If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers.

Ferdy

Years active: 2014-present

Associated Acts: BTOB, Pentagon, CLC, Golden Child

His sound: Varies depending on who he may be collaborating with, but Ferdy has a knack for taking trendy styles and bolstering them with classic pop melodies. His best work tends to be driven by hard-hitting dance beats and simple, addictive refrains.

Why you should love him: Initially working solely with artists from Cube Entertainment, Ferdy has slowly branched out to acts from other agencies (Golden Child, GFriend). He’s one fourth of music producing group MosPick, which means most of his work is created in tandem with other composers. This gives his music a diverse palette of sounds, all tied together by a streamlined, hook-filled pop approach. His talent for songwriting is at least partially responsible for Cube’s resurgence in popularity this year.

Examples of his best work: