SM Entertainment, the creators of TVXQ, Girls' Generation and SHINee, has introduced another girl group, f(x), adding fuel to the already heated race between female performers.

The showcase for the new five-member girl group was held last week at the Fashion Center in southern Seoul, hosted by Girls' Generation member Sunny and Super Juniors' Lee Teuk.

Although the young members smiled nervously every now and then, it was evident that they were excited to finally present themselves to the public.

The group f(x) is comprised of Sulli, Luna, Krystal, Amber and Victoria. The name is written as the mathematical equation for function and, like the changing results depending on the applied variable ``x,'' the group is aiming to apply each of their individual talents to bring out the group's colorful charms.

The girls appeared in black with black fedoras, dancing to the beat of Sam Sparro's ``Black & Gold.'' The lucky fans who were chosen to attend the showcase shouted the members' names, but the girls kept up the energy with ``Womanizer'' by Britney Spears. The performance was powerful, but the doll-faced girls were a little too skinny to bring out the sexiness and edge of the song.

When they came into the spotlight, it was easy to see that the girls had done their work in terms of style. Each member donned at least one of the recent trends, from pointy shoulder jackets to colorful and graphic print leggings and long and curly hair, proving once again that Korean idol groups are not just about music, but the whole package.

``We have been preparing for this moment for so long. We are all so nervous,'' Krystal said.

After singing ``Mr. Boogie,'' a catchy electro number, the members continued by showing off their individual talents: Victoria danced to Ciara's ``Love Sex Magic,'' Amber offered a bit of Fort Minor's ``Believe Me,'' and Luna boasted her vocals with ``And I am Telling You I'm Not Going.''

Victoria's performance was superb, although it would have been more impressive if she actually sang as well. Amber, who donned a tomboy look and said she admired rapper Nas, was one of the most popular among the fans, with her short haircut and mischievous smile. As for Luna, her singing surprised both fans and the press, but it was hard to find any emotions, perhaps because it was her first official appearance.

f(x) wrapped up the showcase with their debut number ``LA chA TA,'' a catchy dance track with hints of hip-hop and pop.

The group made their television debut last Saturday on MBC's Show! Music Core, singing LA chA TA, which is the title track of their album.

``I thought their debut was impressive, considering their age. They look so young, but they still have charisma and I think that's important,'' Kim Soo-yeon, 21, who watched the group's debut, told The Korea Times. She added that although they made a strong impression, they would have to work hard to compete with the reigning girl groups KARA, Girls' Generation and 2NE1.

After their first appearance on television, f(x) attracted news agencies from other Asian countries as well. One of China's largest portal Web sites www.sina.com described the group as one that will change the standings of Korean girl groups, while other sites like www.sohu.com, Thailand's www.sanook.com and Hong Kong's daily newspapers covered the group's showcase and debut.

``The song LA chA Ta is an abbreviation of the exclamations `la la la' and `cha cha cha.' It's a word we made up for the song and we hope it will catch the attention of fans,'' Victoria said.

``We have big plans ahead of us, especially plans to perform abroad. We were formed targeting other Asian countries including China, Thailand and Japan, so we have set our hopes up to move forward,'' she added.


Korea Times