Kara(Hangul: 카라, Japanese: カラ, often stylized asKARA) is a South Korean pop girl group formed by DSP Media in 2007. The group is composed of Park Gyuri , Han Seungyeon , Goo Hara , and Heo Youngji . The group's name comes from the Greek word "chara" (χαρ?, lit. "joy"), which they interpreted to mean "sweet melody".The group originally started off as a quartet and made their debut with "Break It" (2007) while displaying a strong female image and a mature R&B sound. Expectations for the group is big because they were considered as successors to their senior labelmate, Fin.K.L . They released their first studio album titledThe First Bloomingin March 2007. However, their debut was not well received by the public and was a commercial failure. The following year, Kim Sunghee departed the group due to parental pressure, and members Goo Hara and Kang Jiyoung were brought in.After their addition, the group also changed their musical style and their image to the "pretty but natural" appeal, releasing their first mini-album,Rock Uin July 2008.They achieved their first number one song with " Honey " (2009).In July 2009, the group released their second studio album,Revolutionand spawned the hit single " Mister ", whose choreography featured the "butt-dance", that helped increase the group's popularity within East Asia.Their follow-up singles including " Lupin " (2010), " Jumping " (2010), " Step " (2011), and " Pandora " (2012) were also successful and helped further establish the group within the Korean music industry. The group were ranked at No. 6 and No. 5 in Gallup Korea in 2009 and 2010 respectively, thus making them the second best girl group in Korea for 2010. They were also ranked at No. 4 and 13 in February 2012 and 2013's Forbes Korea Power Celebrity 40 list.After finding national success, the group began to expand their music to Japan by signing to Universal Music Japan 's subsidiary label, Universal Sigma in 2010. The group's debut was a success as they were dubbed as "Japan's No. 1 Rookie Artist of 2010" byOriconand also receiving the "New Artist of the Year Award (International)" from the Japan Gold Disc Awards . In April 2011, the group achieved their first number one single in Japan with " Jet Coaster Love ", making them the first foreign female group since the creation of theOriconto rank number one in the first week of release and also the first foreign female group in thirty years to do so.Overall, the group managed to sell over one million physical singles within two years, making them one of the fastest-selling South Korean acts in Japan.In 2014, Nicole Jung and Kang Jiyoung decided not to renew their contracts with DSP Media thus leaving the group to pursue their own endeavours with Nicole leaving for the United States to prepare for a solo debut and Jiyoung to further her studies overseas. Following their departures, a reality show titledKara Projectwas aired on TV to select members to join the group. Seven trainees from DSP Media (including former members of DSP's group Puretty ) took part in the program. The winner of the competition was Heo Youngji who became the latest member to join the group.They released their 6th mini-albumDay & NightOn August 18, 2014 in South Korea and their singleMamma MiaJapanese version taken from their 2014 6th mini-albumDay & Nighton August 27, 2014 in Japan.
Han Seung Yeon has signed a contract with Inyeon Entertainment. The entertainment agency made an announcement on March 14 stating, “We recently signed an exclusive contract with actress Han Seung Yeon. She is a talented entertainer who has a wide variety of charms and skills, and …
Candy for the eyes, Kara’s Han Seung Yeon and Kang Ji Young joined actor Lee Min Ki in an adorable photoshoot for the clothing brand, Union Bay. The results from Union Bay’s July 27 photoshoot were released, showing the three young stars covering the theme of ‘Play Different.&rsqu…
The ladies of KARA who will be making a comeback on August 22nd have released a new image that’s evoking curiosity amongst their fans. KARA’s agency DSP Media released the teaser image on the girls’ official homepage. The girls’ comeback date of August…
The First Bloomingwhile displaying a strong female image and R&B sound. The album also produced the singles "If U Wanna" and "Secret World". Music videos for the first two singles were created.They were often compared to their senior labelmates, Fin.K.L , because of their similarity and the fact that the two groups were signed to the same label. Additionally, each individual member of Kara was paralleled to a member of Fin.K.L. In response to the comparisons, the group stated that they regarded the comparison as beneficial and inspiring.Although their album was acclaimed by critics,[citation needed]it was not well received by the general public and was overshadowed by other girl groups who debuted the same year. All promotions for their first album ended in the summer of 2007. In August 2007, the group came out with a documentary on M.net calledKara Self Camerawhich showcased the group and their talents, as well as the relationship they had with each other. The first season debuted on August 8, 2007, and chronicled the lives of the girls over 15 episodes, ending on December 12, 2007. As their first album was not a commercial success, member Seungyeon participated in many television variety shows in the following months to keep the group's name recognizable to the public.
M! Countdown. They made their comeback with the "cute" and "playful" image which was the complete opposite of the group's original image from their debut. In the same month, their first mini-album titledRock Uwas also released. The second season ofKara Self Camerawas premiered on August 18, 2008, which chronicled how the group was adapting to their two new members.
The group began its comeback on all major music shows on December 4, 2008, starting withM! Countdown.During their first national performance on KBS 'sMusic Bank, member Goo Hara accidentally gasped "ah!" live on air due to slipping on falling confetti, and reportedly cried profusely afterwards.The incident became a hot issue to many viewers, but Goo Hara received comfort instead of criticism from the general public.
Due to their increasingly hectic schedule as their popularity rose, a few of the group's members were taken to the hospital on December 19 after aMusic Bankrehearsal for cold symptoms and exhaustion.
followed on February 19 which featured remixed versions of songs from the group's previous EP."Honey" became the group's first number one single when it toppedGaon 's weekly singles chart. The song earned the group their first music show award onM! Countdownon March 5. It held onto the position for three nonconsecutive weeks.The song also won the Mutizen award on SBS 's programInkigayoand the "Best Dance Award" at the 2009 Mnet Asian Music Awards .
, which marked the group's first hosting duties for a show.The group then had a reality show calledMTV Meta Friends, which chronicled a group of fans getting a chance to become friends with the group members. For the show, the group had their first concert since their debut in 2007.
Due to the popularity of "Mister", Kara's overall popularity increased, evidenced by an influx of advertisement requests by various companies; in total, they had more advertisements in October 2009 than they had had the previous two years."Wanna" also became a number one single for the group and won the Mutizen award on August 30, 2009 fromInkigayo.During promotions forRevolution, the group also performed internationally, including at Bangkok's Parc Paragon.
, which followed the group as they attempted to plan, open, and advertise their own bakery. The show had 8 episodes and ran until early 2010.All proceeds from the bakery was donated to charity.
On March 4, 2010, the group won their first number one award for "Lupin" onM! Countdown.On the following week, the group won yet another award onM! Countdown, making it their second consecutive win on the music program. "Lupin" also gave the group their first number one win onMusic Bankon March 12, 2010, making it the group's first win on this particular music show since their debut,holding onto the position for three consecutive weeks.The song also won the Mutizen award fromInkigayoon March 14.
On August 11, the group released their debut single, the Japanese remake of their Korean song, " Mister ". The single ranked in various music charts and proved to be very popular in Japan. Following the release, the single exceeded expectations as it charted at number five onOricon 's Daily Singles Chart with debut sales of 29,238 copies.The song eventually became the most downloaded song of all time by a Korean artist in Japan, with downloads exceeding 2 million as of March 2012.
. It eventually rose to number 2, only behind Arashi.The single peaked at number 5 onOricon's Weekly Singles Chart with debut sales of 54,977.
It was announced on November 3, 2010 that the album was certified gold by the RIAJ , making the group the first ever Korean group since the 1990s to release an all-Korean album that was able break the 100 thousand copies barrier in Japan.It was eventually certified platinum with shipments exceeding 250,000 copies.
Korea Foundation for International Culture Exchange, at the Seoul Olympic Stadium .
The album was certified double platinum by the RIAJ on November 18, 2011 with sales exceeding half a million in Japan.
The group began their weekly promotion cycles starting from MBC 'sShow! Music Coreon November 20, 2010. On December 10, the group eventually got their fourth number one win on KBS'sMusic Bankfor "Jumping".Two days after their win onMusic Bank, the group won the Mutizen award for "Jumping" on SBS'sInkigayo's 600th episode.
also announced the group as 2010's Best Rookie Artist, generating revenue to some 1.3 billion yen (or $15.4 million USD); and with a total of 493,000 copies of their releases sold this year.
’s Weekly Composite DVD Chart for two weeks. This made them the first ever foreign artist to be number one for two consecutive weeks since the charts implementation in 1999. The DVD has sold approximately 230,183 copies.
It also peaked at number two onBillboard'?s Japan Hot 100 .Despite its success, plans for promotion in Japan were hindered due to the natural disaster. Instead, the group announced that all proceeds from the single will be donated to Japan's natural disaster relief aid.On June 22, the group released their fourth Japanese single, " Go Go Summer! ". The single debuted at number two onOricon'?s Weekly Singles Chart with sales of 113,873 copies sold on its first week. The song became the group's second single to sell over 100,000 copies on its first week.
The group won first place onM! Countdownon September 15andMusic Bankon September 16, holding onto both positions for two consecutive weeks.The song also won first place onIngikayoon September 25.[unreliable source]By the end of 2011, the album has sold over 100,000 copies in South Korea.
Super Girl, which included all their Japanese singles released that year. The album received over 360,000 pre-orders alone.The album eventually went on to debut at number one onOricon'?s Weekly Album Chart with sales of 275,206 copies sold, making it the group's first number one album in Japan. With it, the group broke the record set by The Nolans , becoming the first foreign female group in thirty years to top both the singles and albums rankings.The album was eventually certified triple platinum by the RIAJ with sales exceeding 750,000 copies.
also ranked the group at number four on the "Top 5 Best Selling Artists of the Year" in 2011 with fellow South Korean idol group Girls' Generation following closely at number five.On December 30, DSP announced that the group will embark on their first concert titled,Karasia, in early 2012. Expectation for the group's first concert has risen since they are among the most successful girl groups in South Korea alongside 2NE1 and Wonder Girls .
On January 27, the RIAJ held the 26th annual Japan Gold Disc Awards ceremony, where the group was honored in five categories including "Best Asian Artist", "Best 3 Asian Albums" forGirl's Talk, "Song of the Year by Download" and "Best 5 Songs by Download" for " Jumping ", and "Best Music Video" forKara Best Clips.The group also received the GCS International Grand Award: "Korea-based Global Social Movement Proposed and Initiated" because of their donations to Japan's tsunami and earthquake relief.
. The group also became the fifth artist in Japan to achieve this record after popular J-Pop singer Namie Amuro , girl group AKB48 , Mr. Children , and Radwimps .On March 21, the group released their sixth Japanese single and first double A-side single, " Speed Up / Girl's Power ". The single debuted at number two onOricon'?s Weekly Singles Chart with sales of 99,236 copies sold on its first week. On April 13, following the gold certification of their sixth Japanese single for sales exceeding 100,000 copies, it was reported that the group had sold more than one million physical copies of their singles in Japan, making them the third South Korean artist to do so after BoA and TVXQ .
'?s Weekly Singles chart and number three onBillboard 's Korea K-Pop Hot 100 , and was voted the most popular song in the month of August onMelon.On August 28, the group won their first award onShow Champion.On September 7, the group won an award onMusic Bank,and on September 13, they won an award onM! Countdown.By the end of September 2012, the mini-album has sold over 70,000 copies.
On October 29, the group achieved their first number one single onBillboard'?s Japan Hot 100 when "Electric Boy" jumped to the top position.The single has been certified gold by the RIAJ . In the same month, DSP announced the release of the group's third Japanese album,Girls Forever, which was released on November 14. The album included the singles " Speed Up / Girl's Power " and " Electric Boy " as well as the 2012 versions of the singles from their previous album.It debuted onOricon'?s Weekly Album Chart at number two with first week sales of 73,224 copies.DSP also announced that the group will hold a concert in the Tokyo Dome on January 6, 2013. This makes the group the first female South Korean act to hold a concert at this particular venue.On December 14, 2012 Kara released a short version of Orion. The full version was released on December 17, 2012.
During the Karasia Concert at the Tokyo Dome last, the group announced that there will be an anime series from the girl group, entitled 'KARA the Animation', and it is expected to air in early 2013. The show depicted the animated version of the members. On March 1, the anime series premiered, which featured five 27 minute episodes about each of the members pursuing different careers. Two feature Jiyoung as a firefighter and Nicole as a captain of a ship. The show aired in Japan and South Korea.
On March 27, Kara released their 8th Japanese single titled " Bye Bye Happy Days! ". The single debuted at number 2 on the Oricon Weekly Single Chart, with sales of 65,588.
On June 23, KARA held their 2nd Japanese fan-meeting called 'Kamilia School' at the Yokohama Arena on the 23rd with total 24,000 Fans attendees. Kara transformed into professors and split up the meeting into three educational sessions focusing on music, art, and language.
Fantastic Girls, will be released August 28.
.The following day, another photo album was uploaded titled 'Queens' where the members can be seen wearing tiaras and unveiling the English name of the promotional track as "Damaged Lady".
Then on January 15, it was announced that Kara's youngest member Jiyoung would also leave the group after her contract expired in April 2014. The group then reorganized with Gyuri, Seungyeon, and Hara as a trio who would be carrying on future schedules.[unreliable source]
which revolves around seven trainees who will compete to become future members of the group. On July 1, the live voting results commenced on 6:45 pm (KST). Heo Youngji was proclaimed the winner with a total score of 49,591.
Mamma Miawas also released as their 11th Japanese single and the first single to feature Youngji after Nicole and Jiyoung departure.So Goodwas announced later as the B-side of the single.
The original group recorded a song titled "Fighting" on the soundtrack for강남엄마 따라잡기("Chasing a Mother from Kangnam"), a drama that aired on SBS ; the soundtrack was released on July 25, 2007. Their second song was "Butterfly" on the soundtrack for the animeNaruto, which was released on September 29, 2008. The group also participated in the second soundtrack forBoys Over Flowers, recording the song "Love is Fire".
똑 같은 맘", "The Same Heart") was a song used ini-Musician, an upcoming mobile game that the group promoted; the song was released digitally in June 2009.
).
on October 22, 2009, where they performed "길" ("Road") by g.o.d and "빙글 빙글" ("Round and Round") with NoBrain. These tracks were included onMusic Travel LaLaLa's soundtrack, released in February 2010.
Super Girl.The single was released on May 3, 2010.
The group also released a single "2ME", the soundtrack for online gameWe Online.
In November 2010, Seungyeon's solo track "Superstar" for KBS's dramaMary Stayed Out All Nightwas revealed.
In 2011, Gyuri and Hara recorded 2 songs for the soundtrack of the SBS's dramaCity Hunter. "시티헌터" sung by Gyuri was released on June 23 and "I Love U, I Want U, I Need U (Sweet Acoustic Version)" sung by Hara was released on July 27.
and also for fleece boot company Bear Paws.
Furthermore with their success in Japan, Japanese game production company Rhaon Japan revealed through their official TalesLand official website that Kara became the new models for their game. Players were able to find group members as characters in the game, and were able to see a short animation of Kara, along with a promotional video on the landing page.
Moreover, members Park Gyuri , Goo Hara and Kang Jiyoung became the female models for Korean cosmetic brand "Nature Republic". The three members started their exclusive activities with Nature Republic on June 3, 2011.
The perfume also went on sales at 1,200 offline stores in Japan.
The music videos for "Daydream" and "Secret Love" were released on September 1, 2012.The music videos for "Lost" and "Wanna Do" were released on September 3, 2012.The next day, the music video for "Guilty" was released. The songs were included in their compilation album entitledKara Collection.
DSP also denied earlier reports of denying Kara members their fair share of profits, stating that each member was paid 300,000,000 for their work.
| Member | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gyuri (2007-3-29 – Present) | |||||||||||||||||
| Seungyeon (2007-3-29 – Present) | |||||||||||||||||
| Sunghee (성희) (2007-3-29 – 2008-2-28) | |||||||||||||||||
| Nicole (2007-3-29 – 2014-1-16) | |||||||||||||||||
| Hara (2008-7-25 – Present) | |||||||||||||||||
| Jiyoung (2008-7-25 – 2014-4-5) | |||||||||||||||||
| Youngji (2014-8-19 – Present) | |||||||||||||||||
Korean discographyStudio albums
EPs
Repackage album
| Japanese discographyStudio albums
Greatest hits albums
Singles
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POWER's Album
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크레용 (Crayon) |
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Pieona (피어나; Bloom) |
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Lipstick(립스틱) |
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Poison |
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I Wish(좋겠어; Jotgesseo) |
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Broken |
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Sarangnori (사랑놀이; Love Play) |
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Because I like you |
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Sad Song |
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Because I like you |
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