August 28th marks the anniversary of idol group U-KISS! In fact, this talented group is celebrating their 10th anniversary since debut.
U-KISS is a special group to me. They were one of the "first" idol groups for me in many ways. They were the first Kpop group I ever saw in concert. They were one of the first groups I ever stanned. Their press conference was the first one I ever attended as a reporter. They were the first group whose fandom I ever officially joined. They were the first group I ever bought merchandise from, and they were also one of the first groups that taught me exactly what it feels like to have a bias (Hello, precious Kevin!) and a bias wrecker (Still looking great, Eli!).
As such, U-KISS was an important part of my life and a group that I will always think about with great fondness. Although more groups have entered my life since I first began to love U-KISS, there is no doubt I will always have a special place in my heart for all the wonderful members and their countless, amazing songs.
To celebrate 10 years with this influential and talented group, let's look back at ten of their very best title tracks. Since they have so many Japanese releases as well, we will focus on Korean title tracks instead. They are listed in no particular order.
1) "Believe" - 2012
Want a great song that seems to capture the very sound that drew so many people into Kpop around this time? Look no further than U-KISS's "Believe." Mixed with a bright, electronic sound on the beat, their strong vocals and rap lines will still have you singing your heart out all these years later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P_E0J2WIfw0
2) "0330" - 2011
This is an iconic U-KISS song that will bring a rush of sentimentality to fans as they listen. In fact, I may or may not have teared up watching this MV as I put together this list. For fans, this song will never get old and will forever remind them of one of U-KISS's best eras.
https://youtu.be/h1zOhQQpw6U
3) "Neverland" - 2011
"Tell the DJ turn it up up up and da-da-dance a little more." If you can listen to this song without dancing, then I seriously wonder if you're even a Kpop fan at all. The perfect visuals! The dramatic makeup! The difficult dance! The fun beat! The catchy English lyrics thrown in so international fans can sing along too! This, ladies and gentlemen, was the golden era of Kpop at its finest.
https://youtu.be/n3dF0Y7deb0
4) "Stop Girl" - 2011
Although "Neverland" may arguably be U-KISS's most famous song, "Stop Girl" is still one of their best! A sexy, hard beat balances out their smooth, clear vocals and gave birth to a new, mature sound for the amazing group. In fact, that strong beat still has such a modern sound that it is still relevant and perfect for Kpop fans today. Add in the crisp music video and you have one of U-KISS's best projects! Fun fact? They also released this song in English!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_AwyTp9qb0
5) "Man Man Ha Ni" - 2009
Ah, 2009... what a year! Back in this classic era, Kpop music videos might not have had the technology to be super high quality like the videos of today, but they made up for it with amazingly outrageous hair, outfits, and terrific dance songs that were made to get stuck in your head for days. Listen to this song and you will instantly be transported back in time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04v7dRrHvbg
6) "Bingeul Bingeul" - 2010
Since U-KISS is primarily active in Japan these days, many newer Kpop fans might not be that familiar with them. If someone were to ask me what their sound was like in early days, I'd tell them that it was a mixture of a young G-Dragon, classic 2NE1, and Brown Eyed Girls. As with most older Kpop videos, it can be hard to find the MVs in HD quality, but this is still such a fun video to watch. This was also one of their first songs to get really popular in Korea, with many other idols doing the dance on variety shows.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtLWGX5yHFs
7) "DORADORA" - 2012
In 2012, U-KISS came for me hard with this deliciously sexy song. Six years later, this song is still a bop and the dance still makes me go crazy! If you don't believe me, check out the choreography for the chorus (thank me later!). "DORADORA" is probably the most quintessential U-KISS song out there and still a fan favorite. Watch it below!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vfiaNtF9B4
8) "Standing Still" - 2013
"Standing Still" is and forever will be my all-time favorite song from U-KISS! The music video is also a lot of fun and still keeps my attention today, even after seeing it too many times to count. From maknae Dongho's cool, man bun hairstyle and dramatic makeup (still squeal-worthy!) to Kevin's sexy moves front and center for the choreo, from Eli's stunning visuals and gorgeous hair color to AJ's deep, throaty rap, I will never get tired of this MV or song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOPHIx81bQE
9) "She's Mine" - 2013
U-KISS has always been known for their great, smooth vocals. As such, it made sense that they focused on vocals and just added in rap features for most of their tracks. With "She's Mine" in 2013, however, they changed things up completely! Leading off with fierce raps, they later transitioned to simpler vocals in the second part of the verse before adding in layered harmonies on the chorus. The sound was fresh, unique, and very sexy, and the result was a song that could easily be played on radios today. In fact, the layered and close harmonies style is something you still hear a lot of medium-tempo tracks from groups like BTS and GOT7.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lL2Gasb6QTg
10) "Quit Playing" - 2014
"Quit Playing" (also known as "Don't Flirt" or "끼부리지마") was something of a shocker for fans when the video was released. The slower track had a very sensuous vibe— something that was further emphasized with the seriously sexy music video. With this video that pushed the limits in Korean music (they even featured a threesome!), U-KISS was making sure everyone knew they were now grown men and more mature, but they were still one of the most relevant groups in Kpop at the time.
https://youtu.be/r0pJ-mBHiV0
BONUS: "Stalker" - 2016
With such amazing vocals and great talent, why not show them off? That's exactly what U-KISS did in 2016 with their song "Stalker." The song had another great beat and dance to hook fans, but the special part of the song came via the vocal chops of members Hoon and Soohyun. While Kevin was almost always the most recognized vocalist of the group, Soohyun showed everyone he was a power to be reckoned with when he hit those clear, strong high notes towards the climax of the song. In addition, this was teir last Korean music video to be released and the last video to feature Kevin. As of yet, they have not made a comeback with the remaining members.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pN7REpLn3I
The years have brought many changes, but U-KISS currently has five active members. However, Jun is currently promoting as a member of the temporary unit UNB, and Soohyun is now serving in the military (with others soon to follow). With various other things happening in the members' lives, we don't know when we will next see a release from U-KISS. However, we do know that fans continue to wait for them and the great music they will undoubtedly provide.
To continue the celebration, click here to watch a special V Live broadcast from the members!
To all the current members (Soohyun, Hoon, Kiseop, Eli, and Jun) and the past members (Alexander, Kibum, AJ, Kevin, and Dongho), I want to say a personal thank you for being such a huge part of my own Kpop journey!
Congratulations to U-KISS for 10 amazing years since their debut! We wish you all continued success on your own music journeys!
lee1086 is the co-founder and director of What The Kpop. When not writing or editing articles, she is watching Kpop music videos or Korean variety shows. She is a huge fan of Super Junior and the perfection known as Eunsihae. She also loves EXO, SHINee, BIGBANG, and many more. When not obsessing over the flawlessness of Donghae or trying to decide if her SHINee bias is Taemin or Key, she is playing the piano, loving on her dog, and hanging out with her family and friends
Media: As Credited
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