The 100 Greatest K-Pop Songs of All Time: 100-91

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. 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. Seo Taiji - Sogyeokdong (2014)

Tackling one of the darkest periods of post-independence Korean history, Seo Taiji wrote an ode to his hometown, Sogyeokdong's dark history and the lives and innocence lost under the government's programs there. Taiji's mournful voice is both soothing and instantly haunting.

99. TVXQ - Balloons (2006)

A remake of the classic song by the Five Fingers Band, TVXQ imbued their own heart into Balloons, more than making it their own. The lighthearted tale of childhood nostalgia has proven to bear surprising emotional heft as an entire generation that grew up on Balloons now looks upon TVXQ's joyful performance after their split, and the child actors' joyful faces (including many K-Pop stars, including the late Moonbin).

98. Super Junior - A-Cha (2011)

A-Cha marks the point where Super Junior began spoofing their "serious" and "cool" party image, playing in on the joke by amplifying every element for an explosive rock track that sounded grander than anything they had done in years. The end result is a song that is both epic, and is fun enough to take shots at its sheer scale.

97. Girls' Generation - All Night (2017)

Ten years after debut, legendary girl group Girls' Generation once again collaborated with debut-era composer Kenzie for one of the best tracks of their lengthy career. All Night is the sound of icons no longer needing to prove their legendary status. Every element of All Night is too cool to care, but performed with the emotive heart that makes the best of Girls' Generation.

96. Shinhwa - Perfect Man (2002)

The most iconic song for Korea's longest-lasting boy band, Shinhwa's Perfect Man is a sonic sequel to any NSYNC or Backstreet Boys song you have heard, but combs through the best elements from them, creating a song that sounds like a highlight of the entire genre, with a thunderous chorus guiding through.

95. VIXX - On and On (2013)

The song that turned VIXX into one of the most exciting prospects of the third-generation, On and On's ambition was buffered by some incredible songwriting and melodies, turning a cheesy concept into something with some grit. The deal is closed by VIXX, who perform every hook with a world-ending conviction. (Full Review)

94. Key - Bad Love (2021)

The most recent song on the list, Bad Love has not even had two years but has thoroughly cemented itself as a K-Pop classic. The towering '80s rock synths create one of the most ambitious atmospheres seen in a K-Pop song ever. Holding the entire song together is Key, who performs with a thorough panache, while holding together an emotional core, making Bad Love both big and personal. (Full Review)

93. YooA - Bon Voyage (2020)

A few simple wild and flowery loops are all it took for Bon Voyage to be the most enduring K-Pop song of the 2020s so far. YooA's emotive performance turned Bon Voyage from a blend of samples into a wild and lively track, perfect for any wild adventure. (Full Review)

92. Snuper - The Star of Stars (2017)

Despite being one of the most consistent artists of the late 2010s, Snuper never garnered any of the attention they deserved. The Star of Stars is their very best, pummeling through with a shiny tropical house beat, while powered by one of the most underrated Sweetune classics ever.

91. ONF - Complete (2018)

A few years prior to their commercial breakout, ONF provided one of the most resonant pieces of pop in recent memory. The twisted vocaloid hook in the chorus leads to the expansive production of Hwang Hyun. ONF infuse charisma into every energetic hook of Complete, creating a song that feels vast.

Next: 90-81

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