Fin.K.L's first ablum, Blue Rain, was released in 1998, and was an instant success for the Daesung-produced group. The title song Blue Rain [MP3] was surprisingly good considering the group was mostly scouted on appearances instead of singing talent. The group members' good looks certainly helped make the Blue Rain music video [RealVideo] a hit, but other songs on the album also did well. Particularly popular was Ruby [RealAudio], a song I came to love when it was reissued on the Lady's Perfume album. The Ruby music video [RealVideo] just increased the song's popularity. I am also partial to the very bouncy Nae Namja Jingooaegae (To My Boyfriend) [RealVideo]. Also available from the Blue Rain album are Love Scent [RealAudio], Shadow [RealAudio] and Temptation [RealAudio].

Fin.K.L. 2, White Album, proved to do equally well for the group. Probably the most requested song was Forever Love [MP3] (it reminded me a lot of the Carpenters). It seems like I saw the Forever Love music video [RealVideo] every time I turned around earlier this year. If it wasn't that song being played, it was Waiting for You [MP3] or The Beginning [MP3]. Fin.K.L. reissued Waiting For You [MP3] on their live album earlier this year, along with Oh1x Boy [MP3] and Ruby [MP3]. The song I favored most from WhiteAlbum was Jajonshim (Pride) [RealAudio]. The Jajonshim music video [RealAudio] has a neat, antique look to it created by the contrast of the sepia-tone film and the girls' white dresses.

This brings us up to Fin.K.L. 2.5, which takes on a slightly different sound than the group's first two releases for me gets a mixed review. I think that some of their sounds are nice, and I have no real complaints about the first single, To My Prince [RealAudio]. I do wonder if they really need to get heavily into the rap scene, though. I'm guessing Like an Indian Doll [RealAudio] won't be a big hit (that's Lee Hyori doing the English in the middle of the song, by the way). It sounds too much like they're trying to chase S.E.S. when they do music like this.

Finally, I've collected an assortment of interviews and clips of the group. You can watch them challenge S.E.S. to a game of rock-papers-scissors [RealVideo] or do some traditional drumming [RealVideo]. They are incredibly cute in their Hello Kitty commercial [MPEG] and also in their Samyang noodle commercial [MPEG]. You can watch a Fin.K.L. Celebration [RealVideo] as well as Hyori's Drama [RealVideo]. Finally, watch this charming clip [RealVideo] of the four girls.

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