f(x) (musical group)
f(x) (/ˌɛf ˈɛks/; Korean: 에프엑스; RR: Epeuekseu) is a South Korean girl group, consisting of Victoria, Amber, Luna, Krystal, and previously Sulli until her departure from the group in August 2015. Formed by SM, f(x) officially debuted in September 2009 with the release of the digital single "La Cha Ta".
Their debut studio album, Pinocchio (2011), and their two extended plays Nu Abo and Electric Shock produced three number-one singles on South Korea's Gaon Digital Chart. Their acclaimed second studio album, Pink Tape (2013), was the only K-pop album on US music channel Fuse's "41 Best Albums of 2013",[1] the only idol album to be featured in Korean critics' definitive list of "Top 100 Classic Albums of All Time",[2] and was named "Greatest K-pop Album of the 2010s" by Billboard.[3] The group's third and fourth albums, Red Light (2014) and 4 Walls (2015), were commercially successful and well received by music critics. Following the release of the SM Station single "All Mine" in 2016, the group halted group promotions and the members have embarked on individual music, acting, and modelling careers. In August 2019, f(x) officially reunited as a three-piece (without Victoria) and performed at the three-night SM Town Live 2019 in Tokyo concert.
Known for their eclectic, electropop-based sound, f(x) is one of the first few recognized K-pop groups internationally, becoming the first K-pop act to perform at SXSW. In 2017, Billboard ranked f(x) at number seven on their "Top 10 K-pop Girl Groups of the Past Decade" list.[4]
Name[edit]
f(x) is used as the notation for functions in mathematics. It is used to symbolize their various activities, based on the various talents and attractiveness of the members, like a function in which the output or results change depending on the input value of x. In addition, "f" symbolizes flower and "x" symbolizes 'X' on the female chromosome XX which, taken together, symbolizes "flower reminiscent of women".[5]
History[edit]
Pre-debut[edit]
Krystal was scouted by SM Entertainment in 2000 while on a family visit to Korea, along with her sister Jessica (who would go on to be a member of Girls' Generation). She subsequently appeared in a small role in Shinhwa's music video for the song "Wedding March" ("너의 곁에서 2").[6][7] Sulli was a child actress, making her first television appearance in 2005 as the young Princess Seonhwa of Silla in SBS's Ballad of Seodong.[8] Luna was recruited by SM following her 2006 appearance on the reality television program Truth Game.[9] Victoria was scouted through a Beijing dance competition in September 2007 after winning first place.[10] In 2008, Amber was cast through S.M. Global Auditions in Los Angeles, California.
Impact[edit]
In an industry focused more on mini-albums, f(x)'s discography leaned more towards full-length studio albums, releasing four internationally acclaimed albums during their time as a group. In 2015, while reviewing 4 Walls, American music magazine Spin called f(x) the "world’s greatest living pop group" at the time.[54] In 2017, Billboard ranked f(x) at number seven on their "Top 10 K-pop Girl Groups of the Past Decade" list.[4]
"Rum Pum Pum Pum" and "4 Walls" were both included on Billboard's "The 100 Greatest K-pop Songs of the 2010s" staff list, at numbers 33 and 9, respectively. Billboard also noted that "Ice Cream Cake" represents a baton pass from f(x) to Red Velvet as the best idol group alive, meaning that f(x) was the former holder of the title.[55]