melodies have existed from the beginning of time and just so happened to be plucked from the ether thirty six years ago.
| Hooks | 10 |
| Production | 10 |
| Longevity | 10 |
| Bias | 10 |
| RATING | 10 |
Grade: A+
2006 Recording
1991 Recording
1988 Debut
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
I became a kpop fan during early 3rd generation and while I know some 2nd generation acts and songs well, I just realized that I know absolutely nothing about 1st generation kpop. Im excited for this series!
This song reminds me of 90’s magical girl anime transformation scenes. Weirdly specific, I know, but besides having a similar beat to the Sailor Moon OP I think it makes sense with the energetic and optimistic yet nostalgic feeling this gives. That, and the trumpets around 4:20. They’ re just made to strike a winning pose to! I actually thought that would be the end of the song, but the way it continues almost acapella for the real ending is stunning.
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Connecting this comment with your comments about Kaarija on another post, I promise you’ll find many songs to love in this feature that fall within the “go so hard” vein 😉
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Awesome! I’ll stay tuned!
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This song definitely reminds me of the ending credits of some adventure show.
I find that 1st generation k-pop I have heard sounds dated to me even though I grew up listening to American music from the 90s-early 2000s. It just has a different feel, I guess. However, I will continue with this series and see if it changes my mind.
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Oh, most of the music from this era is definitely dated. To me, that’s a charm because there’s such specificity to it.
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I hear so many British acts in this—Joe Jackson, the Kinks, Emerson, Lake and Palmer, early Genesis… That chord resolution at the end is straight out of the Anglican choral tradition. Thank you for this series. Can’t wait for the next installment!
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This reminds me of how hard it was during second Gen( when I became a kpop fan) to find information about groups. In high school when I decided to look back at first generation, I realized that info on was very barebones. Most of the music wasn’t on streaming and the videos you could find were from random channels, so I’m really appreciative of learning of this masterpiece. Makes me think about all the music out there that I would love but just haven’t come my way yet
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ohmigod I love this song so much, thanks for reviewing it!
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Thank you for this series.
There is some much earnestness in 1st Gen kpop.
The fanfare is just great. Its synth in the same way that Europe’s “The Final Countdown” is a blaring synth fanfare. And it just anchors the song. And off they go through a full 5 minutes of twists and turns. (These days we would only have gotten one section.) Sure, it does sound dated at times, but lets just call it nostalgic instead of dated. Because it has such good bones, it is the kind of song that can be made and remade when the fashion comes around again.
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this was great, and oddly enough got me wanting a Tenacious D cover so bad… this artist has the same over the top emotive delivery jack black has. What a ride!
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