Been seeing a few Kpop throwbacks and wanted to do one myself. I know there are accounts for this, but just like to share some good oldies.

I’m only including songs released 2014>

If you like to comment or share your opinion, please qrt to not break the thread
#kpopthrowback

Starting off with Gna. One of the few Korean Americans in the Kpop scene I knew of during this time. Her debut song was great & memorable to me but tbh, my favorite title was this. Great melody, beat & rap from Ilhoon. I especially like the little piano melody at the beginning

As for my favorite B-side, it would have to be 때려쳐 from her 3rd mini album, Bloom. However another song I really like from her was this collaboration with Sanchez from Phantom. The vocals are SO good as well as the lyrics. The whole song in general is just *chef’s kiss

Speaking of phantom. Sanchez’s voice is quite unique to me. TMI, when they first released this mv, they had to re-release a clean version of it. I can imagine why. TBH this is the only song I know from them, but it’s gold. Don’t let the mv deceive you from the lyrics though.

Following Ilhoon, next is #BtoB. They have had pretty solid title songs as well as debut. My fav title before 2014 tho has to be Wow. The choreo and song is just catchy to me. The concept of the mv was pretty cool too. My fav B-side is U & I from their Press Play album.

Also related to Ilhoon, literally, is Joo. She was once a JYP soloist when she debuted. She went back into training after this release & returned in 2011. She is now with Woollim. This song is so iconic & her most popular song I think. Her duet with Taeyeon on this song is

Aside from that, I think her other most popular song is this. Her ballads are quite good. You can tell she definitely improved after training again. I haven’t seen much from her after 2011, but she has sung a few OSTs & her most recent release was in 2017 I think.
#kpopthrowback

Next, in light of their comeback, is #Apink! Back in the day, I was a panda. The girls are charming & cute & they deserve so much better. They have many solid & great title tracks, but nothing is more nostalgic than their debut. The innocent & cute concept was huge back then.

For B-sides, I couldn’t pick just 1. They have so many great B-sides which makes sense since they have Chorong. If I had to narrow it to 3 tho, it would be It Girl, Bubibu (og ver.) & Lovely Day. These 3 were definitely on repeat multiple times a day, & multiple times a week.

I also cannot forget about this gem. I have not seen the drama myself, but this OST is so catchy and good. It’s very Apink-like for what their sound was like back then.

Next, a fellow label mate, Huh Gak. I don’t follow him, but I remember his debut song. The song is sad & soulful & the lyrics go deep. Coupled with the drama like mv, this song was memorable. I’d be lying if I said the song didn’t hit a chord in me.

His other hit song & the story mv continuation of Hello is also a great ballad. His voice conveys emotions so well & I’m pretty sure I got teary eyed while watching the mvs. No wonder why he was the winner of Superstar K2. TMI, he also has a twin.

Moving on, it’s #Highlight/ #Beast/ #B2ST. They have so many good title tracks, especially fiction, that it’s hard to choose just 1. Even their B-sides are title track worthy that sometimes I get confused what is what. My fav will have to be this. The mv is a bit cringey tho imo.

For fav B-side, like I said above, it’s hard to choose just 1. There’s a lot that are good and title track worthy. If I had to pick tho, it has to be Lights Go On Again & The Fact. I’m a sucker for a good acoustic guitar melody or intro.

Gotta give a shoutout to this special piece. There’s no way I can leave this out. Like I said, a sucker for guitar melodies. Plus starting the rap with coughs

I remember repeating this song a lot back then. Ailee’s cover of this is gold as well.

Speaking of Ailee. She is such a gem. Her voice was one of the very few back then that were really powerful. Enough to dub her the Korean Beyoncé. Nothing beats her debut song. It had so much emotion & soul I get chills every time I hear it. She deserves better & I miss her voice

My fav B-side is this. Again, her voice is so good and carries so much emotion. She makes it seem so effortless when she belts out notes. If you think her voice is great on cd, try listening to her live & her performances on Immortal Song. It’s a whole new experience.

Next, it’s #4Minute. TBH, I didn’t follow them that closely so I only know their title songs. Their debut song, Hot Issue, is iconic. I enjoyed seeing Ace Jihyo first clumsily dancing to it on Family Outing. My fav title tho is this. The chorus is super catchy. Ha ha ha ha

From the small list of B-sides I’ve listened to, my fav is either 나쁘게, Pretend, or What a Girl Wants. The mv for this definitely shows a side not many are familiar with since they are more known for a stronger look. The mv is a bit cringey, but the song is good nonetheless.

Following is #Rainbow. I was not a fan of their debut song so I didn’t really follow them. It wasn’t until 2011 that I listened again. They had many good releases at this point. Their shirt lift dance definitely caused a stir during A. My fav title is between To Me & Sweet Dream.

As for B-sides, it’s Kiss from their first album, Gossip Girl. Both versions are good, but I like the acoustic version more. I’m also a sucker for acoustic versions of songs.

#kpopthrowback

Cont. on, their lable mate & senior, SS501. By the time I got into Kpop, it was 2008 so I got to know them a bit later on. I don’t know their older songs, but I like what I’ve heard from them so far. I can’t choose what my fav title is. It’s between Love Ya & Love Like This.

My fav B-side is Let Me Be The One from their Destination album. But, their most recognizable song is probably this, from the hit drama with many adaptations, Boys Before Flower. 1 of the boys even stars in it as a member of F4. I watched this back then, but I find it cringey now

As with any group, the members had solos too. I’ve mainly only listened to 2 members tho. The 1st is Kim Hyun Joong. My fav songs are Kiss Kiss, Smile & Marry Me/ Marry You. The last 2 songs are the same but have different melodies & mvs. The mvs are pretty cool btw.

The other member is Kim Kyu Jong. To my knowledge, he is still active in releasing songs. My fav songs from him are Get Ya Luv (acoustic ver. ofc) & Confession from the mini drama Superstar, which he starred in as well. The lyrics are cute & his soft voice makes it all the better

Another senior that goes way back to ‘98 is Fin.K.L They were an inspiration to many 2nd gen gg groups. Everyone knew of Forever Love & To My Boyfriend. Don’t know much of them, but I knew Lee Hyori the most. Watching her on Family Outing was a blast & this song is nostalgic af.

Moving on, it’s #Kara! 1 of the most popular 2nd gen gg. From their choreo to their songs & to the girls themselves, everything was great. They had many iconic hits, but my fav title is this. It probably has a lot to do with Goo Hara (RIP) promoting it on Invincible Youth so much

My fav B-side is between Rock U & Honey. Both songs are so catchy & makes you want to dance along to them. They are just fun to listen to overall. Even though they are older than me, watching these clips again makes me feel nostalgic. They were such babies back then

Next is T-ara. Before all the bs drama, they had a solid discography. Their title songs are catchy & so were their choreo. They were ahead of the game when they moved towards EDM. Hyomin did a great job promoting them on Invincible Youth. My fav title is definitely their debut.

My fav B-side is Fallin U. I’ve repeated this song countless times & I’ve never once gotten tired of it. Overall tho, I recommend checking out their first album. All of the tracks are good. Special shoutout to TTL too.

#kpopthrowback

Continuing on, their underrated juniors, Co-Ed School. They are one of the very few coed groups in all of Kpop. Some may recognize some members like Choi Sungmin & Heo Chanmi. They only had like 3-4 songs released, but Too Late and Bbiribbom Bbaeribbom are very catchy songs.

They’ve also split into their respective groups. I didn’t listen to Five-Dolls, but Speed had some pretty good songs. They were also unique for using heelys in their choreo. My fav song is Look At Me Now. The mv is very low quality, but the song is high quality to me.

It’s also worthy to note their songs, That’s My Fault & It’s Over. They have a dance ver. but the drama ver. is amazing too. You’ll learn a little Korean history from it. The mv stars Park Bo Young, Ji Chang Wook & Son Naeun from Apink. The clip included is the dance ver btw

One of the members is related to #Zico, so next is #BlockB. My fav title from them is Nilili Mambo. The beat hits hard & the string & percussion instruments makes it all the better. The instrumental is amazing. Ngl, having an orchestra or marching band play this would be so cool

There are 3 B-sides I cannot choose between. Those are Did You or Did You Not, Synchronization 100% & Close My Eyes. The first song has a catchy intro & chorus & the other 2 has a nice acoustic guitar melody.

#kpopthrowback

Also related to hip-hop is Outsider. I’m not sure if many know him, but he’s known for his speed rapping. He can rap ~22 syllables per sec. I didn’t actively listen to him, but my fav song is Loner. Rapping fast is one thing, but making it flow well with a fantasy like song is

Cont. on with hip-hop, next is #BAP. The cool thing when they debuted was that they were all blonde, forcing people to take the time to learn the member’s faces & names. My fav title is Stop It. I know many people hate on it, but in imo, I think it’s a fun & catchy song.

My fav B-side is either Coma from their One Shot album, What The Hell from their Power album or Voicemail from their No Mercy album. The rock vibe from WTH fits them well, Daehyun & Youngjae’s voices compliment each other well in voicemail & the string accompaniment in Coma is

Speaking of, before #BAP officially debuted, Bang Yongguk, their leader, released a single with #Beast’s Yoseob. This song is SO good. The piano melody is great & so are the vocals & rap. Overall, everything is great. The mv is also amazing & showcases Park Seo Jun’s great acting

Next is their senior, Secret. They didn’t do well when they first debuted, but it didn’t take them long to gain popularity. They also had a few concepts, so there’s something for everyone. My fav title is between Madonna & Shy Boy. Each song has its own charms & catchy

I want to sneak this in as well. I love acoustic versions of songs too much to not give a shout out to it. It’s the acoustic version of their debut song. It definitely gives off a different feel than the original song & worth a listen.

#kpopthrowback

As for B-sides, it’s My Boy from their Secret Time album. It has a nice piano melody & RnB vibe to it, which is another weakness of mine.

I also gotta give a shout out to Song Ji Eun too. Her single with Bang Yongguk is amazing. The narrative switches between the two so definitely checkout the lyrics. The rock beat is good but the piano melody is still distinct & I love that.

Speaking of concepts, next is #Vixx. Commonly dudded as the concept kings, they have explored so many that it’s hard not to find something to like. The mvs are great as well. It’s so hard to choose just 1 title song I like best, so narrowing to top 3 is Error, Eternity & Great U.

For B-sides, it’s Uuuu, Say U Say Me & I Don’t Want To Be An Idol. All 3 are great, especially the last song. Once you find out how the song came to be & read the lyrics, you’ll definitely fall in love. There’s no way to give enough praise to them here so pls check them out.

Another group with a unique concept was Crayon Pop. These girls did not follow the usual gg image. Instead of high heels, pretty or sexy outfits, they wore tracksuits & helmets. Nonetheless, their songs & choreo are catchy & fun af. My fav title has to be this.
#kpopthrowback

As Crayon Pop had a set of twins, next is Boyfriend. I honestly didn’t like their cute concept when they debuted, so I didn’t follow them. Their later titles were better tho. I know these are later in 2014, but they are more my style. My fav titles are Obsession & Witch.

Their label mate & senior, #Sistar is next. A group full of very talented girls. Their debut title was not my style so I’m glad they changed to what they are more known for now. My fav title has to be this. It’s such a fun summer song to vibe to. The chorus is especially catchy.

Speaking of this song, I can’t forget the RnB rendition of it. The vocals are smooth and soulful, complementing the live instruments. The 2 versions have very different feels to them so checking out both is a must.

As for B-sides, my fav is Lead Me from their Alone album. The song is both cute & sexy & the intro & chorus is addicting. Bora’s rap is so good & the group’s raspy sound is great too. Everything about this song is great. I cannot get tired of it no matter how much I listen to it.

I also can’t leave out this unit when talking about Sistar & that is Sistar19. They only had a few songs, but no one can forget about their hit single, Ma Boy. It was a massive hit, climbing to 1-4 on various charts. You wouldn’t believe the amount of body rolls this song induced

Nothing beats the original version, but I gotta give a shout out to this rendition by Electroboyz. The rap, vocals, piano melody and Hyolyn’s voice makes the song fresh and new. It still maintains it’s catchy vibe.

I gotta also mention this song, even if it’s in late 2014. It’s too good not to. Their junior, Jooyoung is so underrated. His voice is so smooth & Hyolyn’s raspy yet clear voice compliments each other so well. The jazzy feel to the song too tho

#kpopthrowback