The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of All Time: 30-21

Readers, over the past two months, I have worked to create a list of my favorite K-Pop Songs of All Time. For over ten years, I have enjoyed K-Pop, seeing it blossom into a global genre with millions and millions of adoring fans. I have found K-Pop songs I love, made friends over the genre, and seen legacies built over the years. Some of the songs that have made me feel the most are from K-Pop. Given all I have felt and seen, I thought it was finally time to create a ranking of my favorite K-Pop songs of all time.

I don't claim this ranking is perfect, no ranking of this can be perfect. I can only claim that I did my best to provide my personal opinion, with my personal biases, from my years of enjoying Korean music. There are many more boy band songs than girl group (I just prefer their general soundscape), and many songs come from the second generation (2005-2013).

In a way, K-Pop is a bit of a misnomer here. I have included Korean songs outside of the idol sphere, and songs released nearly a century ago. The end result is a list full of songs that left their mark on me. I hope you, the reader, enjoy this list. You may (and almost certainly won't) agree with my ranking, but that is what makes a personal list like this so wonderful.

With that said, let us enter the rules and regulations for what has been qualified as K-Pop for this list.

• Any musical piece released in South Korea, or any of its direct predecessor states, AND/OR is predominantly in the Korean language, Jejuan, or any of their dialects.
• The musical piece must be lyrical in nature.
• Any song, single, or b-side, is eligible.
• This list is MY personal opinion.
• Song rankings may have changed since previous lists and/or reviews.
• The criterion for "the greatest" is a mix of my personal experience, the overall songwriting (lyrically, compositionally, and performance-wise), and the influence of the track in question.
• A song refers to a particular recording of the track and not the basic composition.
• Only one entry per composition.

With all this said. The list will begin tomorrow. For songs 100-11, they will be grouped into daily posts of 10 (100-91, 90-81, etc.). For the top 10, however, each song would get a post of its own.

I hope all of you enjoy this list over the days! Please give your thoughts in the comments, and I will gladly reply when free.

Support 10/10 - Music and Purchase Your K-Pop Albums Right Here

Previously:

Honorable Mentions

100-91

90-81

80-71

70-61

60-51

50-41

40-31

30. JYJ - Found It (2010)

Despite being a trio of acclaimed singers and actors, Found It remains the only OST performed by JYJ, and it leaves more impact than most OSTs. The melody might be simple, but it certainly is effective. Additionally, Jaejoong and Junsu provide some thrilling harmonies, resulting in an unsung classic.

29. H.O.T. - I Yah! (1999)

H.O.T.'s I Yah! is an expression of pure wrath and anger after twenty-three kindergarteners died in a fire due to the mismanagement of the adults meant to protect them. From the orchestral flourishes, the hard rock riffs, and the golden harmonies, everything serves the song's message to those adults: "Who allowed you to put out the children's sparks, that have yet to be lighted?"

28. Infinite - Last Romeo (2014)

A thrilling finale to Infinite and Sweetune's initial collaboration, Last Romeo blends big band and brass with Sweetune's propulsive metal-adjacent pop structure. The end is a euphoric blend of everything that makes K-Pop so excellent. Combine this with thrilling production and vocal highlights for an instant classic. (Full Review)

27. Seo Taiji and Boys - Come Back Home (1995)

Idol acts have been chasing "swag" for the last thirty years, but Seo Taiji and Boys perfected swag twenty-eight years ago with Come Back Home, the gangsta rap classic. From its Insane in the Brain-adjacent production to its lyrics, offering a sympathetic portrayal of runaways, while urging them to come back home. Come Back Home is still the most essential distillations of the elements it helped popularize.

26. SHINee - Spoiler (2013)

SHINee's discography is filled to the brim with masterpieces, which might explain why Spoiler never garnered any attention. Nonetheless, it remains one of the most incredible songs of the 2010s'. From Jonghyun's clever references to every single song from the Misconceptions of Us albums, to the flashy opening tribute to Sherlock, Spoiler is a loving tribute to SHINee, paired with an Earth-shaking stadium beat.

25. G.O.D - One Candle (2000)

It might not be an overstatement to call One Candle the most beloved Korean song of the past thirty years. Its unique blend of gospel, soul, rap, and doo-wop created a track that sounded unlike anything on Korean radio before, which is perhaps why it slowly grew into a sleeper hit. Though the honest lyrics and catchy melody certainly helped.

24. H.O.T. - We Are The Future (1997)

Idol K-Pop, at its purest essence, channels the feeling of youth into digestible pop music. At this, H.O.T.'s We Are The Future might be one of the most essential tracks in Korea's history, channeling the angst and hope that defined '90s Korea's youthful vision. Powering through the entire track is the thunderous techno beat, one that turns We Are The Future into a song for the ages.

23. Kara - Lupin (2010)

Songs that switch from minor keys to major keys are not as much of a rarity in K-Pop as one might assume, but few have managed to make the transition both unnervingly jarring, yet also incredibly natural. Sweetune's production proves a haunt for Kara to unleash some of the most daunting moments of their storied career. Lupin is a song that keeps growing, providing new tricks and shocks, rewarding repeated listens.

22. Kara - Pandora (2012)

By 2012, Kara and Sweetune's collaborations grew more ambitious with each passing release, and Pandora was the inevitable conclusion of this creative spirit. The otherwordly production is perfectly complimented by Kara's glorious vocal chants. The song swings and swerves in tempo before catapulting itself into the top twenty-five with its alien production and fantastic chorus.

21. Beast - Fiction (2011) 

Initially derided as a group composed of the leftovers of more popular acts, Beast slowly but surely grew into one of the most beloved K-Pop acts of the second generation. Fiction is both their best song and a testament to the emotive songwriting of Korea in the early 2010s'. Yoseob and Hyunseng weave their yearning refrains over the pummeling retro synth samples, creating a song that weaves its way into your brain.

Next: 20-11

Image: All rights belong to their respective owners.