Hi everybody, and welcome to a new Something Different Sunday, in which I talk about, well, something DIFFERENT than books.
Last week, I listed my ten favorite songs of 2021, the non-kpop edition. Which means that today, it’s time for my ten favorite kpop songs of the year!
Like I mentioned last year, I fell absolutely in love with kpop a few years ago and though it’s a genre that meets a lot of prejudice (I’m thinking about doing a post just on that, something like kpop songs for skeptics), there are some talented artists and amazing songs out there that deserve the recognition.
So here are my favorites of the year!
THE ABSOLUTE FAVORITE:
ONEUS – No Diggity
According to my Spotify Wrapped, I listened to this song at least 161 times this year. It released back in January and though I already knew and loved ONEUS, this fun power pop song turned that love into favorite status. I also LOVED their most recent release “Luna”, which is so poetic and pretty, but No Diggity started my year and set the tone right from the start!
“Between the Earth and the Moon
Between Adam and Eve
There never was a place for another planet
You’re the serpent in our Eden
Spreading bad vibes in our garden“
Dreamcatcher – Odd Eye
This wouldn’t be a Lindsey top kpop list without Dreamcatcher! This rock/horror/fantasy-inspired band is my absolute favorite and that’s a fact. Odd Eye was another January release and its lyrics about striving for an ideal that is not real resonated with me.
“Struggling with meaninglessness
We seemed to be in the same place
With endless thirst again
No matter how you chase a mirage, it’s not there“
ONEWE – Rain To Be
This song gives me such whimsical rock ballad vibes and I adore it every single second of it. I’ve had their entire album on repeat throughout the year.
“As I look up at the quiet sky
I send my sign, two hands together
If I see you, if I get to see you
I shall blossom in this barren earth“
HyunA – I’m Not Cool
Spotify Wrapped said that if my life had a soundtrack, this would be the song on which I would do a dance-off with my nemesis and well… it’s not wrong? It’s dancey, it’s makes me smile, it’s quirky and it’s unapologetically itself, so naturally I adore it.
“Spikey and sparkly, that’s my mental state
Up and down, my mood swings
(I practice social distancing)“
BTS – Butter
I LOVE THIS SONG SO MUCH! It’s definitely my favorite of all of BTS’ full-English songs and it’s been on repeat all summer long.
“Smooth like butter, pull you in like no other
Don’t need no Usher to remind me you got it bad”
Itzy – In The Morning
I love a good power song and Itzy is just so good at releasing these amazing power songs. I also adored Loco, but for my number one I have to go with In The Morning, just because it has that amazing Yuna verse.
“Oscar worthy, got you fooled
Playing innocent but I’m a wolf
You don’t have the faintest clue
I’ve been planning for a while, baby all systems are go”
Stray Kids – Thunderous
It’s been a little more quiet around Stray Kids this year (they had their Kingdom participation (AND WIN!)), but when they released Thunderous, it was just as epic as ever.
“Yeah, everybody’s talking nonsense
Tired of this and that, shaking my head
You talk too much, stop meddling
*Why you mad? Why you sad? Why are you ticking me off?*”
Seventeen – Rock With You
No matter how many times I listen to this song, it never fails to put a smile on my face. It’s a happy, energetic, poppy song and the choreo is once again so amazing.
“No words are enough for you
Want to keep it melodical
So let me listen to all your emotions“
Kang Daniel – Antidote
Who ever said kpop does not talk about important issues? Because this song by Kang Daniel about mental health has such personal, meaningful lyrics and the song as a whole feels like a little piece of art.
“The wounds I turned away from
It only grows deeper as time goes, yeah
I can’t even move
It grows crueler and more awful”
Twice – The Feels
I have to admit that, while Twice has a bubbly vibe that I really enjoy from time to time, I usually prefer the darker power anthems. So Twice is not a band that frequents my playlists a lot. But that said, I could not stop listening to their first full-English song. The Feels is bubbly, yes, but we all need a good bubbly pop song sometimes!
“You have stolen my heart, oh, yeah
Never let it go, no, never let it go
Lightning straight to my heart, oh, yeah
I got all the feels for sure
Yeah, I got all the feels for ya“
Tell Me:
What were some of your favorite kpop songs of 2021?
Do we have any in common?
