21 Pictures That Show How Much K-Pop Has Changed Since 2007

Because the K-pop scene is constantly shifting with new idols, new music, and new trends, it’s almost jarring to glance back and see just how much K-pop has evolved even in just the past ten years. Have a hard time visualizing it? No worries, let’s just take a quick trip down memory lane, just enough to realize just how fast this industry moves.

1. Wonder Girls’ Sohee and BIGBANG’s G-Dragon dancing together to Wonder Girls’ hit song “Tell Me” at the 2008 MBC Gayo Daejun. Talk about OG idol stage collaborations!

2. When it was super casual to see BIGBANG’s Daesung hitching a ride on Lee Hyori’s back on “Family Outing.” Remember “Family Outing”? Yeah, recall and bask in all those memories for a moment.

3. Hair. Super Junior’s hair. That is all. The hair speaks for all 13 of the boys in this picture.

4. Davichi marking their entrance into the K-pop scene complete with little pigtails and quirky printed shirts. So spunky and young!

5. TVXQ and the Wonder Girls casually existing in one place (TVXQ as five, for one thing) at “Music Core” on December 27, 2008.

6. Check out Kara‘s adorable outfits — everything from their full coverage bangs to the graphic shirts and flouncy skirts screams “We’re adorable!”

7. SHINee really channeling their strong teamwork by sporting matching bowl-cuts, although why they opted for prayer poses instead of the usual peace signs is still a bit unclear.

8. Super Junior’s Hee Chul, Park Shin Hye, and CNBLUE’s Jung Yong Hwa hosting the 2009 SBS Gayo Daejun while rocking those black top hats.

9. BoA posing like a boss in commercials for the latest slide phone and digital camera. Of course the K-pop queen would be the face of the latest technology.

10. More of the hottest new technology being promoted by sister groups Girls’ Generation and f(x): the new LG Chocolate. You know, when an all-touch screen was the biggest new development in the phone industry.

11. BIGBANG and 2NE1 decked out in all the colors of the rainbow for a phone commercial. Remember “Lollipop”? Yeah, except there were more lollipop props than any of the actual phones they were promoting in the commercial.

12. Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon and Olympic champion figure skater Kim Yuna singing together on the same stage and the whole of Korea imploding at the fact that Kim Yuna basically has it all.

13. BIGBANG channeling their inner cute in their pastel colored snowman beanies and multi-colored palm gloves. I can’t believe all those words actually fit together in the same sentence. Legendary indeed.

14. Girls’ Generation’s YoonA and 2PM‘s Taecyeon really milking those relationship rumors. Honestly, didn’t everyone think that they were a thing? Also, throwback to when Taecyeon wore more eyeliner than Yoona.

15. Lee Seung Gi and Kang Ho Dong being GOALS while hosting “Strong Heart.” Remember their giggling and holding onto each other at some point in every single episode? Yeah, serious goals.

16. Ahh, simpler times. Back when the only similarity they shared was the fact they could both speak English.

17. Newly debuted rookie IU and pre-debut Zico collaborating on quite possibly the cutest song ever, “Marshmallow.” Remember the music video with the giant walking marshmallow that catapulted IU into the public eye?

18. Girls’ Generation raising a baby together…the same year that YoonA graduated from high school and Seohyun was actually still in high school.

19. When everyone could’ve sworn that 2AM‘s Jo Kwon and Brown-Eyed Girls‘ Ga In should most definitely date and eventually marry. Or just never come off the show “We Got Married.”

20. When K-pop stages meant completely abandoning all pride and dancing with total confidence even with ears and huge paws. Ah, the “Bo Peep” memories!

21. Last but not least, the much loved original Invincible Squad! Pretty much the equivalent to the Taylor Swift squad, yes? 

sophfly‘s very first Korean songs were Davichi’s “Love and War” and BIGBANG’s “Lies.” These two songs burned on a CD that she listened to on her CD player were just the beginning of a loooong journey.