Five K-Pop songs fit for the King – and why you should listen to them
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As a patron of pop, King Charles’s credentials are peerless. He was famously mobbed by the Spice Girls in 1997, while an official playlist released to commemorate his coronation featured everyone from Kate Bush to David Bowie and the Pet Shop Boys (and the Spice Girls, obviously). But this week, what Charles really, really wanted was to natter with South Korean girl group Blackpink, leading lights in the blockbusting K-pop genre.
The Seoul four-piece were at Buckingham Palace to receive honorary MBEs, having attended a state banquet the previous evening. “I hope we haven’t ruined another engagement somewhere you are meant to be doing or rehearsals,” Charles quipped. “It’s amazing you are still all talking to each other. The travelling... you must be on your knees. I don’t know how you do it!”
Honorary MBEs are just the latest accolades lavished on Blackpink. In March they were named the most streamed girl group on Spotify. Meanwhile, their early hit How You Like That broke previous records for the most watched music video on YouTube.
K-pop is bigger than just one band, though. It’s a huge industry – worth an estimated £8 billion annually to the South Korean economy. Charles will already know the lay of the land. But for newbies, here are five K-pop essentials to bring you up to speed on pop’s hottest scene.
Blackpink, How You Like That
One of K-Pop’s guiding philosophies is that all musical genres were created equal. That principle is put to the test in this early single from King Charles’s favourite new girl group. Hopscotching from Lady Gaga-esque cyber-pop to stomping techno via Bollywood and Billie Eilish-style gothic warbling, singers Jisoo, Jennie, Rosé and Lisa showcase the brain-frying scope of Blackpink’s musical world. It’s like being force-fed an entire Spotify playlist in three minutes – a thrilling and overwhelming experience.
BTS X Coldplay, My Universe
BTS were already mega-stars when they teamed up with Chris Martin in 2021. It’s an excellent entry point to the most popular K-pop act of all (BTS have sold 100 million albums globally). One minute in, our favourite Martin is shoved aside and the BTS boys deliver a sizzling rap.
STAYC, Young Luv
The Seoul six-piece created headlines in October when they turned up for a concert at the stadium of baseball team Texas Rangers wearing retro Glasgow Rangers tops – complete with the logo of McEwan’s Lager (not believed to a delicacy in Korea). They later visited Ibrox and paid tribute to the “Real” Rangers – but never mind all of that. The essential point about STAYC is that they are K-pop’s answer to Taylor Swift, as demonstrated by their guitar-powered 2022 single Young Luv.
EXO-K, Overdose
These peers of BTS and Blackpink are perhaps not as well known in the West – though they have bagged five consecutive Album of the Year awards at the Asian Music Awards and were crowned “Kings of K-pop” by Forbes. Their calling card is the dazzling Overdose, which, despite going on for 10 years old, remains a top-drawer banger. If you ever wondered what Nine Inch Nails fronted by Gary Barlow would sound like – or if 5ive were heavily influenced by Wagner’s Der Ring des Nibelungen – here is the glorious answer.
Jungkook, Yes or No
With several of BTS’s senior members about to participate in mandatory military service in Korea, youngest member Jeon Jung-kook has had a stab at solo glory with his first standalone album, Golden (it’s already gone platinum). The stand-out track is Yes or No, a sensitive ballad penned by ginger hit-whisperer Ed Sheeran.
