SM Bops with Anti-Drops

There is nothing better in a song than when the tension builds before exploding into the chorus with a hype beat drop. However, the rise of anti-drops, popularized by singer Charlie Puth, has a spotlight on choruses that do not include a beat drop but sound rather “empty,” focusing on the bass, drums, and vocals. SM Entertainment loves to include an anti-drop in their songs, so let’s check out some examples!

“Jopping” - SuperM

As the “Avengers” of K-Pop, SuperM has brought us a presence and power that others cannot rival. Their debut song, “Jopping,” continued this epicness with their strong vocals and beats. It is a prime example of an anti-drop, as the pre-chorus builds right from the beginning until it just drops off into the bass with the members shouting the line, “Jopping.”

“I Got Love” - Taeyeon

“I Got Love” gave us a dark and cool concept that was unexpected for a Taeyeon comeback. The anti-drop for this song gives the listener a completely different chorus from the pre-chorus build-up of Taeyeon’s powerhouse vocals. The transition into an instrumentation-only chorus only adds to the seductiveness that this song is trying to evoke. 

“Superhuman” - NCT 127

NCT 127 brought a twist to the anti-drop chorus with EDM and retro influences, along with their strong vocals, in “Superhuman.” As the song gets to the chorus, it drops off into the anti-drop and surprises us with the real chorus of the song. 

“View” - SHINee

SHINee brought a cool house sound with their song “View.” The instrumentals really carry this song while their vocals add that extra layer, making it an addictive listen. The build-ups are not extreme in “View;” however, the house sound used in the drop of the chorus brought another unique way to incorporate the anti-drop, as it allowed for a more upbeat feel to continue that you may not typically hear from anti-drops that focus more on that “empty” space in the chorus. 

“4 Walls” - f(x)

“4 Walls” has a similar style of house sound and upbeat anti-drop to “View.” With its all-around chill sound and beautiful aesthetics, f(x) brought a style that was not yet heard from them and really encapsulated it through their alluring vocals. The anti-drop paired with the house beat and their lyrics of, “love is four walls,” is completely captivating, making it a distinct song that will never be forgotten, even after the group's disbandment.

These are just a few examples of a vast amount of uses of the anti-drop, as SM Entertainment has shown that they clearly cannot get enough of that type of chorus. Which songs with an anti-drop are unforgettable to you?