For New BTS Fans - 10 Great KPop Acts

Hello, and welcome back to Silver Linings where the maligned, forgotten, and ignored burn the stage.

2019 was an amazing year for the KPop septet BTS. With the success of the insanely catchy "Boy With Luv" off their EP Map of the Soul: Persona, KPop reached mainstream audiences more effectively than ever before. Psy's "Gangnam Style" may have been a very popular novelty, but it was still nothing more than a novelty. BTS, meanwhile, became an act that got mainstream pop fans excited like few modern acts could.

With the mainstream success of BTS, new fans may feel overwhelmed when they go to look for more KPop to check out. There are, quite simply, way too many choices out there, far more than if people looked outside the genre. Fortunately, my diehard-KPop-fan girlfriend Ally and I are here to point them in a few good directions. Here are ten KPop acts worth checking out when you need a break from J-Hope and Jimin.

BIGBANG

BIGBANG are practically the elder statesmen of the KPop world, having formed all the way back in 2006. Unlike the upbeat bubbly stuff of their contemporaries, BIGBANG leaned more heavily on the techno side. "Fantastic Baby" is a great showcase for their sound. Their videos are also far from the norm with an almost apocalyptic feel to them, as if they lived in Fist of the North Star. They're worth a listen if you like your KPop with a bit more of an edge to it.

Recommended Tracks: "Bang Bang Bang", "Loser" & "Bae Bae"

EXO

I mentioned in the past that one of my favorite genres is funk. Who would've thought that a Chinese/Korean collective could scratch that itch? While EXO includes rap and the traditional dance pop trappings in their tracks, there's always an underlying funk groove which grabs me every time. No track showcases that more than "Growl" which is also one of the best-one-take music videos I've ever seen. Not only have EXO been successful in Korea and China, but one of the members, Baekhyun, even launched a successful solo career, as well as another I'll bring up later.

Recommended Tracks: "Obsession" & "Lucky One"

GOT7

If you're looking for the purest of pure KPop, GOT7 is probably the best representation of that. Their tracks feel like a more upbeat take on the Backstreet Boys. This is the kind of stuff you can play when you're at the gym. However, what grabbed my attention the most are GOT7's music videos which have the kind of artistry that would be prevalent in the ones BTS would make for their Wings album the following year like "Blood, Sweat & Tears".

Recommended Tracks: "You Calling My Name" & "Fly"

JONGHYUN

SHINee, one of the most popular KPop acts in South Korea, produced two successful solo acts in tandem; I'll get to the other one in a moment. Jonghyun tended to have a bit more of a disco feel for his songs which doesn't bother me at all, like with "She Is". His slower tracks were heartwrenching which, unfortunately, can be a bit hard to listen to now. Even though he committed suicide in 2017, his music is still worth your time.

Recommended Tracks: "Lonely" & "Inspiration"

LAY

I generally don't care for trap beats. When Americans use them, they tend to be affixed to nothing lyrics that repeat incessantly with no groove. Leave it to EXO's Lay Zhang to show me how they can be used the right way. "What U Need?" keeps a sense of fun even with the aggressive beat. While I do prefer the funk influence of EXO overall, Lay's solo stuff can have a home in my workout playlist.

Recommended Tracks: "Honey" & "Lose Control"

NCT

NCT actually refers to two groups under one collective, NCT U and NCT 127. Like BIGBANG, NCT's stuff leans more on the techno side of the pop scale. However, unlike BIGBANG's aggressive, apocalyptic feel, NCT mostly keeps an upbeat, sometimes party vibe, as shown in their 2019 hit "Highway to Heaven". There's always room for both.

Recommended Tracks: "The 7th Sense" & "Superhuman"

SEVENTEEN

Great dance tracks have the power to force people onto the dance floor. SEVENTEEN have that down. "Very Nice" proves that quite definitively. Unlike a lot of KPop acts, the members of SEVENTEEN are actively involved in the songwriting and production of their songs rather than it just being up to the studios. This gives their songs a bit more authenticity than other groups tend to have.

Recommended Tracks: "Fear" & "Getting Closer"

TAEMIN

I'm going to cut to the chase. SHINee's Lee Taemin is the Korean Michael Jackson. Period. Watch the video for "Press Your Number" if you need proof.

Recommended Tracks: "Move" & "Famous"

TAEYANG

Dong Young-bae, AKA Taeyang, has a solo career that couldn't possibly be more different from what he was doing as part of BIGBANG. He is considered one of the greatest vocalists in South Korea by numerous publications. While he doesn't have the kind of range that an opera singer would have, tracks like "Darling" show the power and character he brings to his songs through his voice. He can teach our R&B crooners a thing or two.

Recommended Tracks: "Eyes, Nose, Lips" & "Ringa Linga"

VIXX

VIXX are one of the more unique acts out there. Most people associate musical storytelling with rock or folk. VIXX proved it can be done with dance pop, as well. Even if you can't wrap your head around the plot of a song like "Scentist", you can still get lost in the hypnotic groove.

Recommended Tracks: "Parallel" & "Dynamite"

I know I'm leaving plenty of worthwhile KPop out. Which other ones belong on people's MP3 players? Let me know! Also, why should the guys have all the fun? Check in next time when the ladies take the stage!