Top 55 songs from Korea in 2021.
2021 has been a really good year for music on the Korean indie scene. Here we break down our favourite songs from the past 12 months. We even have some of our music-loving friends who are involved with the local scene to help us make some picks.
Some notes:
This list was very, VERY hard to compile. Our shortlist was over 200 songs long and there was so much really good music that we wanted to include. Artists like Ejae, Wapadi, Adios Audio, Lee Go Do, off the menu, Watersports Jay, Sick Jeff, Soony Cosmos, 18fevers, MOTIP and loads more all produced really great material in 2021 but we had to make a cut-off somewhere.
There was also some music that has come out since the list was compiled and our print edition was published. Kirara, Bosundongcooler, Smoking Goose and Doma all released music too late to be considered for our late.
55. Daisy by Wave to Earth
@wave_to_earth
We open our list with this tasty slice of Mac Demarco-esque lounge indie from one of Korea's leading names, Wave to Earth. On Daisy, the band's fusion of summer vibes, jangly guitars and 70s influence mix well in this stylish offering.
54. Cleansing by Take the Floor
@takethefloor_hasu
Of the two singles released this year by Korean rock band Take The Floor, Cleansing is the one we can't get enough of. With their trademark growly vocals and atmospheric synth, Cleansing is reminiscent of Future Islands.
53. Let Me Go! by The Volunteers
@the_volunteers.com_
The Volunteers have undeniably been one of the breakout performers of the year. Fronted by Baek Yerin, the band have built a huge following after the release of their debut album in June. Let Me Go! is a lively and distortion-heavy track, and is one of the album's best songs.
52. The Blue Cat by Neko
@nekowarabu
Another artist with an excellent debut year, Neko released her first single, Wish, back in May. She quickly followed it up with sultry and soulful The Blue Cat. The song, produced by Envy the Moon, mixes a soul-inspired synth with a city pop bassline and an RnB groove.
51. 여름빛 by Band Nah
@band_nah
In October, the hyper-prolific Band Nah (shortened from Na Sang-hyun's Band) released their fourth album, 2021. The double album features the impossibly fun indie stomper 여름빛, which had been released as a single earlier in the year. The track is backed by an equally fun lo-fi sci-fi video.
50. Goodnight Lilith by cotoba
@bandcotoba
cotoba released their aptly titled EP Since The World Is About To End earlier this year, and it is some of the best work they have produced. Goodnight Lilith is a subdued number by their usually grandiose standards. But, with its math-rock guitar style, emotional build and minimal vocals, it really works for them.
49. Calm Wave by Rainbow99
@rainbow99gaze
Rainbow99 always aims to express the beauty of nature through music. This is never truer than on his 2021 EP in collaboration with Omong Jeju and Project Gujwa. On Calm Wave, Rainbow99 fuses his trademark synth sound with his interest in classical composition to create a thoughtful and awe-inspiring song.
48. Noise by Dori
Selected by Ohelen (singer/songwriter):
“Flowing time, direction of time, back and forth, back and forth, auditory images, shape of hearing, sequence learning, repetitive learning, regular noise, arrangement of sounds, she knows how to sing without a voice.”
Using only the noises found in an office (such as the tapping of a keyboard and the ticking of a clock), sound artist Dori conveys a powerful sense of frustration. Out of its minimal-seeming textures come a uniquely chaotic and deeply unnerving listen.
47. Wondrous by Love X Stereo
Everyone's favourite electro-pop duo Love X Stereo released their album Xennials earlier this year. Album highlight Wondrous is a stylish art-disco track with shades of Goldfrapp, Donna Summer, and even Kraftwerk.
46. Denial by Room306
Young, Gifted and Wack's Room306 followed their well-received 2018 album Layer with their latest release, Booze and Petal. The lead single, Denial, continues their elegant style of lounge pop with trip-hop undertones.
45. Ghosts are Bored/And Other Days by 87dance
Ok, we're cheating here, but we can't choose between the two singles released by 87Dance this year. Both of them are chilled slices of atmospheric indie music. Ghosts Are Bored shines with its squelchy funk bassline. And Other Days is a slower affair with the onus on the city pop rhythm and superb vocals.
44. One May Be Harming by Asian Glow
Selected by Shawn Despres (host of Sounds of the Korean Underground):
“Mixing elements of emo, post-rock, math rock, hardcore and noise into a densely layered journey that franticly weaves in a whole bunch of fuzzed-out directions, one May Be Harming is nothing short of fantastic and sounds like it'll abso-fucking-lutely slay live. Between his solo stuff as Asian Glow and Moth Pylon and band tunes in Fog, Gyungwon Shin is pushing out so much incredible music.”
Taken from the split album with Parannoul and sonhos tomam conta, this hard-hitting and densely textured track combines post-rock, emo and experimental sounds to relentless effect.
43. Child by Minji
The ethereal indie-pop of Minji has flown a little under the radar this year; though her emotional, summery EP was one of our favourites of the year. The album's highlight is the tender Child, which questions the singer's place in the world and her perception of herself.
42. Cici by Greenvilla
And speaking of summery-sounding bands who had a great debut year, Changwon-based indie-dance band Greenvilla released their self-titled first record in 2021. Picking one track from this is a challenge, but tropical-inspired Cici is hard to beat.
41. Beth’s Song by baewonlee
Despite being written in 2016, Beth's Song was featured on baewonlee's exceptional 2021 debut album. This simple indie song is both lifting and emotional simultaenously with baewonlee’s warm and touching vocal performance.
40. Postcard by Kwon Wol
Selected by Ilse Van Den Heede (writer, blogger at thekmeal.com)
“Kwon Wol released his album Receded in January, and I've been listening to it since. His mastery of the piano and his low vocal register make for a splendid album and an amazing listening experience.”
Kwon Wol's touching piano pieces are as minimal as they are effective. A passionate vocal performance from Wol adds to a beautiful musical experience.
39. Time Goes By by Taeone feat Blye
This gorgeously ethereal RnB debut by Taeone features singer Blye. The song is about the love that we find when we're not looking for it, and is a tender reflection on healing and recovery.
38. Que Sera Sera by Seoul Magic Club
Seoul Magic Club grabbed our attention with the release of their debut album back in January. Despite how good the record is, they might have topped it with the stand-alone single Que Sera Sera. It's a gorgeous, emotionally-driven indie-pop with just a touch of shoegaze.
37. Fish Tank by Offing
Offing have been a favourite of ours since the release of their first single back in 2017. Despite being around since then and releasing several singles and EPs, they didn't release their first album until this year. It's an incredible listen, and chilled-out track Fish Tank is one of its highlights.
36. DONKEY! by Oait
It's hard to not feel like the work of Oait has been overlooked a little in 2021, especially for this absolutely stomping piece of dance-punk. With elements of Joy Division and a healthy dollop of Le Tigre, we think this song deserves to get much more attention.
35. Trainspotting by Marrakech
Marrakech followed up their 2020 EP with two stand-alone singles this year. Trainspotting is a funky house inspired floor filler with disco guitars and echoed vocals, and is definitely one of the most fun songs of the year.
34. Relativity of Time by Q the Trumpet
Q The Trumpet is well known for combining jazz and hip-hop to create crazy fun music. Their 2021 mini-album and lead single Relativity of Time is an excellent example of that, and it also comes with an equally upbeat video.
33. So Tender by Say Sue Me
Written and performed for the TV show Nevertheless, Say Sue Me's only release of 2021 is an aptly titled piece of delicate indie-pop. As one of our favourite bands in Korea, we're so excited to hear their new album, which should be coming soon.
32. Affinity by Bigbet
With the release of their EP in June, Korean indie supergroup Bigbet became our sound of the summer. Album opener Affinity shows the band at their exuberant and sunny best. The light, trickly synth sounds combine perfectly with the jangly surf-adjacent guitar for an up-tempo summer warmup.
31. The Sweetest Pain by WinningShot
Selected by Jeff Moses (Co-founder at World Domination Inc and Binary Studios)
“I was so excited when I first discovered WinningShot in 2019. Despite everything that's going on, they were still able to release a killer split with Seattle, Washington's Kids on Fire. The Sweetest Pain highlights so many of my favourite parts of WinningShot: catchy songwriting, great basslines, and Yeowon's incredible vocals. It's pop-punk perfection.”
This loud and lively number from one of Korea's top pop-punk bands is pure Warped Tour-esque fun.
30. Oooh by Low Hanging Fruits
It's been a great year for three-piece indie band Low Hanging Fruits who have been making waves since the release of their first single back in April. Since then, the band has released a full EP featuring the incredible fuzz-driven rock jam, Oooh.
29. C913 by Secret Asian Men
Secret Asian Men are another band we've been following with interest since 2017. Released on Electric Muse, their 2021 album Ghost is a markedly more mature album than their last, with a more atmospheric feel. Our pick from it is the shoegaze track C913.
28. WIFIBOY by HOA
The absolute pop brilliance of HOA's WIFIBOY cannot be overstated. This is a vibrant indie-pop track bursting with energy and underpinned by a refreshing synth line. It can be found on their debut record Flower, the band's first album despite forming in 2016. HOA are definitely a band to watch in the future.
27. When The World Goes Wrong by Fat Hamster
Selected by Kang New (Founder at LetzRatz Records)
“This track embodies the current era of the climate crisis, inequality, hatred, etc. It is a heavy yet beautiful synthwave track with an intense drum beat and a delicate lead sound.”
Over the last year, Fat Hamster has emerged as one the best electronic producers working in the country. With its uniquely intense electronic soundscapes, When The World Goes Wrong is a thunderous and atmospheric EDM track.
26. May by Gila
There are so many great tracks on Gila's incredible debut album that it is almost impossible to choose just one. We went for May, a sombre yet melodic track with Elliott Smith-esque vocals.
25. Dying For by Ohelen&ChoiSol
@neohle | @bdangil_sol
In the autumn, we gave Ohelen&Choisol’s EP our highest score to date. Dying For is a touching tribute to Ohelen's father and a reflection on the things in life that matter. "I don't mind dying for my voice to be heard", she sings over powerfully composed organ melodies and horn parts.
24. Beautiful World by Parannoul
Very little is known about the elusive artist behind post-rock band Parannoul. Their debut created a stir with its hazy, dream-like wall of sound and pulsing, emotional drive. There is so much good stuff on this record, but album opener Beautiful World is an excellent introduction to Parannoul.
23. Two days by Black Skirts
The Black Skirts 2021 EP Good Luck, Girlscout sees the indie performer on trademark irreverent form. It's a collection of stories about breakups told from the perspective of his friends. Two Days is a bittersweet ode to the frustration of rejection at the end of a relationship.
22. Island by Higa
Higa's Island is such a moving and emotional listen. With its unique drum style, soaring strings, and loud, industrial sounds added, it is difficult not to feel like the emotions being communicated here crash on you like a tsunami. Add to it an incredible vocal performance, and you have a song that really hits you hard.
21. Dancing in the Rain by Meaningful Stone
Sometimes our struggles can produce something extraordinary, and Meaningful Stone's Cobalt is a great example of that. After suffering from a spell of depression, Meaningful Stone released this fantastic EP about the colour and vibrancy of youth. The stand-out track is the 90s-esque Dancing in the Rain. With its infectious chorus and alt guitars, it marks a heavier direction for MS, but this certainly is one that we welcome.
20. Is There Any Way You Could Change? by Dajung
This track, like the rest of the album, was mostly recorded in 2016 from Dajung's first album.
Having signed with Electric Muse, the emerging folk artist remastered and rereleased many of her previous songs. Picking a track that came out five years ago is kind of cheating, but we love the album so much that we don't care.
Dajung produces incredibly beautiful indie-folk with insightful lyrics, and Is There Any Way You Could Change? is an ethereal ode to romantic frustration that sees Dajung singing at her sincere best.
19. Boy by Hathaw9y
Selected by Chris P (Founder at Korean Indie)
“As much as I like aggressive and punishing music, the moment I heard hathaw9y's Boy Loves Haley, the single hit different. "boy" is a funk mixed with an indie rock song that thrives in melodies, constantly giving you more and more.”
Hathaw9y's boy was actually released at the tail end of 2020 but didn't start picking up traction until early 2021. It's a refreshing, disco-inspired indie-pop jam.
18. Strange, True Beauty by Kim Oki
Kim Oki has had an incredible 2021. With two vastly contrasting albums released this year and a series of collaborative projects both in music and art, Oki has been in typically prolific form. On his album, Strange, True Beauty, Kim Oki expresses a more tender side than you might be used to if you've seen him live. It's also decidedly more delicate than his other release of this year, the profoundly intense and relentlessly experimental About Prejudice.
The title track of Strange, True Beauty is a sombre, reflective listen. Oki luxuriates in a slower pace, communicating vividly through his often distant-sounding saxophone. While Strange, True Beauty might not be as cacophonous as his other 2021 release, don't be mistaken - it is still loaded with boundary-pushing nuance and ideas.
17. Milk Sucking Cow Fucker by Billy Carter
Milk Sucking Cow Fucker sees BC at their ferocious best, tearing apart the dairy industry with a scathing, tongue-in-cheek feminist critique. It's the first track on Planet A; a collection of songs from a diverse group of artists using their talents to fight for animal rights. The compilation was put together by Haru Lev. The album is brilliant, and there's loads of great stuff on there, but our favourite track is, fairly predictably, by Billy Carter. Milk Sucking Cow Fucker is noisy even by BC's riotous standards. It's an abrasive punk stomper with psychobilly overtones and Billy Carter's typical brutal humour.
16. vc19111 by Kirara
Is Kirara the best electronic artist working in the country today? The answer is yes; she is and has been for some time. In 2021, Kirara released a series of short EPs building up to her upcoming album, 4. Backed by some incredible remixes from the likes of Aseul, Flash Flood Darlings and Idiotape, the music on these releases builds on her previous work while staying true to that core Kirara sound. vc1911 is unmistakably Kirara, with its pounding electro-house drums and melodic, stop-start synths.
15. Speed Racer by Pop Ents
Pop Ents might be Seoul's best-kept secret. The band released their defiantly infectious EP Pure Uncut Entertainment back in February, but we didn't even hear about it until the autumn… And it's basically our job to know all the music coming out of this city.
With their modern take on power-pop fused with 90s alt sounds, Pop Ents lie somewhere between Pavement, The Replacements and Dinosaur Jr. Their live shows are equally loud and help to bring out the energy in their already forceful music. Speed Racer opens uncharacteristically quietly for this band, building to a jangly guitar wall of sound and shouty vocals. This is an exceptional release and deserves far, far more recognition than it has gotten.
14. JV Soccer by JNKYRD
Selected by Dajung (singer/songwriter)
"The echoey vocals, simple synths, and reflective lyrics made me feel like I was invited into JNKYRD's dorm room. In that dorm room, JNKYRD expressed his self-doubt, and I found myself relating to all of his quiet questions."
In February, indie darling JNKYRD released Dorm Stairs, a fun EP about university life and sports. The EP manages to toe the line between irreverent humour and intimate introspection perfectly. J.V Soccer is an excellent example of the latter, with its lo-fi synth lines and hushed vocal performance.
13. Shine by Landscape
It's rare to find a song that can floor you so entirely in the first 20 seconds. The intro to Landscape's Shine, with its choppy, sample-style high pitched melodies, sounds like something somewhere between The Avalanches and early Passion Pit.
This fantastic section repeats through much of this scintillating slice of funky pop. Like much of Landscape's music, the theme of the lyrics is one of escape and renewal. The song contains a story about a woman running away, finding herself and no longer being bound by the words of others.
12. I Don’t Wanna Die by Rumkicks
Few bands have got the punk look down like Rumkicks have and the band have proved that they have the musical bonafides to back up their incredible sense of style.
This is especially true on their 2021 single I Don't Wanna Die. This potent, Clash-inspired track surmises the model punk outlook for our times; it's bold and uncompromising, it's honest and it’s even a little introspective. The band questions their place in the world and filters it through a nihilism that juxtaposes against the incredibly fun three-chord musical structure.
If you don’t believe this band as they yell “There’s no reason to live, but I don’t want to die”, well, that's on you.
11. I Don’t by Oddsong
Of all the tracks on her excellent 2021 album, fully wonder, wonderful, this one is somewhat of an outlier. The release saw the prolific electronic producer/singer move away from her disco roots and create ambient trance soundscapes. And yet, nestled towards the end of that album is a sultry funk track that comes complete with horn sections and Prince-esque basslines.
The lyrics here are about not giving anything away. Oddsong told us that, despite the upbeat music, the lyrics are actually kind of sad; about not wanting emotions and being a robot. Despite this, she gives an alluring vocal performance as she seductively coos away, disguising the actual theme of her words.
10. Les Augen I by eundohee
Picking our favourite album of 2021 would be a huge challenge, but eundohee's Unforeseen would be one worthy of this accolade. This profound and revealing album sees eundohee plunge into her deepest, darkest thoughts. The crown jewel on this diverse release is Les Augen I.
This intensely brooding number combines the singer's chillingly delivered vocals and sophisticated pop arrangements with post-punk industrial drums and a dark, humming bassline. The result is a powerful ode to the weight of regret and shame and the burden that it can create on your life—truly incredible stuff.
9. Slowride by CHS
Selected by Shawn Despres (host of Sounds from the Korean Underground)
“Slowride starts as one of CHS' trademark blissed-out, psych-tinged tropical grooves before building into a wonderfully noisy rocker that brings to mind the past work members did with Apollo 18 and National Pigeon Unity. This melding of new and old makes for a hell of a listen.”
CHS's Slowride is less a song and more a composition made-up of increasingly loud movements. Starting with a simple, contemplative drum beat and bass combo, the epic track builds from there with ever-elevating intensity. From the chilled-out tropical psyche that CHS are well known for to the riotous crescendo that the song ends on, Slowride is an ambitious and powerful track heavy on musical ideas.
8. Bloom by Neon Bunny
Neon Bunny’s latest album, KOSMOS, is an incredible return to form, and has been reminding us all why we fell in love with her music back in 2012. Tucked away towards the album's end, Bloom is Neon Bunny at her genre-spanning, experimental best.
The track is a labyrinthian pastiche of musical ideas, opening with discordant electronic sounds and building up with harmonious piano and distant vocal samples. The song takes off after about a minute with a garage beat and high-pitched singing. This chop and change style sets the tone for the rest of the song, which never settles as one thing, spending the 4-minute duration exploring every wonderous electronic direction that Neon Bunny can produce.
The song has everything: warm poppy moments, darkly intense trancey stuff, sultry RnB - at some point it feels almost like Neon Bunny is showing off how good she is. It's a real rollercoaster, reflecting the theme of the song - the up and down nature of finding love after you've been hurt so many times.
7. Odoby by Drinking Boys and Girls Choir
@drinking_boys_and_girls_choir
Drinking Boys and Girls Choir's second album demonstrates how much the band have grown since their debut record in 2018. The shorter album has a more mature direction and even sees them ditch their speedy noise-punk roots for a handful of indie-style ballad tracks. Odoby is not one of those tracks; it's the band at their sugar high, thrashy best.
Clocking in at just over a minute, this song, in many ways, represents what Drinking Boys and Girls Choir are all about. It's an incredibly fun, blink-and-you'll-miss-it speed punk song with an almost obnoxious amount of energy.
Despite that, there is a kind of sweetness here, too, emanating from the heavily contrasting, tender vocals and the lyrical subject matter: the song is about drummer MJ's brush with mortality following a severe motorcycle accident.
6. God Diver by OHCHILL
The eagerly anticipated new single from OHCHILL came out right before this list was put together, but the impact it had on us was immediate. The song marks a change in direction for OHCHILL in several ways. The song makes use of a variety of instruments, in contrast to the guitar-and-drums-only sound that OHCHILL produced previously.
The production on God Diver is markedly slicker than anything they have ever released before, but it works for them. Despite all these changes, there is still something quintessentially “OHCHILL” about it. What they have sacrificed in rawness, they have gained in style and effectiveness. It's a big statement to make about a band like OHCHILL, but this might be the best thing they have ever made.
5. Pause by TRPP
One of the breakout acts of 2021 has been the shoegaze outfit TRPP. The band have generated a great deal of buzz with their sizzling pop-fuzz style: combining elements of My Bloody Valentine with the upbeat style of Pains of Being Pure At Heart, it's easy to see why they have been one of the most popular bands of the year.
The lead single from their self-titled debut is a great example of what they're about. The summery track combines the same oozing, messy fuzziness and reverb-heavy vocal harmonies you would expect from a shoegaze band. It is all filtered through a vibrant, almost surgy prism that makes them sound exciting and fresh.
4. Child Self-Control by Beautiful Disco
Even by his own amazingly productive standards, glitchy sample maestro Beautiful Disco has had a busy 2021. As well as producing an insane amount of other artists’ music, Beautiful Disco has released two incredible albums this year. The first was a collaboration with Norwegian jazz musician Kristoffer Eikrem and the second was his solo offering - Beaming Interlude.
The lo-fi, sample-heavy album is as high-powered and energetic as it is glisteningly beautiful. Pulling from the artist's love of jazz, calypso, soul, pop and more, the album is dripping with infectious and offbeat samples and incredible hip-hop beats.
With its overhit bass, glitchy snare and impeccably layered cuts, Child Self-Care is the album's highlight.
3. The Generation of Tribulation by Lang Lee
Selected by Mingyu Kim (owner of Electric Muse Records)
“Lee Lang's songs have the power to move our hearts and influence us to act a certain way. Her song, The Generation of Tribulation, could become a song of our generation. A song that can make us hold hands and sing along together.”
Lee Lang's unique approach to music has seen her become one of the most celebrated names on the independent scene over the last nine years. In 2021, Lee used her instantly recognisable voice and off-kilter style of folk music to produce one of the year's best albums with There is a Wolf.
There are so many great tracks here, but we've decided to choose The Generation of Tribulation. This beautiful and inspiring song is boosted by an exceptional vocal performance from Lee.
2. masterpiece by Ahn Dayoung
At the tail end of 2020, Ahn Dayoung (better known to some for her work with post-rock band In The Endless Zanhyang We Are) released the incredible album ANTIHERO. That release was not just our favourite of that year but is, in fact, one of our favourites of any year; it's THAT good. Towards the end of October 2021, Ahn Dayoung would release her follow up, the 4-track EP Burning Letter.
The track masterpiece combines Dayoung's emotional songwriting with her trademark art-rock guitar work. With this release, Dayoung has cemented herself as one of the most vital acts working in Korea's alternative scene today.
1. Already Know by PARKJIWOO
It's hard to describe the power of PARKJIWOO'S soul-stirring lullaby Already Know and do it the justice it deserves. It's a deceptively simple song, made up entirely of minimalist guitar parts and PARKJIWOO’s vocals.
It is, however, in that deceptive simplicity that the impact of this song is really felt.
Already Know is full of obscured, hidden depth. Driven forward by the same repeated riff, there are a myriad of notes and sounds whispering in the background and elevating this heart-wrenching track. Here, PARKJIWOO and her band resist the temptation to build on the stark atmosphere they have cultivated, and the song is more effective for it. Music like this shows you what is meant by the phrase "less is more".
Undeniably, the strength of Already Know rests heavily on a stirring vocal performance from PARKJIWOO. Delivered with a touching sincerity, she sings about loss and rejection as she tenderly cries out frank lyrics like "you already know how screwed I am." She has a unique ability to use her penetrating voice to cut and soothe wounds simultaneously. The production on the song is sublimely effective, particularly on the vocals. PARKJIWOO's voice expertly fluctuates between harmoniously layered, echoey distant and heavily distorted. Through each of these three vocal styles, a new sense of intimacy is felt. PARKJIWOO manages to convey such a sense of closeness that listening to Already Know feels almost confessional at times.
Already Knows is an incredible musical moment from the promising singer and one that delivers well on her strengths.
