What are the Songs that Made You a K-Popper?
For some of you who loved K-pop songs around 2007-ish, these songs may be familiar to you. They may excite you and take you back in time when you sing along. The memories come back through every lyric in these legendary songs. Let’s start your time machine with this playlist of songs put together by Byeol Korea, below! Stay tuned!
TVXQ – Mirotic
Mirotic was released in September 2008. This song from the legend group K-Pop boy band TVXQ was also released in a Japanese version in October 2008. This song caused a lwsuit since some lyrics had erotic or sexual associations, for instance, “until I got you under my skin.” Then it was changed to “until I got you under my sky.”
The music video itself also has a story inside it. It started with all the members captive. Hero Jaejoong was tied with rope and handcuffs to the wall, U-Know Yunho was tied by ribbons, Micky Yoochun was trapped in glass, Xiah Junsu was surrounded in lasers, Max Changmin was in water. They had all been caught by a sorceress. The story was about how they could escape and fight to make the sorceress lose her power.
This song and the album it came from became critically successful.
Super Junior – Sorry Sorry
Who doesn’t know this phenomenal boy band who continues to exist even now, Super Junior? Super Junior released Sorry, Sorry on March 12, 2009. This song began booming and get recognition as the first song of KBS’s Music Bank monthly pop chart on March 27, 2009 and M.NET’s M!Countdown chart in just a week. In total, Super Junior was recognized ten times during the song’s promotional period.
SNSD – Gee
The song Gee became an instant favorite with everyone. Girls Generation ,under SM Entertainment, released this song on January 5, 2009, making SNSD or Girls Generation become more popular. This electropop and bubblegum pop tune is easy to listen to, captivating, and very likeable.
In their video, the beautiful girls were wearing various colors of jeans, did a cute dance, and had sweet facial expressions. So entertaining to watch!
This song got many awards at the Cyworld Digital Music Awards, Golden Disc Awards, Melon Music Awards, Korean Music Awards, Seoul Music Awards.
SHINee – Lucifer
Lucifer one of the top songs from Shinee, and was released on July 19, 2010. This song has upbeat dance melody and became a hit at that time. This song got over 124,961 copies in album sales in South Korea on August, 2010, and also got attention in the US, charting on Billboard’s World Digital Song Sales chart for 57 weeks.
BIGBANG – Fantastic Baby
Big Bang in this era was so triumphant with the song Fantastic Baby. This song contains electro pop and EDM that will you get hyped very easily. They released it on March 7, 2012, under YG Entertainment.
Fantastic Baby became number three on South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart and on Billboard‘s World Digital Songs. At the same time, it also reached the Top 10 on the Japan Hot 100. So absolute choice of top song on that year, this song was written by the member GDragon, with additional rap by T.O.P and the help of Teddy Park.
2NE1 – I Am The Best
2NE1 launched this song I Am The Best as a popular song in 2011, from their self-titled second album. This song is an electronic hip hop track, and was released on June 24, 2011, under their label, YG Entertainment.
I Am The Best also got the chance to be released under Capitol Records on December 10, 2014, in the United States. The song has a melody that was often used in clubbing culture.
The song hit number four on the Gaon Digital Chart for the week ending June 2011, and reached number one on Billboard‘s World Digital Songs chart, with 6,000 copies sold on the week ending October 11, 2014.
4Minute – Hot Issue
4Minute released a special song titled Hot Issue that became a hit and became number 20 on the Muzik chart, and number 21 on the Melon Chart in 2009.
This dynamic dance song launched digitally on August 28, 2009. The concept of the song used various bright colors and fit with their funky fashions in the music video,
KARA – Step
The song Step from KARA was released on September 6, 2011, and is amazingly addictive to listen to. This song has a dance beat and a catchy melody. The music video used the essence of 1980 fashion for its concept.
The song quickly made KARA popular. Hear their fresh and addicted song! For sure, this is one of the best KARA songs, bringing the group to its peak.
A-Pink – Mr. Chu
Apink is cute and fresh, reminding listeners of Girls Generation. This song has addictive choreography and a repeating chorus that is so memorable. For sure, Mr. Chu is catchy and so youthful.
This dynamite song from Apink was released on March 31, 2014, under their label, Cube Entertainment. The was Apink’s lead single from their 4th mini-album, Pink Blossom.
Miss A – Goodbye Baby
In 2011, Miss A made the song Goodbye Baby. The single was released on July 8, 2011, getting attention on KBS Music Bank, MBC Show! Music Core, and SBS Inkigayo, and reaching number one on M! Countdown, Music Bank, and Inkigayo.
Goodbye Baby is catchy, and is full of funky chorus and smooth melodies that combine in a wonderful way.
2PM – Hands Up
2PM showed a strong character with Hands Up. They released the song on June 20, 2011.
The music video easily stuck the chorus repeatedly, and the members sing along so fast. 2PM held the music video like at a club, and the melody fit with their cool dance.
Hands Up become a hit on the Gaon Chart, reaching number one. It also reached number forty-seven on the Kpop BIllboard chart in 2011. This song marked their peak era!
CNBLUE – Intuition
CN Blue was the one of the best music group-bands in that era. They released the song Intuition on March 21, 2011, on their debut album, First Step. The title track of the album placed at number nineteen on KBS Music Bank‘s Year End 2011 K-Chart.
Their concept for the music video in so manly and cool, like the song itself! Yonghwa, the leader and vocalist of the band, looked intimidatingly handsome!
PSY – Gangnam Style
Gangnam Style paved the way for K-pop move to the international stage. This song is sung by Psy, the South Korean musician.
This viral song was released on July 15, 2012, as the lead single for his sixth studio album, Psy 6 (Six Rules), Part 1, and debuted at number one on South Korea’s Gaon Chart.
It all started when Gangnam Style became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views in December 2012, and was viewed over 3.5 billion times on YouTube, more than Justin Bieber’s hit, Baby.
The song has a link to a lifestyle in the Gangnam District of Seoul, where people are validated as trendy and hits. Psy often associated Gangnam District to Beverly Hills, California, and he said that this song contains a sense of humor with everything on it, including the dance, looks, etc.
Do you remember the viral dance for Gangnam Style that has been covered by so many people in the music industry, and also political people?
IU – Good Day
The cute and beautiful IU debuted with this song, and it played a big role in how popular she’s become since then. Good Day was released on December 9, 2010, and got onto the Korean singles chart on the 51st issued week of 2010. Since then, it sped to the top on the chart for five consecutive weeks in 2011.
This song is about admiration of a man and falling in love. Her smooth vocal and cute dance so nice and entertaining!
EXO – Growl
EXO started their journey with the song Growl. They offered a song with a mysterious melody and intriguing choreography as the lead track of their album XOXO.
EXO has Korean and Chinese members who started their debut on August 5, 2013, with this song, and instatly sold over two million copies. Growl is a dance-pop song with contemporary R&B and funk influences.
Growl reached number two on South Korea’s Gaon Digital Chart, and number 3 on the Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100 and World Digital Songs charts in 2013.
The song become “the crown jewel in EXO’s fantastic 2013,” and Billboard picked Growl as the best K-pop song of 2013.
BTS – Blood, Sweat and Tears
BTS’s Blood Sweat & Tears become a number one hit after releasing on October 10, 2016. This was their second studio album, and it became a hit on the Gaon Digital Charts, breaking through to the Canadian Hot 100 as the third K-pop song to chart in Canada, at number 86.
They reached the Billboard World Digital chart in the United Stated in 2016. Their song has deep meaning and is very relatable, being about how to think, make decisions, and grow. No wonder they have become wildly popular since then!
That’s all for our list of the most legendary K-pop songs ever. Did you fall in love with any of these songs? Tell us about it in the comments below!
