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Baby Vox

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Baby V.O.X
Baby V.O.X in 2000
From left to right: Heejin, E-Z, Eunhye, Miyoun, and Eunjin
Background information
OriginSeoul, South Korea
GenresK-pop, R&B
Years active1997 (1997)–2006 (2006), 2024
LabelsDR
SpinoffsBaby Vox Re.V
Past members
Korean name
Hangul
베이비복스
Revised RomanizationBeibi Bokseu
McCune–ReischauerPeipi Poksŭ

Baby V.O.X (Korean: 베이비복스) was a South Korean K-pop group formed in 1997,[1] whose final and best-known line-up consisted of Kim E-Z, Lee Hee-jin, Kan Mi-youn, Shim Eun-jin, and Yoon Eun-hye. It is considered one of the most prominent "first generation" K-pop girl groups of the late 1990s and early 2000s, along with S.E.S. and Fin.K.L,[2] and is recognized as one of the groups at the forefront of the Korean Wave, having broken into the Chinese market.[3] The group released seven studio albums and disbanded in 2006.[1]

On November 28, 2024, Baby V.O.X announced they will reunite with a performance at the 2024 KBS Song Festival.[4]

History

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1997–1999: Debut and early years

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Baby V.O.X began in 1997 as a five-member group consisting of Kim E-Z, Lee Hee-jin, Jung Hyun-jeon, Cha Yu-mi and Jung Shi-woon.[1] The group's first single, "Hair Cut", was taken from the album Equalizeher, released on July 10, 1997.[5][unreliable source?] The group displayed a style inspired by Spice Girls, but the first album was not successful because of the edgy concept. Cha Yumi was injured during the performance, so she was then replaced by Kan Miyoun. Hyun-jeon and Shi-woon left the group because of an internal conflict and they were replaced by Shim Eun Jin and Lee Gai. The group adopted a more modest and "cutesy" style, used by popular groups such as S.E.S. and Fin.K.L. From the album Baby V.O.X II, the single "Ya Ya Ya" became a success, reaching number seven on the Korean pop charts. It was followed by a second single, "Change". Following the release, Lee Gai was forced out by DR Music, because she lied about her age.[6][unreliable source?] She had first appeared with the trio Setorae over ten years before under her birth name of Lee Hee-jung.[7][unreliable source?]

1999–2003: Breakthrough years and mainstream success

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Baby V.O.X. in 1999

In June 1999, Yoon Eun Hye replaced Lee Gai and this line-up became permanent. The single "Get Up" was released. For the first time, the group reached number one on the South Korean music pop charts.[citation needed] Another single, "Killer", was also number one and received the Top Excellency Award in the Seoul Music Awards in 1999. The third single, "Missing You", was also included on the album Come Come Come Baby (1999).

In the years that followed, Baby VOX made a number of appearances in variety shows. After the success of the third album, the group promoted itslf internationally, including in China, Japan and other Southeast Asian countries. The fourth album, Why, included the singles "Why" and "배신 (Betrayal)", and the group hosted the television program Beautiful Sunday-Cruise to the Korea Strait. The group's fifth album, Boyish Story, was released in 2001 and included the singles "Game Over", "인형 (Doll)" and "I Wish You are My Love".

Baby V.O.X. in 2001

The group released a compilation album with singles 우연 ("Coincidence") and "Go"; Coincidence was the group's first number one single in three years. "Coincidence" was re-released for the 2002 World Cup and gained additional popularity. The group held a concert in Mongolia in 2004, the first South Korean idol band to do so. The group also performed in Pyongyang, North Korea in 2003, and was the second girl group to perform in North Korea.[8][unreliable source?]

2003–2006: Final albums and separation

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Baby Vox performing "Xcstasy" in May 2004

In spring 2003, Baby VOX released a sixth album, Devotion. Baby VOX topped the Chinese music chart with the Chinese single "I'm Still Loving You" and the South Korean charts with "What Should I Do".

The group's seventh and final album, Ride West, released in April 2004, had songs in English, Chinese, Japanese and Korean, as well as appearances by well-known American hip hop artists such as Tupac Shakur and Jennifer Lopez and the independent rapper Floss P, although Tupac's "appearance" was a freestyle rap that he recorded while in prison. The rights for the sample of Tupac's verse were not cleared, and this resulted in a court case pursued by the rapper's mother, Afeni Shakur.[9] A music video for the album's feature song, "Xcstasy", was made in English and emulated the hip-hop videos popular in the United States at the time. A member of the South Korean hip-hop group DJ DOC, offended by the alleged misuse of Tupac Shakur's lyrics, denounced them in the media but later apologized.[10] The group was forced to abandon the release of the single. A second single, "Play Remix" featuring Jennifer Lopez, was promoted for a short while, but sales were lower than from its previous albums.

Shim Eun-jin officially left the group in October 2004 and Yoon Eun-hye in April 2005. By May 2005 the group was no longer promoting, and it officially disbanded in February 2006.

Reunion

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Baby V.O.X reunited in August 2010 with an appearance on music talk-show Kim Jung-eun's Chocolate, which marked their first group activity in six years after virtually disbanded in 2004.[11]

Baby V.O.X reunited again after 14 years in December 2024 with performance on KBS annual music show KBS Song Festival.[12]

Style and influence

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Baby VOX has consistently stated that they were inspired by the Spice Girls, who led the girl power movement in the UK during their early days,[13] and since the late 1990s, they have been the first South Korean girl group to attempt sex appeal by adopting the R&B and pop styles popularized by groups like TLC.[14] The Wall Street Journal described them as "the Asian version of the Spice Girls",[15] and Japan's Mainichi Shimbun introduced them as "expected to cause a tectonic shift in the Japanese music industry".[16] Domestic music industry insiders have stated that "Baby Vox is considered to have laid the groundwork for today's girl groups. They were a girl group ahead of their time, such as the first foreign singer to hold a solo concert in China", solidifying their influence.[17] In 2014, Billboard selected Baby VOX as a K-pop girl group you should know.[18]

Significance and impact towards K-pop

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Their first album, which made its major debut on July 3, 1997, contained a feminist message. This was a topic that was unimaginable at the time, and unlike other girl groups that imitated Japanese girl groups such as Speed, they took advantage of POP and promoted themselves as the "Spice Girls of Asia".[19]

Endorsements

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As one of the most popular groups of their time, Baby VOX endorsed many brands. Around September of 1999, the group participated in a commercial for Hardee's. [20] The next following year of 2000, the group also were featured in the Lotte Ice Cream commercial. [21] In 2004, the group were promotional ambassadors Korean Air. [22]

Members

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Final members

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Former members

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  • Cha Yumi, sub vocal (1997)
  • Jung Hyun-jeon, lead vocal (1997–1998)
  • Jung Shi-woon, rapper, leader (1997–1998)
  • Lee Gai, sub vocal (1998–1999)

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Peak chart
positions 		Sales
KOR
[23]
Equalizeher (Voice of Xpression)
Track listing
  1. Interlude
  2. Haircut (머리하는날)
  3. To A Man (Democracy) (남자에게 (민주주의))
  4. Start (스타트)
  5. Secret (비밀)
  6. Their Own World (그들만의 세상)
  7. Single Mom (미혼모)
  8. Waiting
  9. To A Man (Democracy) (남자에게 (민주주의)) (instr.)
 No data No data
Baby V.O.X. II
  • Released: September 15, 1998
  • Label: DR Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
Track listing
  1. 야야야 (Hey, Hey, Hey)
  2. Break It Up
  3. 패자부활전 (Resurrection)
  4. Waiting
  5. Change
  6. Sugar Baby
  7. Top Of The World
  8. 야야야 (Remix TV Version)
 9
Come Come Come Baby
  • Released: July 21, 1999
  • Label: DR Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
 5
Why
  • Released: May 15, 2000
  • Label: DR Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
 5
Boyish Story
  • Released: June 4, 2001
  • Label: DR Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
 8
Devotion
  • Released: April 3, 2003
  • Label: DR Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
 3
Ride West
  • Released: March 18, 2004
  • Label: DR Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
 3

Compilation albums

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Title Album details Peak chart
positions 		Sales
KOR
Special Album
  • Released: April 23, 2002
  • Label: DR Music
  • Format: CD, cassette
 6

Extended plays

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Title Album details
Go (Japanese release)
  • Released: March 12, 2003
  • Label: Six Beat Records
  • Format: CD

Awards

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Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee(s) of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award ceremony Year Category Nominee / work Result Ref.
Chinese Radio Broadcasting Association 2002 Best Hallyu Artist Award Baby Vox Won [31]
Golden Disc Awards 2002 Popularity Award "Coincidence" (우연) Won [32]
MTV MTV Video Music Awards 1998 Artist of the Year Baby Vox Won
1999 Won
2002 Achievement Award Won
2003 Main Award (Summer song ) Won
Korea Entertainment and Arts Awards 2000 Next Generation Group Award Won [33]
MBC Gayo Daejejeon 1999 Top Popular Artist Won
SBS Gayo Daejeon 1998 Rookie Award Won [34]
1999 Top 10 Singers Award Won
2000 SBS Producer's Award Won [35]
2002 Main Award (Bonsang) Won [36]
2003 Won [37]
Seoul Music Awards 1999 Main Award (Bonsang) Won [38]
2000 Popularity Award Won
2002 Hallyu Award Won
Popularity Award Won
2003 Main Award (Bonsang) Won
2004 Hallyu Award Won

Future generations

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Main article: Baby Vox Re.V

On December 26, 2006, DR Music unveiled the members of the second generation Baby V.O.X, a spinoff group called "Baby V.O.X. Re.V" (pronounced "reeve"). Like the original group, there is one lead vocalist, three "sub-vocalists" and a singer/rapper.

Main article: RaNia

RaNia debuted in April 2011 after being originally scheduled in mid-2010. However, the company, DR Music decided to rebrand the group as a new group with eight members. RaNia is the third generation of Baby V.O.X.

References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baby V.O.X..
  1. ^ a b c "베이비복스(Baby V.O.X) 소개" [Baby V.O.X Profile]. Mnet (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 23, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  2. ^ a b Kim, Hee-eun (May 15, 2014). "Baby V.O.X. star joins Makoa". Korea JoongAng Daily. Archived from the original on August 29, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
    - Doo, Rumy (May 26, 2016). "New generation of K-pop girl groups". The Korea Herald. Archived from the original on August 29, 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  3. ^ Fuhr, Michael (2015). Globalization and Popular Music in South Korea: Sounding Out K-Pop. Routledge. p. 132. ISBN 9781317556916 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "베이비복스, 연말무대 뜬다…'가요대축제' 라인업 공개 [공식입장]" (in Korean). nate 연에. November 28, 2024. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
  5. ^ "Baby V.O.X – girlband – kpop". JpopAsia. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 13, 2015.
  6. ^ "Baby V.O.X All Grown Up". Seoulbeats. May 13, 2012. Archived from the original on May 16, 2012. Retrieved June 5, 2016.
  7. ^ "K-pop Girl of the Week". K-pop Amino. May 13, 2014. Archived from the original on January 11, 2015. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
  8. ^ "Baby V.O.X All Grown Up". Seoulbeats. May 13, 2012. Archived from the original on January 11, 2015. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
  9. ^ "U.S. Record Company Accuses Baby Vox for Copyright Infringement". The Chosun Ilbo. June 17, 2004. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  10. ^ "U.S. Record Company Accuses Baby Vox for Copyright Infringement". The Chosun Ilbo. Archived from the original on March 11, 2007.
  11. ^ https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/109/0002128578
  12. ^ https://m.entertain.naver.com/article/003/0012974788
  13. ^ "실검보고서, 베이비복스 방송사고, 10년 지난 뒤 다시 화제 | 텐아시아". August 26, 2014. Archived from the original on August 26, 2014. Retrieved July 4, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  14. ^ ""벗어야 뜬다?" 여가수들의 노출의상 대란" ["Do I have to take it off?" The disturbance of the exposure of female singers]. BNT (in Korean). Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  15. ^ "뉴스 : 네이버 TV연예". m.entertain.naver.com. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  16. ^ "베이비 복스"우리도 일본진출"". 노컷뉴스. August 2, 2004. Archived from the original on November 29, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  17. ^ "뉴스 : 네이버 TV연예". m.entertain.naver.com. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  18. ^ Benjamin, Jeff (April 30, 2014). "Top 10 K-Pop Girl Groups You Need to Know". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  19. ^ 수정: 2009-02-14 18:04:23, 입력: 1997-08-14 00:00:00. "실력갖춘 '한국 스파이스 걸스' 여성 5인조그룹 베이비 복스". 부산일보 (in Korean). Archived from the original on November 9, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ Baby V.O.X Archive (February 13, 2017). [1999] 베이비복스 - 햄버거 하디스 CF. Archived from the original on July 4, 2024. Retrieved July 4, 2024 – via YouTube.
  21. ^ Baby V.O.X Archive (February 13, 2017). [2000] 베이비복스 - 아이스크림 와 CF (Ver.1). Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2024 – via YouTube.
  22. ^ "KAL, '한류스타' 후원에 적극 나선다 : 네이트 뉴스". August 4, 2023. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
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  24. ^ "98년 음반판매량 집계". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 22, 1999. Retrieved July 16, 2018.
  25. ^ "November K-pop 1999 Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  26. ^ "August K-pop 2000 Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  27. ^ "First Half of 2001 K-pop Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on September 19, 2008. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  28. ^ "2003 K-pop Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  29. ^ "First Half of 2004 K-pop Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on July 18, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  30. ^ "2002 Album Sales Volume". Recording Industry Association of Korea (in Korean). Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  31. ^ "'베이비복스 가요제' 중국서 열린다". JoongAng Ilbo (in Korean). April 21, 2002. Archived from the original on November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  32. ^ "역대수상자". Golden Disc Awards (in Korean). Archived from the original on June 26, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  33. ^ "9일 제7회 대한민국 연예예술대상 시상식". The Korea Economic Daily (in Korean). November 8, 2000. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  34. ^ "심은진X간미연, 베이비복스 데뷔 20주년 "세월 참 빠르다"". Newsen (in Korean). July 3, 2017. Archived from the original on November 20, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  35. ^ "SBS 올해의 10대가수 선정". Maeil Business Newspaper (in Korean). December 18, 2000. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  36. ^ "'2002 SBS 가요대전" 대상은 보아". Yonhap News Agency (in Korean). December 30, 2002. Archived from the original on October 29, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  37. ^ "2003 SBS 가요대전 대상에 이효리". The Korea Daily (in Korean). December 29, 2003. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  38. ^ "역대수상자". Seoul Music Awards (in Korean). Archived from the original on August 18, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baby V.O.X..
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