The Korean music industry is famed for cookie-cutter idols, arduous training programs, and generic pop music. There is still a long way to go in facilitating artists’ creative freedom, but significant strides have been made in recent years. The rise of self-written or self-produced idol groups like BTS and (G)I-DLE shows K-Pop has more to offer than cool aesthetics and earworm songs. A range of genres, including R&B and hip-hop, have boomed as musicians like DEAN and BewhY garner acclaim.

Nonetheless, interest in K-Pop remains somewhat stigmatized in the West. Korean songs are often considered artificial products designed for mass appeal rather than creative pieces worthy of thoughtful consideration and critique. While bubblegum pop and EDM remain highly enjoyable mainstays of K-Pop, there is more to Korean music than meets the eye (and the ear).

“Complex” – Zion.T ft. G-DRAGON 

“Complex” is a refreshing collaboration between the leader of K-Pop band BIGBANG and K-R&B soloist Zion.T, who boasts a mellow sound and staccato vocals. Zion.T takes sarcastic hits at the superficial nature of idol culture with lyrics like, “I wish I was an idol, someone who dances well and is handsome,” and, “If I can’t sing, I can just take it off.” There are two sides to every story however. G-DRAGON alludes to the toxic levels of fame and scrutiny that accompany the “idol” moniker: “I’d rather be you if I was Zion.T, because people know your songs but not your face.” The duo together explore what it means to be an artist in a highly commodified industry. 

“Paradox” – CL

CL is an iconic figure of second-generation K-Pop. Her solo album, In the Name of Love, has been dubbed her “diary” due to its deeply personal lyricism. In “Paradox”, the former 2NE1 member questions herself in a way many young adults can relate to, anxiously asking, “am I doing well? Why am I afraid of the end before I start? Will I be able to handle all this?” The lyrics hint at uncertainty of her place in the world and a sense of not quite belonging: “class just started but I can’t find my seat.” CL eventually embraces her individuality in the song’s bridge, proudly rapping, “don’t see why I need to follow your ways, don’t wanna be you, my sun rises from the west, loving this view.” 

“The Tide” – Tablo 

Epik High rapper Tablo has had many challenging moments in his career, some of which were ruthlessly publicized by the media. Not long after the traction of false rumors that he faked a degree from Stanford, Tablo found himself on the receiving end of harassment and death threats. It’s no surprise that a theme of disillusionment permeates “The Tide.” The lyrics describe a world rife with hypocrisy in which, “the hand that gave you the shovel points fingers at you, and tells you that you dug your own grave.” The song is haunted by fatalistic metaphors which highlight the inevitable nature of suffering: “avoiding the fishhook, breathing a breath of relief, when the world is net.” 

“Black Swan” - BTS

BTS made history as the first Korean band to perform at the AMAs with their electropop track “DNA.” At the other end of the spectrum is “Black Swan,” a piece of angsty cloud rap about their fear of losing love for music: “the heart no longer races, when hearing the music play.” The lyrics detail the downward spiral of an identity crisis triggered by the end of a life-long passion. SUGA’s verse stresses just how fundamental music was to his sense of self: “I’m in my workroom, it’s my studio...inside, I saw myself, myself.” The existential motif is reinforced by a question that lingers all the way through to the song’s end: “what’s my thang, what’s my thang tell me now.” 

“Sober” – HYO 

“Sober” has an English and Korean version. The two songs are sonically identical but lyrically opposite. In the lyrics of the Korean pre-chorus, Girls’ Generation vocalist HYO mentions, “tears that spread with memories filled with hurt,” and laments, “I can’t handle it, I don’t want to know anymore.” The lyrics in the English version are emotionally detached and blasé: “you can take me out, pour some wine and rub my shoulders, but I don’t want you now, I’ll come back when I’m hungover.” Singing as both the player and the played, HYO paints an uncomfortably realistic picture of a toxic, one-sided relationship. 

“Dinosaur” – AKMU 

Sibling duo AKMU are best known for their folk-pop sound. “Dinosaur” marks their first experiment with EDM. The lyrics begin in a narrative style reminiscent of a fairy-tale: “in my old neighborhood, in the basement of a villa, four members of the family lived.” The line, “under the bathroom door, there was a mouse-hole,” suggests that the family is not particularly well-off. The eponymous dinosaur figure has attracted much interest. Some fans take the term literally, while others have speculated it could be a euphemism for loan shark. The latter interpretation is supported by lines like, “every night, my father tossed and turned.”  

“Zezé” – IU 

Public perception of IU runs the gamut from South Korea’s sweetheart to its wily femme fatale. Much of the negative press undoubtedly boils down to misogyny, but “Zezé” polarized fans and critics alike and drew international attention. The suggestive lyrics, “Zezé, climb up the tree, kiss the leaves,” reference the child protagonist of Brazilian storybook, My Sweet Orange Tree. Certain critics claim that the song sexualizes children and promotes pedophilia. However, more observant listeners argue that IU is likely satirizing the way older men fetishize young women working in the K-Pop industry: “you're innocent, but so clever, so naive like a child, but so dirty.” 

“Lie” – Mad Clown ft. Lee Haeri

“Lie” combines melodic Latin guitar with Mad Clown’s brand of old-school rap. The lyrics oscillate between brutal confessions like, “hey, I don’t love you, I was sick of your tears, sick of the feelings,” and moments of guilty self-awareness when Mad Clown admits, “the only thing you wanted from me was trust, but I’m a b*stard and I can’t easily fix my habits.” Lee Haeri’s parts serve as a foil to his indifference, as she desperately insists, “I won’t let you go.” The song’s emotional intensity is punctuated with a few lines of comic relief: “your cat is staring at me like I’m a dog.” 

“Breathe” - LEE HI

“Breathe” was written and composed by SHINee vocalist Jonghyun, who was sadly a suicide victim. Jonghyun’s minimalistic ballad encourages the listener to return to basics in times of emotional turmoil. The lyrics are compassionate, reminding one that “it’s okay to make mistakes” and “it’s alright to run out of breath.” But Jonghyun also acknowledges the nuanced and subjective nature of personal hardship, admitting, “I can’t understand your breath.” LEE HI executes the poignant song with beautiful and soulful vocals. 

“Tomboy” – HYUKOH

K-Indie band HYUKOH boasts a thought-provoking discography, but their rock-infused power ballad “Tomboy” stands out for its ambivalent message. Lead singer Ohhyuk engages in some psychoanalysis, reflecting how “I was awkward with the love my mom always showed, maybe that’s why things are always so hard.” Simple but vivid lyrics highlight the transient nature of happiness: “I’m happy right now, so I’m nervous, because the sea is always calm before the storm.” However, lines like, “I’m cheering for love,” and, “there is a small beauty,” point to a current of hope in an otherwise despondent song. 

Ayisha is a postgraduate Philosophy student based in London. She has worked as a journalist and writer for publications in the past, and has now shared her skills with her guest post for The Kraze. You can follow her on Instagram.