The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of All Time: 60-51

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.

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Previously:

Honorable Mentions

100-91

90-81

80-71

70-61

60. Boyfriend - I Yah (2013)

Boyfriend's Janus was already a standout album before it was repackaged with I Yah as its new lead single. I Yah is aggressive in its electronic production. Every single little synth is twisted to its absolute limits over a runway-ready melody and a finale that demands replays.

59. Lee Sang Eun - Samdocheon (1995)

After rocking Korea with her popular, androgynous style and some major hits in the late '80s, Lee Sang Eun came back from a hiatus with a series of classic albums, now less of an idol and more of an artist. Samdocheon is her absolute peak, from its introspective lyrics to fantastic traditional Korean production. It is an undisputed artistic triumph.

58. The Classic - A Song For Me (1994)

Whether you hear The Classic's or Joochan's nearly-as-good 2019 cover, A Song For Me remains an emotive highlight. Singing about the pressures and insecurity many of us faced in our teenage and early adulthood years, A Song For Me is beautiful. Pair this with fantastic '90s R&B synths and brass, and you have an eternal classic.

57. SHINee - View (2015)

While f(x)'s 4 Walls would ultimately be the true shift, SHINee brought deep house to K-Pop with View, and as a result, the soundscape that dominated Korea up until 2019. Nonetheless, none of the deep/tropical house sonic sequels to View could capture the earnest "coolness" that the original had.

56. Shinhwa - Venus (2012)

In 2012, legendary K-Pop group Shinhwa broke another record, becoming the first Korean boy band to survive a military hiatus. They accomplished this with style, releasing their best song since the '90s. Venus' perlocating EDM beat proved a stage for Shinhwa to showcase their skills compared to the younger competition.

55. TVXQ - Keep Your Head Down (2011)

After a messy split, TVXQ's future was brought back with Keep Your Head Down, which completely reversed the group's declining situation. The impish and devilish raps pair well with the theatric production, while TVXQ provide high notes for days on end.

54. Kim Bo Kyung - Suddenly (2011)

Twelve years after its release, Suddenly is often regarded as one of the greatest K-Drama OSTs ever. Kim Bo Kyung's thundering performance, full of heart, elevates the melody into something truly magical. With its fantastic finale, Suddenly is emotive and dramatic.

53. JYJ - In Heaven (2011)

In 2010, actor Park Yong-Ha committed suicide. JYJ's leader, Jaejoong, a close friend to Yong-Ha, wrote In Heaven as a tribute to his dead friend. A prayer for a loved one that is gone, In Heaven thunders with emotions, likely based on the real-life tragedy that inspired it. The series of high notes that close In Heaven might be some of the best in K-Pop history.

52. Deulgukhwa - Parade (1985)

Deulgukhwa's debut album might be the most influential Korean rock album of all time. At its very beating heart is Parade, a thundering ode to perseverance, Parade comes together for its towering chorus. The melody rises in a fantastic ode to classical rock.

51. TVXQ - Something (2014)

After years of being a boy band known for their pop-rock-adjacent SMP releases, TVXQ (with composer Yoo Young-Jin) did a complete 180, tackling jazz and swing on Something. The style fit, surprisingly, like a glove, resulting in many follow-ups. The vocal harmonies over the catchy beat of Something are worth the price of entry, while Changmin's performance is the icing on the cake.

Next: 50-41

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