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One of my biggest personality traits, outside of not drinking beer, was my “I don’t listen to K-pop” line. But now, I’m here to testify that I’ve seen the light and K-pop slaps with vim.
One thing I’ve realised since I started listening to K-pop at the end of 2022 is, from R&B to punk rock, it’s more than just one genre. While I’m still finding my footing (you won’t see me arguing with stan groups on Twitter, yet), I’ve compiled a list of ten songs that are sure to seduce even the hardest “I don’t listen to K-pop” believers out there.
Listen and be blessed.
Singularity — BTS
If someone had told me earlier that I’d be having deep thoughts about fornication while listening to BTS, I’d have called them a detty liar living a fake life. But here we are today. While I’d heard BTS songs like Butter and Dynamite (against my will), nothing prepared me for the delicious sexiness that’s Singularity. Even though I literally have no idea what BTS is talking about, this seductive slow banger has me weak in the knees for real.
You’ll like it if you like: Tay Iwar, Daniel Caesar and Omah Lay
Hype Boy — NewJeans
NewJeans’ Hype Boy is about to be one of my biggest obsessions in 2023, and I’m not sorry. Easily finding that sweet spot between bubblegum pop and R&B bounce, Hype Boy is the kind of song that makes you want to throw your head back and forth, summon your inner white girl hair-flipping dance moves. Hype Boy has transformed me from a Conrad to a Britney.
You’ll like it if you like: Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter and Tinashe.
Replay — SHINee
Remember when pop boy bands were a thing, with teenage boys wearing matching outfits and break dancing under the rain? Well, if you miss the good old days, let me introduce you to SHINee (This spelling is stressing me out because I’m tempted to call them Shin-Nayy). Even though I’d never heard Replay before 2023, the 2008 song sounds so familiar because it has all the fun, snappy elements that made songs from that era slap really hard.
You’ll like it if you like: N’sync, Backstreet Boys and B2K
Ddu-Du Ddu-du — BLACKPINK
BLACKPINK is one of the biggest K-Pop exports, with a long list of fans and collaborations with everyone from Lady Gaga to Selena Gomez. But while the Instagram and TikTok viral hit How You Like That had everyone in a chokehold during the panini, it’s their 2018 track, DDU-DU DDU-DU that recently caught my attention. One thing about these girls is they’ll give you EDM, rap, R&B and a pop ballad all in one track without it sounding chaotic. I don’t know how they do it, but I totally get the hype now.
You’ll like it if you like: Miley Cyrus, Dua Lipa and Taylor Swift (Reputation Era).
MOVE — TAEMIN
If you watched the video for SHINee’s Replay, you might recognise TAEMIN as one of the singers from that group (Don’t worry, I didn’t immediately know this, so you’ll be fine too). Just like Zayn Malik left One Direction and created an almost perfect R&B/Pop record with Mind of Mine, TAEMIN’s MOVE is a significant departure from his boy band sound. He seems to have traded toasting his lover for downright dirty seduction, and I’m here for it. Once again, I don’t know what he’s saying, but if I were his love interest, I’d start undressing ASAP.
You’ll like it if you like: The Weeknd, CKay and Amaarae
One thing about me is I’ll always stan the pop girlies, whether they’re from South Korea, London, South Africa or Italy. Gotta Go by CHUNG HA is pop perfection, and I fell in love with it from my first listen. While I assumed the “gotta go” part was about ditching a relationship, I fell deeper in love when I learnt that the lyrics are about leaving a party early — anyone who knows me will tell you I’m always asking, “When are we going home?”
You’ll like it if you like: Tyla, Charli XCX and Rita Ora
Euphoria — Jungkook (BTS)
Before anyone comes for me about putting two songs from BTS on the list because they’re the most popular group, let me remind you that Euphoria is technically a Jungkook song, so it deserves to be on its own. Thank you for coming to my TED Talk. I heard this song for the first time on, wait for it… the TV show, Euphoria. Jungkook’s vocals are ethereal and make me feel like I’m floating. Euphoria might be the first K-pop song I ever liked. Chef’s kiss over and over again.
You’ll like it if you like: Khalid, Justin Bieber (Purpose era) and Troye Sivan
Any Song — Zico
While I’d heard part of Zico’s Any Song on TikTok back in 2020, thanks to a popular dance challenge during the kpandemic, listening to it again — and in full — recently made me like it even more. Any Song is the perfect feel-good song that’ll have you bobbing your head from left to right no matter how messed up your mood is. The next time we talk about songs with crack in them, Zico’s Any Song has to be on the list.
You’ll like it if you like: Shawn Mendes, Anderson.Paak and Rema
Still Life — RM
RM’s album, Indigo is the only K-pop album I’ve listened to from start to finish — the guy had me at Erykah Badu and Anderson.Paak, for god sake. While it was hard to pick one song from the album, Still Life makes me feel good every time I listen. Anderson.Paak screaming, “I’m still life!” with the crowd background vocals echoing the same lyrics reminds me of a fun day at the beach, and honestly, who doesn’t love a fun day at the beach?
You’ll like it if you like: LADIPOE, Suté and PsychoYP
Raingurl — Yaeji
Yaeji’s Raingurl sounds like the soundtrack to a night out you can’t remember. You’ve been left sore and with a raging headache, but you comfort yourself with the belief that it means you had a crazy good time. Raingurl is the perfect EDM club song, and it always makes me feel like increasing my heart rate. If you enjoy EDM benders like Sweat-It-Out in Lagos, then this is for you.
You’ll like it if you like: Oontz-Oontz music of any kind, to be honest.
Ugly tears are already flowing, but the group says they’ll reconvene in 2025 once their mandatory military service to South Korea is over. What’ll happen to BTS fans in Nigeria till then?
They’ll cry, obviously
Seriously, a whole three years till another BTS hit drops? Fix it, Jesus.
Operation back-to-back streaming
Since there won’t be new music for a while, we can hold the old ones tight. Thank God for last week’s BTS Yet to Come concert. They can hold on to the fresh memories of OT7 on stage, for the long road ahead.
Or maybe, start a GoFundMe
If there’s one thing about Nigerians, we love to throw money at people we love. Maybe if we raise enough, South Korea would decide to free BTS. Rules are meant to be broken, abi?
They’ll prepare for the worst
We’re so used to fake promises by Nigerian politicians that we automatically believe everyone is lying. Isn’t that how One Direction said they were only going on “break”? Where are they now?
Attack haters
Because we all know the ARMY has no chill. Anyone who talks anyhow, or says something stupid about the band never coming back, will definitely collect. Only antis and fake ARMY would even consider that.
K-drama to the rescue
At least there’s “K” inside. Again, only antis would listen to any other K-pop band while OT7 is on a break.
If all fails, they’ll organise vigils
Maybe prayer can help make the hiatus bearable as they supplicate for the Bangtan Boys’ safety.
Since their debut in 2013, the K-pop kings BTS, also known as the “Bangtan Boys”, are the best things that have happened to the world since Jollof rice. Of course, none of their success would have been possible if their art — the songs and their accompanying music videos — weren’t any good, E.g. “Permission to Dance” earned 152 million plays in its first seven days of release on YouTube in July 2021. The septet comprising Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, V, Jungkook and Jimin, use their lyrics and visuals to express their love for their “ARMY” (Adorable Representative MC for Youth) They sing to remind this “ARMY” about taking care of their mental health while asking them to rebel against bullying and governmental corruption. Most of all, they teach their fans that they never walk alone and also how to love themselves. In no particular order, here are 7 of our favourite BTS music videos, one for each member of the band:
[newsletter]
1.“Blood, Sweat & Tears”
This is by far BTS’s best music video, as well as one of their best songs. “Blood, Sweat & Tears” is the title track for their 2016 album “Wings” and falls into the Bangtan Universe created by Big Hit Entertainment, which contains all the concepts and eras surrounding the group’s fictional universe. The video’s themes are based on a dream state which revolves around friendship, love, temptation and the transition from youth into adulthood.
One thing BTS will do is to break away from the standard expectations of K-pop videos to give us the most aesthetically pleasing visuals and plots.
From their outfits to the choreography, RM’s short rap bit, and that last scene with V. Omo! Of course, this song earned them their first nomination for a Billboard Music Award.
2. “FAKE LOVE”
Jungkook starts the intro with, “I grew a flower that can’t be bloomed in a dream that can’t come true.” And immediately, I knew that heartbreak was waiting for me in the lyrics.
“FAKE LOVE” is the lead single in “Love Yourself: Tear”, the group’s third album. The video broke the record for the most-watched music video on YouTube within 24 hours, hitting 35.9 million views on its first day. In “FAKE LOVE,” BTS calls us out for not appreciating ourselves, being afraid and desperately trying to hide our insecurities. The video gave me early 2000s vibes, with scenes of BTS trying to run away from this fake love they sing about. Throughout the video, each member has to confront a representation of their darkest fears until they learn to be true to themselves.
3. “Black Swan”
This video is an artistic masterpiece, and every scene is breathtaking. This is one of the best songs in their 2020 album “Map of the Soul:7.” RM sings, “If this can no longer resonate, no longer make my heart vibrate, then this might be how I die my first death,” affirming that their passion for music does not burn as it used to, especially since the band’s oldest member Jin was up for mandatory service enlistment. While fans were sad about this, they also appreciated how much Jimin’s knowledge of contemporary dance was used to create a daunting version of a black swan. We stan hard.
4. “Dynamite”
This was the group’s first single recorded fully in English. They released it in summer 2020 to give their fans hope and happiness at the start of the pandemic. It shattered so many records and won them a Grammy nomination.
The visuals were charming with their retro funk-influenced outfits; just think of V’s baby blue Kangol hat and the chore in a record shop. The video was a shot in beautiful pastel colours as BTS attempted to encourage their fans. We were well encouraged, thank you.
5. “IDOL”
Idol is a Korean word for pop stars. They live for their fans and the public always has opinions on how they should live their lives.
BTS used “IDOL” to show us they are Koreans and extremely proud of it, and that they do not intend to live for the public eye. They basically said, “I be Idol no mean say I go die.” The visuals were fun and silly, unlike most of their videos, and this song is also part of BTS’s love yourself series.
6. “Fire”
For this video, BTS set some of their props on fire and sources have said that it’s the perfect workout song — if you do that kind of evil thing.
Several K-Dramas have used this song for their workout scenes, and I do not blame them. The choreography is enough work as it is. The energy in this song is unmatched, and it is literally fire. If someone mentions “Fire” by BTS and you do not immediately hear SUGA’s “Bultaoreune” in your head, are you even a fan?
7. “No”
I mean, I had to add an old song for the culture. BTS does not just sing about loving yourself and hope, they also sing about social justice. “No” was a protest against the harsh academic standards and expectations of Korean kids. They sang about being turned into study machines and losing friends just to be at the top. BTS used this song to encourage people to go after their dreams and be free. Of course, they have an army at their back supporting them when they constantly speak up for the youth.
