f(x) (musical group) facts for kids

f(x)
f(x) performing at Jeju K-pop Festival in October 2015 From left to right: Victoria, Krystal, Amber, and Luna
Background information
Origin	Seoul, South Korea
Genres	K-pop electropop synth-pop EDM experimental
Years active	2009–16 2019
Labels	SM Avex Trax
Associated acts	SM Town
Members	Victoria Amber Luna Krystal
Past members	Sulli

f(x) (Hangul: 에프엑스) was a popular South Korean girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group had four members: Victoria, Amber, Luna, and Krystal. Sulli was also a member until she left the group in August 2015.

f(x) officially started in September 2009 with their digital single "La Cha Ta". Their first studio album, Pinocchio (2011), and their two mini-albums Nu Abo and Electric Shock had three songs that reached number one in South Korea. Their second album, Pink Tape (2013), was highly praised. It was the only K-pop album on US music channel Fuse's "41 Best Albums of 2013". Billboard magazine also called it the "Greatest K-pop Album of the 2010s."

The group's third and fourth albums, Red Light (2014) and 4 Walls (2015), were also very successful. After releasing the song "All Mine" in 2016, the group stopped promoting together. The members then started their own careers in music, acting, and modeling. In August 2019, f(x) reunited as a three-member group (without Victoria) and performed at the SM Town Live 2019 concert in Tokyo.

f(x) was known for its unique and experimental music style, especially their electropop sound. They were one of the first K-pop groups to gain international recognition. They were also the first K-pop act to perform at SXSW in the US. In 2017, Billboard ranked f(x) as number seven on their list of "Top 10 K-pop Girl Groups of the Past Decade."

What Does the Name f(x) Mean?

The name f(x) comes from a math function. It means that the group would show many different talents and charms, just like a math formula changes its results depending on the value of 'x'. The "f" also stands for flower, and "x" represents the 'X' chromosome found in women. Together, it means "a flower that reminds you of women."

How f(x) Started

Before Their Debut

The members of f(x) were discovered in different ways. Krystal was found by SM Entertainment in 2000 during a family trip to Korea. She even appeared in a music video before her debut. Sulli was a child actress and first appeared on TV in 2005. Luna joined SM after being on a TV show called Truth Game in 2006. Victoria was discovered at a dance competition in Beijing in 2007. Finally, Amber was chosen through SM's global auditions in Los Angeles in 2008.

2009–2010: First Songs and Nu ABO

f(x) with Girls' Generation performing for the LG Chocolate cellphone

f(x) was first introduced as a five-member dance group in August 2009. Their first song, "LA chA TA," was released on September 1. They performed it for the first time on TV on September 5. Soon after their debut, f(x) worked with Girls' Generation to promote the LG Chocolate cell phone. Both groups released their own versions of the song "Chocolate Love." f(x) released their first physical single, "Chu~♡," in November.

In 2010, f(x) worked with the Chinese boy band M.I.C. to promote another LG phone. They released a Chinese version of the song "Lollipop." In May, the group released their first mini-album, Nu ABO. The main song, "Nu ABO," was very popular in Korea and became a number-one hit. In June, Amber took a break because of an ankle injury. The other members continued without her for the rest of the year. Amber returned to the group in early 2011.

2011–2012: Pinocchio and Electric Shock

f(x) (without Sulli) performing at the Yeosu Expo K-Pop concert in 2012

f(x) released their first full album, Pinocchio, in April 2011. The main song, "Pinocchio (Danger)," reached number one on the music charts. In June, Pinocchio was re-released with a new title, Hot Summer. This album included the popular song "Hot Summer," which became one of the most successful songs of 2011 in South Korea.

The group released their second mini-album, Electric Shock, on June 10, 2012. It was very well-received by critics. They won nine music show awards for the main song, "Electric Shock." In November, the group won an award for 'Best Dance Performance' at the Mnet Asian Music Awards in Hong Kong. In January 2013, "Electric Shock" won the 'Best Dance and Electronic Song' award at the Korean Music Awards.

2013–2014: Pink Tape and Red Light

In 2013, f(x) won several awards, including the 'Digital Bonsang' at the Golden Disk Awards. In March, they became the first K-pop artists to perform at SXSW in Austin, Texas. On July 29, the group released their second full album, Pink Tape, with the main song "Rum Pum Pum Pum." The album was a big success in Korea and the US. It reached number one on Billboard's K-pop Hot 100 and World Albums Charts. It was also the only Korean album on Fuse's '41 Best Albums of 2013'.

In 2014, the group won more awards, including 'Group Artist' at the Korean Entertainment Arts Awards. On July 7, they released their third studio album, Red Light. The music video for the title track gained 2 million views on YouTube in just one day. Soon after the album was released, Sulli took a temporary break from the group to focus on her health.

2015–2016: Sulli Leaves, 4 Walls, and First Concert

F(x) performing as a four-member group in Trafalgar Square, in August 2015.

In August 2015, it was announced that Sulli had officially left the group to focus on acting. The remaining four members continued as f(x). They released their fourth studio album, 4 Walls, in October. The album sold 66,000 copies in its first week and was praised by critics. In December, they released the song "12:25 (Wish List)" for SM Entertainment's Christmas project. At the 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards, f(x) performed with Pet Shop Boys and won the 'Global Fans Choice' award.

In January 2016, the group won another 'Disk Bonsang' award at the Golden Disk Awards. They also started their first concert tour, Dimension 4 – Docking Station, in Seoul. The tour continued with six concerts in Japan in February. On January 31, they announced their official fan club name, MeU. On July 22, 2016, f(x) released a new song, "All Mine," as part of the SM Station project. The music video for "Electric Shock" reached 100 million views on YouTube in October 2016. This made f(x) the third Korean girl group to reach this milestone.

From 2016 onwards, f(x) stopped group promotions. The members began focusing on their individual careers in music, acting, and modeling.

2019–2021: Reunion and Members Leaving SM

In August 2019, f(x) reunited and performed together at the SM Town Live 2019 concert in Tokyo. They performed as a three-member group, without Victoria.

On September 1, Amber announced that she had not renewed her contract with SM Entertainment. On September 5, SM Entertainment shared that Luna had also left the company. Victoria also announced her departure, though SM initially said her contract was still being discussed. Victoria eventually left SM in April 2021. In October 2020, Krystal also left SM and signed with a new company.

In an interview in October 2019, Amber said that f(x) had no immediate plans to reunite. She mentioned that the members were focusing on their own paths but that a reunion was "never not an option."

f(x)'s Influence in K-Pop

f(x) was known for releasing many full-length studio albums, which was unique in an industry that often focused on mini-albums. In 2015, the American music magazine Spin called f(x) the "world’s greatest living pop group" when reviewing their album 4 Walls. In 2017, Billboard ranked f(x) at number seven on their list of "Top 10 K-pop Girl Groups of the Past Decade."

Two of their songs, "Rum Pum Pum Pum" and "4 Walls," were included on Billboard's list of "The 100 Greatest K-pop Songs of the 2010s." Billboard also suggested that the song "Ice Cream Cake" showed a shift, with Red Velvet taking over f(x)'s role as the top idol group.

f(x) Albums

• Pinocchio (2011)
• Pink Tape (2013)
• Red Light (2014)
• 4 Walls (2015)

f(x) in Movies and TV

Movies

Television Shows

f(x) Concerts

Main Concerts

• Dimension 4 – Docking Station (2016)

Concerts They Participated In

• SM Town Live '10 World Tour (2010–11)
• SM Town Live World Tour III (2012–13)
• SM Town Week (with EXO) (2013)
• SM Town Live World Tour IV (2014–15)
• SM Town Live World Tour V (2016)

Awards f(x) Won

Images for kids

• 

  f(x) in December 2011.

See also

In Spanish: F(x) para niños