[⋆~Omona exclusive~⋆] Gone But Not Forgotten: Dal★Shabet (+ Uni.T bonus)
In this series I want to go through groups that are gone, but not forgotten. I will go from debut till disbandment or [indefinite] hiatus, remembering the time we had together and look back on their highs and lows.
Dal★Shabet
Dal Shabet (stylized as Dal★Shabet or Dalshabet) is a South Korean girl group created by E-Tribe under Happy Face Entertainment. The group debuted with six members: Viki, Serri, Ah Young, Jiyul, Kaeun and Subin. Member Viki officially left in May 2012 and was replaced by Woohee.
In December 2015, Members Jiyul and Kaeun left the group following the expiration of their contract. The group continued as a quartet before member Serri, Ah Young and Subin left the company in December 2017, with Woohee following in December 2018. Happy Face stated that "the group has not disbanded and future activities of the group remains to be discussed."
In September 2019, Dal Shabet reunited as a six-piece and held a photo exhibition and mini-concert.
Pre-debut
During the latter half of 2010, rumors began to circulate through Korean media sites that E-Tribe, the producers behind breakthrough hits such as Girls' Generation's "Gee" and Lee Hyori's "U-Go-Girl", were planning to launch a new girl group. The producers quickly denied the rumors and said they were untrue. On December 9, 2010, E-Tribe's small-label company, Happy Face Entertainment, announced that they would be launching a six-member girl group named Dal Shabet.
2011: Debut, Pink Rocket and Bling Bling
Dal Shabet released their debut music video, "Supa Dupa Diva", on January 3, 2011, making them the first idol group to debut in 2011. The song proved to be quite successful as it topped many real time and music station charts for the majority of its promotional period. "Supa Dupa Diva" was later voted upon by various celebrities in a survey as the second most addicting song of 2011, as well as having the second most popular choreography.
On April 5, 2011, concept photos for Dal Shabet's first comeback track "Pink Rocket" were revealed. The concept, dubbed as "rocket girls", showed a more elegant and feminine side to the group. On April 13, 2011, the full-length music video to "Pink Rocket" was released.
It was announced on August 2, 2011, that Dal Shabet would be making a "funky" comeback. During the entire first week of August, concept photos for each member were released. The outfits in the concept photos were quickly met with controversy and were deemed "too sexual" for live television, causing a complete overhaul of the concept. On August 10, 2011, Dal Shabet released their music video for "Bling Bling". The song proved to be their most successful yet, as it managed to break the top ten on the Gaon chart.
2012: Hit U, line-up changes, Bang Bang and Have, Don't Have
On January 8, 2012, it was revealed that the members of Dal Shabet would be undergoing a dramatic and powerful transformation for their fourth EP. Promotions for "Hit U" began on January 26, 2012, on M! Countdown. The music video and EP were released digitally and physically the following day. The album went on to top the physical portion of the Gaon chart, securing Dal Shabet's first number one album and their most successful comeback to date.
On May 23, 2012, it was announced that Viki would be leaving the group to continue her career as a solo artist. She was replaced with new member Woohee before the group had their comeback. It was later confirmed by a spokesperson for Dal Shabet's agency that Serri would be taking the position of leader.
On June 1, 2012, an introduction teaser featuring Woohee dancing to Beyoncé's "Freakum Dress" was released.
On June 6, 2012, the music video and album BANG BANG were released. Promotions for "Mr. BangBang" began on M! Countdown the following day.
On November 13, 2012, Dal Shabet's fifth EP, "Have, Don't Have", was digitally and physically released. The music video for its title track of the same name was released shortly after. A second version of the music video was released the following day. Happy Face Entertainment called the song "a disco song that is easy for listeners to sing along to and the lyrics describe a girl's cute feelings towards a guy".
On November 19, 2012, Dal Shabet released a surprise music video for "For Darling". The song and music video were Dal Shabet's special gift for their fans.
2013: "It's You", Be Ambitious and controversy
On May 15, 2013, Dal Shabet released "It's You" for the SBS drama All About My Romance original soundtrack. The release serves as the main track of the entire soundtrack.
It was announced that Dal Shabet would be releasing their new album on June 20, 2013.
On June 17, 2013, it was announced that the lyrics to "Be Ambitious" were unfit for public broadcast due to sexual content and would have to be changed in order for the group to promote on television. Their company complied the same day and changed the lyrics in question. On June 19, 2013, Dal Shabet held a showcase event to celebrate the release of their sixth album. On June 20, 2013, the group physically and digitally released their sixth extended play to the public, along with an accompanying music video for "Be Ambitious".
Dalshabet’s initial choreography included a dress which they could open up to show off their legs. They wore short pants underneath but the move was deemed too sexual and banned.
On July 1, 2013, men's rights group 'Man of Korea' filed an injunction to completely ban further distribution of "Be Ambitious".The group stated, "The lyrics and music video of "Be Ambitious" depreciate both women and men, and it's harmful to the youth. The music video also contains scenes that depreciate the 600,000 soldiers that are working hard in their enlistment." On July 11, 2013, Happy Face Entertainment and 'Man of Korea' held a joint conference, where they discussed the lawsuit. Following the conference, 'Man of Korea' officially announced they would be dropping their lawsuit against Dal Shabet's "Be Ambitious". Happy Face Entertainment stated, "There was no intention to depreciate the image of soldiers whatsoever, so we cleared up the misunderstanding through negotiation and peacefully came to an agreement."
On December 31, 2013, "Have, Don't Have" was determined to be the most played girl group song in Korean fashion stores for 2013.
2014: B.B.B
On December 15, 2013, Happy Face Entertainment announced that Dal Shabet were scheduled to make a comeback on January 8, 2014, and that a "shocking transformation" was planned for it. On January 5, 2014, the group appeared on the show Real Men, where they performed their unreleased title track for the troops. On January 8, 2014, Dal Shabet physically and digitally released "B.B.B", along with the accompanying music video for its title track of the same name.
Dalshabet received another strike with their song “BBB” during which they stroke their chests. The move was considered too sexual and they were forced to adjust their hand placement.
Following the filming of MBC Every 1's 9 to 6 on May 23, 2014, Subin was involved in a car accident in Busan while returning to Seoul. A representative from the relief center that responded to the accident reported, "On May 23, at about 7:30 PM, the van was overturned and completely wrecked. It was a serious accident." A second representative from the police department reported, "It looks to be negligent driving. We are currently investigating it." Subin was admitted to a nearby hospital and later moved to Seoul, where she underwent surgery for her injuries.
On September 26, 2014, Happy Face Entertainment announced that Dal Shabet was in the process of recording a new album for a comeback in late January 2015.
In October 2014, Woohee was hospitalized and received surgery for a collapsed lung. She has reportedly received surgery for the same condition in the past and took a break from group activities to focus on recovering.
2015: Joker Is Alive, Japan debut and line-up changes
Dal Shabet's eighth EP, "Joker Is Alive", was released on April 15, 2015. The title track, "Joker", is a swing jazz dance song. In the music video, Dal Shabet portray female Harlequins who seduce the Joker, played by Lee Seung-ho. The music video was banned by KBS because of its explicit choreography, and the song's lyrics were censored by the network because the English word "joker" sounds similar to a Korean expletive. [Spoiler (click to open)]In Korean, “Joker” is written as “조커” and pronounced “Joh-kuh”. The phrase sounds similar to a swear word in Korean when emphasis is placed in the word “Joh” (as Dalshabet do in their song). The word “좆” (pronounced “jot”) which is similar to the word “조” (pronounced “joh”) - a crude term that refers to male private parts. To add to that effect, the word “커” pronounced “kuh” means big.
Dal Shabet debuted in Japan on November 4 with their first single "Hard 2 Love" and greatest hits album The Best. "Hard 2 Love" debuted on the Oricon Chart at number 16 in the first day, and number 37 in its first week, selling 1737 copies.
On December 8, Happy Face Entertainment announced that Jiyul and Kaeun left the group after their contracts expired.
A day later, Happy Face Entertainment also confirmed that Dal Shabet will be coming back as a 4-member group to celebrate their 5th anniversary on January 5, 2016. On December 21, Happy Face Entertainment released teaser images for their comeback and also announced that Dal Shabet will release their ninth mini-album, Naturalness, on January 5, 2016.
2016: Naturalness, FRI. SAT. SUN.
On January 5, Dal Shabet released their ninth mini album, "Naturalness", and the music video for its title track "Someone Like U". The mini album ranked #1 on Japan's Tower Record Charts and 4th on China's YinYueTai charts. Dal Shabet won "Asia's Best 3 New Artist" at the 2016 Japan Golden Disc Awards.
On February 13, it was announced that Dal Shabet will release a new single in the summer of 2016. However, it was later confirmed that the group would postpone the comeback until the fall so that they could create a mini album instead of a single.
On September 29, Dal Shabet released their 10th mini album FRI. SAT. SUN. containing five new songs, along with the music video for the title track under the same name. To this date, this was their final comeback as a group.
2017-2018: The Unit, departure from Happy Face and hiatus
On August 23, 2017, Happy Face Entertainment announced that Subin will be joining the reality television series The Unit. On September 7, Happy Face Entertainment announced Subin will be unable to appear on the show due to conflict with overseas schedule and will be replaced by Serri and Woohee to appear on the show.
On December 14, Happy Face Entertainment announced that members Serri, Subin, and Ah Young decided to leave the company after their contracts expired to focus on their own careers. Following the expiration of contracts, the group was said to not be disbanded and future activities of the four-member group remains to be discussed. The company also said it will continue to support Serri's appearance on The Unit until the end. On the same day, SidusHQ announced Ah Young has signed a contract with them and would be debuting as an actress.
On February 3, 2018, Serri was eliminated from The Unit on episode 13, after placing 23rd. Woohee would go on to place seventh in the final ranking, qualifying her to debut with the show's female team UNI.T. The group consisted of nine members: Yang Jiwon, Woohee, Yoonjo, ZN, NC.A, Euijin, Yebin, Lee Hyun joo and Lee Suji. The group was unsuccessful after their initial debut with "No More" and their first and final comeback, "I Mean", and disbandment were announced early.
On February 6, it was announced Subin has signed a contract with KeyEast to be an actress and singer.
On December 5, it was reported that Woohee's contract with HappyFace had expired.
2019: Reunion as six members, concert and photo exhibition
On January 6, Dalshabet members shared on social media a series of photos and videos from their meeting during which they celebrated their 8th anniversary. Jiyul and Kaeun, who were also present, introduced themselves as Dalshabet members as well. The group continued to meet and support each other in their solo activities throughout the whole year, along with two former members, starting the rumours about the group's possible reunion as six.
In August 2019, Serri stated in an interview for BNT that even though "Dal Shabet isn't promoting, we haven't disbanded". She also confirmed the rumours about the group's reunion and shared the news about the preparation of a photo exhibition dedicated to Dalshabet and a special concert where all six members including the ones who left would get together to give a performance.
The photo exhibition along with a mini-concert was announced on September 2 through various news sites. It was revealed that the exhibition would take place in Seoul, Seocho District in Gallery K from September 29 to October 5 and the mini-concert would be held on the last day of the event. The event was revealed to be named "Be Ambitious", after the group's seventh single. Dalshabet members shared the news on their personal Instagram accounts the same day. Jiyul and Kaeun announced their participation as well thus confirming that they had rejoined the group.
Sources: Wikipedia: 1, 2, 3, 4
sbs, Yozohhh9, 욘 바인첼, MBCkpop, Happyface entertainment, readplayreview, wifflegif, aminoapps.
Previous: Nine Muses, 4Minute, Girl's Day, Sistar, Secret, Orange Caramel, Rainbow, 2NE1
Next: hint
BBB is really /that/ song. They had such a fantastic run and I would love to see them release another single in the future. They had so many different concepts: sexy, cute, funky/disco, cowboy/country, strong. What was your favorite song and concept? Did you enjoy their controversial (banned) choreographies? As for Be Ambious getting banned; it was so unfortunate because the skirts were so inventive. I forgot how sexy Joker's choreography is and it only got banned by KBS!
Also, Serri spilled the tea on sponsorships, drugs and plastic surgery.
Leave your guesses for next week down below as well as your thoughts on this week. Hope you have fun watching and reading, as always: thank you for stopping by~ ♥
Dal★Shabet
Dal Shabet (stylized as Dal★Shabet or Dalshabet) is a South Korean girl group created by E-Tribe under Happy Face Entertainment. The group debuted with six members: Viki, Serri, Ah Young, Jiyul, Kaeun and Subin. Member Viki officially left in May 2012 and was replaced by Woohee.
In December 2015, Members Jiyul and Kaeun left the group following the expiration of their contract. The group continued as a quartet before member Serri, Ah Young and Subin left the company in December 2017, with Woohee following in December 2018. Happy Face stated that "the group has not disbanded and future activities of the group remains to be discussed."
In September 2019, Dal Shabet reunited as a six-piece and held a photo exhibition and mini-concert.
Pre-debut
During the latter half of 2010, rumors began to circulate through Korean media sites that E-Tribe, the producers behind breakthrough hits such as Girls' Generation's "Gee" and Lee Hyori's "U-Go-Girl", were planning to launch a new girl group. The producers quickly denied the rumors and said they were untrue. On December 9, 2010, E-Tribe's small-label company, Happy Face Entertainment, announced that they would be launching a six-member girl group named Dal Shabet.
2011: Debut, Pink Rocket and Bling Bling
Dal Shabet released their debut music video, "Supa Dupa Diva", on January 3, 2011, making them the first idol group to debut in 2011. The song proved to be quite successful as it topped many real time and music station charts for the majority of its promotional period. "Supa Dupa Diva" was later voted upon by various celebrities in a survey as the second most addicting song of 2011, as well as having the second most popular choreography.
Click to viewOn April 5, 2011, concept photos for Dal Shabet's first comeback track "Pink Rocket" were revealed. The concept, dubbed as "rocket girls", showed a more elegant and feminine side to the group. On April 13, 2011, the full-length music video to "Pink Rocket" was released.
It was announced on August 2, 2011, that Dal Shabet would be making a "funky" comeback. During the entire first week of August, concept photos for each member were released. The outfits in the concept photos were quickly met with controversy and were deemed "too sexual" for live television, causing a complete overhaul of the concept. On August 10, 2011, Dal Shabet released their music video for "Bling Bling". The song proved to be their most successful yet, as it managed to break the top ten on the Gaon chart.
2012: Hit U, line-up changes, Bang Bang and Have, Don't Have
On January 8, 2012, it was revealed that the members of Dal Shabet would be undergoing a dramatic and powerful transformation for their fourth EP. Promotions for "Hit U" began on January 26, 2012, on M! Countdown. The music video and EP were released digitally and physically the following day. The album went on to top the physical portion of the Gaon chart, securing Dal Shabet's first number one album and their most successful comeback to date.
On May 23, 2012, it was announced that Viki would be leaving the group to continue her career as a solo artist. She was replaced with new member Woohee before the group had their comeback. It was later confirmed by a spokesperson for Dal Shabet's agency that Serri would be taking the position of leader.
On June 1, 2012, an introduction teaser featuring Woohee dancing to Beyoncé's "Freakum Dress" was released.
On June 6, 2012, the music video and album BANG BANG were released. Promotions for "Mr. BangBang" began on M! Countdown the following day.
On November 13, 2012, Dal Shabet's fifth EP, "Have, Don't Have", was digitally and physically released. The music video for its title track of the same name was released shortly after. A second version of the music video was released the following day. Happy Face Entertainment called the song "a disco song that is easy for listeners to sing along to and the lyrics describe a girl's cute feelings towards a guy".
On November 19, 2012, Dal Shabet released a surprise music video for "For Darling". The song and music video were Dal Shabet's special gift for their fans.
2013: "It's You", Be Ambitious and controversy
On May 15, 2013, Dal Shabet released "It's You" for the SBS drama All About My Romance original soundtrack. The release serves as the main track of the entire soundtrack.
It was announced that Dal Shabet would be releasing their new album on June 20, 2013.
On June 17, 2013, it was announced that the lyrics to "Be Ambitious" were unfit for public broadcast due to sexual content and would have to be changed in order for the group to promote on television. Their company complied the same day and changed the lyrics in question. On June 19, 2013, Dal Shabet held a showcase event to celebrate the release of their sixth album. On June 20, 2013, the group physically and digitally released their sixth extended play to the public, along with an accompanying music video for "Be Ambitious".
Dalshabet’s initial choreography included a dress which they could open up to show off their legs. They wore short pants underneath but the move was deemed too sexual and banned.
On July 1, 2013, men's rights group 'Man of Korea' filed an injunction to completely ban further distribution of "Be Ambitious".The group stated, "The lyrics and music video of "Be Ambitious" depreciate both women and men, and it's harmful to the youth. The music video also contains scenes that depreciate the 600,000 soldiers that are working hard in their enlistment." On July 11, 2013, Happy Face Entertainment and 'Man of Korea' held a joint conference, where they discussed the lawsuit. Following the conference, 'Man of Korea' officially announced they would be dropping their lawsuit against Dal Shabet's "Be Ambitious". Happy Face Entertainment stated, "There was no intention to depreciate the image of soldiers whatsoever, so we cleared up the misunderstanding through negotiation and peacefully came to an agreement."
On December 31, 2013, "Have, Don't Have" was determined to be the most played girl group song in Korean fashion stores for 2013.
2014: B.B.B
On December 15, 2013, Happy Face Entertainment announced that Dal Shabet were scheduled to make a comeback on January 8, 2014, and that a "shocking transformation" was planned for it. On January 5, 2014, the group appeared on the show Real Men, where they performed their unreleased title track for the troops. On January 8, 2014, Dal Shabet physically and digitally released "B.B.B", along with the accompanying music video for its title track of the same name.
Dalshabet received another strike with their song “BBB” during which they stroke their chests. The move was considered too sexual and they were forced to adjust their hand placement.
Following the filming of MBC Every 1's 9 to 6 on May 23, 2014, Subin was involved in a car accident in Busan while returning to Seoul. A representative from the relief center that responded to the accident reported, "On May 23, at about 7:30 PM, the van was overturned and completely wrecked. It was a serious accident." A second representative from the police department reported, "It looks to be negligent driving. We are currently investigating it." Subin was admitted to a nearby hospital and later moved to Seoul, where she underwent surgery for her injuries.
On September 26, 2014, Happy Face Entertainment announced that Dal Shabet was in the process of recording a new album for a comeback in late January 2015.
In October 2014, Woohee was hospitalized and received surgery for a collapsed lung. She has reportedly received surgery for the same condition in the past and took a break from group activities to focus on recovering.
2015: Joker Is Alive, Japan debut and line-up changes
Dal Shabet's eighth EP, "Joker Is Alive", was released on April 15, 2015. The title track, "Joker", is a swing jazz dance song. In the music video, Dal Shabet portray female Harlequins who seduce the Joker, played by Lee Seung-ho. The music video was banned by KBS because of its explicit choreography, and the song's lyrics were censored by the network because the English word "joker" sounds similar to a Korean expletive. [Spoiler (click to open)]In Korean, “Joker” is written as “조커” and pronounced “Joh-kuh”. The phrase sounds similar to a swear word in Korean when emphasis is placed in the word “Joh” (as Dalshabet do in their song). The word “좆” (pronounced “jot”) which is similar to the word “조” (pronounced “joh”) - a crude term that refers to male private parts. To add to that effect, the word “커” pronounced “kuh” means big.
Dal Shabet debuted in Japan on November 4 with their first single "Hard 2 Love" and greatest hits album The Best. "Hard 2 Love" debuted on the Oricon Chart at number 16 in the first day, and number 37 in its first week, selling 1737 copies.
On December 8, Happy Face Entertainment announced that Jiyul and Kaeun left the group after their contracts expired.
A day later, Happy Face Entertainment also confirmed that Dal Shabet will be coming back as a 4-member group to celebrate their 5th anniversary on January 5, 2016. On December 21, Happy Face Entertainment released teaser images for their comeback and also announced that Dal Shabet will release their ninth mini-album, Naturalness, on January 5, 2016.
2016: Naturalness, FRI. SAT. SUN.
On January 5, Dal Shabet released their ninth mini album, "Naturalness", and the music video for its title track "Someone Like U". The mini album ranked #1 on Japan's Tower Record Charts and 4th on China's YinYueTai charts. Dal Shabet won "Asia's Best 3 New Artist" at the 2016 Japan Golden Disc Awards.
On February 13, it was announced that Dal Shabet will release a new single in the summer of 2016. However, it was later confirmed that the group would postpone the comeback until the fall so that they could create a mini album instead of a single.
On September 29, Dal Shabet released their 10th mini album FRI. SAT. SUN. containing five new songs, along with the music video for the title track under the same name. To this date, this was their final comeback as a group.
2017-2018: The Unit, departure from Happy Face and hiatus
On August 23, 2017, Happy Face Entertainment announced that Subin will be joining the reality television series The Unit. On September 7, Happy Face Entertainment announced Subin will be unable to appear on the show due to conflict with overseas schedule and will be replaced by Serri and Woohee to appear on the show.
On December 14, Happy Face Entertainment announced that members Serri, Subin, and Ah Young decided to leave the company after their contracts expired to focus on their own careers. Following the expiration of contracts, the group was said to not be disbanded and future activities of the four-member group remains to be discussed. The company also said it will continue to support Serri's appearance on The Unit until the end. On the same day, SidusHQ announced Ah Young has signed a contract with them and would be debuting as an actress.
On February 3, 2018, Serri was eliminated from The Unit on episode 13, after placing 23rd. Woohee would go on to place seventh in the final ranking, qualifying her to debut with the show's female team UNI.T. The group consisted of nine members: Yang Jiwon, Woohee, Yoonjo, ZN, NC.A, Euijin, Yebin, Lee Hyun joo and Lee Suji. The group was unsuccessful after their initial debut with "No More" and their first and final comeback, "I Mean", and disbandment were announced early.
On February 6, it was announced Subin has signed a contract with KeyEast to be an actress and singer.
On December 5, it was reported that Woohee's contract with HappyFace had expired.
2019: Reunion as six members, concert and photo exhibition
On January 6, Dalshabet members shared on social media a series of photos and videos from their meeting during which they celebrated their 8th anniversary. Jiyul and Kaeun, who were also present, introduced themselves as Dalshabet members as well. The group continued to meet and support each other in their solo activities throughout the whole year, along with two former members, starting the rumours about the group's possible reunion as six.
In August 2019, Serri stated in an interview for BNT that even though "Dal Shabet isn't promoting, we haven't disbanded". She also confirmed the rumours about the group's reunion and shared the news about the preparation of a photo exhibition dedicated to Dalshabet and a special concert where all six members including the ones who left would get together to give a performance.
The photo exhibition along with a mini-concert was announced on September 2 through various news sites. It was revealed that the exhibition would take place in Seoul, Seocho District in Gallery K from September 29 to October 5 and the mini-concert would be held on the last day of the event. The event was revealed to be named "Be Ambitious", after the group's seventh single. Dalshabet members shared the news on their personal Instagram accounts the same day. Jiyul and Kaeun announced their participation as well thus confirming that they had rejoined the group.
Sources: Wikipedia: 1, 2, 3, 4
sbs, Yozohhh9, 욘 바인첼, MBCkpop, Happyface entertainment, readplayreview, wifflegif, aminoapps.
Previous: Nine Muses, 4Minute, Girl's Day, Sistar, Secret, Orange Caramel, Rainbow, 2NE1
Next: hint
BBB is really /that/ song. They had such a fantastic run and I would love to see them release another single in the future. They had so many different concepts: sexy, cute, funky/disco, cowboy/country, strong. What was your favorite song and concept? Did you enjoy their controversial (banned) choreographies? As for Be Ambious getting banned; it was so unfortunate because the skirts were so inventive. I forgot how sexy Joker's choreography is and it only got banned by KBS!
Also, Serri spilled the tea on sponsorships, drugs and plastic surgery.
Leave your guesses for next week down below as well as your thoughts on this week. Hope you have fun watching and reading, as always: thank you for stopping by~ ♥