Intro to K-Pop 101

So, I heard that an Irish radio show was discussing K-pop and Stray Kids lately (and they didn’t invite me? Rude!), so I think it’s only right that I offer you all the opportunity to experience some of the best (in my opinion) that the K-pop industry has to offer. Class is now in session, notebooks out and, yes, this will be on the exam at the end of the year Today FM. Now, allow me to shine some light on just a teeny tiny selection of songs that make K-pop great. This is NOT (and I can not emphasise that NOT enough) a comprehensive list. This is literally just the tip of an exceptionally huge iceberg. I will not, and shall never, claim that I know all when it comes to K-pop but this is a starting point for anyone who wants to join the fun. No one expects you to know your Cortis from your Kickflip here, this is a place to start. Then you just see where it takes you. AND if you’re already a K-pop fan and I didn’t include your favourites, don’t come for me. I’m including songs that might act as a gateway to K-pop and who knows maybe this playlist will introduce people to your group. For now though, let’s go!

JUMP – Blackpink (The latest release for one of K-pop’s biggest girl groups and it’s not even their best song, let’s be real.)

That That – PSY feat. Suga (PSY was back in 2021 and even after that . Honestly, he never left as far as Korea is concerned. The man can pack out stadiums all day every day and in Korea those tickets ain’t cheap)

Chk Chk Boom – Stray Kids (Leaders of the 4th Generation of Kpop, Stray Kids has been mentioned more than once on the blog so of course they will feature here but if you want to read more about them tap here. Yes, I am plugging our own posts in a post. It’s postception!)

POWER – G Dragon (Dubbed the King of Kpop, G Dragon has to be a name used to represent Kpop. If he wasn’t, I wouldn’t be doing this playlist right.)

Bouncy – Ateez (Just Ateez reminding everyone that making bangers is easy but leading a choreo like their captain does? … Now that’s hard.)

IDOL – BTS (Because no K-pop playlist would be complete without the inclusion of the 3rd generation leaders and obviously songs like Butter and Dynamite don’t count. They were part of the homework that you were just supposed to know you had to do. Go listen to BTS. Their new album is coming out soon.)

THUNDER – SEVENTEEN (10 years, 5 studio albums, 3 reissues, 2 compilation albums, 13(!) EPs (mini albums) and 1 tiger (iykyk) but SEVENTEEN is still going strong. If lasting on a long scale is the game, SAY THE NAME! It’s SEVENTEEN)

Golden – K-pop Demon Hunters (No, there is no escape from this song. It’s Kpop therefore it is here. Written and sung by Kpop royalty, Ejae who has been responsible for more K-pop hits than is genuinely necessary.)

God’s Menu – Stray Kids (Introducing the Felix effect. That voice that’s ‘cooking like a chef’… yeah, go look up Felix from Stray Kids and tell me that voice and that face match. Better still watch the music video.)

3D – Jungkook (No one said BTS’ solo projects couldn’t appear here and besides I am making this list so I decide who does and doesn’t get onto it.)

GO! – Cortis (This appeared all over TikTok last year, so if you recognise this you’ve already dabbled in K-pop and didn’t know it.)

Supernova – aespa (K-pop doesn’t just mean pop. K-pop has all kinds of music styles in one genre hip-hop EDM tracks like this one are common genre blending is like a hobby for the best K-pop producers)

Adrenaline – ATEEZ (The newest release from ATEEZ that has started making waves. It helps that the song is a banger as well and the dance break is a must watch. Yes, this is your homework for today.)

I Am The Best – 2NE1 (The girl anthem of all girI anthems in the Kpop world. You want girl power here it is.)

Burning Up (FIRE) – BTS (Commonly used as a protest song in Korea so you know it’s popular. It is literally about overcoming fear and youthful defiance so it’s pretty much perfect for a playlist like this mainly because we like a little defiance around here.)

Bang Bang Bang – Big Bang (This is one of those ‘you know it if you consider yourself a Kpop fan of any kind’ songs. One of the biggest Kpop boy groups in history, so I dare you to play this at a Kpop night in any nightclub and wait for the reaction.)

Gee – Girls’ Generation (Maybe I just have a soft spot for Girls’ Generation because they were my first group but Gee is still an iconic K-pop song)

Killin’ It Girl – j-hope (Another member of BTS, another banger. What can I say? They know what works. And no one said K-pop had to be solely in Korean.)

Magnetic – ILLIT (Sometimes, cuter is better in K-pop and Illit’s Magnetic fits the bill spectacularly well. Illit are together almost 2 years (at the time of posting) but they have still amassed a firm following with songs very much like this one.)

Eyes Nose Lips – Taeyang (This is the biggest ‘take me back’ song in Kpop – like ever. Full stop no questions asked. Taeyang wins. Like if you want to apologise this is how you do it properly.)

DDU-DU DDU-DU – Blackpink (One of the Blackpink classics alongside Kill This Love, How You Like That and Pink Venom. Look, just listen to Blackpink, okay? They have some serious banger tracks)

Very Nice – SEVENTEEN (I would bring shame on this playlist if I didn’t include SEVENTEEN’s biggest meme of a track. In fairness, it is a brilliant encore song and catchier than the plague. One might say it’s Aju Nice.)

Bite Me – ENHYPEN (It was this or Knife and, in all honesty, I just like this song better plus Bite Me is the more easily recognized track. Drunk-Dazed is also another big track for ENHYPEN and also well worth listening to.)

Do It – Stray Kids (And lastly, this playlist was created by a STAY (a fan of Stray Kids) so, yeah, another Stray Kids song was 100% necessary. Stray kids everywhere all around the world…)

Oh! And just for the attention of our AMAZING readers, there is a C-pop (Chinese pop) group that deserves some serious attention from all of us. CIIU (which stands for Closer to U) are a C-pop group that debuted in late 2025 under JYP Entertainment via its Chinese subsidiary and includes Irish-Chinese member, Zeheng Allen Liu. So get out there and support our own regardless of what they’re doing and what language they’re singing in. Until our next playlist: okayiloveyougoodbye!