So this is my first thread here on allkpop. I used to be a member but left a couple years back. Anyway, this thread (if it gets any response) will be interesting. The rules are, the songs can only be singles from Kpop girl groups (idol groups, not underground rap trios or whatever) or female soloists, it has to be in Korean (not Japanese or English, etc), you can't use the same group twice (unless you're out of songs) and it has to be from 2001 to 2011. You can list it like I do (with long ass explanations) or just simply list it. It is a long thread so you don't have to read everything, but enjoy!
1. "Oh" by Girls' Generation.
Girls Generation are respectably called the Nation's Girl Group for a reason, and although I don't really agree with that now (regarding the whole "incident" with Jessica and , well, their crappy comeback) I do agree that they are still a wall that's to some extent unclimbable. Oh! isn't even my favourite Girls' Generation single, but it is their most fun Korean single to me and it's the one that I feel deserves to be first place on this list. The song is a complete cringe fest. From the lyrics, to the exaggerated cute gestures to the facial expressions. The outfits, choreography and the song itself is really the only thing that's tolerable. Some Kpop fans who liked this song when it came out will be embarrassed to say they liked it, mainly because of the whole "Oppa I love you so much, you make my heart skip a beat" concept. But this single captures the entire essence of Kpop, or at least, the second generation of Kpop. The song is overly bubblegum pop and teen pop, which makes it unfortunately catchy. The bridge of the song, especially Jessica's part, is the best part of the entire song. The reason why this single is the first on my list, other than being personal preference, is that it's the most timeless and unforgettable Kpop girl group single to me. I know I'll never forget the chorus or "tell me boy, boy, love it. It it it it it it, ah."
2. "Roly Poly" by T-ara
I have personally named T-ara the queens of a couple of things. The queens of Korean EDM, the queens of the Retro concept and sound, and the queens of completely nonsensical but nonetheless irresistibly catchy and fun singles. T-ara is one of my favourite girl groups of all time, and Roly Poly is my favourite single by them. The single and M/V was inspired by the '70s scene and John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, and I feel as if the song and concept itself could only fit T-ara. The group's vocals mix together with each other and the instrumental perfectly. Roly Poly is another timeless and unforgettable single, and it was extremely popular in the year of its' release for one reason: it was and is amazing. Even the damn reissue single Roly Poly in Copacabana was just as amazing. It's hard for groups to re-create a single and make it just as good, fun, and reminiscent as the original. T-ara did that. Roly Poly better never be forgotten by anyone.
3. "Step" by KARA.
This song may not be as experimental or groundbreaking as new generation Kpop fans like, and the vocals of Kara may not be good enough for them or “too girly”, but this single was one of the stand-outs for Kpop girl groups in 2011. All the singles in this list, if you haven’t realised, are considered to be timeless and unforgettable to me, but for some reason this song stands out the most even though it isn’t first place. The song is still just as catchy as it was, and as girly as Kara's vocals may be, they blend together so well. It's reminiscent of an '80s synthpop track and so is parts of the M/V. The buildup of the track is great as well, and never leaves you bored. By the time you finish the track, nothing feels empty, the song is complete, and it's so good yet simple you just have to listen to it one more time. Kara is never appreciated as much as they should be, they may not be as talented as you'd like them to be but they've released many catchy yet simple songs that aren't overbearing to listen to.
4. "Crazy" by Son Dam Bi.
The first female soloist to make it on this list is the legendary yet unheard of Son Dam Bi. She is not as known as Boa, or even Kahi (that is, internationally speaking), but this legendary single was released in 2008 and still delivers the same results as a first listen would. Her voice isn't even close to great technique-wise but it is good to listen to nonetheless. Her voice is so calm and sweet and almost as if she's whispering sweet nothings into your ear. Imagine eating candy or ice cream on an windy autumn's day, that is what Son Dam Bi's voice is like in this classic. Mixed with the instrumental, it's perfect. Let her voice and this track just take you, the song isn't even experimental or something creative, it's just great. Nothing about the song is "too much" and there's nothing missing either, the rap isn't randomly placed like a lot of Kpop songs too, it isn't too harsh or aggressive and it fits just right. By the time you finish the song it's a bittersweet feeling and you suddenly feel uncomfortable with not listening to it again. I recommend you listen to her song "Dripping Tears" as it gives off similar feelings and is just as refreshing.
5. "Tell Me" by Wonder Girls.
Arguably the best song by the Wonder Girls and one of the most recognisable girl group songs, it would be shameful if I didn't include this. Wonder Girls most iconic songs were released in their earlier years, and most groups usually have to wait a couple to have that one song that breaks them through the surface. Wonder Girls wasn't quite there yet with Irony in 2007, although it was quite successful, but then later that year they released Tell Me and from that moment on they were considered one of the greatest girl groups Korea has ever seen, and they deserved it. Many Korean kpop fans would choose either Tell Me or Gee as the most memorable girl group song, and they're far from incorrect, as Tell Me is a melody you'll never forget. As girly and cheesy at the song sounds, it's effortlessly catchy and the tune is sweeter than most of their other releases.
6. "Bang!" by After School.
The song that should sound bad but it just sounds so good. You almost feel a bit reluctant to show anyone who isn't familiar with the Kpop scene this song. It's basically a marching band styled mess. In all honesty, I don't know why the hell I love this single. As soon as you hear the narration at the beginning, you feel like you've just stumbled upon a Latin-pop flop of a song, but then you hear it. That god damn chorus. It's a mess, like I said before, it shouldn't sound good. The M/V looks like a low-budget commercial that has starring an infamous YouTuber. But the entirety of the song is promising. Bekah's rap is, like the usual, quite cheesy and well...not good. But that doesn't ruin the song. The bridge begins and after the catchy drum line solo, you hear Raina's extremely pleasing voice start to make her way through. Without her, that song would be empty and she finishes the song (along with the cheers of After School and the continuation of claps and drum line instruments) smoothly. I admit, I did forget about the song for a while, but I know that as soon as I hear the beginning or any part of the song for that matter, I'll instantly remember it. It's a beautiful mess.
7. "Abracadabra" by Brown Eyed Girls.
Not only was this song and M/V quite controversial, but it was a success too, and it deserved to be. The song ended up proving it's success once again after PSY was inspired by the choreography and used it in his own single, Gentleman. This electropop hit is the strongest during the verses, especially the parts where they talk fast paced but with firm voices. Miryo's rap as well as the enchanting "la la la la" parts afterwards close the song perfectly. And after that, it's just a chorus and repetitive verse lines which fit in well. The song itself sounds quite dark and it sets off the mood for the entire song. Brown Eyed Girls have yet to release something similar to Abracadabra, but I'm waiting.
8. "Bad Girl Good Girl" by Miss A.
This single is a standout amongst Miss A's others. I would say Breathe is the only single that's on par to Bad Girl Good Girl, as it stood out amongst other girl group singles and sounded very fresh. Even though Touch is my favourite single by them, Bad Girl Good Girl is clearly the most memorable. The entire song sounds fresh and their vocals sound very unique. At the beginning of the song, you feel as if it's going to be another mediocre pop song but as soon as Suzy starts singing, you feel differently. The song finally starts sounding complete when Jia's and Fei's unique timbre fill the entire chorus. Honestly, I would have put Breathe here instead if it wasn't for that mesmerising chorus.
9. "To Me" by Rainbow.
This was a tough one, I was deciding between A, Mach and To Me which were all on their So Girls EP album. All those three songs are just as solid as the other, and they were honestly ahead of their time. A had that Hawaiian surfer inspired sound that The Black Eyed Peas used in their song Pump It that is used right before they start singing the verses, and Mach had something other Kpop songs didn't but you couldn't put your finger on it. But To Me came through and took ninth place respectfully because not only is this a unique sounding song in Kpop (not because of the difficult or unused genre, but the melody itself), it is something that Kpop now is lacking. The song itself sounds so strong and high quality because of the unified sound. All of their voices come together in a sort of loud style that only Rainbow has been able to captivate so well. The piano mixed with the dance-pop instrumental and their perfectly blended vocals is what made this timeless classic take ninth place. It is something no group other than Rainbow could achieve.
10. "I My Me Mine" by 4Minute.
I guess the last two on this list are probably surprising to some people. But this song is such a standout amongst 4Minute's discography and pretty much every Kpop single released around it's time. This electropop song is very solid and never disappoints, and it was during that confusing era of Kpop too. Sohyun usually gets pretty crappy verses but as soon as she sang, it set the whole tone of the entire song. They sing in beat with the instrumental, and the other members start singing their parts without those awkward cut ins. The chorus along with Jiyoon's part in the bridge are the best and strongest parts of the song. "Click click click click" is literally the same words repeated twelve times in a chorus yet you'll have it ingrained in your head and replaying itself. I can't explain it, but the way they say those words is completely addictive. The song makes no sense to me, but I haven't forgotten how amazing that chorus is.
Some honourable mentions (in no order)
"La Cha Ta" by f(x).
"Like This, Like That" by 5DOLLS.
"Bangkok City" by Orange Caramel.
"Disco Town" by B.Dolls.
"Black & White" by G.NA.
"Bubble Pop" by HyunA.
"Hurricane Venus" by BoA.
"How Dare You" by Sistar.
"One More Time" by Jewelry.
"10 Minutes" by Lee Hyori.
1. "Oh" by Girls' Generation.
Girls Generation are respectably called the Nation's Girl Group for a reason, and although I don't really agree with that now (regarding the whole "incident" with Jessica and , well, their crappy comeback) I do agree that they are still a wall that's to some extent unclimbable. Oh! isn't even my favourite Girls' Generation single, but it is their most fun Korean single to me and it's the one that I feel deserves to be first place on this list. The song is a complete cringe fest. From the lyrics, to the exaggerated cute gestures to the facial expressions. The outfits, choreography and the song itself is really the only thing that's tolerable. Some Kpop fans who liked this song when it came out will be embarrassed to say they liked it, mainly because of the whole "Oppa I love you so much, you make my heart skip a beat" concept. But this single captures the entire essence of Kpop, or at least, the second generation of Kpop. The song is overly bubblegum pop and teen pop, which makes it unfortunately catchy. The bridge of the song, especially Jessica's part, is the best part of the entire song. The reason why this single is the first on my list, other than being personal preference, is that it's the most timeless and unforgettable Kpop girl group single to me. I know I'll never forget the chorus or "tell me boy, boy, love it. It it it it it it, ah."
2. "Roly Poly" by T-ara
I have personally named T-ara the queens of a couple of things. The queens of Korean EDM, the queens of the Retro concept and sound, and the queens of completely nonsensical but nonetheless irresistibly catchy and fun singles. T-ara is one of my favourite girl groups of all time, and Roly Poly is my favourite single by them. The single and M/V was inspired by the '70s scene and John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever, and I feel as if the song and concept itself could only fit T-ara. The group's vocals mix together with each other and the instrumental perfectly. Roly Poly is another timeless and unforgettable single, and it was extremely popular in the year of its' release for one reason: it was and is amazing. Even the damn reissue single Roly Poly in Copacabana was just as amazing. It's hard for groups to re-create a single and make it just as good, fun, and reminiscent as the original. T-ara did that. Roly Poly better never be forgotten by anyone.
3. "Step" by KARA.
This song may not be as experimental or groundbreaking as new generation Kpop fans like, and the vocals of Kara may not be good enough for them or “too girly”, but this single was one of the stand-outs for Kpop girl groups in 2011. All the singles in this list, if you haven’t realised, are considered to be timeless and unforgettable to me, but for some reason this song stands out the most even though it isn’t first place. The song is still just as catchy as it was, and as girly as Kara's vocals may be, they blend together so well. It's reminiscent of an '80s synthpop track and so is parts of the M/V. The buildup of the track is great as well, and never leaves you bored. By the time you finish the track, nothing feels empty, the song is complete, and it's so good yet simple you just have to listen to it one more time. Kara is never appreciated as much as they should be, they may not be as talented as you'd like them to be but they've released many catchy yet simple songs that aren't overbearing to listen to.
4. "Crazy" by Son Dam Bi.
The first female soloist to make it on this list is the legendary yet unheard of Son Dam Bi. She is not as known as Boa, or even Kahi (that is, internationally speaking), but this legendary single was released in 2008 and still delivers the same results as a first listen would. Her voice isn't even close to great technique-wise but it is good to listen to nonetheless. Her voice is so calm and sweet and almost as if she's whispering sweet nothings into your ear. Imagine eating candy or ice cream on an windy autumn's day, that is what Son Dam Bi's voice is like in this classic. Mixed with the instrumental, it's perfect. Let her voice and this track just take you, the song isn't even experimental or something creative, it's just great. Nothing about the song is "too much" and there's nothing missing either, the rap isn't randomly placed like a lot of Kpop songs too, it isn't too harsh or aggressive and it fits just right. By the time you finish the song it's a bittersweet feeling and you suddenly feel uncomfortable with not listening to it again. I recommend you listen to her song "Dripping Tears" as it gives off similar feelings and is just as refreshing.
5. "Tell Me" by Wonder Girls.
Arguably the best song by the Wonder Girls and one of the most recognisable girl group songs, it would be shameful if I didn't include this. Wonder Girls most iconic songs were released in their earlier years, and most groups usually have to wait a couple to have that one song that breaks them through the surface. Wonder Girls wasn't quite there yet with Irony in 2007, although it was quite successful, but then later that year they released Tell Me and from that moment on they were considered one of the greatest girl groups Korea has ever seen, and they deserved it. Many Korean kpop fans would choose either Tell Me or Gee as the most memorable girl group song, and they're far from incorrect, as Tell Me is a melody you'll never forget. As girly and cheesy at the song sounds, it's effortlessly catchy and the tune is sweeter than most of their other releases.
6. "Bang!" by After School.
The song that should sound bad but it just sounds so good. You almost feel a bit reluctant to show anyone who isn't familiar with the Kpop scene this song. It's basically a marching band styled mess. In all honesty, I don't know why the hell I love this single. As soon as you hear the narration at the beginning, you feel like you've just stumbled upon a Latin-pop flop of a song, but then you hear it. That god damn chorus. It's a mess, like I said before, it shouldn't sound good. The M/V looks like a low-budget commercial that has starring an infamous YouTuber. But the entirety of the song is promising. Bekah's rap is, like the usual, quite cheesy and well...not good. But that doesn't ruin the song. The bridge begins and after the catchy drum line solo, you hear Raina's extremely pleasing voice start to make her way through. Without her, that song would be empty and she finishes the song (along with the cheers of After School and the continuation of claps and drum line instruments) smoothly. I admit, I did forget about the song for a while, but I know that as soon as I hear the beginning or any part of the song for that matter, I'll instantly remember it. It's a beautiful mess.
7. "Abracadabra" by Brown Eyed Girls.
Not only was this song and M/V quite controversial, but it was a success too, and it deserved to be. The song ended up proving it's success once again after PSY was inspired by the choreography and used it in his own single, Gentleman. This electropop hit is the strongest during the verses, especially the parts where they talk fast paced but with firm voices. Miryo's rap as well as the enchanting "la la la la" parts afterwards close the song perfectly. And after that, it's just a chorus and repetitive verse lines which fit in well. The song itself sounds quite dark and it sets off the mood for the entire song. Brown Eyed Girls have yet to release something similar to Abracadabra, but I'm waiting.
8. "Bad Girl Good Girl" by Miss A.
This single is a standout amongst Miss A's others. I would say Breathe is the only single that's on par to Bad Girl Good Girl, as it stood out amongst other girl group singles and sounded very fresh. Even though Touch is my favourite single by them, Bad Girl Good Girl is clearly the most memorable. The entire song sounds fresh and their vocals sound very unique. At the beginning of the song, you feel as if it's going to be another mediocre pop song but as soon as Suzy starts singing, you feel differently. The song finally starts sounding complete when Jia's and Fei's unique timbre fill the entire chorus. Honestly, I would have put Breathe here instead if it wasn't for that mesmerising chorus.
9. "To Me" by Rainbow.
This was a tough one, I was deciding between A, Mach and To Me which were all on their So Girls EP album. All those three songs are just as solid as the other, and they were honestly ahead of their time. A had that Hawaiian surfer inspired sound that The Black Eyed Peas used in their song Pump It that is used right before they start singing the verses, and Mach had something other Kpop songs didn't but you couldn't put your finger on it. But To Me came through and took ninth place respectfully because not only is this a unique sounding song in Kpop (not because of the difficult or unused genre, but the melody itself), it is something that Kpop now is lacking. The song itself sounds so strong and high quality because of the unified sound. All of their voices come together in a sort of loud style that only Rainbow has been able to captivate so well. The piano mixed with the dance-pop instrumental and their perfectly blended vocals is what made this timeless classic take ninth place. It is something no group other than Rainbow could achieve.
10. "I My Me Mine" by 4Minute.
I guess the last two on this list are probably surprising to some people. But this song is such a standout amongst 4Minute's discography and pretty much every Kpop single released around it's time. This electropop song is very solid and never disappoints, and it was during that confusing era of Kpop too. Sohyun usually gets pretty crappy verses but as soon as she sang, it set the whole tone of the entire song. They sing in beat with the instrumental, and the other members start singing their parts without those awkward cut ins. The chorus along with Jiyoon's part in the bridge are the best and strongest parts of the song. "Click click click click" is literally the same words repeated twelve times in a chorus yet you'll have it ingrained in your head and replaying itself. I can't explain it, but the way they say those words is completely addictive. The song makes no sense to me, but I haven't forgotten how amazing that chorus is.
Some honourable mentions (in no order)
"La Cha Ta" by f(x).
"Like This, Like That" by 5DOLLS.
"Bangkok City" by Orange Caramel.
"Disco Town" by B.Dolls.
"Black & White" by G.NA.
"Bubble Pop" by HyunA.
"Hurricane Venus" by BoA.
"How Dare You" by Sistar.
"One More Time" by Jewelry.
"10 Minutes" by Lee Hyori.