K-pop has become a global phenomenon in recent years as a result of decades of production standards and iconic performance culture. Thanks to a handful of songs that debuted to a global audience and caught the attention of listeners across the world, interest has boomed. Now, it’s common to find die-hard K-pop fans just about anywhere. Here, we’ll discover 15 of the best songs from South Korea that have transcended the language barrier and sparked millions of new fans.
1. “Gangnam Style” – PSY (2012)
When focusing on K-pop songs that gained international attention, influenced culture, achieved commercial success, and are known for their staying power, nothing beats “Gangnam Style.” It’s still the most recognisable K-pop song in the world after all these years. It became the first YouTube video to reach one billion views, upping the fame factor.
The song satirised wealth and status culture in Seoul’s Gangnam district; even though not every listener understood the reference, the catchy hook and iconic dance move made it the perfect pop-culture phenomenon.
After the song’s success, labels, artists, and listeners outside of Korea started paying more attention to K-pop.
Learn more about the Korean Wave.
2. “Gee” – Girls’ Generation (2009)
“Gee” is typically considered the marker of the start of the second generation of K-pop stars. It helped establish the template for the modern K-pop girl group and is often cited as a pivotal moment in Hallyu (aka the Korean Wave) history. The song’s bright sound and simple choreography made it fun and easy to listen and dance to. It spent 9 consecutive weeks at the number one spot on South Korean charts.
3. “I Am the Best” – 2NE1 (2011)
The track was featured in many commercials, film soundtracks, and social media videos, making it widely popular. Its sound was more assertive than most previous K-pop girl groups and showed that a confident, strong girl-group song could be successful. “I Am the Best” set a new foundation for future girl groups to make music that is more bold with a focus on strong messaging, as well as expand into electronic music.
4. “Nobody” – Wonder Girls (2008)
This unique track can take credit for being one of the key songs that introduced K-pop to Western markets. In 2009, the English version entered the Billboard Top 100, which was a rare achievement at the time. The retro sound (and visuals) of the song is a reference to 1960s Motown sounds, making it both familiar and new, especially for the U.S. audience.
It’s a boppy love song that suits casual and dance settings well.
5. “Fantastic Baby” – BIGBANG (2012)
Mixing electronic beats with hip-hop elements, “Fantastic Baby” quickly became an anthem at concerts and festivals. The experimental sound easily caught listeners’ attention. The music and bold visuals also highlighted each group member’s individual personalities (or personas). BIGBANG is also one of the most prominent K-pop groups, with many later artists citing them as a source of inspiration.
6. “Spring Day” – BTS (2017)
“Spring Day” is one of the longest-charting songs in South Korean history, appearing on digital charts consistently years after its release. The emotional track deals with themes of loss, longing, and remembrance, showing how K-pop can do more than just be about fun, happy subjects. Its emotional depth sets it apart from typical K-pop songs, especially ones that perform as well as “Spring Day.” Fans credit the song for paving the way for more emotional K-pop songs to hit the mainstream.
7. “Growl” – EXO (2013)
EXO’s release of “Growl” marked a turning point for the band, establishing them as one of the leading boy groups of their generation.
The smooth, R&B-inspired rhythm and restrained production made it stand out from contemporary tracks, which tended to be louder.
The accompanying music video boosted the track’s success.
Its one-take-style cinematography drew attention to the interesting choreography and the group's image. Today, it’s one of the most covered K-pop songs.
8. “Ddu-Du Ddu-Du” – BLACKPINK (2018)
BLACKPINK is a must-have on any top K-pop hits playlist. This track was the band’s first major international breakthrough, sending the band to iconic status. The YouTube video broke records upon its release. The video’s exciting visual branding, combined with the trap beats of the song, made it an instant hit.
9. “Haru Haru” – BIGBANG (2008)
A modern-day love ballad, “Haru Haru,” topped music charts in South Korea and the US and won multiple awards. The experimental style and emotional delivery made it stand out. The music video influenced the trend of narrative-driven videos that became more popular afterwards. Many fans credit the song as being one of the most defining tracks of late-2000s K-pop.
10. “Replay” – SHINee (2008)
A true boy band iconic classic, “Replay” was SHINee’s debut track. It quickly gained popularity for its polished sound that stuck to its R&B influences, rather than incorporating the heavy trends of the time. It remains a foundational song for that generation of K-pop musicians and fans, as well as current ones.
Discover how the South Korean trainee and idol system works in K-pop.
11. “Red Flavor” – Red Velvet (2017)
Red Velvet became a sensation when they released their hit summer song “Red Flavor.”
The bright, pop melodies and sweet vocals made it a perfect track to evoke the feeling of summer fun. The song is a great example of seasonal marketing in K-pop. It is also notable as a successful one-off type of track, different from Red Velvet’s usual style, but which still holds their musical identity.
It remains a popular K-pop song, especially when summer rolls around!
12. “Sorry, Sorry” – Super Junior (2009)
“Sorry, Sorry” solidified Super Junior as a popular international boy group. The song fit right in with the 2000s electronic pop music trend in the West. Super Junior’s track became known for its catchy, repetitive hook, heavy autotune, and synchronised choreography in the music video. The choreography became one of the first viral dance crazes, spreading the song and the band’s reputation far and wide.
13. “Boombayah” – BLACKPINK (2016)
“Boombayah” stood out as a song that musically and lyrically contrasted with the softer musical trends at the time, especially for debut singles. Internationally, it was immediately a big hit. It’s often seen as a strong example of strategic group positioning, as both the individual girls and the group were conveying a specific image. BLACKPINK's positioning as a group of independent women with an edge made the group one of the most prominent globally recognised K-pop groups in the late 2010s.
The popularity of K-pop has greatly increased thanks to groups like Blackpink. The animated Netflix movie "KPop Demon Hunters" is a perfect example of Hallyu!
14. “Candy” – H.O.T. (1996)
A hallmark among classic K-pop songs, “Candy” is iconic because of its bright, happy sound and video, which contrasts with its sad lyrics. The song appears to be about a boy who feels he has fallen out of love with his girlfriend and mentions all the reasons why he feels bored with her. However, by the end, he seems to have rekindled his feelings when he sees her again. The song’s success helped establish the trainee and idol system still used for K-pop performers today.
15. “APT.” – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars (2024)
The popularity of K-pop has reached new heights in recent years, which is obvious with this groundbreaking collaboration between K-pop star Rosé and American artist Bruno Mars. It’s a rare opportunity for a non-Western musical artist to break into the mainstream Western music scene.
Rosé of BLACKPINK created the foundations of the track, and Bruno Mars helped make it more appealing to Western audiences, creating the first major K-pop/American pop fusion track.
The song became extremely popular very quickly, even earning multiple Guinness World Records, like “First female K-pop artist to enter the Billboard Radio Songs Top 10.”
It became immensely popular in Oceania, North America, and parts of Europe and South America, as well as Asia (especially South Korea and Japan).
It’s so catchy that students in South Korea banned themselves from listening to it in order to study for exams!
Above all, the immense success of the cute, fun, funky, pop-rock-indie track shows that the world is ready to listen to more international music, especially when it involves collaboration between new artists and ones they already know.
Will we see more K-pop collabs with other musical artists from around the world? Will other types of musical fusion become popular internationally? We’ll see how the future of international music genres evolves in the coming years!
🎤 What's Your Favourite K-Pop Song?
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