Oh, time. The ficklest of friends. In what feels like the blink of an eye, 10 years have passed, with some of our K-Pop favorites now the age of a fourth-grader. So brace yourselves and get ready to feel old as we look back at some hits that have now hit the decade mark.

“Boyfriend” - Boyfriend

In 2011, Boyfriend hit the scene with their eponymous debut track “Boyfriend.” With an unbelievably feel-good vibe, the group set the trend for many of today’s fresh concepts. It’s no wonder that the infectious cheerfulness and knife-like choreography won the group several “Best New Artist” awards that year.

“Roly Poly” - T-ARA

Off their second mini-album John Travolta Wannabe, “Roly Poly” is practically synonymous with not only T-ARA but also K-Pop as a whole. The song went on to be the most downloaded song of 2011, despite never officially topping the Gaon chart.

“Tonight” - BIGBANG

BIGBANG’s “Tonight” is a downright club anthem. The song was released following a two-year hiatus from the group and consequently received by fans with the utmost enthusiasm. As a result, the track topped numerous Korean charts, including the Gaon Digital Chart, and won the group nine music show wins.

“The Boys” - Girls’ Generation

In 2011, Girls’ Generation released their third full album The Boys, and with it, the title track of the same name. In addition to chart-topping domestic success and a whopping 12 music show wins, the song ushered them into the Western market, with numerous U.S. television appearances. 

“Be My Baby” - Wonder Girls

Wonder World is the second full album from Wonder Girls and features the upbeat “Be My Baby” as its title track, a song that went on to top the Gaon Digital Chart and the Billboard Korea K-Pop Hot 100. In true Wonder Girls fashion, the song takes its retro influence from everything from the ‘60s to the ‘90s.

“Mr. Simple” - Super Junior

“Mr. Simple” is the title off Super Junior’s fifth full album, and overflowing with that classic Super Junior synth-pop touch. Not only was the song successful on its own, but the track helped the album—also named Mr. Simple—reach incredible milestones, including multiple “Album of the Year” daesangs at year-end award shows.

“Fiction” - B2ST

B2ST released “Fiction” off of their album Fiction and Fact, and cemented the song’s place in K-Pop history. Whether it's the group’s heartfelt vocals or the smooth footwork in the song’s chorus, “Fiction” is beyond deserving of all of its accolades, which include but are not limited to topping the Gaon Monthly Chart and winning numerous end-of-the-year awards including the 2011 KBS Music Festival “Song of the Year.”

“Step” - KARA

It goes without saying that KARA’s “Step” is quintessential to K-Pop. The high-energy synths in the song coupled with the bursting, bright colors in the music video make for a stunning audiovisual experience. Even now, years later, it’s still consistently ranked by news outlets as one of K-Pop’s most legendary songs.

“Good-bye Baby” - Miss A

Miss A’s “Good-bye Baby” comes off their first full album A Class, and easily topped the Gaon Digital Chart back in 2011. Tinged with gritty electric guitars and a slightly more mature image than their contemporaries, the song—along with “Bad Girl Good Girl”—helped the group own the competition in the 2011 awards season.

“Trouble Maker” - Trouble Maker

One of K-Pop’s most famous duos, Trouble Maker released their debut track “Trouble Maker” in 2011. Consisting of superstars HyunA and B2ST’s Hyunseung, the release was not only unapologetically sexy, but also crazy catchy. Any K-Pop fan would know that whistle anywhere.