Fans on King’s Choice selected which K-pop debuts are the most legendary. From dozens of choices, these were the song that made the top. Did your favorite debut track make the list?
10. SuperM – “Jopping”
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“Jopping” is the debut single of South Korean boy group SuperM, under SM Entertainment. The song was released on October 4, 2019, and was included in the group’s self-titled debut extended play. The song was promotedly mostly in the United States and South Korea.
9. BTS – “No More Dream”
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“No More Dream” is one of the two singles that was promoted from BTS’s debut single album “2 Cool 4 Skool”. The song was released on June 12, 2013, ahead of BTS’s debut showcase. The song entered the Billboard World Digital Songs chart at number 14 on June 29, 2013.
8. MONSTA X – “Trespass”
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“Trespass” was released on May 14, 2015, and was the lead track from MONSTA X’s debut extended play. The song peaked at number 14 on the Billboard World Digital Song Sales Chart.
7. 2NE1 – “FIRE”
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“FIRE” was released on May 6, 2009, as 2NE1’s debut single. The song was a huge hit in all Korean music charts, topping all on and offline charts in the country. The song was such a success that American journalist Perez Hilton even shared it on his blog.
6. BIGBANG – “WE BELONG TOGETHER”
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“WE BELONG TOGETHER” was released on August 28, 2006, and was included in BIGBANG’s debut self-titled single album. The song was composed by member G-Dragon and the lyrics were written by him and T.O.P. It’s known for rhythmic up-tempo tune and raps.
5. F.T. Island – “Lovesick”
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“Lovesick” was released on June 5, 2007, and was included in the group’s first studio album “Cheerful Sensibility”. The song topped the K-pop charts for eight consecutive wins, while the album was the sixth best-selling album of the year.
4. Girls’ Generation – “Into The New World”
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“Into The New World” was released on August 3, 2007, as the group’s debut single. During its release, it debuted at number 5 on the Music Industry Association of Kora chart. In 2010, it saw a resurgence, peaking at number 2. It once again saw a resurgence in 2016 when students from Ewha Women’s University sang it during a peaceful university. It has been covered by numerous groups, such as GFRIEND, I.O.I, TWICE, and Red Velvet.
3. SS501 – “Never Again”
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“Never Again” was released on June 8, 2005, and was included in the group’s first extended play, “Kyeonggo”. The song was a number one hit and was a huge success for the group. It caused their popularity to skyrocket, earning them numerous rookie awards at year-end award shows.
2. SHINee – “Replay”
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“Replay” was released on May 22, 2018, and was included in the debut extended play of the same name. The song was a huge hit, especially with adult females due to the line “Nuna (older sister), you are so pretty.” Their fashion in the music video caused a “SHINee Trend” in Korea, with people copying their style.
1. EXO – “MAMA”
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“MAMA” was released on April 8, 2012, and was included in their debut extended play of the same name. The song was released in two versions, one in Mandarin by EXO-M and one in Korean by EXO-K. Though the song did not chart that high at the time, it has since become a staple in K-pop, with the song even being used in the Mnet survival show “PRODUCE X 101” and the Chinese survival show “Youth With You” from iQiyi.
Did your favorite K-pop debut make the list?
