Sechs Kies: One of the Original K-pop Boy Groups

The 90s were a great time to be alive when it comes to K-pop. You would have been one of the first to witness the advent and rise of a phenomenon that would be a rage only a handful of decades later. The 90s saw the rise of K-pop groups catering to the audience's likes and interests. The West already had several boy groups that were a rage and now it was time for South Korea to shine. Granted, the global reach was limited for K-pop groups then, but they still made their presence felt. Now, decades later, their music is still remembered by the fans. It is time we modern fans also take a look at the music that was rage then and remains relevant today.

The 90s was a time when boy groups like H.O.T. and Seo Taiji and Boys were reigning the Korean music scene. YG Entertainment debuted its K-pop boy group, Sechs Kies (sometimes stylized as SechsKies or SECHSKIES), on April 15, 1997. Sechs Kies’ members initially were Eun Ji-won, Lee Jai-jin, Kim Jae-duck, Jang Su-won, Kang Sung Hoon, and Ko Ji Young. The members were scouted by different labels prior to coming together under YG Entertainment.

The name of Sechs Kies is quite cheeky, if you know what I mean! Playing around the idea of something that is not allowed to be said explicitly is quite fun. Imagine the fumble and initial awkwardness in a conversation if someone was unaware of the name already! Sechs Kies released their first song “School Anthem” in April, and this was followed by an album of the same name in May.

Sechs Kies found recognition and fame rapidly. Just in their second year, the group went on nation-wide concerts and also performed at the Blue House on the national holiday Children’s Day. Soon after, there was no looking back for the group. It was one of the first to release a concert film, a live concert album, and also had a quickly sold out concert. 

Come May 2000, the group shocked its fans with a sudden announcement of their disbandment. Sechs Kies released a farewell song for its fans in August of the same year and finally concluded its activities. 

It wasn’t until 2016 that the members came together again. The members reunited on the reality show Infinite Challenge, through a guerilla concert. Soon after, all members except Ko Ji Young resigned with YG Entertainment. The group released reworks of past tracks and resumed many other activities in the country.

20 years after its Korean debut, Sechs Kies made its Japanese debut in May 2017. In September same year, Sechs Kies released its fifth album Another Light. In 2018, YG announced that the name “Sechs Kies” was registered with the KIPRIS as an official trademark and that the members can exercise their exclusive rights over the name. In the years that followed, the group went on to do a few more activities, but not without issues plaguing them. Following changes in the lineups and departures from the label, it would be safe to assume that Sechs Kies has been on hiatus since 2021, if not a full disbandment.