A Millennial Milestone: Female K-Pop Groups Who Waited 1000 Days To Achieve Their First Win
Attaining victory in music shows, just like life, is a marathon. Not a sprint. Some K-Pop artists see immediate success when they debut. Others have to wait until success is thrust upon them. Regardless, getting a first win (no matter how long) is always an unforgettable feeling.
READ: Setting Mics & Dance Floors Ablaze: Female K-Pop Artists Who Are Main Rappers & Dancers
In this article, we listed down the K-Pop girl groups that had to wait a little longer for their turn in the spotlight. Is your favorite female K-Pop group among the late bloomers? Find out below!
#8 Oh My Girl - 1,009 days with "Secret Garden" on "The Show"
Oh My Girl debuted in 2015 under WM Entertainment. They were on the brink of disbandment until they won first place in January of 2018 on "The Show" with "Secret Garden." Since then, they have gained notoriety, currently becoming one of the top K-Pop girl groups.
#7 EXID - 1,058 days with "Up & Down" on "M Countdown"
Debuting under Banana Culture in 2012, EXID is one of the first K-Pop girl groups to see a reverse run on the charts. Though close to disbandment in 2014, a fancam of Hani performing "Up & Down" luckily went viral. EXID were then invited to promote their song on programs. After this, in January of 2015, they won their first win on "M Countdown" with "Up & Down."
#6 DIA - 1,066 days with "Woo Woo" on "The Show"
DIA debuted in 2015 under MBK Entertainment. Though most members were immensely popular via survival shows, the K-Pop group had a hard time seeing success. But three years after debuting, DIA was able to get their first win in 2018 with "Woo Woo" on "The Show."
#5 Girl's Day - 1,095 days with "Female President" on "Inkigayo" (cancelled episode)
Girl's Day made their debut in 2010 under Dream Tea Entertainment. Although popular, it was difficult for Girl's Day to compete against other groups. But everything changed in 2013 as Girl's Day dropped "Female President." Not long after in January of 2014 they took home their first-ever music show win with the song on "Inkigayo."
#4 fromis_9 - 1,322 days with "TALK&TALK" on "The Show"
Notably, fromis_9 was formed via the survival show "Idol School" and debuted in 2018 under Stone Music Entertainment. Since their debut, the group saw success due to their popular songs but failed to see breakout success. But fromis_9 was able to get their big breakthrough their first win on "The Show" with "TALK&TALK" in September of last year.
#3 CLC - 1,427 days with "NO" on "The Show"
CLC debuted in 2015 under Cube Entertainment. Starting off slow in South Korea, the girl group took home their first music show win ever on "The Show" with "NO" in 2019. CLC member Yeeun was the MC of the show at the time, making their win even better.
#2 Brave Girls - 1,854 days with "Rollin'" on "Inkigayo"
Brave Girls debuted in 2011 but the girl group's current members all joined in 2016. They were on the brink of disbandment until in February of 2021, a fan-made compilation video of their 2017 hit "Rollin'" went viral, causing a reverse run on the charts. They won their first win in March of 2021 on "Inkigayo."
#1 Dreamcatcher - 1924 days with "MAISON" on "Show Champion"
Dreamcatcher debuted in 2017 under Dreamcatcher Company. The girl group saw massive success internationally but struggled to see the same popularity in South Korea. Their luck changed then went on to change as they won their first music show win in April of 2022 with their song "MAISON" on "Show Champion."
READ: Femme Fatales Of K-Pop: Female Idols With Perfect Physiques