25 Best K-Pop Songs of the 2010s
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Attempting to define the sound of K-Pop is a near-futile impossibility, but it’s this very impossibility that makes K-Pop a cultural zeitgeist. Historically rooted in bubblegum pop, K-Pop has evolved faster and more militantly than any other music genre — and it was the past decade that nurtured this entire evolution from localized fandom to global phenomenon.
While K-Pop is poised to break free from its silo to dominate music worldwide in the 2020s, here are the 25 greatest songs from this last decade — the ones that brazenly declared K-Pop an indelible, genre-fluid force unlike any other.
25. NCT U — “The 7th Sense (일곱 번째 감각)” (The 7th Sense, 2016)
As we reflect on K-Pop of this decade past, we should commence with a look into the genre’s immediate future. A risky choice for a new group’s debut, “The 7th Sense” is an atypically-arranged, hip-hop-trap banger; flitting back and forth between a slow, sensual temptation and a tense, combative calling. Since its release, NCT has diligently carved out a sound hellbent on existing askew to everything else, connoting the “The 7th Sense” as an early crystal ball premonition into the K-Pop of tomorrow.
24. SHINee — “1 of 1” (1 of 1, 2016)
Boasting some of the genre’s most boundary-breaking albums, SHINee are the undisputed kings of K-Pop’s second generation. “1 of 1” is them at their best. Published on cassette tape and heavily inspired by early ’90s R&B, “1 of 1” is SHINee dazzling at optimal capacity: coalescing reworked nostalgia, silky-smooth vocals, and just a tinge of bitterness to forge an anthem that mimics the sounds of thirty years past, but feels just as at home today.
23. 2NE1 — “I Am The Best (내가 제일 잘 나가)” (2NE1, 2011)
Like other life milestones, one will always remember the first time they heard K-Pop and were instantly spellbound by its brash and bombastic world — and for so many, that was 2NE1's “I Am The Best”. An electro-house war cry, “I Am The Best” forebode K-Pop’s imminent ascent and triggered the avalanche effect of the Hallyu Wave (finding popularity overseas in a Surface Pro commercial). As K-Pop so rapidly evolves, it’s sometimes hard to recall what made it such a seismic oddity in the first place, but with “I Am The Best”, we preserve an eternal North Star.
22. IU — “BBIBBI (삐삐)” (BBIBBI, 2018)
2018 marked a decade since IU’s debut, which was no small feat considering IU was only 25-years-old. In that time, the public’s intense fascination with IU had conjured all the darker sides of fame: gossip, scrutiny, obsession. In lieu of an anniversary, IU released “BBIBBI”: an incredible warning shot to all her detractors. Fusing laidback layered harmonies over an alt-R&B beat, IU breezily yet ominously cautions the listener, “If you cross this line, it’s a violation.” Ruthlessly eradicating one’s haters with the most mellow song is an IU stroke of genius.
21. Taemin — “Move” (Move, 2017)
Taemin is an unmatched force in K-Pop. Debuting at the age of 14 with SHINee, Taemin is not only the industry’s most talented dancer, but also its undisputed R&B prince. Sensual, electronic, and synth-driven, “Move” wields Taemin’s controlled, breathy vocals over slow, dark bass like a weapon; repeatedly teasing the listener of a phonic release. Slicing through the colorful frivolity of K-Pop, “Move” helped usher in the dawn of a new era for the genre: one in which darkness rules over light.
20. TWICE — “TT” (Twicecoaster: Lane 1, 2016)
It’s an understatement to say that in the last decade, no girl group has been as successful as Twice, whom ascended to their thrones as the Queens of K-Pop in an inconceivably short amount of time. A trippy, electro-trap track, “TT” is Twice at their most iconic; invoking neural funk and shameless sugariness to signify exactly what made them the voice of a genre’s new generation. Nimbly navigating the foundation of those who came before, “TT” soars in its new age take on K-Pop’s soul: bubblegum pop.
19. Ladies’ Code — “Galaxy (갤럭시)” (Myst3ry, 2016)
It goes without saying that no other group has suffered a tragedy like Ladies’ Code. Originally a quintet, the group was involved in a horrifying car crash in late 2014 in which two of its members, RiSe and EunB, were killed. The future of Ladies’ Code looked grim, until their defiant comeback with the cosmic “Galaxy”. Darkly showered with lush funk, electronica, and jazz, “Galaxy” is an enigmatic love song aimed possibly at a lover, but more likely, at someone who has passed. Sad, eerie, and engulfing, it stays with you long after you try to leave it.
18. Apink — “%% (응응)” (Percent, 2019)
While their earlier career was characterized by questionable Lolita male gaze, Apink entered their mid-20s by fiercely embracing their womanhood and shedding their old skin like a snake. The sole representative from 2019 on this list, “%%” is a soft and hazy techno dream adorn with sparkling, marimba synths and a fascinatingly distorted vocal hook. To age gracefully into a new sound is one thing, but in “%%”, Apink reinvent themselves with such glowing maturation that it renders their entire past obsolete.
17. Sunmi — “Siren (사이렌)” (Warning, 2018)
If there is a heaven, “Siren” should be the song that welcomes all into its pearly gates, except they would soon reveal themselves as the entry to hell. A shimmery jubilance of ’80s pop-disco, “Siren” operates as a literal siren call; Sunmi warns, beneath audile gloss and glimmer, that she will maim us without shedding a single tear. As the song reaches a crescendo, alarms and sirens blare to urgently express that we are in danger. The brilliance of “Siren” is that, just like a siren call, it gets more alluring with each listen; seducing and bewitching us on an infinite loop.
16. Taeyang — “Eyes, Nose, Lips (눈,코,입)” (Rise, 2014)
There aren’t many songs in K-Pop that triumph based on voice alone, but Taeyang’s “Eyes, Nose, Lips” is the anomaly. A stripped-down, piano-R&B ballad, “Eyes, Nose, Lips” laments the loss of a relationship and the ghost that loss leaves behind with Taeyang rueing, “Burnt and destroyed all of our love/ It hurts so much, but now/ I’ll call you a memory”. In the thick of heartbreak, Taeyang conveys so much sorrow an d anguish that “Eyes, Nose, Lips” isn’t just a ballad for the ages, it’s a song that haunts the soul like a shadow.
15. Wonder Girls — “Why So Lonely” (Why So Lonely, 2016)
A veteran girl group, The Wonder Girls epitomized K-Pop manufacturing for the majority of their career, until the group did an utterly majestic 180. They learned to play instruments (well) and began to write and compose all their own songs; “Why So Lonely” happens to be 2016′s blessed result of their creative dedication. Bravely blending slow-tempo reggae, classic ’70s rock, and Caribbean dancehall, “Why So Lonely” airily explores uncertainty within a relationship. Putting it short, it’s an astronomic accomplishment.
14. BIGBANG — “Bae Bae” (M, 2015)
If you’re seeking the most sexual song in all of K-Pop, look no further than “Bae Bae”. Wickedly psychedelic, “Bae Bae” is not only one of K-Pop’s earliest adopters of trap music (triggering a domino effect for the rest of the 2010s), but also a hedonistic cultural rebellion. Commanding a syrupy hip hop beat, lo-fi electric guitar riffs, and two sensationally arrogant raps, “Bae Bae” is both the zenith & explanation of BIGBANG’s unrivaled influence on K-Pop: fearlessly daring to go where no one else would.
13. Hyuna — “Bubble Pop!” (Bubble Pop!, 2011)
Pop music often gets a bad rap, derided as derivative and vacuous, and the same goes for Hyuna. The truth is that both claims are a massive disservice: to the complexity of pop music and to Hyuna’s cultural impact. As the crown of Hyuna’s career, “Bubble Pop!” is a sanguine, heavenly-designed ear-worm that flawlessly captures what’s so eternal about pop music. Like all pop perfection, “Bubble Pop!” is the sweetest and swiftest mode of escapism: to a dreamscape in which joy is fleetingly tangible.
12. EXO — “Growl (으르렁)” (XOXO, 2013)
The life cycle of stardom, especially in K-Pop, is a cruelly short one; the heights are glitteringly high, and then the harbinger of irrelevancy arrives just as quickly. Orbiting around a minimalist synth-piano loop, “Growl” not only formidably proclaimed EXO the newest successors to the Kingdom of K-Pop, but also gifted us with one of the most ingenious music videos of the decade. While the shifting of generations may signify the ebb of EXO’s dominance, “Growl” firmly canonizes the group’s place in K-Pop history.
11. Taeyeon — “Why” (Why, 2016)
Tropical house influenced K-Pop so pervasively during the 2010s that it culminated in a homogenous soundscape of cheap imitation. Yet, when we trace the steps to locate its origin, all roads lead back to Taeyeon’s “Why”. Revered as one of K-Pop’s most talented vocalists, Taeyeon diverged from her usual repertoire to bring the tropical house euphoria of “Why”. Lush, alight, and radiating exquisite elation, “Why” joyously cements itself as the best-in-class of tropical house’s staying power.
10. iKON — “Love Scenario (사랑을 했다)” (Return, 2018)
Produced and written by then 21-year-old member B.I, “Love Scenario” seems simple, but soon reveals itself as a breakup song unlike any other. Humbly, “Love Scenario” reflects on the demise of a relationship to the tune of a cyclic cowbell, reaching a nostalgic gratitude for the ephemeral connection and memories that were once shared with another. “Love Scenario” may not be the breakup song we’re always capable of, but it’s the one we all deserve, echoed in its gently stirring final lines, “We were in love/ We met/ That’s good enough/ I loved you”.
9. Girls’ Generation — “Oh!” (Oh!, 2010)
Girls’ Generation were the first to do many things in K-Pop. They were the first nine-member girl group. They were the first (and remain the only) girl group to win the coveted Golden Disc Album of the Year award. They were the first to be (and still are) referred to in Korea as “The Nation’s Girl Group”. OG trailblazers of the Hallyu Wave, Girls’ Generation kicked off the decade with “Oh!”: the saccharine pièce de résistance for K-Pop’s sugar-sweet origins. Bouncing along a glitchy electro-arcade beat, “Oh!” is much more than playfully infectious pop. It’s, quite simply, a K-Pop classic.
8. BTS — “Dope (쩔어)” (The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 1, 2015)
Decoding the genesis of BTS — what exactly propelled them from K-Pop obscurity to the most popular boy band in the world — can vary from fan to fan, but for me, the answer doubtlessly lies in “Dope”. Ebullient, hyper-energetic, and near-bloodthirsty, “Dope” is an utterly relentless tour de force that showcases the apogee of BTS’ unbridled talent and ferocity. Wielding a raucous, wailing saxophone chorus and some of the slickest choreography I’ve ever seen, it only takes one viewing of “Dope” to recognize that BTS were predestined for their ascent to the stratosphere.
7. Infinite — “The Chaser (추격자)” (Infinitize, 2012)
“The Chaser” deceives you from the get go. When its orchestral synth-pop instrumental first hits, it’s hard to believe it’s not the greatest thing about “The Chaser”. Instead, it’s the song’s phenomenal duality. Bemoaning the inability to move on from a lover, “The Chaser” amalgamates Japanese power pop and ’80s rock to forge an otic furor that never stops building. “The Chaser”, in its imploring crescendo, exhaustively chases itself — mirroring Infinite’s desperate pursuit to keep the one they love. I have hope for where K-Pop is going, but “The Chaser” reigns as the ultimate classic of a K-Pop golden age I will sorely miss.
6. BLACKPINK — “Whistle (휘파람)” (Square One, 2016)
BLACKPINK are often referred to as trapped in their label’s “dungeon”; debated as victims or co-conspirators of a marketing strategy in which they release a song per year before disappearing for the remainder. As such, it only makes sense that BLACKPINK’s mark on K-Pop comes from the dawn of their career; their debut “Whistle” remains one of the most stupefyingly innovative bops in K-Pop history. Darting between a hard hip hop beat, a candy-coated whistling hook, an electric neo-country bridge, and two West Coast-inspired raps, “Whistle” hit everything a listener could want out of a song — and all the things we never knew we needed. And man, that chorus.
5. f(x) — “Rum Pum Pum Pum (첫 사랑니)” (Pink Tape, 2013)
The extent of f(x)’s impact on K-Pop is so difficult to fully encompass that it makes them mythological figures in the genre: martyr-like legends. Touting a discography incomparably progressive and genre-bending, f(x)’s “Rum Pum Pum Pum” will be immortalized as their defining legacy. In just one song, f(x) loop a sample of “Little Drummer Boy” that springboards into samba; urge ’60s funk guitar riffs chased by sharp staccato snares; and accomplish an unbelievable, five-person vocal ‘round’. The craziest thing about it? It’s a work of art — f(x), we salute you.
4. Mino — “Body (몸)” (The MOBB, 2016)
When he was just 23, Mino forged “Body”: a masterclass in existential erotica. Lyrically, “Body” probes the aching yearn for familiar sexual intimacy with an ex, but more deeply, questions whether one can ever be as sexually compatible with another after the end of a relationship. Melding oscillating bass with electro-gayageum, “Body” also just so happens to be one of the most richly-produced songs in K-Pop. There may never be another “Body”; one that not only pushed conservative boundaries, but rightfully defended Mino as a once-in-a-generation talent.
3. 4Minute — “Crazy (미쳐)” (Crazy, 2015)
There will never ever be a K-Pop song that goes harder than “Crazy”. A barbarous hip hop masterstroke, “Crazy” is still ahead of its time. Enforcing a merciless flurry of trap snares and kick drums, it’s the chorus that transcends “Crazy” to legendary status; building to a punctuated explosion of shattering glass, the snares strategically retreat to reveal an out-of-this world, rallying horn loop. Besides being the banger to end all bangers, “Crazy” marked a historical shift in K-Pop: one in which girl groups rejected sexist fragility in favor of proving they could shed more blood than the boys.
2. Neon Bunny — “It’s You (너여야)” (It’s You, 2014)
Admittedly, Neon Bunny errs more on the side of K-Indie than K-Pop, but to deny her of her crown would be an unforgivable offense. An ethereal electro-pop majesty, “It’s You” is a dreamy catharsis with French electro synths so rich and so gorgeous I dare say they are perfect. More, “It’s You” solves the near impossible task of sonically encapsulating the feeling of falling in love: in all its anticipation, vulnerability, and euphoria. To fall in love may be a precious rarity, but with “It’s You”, we are lucky to feel the second best thing.
- Red Velvet — “Dumb Dumb” (The Red, 2015)
As f(x)’s successors, Red Velvet were fated to revolutionize K-Pop; to take everything that already made it so bold and captivating, and reconfigure it to be even better. Warping brassy horns and percussive claps over a funk-synth countdown, “Dumb Dumb” is the pinnacle of K-Pop’s genius. Its enduring vitality is that Red Velvet knows this; manipulating both the song and video into a satirical take on K-Pop’s robotic manufacturing. Brandishing brilliant self-awareness to a choral laugh track, “Dumb Dumb” isn’t just K-Pop at its most audacious and cognizant — it’s the genre’s untouchable masterpiece.
