2NE1

Debuting in 2009 under YG Entertainment, this 4-member girl group was the first Korean act to reach No. 1 on the iTunes World Chart in 31 countries, a milestone that proved K-pop could compete globally before the streaming era. Their debut EP sold 250,000 copies in its first week, and I Am the Best became an anthem of girl-power K-pop with over 700 million YouTube views. Widely regarded as the group that laid the groundwork for BLACKPINK, 2NE1 fused hip-hop, EDM, and R&B with fashion-forward visuals that transcended the idol formula.