K-pop and Korean summer songs that color and enliven the season

TIME MACHINEONEUS

원어스(ONEUS) ‘TIME MACHINE’ MV

A fresh track from ONEUS, the boy group that debuted in January 2019, blending J-pop with synth-pop.

Released on April 30, 2025, it’s their first digital single in Japan.

The crisp sound driven by rhythmic guitars is striking.

The melody line combines breeziness with poignancy, and the vocals are powerful yet approachable, making it truly captivating.

The members themselves took part in the production, solidly expressing the group’s musical identity.

Paired with visuals shot by the seaside, it creates a transparent, airy world.

It’s the perfect song for when you want to bask in summer memories.

Beach AgainSSAK3

[MV] 싹쓰리(SSAK3) – 다시 여기 바닷가(Beach Again) Official MV (ENG sub)

Sakthree is a project group born from MBC’s variety show “How Do You Play?” It’s a song with a light, bright melody that fills you with a bubbly feeling that lifts your spirits.

Peak summertime vibes! The lyrics are by Zico, and the composition is by Lee Sang-soon.

It stirred up a whirlwind in the Korean music scene in the summer of 2020, topping the Gaon Digital Chart for five consecutive weeks.

The playful back-and-forth between the male and female vocals is delightful, and it’s a highly recommended number that wraps you in a nostalgic yet refreshing mood.

The seaUP

UP – The sea, 유피 – 바다, MBC Top Music 19970809

A refreshing number where a shimmering touch of summer shines over an addictive beat.

UP, a mixed-gender group, released this track as a single from their album “Second Birth” in April 1997.

As one of their signature dance tunes, it earned multiple No.

2 spots on music programs.

In subsequent remakes, Koyote’s 2020 cover reached No.

47 on Korea’s K-pop Hot 100 chart, and in August 2024, ZEROBASEONE’s version climbed to No.

8 on the download chart—proof that the song continues to be loved across generations.

It’s a perfect pick for summer beach days or as an upbeat driving BGM for an active holiday.

EnergeticWanna One

Wanna One (워너원) – 에너제틱 (Energetic) MV

An early house track with a beautiful piano melody.

Released in August 2017, it became a big hit in Korea.

It really evokes the feeling of refreshing summer sunshine.

They are a dance-vocal unit formed through the Korean cable TV channel Mnet’s survival program, consisting of 11 members chosen by viewer popular vote.

However, they regretfully announced a hiatus in 2019, and it’s said that many fans expressed their sorrow…

ViewSHINee

SHINee 샤이니 ‘View’ MV

In the K-POP scene, where countless idol groups debut every year, SHINee has remained a consistently popular boy group since their 2008 debut.

I think their secret lies in a futuristic sound that blends sharp, precise choreography with Korean soul music that exudes refined taste.

This song, released in May 2015, was a hit—a straightforward unrequited-love track that expresses the feelings of being drawn to a captivating woman.