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 hip-hop 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… 1995
TURBO – MY CHILDHOOD DREAM
Dance music spread across the globe in the early to mid nineties and made an especially big mark in Korea and Japan. Japan’s TRF popularized a rave sound and (from what I can tell) their influence also took hold in Korea. There were so many co-ed dance groups of this era – most of them short-lived and all but forgotten within broader K-pop history. However, one group stands as a formative legend of the genre, whose songs are still widely referenced today.
Turbo debuted in 1995 as a duo with Kim Jong-kook and Kim Jung-nam. Jung-nam would exit the group two years later to be replaced with new member Mikey. And in 2015, they made a triumphant reunion as a trio. The guys found success right out the gate, competitive with titans of the era like H.O.T and Sechs Kies. Their debut title track is still my favorite song, harnessing a larger than life dance rave sound as they recount their childhood dreams of performing.
My Childhood Dream is a pumping dancefloor album that will get your blood running from its very first moments. It’s one of those great tracks that opens with its chorus, bounding forward with utter confidence. The production sounds very dated nowadays, but I prefer to re-frame the idea of “dated” into “specific.” This is a specific time capsule that deposits you right back in 1995. More importantly, My Childhood Dream’s melodies have transcended their era and become far more timeless than the instrumental surrounding them. Whether or not you dreamed of stage and spotlight, anyone can empathize with the track’s optimistic energy.
Hooks
10
Production
10
Longevity
9
Bias
10
RATING
9.75