There must be ranking even within girl groups, and it's not always according to age. It depends on a member's talent and popularity. This ranking affects where the girls stand during their performance. However, rankings aren't always fixed. Rankings within girl groups change from occasion to occasion. There have been many moments when members that are hidden in the shadow cast by a more popular member will be rediscovered and take the spotlight.

A recent example of this phenomenon is SISTAR's Soyou. At one point Soyou was the least of the 4 members to receive recognition. In terms of vocals she was hidden in the shadow cast by main vocal Hyolyn. In terms of looks, Soyou appeals with her friendly image rather than gorgeous beauty.

However, lately Soyou's ranking has changed, for sure. Last year she sang the duet "Stupid in Love" with rapper Mad Clown and successfully stood out. Her latest duet was "Some", which she sang with R&B singer JungGiGo. "Some" had a long successful run, and named her as a leader in the music market. "Some" didn't give up the number 1 spot on music charts and music programs for over a month. The duet stood strong even through Girls' Generation and 2NE1's comebacks.

A rep from her agency Starship Entertainment stated, "Although it's true that at one point Soyou was hidden in the shadow cast by Hyolyn, but now it's different. It was our goal to raise awareness of Soyou's talent with the duet project 'Some', and it's been quite successful.

Besides SISTAR's Soyou, there's another girl group that's been in the spotlight. Earlier this year, Girl's Day released their song "Something". At their debut, Minah stood out as the 'face' of the group with her cute image. However, thanks to each individual member's activities, now Hyeri, Yura, and Sojin are quickly rising in popularity as well. Sojin even sang a duet with rapper Crucial Star called "Three Things I Want to Give to You".

Girl group members' individual activities and ranking changes are also considered strategies used by girl groups. Take, for example, Girls' Generation. When they first debuted, Yoona was highlighted for her beauty, and Taeyeon was highlighted for her powerful vocals. However, as the 9 members appeared on various entertainment programs, pursued acting, and formed unit group TTS, each one of the girls have different fans who love them for their unique charm and personality.

In the same way, 2NE1 first put forth Dara for her looks and Bom for her vocals. However, now leader CL is being put in the spotlight for her rap, vocal, and song composing skills. And as of late, Minzy is slowly starting to reveal her own uniqueness as well.

One music rep stated, "In the case of girl groups that are made up of many different members, fans may start to get bored once the ranking has been fixed. However, they can create a win-win situation by creating opportunities for the members to showcase their different personalities and charms. And if it so happens that a new member stands out with her special talent, then the overall image of the group will improve as well. If each of the members is equally loved, then it's likely that the group as a whole will receive love for a long time."