A J-POP song highly popular in South Korea [with a Korean-language cover too!]
Japanese music is gaining attention among younger generations in Korea.
Of course anime plays a role, but in recent years the influence of social media has helped people enjoy music from all over the world, regardless of country.
Through things like dance collaborations between idols and programs such as the “Japan-Korea Top Ten Show,” we can feel the growing exchange between Japanese and Korean artists, as well as the spread of J-pop and Showa-era pop.
For a long time, sales of Japanese records were restricted in Korea, but now it’s great to see them becoming popular and spreading thanks to various influences.
Let’s all enjoy the J-pop that’s so popular in Korea!
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Top 10 J-POP Songs Popular in Korea [With Korean Covers Too!] (1–10)
NIGHT DANCERimase
Amid the rising popularity of J-POP since around 2022, this might well be one of the standout smash hits.
It spread rapidly through TikTok dance challenges—now essential to modern music trends—with participation from popular groups like IVE and Stray Kids, making it beloved by a wide audience.
It was also shocking to see it become the first J-POP song to rank on Korea’s important Melon Top 100 chart.
The laid-back, ennui-tinged vocals and melodies are easy to listen to and offer a different kind of addictive appeal from K-POP.
Its message of enjoying the night freely perfectly captures the allure of music.
Dinner Songtuki.
tuki.’s “Bansanka” is a moving song that portrays the complexity of love.
Released in September 2023, it quickly captured listeners’ hearts and drew significant attention, even charting on Spotify’s Korean Viral chart.
The fragile piano melody, paired with deeply emotional lyrics, is truly stirring.
It’s a track that showcases tuki.’s talent, with an emotional depth that’s hard to believe came from a 15-year-old at the time, shaking listeners to their core.
The song not only conveys the appeal of J-pop across borders but also marks a striking debut for a new-generation vocalist.
Snow Flower (Neun-ui Kkot)Nakajima Mika (COVER: Paku Hyoshin)
Mika Nakashima’s “Yuki no Hana,” released in 2003, is a bittersweet love song that’s often featured every winter.
It’s no exaggeration to say almost everyone in Japan knows it, and it’s hugely popular in Korea as well.
It became a big hit there after Park Hyo-shin remade it as part of the OST for the drama “I’m Sorry, I Love You.” Among numerous requests from various artists, Mika Nakashima herself decided to offer the song to Park Hyo-shin.
His vocal prowess and the unique atmosphere that comes from a male vocalist make it just as beautiful as the original.
Given Korea’s excellence in ballads, the rich, emotional tone may resonate even more deeply.
In recent years, BLACKPINK’s Jisoo has also covered it live, making it an immortal classic loved across generations.
Popular J-POP Songs in Korea [With Korean Covers!] (11–20)
dancerVaundy
One of Vaundy’s signature songs.
It explores the theme of heartbreak and renewal, depicting complex emotions.
The repeated phrases are striking and seem to symbolize feelings that never reach their destination.
Released in November 2021, it surpassed 100 million streams at the fastest pace of his career at the time.
Many cover videos focusing on solo acoustic performances have been uploaded, and Minji from NewJeans even covered it at their Tokyo Dome concert.
As of mid-2024, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it an extraordinarily prominent J-pop track.
It’s a wonderful masterpiece to listen to, and it’s also great for everyone to enjoy together at karaoke!
I want to tell you how I feel (my love)aimyon
A highly memorable second single featuring a music video set entirely in the same location.
Aimyon’s masterful lyricism, laying bare the anxieties of being in love, is seriously cool.
Although it was released in 2017, it seems to have gained a lot of traction thanks to short videos on TikTok and Instagram Reels.
The fact that BTS’s SUGA mentioned it as a song he often listens to may have further boosted its popularity.
It has even charted on platforms like Apple Music and continues to enjoy a long-running hit status.
Overdosenatori
An addictive track that exploded in popularity starting from TikTok and went on to become an unusually long-running hit in South Korea.
After its release in September 2022, it continued to chart on Spotify’s daily rankings in Korea, achieving an exceptional level of staying power for a J-pop song.
Whispered vocals tell a story of a love you knew you shouldn’t pursue, expressing a crumbling relationship and uncontrollable emotions over an R&B-tinged sound.
That worldview resonated deeply with young listeners in Korea, inspiring numerous Korean-language cover videos.
It was also featured in a Nike campaign and included on the album “Gekijou.” Perfect for fans of city pop and alternative R&B, it’s a highly recommended track for night drives or when you want to sink into your feelings alone.
Only a single voicerokudenashi
A song by Rokudenashi, a music project born from the 2021 Vocaloid scene that has amassed over one million followers, mainly on TikTok.
It’s the third digital single from the duo of vocalist Ninjin and Vocaloid producer MIMI, and a wistful ballad that gained traction across Asia—hitting No.
1 on Hong Kong’s Spotify Viral Chart and staying on the chart for 23 consecutive days.
In Korea, it’s widely known under the title “그저 목소리 하나,” with numerous lyric-explanation blogs featuring Korean translations and Hangul readings; it’s also officially registered with karaoke services TJ Media and Kumyoung.
At their Seoul show, the audience broke into a venue-wide sing-along to this signature track, a scene that shows how the song is loved beyond language barriers.