A “miracle” of a K-pop group from a small company has happened in the North American market.
Rookie girl group FIFTY FIFTY has entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart with their debut single “Cupid” in just four months after their debut. This is faster than NewJeans, another 4th gen girl group that created a sensation in the K-pop market.
According to Billboard’s Twitter on March 28th, “Cupid” entered the Hot 100 chart at No. 100 on the latest chart (April 1). This is the first time the group has entered this chart.
FIFTY FIFTY is the sixth K-pop group to enter the Hot 100, following Wonder Girls, BLACKPINK, BTS, TWICE, and NewJeans. All the previous artists who entered the Hot 100 are from large entertainment companies such as HYBE, JYP Entertainment, and YG Entertainment.
FIFTY FIFTY, on the other hand, debuted under a relatively small agency. Their achievement is all the more remarkable for being able to proudly enter the chart.
Debuting on November 18th last year, FIFTY FIFTY is a group composed of four Korean members, Saena, Aran, Keena, and Sio. Their name, which means half and half, represents the balance between idealism and reality, as well as coexisting existence. The name also implies that if the group is “50,” fans can join them to become a complete “100.”
Their debut album “THE FIFTY” did not achieve a clear success in Korea, but it was discovered first overseas. Without any special promotion, the title track “Higher” and the song “Lovin’ Me” went viral. They finally gained attention when they released the single “Cupid” on February 24th.
The “Cupid” MV has received nearly 20,000 comments as of March 28th, and the majority of the comments are in English, suggesting that FIFTY FIFTY’s music is particularly popular in the English-speaking world.
FIFTY FIFTY’s popularity has also begun to show in the Billboard charts. They rose to eighth place on the “Billboard World Digital Song Sales” chart on March 11th. On the chart of March 25th, they ranked 16th on the “Billboard Global 200,” 12th on the “Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100,” and 20th on the “Billboard Emerging Artist” chart.
The reason for FIFTY FIFTY’s overseas popularity is said to be their “good music.” Music critic Park Jun Woo said, “FIFTY FIFTY’s music has a more pop-like color than K-pop. It is simpler and has a stronger melody than K-pop, which has many elements.”
He added, “In North America, music that references past pop music from the 80s and 00s continues to do well, and FIFTY FIFTY’s music also creates a nostalgic atmosphere. Like NewJeans, they seem to be getting a good response in a similar context.” Ultimately, he said, “In the end, what matters is music.”
Source: Naver.
