Top 10 Underrated Kpop Songs 2016 [Mainstream + Indie]
2016 has come and gone before we knew it.
Continuing with the K-Pop Timeout Tradition (see 2015 ver) of listing the Top 10 Most Underrated K-Pop Songs because all the other sites are just bothered with the Top 10 that pretty much everyone will have heard of/have fan wars over, below are our top 10 picks of songs that did not rank high but deserves your attention! This year we have added a section for underrated non-idol tracks too, in-line with the rise of non-mainstream genres in K-Pop in 2016.
Some of the artists have escaped the list in recent years to stardom (hello MAMAMOO, Zion.T & DEAN!) so hopefully it happens again!
This is in alphabetic order NOT order of awesomeness because all of them are awesome. Also all MVs are linked in the song titles because Tumblr won’t let me share that many videos in one post.
Idols
Brave Girls "Deepened"
Returning to the music scene with 5 new members, BRAVE GIRLS transformed from a 5 member to a 7 member group. While the girls are still unfortunately pretty underrated, one cannot deny “Deepened” is probably one of the best K-Pop songs of 2016 - a perfect mix of alternative RnB, Pop and Hip-Hop. If you are into the K-RnB scene of Jay Park, Crush and Dean and also love yourself a non-cutesy, mature girl group, this is the song for you!
Cosmic Girls "Secret"
Another group with member changes, Cosmic Girls went from 12 to 13 members with the addition of PRODUCE 101 and I.O.I’s Yoo Yeonjung, returning with the super strong track of “Secret”, which boasts the perfect balance of electropop and ballad. The song did get the girls more attention but it still ranked a lot lower than expected. If you like a soothing girl group track with a high budget CGI-ful MV, check out this song!
HISTORY "QUEEN"
HISTORY, why you still on the list EVERY YEAR? The boys are back again with a stellar track that screams KINGS but have yet to be given the recognition they deserve. If you want visuals, talent, sick choreo and a total party BOP, check out “QUEEN”!
Hyosung "Find Me"
I know Hyosung is the queen in many of our hearts (including mine) but do you know she has yet to win a single solo award on music shows or end of year awards? (Like she is always nominated but that’s as far as it goes) This is sad, considering how strong of a track “Find Me” is, with one of the most addictive EDM hooks this year in K-Pop besides BTS’ “Blood, Sweat and Tears”. If you like a good EDM dance pop track, this is the song for you!
Laboum "Journey To Atlantis/Fresh Adventure"
Laboum has definitely been getting more attention this year but all the attention seems to be more focused on Solbin (sweet girl don’t get me wrong) instead of the group or their consistently solid comebacks. “Journey To Atlantis” is definitely another catchy and high-quality girl group track, their best one yet and deserving of making it to the top. Like if it was given to popular groups TWICE/GFRIEND it would be snatching awards left and right. If you like a feel-good girl group track worthy of #1s, check this out!
Ladies' Code "Galaxy"
After making it through the most terrible circumstances, Ladies’ Code returns as a trio with its surviving members with a great song and immense public support...yet still not winning awards. “Galaxy” continues Ladies’ Code’s own unique style of quirky retro yet dark pop songs, but this time with a mature twist to it fitting of the more mature members. If you are a fan of Wonder Girls’ and MAMAMOO’s retro sound as well as Red Velvet’s strange concepts, this is the perfect combination for you.
LOOΠΔ’s HeeJin "ViViD"
While LOOΠΔ has yet to debut and this is the pre-release track of one of its 12 to be members, this song is just K-Pop perfection. For those who don’t know, LOOΠΔ is an ambitious girl group project from Ladies’ Code’s label Polaris Entertainment subsidiary BLOCKBERRY CREATIVE - 1 member is revealed each month with her own solo track and a new group track with the revealed members so far. While the other girls so far had great tracks too, Heejin’s specifically channels this quirky style that is popular in K-Pop for the past few years. Also this is one artsy high-budget MV and Heejin has stellar visuals to boot. So if you like the more recent works of IU, Red Velvet and Lim Kim, check this song out and be sure to look out for LOOΠΔ’s October 2017 debut!
NU'EST "Overcome"
While as a long-time K-Pop fan who witnessed the difficult times of PLEDIS Entertainment along with the miracle of SEVENTEEN’s rise to top K-Pop stardom, my heart still aches for NU’EST. A group with talent, visuals and great songs to boot, it really makes no sense why they are so unappreciated in South Korea. “Overcome” marks the actualization of NU’EST in the boys’ purest form - combining their early days of EDM along with the later slower and more mature dance ballad tracks into this masterpiece. If you want to be slayed by mature men, this is the song for you!
OH MY GIRL "Liar Liar"
Okay, I kind of listen to this song every morning. This song is just super infectious, feel-good, catchy...and gets me ready to face the struggles of daily life, especially Mondays. It was already a mystery when “Closer” did not get OH MY GIRL up top last year and even less sense when “Liar Liar” came out. Although I am not fully on board with the reggae route the girls have now taken and am more into either their “Liar Liar” crazy happy tracks or “1 Step 2 Step” elegant angel mode, I wish them success in their future comebacks. If you are a fan of super addictive and borderline too happy it’s crazy girl group tracks, check this out!
Snuper "Platonic Love"
Another rookie group who sort of got forgotten this year. SNUPER debuted with a pretty catchy track and followed up with the really strong “Platonic Love”, produced by INFINITE’s hitmaker SWEETUNE. With its retro 80s dance beats mixed with the right amount of modern pop, this song seemed like one that can make these boys the top male rookie group of the year...but sadly it ain’t so. Even when they followed up with equally solid and addictive tracks like “Compass” and “It’s Raining.” If you love INFINITE and retro style K-Pop, you should really give Snuper a chance.
Non-Idols
The Black Skirts "Everything"
I fell in love with the one-man indie band,The Black Skirts, since “Hollywood” last year and “Everything” continues the band’s trend of chill and somewhat nostalgic tracks. It’s as if someone is whispering in my ear, telling me it's okay while reminding me of the beauty of someone and/or the world. Being in YG Entertainment’s indie sublabel HIGHGRND is a good start but I really hope this group gains more attention! If you want laid-back good band music, check this out!
Car, The Garden "Gimme Love"
This song is so classy, I can’t even. Like it has smooth RnB-Soul vocals and laid-back, sexy cocktail party beats going on. Also, the music video is like super sensual without showing skin. If you are looking for a band to stan in the K-RnB/Soul scene, this is the one to follow! [sadly not gifs...]
Dynamic Duo, Primary, Boi B, Crush "highfiVe"
One of the best BOPs of the year with less than 2 million MV views on Youtube even though it came out during the summer. It makes no sense too since it features the super popular Dynamic Duo and Crush, as well as top K-Alternative producer Primary. Anyways, if you like a good group collab K-Pop party track, it’s time for you to play “highfiVe”!
Hoody "Like You"
Hoody is the only female artist under AOMG and super talented, but has yet to receive the same levels of fame as label mates Jay Park, Loco, Gray and Simon D. Her first release under AOMG produced by Gray, “Like You”, is super good - soothing and a good display of her pipes. With her collaborations with her more popular labelmates, hopefully, more K-Pop fans and South Koreans will notice her music. If you like yourself some Tinashe, it is time to check out Hoody! [no gifs too...]
Mad Clown ft Lee Haeri of Davichi "Lie"
With Lee Haeri easily being one of the best female ballad vocalists in K-Pop and Mad Clown the king of collabs, the lack of attention given to “Lie” simply hurts. Like the MV doesn’t even have 1 million views yet. This song has brilliant, emotional and beautifully written rap by Mad Clown which blended perfectly with Lee Haeri’s longing tone. The MV is also artfully filmed and fits perfectly with the song’s aesthetics. If you like a good male rapper and female vocalist collab and break up/bad relationship songs, this is the song for you.
MOVNING "Silly Man"
Have you ever thought of Twenty One Pilots meets K-Pop? Well, that’s what you will find in South Korean indie band MOVNING’s music. Having just debuted this year, they have already developed a unique style that sets them apart from other K-Indie bands, having more similarities with the recent US faves Twenty One Pilots than the bands of Hongdae. “Silly Man” is catchy, mischevious and a lot of fun. If you like this kind of alternative band music, MOVNING is going to be one of your new favorite bands.
Lee Dong Woo X Orphée Noah "Definition of Love"
This is one of the songs that made me super thankful of SM STATION being a thing. It really provides an avenue for interesting international collaborations and allows SM artists to produce non-mainstream genres of music. This neo-soul jazz collaboration with Swedish singer-songwriter Orphée Noah is pure eargasm and a good departure from SM idol music. If you love jazz, go check out this beautiful track! It only has 200,000ish views, which is very, very unfortunate.
Neon Bunny "Forest Of Skyscrapers"
Honestly a queen of the K-electropop scene, she is still relatively unknown to most K-Pop fans and only finally got domestic mainstream success in 2012. However, her latest masterpiece, “Forest Of Skyscrapers”, only has 60,000ish views on Youtube and really deserves more. If you like dreampop or electropop like Troye Sivan and Lana Del Rey’s music, you should really check this out!
WE ARE THE NIGHT "Dial"
With fans like Park Shin Hye, WE ARE THE NIGHT are slowly rising but not fast enough. “Dial” is a great alternative track with a catchy beat and soothing vocals that flow to the listener like clear water slowly rinsing a glass. If you enjoy laid-back alternative tracks that can help you wind down at the end of the day, “Dial” is the song for you.
Which songs do you think were underrated this year? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below and let the song sharing begin!!!
