Best K-pop Songs to Jam to This Summer

It is summertime, and that means jamming to your favorite K-pop tracks by the pool, learning the new dance routines in front of your mirror, and refreshing the charts for the next big drop. K-pop never slows down in the warmer months, and the lineup of bright, catchy comebacks is exactly what every playlist needs.

From English-language crossover hits to dance breaks that practically demand a beach, the songs below capture the energy of a Korean pop summer. Here is the Daebak rundown of the best K-pop songs to jam to this summer.

BTS, Butter

Smooth like butter, like a criminal undercover. BTS came back with another record-breaking track in 2021, and the full English pop-disco hit could not have arrived at a better time. According to Soompi, "Butter" is a catchy dance pop track that begins with a captivating bass line and bright synth sound, produced by Rob Grimaldi, Stephen Kirk, and Ron Perry, with RM also contributing to the song. The single went on to dominate Billboard's Hot 100 throughout the summer, giving fans extra hope, rhythm, and style at exactly the right moment. And the choreography, visuals, outfits, and new hair from RM, J-Hope, Jimin, V, Jin, SUGA, and Jungkook in the music video lived up to every bit of the hype.

Weeekly, After School

This song is everywhere on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, and there is a reason it became impossible to miss. Weeekly is a seven-member girl group under Play M Entertainment made up of Soojin, Jiyoon, Monday, Soeun, Jaehee, Jihan, and Zoa. The chorus has that familiar, sing-along quality, and the choreography is friendly enough to learn but sharp enough to stick. If you have not added "After School" to your summer rotation yet, this is the cue to fix that and join the millions of streams the rookies racked up on Spotify.

TAEMIN, Advice

SHINee's Taemin returned with a song that doubles as a masterclass in production. Beautiful classical piano, sweeping vocal range, digital backing, and a tempo that shifts from fast to slow and back again make "Advice" the kind of track you replay just to hear the next layer reveal itself. The music video matches the song's polish and proves once again that meticulous craft pays off. It is a perfect addition to any summer playlist for fans who want something a little more dramatic than the average dance hit.

HyunA, I'm Not Cool

This one is for all the divas. "I'm Not Cool" by HyunA under P NATION is an electro-dance tune that landed at the start of the year and refuses to leave any party playlist. There is something about the way HyunA breaks down a beat that turns even boring daily tasks into a music video moment. Throw it on when motivation is low and you will either smash your to-do list or, at the very least, look incredible procrastinating from it.

MOMOLAND, Wrap Me in Plastic

Barbie Girl had better watch out. Chromance teamed up with MOMOLAND for a new version of "Wrap Me In Plastic," and the music video is just as much of a talking point as the song itself. Neon colors, candy-bright outfits, and full diva attitude carry the visuals, while the group, currently made up of Ahin, Hyebin, Jane, JooE, Nancy, and Nayun, delivers the kind of girls-night anthem that requires zero introduction. Hit play and the choreography practically choreographs itself.

ENHYPEN, Drunk-Dazed

Nothing says summer quite like a high-energy, old-school party track, and ENHYPEN's "Drunk-Dazed" fits the brief perfectly. Formed through the 2020 survival competition show I-LAND, the seven-member group is made up of Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, Sunoo, and Ni-ki. As Allkpop's review of "BORDER: CARNIVAL" notes, the title track is "powerful and eccentric in nature" and "evokes the feeling of haziness from drinking in an interesting and unique way through the vocal lilt of their chorus," landing as a high-energy release perfect for late spring rolling into summer. It is not your usual K-pop jam, and the carnival-meets-thriller MV makes it even more obsession-worthy.

BAEKHYUN, Bambi

Time to slow things down. EXO's BAEKHYUN really woke up and chose violence with this slow-paced, smooth, high-noted ballad of a single. If the high-beat tracks are starting to tire you out, light a few candles, slip into a cute fit, and let "Bambi" do the heavy lifting. It is the romantic counterweight every K-pop summer playlist needs.

iKON, Why Why Why

So iKONIC. Like Bambi, this song leans slightly slower, leaving room for some of the finest vocals and most precise rhythm work in the lineup. iKON returned after more than a year away with a sweet, well-mixed melody, and the way the music halts between vocal lines is genuinely on another level. If you are learning Korean, the chorus, much like BTS's "One Day," is easy to mimic and even easier to belt along with.

NCT DREAM, Hot Sauce

Why is it that every time this song plays, you find yourself imagining a run through the Spanish countryside in a flamenco dress? Just me? "Hot Sauce" marked NCT DREAM's first full album as a seven-member unit, with Renjun, Jeno, Haechan, Chenle, Jaemin, Jisung, and Mark all back together. Soompi describes it as "a hip hop song with chill vibes and unique vocals" with "catchy chanting in the chorus," and the lyrics show off the group's confidence in being strong but irresistible. There is no fighting the moves that come out the second the pre-chorus drops.

IU, LILAC

"Love me only till this spring." Sorry IU, but we are loving you all summer too. The title track of her newest album brought a fresh, light sound to the charts, and nobody else hits those notes quite like she does. Take a minute just to appreciate the range and vocal control it takes to even attempt this song, then queue it up next to the dance tracks for the perfect playlist contrast.

Jessi, What Type of X

The queen of being so good at being bad. Another hit from our favourite husky-voiced nuna, and the choreography looks easier than it actually is, so attempt at your own risk. Whether you nail the moves or not, "What Type of X" is a classic Jessi chart-topper that earns its spot on any summer rotation.

Rose, On The Ground

It would be reckless not to include this international hit. BLACKPINK's Rose barely needs an introduction, and "On The Ground" stands on its own as one of the year's standout solo releases. Add it to the playlist and let the strings, the vocals, and the message do the talking.

aespa, Next Level

This song is on the next level, almost a mini album squeezed into a single track. The contrast between verses, chorus, and bridge is wild, but Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning, along with their digital counterparts, know exactly how to fold it all together. According to Soompi, "Next Level" is a remake of the song from the Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw soundtrack, recreated into a hip hop dance track with groovy rapping and an energetic bass riff, and it hurtled past 100 million YouTube views in a little over a month. SM Entertainment's metaverse rookies basically rewired what a debut summer single can do.

TWICE, Kura Kura

Yes, this one is in Japanese, but TWICE has earned the slot. K-pop artists often record hit songs and even debut original tracks in Japanese for their fans, and with three native Japanese-speaking members the nine-piece is no exception. Riding off a string of bangers from their album "Eyes Wide Open," TWICE keep the streak going with "Kura Kura," leaving listeners pleasantly dizzy. And if you want to round out the summer lineup with another TWICE entry, HelloKpop notes "Alcohol-Free" is a summer dance song with a trendy hip-hop sound, nylon guitar, and percussion reminiscent of the beaches of South America, perfect for poolside energy.

ITZY, In the Morning

This track brings out the inner main character you did not know you had. Try walking down the street with this in your earphones and not feeling like the lead in an action movie. According to Koreaboo, ITZY took home their first win for "Mafia In The Morning" on Mnet's M Countdown just six days after release, making them the fastest girl group to score a music show win for a song. Yeji, Lia, Ryujin, Chaeryeong, and Yuna keep delivering the goods, and the chorus all but writes itself: I'm the mafia.

Honourable Mentions

Need a few more for the playlist? AB6IX's "CLOSE" is a catchy dance electro hit, SHINee's "Atlantis" leans into old-school vocal-king energy with a modern twist, NU'EST's "INSIDEOUT" delivers stylish dance pop, and THE 8's "Side By Side" gives bright beach vibes. DAY6 (Even of Day) round things out on the rock side with "You Make Me," while STAYC's "ASAP," Whee In's "water color," and WENDY's "Like Water" make sure there is something for every mood in the rotation.

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