4L (Korean: 포엘, short for Four Ladies) was a South Korean girl group formed in 2014 by Jade Contents Media. The group debuted on August 1, 2014, with their first and only single Move. The group disbanded in 2016.
Members Chany, Jayoung and J-na debuted on 20 February 2014 in girl group M.O.A, whom they were performing with since December 2013.[1][2] They left sometime in spring, after the release of the music video for their second song, "Run For Your Dream".
Jade Contents Media revealed the first teaser of "Move" on 28 July, bringing in a lot of attention due to the lesbian couple themed MV and a sexually suggestive choreography.[3][4] After releasing two more provocative teasers, controversies arouse and the company responded with "Our strategy is to show raw sexiness. The teasers are just the tip of the iceberg."[5][6]
On 1 August 2014, 4L released the full MV for "Move", which reached 1 million views on YouTube four days later,[7] and 2 million on 7 August. Their official YouTube channel garnered over 6 million views overall in nearly two weeks.[8][9] "Move" was also the fifth most viewed worldwide Korean MV on YouTube in August, surpassing songs by established artists like Kara, Secret and Sistar.[10] The single "Move" was released on Korean online websites the 4th of the same month, and on the same week entered Gaon Social Chart at number 4 with 41,479 points.[11]
"Move" was mainly promoted at local and university festivals, starting on 29 August at the Jangsu Festival,[12] where they performed Lee Moon-se's "Flaming Sunset" and their debut song with different outfits and a more sober choreography;[13] their only TV appearance on music shows was on 14 September on SBS's Inkigayo.[14]
At the end of the year, Yeseul left the group because of the extreme exposure.[18] She redebuted as a solo artist on 2 June 2015 with first single "Maybe I Love U" (사랑하나봐) under Ziantmusic and Ogan Entertainment.[19] In December she went back to the group to perform "Move" together with J-na and Jayoung under the group name of Instar (인스타) at Wanda Group Investment Conference.[20][21] A different 7-member girl group would be active under the same name in 2016.[22]
On 16 June 2016, Jayoung announced on her Instagram profile that she and J-na would redebut as a trot duo under the name J.Young.[23][24] Due to this, 4L's website being taken offline and Chany having not appeared with either member in quite a while, it is assumed that 4L has disbanded.
^걸그룹 '포엘' 동성 멤버끼리 키스 나누며 은밀 노출 [Girl group '4L': members kiss each other and expose themselves in teaser video]. The Chosun Ilbo (in Korean). 30 July 2014. Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
^"속옷만 입고 데뷔"…걸그룹 포엘 스틸컷 화제 ["Debuting in underwear"... girl group 4L is a hot topic]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). 29 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 24 December 2014.
^포엘19禁 티저, 성행위 연상 안무 "너무 심한거 아냐?" [4L's 19-rated teaser: sexually suggestive choreography is "not too gross"?]. Sports Seoul (in Korean). 28 July 2014. Archived from the original on 24 December 2014. Retrieved 31 July 2014.
^中 네티즌, 포엘의 선정적인 안무에 관심 '후끈' [4L's sexual choreography creates a "stir" Of interest among Chinese netizens] (in Korean). Sports Seoul. 6 August 2014. Archived from the original on 11 August 2014. Retrieved 6 August 2014.
^‘파격 무대’ 포엘 "너무 센 콘셉트?우리도 당황했죠" [Four Ladies' "cheap stage" concept is "too much? We were confused, too."]. The Dong-a Ilbo (in Korean). 23 August 2014. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 25 August 2014.
^[M+내 맘대로 어워드…‘8월’③] 뮤비부문, 굳건한 팬덤의 SM…상위 휩쓸어 [[M+ Awards August] MV section, thanks to the strong fanbase, SM Entertainment... rules the top] (in Korean). 18 September 2014. Archived from the original on 5 November 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
^예슬 "걸그룹 포엘 탈퇴 이유?파격 노출 힘들었다"(인터뷰) [Yeseul "why did I leave girl group 4L? Difficulties due to cheap exposure" (interview)] (in Korean). 9 June 2015. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015.
^청순한 미모와 실력 겸비한 신예 뮤지션 ‘예슬’, 디지털 싱글앨범 ‘사랑하나봐’ 음원 발매 [Innocent newcomer 'Yeseul' combines beauty and strength in digital single album, "Maybe I Love U", to be released] (in Korean). 2 June 2015. Archived from the original on 4 June 2015. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
