Epik Highest founded on their own from the Korean cool-switch below ground regarding the early aughts, with their lyrically heavy audio felt a beneficial stop to traditional dominance. Half a dozen many years within their profession, the newest threesome create the bestselling Remapping the human Heart, a beneficial 27-tune record one browsed philosophical and you can public layouts, however, try buoyed by its lead singles you to definitely perfectly blended EDM, pop music, and you can hip-start. On a single of them attacks, “Love Like Like,” Epik Highest use the listener through every amount away from love, off blissful infatuation to help you a challenging break up. Trapping new biochemistry off MCs Tablo and you will Mithra Jin, if you find yourself DJ Tukutz backspins an archive such it is 1975, it’s an endless bop. -J-H.K.
Like and you can Comfort delivered funk to Korea along with their 1978 debut album, It has been lengthy, thought to be among the best records to ever before emerge of the nation. Authored by anyone-rock legend Lee lessly melds Korean words that have a tune which is fun and you will trendy adequate to rating revolves in the a great 70s roller-rink near to KC in addition to Sunshine Band otherwise Very hot Delicious chocolate. The end result is actually a fast classic you to amazed the Korean societal, to be one of the biggest moves at the time and garnering the group several awards. The country’s longest-powering band, Love and you will Tranquility assisted crack discover new gates to possess modern Korean tracks. -R.K.
SEVENTEEN, ‘Most Nice’
To their 2016 mainstream breakthrough, “Very nice,” SEVENTEEN use maximalist festival sound-effects – circus-instance horns, ramped-up audience cheers, and even haphazard licking appears – to express the fresh rush off younger love. With words one instruct a night out together condition with musical movie theater-such dramatics, the newest tune cemented the fresh new thirteen-representative try to be management of your own nice, bubbly, boy-category design, and additionally results benefits which you’ll accomplish their state-of-the-art, Michael Jackson-motivated choreography. Brand new high-octane anthem and additionally proved the newest hitmaking efficiency off member Woozi and you will producer-songwriter Bumzu, with depending many SEVENTEEN’s discography you to definitely produced him or her the current globally bestsellers. -M.H.K.
Sistar, ‘Alone’
Whenever try a blog post-breakup sob lesson and an explanation locate into the dance floor? In terms in the form of Sistar’s “By yourself,” the greatest struck you to definitely founded new girl classification once they made a splash employing 2011 debut. Designed by Fearless Brothers (the fresh new songwriter-manufacturer exactly who as well as made hits getting Shortly after University, 4Minute, while some), this new song are good slinky hybrid regarding household and you can early Nineties R&B with a great fluorescent-brilliant polish. As members record implies they intend to work through the thoughts, this new catharsis will come regarding steely-eyed commitment striking using its exquisite singing shows. -M.J.
BIGBANG, ‘Bang bang Bang’
Through its genre-spanning voice and you will unquestionable charm, BIGBANG was indeed one of the first hip-jump idols to split from K-pop main-stream and play U.S. stadiums. The latest bestselling and more than streamed unmarried when you look at the South Korea from 2015, the trap-EDM strike “Bang bang Bang” got brightwomen.net sahayД± inceleyin quick impact up on coming, with newer groups nonetheless covering it eight years later on. It is a quick disposition-booster; merely experience the power that participants Daesung and you will Taeyang channeled during the their legendary 2018 military service overall performance. Today, the team is still considered business titans whoever personal members can still ignite buzz that have solo issue. -K.K.
Fin.K.L, ‘On my Boyfriend’
One of the leading girl teams in the later 1990s and you can early 2000s, Fin.K.L aided set the fresh foundations out of what can getting a multi-billion-dollar community. Once debuting into slow Roentgen&B ballad “Bluish Precipitation,” Fin.K.L produced a complete 180 that have “Back at my Boyfriend,” one with a summery, upbeat track. While the players very first think their words have been ridiculous – the hole line happens, “Consider me personally and you will state I’m very” – it absolutely was exactly the types of fun, feel-an excellent love tune you to definitely residential people have been seeking out-of idols from the enough time. The success of new bubbly song, plus the members’ lovely image on musical videos, significantly influenced the style and you can graphic artistic away from after that K-pop girl communities. -Roentgen.K.