Welcome back to the second half of the first part of my new retrospective project, where I go back 10 years in time in K-pop to see how it has evolved over time and to take a look back on the songs I grew up. 2012 was an important time in K-pop as it was probably the first time it hit big in the mainstream worldwide. While there are plenty of iconic songs many old time fans like myself would recognise and love, I’m here to talk about my personal favourites through the years and it will have a mix of popular and not so popular songs, as I’ve mentioned in my list for albums of the year.
As always this will be my personal favourites and not a list for most iconic songs of the year, it’s all just music at the end of the day and we can agree to disagree on our favourites.
12. After School - Flashback
Starting off the list with one of the more innovative group of women in K-pop that constantly brings us great music with interesting concepts. From marching bands to tap dancing to even pole dancing, they’ve done a lot of things newer groups nowadays couldn’t even imagine pulling off. While Flashback isn’t one of those innovative songs or concept, that’s no reason to overlook this amazing song.
With a sound that you don’t find much of nowadays, the club EDM pop sound is one of the many things that has faded out in K-pop, which is sad considering there’s so much that can still be done with the right producers behind it. Flashback has a runway-esque sound to it while incorporating many club elements into the instrumentation. Having very flashy sounding synth samples and even an dubstep breakdown for the bridge, its everything you could ask for from a song in 2012. While the writing and production is very much of the time, very cheesy and predictable melodies, that shouldn’t stop you from listening to one of their best songs and Pledis not promoting them enough after this will forever be one of K-pop’s biggest losses.
11. MBLAQ - 전쟁이야 (This is War)
Created by the legendary man himself, Rain, MBLAQ returned with such a powerful, dramatic song in a style that’s different from the other songs they’ve done. While they are no strangers to their fair share of angsty, dramatic songs, this is done in a more over the top melodramatic way that’s accompanied by a just as dramatic story based music video but I’ll let you, the viewer, watch it and experience it for yourself.
As for the song itself, it’s so over the top with it’s dramatic nature that it’s just amazing. The orchestration of the string section and the piano creates just the perfect soundscape of emotional hurt and betrayal while the chorus is created in the perfect, dramatic way. The use of the guitar line and the harder hitting beats creates such a theatrical, angsty feel and the melodic writing just compliments it perfectly. While it may not be the song for everybody, the dramatic nature of the song goes all the way so for those who love a song that commits to the angst, this is the one for you.
10. Nine Muses - Ticket
Nine Muses is one those really underrated girl groups that deserve more than what they got. Releasing hit after hit, it’s a shame many of their songs never got the recognition it deserves and Ticket is one of those songs. While their later songs do have a lot of attention on it, this is one of those songs that is honestly even more underrated than it should be. While done in a style that I would not be into usually, for some reason the way it’s done here works very well in my books.
While done in a mode and style that I’ve yet to properly recognise, the style somehow lends itself well to being a very addictive and catchy song. The use of the guitar line, the brass instruments and the funky bassline really made this the type of song to be very much in your face and having enough high energy to keep you moving. The one thing we can appreciate about this song and era of K-pop is how committed these people to the song and concept and Nine Muses really started building themselves up from this point onwards in my eyes.
9. Kim Sung Kyu - 60Sec (60초)
With Infinite being my second favourite boy band after Beast, it’s safe to say this was also one of my favourite points in time from them musically. After a very busy and successful year of 2011, they came back in 2012 even stronger than before and to end the year off we have Sung Kyu’s solo debut which is actually of my most favourite solos of all time which is surprising considering he’s not even my bias.
While a normal traditional would be expected and it would be an easy way for me to like it, he took it a step further and turned the whole thing into a pop rock ballad which is an easy win for me. Considering how a lot of these can get stale if not done right, the song has enough mellow moments and is not overpowering to give the song the right dynamic needed. The melodic writing of the song also compliments this as it feels familiar and nostalgic enough to people who listens to pop rock but not cheesy enough to be cringey by today’s standard. While a lot of times I like my bias’s solos not just because they are my biases but because they do make music I really like, this is the few times I do like solo from someone who’s not my bias and it’s great to see that his later solos would be just as good too.
8. Beast - Midnight
Speaking of which, Beast is on the list which doesn’t surprise anyone but if this was any other year they’d be higher up on the list. While they are my favourite boy band, I have to say the Midnight Sun album was one of my least favourites from them. It’s not bad by any means, far from it since the album as a whole is good and has songs I do like, but it pales out in the grand scheme of things.
Yes I will be using the Japanese MV for this since there’s actually a video for it and my thoughts still mostly stay the same as the one in my list for top Beast songs. The mix of the acoustic guitar and piano together with the dubstep elements really make this a well balanced song while still keeping things interesting. The writing of the song also makes the song feel less cheesy and with a more modern remastering, the song would fit right in with songs being released nowadays. While I’m not saying as much as I would for them usually, I would be repeating myself since writing the list for them previously and with this being one of my least favourite eras from them it’s hard for me to find new things to say without repeating myself. This is still a good song so you should definitely listen to it.
7. Apink - Sky High
Personally, Apink is one of the more consistent girl groups out there right now like sure not all of their songs are hits for me but the fact there’s very few songs I actually don’t like is amazing. It also helps that a lot of their title tracks are consistently well made, even if some of their albums aren’t the best. However, their first full album, Une Annee, is where I feel is the real start for their signature cute sound settling in properly.
With the help of Junhyung from Beast, Sky High is a song that is not cute like their usual songs but is not that drastically different for it to be really weird. A normal electronic pop song, it’s the type of song that feels very neutral yet crafted to fit Apink’s sound well without it being left field for them, providing a much needed change of pace without going overboard on the change. It provides enough change and power to be a very fitting end to the album. While it may not be the most significant song in their history, I do like the song and appreciate it for being the one of the first songs to show the versatility they’re capable of doing and for acting as a start of sorts for them.
6. LEDApple - Time’s Up
LEDApple is one of the most underrated rock bands in K-pop and it’s shocking to see that when they’re insanely unique, from having all sorts of different concepts to having really cool electronic instruments to even incorporating dance into their performances. It’s a shame they’re often overlooked especially when 2012 was their most busy year for promos and had the most diverse set of songs for the year.
Having a good mix of rock and electronic elements, Time’s up is one of my absolute favourite songs from them. Simple but effective while also being very catchy and memorable. Everything about the production seems top notch, clean and crisp sounds while bringing out the most of the band. It is a fairly simple song compared to the rest of their discography but it’s one of those simple songs that really hits and brings out the most of the sound it established. LEDApple really deserved more as a band when they were still around and it still sucks they didn’t do much after this year.
5. EXO-K - MAMA
Easily one of the most infamous debuts in K-pop history, not necessarily for any bad reason. If you were around during this time period, you cannot deny this debut left a very huge mark on K-pop. While not as a big or iconic as other songs during this time, MAMA was one of the most unique and different songs at the time, let alone a debut. The concept EXO has at that time and the sheer scale of it all really started something new in the scene.
The song alone is a cinematic masterpiece bringing in all the right elements to make this an explosive debut. The chants at the beginning really set the tone, as nonsensical as they were, and the instrumentation created this epic, surreal soundscape. The full orchestrated string line, the sparse, darker synths and the percussion hits created this darker sound to it all. The bridge is where the real craziness kicks in with the synth and guitar line for the dance break. Pair this with the screamo really made this a debut you cannot forget. We all may have different feelings on this song and debut as a whole but this is the start EXO needed and they embraced it fully all the way through.
4. C-Clown- Far Away…Young Love (멀어질까봐)
Anyone who has been into K-pop as long as I have or has been into it around this time will definitely know this song somehow. Probably their most well known song and the biggest sleeper hit in my eyes, this song really was the embodiment of the emo 2012 sound and in the best way possible. If you somehow don’t recognise this song, you’re missing out on a lot.
Everything about the writing and production is so 2012 but not done to be made very cheesy either. While it may seem stagnant or repetitive to some people, what it lacks in melodic writing, it makes up for in its vocal directing. The member’s singing through the song perfectly match the song and they do an amazing of delivering the song and the raps really leave an impact on the listener too. The synth riffs that accompany the song really does help complete the song. All in all, the song is really the complete package of a 2010s pop song in the best way possible and I personally miss these types of song.
3. Boyfriend - Janus
Boyfriend would’ve been one of the bigger bands out there since they were on the rise at the same time as SISTAR and had their reputation for their cute songs and being real naturals at it. Janus was a big change for them, being the first time they’ve shifted to a much darker, more mature sound as they released their first full album. This song would prove to be important as it brought a lot of attention to them at the time for being very different for not only themselves but from most of what was being released at the time.
With a much more theatrical feel to it, the orchestration of the track brought a more angsty feel to the song while the guitar lines added some much needed momentum. The melodic writing and the harmonised singing during the chorus really made the song sound more grand as it went on. Right from the start, the song has it’s own dramatic flair to it and the vocal abilities of the members really made the song shine even more. While it is also a shame that Boyfriend never really took off past this point, they gave their all to their songs and that’s the commendable part about it, that’s why all their songs really sound good and full.
2. Infinite- The Chaser (추격자)
Now its time for Infinite to show up on the list, I haven’t talked about them much but I have so many fond memories of their music and it’s some of the best I’ve ever listened to growing up. While they’re known as the pioneers for dancing, having very sharp choreography and being very in sync, they also have some of the most iconic songs in K-pop with the legendary Be Mine being released the year before.
It was during this time when the producing team Sweetune were behind their albums, being the main producers behind the Infinitize album, and their style was very clear from the start. Infinite was already known for having a very 80s synth pop style to them with modern production behind and The Chaser is another song that fits that. The repeating synth riff and and the horn samples does give it a very retro edge to it and the added guitar lines throughout the song added a lot of edge to it. The modulation during the last chorus added some much needed spice to the song as it is very constant with it’s sounds and energy. All in all, this song is very energetic and showcases a different sound for Infinite while still being in the familiar style that we all know from Infinite, making this another all time classic from them.
1. KARA - Pandora
Growing up I didn’t listen to girl groups all too much until much later but when I did, Kara was the few I would constantly go back to. One of the girl groups that mastered the sound of the K-pop/J-pop mix and does it amazingly. Sweetune was also a main producer for them during this period and it’s very clear the team knew exactly what kind of sound they were going for while tweaking it enough to give everyone they worked with their own sense of uniqueness.
Pandora is one of their best songs to date, with the composition and production style of K-pop while having it’s own sense of edge that J-pop songs have to help it stand out. The use of the synth riffs as the main motif for the song really stands out and gives it its own colour while the main piano line really adds its own sense of movement and creates the soundscape needed. The added guitar line buried within the track during the verses added its own sense of funk while it comes into full power during the bridge, and paired with the string line, creates a very climatic build with an amazing climax and ends the song off with a bang. While it may be a weird pick for a top song for the year, it’s one that will always get me going and I genuinely enjoy regardless so this would be the most fitting pick for top song of 2012.
This completely wraps up the first part of my new retrospective project, the year of 2012 is done. This is one of the most important and iconic years in K-pop, making way for many iconic songs and for being the year K-pop started hitting it big in the mainstream media in the West. While there may be many songs to be considered important and iconic, these are my favourite songs from the year and this will kick start the many years of reflection and analysing over the next 10 years. May nostalgia and hardship over picking my favourite songs and albums welcome me.
