K-pop is littered with acts who – for one reason or another – didn’t get the full spotlight they deserved. I’ve spent plenty of time ranking and reviewed the industry’s biggest artists, but these underrated acts should never be forgotten.
This feature will take a look at disbanded groups and rank/rate their entire singles run, placing them in the pantheon of K-pop history.
Next up is DMTN (also known as Dalmatian)!
Career timeline: 2010-2013
Overall sound: From trendy electro to surging, dramatic angst.
5. That Man Opposed (2011)
The chintzy synths and heavy autotune instantly date this to a certain era. The song itself is decent but the arrangement does it no favors.
Rating: 7.75
4. Round 1 (2010)
DMTN debuted with a much cuter sound than they would go on to develop. Still, Round 1 echoes classic K-pop nostalgia in a fun way. The bounding beat and rapped verses work well together, even if the whole thing is relentlessly cheesy.
Rating: 8
3. Lover Cop (2011)
Oh my god, the intro on this one! We need to bring back these lame “Guess who’s back?!?” song introductions. This song is otherwise marred by its incessant vocal effects but the chorus has a nice lift to it.
Rating: 8
2. Safety Zone (2013)
Safety Zone built upon the success of 2012’s E.R. with a similar structure that blends chugging EDM with moody keys and a dramatic chorus. It’s not quite as strong as its predecessor, but still evokes a ton of emotion. I love the melody in the pre-chorus and the warped guitar that accents the instrumental.
Rating: 8.5
1. E.R. (2012)
This is such a microcosm of K-pop sounds in 2012-13. The surging, emotive melodies and angsty deliver almost feel like their own unique sub-genre, of which Bigbang’s Monster reigns supreme. This is also a classic example of the form, kicking off with a melodramatic intro and climaxing in a gorgeous chorus.
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Ooooo wow, I never heard of them before. ER could well have appeared on the “Sounds Like Sweetune” feature last month! And yes, it reminds me of moody, rain-soaked, gothic greats like Bigbang’s Monster, Infinite’s Bad, VIXX’s Error, and Beast’s Fiction.
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These are some bangers wow!
Btw have u listened to Madison Rose’s new song? https://youtu.be/hXzZwEGVaiw?si=GCa4ogW75ZTwfHuT Nobody is doing pop like her this is going straight to my crazy dance pop playlist with Lady Gaga’s Abracadabra
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Yes! It seems like we’re headed toward a new album, too. I’m REALLY looking forward to that.
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lowkey gasped when I saw this! a dalmatian post in the grand year of 2025. safety zone is a song I listen to at least once a week lol – that bridge will never not fill me with unexplainable energy.
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PS. also crazy to think that Simon is the creative force behind XG. i always get surprised when i see him lol.
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Unrelated, but it seems like Boyfriend is planning a comeback in 13/2. Are you going on making a review on it?
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Probably, though I can’t say the clip they teased today filled me with excitement 😦
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Can’t blame you. Can’t say I’ve liked some of the music they’ve put out as BF. Have been my feelings regarding a lot of groups after they stop working with Sweetune. Fingers crossed I’ll be wrong about this one though.
I do hope you’ll check out I:MOND’s song on 12/2. Their debut wasn’t my cup of tea but this one sounds like it’ll be good.
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i am remembering seeing E.R. in hot kpop boy group compilation videos as a teen lmao
and i just wanted to point out that the title should be Dalmatian not Dalmation
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Thank you!
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I feel like E.R. got more attention because the guys were shirtless as opposed to the quality of the song
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Whatever it takes to get recognized 🤷♂️
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