Introducing Japanese Songs by K-Pop Girl Groups! Part 2: AOA, Apink, EXID, GFRIEND, and KARA | K-Pop, J-Pop
K-pop has been making its way into the world since around 2010. South Korea’s neighbor Japan was one of the first countries to embrace K-pop, and Japanese members are involved in K-POP groups such as TWICE and NiziU. It is not surprising, therefore, that K-POP groups have released songs in Japanese. This article will introduce you to some of the best Japanese songs, including Japan debut songs, by K-pop girl groups.
Now this article deals with Japanese K-pop songs by AOA, Apink, EXID, GFRIEND, and KARA. As for those by April, (G)I-DLE, IZ*ONE, NATURE, OH MY GIRL, and Red Velvet, please read the following article.
GFRIEND
17. GFRIEND “Fallin’ Light”
18. GFRIEND “Memoria”
19. GFRIEND “FLOWER”
GFRIEND’s songs are exceptionally melodious. Their songs are very melodic and take a long time to sing a single phrase, which are similar to J-Pop songs. So Japanese fans can easily relate to them! Further, their visuals and fashions are cute and innocent enough to be popular in Japan! They often sang original Japanese songs such as “Angel’s Ladder,” “Memoria,” and “Flower,” which have been listened to all over the world.
20. GFRIEND “SUNRISE”
21. GFRIEND “Me Gustas Tu”
GFRIEND broke up in May 2021. But they have many great songs, so you should listen to them! They made their debut in Japan with the album “Kyo Kara Watashitachi wa (Me Gustas Tu).”
Apink
22. Apink “Mr. Chu”
23. Apink “Bye Bye”
24. Apink “NoNoNo”
25. Apink “LUV”
26. Apink “Orion”
Apink, who has been active for more than 10 years, is the group who filled the gap between the era of KARA and Girls’ Generation and that of TWICE and NiziU. They debuted in Japan with “NoNoNo” and released many Japanese songs in the late 2010s.
Appendix D. Apink “%% (Eung Eung)”
Recently, Apink has been singing mature, rather than cute, Korean songs, such as “%% (Eung Eung).” But there are no Japanese versions, which may be a little disappointing for Japanese fans.
EXID
27. EXID “TROUBLE”
Appendix E. m-flo loves BoA “the Love Bug”
Appendix F. m-flo loves Sik-K & eill & Taichi Mukai “tell me tell me”
“TROUBLE” is EXID’s Japan debut song, which is arranged and composed by m-flo’s Taku Takahashi. This conveys their coolness to both Japanese and non-Japanese fans: it feels so good for everyone! By the way, m-flo has also worked with super-human solo singer BoA (who has released 10 albums in Korean, 10 in Japanese, and one in English) and Korean rapper Sik-K (whose popularity is boom in South Korea and other countries).
AOA
28. AOA “Miniskirt”
29. AOA “Short Hair”
30. AOA “Heart Attack”
Appendix G. Brave Girls “Rollin”
AOA was also fully active in Japan in the mid-2010s. The music and lyrics for “Miniskirt,” “Short Hair,” and “Heart Attack” are written by Brave Brothers, who wrights “Rollin” for Brave Girls. AOA’s Japan debut single is “Mini Skirt.”
Crayon Pop
31. Crayon Pop “Dancing All Night”
32. Crayon Pop “Rarirure”
Crayon Pop is a group that was launched with a comical concept, which was so accepted that it was selected as the opening act for Lady Gaga’s live performance. They made their debut in Japan with the song “Rarirure,” and their music videos has gotten quite a lot of views, so it seems that their activities in Japanese were successful.
Appendix H. Crayon Pop “Boogie Woogie”
Crayon Pop’s Korean song “Boogie Woogie” is a hidden masterpiece with refreshing guitar strumming patterns.
KARA
36. KARA “Thank You Summer Love”
37. KARA “Jet Coaster Love”
38. KARA “GO GO SUMMER!”
Appendix I. KARA “PANDORA”
KARA demonstrated certain dancing and singing abilities that Japanese idols did not have, and the songs were prepared in a much more J-pop style than other K-pop groups. Their makeup is also very different from that in “Pandora,” where the powerful singing and choreography are emphasized. No wonder they took Japan by storm!
The following article is about K-pop summer songs other than “GO GO SUMMER.” Please take a look!
This article has dealt with Japanese K-pop songs by AOA, Apink, EXID, GFRIEND, and KARA. As for those by April, (G)I-DLE, IZ*ONE, NATURE, OH MY GIRL, and Red Velvet, please read the following article.