Last week, Sofia showed everyone her top five songs that represent her love for K-Pop. Like her, Korean culture has been very important to me and K-Pop has become an essential part of the soundtrack of my life. It is hard to pick just a few favorites from the thousands, so I have chosen five girl group tracks and the specific memories that have been most impactful in my life.

5) BLACKPINK- “WHISTLE”

I joined a K-Pop dance crew as soon as I got to college, and this was the first girl group song we danced to. We weren't a cover group, but instead we had a choreographer who came up with amazing original creations to go with our favorite songs. We practiced for weeks until we finally got to perform this dance on stage and even made a music video. Now, whenever I hear “WHISTLE” by BLACKPINK , it reminds me of the excitement I felt practicing and dancing with my friends. 

4) BoA - “Atlantis Princess” 

When I got into K-Pop, I also got into K-Dramas. One of my first K-Dramas that incorporated both was Monstar, featuring Ha Yeonsoo and Yong Junhyung. My favorite part of the show was when they did a cover of BoA’s “Atlantis Princess.” I became obsessed with the song and all the different covers I could find. It remains one of my favorite K-Pop songs because of its timeless quality and ability to always put me in a good mood. 

3) MAMAMOO - “gogobebe”

“gogobebe” by MAMAMOO came out while I was living in Seoul and it played everywhere for months. Stores, clubs, and everything in between had this song on rotation, with Shaun’s “Way Back Home” and MOMOLAND’s “Bboom Bboom” One of my favorite memories is walking through Seodaemun district and hearing this song playing softly from down the street, like I was in a music video. 

2) IU - “Celebrity”

IU has always been one of my favorite idols, and any of her songs could be in my top five list. However, this song holds a special place because not only is it a great song, but it was the release that I based my thesis project on. I was studying for my music business masters in Spain and IU was gearing up to release this song. The concept and lyrics were so good, mixing honesty with bubbly vocals, and her social media was popping off. I spent months studying how she promoted and performed this song and I fell in love with it in the process. Looking back, “Celebrity” connects me to that time and the freedom of living in a new country, tied to the feeling of endless possibilities that would come after graduating. 

1) YoonMirae - “This Love”

The most unique song on the list and the most meaningful to me, YoonMirae’s “This Love” was the first Korean song that I learned all of the lyrics to. Everytime I go to karaoke, I still look for it. This song has been with me almost since the beginning of my journey with K-Pop, as I became a real fan in 2014 and this song came out in 2015. When I hear this song, I get taken back through the years and I am grateful all over again for getting to find songs like this that hold such a special place in my heart.