Epik High depending by themselves regarding the Korean stylish-rise underground in the very early aughts, employing lyrically heavy musical sensed good block so you’re able to conventional dominance. Half a dozen many years to their field, the brand new threesome released the newest bestselling Remapping the human being Heart, a great twenty seven-song record you to definitely browsed philosophical and you can public layouts, however, are buoyed by their direct american singles you to perfectly blended EDM, pop, and you may cool-leap. On one of them strikes, “Love Like Love,” Epik Higher make listener due to all the level regarding like, away from blissful infatuation so you can an arduous separation. Trapping the latest chemistry from MCs Tablo and you can Mithra Jin, while DJ Tukutz backspins an archive such as for example it is 1975, it’s an endless bop. -J-H.K.

Love and Comfort brought funk in order to Korea through its 1978 debut album, It has been very long, thought to be one of the better albums to help you ever before turn out of the nation. Published by everyone-rock legend Lee lessly melds Korean words which have a song which is enjoyable and you may cool adequate to get revolves during the a great Seventies roller-rink alongside KC together with Sunlight Ring otherwise Very hot Chocolates. The end result is an easy classic you to definitely astonished the Korean public, to-be one of the largest hits at the time and garnering the team numerous honors. The state’s longest-powering ring, Like and you will Serenity aided break discover the new gates to own modern Korean tunes. -R.K.

SEVENTEEN, ‘Extremely Nice’

To their 2016 popular advancement, “Great,” SEVENTEEN explore maximalist festival sound effects – circus-such as for example horns, ramped-upwards audience thanks a lot, and even random licking noise – to express the brand new rush away from more youthful like. That have words that illustrate a romantic date condition having music theater-eg dramatics, this new song cemented this new 13-affiliate try to be leadership of sweet, bubbly, boy-group design, plus overall performance advantages exactly who you’ll accomplish their state-of-the-art, Michael Jackson-determined choreography. The newest highest-octane anthem together with proved this new hitmaking overall performance out of representative Woozi and you may producer-songwriter Bumzu, who’ve centered the majority of SEVENTEEN’s discography you to definitely generated him or her today’s internationally bestsellers. -M.H.K.

Sistar, ‘Alone’

Whenever try a blog post-break up sob example including a description discover with the dance floor? When it comes in the form of Sistar’s “Alone,” top strike one situated new girl group once they produced a beneficial splash and their 2011 debut. Crafted by Fearless Brothers (the newest songwriter-producer just who and made attacks to have Immediately following University, 4Minute, although some), the fresh new track was an effective slinky hybrid regarding house and you will very early Nineties R&B that have a good neon-bright gloss. As the members list indicates they plan to sort out their feelings, the latest catharsis comes on the steely-eyed dedication piercing as a consequence of the exquisite singing activities. -Meters.J.

BIGBANG, ‘Bang-bang Bang’

Through its genre-spanning sound and you will undeniable charisma, BIGBANG was among the first hip-switch idols to split through the K-pop music conventional and gamble U.S. arenas. Brand new bestselling and more than streamed solitary inside the South Korea off 2015, their trap-EDM strike “Bang-bang Shag” had quick perception on arrival, which have latest teams however coating it seven ages later on. It’s a simple spirits-booster; just experience the energy one members Daesung and ranska naiset you will Taeyang channeled through the the iconic 2018 military service show. Today, the group has been regarded as community titans whose private participants can always ignite buzz that have unicamente matter. -K.K.

Fin.K.L, ‘To my Boyfriend’

One of the main girl groups in the later Nineties and very early 2000s, Fin.K.L helped set this new foundations away from what can become a multiple-billion-dollars community. Shortly after debuting toward sluggish Roentgen&B ballad “Blue Precipitation,” Fin.K.L made a whole 180 having “On my Boyfriend,” an individual that have a summery, upbeat beat. Even though the people initial consider its lyrics was in fact absurd – the opening range goes, “Consider me and say I’m fairly” – it actually was exactly the form of fun, feel-a love tune that domestic visitors was trying away from idols on enough time. The prosperity of the latest bubbly tune, as well as the members’ lovely image about songs clips, considerably influenced the concept and you can graphic artistic away from after that K-pop girl organizations. -R.K.