Rolling Stone’s list of the “75 Greatest Boy Band Songs of All Time” is out, and K-pop songs claimed nine of the 75 spots on the list!

In celebration of boy bands’ “continuing impact and dominance,” the American magazine published a list of 75 of the most memorable boy band songs in history, spanning decades of legendary boy bands and stretching all the way back to the Monkees and the Jackson 5.

Check out the nine K-pop songs that made it onto the list below!

5. BTS’s “Moon”

Co-written by BTS’s Jin and RM (and performed by Jin), “Moon” is one of the B-sides from BTS’s latest studio album “Map of the Soul: 7.” Rolling Stone describes the airy pop tune, which came in at No. 5 on the list, as a “love song to the fans” that “sums up everything that’s made BTS massive.”

14. SHINee’s “Sherlock”

Pointing out the song’s unique structure as a mash-up of two different tracks (“Clue” and “Note”), Rolling Stone praises SHINee’s iconic 2012 hit—which made it onto the list at No. 14—as an example of “how innovative and experimental K-pop can get, even for its most mainstream acts.”

19. BTS’s “Spring Day”

The only K-pop group to appear multiple times on the list, BTS also claimed No. 19 with their beloved 2017 title track “Spring Day.” Rolling Stone refers to BTS’s “sweeping power ballad” as a poignant analysis of “grief and yearning,” applauding its “painfully real lyrics about loss and grief, in whatever form that may take.”

31. BIGBANG’s “Fantastic Baby”

Emphasizing the song’s universal appeal and its key role in bringing K-pop into the spotlight in the United States, Rolling Stone describes BIGBANG’s smash hit as an “instantly accessible single” that “blew off many doors of American crossover with little effort on the band’s part” and that “showcases K-pop’s genre-bending, visually-oriented charms.”

34. BTS’s “Euphoria”

Performed by Jungkook, “Euphoria” is a B-side from BTS’s 2018 album “Love Yourself: Answer” that Rolling Stone praises for its “delicate, flowing melody” and “introspective lyrics about holding onto love.” The magazine also mentions that “‘Euphoria’ showcased a softer, more emotional side to the group, proving that K-pop idols had multiple (musical) cards to play.”

39. TVXQ’s “Mirotic”

Rolling Stone describes the legendary, oft-covered 2008 TVXQ hit—which took No. 39 on the list—as a “fizzy electro-pop cut” that “established [TVXQ] as critically lauded recording artists in addition to an existing role as a massive chart force.”

43. Seo Taiji and Boys’ “I Know”

Seo Taiji and Boys, often described as ancestors of the current K-pop scene, was the only 20th-century Korean artist to make the list with their 1992 debut track “I Know.” Rolling Stone writes, “The track blended then-trendy American new jack swing with Korean lyrics to tremendous success, spawning a wave of similarly sounding boy bands and girl groups and establishing the scene’s still-strong affection for multi-member outfits as opposed to solo acts.”

55. INFINITE’s “The Chaser”

Lauding the 2012 hit as “a crown jewel in the discography of famously in-sync K-pop septet INFINITE,” Rolling Stone enthuses, “Opening with a waterfall of Eighties synths, ‘The Chaser’ brought their dramatic, synth-pop sound to an emotional apex via this unforgiving blend of trumpet blasts and dynamic guitar licks answering the boys’ heartfelt belts.”

56. BTS’s “Fake Love”

BTS’s fourth and final song to make the list, “Fake Love” came in at No. 56. Rolling Stone praises its “high-production music video” in particular as “one of the best from BTS, combining stellar choreography, an imposing collection of sets and plenty of dramatic poses.”

Congratulations to all of the groups that made the list!

Which songs would you put on your own list of the greatest boy band songs of all time? Share your thoughts with us below!

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The Korean Business Research Institute has shared this month’s brand reputation rankings for idol groups!

The rankings were determined through an analysis of the consumer participation, media coverage, interaction, and community awareness indexes of 100 idol groups, using big data collected from June 24 to July 24.

BTS spent another month at the top of the list, scoring a total brand reputation index of 10,973,562 for July. Although their index fell by 13 percent, they still maintained their top position.

High-ranking phrases in BTS’s keyword analysis included “Billboard,” “Oricon,” and “Guinness,” while their highest-ranking related terms included “appear,” “moving,” and “new record.” The group’s positivity-negativity analysis revealed a score of 76.02 percent positive reactions.

BLACKPINK came in second place for another month. Their total brand reputation index came in at 10,083,574 points, which was a 29.46 percent increase from the previous month.

In third place was Red Velvet, rising from fourth place in the previous month. They scored a total brand reputation index of 3,938,857, which was a 37.31 percent increase from the previous month.

Check out this month’s top 30 below!

1. BTS
2. BLACKPINK
3. Red Velvet
4. TWICE
5. IZ*ONE
6. GFRIEND
7. SEVENTEEN
8. EXO
9. Oh My Girl
10. (G)I-DLE
11. ONF
12. Weeekly
13. Apink
14. NCT
15. SF9
16. ITZY
17. MAMAMOO
18. WJSN
19. APRIL
20. NU’EST
21. SHINee
22. Super Junior
23. DIA
24. Highlight
25. ASTRO
26. Golden Child
27. AB6IX
28. BIGBANG
29. Teen Top
30. Weki Meki

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BIGBANG’s T.O.P found a clever way to show his support for his labelmate’s new song!

On July 20, T.O.P took to his Instagram account to post a short clip of the music video for BLACKPINK’s “How You Like That.” In the clip, the faces of each of the BLACKPINK members are seamlessly swapped with T.O.P’s own face while he rocks their various hairstyles and flashy outfits. The video was originally created by a fan account on Instagram.

T.O.P’s followers reacted to the video by posting comments such as, “This is fun,” and “So funny!”

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A post shared by T.O.P (@choi_seung_hyun_tttop) on Jul 20, 2020 at 12:31am PDT

T.O.P recently renewed his contract with YG Entertainment together with BIGBANG members G-Dragon, Taeyang, and Daesung.

Meanwhile, BLACKPINK’s “How You Like That” is smashing record after record, with the music video becoming the fastest K-pop group music video to reach 300 million views.

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On July 16, the Korea Tourism Organization released the results of a survey about Hallyu-related tourism in 2019. Hallyu is a term that means “Korean wave,” which refers to the spread of interest in South Korean pop culture in Asia and around the world.

The survey found that the average Hallyu-related tourist spent about $1,007 (about 1,210,000 won). Most of this was spent in regular shopping ($302, or 360,000 won), but there were also the costs of accommodation ($184, or 220,000 won), food and drink ($155, or 180,000 won), and Hallyu-related shopping ($138, or 160,000 won).

The survey also found that Hallyu-related tourism made up 7.4 percent of all inbound tourism (i.e. foreign tourists) in 2019, a percentage that roughly equals 1,116,422 people. The survey noted that if the definition of Hallyu expanded beyond just K-pop or Hallyu artists, including Korean food, Korean delicacies, and Buddhist temple stays, then Hallyu-related tourism would make up 55.3 percent (8,553,234 people).

It is estimated that Hallyu-related tourists spent a total of $1,124,130,000 (about 1.35 trillion won) in 2019. The resulting ripple effect on economic production was estimated at $2,055,060,000 (about 2.47 trillion won). The ripple effect on employment was estimated to have affected 13,518 people.

The survey found that K-pop was a major influence on Hallyu-related tourism. The Korea Tourism Organization conducted an online survey among 12,663 Hallyu fans between August and September 2019. The results found that BTS was the most popular K-pop artist selected, with 36.1 percent.

The report stated, “Many Hallyu fans said the most popular Hallyu artist in their own country was BTS. Their performances, appearances, and their messages to youth through their music were judged as positive aspects.”

Other artists selected by the survey included EXO (10.4 percent), Super Junior (8.2 percent), BIGBANG (5.6 percent), Shinhwa (3.0 percent), IU (2.7 percent), Girls’ Generation (2.7 percent), and TWICE (2.5 percent).

30.6 percent of respondents said that YouTube had been their entry point into K-pop, with 18.4 percent highlighting synchronized choreography as a major source of initial interest. 86.8 percent of all respondents said that K-pop had had an influence on their decision to come to South Korea as tourists.

Some of the K-pop related experiences in which respondents said they participated included buying merchandise related to K-pop stars, visiting subway ads for K-pop stars, visiting K-pop agency merchandise stores, visiting music video filming sites, and visiting cafés owned by K-pop stars.

The report concluded, “Currently, most of the Hallyu fans are in the 10-20 age bracket. If they still enjoy Hallyu after they have achieved a new level of economic power, then we should consider the future value and economic ripple effects of this on the tourism industry.”

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The Korean Business Research Institute has revealed this month’s brand reputation rankings for male idol groups!

The rankings were determined through an analysis of the consumer participation, media coverage, interaction, and community indexes of various boy groups, using big data collected from June 9 to July 10.

BTS topped the list for the 26th consecutive month with a brand reputation index of 9,596,339, marking a 12.07 percent increase in their score since June. High-ranking phrases in the group’s keyword analysis included “Billboard,” “YouTube,” and “album,” while their highest-ranking related terms included “record,” “surpass,” and “participate.” BTS’s positivity-negativity analysis revealed a score of 80.13 percent positive reactions.

SEVENTEEN rose to second place in this month’s rankings after enjoying an impressive 71.52 percent rise in their brand reputation index since June. The group scored a total index of 3,658,069 for the month.

Finally, EXO held onto their spot at third place with a brand reputation index of 2,525,362 for July, while NCT and ASTRO rounded out the top five at fourth and fifth places respectively.

Check out the top 30 for this month below!

1. BTS
2. SEVENTEEN
3. EXO
4. NCT
5. ASTRO
6. ONF
7. NU’EST
8. Super Junior
9. SF9
10. SHINee
11. Golden Child
12. WINNER
13. TXT
14. Stray Kids
15. The Boyz
16. MONSTA X
17. AB6IX
18. BIGBANG
19. HOTSHOT
20. TVXQ
21. GreatGuys
22. VIXX
23. BTOB
24. VERIVERY
25. Teen Top
26. PENTAGON
27. GOT7
28. 2PM
29. VOISPER
30. VICTON

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When you think about IU, the first thing that comes to mind is that she’s a powerhouse vocalist who has a knack for inspirational lyrics and offers a versatile discography for every mood. Known for making her music from a personal perspective, listeners have undoubtedly learned a fair share of life lessons from IU. Furthermore, she’s known for releasing special songs every now and then to celebrate her birthdays as a twenty-something artist.

This being said, here is a selection of IU songs that every person in their twenties can most likely relate to at some point in their lives.

1. “Every End Of The Day”

Love knows no age, and neither does the shyness to confess your feelings to someone. Every 20-year-old relates to IU as she sings about how she struggles to convey her true feelings to her crush but fails as her actions and intentions contrast. It looks like dealing with love shenanigans during your twenties is universal!

2. “Through The Night”

This mellow tune is perfect to rekindle the memories one has lived with a love interest before. This vocal love letter that IU sends our way ideally speaks to many people in their early twenties who have experienced a similar love story and can relate with the ache of missing an old (or current) flame.

3. “Twenty-Three”

IU has shown a whole new and daring side of her in “Twenty-Three.” The boldness is namely represented by the fact that she speaks freely of what goes through her head and openly shares the matters that perplexed her as she turned 23. Many youngsters start getting a grip on their reality around this age as they ask existential questions that set them aside from their entourage and send them on a new path of self-discovery.

4. “Palette” feat. G-Dragon

Once you reach your mid-twenties, you realize that all debates about age are obsolete and that the only thing that matters is what you deem your age as. IU shares your sentiment in her song where she highlights the importance of making life decisions without feeling the obligation to fit in a box that restricts a person from truly pursuing their personal choices.

5. “Dear Name”

Ever so thoughtful, IU specifically gave this title to the song so that each person can consider themselves the main character when listening to it. Perfectly portraying the position one finds themselves in as they feel lost and hopeless while they work hard to achieve their goals, “Dear Name” is a message of hope and encouragement to persevere until one crosses the finish line. This is a feeling that most people entering their late twenties have experienced to some extent.

6. “Ending Scene”

While this is mainly a breakup song, cutting ties in any kind of relationship is a common thing that young adults go through at least a couple of times in their lifetime. Growing apart is sometimes inevitable, but parting on good terms is very much encouraged. IU’s advice is to wish people the best as we let them go, as this is a sign of maturity and genuineness.

7. “BBIBBI”

“BBIBBI” conveys a strong message about accepting oneself and shutting down haters, which is something most people struggle with during their early twenties but eventually learn to overcome with time. IU is definitely speaking from experience, and she pushes people to fight for themselves and put an end to bullying and shaming once and for all.

8. “eight” feat. BTS’s Suga

When two genius lyricists meet, masterpieces like “eight” light of day. Three concepts are being addressed in parallel: happiness, youth, and adulthood. As we move forward, things that once brought happiness are often left behind. Likewise, the endless struggle between being “forever” young and claiming responsibilities as a true adult is tiresome. Perhaps, there is a silver lining tying all three together, and our free-spirited twenties have diligently prepared us to welcome our thirties in a more mature way?

Which IU song reflects or reflected your twenties? Let us know in the comments below!

Esmee L. is a Moroccan lively dreamer, writer, and Hallyu enthusiast.

Kim Min Joon talked about his love story with Dami Kwon on the latest episode of “Ask Us Anything”!

On this week’s episode of the JTBC variety show, Kim Min Joon, Song Jong Ho, Son Ho Jun, and Koo Ja Sung appeared as guests.

Kim Min Joon, who married G-Dragon’s sister Dami Kwon in October of last year, spoke about meeting his now-wife on a blind date. When asked if he had already known she was related to G-Dragon when they met, he confirmed that he had heard before their first date. However, rather than it necessarily being love at first sight, Kim Min Joon explained that they had progressed quickly in their relationship up until marriage.

He recalled, “It was so cold on our first date. It was so cold that we just said, ‘I hope we can meet again soon.'”

Regarding their second date, he revealed, “I contacted her, saying, ‘Should we meet up for tea?’ Before I left, she asked that I stop by her house. At her house, she began giving me a bunch of stuff to take home. They were side dishes that she had made herself.” He explained that he had previously mentioned during their date how he typically ate alone at home.

Later, during the guessing-game segment of the show, Kim Min Joon asked the cast members, “What’s my concern these days?” Koo Ja Sung correctly guessed, “You want to give your brother-in-law some pocket money, but don’t know how much to give him.”

Kim Min Joon explained, “I only have an older sister. I’ve always thought that if I had a brother-in-law who was younger than me that had to enlist, I’d really want to take care of him like an older brother. But I ended up actually getting a brother-in-law, and he even enlisted late. When he came out on break, I wanted to fulfill my fantasy of sliding him some money to buy some chicken when he returned and saying, ‘Don’t tell your sister.'”

He continued, “Before I met up with him during his break, an acquaintance of mine said, ‘If you give him [pocket money], how much are you going to give him?’ So deciding how much to give him became my concern.”

He was then asked if he had received any pocket money from G-Dragon before, to which he responded, “Not yet. Rather than money, I’ve received a lot of other benefits.”

Kim Min Joon continued, “When I moved into my house after getting married, I really wanted a desk to read scripts at. One day, my wife suddenly suggested we go get a really nice desk from my brother-in-law’s house. Even though he wasn’t home, we greeted the security guard and brought the desk home.”

Seo Jang Hoon hilariously commented, “Isn’t that theft?” Kim Min Joon clarified, “She did let him know. Now I’m using the desk really well, and it’s so pretty.”

He also talked about thanking G-Dragon later, making the cast burst into laughter by sharing, “We met up and I told him, ‘The desk is so nice, I’m using it so well.’ But he said, ‘Huh? Me?'”

Watch a recent episode of “Ask Us Anything” with English subtitles below!

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