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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Popular J-POP Songs in South Korea [With Korean Covers Too!] (41–50)
idolYOASOBI
It became the first Japanese-language song to reach No.
1 on Billboard’s Global Excl.
U.S.
chart—a killer tune from 2023 that’s hitting fast.
As the theme song for the anime “Oshi no Ko,” it reflects the strong popularity of Japanese anime in Korea as well, and on TikTok many idols like TWICE, LE SSERAFIM, and ENHYPEN are dancing to it.
The song is packed with impact and catchy appeal.
It’s also ranking high on Korean charts for subscription services like YouTube Music and Apple Music.
Even among YOASOBI’s explosive hits, this situation is unprecedented; it looks set to sweep not only Korea but the entire world.
Close your eyes (quietly closing my eyes)Hirai Ken (COVER: Chon Jeuku)
The 20th single by singer-songwriter Ken Hirai, who has created numerous masterpieces with his gently enveloping vocals and heartrending edge voice that tightens the heart.
Written specifically as the theme song for the film “Crying Out Love, in the Center of the World,” its story—framed as an answer song to the heroine’s message—truly stirs the emotions.
In 2005, a remake cover by Korean singer Jung Jae-wook was released and became a major hit, further boosting his popularity.
It’s a timeless J-pop classic that reaffirms how a beautiful melody can cross oceans.
My Past Life, Many Lifetimes AgoRADWIMPS（COVER：DAY6）
The animated film Your Name, directed by Makoto Shinkai, became a huge hit not only in Japan but around the world.
Its insert song Zenzenzense by RADWIMPS also gained popularity in Korea along with the movie.
Set to a driving, exhilarating melody, the song expresses a great love that suggests we have been connected for decades, even centuries, in a way that mirrors the film’s story.
In Korea, it has been covered by the four-member band DAY6 and singer-songwriter Lee Juck, among others.
Just as in Japan, many people in Korea sang this song at karaoke.
hyururira-pappatuki.
A breezy, uplifting track with a rhythm that feels like the wind rushing through and a free-spirited vibe.
The onomatopoeic title adds a sense of liberation and familiarity.
Tuki.
is a singer-songwriter who debuted in 2023 at the age of 15.
Released in July 2024, this song carries her message of “living as yourself.” Riding the momentum of the hit “Bansanka” in Korea, it’s gaining popularity there as well, even ranking on YouTube’s MV chart.
With its light sound and sensory lyrics, it’s perfect for when you want a change of pace or to feel free.
Give it a listen!
silhouetteKANA-BOON
A four-piece rock band from Osaka, KANA-BOON released this song in 2014 as the opening theme for the anime Naruto Shippuden.
With exhilarating guitar riffs and a powerful melody, the lyrics express how memories of the past and encounters with loved ones remain in the heart like indelible shadows.
The message of growing up while protecting what’s important overlaps with Naruto’s story and resonated with many fans.
In Korea, the song has maintained strong support among anime fans, with a cover by popular YouTuber Raon Lee surpassing 100 million views.
In 2025, KANA-BOON performed the song for the first time in Goyang, South Korea, and the local fans’ massive sing-along became a hot topic.
Odoru-LoopFurederikku
This is the title track from the mini-album “oddloop,” which marked their major-label debut in Japan in September 2014, known for its highly addictive dance-rock sound.
The music video on YouTube has surpassed 100 million views worldwide, and in Korea the song has taken root under the Hangul title “오도루프.” At the 2024 Busan International Rock Festival, a massive sing-along broke out, and it’s talked about as the song that gets the crowd most hyped at live shows.
It has also been used as the ending theme for the anime “Yamada-kun and the Seven Witches” and in a Uniqlo commercial, and it has resurfaced among younger generations through TikTok.
In Korea, even lyric translations and cheering guides have been prepared, making it a familiar presence at rock festivals and concerts as a “song everyone’s heard at least once.”
I thought about killing myselfamazarashi (COVER: Chansop by BTOB)
A rock band from Aomori Prefecture, amazarashi takes its name from a powerful idea: “We liken the sadness and pain that fall upon us in everyday life to rain; though we are exposed to the downpour, we still want to sing about the ‘even so.’” The song was originally written for the female singer Mika Nakashima, but amazarashi’s self-cover version has also drawn significant attention.
In Korea, it became a hot topic when top artists well-known in Japan, such as Jaejoong and BTOB’s Changsub, covered it.
This is a number that shows how a message—lyrical yet brimming with inner heat—can transcend borders and be felt, even when the country is different.