List of South Korean boy groups
K-pop boy groups refer to South Korea's all-male idol groups who account for a large portion of the K-pop industry. Korean boy groups have aided in the global spread and promotion of Korean culture through their demonstrated prominence and popularity. First generation groups from the late 90's and early 2000's such as H.O.T. Shinhwa and G.o.d. are cited as building these foundations as the first successful all-male groups in Korea and through their participation in the first Hallyu Wave. In 2007 and onward, second generation groups such  as Big Bang, TVXQ, Super Junior, 2PM, Shinee, Beast and Infinite continued to grow the popularity of male group domestically in Korea as well as globally through the second phase of Hallyu. The rise of groups such as Exo and BTS in 2012 and 2013 launched the third generation of boy groups and launched K-pop to mass global appeal. BTS in particular has attained mainstream western appeal with number one hits on Billboard charts and multiple collaborations with global artists such as Nicki Minaj, Coldplay and Halsey. Other major groups to have debuted from 2012 onward include Seventeen, NCT , Wanna One, Tomorrow X Together, Stray Kids and Enhypen all who continue to garner widespread attention and build K-pop's global appeal. Generation 1 (1992–2002). Before the early 1990’s, it was only solo artists doing Trot. Then, in 1992, South Korean music started to shift to a more hip hop-influenced sound, with the debut of Seo Taiji and Boys, who used English in their songs. It was not until SM Entertainment founder Lee-Soo Man created several groups such as Shinhwa and H.O.T. that the Hallyu Wave started. The first generation of K-pop began with the  birth of the idol industry after the debut of H.O.T. in 1996 and follows the early years of K-pop and includes idol groups debuting from 1997 to 2002. Generation 2 (2003–2011). As the popular first-generation idols disbanded during the early 2000s, ballads and R&B music became mainstream in the Korean music industry again. Since 2003, singers such as SG Wannabe, Wheesung, and Buzz became very popular. Generation 3 (2012 – mid 2017). K-pop saw a revival with the third generation that grew in the digital age with the influence of social media and resulted in the globalization of  the genre. This era also saw a growth in survival programs that pushed for more competition, and includes idol groups that primarily debuted in 2012 onward. Generation 4 (late 2017–present). This generation has had to overcome problems such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the resulting economic disruption, and the transition to virtual concerts. These groups are in a situation that needs them to pioneer a wider variety of publicity methods, including the recently active online performance.