Korean artists often promote in Japan, release Japanese versions of their songs, and/or release original Japanese songs. Between Japan being the second largest music market behind the USA and being so close by, it makes sense for k-pop artists to participate in the Japanese music scene.
I have to admit that the majority of the Japanese releases from k-pop artists didn't really appeal to me in 2022, which is the main reason this post category didn't exist on my blog last year. However, 2023 had a number of good songs, so I wanted to highlight some of my favorites! This category will only have 2 parts, by the way.
Often times, the Japanese releases get overlooked or completely missed by the average fan, as it can be difficult to even find out about these albums if you don't closely follow the social media accounts of every artist. Also, these songs are usually performed and promoted only in Japan and nowhere else. K-pop artists sometimes release Korean versions of their original Japanese songs and perform those versions outside of Japan though.
I have to admit that the majority of the Japanese releases from k-pop artists didn't really appeal to me in 2022, which is the main reason this post category didn't exist on my blog last year. However, 2023 had a number of good songs, so I wanted to highlight some of my favorites! This category will only have 2 parts, by the way.
Often times, the Japanese releases get overlooked or completely missed by the average fan, as it can be difficult to even find out about these albums if you don't closely follow the social media accounts of every artist. Also, these songs are usually performed and promoted only in Japan and nowhere else. K-pop artists sometimes release Korean versions of their original Japanese songs and perform those versions outside of Japan though.
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"Over" - Rock Hyeon
Rockhyeon (also romanized as Rockhyun) was originally a k-pop idol in the now defunct group 100%, but he and several other members of the group have re-debuted in the group FAVE1. All the FAVE1 members are Korean, but all their music is in Japanese so far, and they're only promoting in Japan for now. Rockhyeon also made his solo debut in 2023 with the Japanese single album Over, and I enjoyed it quite a bit!
The single "Over" fits nicely into the j-pop soundscape, due to the drums and light electric guitar that support the keyboard and string-esque synths. I'm particularly partial to the pre-chorus and chorus of "Over." The pre-chorus instrumental stands out to me with the occasional pauses that seem to punctuate the lyrics. The multiple layers of vocals here appeal to me as well. And something about the chorus topline is very catchy to me. I had this on repeast a lot when it first released, and I'd frequently catch myself humming along to the chorus. I enjoy Rockhyeon's vocal tone as well.
Other recommendation(s): "Dive"
"RINGO" - ITZY
I have to admit right off the bat that ITZY are a very hit or miss group for me. There are times where their brash instrumentals, occasionally shrill vocal tones, and sing-talk style of rap annoy me, and there are times where they work — this single fits into the latter category. The RINGO album is relatively strong from start to finish, though it mostly features Japanese songs that they released in 2022 and Japanese versions of some of their recent Korean songs.
Music video
Live performance
Rockhyeon (also romanized as Rockhyun) was originally a k-pop idol in the now defunct group 100%, but he and several other members of the group have re-debuted in the group FAVE1. All the FAVE1 members are Korean, but all their music is in Japanese so far, and they're only promoting in Japan for now. Rockhyeon also made his solo debut in 2023 with the Japanese single album Over, and I enjoyed it quite a bit!
The single "Over" fits nicely into the j-pop soundscape, due to the drums and light electric guitar that support the keyboard and string-esque synths. I'm particularly partial to the pre-chorus and chorus of "Over." The pre-chorus instrumental stands out to me with the occasional pauses that seem to punctuate the lyrics. The multiple layers of vocals here appeal to me as well. And something about the chorus topline is very catchy to me. I had this on repeast a lot when it first released, and I'd frequently catch myself humming along to the chorus. I enjoy Rockhyeon's vocal tone as well.
Other recommendation(s): "Dive"
"RINGO" - ITZY
Music video (English subs available)
Live performance
Live performance with live band (English subs available)
I have to admit right off the bat that ITZY are a very hit or miss group for me. There are times where their brash instrumentals, occasionally shrill vocal tones, and sing-talk style of rap annoy me, and there are times where they work — this single fits into the latter category. The RINGO album is relatively strong from start to finish, though it mostly features Japanese songs that they released in 2022 and Japanese versions of some of their recent Korean songs.
"RINGO", which means "apple" in Japanese, is a twist on the fairytale "Snow White." ITZY take the story of the princess waiting for her prince to save her and turn it into a female empowerment anthem where the princess is her own hero. Something about this instrumental compliments ITZY's vocal and rap styles. Maybe it's the Latin influence in the instrumental that makes the song work for me?
The chorus and post-chorus are the highlights of the song, and it's where the Latin sound is most prominent. These parts have a lot of pay off for me, and it's worth getting through the rest of the song to get to them. Not that the rest of the song is bad, it's just not that memorable. The choreo also has some stand out moments such as the corset move in the first verse, the first half of the first pre-chorus, and the entire chorus.
Other recommendation(s): "Playlist", "STYLE"
"Take Me Back" - THE BOYZ
English translation (only one I could find)
Originally, I hestitated selecting this particular THE BOYZ song for this post, as there were two other Japanese songs that I liked from them in 2023. However, the best parts of "Take Me Back" are better than the highlights of the other two songs, in my opinion. On this b-side, THE BOYZ show off the two most prominent sounds in their catalogue: raucous with more shout-y vocals/rap and melodic with more traditional k-pop style vocals.
Frankly, the first 15 seconds of this song (and the second verse) really makes me want to turn it off, but it's a great listen otherwise. The pre-chorus has a nice topline and lovely vocals. I absolutely love the chorus, and it reminds me of choruses from 2nd gen/early 3rd gen groups such as SHINee and EXO. There's a lot of great synths and vocal layering in the chorus. I could really do without the random shouted interjections in the choruses and second pre-chorus, but it is what it is.
The bridge is vocal-centric and has some nice harmonies and vocals. The final chorus also includes a drawn out "take me back" lyric towards the end that's quite nice. And finally, the lyrics of this song are quite good, other than a few lines here and there.
Other recommendation(s): "Door", "Eyes On Me"
"Starlight 〜君に届くまで... 〜" - TAN
- co-written by Hyunyeop, Jaejun, Jooan, Sunghyuk, Kim Juntae (aka JT from JT&Marcus)
Live performance
English translation (only one I could find)
After releasing one of my absolute favorite title tracks of 2022, TAN are back on my blog! And, spoiler alert, this won't be the only time they appear on my 2023 posts. It's seriously impressive to me how consistently good TAN's music has been since their debut in early 2022. TAN made their Japanese debut just a few weeks ago with the EP Proxima. Unfortunately, the only original Japanese song on the album is "Starlight", but it's a good one, thankfully!
"Starlight" is an archetypal anisong (anime song) with a sentimental pop rock sound. While the song may not be re-defining the genre in any way, the vocals are nice throughout, and I love when TAN's vocalists get to shine. The intro, the call and response part in the second verse, and the harmonies during the final chorus are particularly lovely. The majority of the song centers around acoustic guitar and piano, but the band sound kicks in during the choruses. The contrast between the softer parts of the song and the bigger choruses matches my taste well. And the lyrics are pretty as well!
"Stay With You" - Hi-Fi Un!corn
- co-written by Jung Yonghwa (CNBLUE)
Music video
Live performance
So, the only reason I didn't name this category "Top Japanese Songs by K-pop Artists" is because of this group — Hi-Fi Un!corn is a Korean-Japanese band, not an idol group. Hi-Fi Un!corn (such a fun name, right?) were formed through a competition show and made their debut last summer. While their debut EP was pleasant, I preferred their first comeback single album U&I.
"Stay With You" is another anisong sounding track, though the band sound is more prominent, as you would expect from a song from a rock band. Also, the vocalists in Hi-Fi Un!corn sound more like j-pop/j-rock vocalists than TAN do. I don't think the j-pop/j-rock vocal style is better than the k-pop style, by the way, but it's another aspect that differentiates the two songs. I really like Hi-Fi Un!corn's vocalists, and their voices sound good together.
This song has a similar set up as "Starlight", but "Stay With You" has more energy. Honestly, it's hard to pick out highlights, because every part of the song has some great moments. The instrumental of the song is dynamic yet nostalgic, and the lyrics are beautiful. The lyrics were mostly written by Jung Yonghwa, a guitarist and vocalist from the Korean rock band, CNBLUE. Hi-Fi Un!corn were formed with CNBLUE's input, and both bands are managed by the same company, FNC Entertainment.
English translation of "Stay With You"
Other recommendation(s): "U&I"
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