I love all music, and I mean that literally. I’m one of those people that says “Oh, I listen to just about everything!” when people ask me what music I like. I can name tons of songs I like from each genre, though if I absolutely had to answer, I’d say I’m partial to pop and R&B. I still dabble in every other genre, but those are what I’m into the most.
Despite being into almost everything, the one genre that hadn’t fully cracked until about 2020 was K-Pop. I discover a lot of music through recommendations from other people, or the suggested section on my Spotify account. None of my friends were super into K-Pop at the time, and I didn’t actively listen to it until a friend made me watch BTS do Carpool Karaoke with James Corden. I thought their dynamic was so fun, and it influenced me to watch more interviews and start listening to their music. My sister also started to get into the genre around that time, so she pushed me to listen so we could add another shared interest to our list. From there, I started to seek out other K-Pop groups and learn more about different groups. Here are a few songs that ended up being some of my favorites.
- “Butter Remix”: BTS Ft. Megan Thee Stallion
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If Megan is there, so am I. I liked the original song BTS put out, and it was already stuck in my head on a constant loop. I’m a sucker for a good remix, though, and they definitely delivered. Megan really helped make the song her own by throwing in her unique adlibs, and her verse is so catchy and fun. One thing I like is that the lyrics don’t take themselves too seriously, and everyone is just having a good time. It makes you wanna get up and dance. This remix is one of BTS’ best collaborations, in my opinion. Even my dad likes this song, and he judges everything.
- “what is love”: twice
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One word I like to use to describe this song is “cute”. And not in a sarcastic way, in the literal sense. It has a fun, summertime vibe, and I think if “sugar, spice, and everything nice” was a song, it would be this one. The chorus is infectious and I scream it to the top of my lungs every time I listen. It’s also the first song I ever tried to learn the dance to!
- “0x1=lovesong (i know I love you)”: tomorrow x together
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I love a good sad song, and this is one of the first K-pop songs I liked that was more angsty and emotional. While it’s not your typical slow ballad, you can still feel every single sentiment within the lyrics because of how they chant them. To this day it’s still my favorite song from Tomorrow x Together, and probably one of my favorite K-pop songs of all time, too.
- “euphoria”: bts
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This was one of the first songs I was obsessed with when I was getting into BTS. I love songs that have a heavy focus on vocals, and this song is solely sung by vocal line member, Jungkook. I was immediately drawn to how the song sort of makes you feel like you’re floating. His high notes, runs, and the way he draws out several of the words is amazing. The chorus is simple and easy to catch on to, which is another reason I grasped onto this song. It’s still my absolute favorite song by the group to this day, which is saying a lot for me because I can be super indecisive and change my favorite songs all the time.
- “Anti-romantic”: tomorrow x together
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I heard this song in a TikTok edit, and ever since then, I’ve been hooked. This is the song that got me into TXT and made me want to listen to more of their music. I love the instrumental beat breakdown that happens during the bridge, and how soothing the group’s voices are.
- “Love talk”: wayv
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This song has just a tad of an R&B feel mixed in with pop. It’s super danceable and will get you from the moment the song starts. It’s also all in English, and that really helped me with dipping my toes into K-pop before fully diving in. I hit repeat on this song so much that it snuck its way onto my Spotify Wrapped and I had only known the song for about a month.
- “sticker”: nct 127
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I was surprised when I found out that the fandom doesn’t really like this song. I think it’s catchy and fun, and it’s not a song that should be taken too seriously. I liked it from the first listen, and I’m always singing the chorus (to my friends’ dismay). Even if it’s not the best in NCT 127’s discography, it was definitely enough to make me look more into them.
- “Sweet night”: v
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I’m literally so obsessed with this song. It’s a solo song by Taehyung from BTS (his stage name is V), and it’s literally everything I love in a song. It’s soft and calming, and the lyrics tell a story. It feels almost like a lullaby, and it’s just so dreamy. This is also up there on my list of favorite K-pop songs of all time.
In all honesty, way more than eight songs got me invested in the genre, and it was super difficult to pick what songs I wanted to mention in this article. The K-pop industry is so full of talented groups and soloists that there really is something for everyone. Even if it’s something you don’t think you’d be super into, I suggest giving a few songs a try. The genre is very broad and you’ll definitely find at least one or two songs that you enjoy, and those songs might just be the push you need to listen further.
I also think it’s important to remember that it’s not anything you have to get super invested in. You don’t have to remember the name of every member of a group, and you don’t have to know every word in every song. It can be kind of intimidating because lots of K-pop fans are deep into everything, but being a casual fan and casual listener is okay too!
If you want a place to start, here are some of my favorite songs!
Happy listening!