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Lovely K-pop

Spotlight & Popular! A special feature on bands energizing South Korea’s rock and pop scene

When it comes to Korean music, K-pop has become the mainstream and is heard around the world, but there’s also a vibrant rock scene with its own compelling appeal.

Despite the notion that cultural development can be challenging due to national circumstances, there are many fascinating bands out there.

Here, we’ll introduce artists who are energizing Korea’s unmissable band scene!

From those bands you spot at festivals to the ones that frequently perform in Japan.

Let’s dive into the captivating world of K-ROCK as you discover and search for your favorite Korean bands!

Playlist

Spotlight & Popular! A special feature on bands energizing South Korea’s rock and pop scene
show_chartTitlePlaylistReview
1eastStarting OverCNBLUE
Starting OverCNBLUEplay_arrow
The ro... that will likely represent South Korea’s major scene
2eastUnbelievableLucy
UnbelievableLucyplay_arrow
Catchy charm in a form different from typical bands…
3eastHot PotatoN.Flying
Hot PotatoN.Flyingplay_arrow
Formerly from FNC Entertainment, FTI…
4eastSageFTISLAND
SageFTISLANDplay_arrow
Brotherly presence of FNC Entertainment...
5eastLOVE YA!HYUKOH
LOVE YA!HYUKOHplay_arrow
When I listen to this song, I’m like, “Huh? Is this a Western band?…"
6eastYou Were BeautifulDAY6
You Were BeautifulDAY6play_arrow
Known for groups such as 2PM and TWICE…
7eastExtinctionTHORNAPPLE
ExtinctionTHORNAPPLEplay_arrow
Thornapple’s vocalist Yu… left the band in 2009.
8eastT.B.HQWER
T.B.HQWERplay_arrow
A four-member girl group that debuted in October 2023...
9eastNO PAINSilica Gel
NO PAINSilica Gelplay_arrow
Fusing shoegaze and neo-psychedelia…
10eastFreakin’ BadXdinary Heroes
Freakin' BadXdinary Heroesplay_arrow
Known through groups from the same label, like DAY6 and TWICE...
11eastAll This Fxxking TimeNELL
All This Fxxking TimeNELLplay_arrow
There aren’t that many bands with a heavy, hard-hitting sound...
12eastMind Is LightSay Sue Me
Mind Is LightSay Sue Meplay_arrow
Seisumi is a band from Korea—specifically from Busan.
13eastDry FlowerSURL
Dry FlowerSURLplay_arrow
A Korean band you should definitely keep an eye on is Ban…
14eastModelADOY (아도이)
ModelADOY (아도이)play_arrow
Chill-out and emo vibes, a softly soothing calm…
15eastI Don’t Know WhyHOA
I Don't Know WhyHOAplay_arrow
Rapidly gaining attention as a distinctive Korean band…
16east내일의 나에게(Regret)기프트(GIFT)
내일의 나에게(Regret)기프트(GIFT)play_arrow
By covering a variety of songs, Gift (the band) has managed to...
17eastTiramisu CakeWE ARE THE NIGHT
Tiramisu CakeWE ARE THE NIGHTplay_arrow
Captivating listeners with a cinematic sound…
18eastI forgotFoxee
I forgotFoxeeplay_arrow
Foxy is recommended as a Korean band...
19east가시 (Thorn)Buzz
가시 (Thorn)Buzzplay_arrow
The Korean band Buz, formed in 2000…
20east벚꽃 엔딩Busker Busker
벚꽃 엔딩Busker Buskerplay_arrow
The audition program “Superstar K3”…
21eastFearlessRolling Quartz
FearlessRolling Quartzplay_arrow
They made a dashing entrance onto South Korea’s girl band scene...
22eastNight ViewTOUCHED
Night ViewTOUCHEDplay_arrow
A touch that shines with its own brilliance in the Korean music scene…
23east12가지 말들bongjeingan
12가지 말들bongjeinganplay_arrow
A powerful impact on South Korea’s indie rock scene…
24eastcoiicotoba
coiicotobaplay_arrow
The ma… is captivating with its complex rhythms and emotional melodies.
25eastLove AgainTHE SOLUTIONS
Love AgainTHE SOLUTIONSplay_arrow
Solutions is a singer-songwriter...
26eastGRAVITYONEWE
GRAVITYONEWEplay_arrow
As its predecessor MAS0094, in 2015…
27eastNew World AwaitsVassline
New World AwaitsVasslineplay_arrow
A hard ... based mainly in Seoul, South Korea
28eastBlazeRolling Quartz
BlazeRolling Quartzplay_arrow
Bands like BAND-MAID and SCANDAL, ...
29eastWaiting For Your Calling BackSultan of the Disco
Waiting For Your Calling BackSultan of the Discoplay_arrow
Highly recommended for those who like funky bands...
30eastLove Flutters(설레임)TheEastLight
Love Flutters(설레임)TheEastLightplay_arrow
Debuting in 2015 at the young age of 15...
31eastsorrow starCHUNGYOILE
sorrow starCHUNGYOILEplay_arrow
Cho..., who is bringing a new breeze to the Korean music scene
32eastLoveinGOGOSTAR
LoveinGOGOSTARplay_arrow
Lee Tae-seo, who had been active in another band until now...
33eastDa-Jung Punk GenerationRomantic Punch
Da-Jung Punk GenerationRomantic Punchplay_arrow
A romantic that radiates a hot, ever-unfolding allure...
34eastflying duckCherry Filter
flying duckCherry Filterplay_arrow
Che…, a legendary figure in the South Korean music scene,
35eastNational Police Sh!tDrinking Boys and Girls Choir
National Police Sh!tDrinking Boys and Girls Choirplay_arrow
Punk band from Daegu, South Korea, Drinking…
36eastNAN CHUNSe So Neon
NAN CHUNSe So Neonplay_arrow
Rock band from Seoul, Se So N…
37eastOne Summer Day (feat. mei ehara)CHS
One Summer Day (feat. mei ehara)CHSplay_arrow
A tropical psychedelic groove co...
38eastDazed & ConfusedGlen Check
Dazed & ConfusedGlen Checkplay_arrow
Gre… who exudes a unique presence in the Korean music scene
39eastfor lovers who hesitate(주저하는 연인들을 위해)JANNABI(잔나비)
for lovers who hesitate(주저하는 연인들을 위해)JANNABI(잔나비)play_arrow
Janna, an indie rock band from South Korea…
40eastRedAida
RedAidaplay_arrow
At the astonishingly young age of just 14, in September 1999…
41eastBeyond The HorizonIdiots
Beyond The HorizonIdiotsplay_arrow
A pop pan… born from Seoul’s music scene
42east여름궁전Misty Blue
여름궁전Misty Blueplay_arrow
Korea, weaving delicate tones and a lyrical worldview…
43eastEnemySlant
EnemySlantplay_arrow
A hardcore punk ba… based in Seoul
44eastSaturn In The LoopSynsnake
Saturn In The LoopSynsnakeplay_arrow
An electrocore/metalcore band from South Korea...
45eastSourThe Rose
SourThe Roseplay_arrow
A four-piece band that debuted in 2017. Col...
46eastBlindWalking After U
BlindWalking After Uplay_arrow
The Seoul-based female quartet Walki...
47east부르튼(Blister)THE KOXX
부르튼(Blister)THE KOXXplay_arrow
The Cocks originally majored in jazz at an art university...
48eastIt is U2Z
It is U2Zplay_arrow
In 2020, they released the mini-album ‘WE Tuzi…’
49eastMALHALKEB.R.T (Blue Rock Thrush)
MALHALKEB.R.T (Blue Rock Thrush)play_arrow
A band that started its musical activities in 2021…
50eastI’m the bestBebop
I'm the bestBebopplay_arrow
A girl pop ban… that captivates Korean men
51eastRitual DanceChudahye Chagis
Ritual DanceChudahye Chagisplay_arrow
There are some catchy bands, but here in the world…
52eastOutside EarthManjuPocket
Outside EarthManjuPocketplay_arrow
Strongly influenced by Black music…
53eastKarmaMessgram
KarmaMessgramplay_arrow
A rock band formed in Seoul, South Korea, in 2011…
54eastBeyond the NightsOurR
Beyond the NightsOurRplay_arrow
OurR, a three-piece band, arti…
55eastLet me go!The Volunteers
Let me go!The Volunteersplay_arrow
Like in shoegaze music, the guitar...
56eastsixteen twentyJuJu Club
sixteen twentyJuJu Clubplay_arrow
South Korea’s three …, which came to an end after about nine years starting in 1993
57eastIDEALISTLuciDreaM
IDEALISTLuciDreaMplay_arrow
A lucid dream in which you’re aware that you’re dreaming…
58eastCan’t StopMARMELLO
Can't StopMARMELLOplay_arrow
MARMELLO’s innovative music is a must-listen.
59eastPauseTRPP
PauseTRPPplay_arrow
A simple sound like garage rock…