The Best K-pop B-sides Of 2020

By Elizabeth de Luna 


The year of our Lord 2020 sucked (zero out of 10, would not do it again), nevertheless somehow, it still managed to be pretty stellar for Korean pop music.


The industry was quick to respond to the pandemic with digital alternatives for in-person meet-and-greets and right now stands at the forefront of virtual live concerts and augmented reality technology. BTS climbed even higher into the echelons of global culture, nabbing their first Grammy nomination while doing so. NCT pushed boundaries of size and sound with a gargantuan two-part album, Resonance. And the debuts of a handful of impressive new groups propelled the promise of K-pop’s next generation.


It wasn’t all wonderful — parts of the industry (and fandom) still struggled to differentiate culture from costume, failing outright to create Black fans feel welcome. And the ripple effects of corruption were revealed to have upended the careers of dozens of trainees and idols. Despite this, K-pop remained a much-needed source of comfort while in a unpredictable year, as most of us used music to cope throughout quarantine.


we might have had more time to listen to new music in 2020, yet it’s routinely complicated to keep up with the hamster wheel of K-pop releases, especially those that aren’t advertised as title tracks. MTV News put with each other our annual list of best B-sides with that in mind. Here are 23 songs that weren’t chosen as singles nevertheless are nonetheless singular among the thousands of tracks released this year.


23. Weeekly: “Top Secret”





Weeekly’s “Top Secret” is one of the simplest pop songs on this list nevertheless, boy, is it catchy. All seven members of the newly-minted girl order have serene voices, nevertheless Seoun’s sparkling vibrato and Monday’s soft tone are the stars here. Weeekly debuted in June and rapidly carved out a space for themselves with their earnest lyrics about youthful passion and growing up. The music video for their latest single “Zig Zag” is especially charming, with unique choreography that necessitates the females pushing large blocks across the stage. Weeekly were recently named Rookie Girl Categorize of the Year by the Korean public, so keep an eye on them because they won’t be a secret for much longer.


22. JOOHONEY: “Smoky”


JOOHONEY’s powerful delivery is a trademark of his work with Monsta X and it’s also a defining feature of his October mixtape, Psyche. On “Smoky,” he describes stumbling through a global obscured by darkness in a slow buildup to an emo-rock chorus that’s brilliant for screaming along. “I aspire to go back to my childhood,” he raps at the end of the second verse, foreshadowing the choir of children who accompany him for the poignant bridge. There, he delivers a stimulating message as if speaking from the perspective of a close friend: “Love, pain / It's all just in the moment / Believe in yourself.”


21. A.C.E.: “Clover”





A.C.E. Are usually underrated as an audience and underappreciated as vocalists (do yourself a favor and watch them annihilate this Blackpink cover), yet in 2020, it feels like they may finally be getting the eye they deserve. Any of the three b-sides on their EP HJZM: The Butterfly Fantasy are worth highlighting, although “Clover” is maybe the most unexpected. A.C.E.’S lead singles are always hard-hitting hype tracks, so the heart-fluttering sweetness of lyrics like “I feel like a wave called ‘you’ will hit me” extends A.C.E.’S ample span. Do I also like this song because it reminds me of David Archuletta’s 2008 seminal classic, “Crush”? Maybe. If you’re interested in what else A.C.E is capable of, check out the relaxing, worship-music passion of “Stand By You.”


20. IZ*ONE: “Open Your Eyes”





“Open Your Eyes” closes out IZ*ONE’s BLOOM*IZ with a bang. It combines the members’ sugary vocals along with a killer chorus with influences of tropical home to achieve a surprising intensity. The title is a fun play on the group’s name (pronounced “eyes one”) and also because the formal greeting that the 12 members recite in unison any time introducing themselves: “Eyes on me! Eyes on us as soon as we become one!” The order is slated to disband in April 2021, however four months is a lifetime in K-pop. While it’s all nevertheless certain that IZ*ONE has more music on the way, their legacy includes some of the genre’s strongest singles of the past two years.


SF9: “Like the Hands Contained Tight”





Listening to SF9's "Like the Hands Contained Tight" brings to mind images of outlaws and galloping horses, sunsets and bank heists. Acoustic guitar and distorted trumpets accompany the confessions of someone who is aware their actions are irredeemable nevertheless begs to be loved anyway. "I’m the bad guy / Dangerous, for you I can endure anything," the members sing. "Like the hands contained closesly, I love you." Appearing on SF9’s January album First Collection, the release was followed by the June single "Summer Breeze," whose Wild West whistles and gun-slinging choreography are an even more overt nod to K-pop's yeehaw agenda.


18. Baekhyun: “Poppin'”





It’s immensely satisfying to listen to the warm, brassy timbre of Baekhyun’s voice as it ricochets up and down. The power-vocalist is a professional at conveying the playful sensuality of “Poppin’” and the mouth watering single “Candy,” both from his second EP Delight. Delight was the initial solo release in South Korea to surpass the sale of 1 million copies since 2001, and in case you treat yourself to it, “let’s get this poppin’” will be stuck in your head for weeks.


17. NCT 127: “Love Me Now”





The release of NCT 127’s bombastic “Kick It” was one of 2020’s biggest moments. “Love Me Now” is lighter and sweeter, the sparkling pink-heart emoji to “Kick It”’s black one. The Korean title of the song translates to “Echo” and the lyrics — “My heart keeps ringing it, without a pause / This echo that spreads” — pair with a phone call and response of “I want you to love me now” in the chorus. The effervescent EDM track was crafted in part by frequent SM Entertainment collaborators Mike Daley, Mitchell Owens, Deez, VEDO, also it was featured alongside a selection of excellent B-sides on the album Neo Zone. The collection sold more than 1 million copies and debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard 200, cementing a stand-out year for NCT 127, whose star was already on the rise at residence and abroad.


16. Everglow: “No Good Reason”





Everglow is known for their badass, bruising singles, although they shine just as brightly on a handful of softer B-sides. “No Good Reason” is comforting and surprisingly emotional. The song’s consistent tempo, structure, and composition mirror the compatibility of the couple described in its lyrics. “To me, you’re routinely spring,” vocalist Mia sings. “I can’t find some good reason to let you go / Seems like even I didn’t know / Your presence in my heart.” “No Good Reason” competes with 2019’s “Hush” for the group’s best B-side ever, and that might have something to do with the fact that the tracks have nearly identical production teams. Like the song says — there’s no reason to disaster with a good thing.


15. (G)I-DLE: “Luv U”





The four Korean tracks off (G)I-DLE’s April EP I Trust are refreshingly experimental and underscore the group’s signature mix of seduction, power, and calculated restraint. Sandwiched between singles “Oh My God” and “Lion” are the gloomy “Maybe” and the confessional “Luv U.” The percussive tongue clicks and slick production of “Luv U” are particularly compelling, especially once augmented by flirty choreography that walks the line between sexy and sweet. (G)I-DLE have already promised a new album in January, and if it’s anything like I Trust, you could bet we’ll be seeing the categorize on best-of lists in 2021.


14. WayV: “Domino”





Though WayV is billed as a Chinese pop order, their music is produced by South Korean business SM Entertainment and so they primarily advertised in the nation this year as a subunit of K-pop umbrella categorize NCT, so they get a spot on this list. Listening to “Domino,” a glistening cut off their first album Awaken the World, feels like ascending to another plane. Immediately after being lulled by the meditative bass and layered vocals, you’re suddenly elevated by the soaring belts and falsettos of Ten, Kun, and XiaoJun. They describe a love that makes their body ache, like the chill of the wind or cold of the rain, up until the bitterness seeps indoor them and so they concede, “I can feel it in my bones.”


13. SuperM: “Wish You Were Here”





SuperM’s first album Super One is chock-full of banging B-sides, from the sexy, euphemistic “Drip” to the tropical “Big Chance.” “Wish You Were Here” is the catchiest of those all, with a bouncy, lilting chorus that you’ll have trouble getting out of your head, along with lyrics that sound like a postcard you’d write to an ex from a melancholy beach vacation. This musical fashion is an exhilarating departure from SuperM’s solid debut EP, which was more closely aligned with SM Entertainment's signature R&B and hip-hop-driven sound.


12. ATEEZ: “Horizon”





As soon as ATEEZ dropped their fifth EP Treasure Epilogue: Action to Answer in January, they gave us both the banger “Answer” and one of 2020’s most experimental K-pop tracks, “Horizon.” The latter has a unusual structure — mostly a mix of refrains, pre-, and post-choruses — and is imbued with the sort of expansive emotion and focused intensity that defines Ateez’s nascent career. “Somewhere between the sea and the sky / Right now you gonna take me there,” ATEEZ requires before the chorus explodes with all of the chaos and distortion of a black hole. The last 50 seconds are especially exciting, a climactic resolution to a song that encapsulates why ATEEZ is hailed as a leader of K-pop’s fourth generation.


11. ENHYPEN: “Intro: Walk the Line”


Intros don’t typically make for noteworthy B-sides, although the first of ENHYPEN’s debut EP is an exception. Australian member Jake narrates the initial chapter of ENHYPEN’s story, describing their new destiny of “carving sunrise” between chants of “walk the line.” That “line” may refer to the horizon, or the liminal space between day and night, a nod to the group’s vampiric concept. The lush, nostalgic production ends in a shimmering siren song that certainly deserves a full track of its own. Big Hit, the ball is in your court!


10. Tomorrow X Together: “Ghosting”





“Ghosting” starts with a whisper. “You disappeared / Like a faint ghost,” murmur Soobin and Hueningkai, before the song envelops you in a whirlwind of electric guitar, crisp drums, and twinkling synths, as if to drown out all other thoughts. The lyrics detail the tediousness of drifting apart from a friend and watching them move on. As you get ghosted, you become a ghost of yourself, “ask[ing] in the empty void / What am I to you?” The subject matter is trademark TXT, whose music indulges youthful longing, confusion, and worry, often over a pop-rock guitar riff.


9. GFRIEND: “Labyrinth”





Picking between GFRIEND’s fan-favorite B-sides “Labyrinth” and the epic “Here We Are” is no easy task, nevertheless the funky thrills of the former make it harder to reject. There really are similarities between “Labyrinth” and the group’s 2017 hit and K-pop classic “Fingertip” — a talkative electric guitar, ever-present drums, and layered synths — which is evidence that their sound has matured without losing its identity. The production team in back of “Labyrinth” is also a mixture of old and new: It includes frequent GFRIEND collaborator Noh Joo Hwan and Big Hit talents Adora and Frants. Their fruitful partnership reflects the promise of a new connection between GFRIEND’s residence Source Music and Big Hit, which received the label last year.


8. Hwasa: “LMM”


Many of the lyrics on Hwasa's debut EP María read like soul-baring diary entries. "Why are you trying so hard? You're already pretty she asks herself on the dancey title track. That same introspection is present on the solemn ballad “LMM,” which stands for “Lost My Mind.” The lyrics, written by Hwasa, are sparse and deliberate. “Do you wanna get some more? / Do you wanna go somewhere?” She asks wearily, her voice dancing with violins and piano. It’s unclear whom she’s speaking to, although “LMM”’s music video suggests she is again in conversation with herself. In the video, she walks calmly under a shower of arrows, untouched, up until shooting herself in the back.


7. Stray Kids: “Any”


Between their first album Go Live, its repackage In Life, and their Japanese EP All In, Stray Kids has released one of the most consistent discographies of the year. They continue to build upon the biting intensity of their signature sound (“God’s Menu”), experiment with production (“Tortoise and the Hare”) and find new ways to feature member Felix’s husky bass (“Pacemaker,” “Airplane,” and “TA”). Nowhere is this development more apparent than on “Any.” The song’s metallic highs are an organic progression of producing trio 3RACHA’s skilled hand in AutoTune and voice effects, while the play on words (the English language title sounds like the Korean word for “no”) highlights their aptitude for bilingual lyricism. The song describes a state of chronic indecisiveness and dissatisfaction, however the production makes it clear that Stray Kids know exactly what they want.


6. Day6: “Afraid”





In 2020, pop-rock musical group Day6 reached into their chests, pulled out their guts, and laid them bare in their music. On “Zombie,” the lead single off their album The Book of Us: The Demon, they describe the daze several of us have noticed ourselves in this year. On “Afraid,” they struggle to fight off demons and fear reaching out for help, worried their dark thoughts may dim the light of the people they love. “I’m so afraid that you’ll become like me,” they admit. “I can’t let go or hold on to you / What should I do?” Immediately following the album’s release, the order reported they’d be taking a hiatus to permit members Sungjin and Jae to seek treatment for anxiety. Jae has since become a vocal contributor for mental health awareness among teenagers and young adults, making the response to “What should I do?” Very clear: Take care of yourself and ask for help.


5. BTS: “UGH!”





the largest musical group in the world released several spectacular B-sides this year (“Moon,” “Louder Than Bombs,” “We Are Bulletproof: The Eternal”), nevertheless none feel as cathartic as “UGH!” RM, Suga, and J-Hope growl in repulsion, releasing their disgust at critics who are also swept up in anger to imagine the long-term effects of their outbursts. An initial gunshot appears to signal the starting of a race, however it takes on a new meaning by the end of the track as J-Hope cautions, “I can rage, although if there were to be damage done / To others' lives, I don't like [it]... Someone's rage becomes someone's life.”


4. Woodz: “Accident”


“Accident” is a cut off Woodz’s Equal, the long-awaited first album from the multi-hyphenate performer also referred to as Seungyoun Cho. The 24-year-old has worn several hats: a rapper in the currently inactive Chinese-South Korean order UNIQ, a vocalist and rapper in the grievously short-lived X1, plus a songwriter for artists like Super Junior-D&E and Suran. On the self-produced Equal, Woodz’s immense musicality is on glorious display. “Accident” stands out for its pop-tinged take on the sort of nocturnal ruminations and soaring falsetto you’d hear from Dean or The Weeknd. At first, Woodz is forgiving of a former lover, telling them “It’s an accident, not your fault,” however soon after a stratospheric climax, the blame shifts. “It’s not an accident, it’s your fault,” he croons. “You know.”


3. STAYC: “Like This”





Six-member STAYC debuted this year with earworm single “So Bad,” yet their superb B-side “Like This” could have with little effort taken its place. An innocent intro of tweeting birds drops, without warning, into an addictive mixture of driving hi-hats and floating staccato synths. The song feels like it belongs in 2010 in the ideal way, and the alternating sweetness of Sieun and Isa’s vocals with the deeper tones of rappers J and Sumin are a highlight. STAYC is managed by production duo Black Eyed Pilseung, who have created hits for artists like Sistar (“Touch My Body”), Twice “(Likey,” “TT,” “Cheer Up,” “Fancy”), and Chung Ha (“Rollercoaster,” “Gotta Go”). With a debut this strong, STAYC seems primed to follow their lead.


2. Taemin: “Clockwork”





Taemin’s Never Gonna Dance Again: Act 1 and 2 are two of the ideal K-pop albums of the year, hands down. They’re immaculate begin right up to completion, although “Clockwork” feels especially meaningful for 2020. The lyrics (by “Top Secret” and “Start Over” writer Lee Su-Ran) describe a global warped by memory and cyclical limbo. “My time is my world / It’s like clockwork / Trapped in this circle,” Taemin sings in palpable despair. The song opens with reflective chords reminiscent one of the primary finales in musical theatre, Sondheim’s “Being Alive,” and ends with an equally emotional release. Taemin wails in aggravation because the plodding piano and ticking second hand loom like ever-present spectres of time, marching onward and slowly falling away.


1. BoA: “Start Over”





All hail the queen of K-pop, who celebrated 20 years in the industry this month with her tenth album, Better. The provocative “Temptations” is a top contender for the project’s best B-side, however “Start Over” is the real concealed gem. BoA’s tangy, raspy-edged timbre is a compelling match for the song’s pleading urgency and breathless declarations of “You’re gonna love me, let me begin over.” The emotional and musical length between this track and Better’s breakup B-side “Cut Me Off,” on which she deadpans “If we stick with each other, we'll get tired / So cut me off / you could do it,” proves that BoA’s still at the best of her game. As if there was ever any doubt.