J.Y. Park's Latest Project Is A K-Pop Girl Group... Whose Average Age Is 59

With recent concerns about the seemingly increasingly young ages that K-Pop idols are debuting at, J.Y. Park might just be giving fans the type of group that many have been waiting for!

On September 21, the JYP Entertainment founder revealed that he’s in the process of producing a new girl group through an upcoming reality show called Golden Girls. Set to air on October 7, the series will follow four talented vocalists as they come together to create what J.Y. Park has called his “dream group”.

Because this isn’t just any other reality show searching for the most promising trainees to join the K-Pop industry — the four women are all already legends as individuals, with an average age between them of 59!

The four members consist of Insooni, Park Mi Kyung, Shin Hyo Bum, and Lee Eun Mi, who have an average of 38 years of musical experience between them. They’re all known as “nation’s vocalists” for their contributions to the Korean music industry, and J.Y. Park visited each of them individually over several months in order to ask them to join this project.

It’s a dream group that I’ve wanted to make so far, which I haven’t had in Korea. It will be the first group in Korea that we have never seen before.

— J.Y. Park

The leader and oldest member, Insooni, is 66 years old and has 45 years of experience as a singer. She was a member of one of the earliest K-Pop girl groups, The Hee Sisters, which she debuted with in 1978. Since then, she has produced 19 albums, 14 of which are full-length.

Park Mi Kyung, known as the “original dancing diva”, is 57, and made her debut as a singer at the 1985 MBC Riverside Song Festival with the song “Dandelion Spores”. She became highly regarded for both her dancing and singing skills, especially during the 1990s.

Also 57, Shin Hyo Bum has been dubbed “Korea’s Whitney Houston” whose high notes and breathing skills during performances have amazed producers and fellow singers alike. Her career began in 1988 when she won the gold prize at the 2nd MBC Rookie Song Festival with the song “Your Shadow”.

Finally, Lee Eun Mi is the maknae of the group as the youngest 57-year-old. She debuted in 1989, and was dubbed the “barefoot diva” who focused on live performances rather than television appearances. She’s also known for her strong stance against lip syncing during performances.