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레인보우

Girl group · DSP Media · since 2009

Rainbow

레인보우

DSP Media's seven-member sister group to KARA, one member for each colour. They broke up when the contracts ran out in 2016 and came back once, three years later, for their tenth anniversary.

17years on 12 November 2026 · in 19 days

Their story

KARA's sister group

DSP Media, the company behind FIN.K.L and KARA, spent about four years training the seven members who became Rainbow. Jaekyung led the group, with Woori, Seungah, Noeul, Yoonhye, Jisook and Hyunyoung beside her, and the name came straight from the line-up: seven people, seven colours. They debuted in November 2009 with the EP Gossip Girl. Seungah had picked this group over a spot in KARA.

The year of "A"

The hit came the next summer. "A", a digital single produced by Han Jae-ho and Kim Seung-soo, turned Rainbow from a rookie act into a known name. It also opened Japan for them. In September 2011 the Japanese version entered Oricon's weekly chart at No. 3, a better start than the debut singles of Girls' Generation and KARA had managed there.

Units, colours and "Black Swan"

Rainbow often worked in smaller pieces. Seungah, Jisook and Hyunyoung became the trio Rainbow Pixie, and the four-member Rainbow Blaxx released "Cha Cha", a video that drew both big view counts and criticism for its sexy concept. The full group found a steadier sound on Rainbow Syndrome, split into two parts with "Tell Me Tell Me" and the summer single "Sunshine". "Black Swan" ended a break of more than a year, and "Whoo" was the last title track before the contracts ran out.

Where they are now

DSP Media confirmed in October 2016 that the members would go their separate ways. Most of them turned to acting, and Jaekyung won an SBS Drama Award for Again My Life. They kept meeting for birthdays and anniversaries, and in November 2019 all seven came back for one EP, Over the Rainbow, under the hashtag "I am still RAINBOW". In 2024 Woori and Hyunyoung went back to the idea of debuting, this time as the duo Rainbow18 on a web show.

Timeline

  1. Debut with the EP Gossip Girl, as DSP Media's sister group to KARA.

  2. The digital single "A" becomes their breakout hit.

  3. DSP Media confirms the disbandment as the contracts end on 12 November.

  4. All seven reunite for the tenth anniversary with Over the Rainbow and "Aurora".

  5. Woori and Hyunyoung start the web show and unit Rainbow18.

  6. 24 October 2026

Start with these 5 songs

  1. ATheir best-known song, and in Japanese their debut single there.2010
  2. Tell Me Tell MeThe lead single of their first full album.2013
  3. SunshineThe summer title track of Rainbow Syndrome Part 2.2013
  4. Black SwanThe comeback after their longest break as a group.2015
  5. WhooThe last title track before the disbandment.2016

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In the Fan Chart

The Fan Chart on The Crowd adds up every fan's top 10. Here is where Rainbow stands.

    Add Rainbow to your setlist

    For Rain-nous

    JaekyungLeader

    김재경
    Name
    Kim Jae-kyung
    Born
    24 December 1988

    Won Best Supporting Actress at the 2022 SBS Drama Awards for Again My Life.

    Woori

    고우리
    Name
    Go Woo-ri
    Born
    22 February 1988

    The group's main rapper, later an actor in True Beauty and Gaus Electronics.

    Seungah

    오승아
    Name
    Oh Seung-ah
    Born
    13 September 1988

    Chose Rainbow over KARA for her debut; sang in both sub-units and now works as an actor.

    Noeul

    노을
    Name
    Noh Eul
    Born
    10 May 1989

    One of two members, with Yoonhye, who stayed outside both sub-units.

    Yoonhye

    정윤혜
    Name
    Jung Yoon-hye
    Born
    14 April 1990

    Started acting in 2013 and played Han Gong-ju in the MBC daily drama The Great Wife.

    Jisook

    김지숙
    Name
    Kim Ji-sook
    Born
    18 July 1990

    A Rainbow Pixie member who released the solo single "Baesisi" with BTOB's Ilhoon in 2017.

    Hyunyoung

    조현영
    Name
    Jo Hyun-young
    Born
    11 August 1991

    Works as an MC and actor, and formed the unit Rainbow18 with Woori in 2024.

    Quick answers

    When did Rainbow debut?

    On 12 November 2009, with the EP Gossip Girl. The music video for the title track came out a few days earlier.

    Who were the members of Rainbow?

    Jaekyung (leader), Woori, Seungah, Noeul, Yoonhye, Jisook and Hyunyoung. The line-up never changed.

    What is the Rainbow fandom called?

    Rain-nous. The members used the name in their posts, and again when they announced the 2019 reunion.

    Why is the group called Rainbow?

    For its seven members, each with a different personality and musical style, like the seven colours of a rainbow.

    Are Rainbow still together?

    No. DSP Media confirmed in October 2016 that the group would disband when the contracts ended on 12 November 2016. All seven came back for one release, Over the Rainbow, in November 2019. Woori and Hyunyoung later formed the unit Rainbow18 for a web show in 2024.

    Know your Rainbow?Six K-pop questions a day in the Daily, and a collectible card for every finished set.

    Play the Daily

    Last checked 24 October 2026. Sources include The Korea Times, Soompi, Soompi, Electronic Times and Jeonbuk Ilbo. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.