IU, EXO, And More, Third-Gen K-Pop Songs That Are Dubbed Bonafide Hits

by Victoria Marian Belmis / Apr 15, 2021 05:22 AM EDT

Whenever a K-pop song turns into a national hit, its fame locally and sometimes internationally is unrivaled. Here are 3rd generation K-pop songs from 2010 until 2018 that is considered one of the biggest hits of their time.

#11 "LOVE SCENARIO" by iKon

Dropped on the 25th of January, 2018, it quickly rose to fame and became a South Korean hit. If a song gets banned from a school due to students singing it too much, that needs to be on this list.

#10 "Gashina" by Sunmi

"Gashina" made its debut on the 22nd of August, 2017. The track is Sunmi's first-ever release since leaving JYP Entertainment. "Gashina" became an automatic hit mainly due to its iconic finger gun dance.

#9 "Red Flavor" by Red Velvet

Red Velvet's "Red Flavor" dropped on the 9th of July, 2017. The song was Red Velvet's big break as it became their first number one hit while also being their longest-charting single.

#8 "Cheer Up" by TWICE

TWICE's "Cheer Up" was released on the 25th of April 2016. TWICE's track propelled the K-pop group to further success as it went on top of the Gaon Digital Chart. Additionally, the song became the best-performing single of 2016 in South Korea.

#7 "BANG BANG BANG" by BIGBANG

BIGBANG dropped "BANG BANG BANG" on the 1st of June, 2015. BIGBANG's track was the best-selling and most-streamed single in South Korea back in 2015. Thus, "BANG BANG BANG" is one of the best-selling releases of BIGBANG.

#6 "Mr. Chu" by Apink

Apink released "Mr. Chu" on the 30th of March, 2014. "Mr. Chu" almost immediately became a hit, dropping when Apink was at one of their primes.

#5 "Hush" by Miss A

"Hush" by Miss A dropped on the 6th of November, 2013. It was a hit both in China and South Korea. Peaking at the 4th spot on the Billboard K-Pop charts, the track is one of the first K-pop songs to hit big in the US.

#4 "Growl" by EXO

EXO's "Growl" made its debut on the 5th of August, 2013. Moreover, the track is known as the breakthrough song of EXO, introducing the group to the mainstream market. It also garnered approximately two million digital downloads.

#3 "Gangnam Style" by PSY

"Gangnam Style" dropped on the 15th of July, 2012. This song made the world even more interested in the Hallyu Wave as it is now the most viewed music video on YouTube.

#2 "I Am The Best" by 2NE1

2NE1's very own "I Am The Best" dropped on the 24th of June, 2011. The track is considered one of the most iconic and influential K-pop songs not just domestically but in the world. Its upbeat rhythm alongside its spicy rap line is arguably 2NE1's biggest hit.

#1 "Good Day" by IU

"Good Day" is one of IU's greatest songs. The track was released on the 9th of December, 2010, and it is the 6th best-selling single in Korea. Moreover, it was dubbed as Billboard's best K-pop song released in the 2010s.