Top 20 K-pop Songs of 2021

Am I now too old to do this? Who knows? 

I have been listening to K-pop for a decade now and I still find something to excite me every year, even this year, which has been a pretty difficult annum. In short: my mum passed away in her care home in April and just 365 days ago right now she was spending her Christmas at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, with her dementia forcing her out of her house which she always told me she wanted to pass away in. Thanks to Covid-19, visiting her was out of the question and then it was a slow, agonising crawl until the end - I was literally at her bedside listening to a death rattle until she passed just a few hours later. Then I finished a little documentary in honour of her memory (that would be Searching for Cannibal Holocaust), which no one saw when it did come out, and which Grindhouse has for American distribution (so who knows when that may or will happen). That and the Shudder fiasco, made me make a decision to save my sanity and to never direct another documentary (research projects notwithstanding). And all through this, and another house move (my sixth in seven years!), K-pop still provided the soundtrack to life. A rare but welcome consistency.

So what of 2021's music?

Well, there were some disappointments this year - IU's Celebrity was just OK, whilst Lisa from Blackpink's utterly lamentable LaLisa was horrible (and I mean headache-inducing horrible), bandmate Rose had a couple of meh English-language moments too and Twice had a few numbers, including the forgettable candy-pop of The Scientist. Moreover, we saw underwhelming comebacks from such usually reliable SM idol groups as Exo, Red Velvet and SHINee. There was even (shock, horror!) a dull outing from Sunmi. Long-awaited solo items from the likes of Baekhyun and Wendy felt like album cast-offs whilst the genre's biggest name (BTS obviously) debuted a so-so English language single with Butter. Perhaps the year's finest moment was actually the surprise uniting of members from second generation K-pop band After School for a rendition of Bang! on South Korean television - either a reminder that I am 1) old 2) nostalgic or 3) K-pop reached a height of quality/quantity somewhere between Abracadabra and Fantastic Baby (or maybe I Got a Boy). But I digress: since those glory days, the form has certainly matured into superior long-plays and concepts, such as Taeyeon's 2017 peak (and I still consider My Voice the best LP of the entire phenomenon, maybe even my favourite record of all time), but the bangers have been less and less frequent - as indicated when some of Sistar tried for a comeback and the result was just not so memorable.

Regardless, then, here is my Top 20 for 2021 and, rest assured, at the very top spot is one of the best of any year - so if you have stumbled across this blog and never given Korean pop music a chance, my advice is to spin that one first and see if you might subsequently find a universe of sublime sonics that is worth exploring further...

20) HYOYEON - SECOND:

Hyoyeon's 2021 anthem became perhaps just as famous for its often hilarious Instagram videos (usually featuring the singer snacking whilst fellow K-pop stars mime along or, in the case of an appearance from former SNSD partners Sooyoung and Tiffany, engage in an all-out catfight), but the bop itself is decidedly likeable. Hyoyeon is the Girls' Generation member who seems to come and go every year, re-appearing just long enough to remind us that she is unlikely to fall into obscurity or irrelevance any time soon. And thank goodness for that.

19) MONSTA X - RUSH HOUR

The best Monsta X single so far? One would have to conclude so - this has a hint of Ennio Morricone but bleeds into an aggressive mix of rap and electro-rock, establishing one of 2021's loudest K-pop endeavours and the one that would, in another, better universe, fill the dance floor. The best we can do these days, of course, is to hope that the neighbours do not bang on the wall as this monster of a single spins its way into our collective (and in my case eternally ageing) heart. 

18) ITZY - LOCO

This feels a little more like traditional K-pop in that it begins as something and then turns into something else completely. It is a genre mash-up and done with the usual slickness that leaves your head feeling as if it is on a most pleasurable sugar rush. Kudos to a band that one hopes does not go the way of so many others anytime soon. Things are, after all, only just starting to get interesting...

17) TAEYEON - WEEKEND:

Continuing with the big guns, CL's contemporary Kim Taeyeon also saw in the summer with a (somewhat understated) bubble-gum opus. Her voice remains perfect, of course, but this is perhaps a little too fluffy for Taeyeon, given the soul-wrenching ballads with which she rose to solo superstardom. Still, in this strange new era of a world living under a pandemic, maybe a lighter, sweeter sound was warranted from one of Korea's biggest solo stars this summer - and 'Weekend' provides an easy-listening short-play that will not break your heart but might just make you smile from ear to ear. 

16) NCT DREAM - HOT SAUCE:

This just rocks. And that's about all I am going to say. I mean, other than that the music video does not really connect with the seduction of the lyrics (which I am sure some might argue is a bit overly 'nudge-nudge'). Anyway... purely on the way this banger sounds, it is another impressive achievement for NCT Dream, who are a fearsome unit (or is it sub-unit?) in the SM oeuvre.  

15) (G)I_DLE - HWAA

Even in the fast-paced, low-retention rate world of K-pop it seemed unlikely that hitmakers (G)I-dle would run into trouble quite this soon but, alas, come 2022 and the group is no more as a five. Listen to this lean and mean ditty, however, and soak-up the sound of one of contemporary K-pop's classiest acts, reborn as a fighting-fit four. A return worth cherishing.

14) CL - SPICY:

Speaking of CL, the former 2NE1 figurehead made a thundering return with this hard-edged groove that is far better than anything she was doing with YG (back in the days when it looked as if she, and not BTS, would be the first big international breakout and global living room name). It is confident and tough - and CL remains a presence that is almost unrivalled, all the more shame that her former record label dropped the ball on such a phenomenal talent. Oh, and she also dropped an album this year...

13) DREAMCATCHER - ODD EYE:

Should I have opted for Dreamcatcher's sound of the summer, Because, instead? Well, in one's defence, as good as 'Because' is, it still feels as if it is standing in the shadow of the greatness of this group's back catalogue and, whilst certainly a welcome rush of the unit's ever-reliable pop-rock sophistication, it  plays as more of a 'best of' compilation than a reimagining of the formula so far. Not, of course, that there is anything wrong with that - but 'Odd Eye' does it all so much better. The year began with this rollicking experiment in three-minute rock-opera and it excels almost a full calendar later. 

12) Epik High (에픽하이) - Rosario ft. CL, ZICO:

'Out of my way, I am a legend and I'm here to stay' - and so says the ever-iconic CL in the idol collaboration of the year, featuring not just alternative heroes Epik High but also Zico of Block B fame. Chill out, late night, post-pub comedown music, with a fabulous visual accompaniment offering tribute to (what could be more fitting?) some of South Korea's stylish gangster film masterpieces. In fact, this is perhaps the most masterful Epik High single since they unleashed their rock side with Don't Hate Me a good ten years ago, only attesting to their range as songwriters...

11) JEON SOMI - XOXO:

If the likes of Hwasa, Key, Mamamoo and Taemin (and even TXT) indicated that 2021 was a darker shade of K-pop then take solace in this anthem for misspent youth with a music video that part homages Amy Heckerling, Quentin Tarantino, Suicide Squad and even Rob Zombie (!) whilst bemoaning the folly of young love. Perfectly sweet and with the sort of chant-back chorus that will infect your skull for days and days... press play with caution, my friends.

10) HWASA - I'M A 빛 :

A reflective piece of performance from Hwasa - whose solo career has been largely exceptional. This has all the grooves of one of Mamamoo's purest pop hits (think, for instance, Décalcomanie) and once it starts it feels as if it is not going to stop anytime soon, championed along by the star's surprisingly breathy vocals - a change from the more polished serenading of last year's astonishing Maria.

9) YUQI - BONNIE AND CLYDE:

Song Yuqi, the Beijing-born member of (G)I-dle (who has managed to avoid the controversy of fellow countrymen and women navigating the harsh waters between Mainland celebrity and sponsorship with South Korean fame) sings in English for what sounds like a gothic, pounding, widescreen pitch for a future, postmodernist gangster movie directed by Michael Mann. Or maybe it will just be the music to accompany Ryan Gosling in Drive 2. It sounds part-stuck in the 1980s as well - a little Pat Benatar perhaps, but that is a compliment. A huge, huge compliment. The lady done well.

8) T-ARA - TIKA TAKA:

With their last release being four years ago, it looked like the game was over for second generation girl group T-ara, one of the best pop bands of all time (and yes, I am deadly serious), but 2021 gave us this most unexpected and quite fabulous reunion. Boram and Soyeon are missing from the mix (as they had been from late-day offerings Tiamo and What's my Name?) but this remains T-ara's best outing since the heady days of Sugar Free and indicates that the talented quartet are ready to reclaim their crown as the unchallenged Queens of the proverbial disco floor. A very welcome burst of nostalgia that will, one hopes, result in future singles of this quality.

7) TXT - I KNOW I LOVE YOU:

In a year of disappointing boy band hits, TXT came through with this glorious radio-friendly rock song that explodes into an enormous stadium-orientated chorus, although it will be quite some time until that happens in these dire Covid-19 times. A slick and sonically rich stomper, this thumping burst of energy also wears its indie-cred on its sleeves with the presence of Seori on guest vocals - and only the most curmudgeonly of listeners would want to deny that this summer release, which took its home country by storm, was undeserving of its success. 

6) AESPA - NEXT LEVEL:

I am not sure I understand SM's concept with Aespa - a band for the future, apparently, but who look as blandly glamorous as any other K-pop band doing the rounds, with the exception of a string of absolutely first class singles. They are the first SM girl group that lacks any sort of immediate presence (then again, I thought the same of the NCT factions), but it is the music which counts and, whilst this might not be the sound of times to come, it is about as funky as it got in 2021. Double this up with the foursome's similarly fierce Savage and get down.

5) TAEMIN - ADVICE:

Now undertaking his military service, Taemin was kind enough to leave listeners with this blistering send-off (until the next two years pass anyway) and what a gem it is. It feels pointless, at this stage, to even begin on how brilliant Taemin's music is - he has gone from boy band darling to legitimate critical favourite, teasing a complex identity in the process through dance, lyrics and even music video. Given the suicide of one of his bandmates just four years ago, it would be folly to assume the real Lee Taemin is not present in any of these endeavours, or that the darker sounds are mere coincidence (as I commented regarding the stunning Two Kids from 2020). Whatever it is, this is an artist of a lifetime, and one to cherish.

4) KEY AND TAEYEON - HATE THAT:

That SHINee member again, this time with a duet featuring the living legend Kim Taeyeon. Inevitably it is just lovely, with the sentiments of bitterness following a break-up expressed in a literally 'crash and burn' music video. Not quite the approach one might have expected given Taeyeon's seemingly limitless vocal range, but the feeling of frustration and heartbreak is strongly emoted and the two work brilliantly together. One suspects this is also a mild homage to Key's late bandmate Kim Jonghyun, whose last year on Earth included a similarly understated (and quite beautiful) collaboration with the Girls' Generation superstar. 

3) MAMAMOO - WHERE ARE WE NOW?

No one does heartbreak quite like Kim Taeyeon, but as a group Mamamoo might be vouching for runner-up status thanks to epic ballads such as this. Honestly, it is just lovely and whilst all four members bring something awesome to the table (albeit with rapper Moonbyul getting the least to do here), there is surely no denying the power and breadth of Hwasa and Solar's tonsils. And damn, just check this live rendition from South Korean television earlier in the year.

2) YUBIN - PERFUME:

What? You forgot about this one? Shamefully so did many fans and pundits (it has escaped the Dazed Top 40, which is just mind-boggling). But this Wonder Girl gave us a comeback miles better than former bandmate Sunmi; from the opening Indian strings to the rush of eighties synths and a back-and-forth rap leading to a slightly disjointed vocal bridge into a breathless chorus. This was an early year treat and still stands tall as a certified K-pop banger as 2021 concludes. An unrecognised classic from a second generation superstar that time seems to have forgotten. Absolutely fantastic.

1) KEY - BAD LOVE:

One of four SHINee members, Key's idol status has long been established - but who could have expected this truly epic solo number: dashing, tormented and just spine-tingling. This is a giant-sounding statement, slickly realised and with a killer music video, boasting an almost instantly-memorable chorus. Moreover, there is just enough of an old-time glam-rock feel (not even kidding here) to make you forget the achingly modern electronics and layers of production driving his vocals from verse to chorus. No expense spared, in other words, but leave it to the geniuses at SM Entertainment to conceive a pop song this perfect.