Generations: The Best Gen 4 Girl Groups

aespa are the highest-scoring girl group of their generation, and currently one of the highest-scoring acts on the entire site. SM built them around a metaverse concept of digital counterparts, then backed it with a run of singles that defined the era's sound, from the warped pop of their breakout to the synth-driven hits that followed. They grew from a four-member rookie act into a stadium-touring, Coachella-headlining force. Their score is led by streaming, video, and recognition, the profile of a group operating at the very top of the field.

IVE arrived already knowing exactly who they were. Built around IZ*ONE alumni Jang Wonyoung and Ahn Yujin, they debuted into a regal, self-possessed brand of pop and delivered one of the cleanest rookie runs in K-pop history, with a near-unbroken string of title tracks that topped the domestic charts. Their score is strongest on charts, streaming, and music shows. Few groups have ever made the climb to the top tier look this effortless.

LE SSERAFIM turned fearlessness into a whole identity. Anchored by IZ*ONE veterans Sakura and Kim Chaewon alongside Huh Yunjin, they pair a confident, club-leaning sound with one of the most respected dance lines of the generation, and they became a fixture at Coachella and across the fashion world. Their score draws on charts, video, and recognition. They are the clearest example of HYBE building a global girl group on the first try.

i-dle, who debuted as (G)I-DLE and dropped the "girl" marker in a 2025 rebrand, are the great self-producing group of their generation. Member Soyeon writes and produces much of their catalog, which let them flip concepts at will, from sultry to playful to confrontational, and still land hit after hit. Their score is led by music shows, streaming, and recognition. No other group on this list controls its own creative direction quite as completely.

NewJeans changed the direction of the entire generation. Working with producer Min Hee-jin, they arrived with a stripped-back, Y2K-leaning sound and effortless visual language that pulled K-pop away from the loud, maximalist concepts that had dominated, and the industry spent the next two years chasing the shift. Their score is built on streaming and video. Their cultural footprint runs well ahead of their short discography.

ITZY led the early-fourth-gen wave of teen-crush confidence, trading the softer concepts of the previous generation for self-assurance and one of the sharpest dance lines around. A run of high-energy title tracks made them an immediate force at home and a strong touring draw in the United States. Their score leans on video and music shows. They set the template that much of this list would build on.

NMIXX are the most technically ambitious group of their class. Their signature "mixxpop" approach splices genres and tempos inside a single song, demanding a vocal line strong enough to carry it, and that difficulty became their calling card. Their score is strongest in streaming and video. They are a group that rewards close listening more than easy first impressions.

STAYC built their name on bright, instantly catchy pop, a lane they branded "teenfresh." Guided by the veteran producing duo Black Eyed Pilseung, they turned out some of the most reliable earworms of the generation and a steady run of chart-friendly comebacks. Their score is led by charts and streaming. They are proof that a smaller label could still manufacture consistent hits in a crowded field.