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On K-Pop Sub-units

The K-Pop world has been abuzz lately with rumors that SM Entertainment is considering launching a sub-unit of Girls' Generation, one of the Hallyu wave's most popular artists.

With the success of the girls' recent promotions for "The Boys," launching a sub-unit is not too unusual a concept, especially since the K-Pop grapevine seems to be hinting at the powerhouse combination of Taeyeon, Tiffany, and Jessica being the most likely to launch. SM Entertainment, the girls' management label, has made it clear that there are no immediate plans for a Girls' Generation sub-unit, but the rumors refuse to die down.

What exactly is a sub-unit? And why is SME adamantly denying that Girls' Generation isn't forming one?

A K-Pop sub-unit is a concept group made up of members from larger usually established idol groups and a combination of talents from a particular talent agency. Sub-units are formed specifically to promote particular musical styles, charms, and talents. Some of the more popular K-Pop sub-units include:

  • Super Junior Happy, Super Junior-T, Super Junior-M, and Super Junior K.R.Y.

    Hallyu superstars Super Junior had as many as 13 members when they debuted. The current incarnation consists of ten members who tour together for Super Show and promote group albums, the most recent of which was "Mr. Simple." However, SM Entertainment - that's right, the same label of Girls' Generation - has created at least four sub-unit of these members, including Super Junior Happy (for bubblegum pop; the "Super Show" staples "Cooking Cooking" and "Pajama Party" were originally SuJu Happy singles); Super Junior-T (novelty trot music; the single "Rokuko" is its most popular release); Super Junior-M (M for Mandarin; the group releases Mandarin singles with extended members Henry and Zhoumi); and Super Junior K.R.Y. (the ballads group; members Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, and Yesung, hence, K.R.Y., are apparently scheduled for a formal release this 2012).

  • GD & TOP

    . Hallyu stars Big Bang has seen the release of solo material from members G-Dragon, Taeyang, Daesung, T.O.P., and Seungri, but G.Dragon - now G.D. - and T.O.P. actually came together to release a concept album of their own, with the self-titled debut release featuring #1 singles "High High," and "Oh Yeah." The album featured solo singles as well as collaboration material, and was a tremendous hit in South Korea and Japan. The duo also figured prominently on "Dancing On My Own," a track on the Japanese debut release of English singer Pixie Lott.

  • Orange Caramel

    , After School Red, and After School Blue. The nine members of girl group After School revolve around the "admissions-and-graduation" concept formulated by Pledis Entertainment; they understand that there is a time limit to their stay as members of After School. Despite that rather odd "career-hangs-in-the-balance" rhetoric - only former member Bekah has actually graduated from After School, considering other former member Soyoung left to become an actress - the girls of After School have been part of three concept groups: Orange Caramel (a cute concept, and arguably the most successful of the three, with singles "Magic Girl," "A~ing," "Bangkok City," and "Shanghai Romance" all becoming hits) and After School Red and Blue (both creating urban pop, with After School Blue a less sultry version of After School Red).

  • SM The Ballad

    . SM The Ballad is a sub-unit composed of three of the finest singers in K-Pop (Jonghyun of SHINee, Kyuhyun of Super Junior, and Jay of TRAX), alongside debuting singer Jino (who certainly can hold his own against his groupmates). The debut mini-album, "Miss You," featured the R&B-fueled single "Hot Times."

  • Trouble Maker

    . Trouble Maker is a two-member co-ed sub-unit composed of Cube Entertainment's Hyuna (of four-member girl group 4Minute) and Hyunseung (of six-member idol group B2ST). The self-titled release was buoyed by a rather controversial video, and "Troublemaker" went to #1 on digital charts and music shows in 2011.

  • SISTAR19.

    Sistar19 is a two-member sub-unit composed of Hyorin and Bora from Starship Entertainment's SISTAR. Their debut single, "Ma Boy," dropped in April 2011, and peaked at #2 on the Gaon chart.

This 2012, some of the sub-units that may or may not debut include J. Tune's Mir and G.O from MBLAQ, a concept group from Korean girl group Nine Muses, Super Junior's K.R.Y.'s first official EP, and, who knows, maybe Girls' Generation!

Who is your favorite sub-unit? Who would you like to see in a sub-unit? Share your thoughts through our comment box!

Catherine Deen blogs for Yahoo! Philippines OMG! She lives, eats and breathes Korean music, cuisine, telenovelas, and pop culture. Follow her on Twitter @cathsdeen.