Welcome to this new segment! Where we will feature the best 100 K-Pop songs of all-time. This segment is to be updated every decade. As not all legendary songs fall in one year.

This is a personal and at the same time an objective view on the best songs in South Korea. Please be reminded that no such list is really bias free and all of this is my PERSONAL OPINION. This is not a FACT, this list is an OPINION.

Let’s just get started with the rules!

RULES

  • This list includes all forms of Korean pop, dance, electronic, R&B, rap, hip-hop, alternative, experimental, and/or rap.
  • Excludes Korean classical, indie, trot and/or other non-mainstream/commercial music.
  • This list is exclusive to only singles, promotional singles are excluded.
  • ONLY KOREAN SONGS, no crossover/international singles are allowed.

CRITERIA

Song Quality (65%) + Personal Experience (30%) + Others (5%)

The Full Countdown! 100 – 91 // 90 – 81 // 80 – 71 // 70 – 61 // 60 – 51

#50 – Come Back Home (2NE1)

Year: 2014; Genre: Electronic

Top 50 is being kicked off by one of the legends in the girl group sector. Come Back Home is 2NE1’s epitome and highlighted the power of 2NE1 amidst everything they had experienced. To this day, Come Back Home is still one of the most recognizable songs in all of K-Pop.

#49 – Replay (SHINee)

Year: 2008; Genre: R&B

Replay is highlighted as one of the greatest debut songs of all-time for its amazing lyrical content, concept and vocals at that time. It reminds of classic Western R&B hits prevalent on Radio at that time. Combining two worlds was never easy but till this day SHINee has cemented their legacy as the most creative amongst its peers.

#48 – Into The New World (SNSD)

Year: 2007; Genre: Pop

Into the New World was the legendary debut of the best-selling girl group in South Korea. Not only did it become an anthem of revolution and face of rebellion. It also proclaimed the depthness of SNSD themselves. It voiced empowerment at a time where violence and misogyny was prevalent. It was a voice into the new world.

#47 – Spring Day (BTS)

Year: 2017; Genre: Traditional Pop

Spring Day not only excelled musically, lyrically, socially, and commercially. It was a memorial of the lives lost at the tragedy of Sewol. It was a message of deep existential suffering caused about by ourselves. A song against authority and peace. It still stands as the most listened song of all-time in Korea.

#46 – Boy In Luv (BTS)

Year: 2014; Genre: Rap Rock

Boy In Luv was another anthem against toxic masculinity, misogyny and juvenile behavior. It was a great antithesis masked as an edgy rap rock smash hit. It was one of the most brilliant compositions of BTS and still stands today as a great anthem against and for boys in general.

#45 – TT (TWICE)

Year: 2016; Genre: Pop

TT was an instant smash hit. It’s sheer catchiness even surpassed expectations and beliefs. It was the main proponent of the renaissance of K-Pop in Asia back in 2016-18. This song single handedly divided people’s opinion on who should win Record of the Year, TT or Cheer Up. A question pretty much solved later.

#44 – MOVE (TAEMIN)

Year: 2017; Genre: Electronic

MOVE was a legendary solo comeback. TAEMIN redefined the meaning of music with this single. It single-handedly reshaped how many of us viewed music. It was just more of a phenomenon that it was a song. It was a wave. It still remains as one of the best solo releases of all-time.

#43 – Mr. Mr. (SNSD)

Year: 2014; Genre: Electronic

Mr. Mr. by SNSD was an another hit single from the legends themselves. It has an amazing instrumentation that many groups took note of. Mr. Mr. was another cultural phenomenon and a one that had a long lasting impact more than what we could’ve imagine. The gritty instrumentation and the production still remains one of the best SNSD’s we could get.

#42 – No More Dream (BTS)

Year: 2013; Genre: Rap

No More Dream is by far the greatest debut piece on this list. The lyrics, melody, concept and execution was more than the normal K-Pop we could ever get. It was a rebellious anarchy that rappers were trying to enter the system and destroy it from the inside. That was the core of this song. Trampling tyranny and fixing the rigged system.

#41 – Favorite Boys (A.C.E)

Year: 2020; Genre: Hardstyle

Favorite Boys might be the most legendary rookie song in a long while. A.C.E is a pioneer when it comes to experimental rock and hardstyle. They always find ways to impress critics, audiences and stans in general. Favorite Boys stems from the goblin inside every human and using them to prove yourself and be your best. Musical rebellion once again.