Non-Stop K-Pop: The best Japanese K-pop tracks
My inspiration for this piece not-so-ironically comes from my recent obsession with XG. If you’re unaware, the group consists of seven girls who are all Japanese. However, in a hilarious series of contradictions, the group is based in South Korea, and they only sing in English. Their recent releases like “GALZ XYPHER” consist of Japanese, Korean and English, but all of their titled singles are solely composed of the latter.
The following list that I have compiled only consists of artists that are strictly labeled as K-pop — no Japanese-pop artists are allowed. Similarly, Japanese versions of originally Korean songs will also not be counted. All of the songs that make my list were written in Japanese and are not remakes.
5. “Voltage” by ITZY
Ironically, ITZY almost seems to be making up for their subpar performances in their native language by producing Japanese masterpieces.
ITZY is one of the rare K-pop phenomena that doesn’t have any foreign idols in its group. Although their first couple years after debut were a firestorm of success — ITZY has more music show wins than any other Fourth Generation group — they have fallen off. I’m sorry, but there’s no sugar coating it.
As their fanbase seemingly dwindled after the release of “SNEAKERS” in July 2022 and “Boys Like You” the following October, one of the only saving graces for MIDZYs, ITZY’s fandom name, was their Japanese tracks, like Voltage, that were luckily released that same year.
4. “Everlasting Shine” by TXT
TXT, formally known as Tomorrow X Together, is one of the many groups that doesn’t seem to produce Japanese tracks equivalent to their Korean songs. This is a lot coming from someone who ults this HYBE Entertainment superstorm.
I wouldn’t be upset at the lack of foreign releases if the group wasn’t already notorious for producing music with extreme sparsity. Being a MOA — TXT’s fandom name — can be extremely difficult with regularly scheduled musical dry seasons forcing us to wait long months just for an album drop.
Everlasting Shine is the only TXT Japanese track that stands out to me, and for good reason. The vocals are outstanding, and the lyrics are undeniably comforting. Who doesn’t want to “shine like a diamond?”
3. “Your Eyes Tell” and “Stay Gold” by BTS
Now we’re entering absolutely exceptional territory. The previously listed songs are good, but I would never choose them over the group’s Korean tracks. These two masterpieces, however, are immaculate additions to BTS’ discography, regardless of language.
“Your Eyes Tell” is probably the song you hear when you enter heaven. It is the epitome of perfect voice blending, harmony and individuality shining through on a track. With voices like Jimin’s (지민) and Jungkook’s (정국) being put on full blast, it’s impossible not to fall in love. It’s tear-jerking and empowering at the same time.
“Stay Gold” is the same way in terms of composition, just with fewer wistful undertones. This is what I like to call a “happy-sad” piece, and the cinematography for the music video is so nostalgic, especially since BTS’ hiatus. Jimin’s voice especially shines here as well, but I may be a little biased, as he’s my favorite member.
2. “Blah Blah Blah” by ITZY
It’s no surprise that ITZY made this list twice — the same reasoning follows the props I gave for ‘Voltage.” It’s like they’re making up for their unsuccessful Korean comebacks by acing the Japanese realm.
Honestly the top two spots are a toss-up. “Blah Blah Blah” might be in my top three favorite ITZY songs of all time in general — the track just happens to be in Japanese. The music video for the track is mesmerizing, like many ITZY music videos, and the choreography is so well-executed that it’s impossible to not stare in awe.
In my opinion, Ryujin’s (류진) girlboss style is the one that reigns supreme in this musical concept, but Yeji’s (예지) is close behind. This song bleeds power, and the message is unmistakably ITZY.
- “Breakthrough” and “Perfect World” by TWICE
I will admit that my ranking system is a bit skewed by the amount of ties, but it seemed silly to separate the groups on this list when their songs are on similar echelons.
TWICE’s Japanese successes may be because of the fact that a full third of the group is, in fact, Japanese. Everyone knows that their Korean tracks are undeniable trend setters in the K-pop realm, but their Japanese tracks are, in my mind, borderline unbeatable.
The time and energy that they put into their Japanese popularity really pays off time and time again. According to Koreaboo, a popular K-pop press-site, “With their Japanese album sales alone, TWICE has already sold more albums in Japan than every other Korean girl group has sold total albums since TWICE’s debut in 2015,” and for good reason.
TWICE has a plethora of Japanese releases, but the two that absolutely stand out the most are “Breakthrough” and “Perfect World.” These songs are what addiction sounds like. I’ve been listening to both on repeat since they each were released (“Breakthrough” in June 2019 and “Perfect World” in June 2021), and by some miracle, I’m not sick of either.
Our queen Jihyo (지효), TWICE’s leader, undeniably owns “Perfect World,” and the lyrics, along with the music video, let each member shine in a beautiful way that centers around a mock militaristic stage performance that takes a jab at men. The group really reigns in their girlboss motif here, with English lyrics reading “I don’t need your love” and “Don’t make me hate you more.”
In “Breakthrough,” Jihyo slays again, this time accompanied by memorable rap performances by Dahyun (다현) and Chaeyoung (채영). The music video is once again electrifying, with the opening scene focusing on a split color scheme of pink and purple. The choreography is addicting, as are the beat, rhythm and lyrics.
TWICE are the undeniable gold medalists of Japanese releases. There is no room for argument.
I would like to acknowledge the fact that this list isn’t very diverse. However, there aren’t many groups that release Japanese originals very often. Some superstars of K-pop, like BLACKPINK and NCT, just don’t have enough sustainable foreign pieces, or any at all.
Regardless, I encourage you to expand your K-pop ear to these wonderful songs released by your favorites. Most likely, language barriers don’t affect your musical taste, so inviting these pieces to your playlist shouldn’t be a problem.
Also, check out XG while you’re at it. They won’t disappoint.
Daphne Yaman is a sophomore writing about K-pop. Her column, “Non-Stop K-Pop” runs every other Wednesday. She is also an opinion editor at the Daily Trojan.