KPOP. The musical sensation that has taken over the world. From its uplifting musical harmonies to its rhythmic and catchy choreographies, I am not wrong when I say that it has captured the hearts of millions. Since the inception of BTS, the Hallyu wave (referring to the outreach of Korean culture and entertainment around the globe) has definitely gained interest among the public, especially millennials and Gen Zs, including myself. Along with the increase in popularity comes new talent. The Korean music industry has seen a massive influx in new talent over the past few years. Inspired by the power of their senior artists such as BTS, these youngsters come with overflowing energy, in the hopes of being able to do what they love. On that note, I have compiled a list of Kpop groups that have some good bops and show promising talent that is capable of leading the entertainment industry forward.
- Stray Kids
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While my choice in a favorite group has changed over the years, listening to Stray Kids’ music has guaranteed them the title of being my favorite group forever. Stray Kids is an 8 member boy group under JYP Entertainment. They were created through a survival show called Stray Kids and debuted on March 25th, 2018. They debuted with the song Hellevator, however, MIROH was the song that gained a lot of attention and popularity. Their fandom is called STAY. In terms of their music (among many things), what I like about them is their diversity of musical styles. Stray Kids do not completely fit into one style of music such as EDM or Hip Hop because they experiment with different styles of music for every song.
Stray Kids is a self-producing group, which means that most of their songs are produced by the members themselves instead of the producers of the company. This adds to their uniqueness in styles because all the 8 members are SO TALENTED. Among the 8 members, the producing group called 3RACHA, consists of Bang Chan (the leader of Stray Kids), Han (main rapper), and Changbin (main rapper). Something that sets them apart from other rookie groups is that they use a lot of different themes while composing their songs, while other groups mostly focus on composing pieces that relate to love. Their song Side Effects talks about teenage suicide and the inner turmoil that occurs in depression. They also have a LOT of inspirational songs such as MIROH, ANY, and the most recent Japanese single ALL IN. I swear, every time I listen to these songs, I am automatically motivated to conquer the day.
Not to mention that all of them have perfect visuals, meaning that all of them be serving us good looks left and right (sorry for the shameless lingo plug). If there is anything that I want you to take away from this list, it is to definitely check out this group. Some of the songs that should get you started on your path to stanning them include MIROH, GOD’S MENU, SIDE EFFECTS, and ALL IN.
- ITZY
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ITZY is a 5 member girl group under JYP Entertainment. They debuted with their first single album IT’z Different on February 11, 2019. The title track, Dalla Dalla earned them popularity in the Kpop scene, which has only grown ever since. Their fandom name is MIDZY. Their musical style consists mostly of EDM and hip-hop. They are also known as the sister group to Stray Kids because they have appeared on Stray Kids’ survival show and are in similar age to each other. All of their title tracks are a must add to your playlist because their themes are centered around self-love and courage, which is really inspirational.
Apart from their music, they are known for their complex and intricate choreography. From my perspective, their dance moves have an equal mix of powerful and girly movements. Speaking from my background as a musician and dancer, I personally like rhythmic choreography, which is choreography that focuses on the beats of the music because it is easier for me to follow through and predict the upcoming moves. They are one of the defining girl crush groups of this generation, which makes me so proud of them because I feel like they are representing me and our generation is such a great way. Some songs that you should check out include ICY, WANNABE, and their most recent title track, NOT SHY.
- EVERGLOW
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Everglow is a 6 member group under Yuehua Entertainment. They debuted on March 18, 2019 with their single Arrival of Everglow. Their fandom name is For Ever. This group, ladies and gentlemen, is 100% the main girl-crush group of this generation. Their songs are mostly EDM, which also impacts their choreography. While their choreographies are complex and chique, their vocal talents are emphasized more. I’ll go ahead and say that in my opinion, this group is the only girl group that not only has great title tracks but also AWESOME B-side tracks (B-side refers to songs other than the title track in an album). I feel that their title track always shows a badass side of them, which compliments their soft vocals in the B-side tracks. All songs in each of their albums are catchy in some way, which is so satisfying because I mostly listen to title tracks, but since listening to their B-sides, I have never looked back. They have a perfect balance and all of them are VERY talented. I also think that their debut title track, BON BON CHOCOLAT, is the best song that a group has debuted with hands down. Some songs I would recommend from this group are BON BON CHOCOLAT, ADIOS, PLAYER, and UNTOUCHABLE.
- NCT
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Of course, a Kpop recommendation list isn’t complete without SM. NCT or Neo Culture Technology, is a 23 member boy group under SM Entertainment. They debuted in 2016. Their fandom name is NCTzens. They are known for being the largest group in Kpop because most Kpop groups have a range of 4-12 members. Because of this large number, they are divided into multiple sub-units. Their sub-units include NCT U, NCT 127, NCT Dream, and WayV. While they consist of these 4 sub-units, the members are not strictly limited to staying in those groups. For each album, members are chosen based on how well they fit the theme of the album. Their music styles include hip-hop, pop, and EDM. They are known for having unique choreography, which often has that one defining and challenging move everyone wants to learn. While I am not completely familiar with them, I do recommend songs such as Kick It, Cherry Bomb, and their recent title track, Make A Wish. One fact about this group: before 2020, NCT only had 21 members. But, recently, they added 2 new members, Sungchan and Shotaro, who are supremely talented.
Revamp your quarantine playlist with these AMAZING Kpop groups!