Here is a list of songs you might not know if ITZY and forward was your first dive into kpop!
You’ll recognize a lot of these names, and maybe even some songs. But these were the stoned that laid a marble path for BTS and Aespa to glide along (and yes I know BTS was already famous for some of these)
The first is Something by Girl’s Day.
This song is where my name came from. Before winter and Ning Ning and whoever else is the kpop power vocal of today (lol none of these girls can hold a flame) there was Bang Minah. She reminds me of Mariah Carey in that she truly is using the CD as a backing track because really only she can be her own back up singer. Minah literally carries this song across the finish line and if you watch it live you’ll understand. She spends the ENTIRE performance singing so many adlibs it’s iconic…. Yura like invented being sexy and she honestly never looks like she gives a singular fuck. Hyeri is constantly serving innocence no matter WHAT. Even in this performance. Listen to it to the end though… Minah literally rips her own jugular out to sing. I remember learning after the fact that performing this song so often and live every time literally forced her to stop singing for a while like nobody has her dedication. Mamamoo has the vocals…. But the passion????? Minah slays
Next song?? Lilili Yabbay by Seventeen (performance team)
This is my favorite song by Seventeen in general and I think that it’s fitting honestly. The reverb of the synth mixes really nicely with the high pitch edit of their vocals and I like that the vocals are made more distant and closer in different parts. I also low key love the talking rap part. And the dance to this song is out of this world. Watching the way they kind of glide through the wind and then slam to a stop really compliments the flow of very drawn out verses and staccato chorus. Ugh it’s soooo refreshing to hear.
This one is kind of weird coming from me because it’s YG and I tend to…. Dislike most YG acts. Really Really by Winner
What can I say? I love a tropical house beat. Tbh their vocals are hard to listen to sometimes but the beat in the background and the way they emphasize “Ly” in the last “really” has always been very entertaining to me.
Next is the first Boy Group dance i learned and I think I still know it today. Chained Up by Vixx
I honestly thought that this group would be like BTS famous when they were famous because this song and Shangri La were so cool and their dances were incredibly incorporated into their songs and I feel like it’s true artistry. Ravi can get it too. Quote me on it.
Next is Oh Nana by KARD (feat Youngji)
First of all this song will literally never be recreated ever. Like it’s SO good. The rapping in it is sooooo good and not cringey which is hard to find in a kpop song and youngji literally slays her part. I remember Kara disbanding 6 minutes after she debuted and then KARD including her in their first release AND calling her a hidden member for whatever reason giving me the highest hopes that she didn’t go through all of the drama that came with her survival show for nothing and then it turned out that is precisely the case. It was all for nothing! Ha! Would you look at that? DSP failing yet another vastly talented idol. Ce la vie!
View by Shinee
The vibes that this song presents are impeccable. This song is perfect for driving at max volume at night through a well lit city/on the highway at night. It’s so summer night it’s unreal. The fashion of this video really did something to me too. I fell madly in love with Jonghyun and Onew all at once. This sort of all American vibe that SM was running with (this song came out around the same time as Ice Cream Cake) really spoke to me and I honestly am a company Stan to this day (and none for Aespa) I’m trying not to show more than one song from just one group so I won’t post the link, but if you want to feel VERY good you should listen to Married to the Music. It’s very high energy and pleasing to the ears. This Shinee era was my favorite. RIP Jonghyun 🥺😭
Controversy of the century: 23 by IU
Maljobwa? Okay so this song was a controversy about what this song was about. Like this album was literally IU saying that she was still so young but everyone was so busy making her into an adult and sexualizing her that she wasn’t even herself anymore. That everyone was so busy making her into whoever they wanted her to be that when she was authentic it would almost cause a stir and it was stunting her growth as a woman. She couldn’t be sexual by choice because then she was slutty, but if she acted innocent then she was sexualizing children because people already wanted to have sex with HER. Following this with palette was such a move and honestly I feel forever connected to IU because she really helped me grow into a confident adult.
Someone Like U by Dal Shabet
This disco pop song changed the game. Brave sound really knew the right sound for Dal Shabet honestly and I think it was kind of ahead of the times. They’re all insanely beautiful and Subin is such a great singer it’s crazy.
Closer by Oh My Girl
This song doesn’t really fit into a genre. It feels like I’m being pulled into the a different dimension where I have powers and the issues of the world truly just aren’t around. The vocals are so ethereal and clear and the dance to this song is so nice to watch. Imagine studio choom. 😭😭😭. Last but not least about this song, the last Chorus leading into Seungyeon adlibing into Mimi rapping so clearly into the Anthem ending of “closer! I’m closer! I’m closer!” To YooA softly singing in Korean with an English ending that ends BOTH THE KOREAN AND ENGLISH PHRASES SEPARATELY WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY ENDING THE SONG.
This song is a true form masterpiece.
Tell me your thoughts and add any songs you feel the children should learn!
