A K-pop act’s title track isn’t always the best song on their album, even if it’s the one most people will hear. Sometimes, b-sides deserve recognition too. In the singles-oriented world of K-pop, I want to spotlight some of these buried treasures and give them the props they deserve.
During the late-00s/early-10s, there was a style of K-pop that didn’t sound like anything else in the world. It took advantage of the sound of the Korean language to craft a highly rhythmic, staccato approach popularized by SM groups (and producer Yoo Young-Jin!) but spread to various agencies. These songs weren’t just Western pop that happened to be performed by Korean artists. They felt unique and specific.
I hear flashes of that on n.SSign’s new b-side Beautiful Monster and it makes me so happy. For me, this is easily the best K-pop song released so far this year (not that it has much competition) and clears title track Funky Like Me with ease. The instrumental is fascinating, fusing electro loops with off-kilter percussion that ebbs and flows with plenty of drama. The melodies echo hook songs of K-pop’s golden age as both the singing and rap opt for phrasing that isn’t simply a copy-and-paste of current trends. There’s a terrifying moment after the first chorus where it sounds as if we’re about to collapse into some awful trap breakdown (I could do without this, tbh) but the song is smarter than that. It keeps its energy chugging along until we hit a thrilling finale.
I need some new 2026 rookie to make this sound their entire personality. How exciting and refreshing would that be?
| Hooks | 9 |
| Production | 9 |
| Longevity | 8 |
| Bias | 9 |
| RATING | 8.75 |
Grade: B+
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
The bridge is perfection
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I am so happy you wrote about this song. So awesome.
To be more particular: it is a song that lays out the groove, sticks to it, throws in a few diversions, then delightfully goes to some other space in the break. The song craft, performance, production are all spot on. The song has a point of view, it knows what it wants to be when it grows up, fills its 3:13 running length to the fullest, and best of all almost sounds like it could have been vintage EXO circa Lucky One era.
10 for me. Yassssss.
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Wow, you totally called it. This should have been a single.
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I started playing this while reading your review and was like, wait wait wait I need to put on my headphones. It’s a song that reaches out and grabs you by the collar. Great pick.
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2/2 on tracks called “Beautiful Monster” that I’m aware of.
This one is like if Dem Jointz was working a decade ago and had a plan when he sat down to make music. It is very dynamic, though I think the build up could have been stronger if I’m being really picky. The bridge, while great, felt like it was shyly inching forward to introduce itself rather than asserting itself, which I think would’ve worked better. It is a 8,9,9,8 = 8.5 for me. Great song!
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i haven’t heard this style of kpop much (mostly familiar with 2016-2022 kpop) does anyone have any recommendations for songs like this? i’ve been wanting to get into older kpop and this is really right up my alley
(also not sure why but for whatever reason my username on here has been changed from LITTAAAAAAA to keenquickly etc and it won’t change back😭)
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Songs like this were pretty common in the late 2nd gen/early 3rd gen. Pretty much every SM album from about 2008-2013 is bound to have at least one song of this style — particularly those produced by Yoo Young-Jin. I’d check out groups like TVXQ (Are You A Good Girl?, B.U.T), SHINee (Lucifer, Ring Ding Dong), Super Junior (Bonamana, Mr. Simple) and early EXO (History, Machine). Also, something like VIXX’s Hyde or U-KISS’s DoraDora. Gosh, there’s just so many I can’t even think of what to recommend.
This Yoo Young-Jin video might be a good place to start, not because I necessarily agree with the ranking (I mean, Rising Sun is obviously #1) but because it’ll give you clips and you can see what interests you from his work:
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Maximum by TVXQ is another example
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i’ll be sure to listen to this one, thank you!
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hm, i might be more well-versed in older kpop than i thought, since i actually do know most of the songs you listed 😀 i guess it’s not to say that i don’t know older kpop (like i know maybe 5 oldish songs per major male 2nd gen group), i’ve just tried and failed a few times to submerse myself into it like i managed to do with newer kpop
ill be sure to check out the video, thank you! even though i’ve liked kpop for almost 6 years, i havent actually found a producer that i’ve noticed that i specifically return to, but maybe this’ll change it
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(ok ignore that last comment, for some reason it changed back??)
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shoot i meant to comment on my own comment 🥲
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If I randomly heard this song without knowing what group it was I would definitely think it was released like pre-2015 (in a really good way)
The guys’ voices have a full quality that’s lacking in most modern k-pop
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I really enjoyed this song. Interestingly enough, it begins as a song that would be released during 2.5 gen, but there’s a section where the instrumental used is something you would hear in 1st gen; something like in H.O.T’s we are the future. Agree with the rating.
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It’s the section that starts at 2:15 and ends at 2:40. Heavily agree that this should’ve been the tt, no doubt in my mind
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that part was awesome and definitely feels Yoo Young Jin inspired, since his early 2010s productions would throw back to the 90s fairly often. It’s so well used and refreshing in this song.
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His brother, Yoo Han Jin, is actually credited as one of the composers + the arranger for the track
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This is both a refreshing change of pace from what’s coming out right now and a wonderful blast from the past! Glad to finally have our first certified hit of 2026, even if it’s buried as a b-side.
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