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)
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.
Popular J-POP Songs in South Korea [Korean Covers Included!] (51–60)
Racing into the NightYOASOBI（COVER：Darlim&Hamabal）
A two-member music unit formed by Ayase, who has been active as a Vocaloid producer, and singer-songwriter Ikura (Rira Ikuta), YOASOBI’s first digital-only single.
Although it was the unit’s first released track, it swept the J-POP scene in 2020 and is widely known as YOASOBI’s signature song.
Its popularity extended beyond Japan, with a highly polished cover by Korean newcomer vocalist MAY also drawing attention.
The fact that MAY, who does not speak Japanese, covered the song in Japanese just like the original shows how highly the piece is regarded overall.
It’s a number that signals the beginning of a new musical style from Japan to the world.
TearsX JAPAN（COVER：M.C The Max）
It’s no exaggeration to say this was the first time a true metal sound rang out in living rooms across Japan: the ninth single by X JAPAN, the five-piece rock band Japan proudly presents to the world.
A beautiful ballad that highlights the band’s classical side, it’s also known as their biggest hit in terms of sales.
Its covers by Korean bands MC THE MAX and TRAX, and its use as an insert song in the Korean film “Windstruck,” suggest that it’s a beloved track not only in Japan but in Korea as well.
This gem lets you experience the band’s profound musicality that goes far beyond sheer intensity.
Butter-FlyWada Kōji
Digimon Adventure is hugely popular in Japan, both the anime and its music.
When it comes to its most iconic song, it has to be Koji Wada’s “Butter-Fly.” Released in 1999, this track served as Digimon’s theme song for many years.
Set to an energetic melody, the lyrics express the belief that no matter how small you may feel now, as long as you have the determination to give it your all, you’ll be alright.
Digimon is also extremely popular in Korea! While many different theme songs are played there, this song is a massively popular anime tune known by people all around the world.
I LOVE YOUOzaki Yutaka (COVER: POSITION)
A long-beloved love song and a masterpiece by Yutaka Ozaki, “I LOVE YOU.” In Korea, the cover by Position—a unit that debuted with producer Ahn Jung-hoon and vocalist Lim Jae-wook—won wide support.
Released in 2001, it sold over 700,000 copies and swept awards such as the Kayo Grand Prize and the Golden Disc Grand Prize.
While Yutaka Ozaki sings his feelings of the moment with passion, Position conveys a mood of gently looking back on feelings that have passed.
As Korean music is often associated with memorable love songs, ballads like this continue to be deeply cherished.
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.
Let’s Count Your Kisses ~You were mine~ (Let’s Count the Kisses with You)Koyanagi Yuki (COVER: Fayobi)
This is the debut single by Yuki Koyanagi, a female singer who made a major-label debut while still in high school and left a powerful impression with her overwhelming vocal ability and soulful voice.
Despite being her first release, the song was featured across a range of tie-ins—including variety shows, TV anime, and commercials—and has been covered both in Japan and abroad, making it one of her signature tracks.
In Korea, it was covered by Park Hwayobi, an R&B singer, whose gentler arrangement drew attention for its different feel from the original, which leans more toward a rock ballad.
Celebrated for a beautiful melody that resonates across language barriers, the song enjoys broad support from a wide audience.