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The second generation of K-pop was undoubtedly full of groups that broke new ground in the industry, and many current idols still look up to them as the standard or role models; one of these milestone groups was the girl group Kara, who had global popularity, and a renowned discography featuring hits such as ‘Lupin’, ‘STEP’ and ‘Mister’ who were and continued to be beloved.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of Kara's debut, which is why they decided to get back together and make a special album to mark the occasion. On November 20, they dropped the mini album ‘Move Again’, marking the beginning of this celebration; let's join the party and learn more about this remarkable release.
KARA made their debut in 2007 under DSP Media with the members Nicole, Gyuri, Seung-Yeon, and Sung-hee, who left the group a year later. However, following new auditions, Goo Hara and Kang Ji Young were added in her place, creating the KARA that many remember to this day.
The five-member group experienced near-immediate success in the industry, dropping songs like ‘Mister’, ‘Pretty Girl’, and ‘Honey’, and positioning themselves alongside the likes of Girls' Generation and Wonder Girls as one of the most popular girl groups of their time.
They became the first K-pop girl group to perform at the Tokyo Dome, which can hold more than 40,000 spectators, in 2013 as a result of their continued rise in popularity in Japan and worldwide.
After Kang Ji-young and Nicole's contracts expired in 2014, the agency decided to air a television program called ‘KARA PROJECT’, where seven trainees were evaluated in order to add a new member to the group. Young-Ji was chosen as the winner and joined the line-up so the group continued activities for a while. However, in 2016, the group decided to disband and the members decided to pursue their own solo activities. Though KARA was no more, their legacy was undeniably already solidified.
The celebratory album 'Move Again' contains four songs: ‘Happy Hour’ is a soft and fresh opening song for which all the members helped write the lyrics; 'When I Move’ is the title song written by Nicole and Ji-young; ‘Shout It Out’ is a song with quintessential 2nd Gen K-pop sounds and style, co-written by Ji-young; and the soft and emotional ballad ‘Oxygen’ written by Nicole serves as the climax to the album. The creation of this mini-album brought together all of the members of the group, with the exception of Go Hara, who passed away in 2019. However, the members stated that they worked on the album feeling that she was also an active part of the creation process.
The title track, ‘When I Move’, has the band's distinctive fusion of modern and retro dance music that can be heard in some of their biggest singles like ‘Honey’, ‘Step’, and ‘Pandora’, along with their reinterpretation of 4th generation vibe. The music video is all about celebrating, the group members raise a toast to remember their legacy and reunion. There are also multiple tributes to the late singer throughout the video, such as the sixth table setting in a scene where they celebrate their 15th anniversary with cake and champagne, and six microphone stands are displayed onstage at the end of the video credits as a representation of Go Hara as an everlasting member of the group member.
With this being their first return to the stage in so long, the girls have been keeping busy with a number of activities. They actually had their comeback stage performance at the 2022 MAMAs, which included some of their signature songs - the stage brought back nostalgic feelings for fans and undoubtedly caught the attention of new K-pop fans.
Without a doubt, their 15th debut anniversary is worthy of celebration, and the party's just getting started as they still have a Japanese fan meeting tour and other activities lined up for the future. KARA has once again proven why they are still one of the most important groups in K-pop history, and we are so glad they are back on stage once more, getting everyone up and moving.
Are you a long-time fan of Kara or is this your first introduction to the group? What do you think about this comeback? Which was your favorite song? And what is your ultimate favorite song by Kara? Don’t forget to tell us in a comment on the Kooky app!
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Writer: Valeria Vilez
Editor: Han (O.L)