5 Generations of K-Pop Explained by Someone Who’s WAY Too Obsessed

Welcome to the ultimate K-Pop time machine — from 1st gen legends to 5th gen trendsetters, we’re diving deep into 30 years of idol history, chaos, fashion, sound, and pure evolution. Whether you’re a longtime stan or someone who only got into K-Pop through TikTok edits, this video covers everything: the rise, the eras, the iconic songs, and the unforgettable artists that shaped the industry into what it is today.

This project has been in the works for months, and I can’t even begin to explain how grateful I am to finally share it. But before anything — I need to give a massive, MASSIVE shoutout and thank you to my insanely talented voice actress, Tetra (you can find her here: https://www.castingcall.club/teawei). She not only suggested this entire “5 Generations of K-Pop” project but also volunteered to voice the entire thing — which, if you’ve seen how long these scripts are, is actually wild. Seriously, Tetra, thank you so much for putting your voice, time, and effort into this. You made something huge feel personal and alive, and I can’t thank you enough for that.

Also, quick apology in advance for any pronunciation errors that slipped through — that’s on me 😭. I was editing while hearing some of these lines for the first time, trying to get everything done as fast as possible, so there might be a few small slip-ups here and there. But honestly, considering how massive this project is, I’m just so proud that we got it finished and sounding this good. This was my first ever video on this scale, and editing something over 40 minutes long has been such a learning experience. I really hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed putting it together — every generation, every story, every song means something in K-Pop’s timeline.

If you made it this far in the description, thank you for even checking it out! I hope this video helps new fans understand K-Pop’s roots a little more, gives old fans a hit of nostalgia, and just overall makes you appreciate how far this industry has come.

And again — HUGE thank you to Tetra 💕
Check her out here: https://www.castingcall.club/teawei
She’s insanely talented, kind, and literally saved this project.

Now go grab a snack, maybe some soju (responsibly please), and let’s take this nostalgic ride through K-Pop’s five generations together 💿✨

0:00 — okay let’s get into it (intro chaos)
1:39 — where it all began (1st gen era)
7:33 — my 1st gen playlist aka history in MP3 form
10:02 — still vibing in the 90s tbh (1st gen continues)
12:00 — the rise of legends (2nd gen takes over)
17:33 — certified 2nd gen bangers you NEED to hear
19:21 — girl groups, guy groups, and glitter (2nd gen continued)
20:25 — the golden age, baby (3rd gen)
29:57 — songs that made me a K-pop stan (3rd gen faves)
32:15 — more chaos and talent (3rd gen part 2)
32:40 — 4TH GEN SUPREMACY 💅 (my fav era)
38:16 — 4th gen songs that live in my head rent free
39:59 — yes I’m still talking about 4th gen because duh
40:27 — welcome to the now (5th gen time)
45:42 — the future is loud (5th gen favs)
46:44 — wrapping up the new kids on the block (5th gen continued)
48:14 — deep breath, we survived (outro)

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