If you’re making a Halloween-themed playlist, don’t sleep on these K-pop songs. (Photo illustration: Yahoo News; photo: Getty Images)
Halloween sounds like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller, Rockwell’s “Somebody’s Watching Me” and the Ghostbusters theme song. But with K-pop’s rise in U.S. popularity, the songs that help ring in spooky season may sound different this year.
Groups like BTS, Dreamcatcher and (G)-IDLE are tapping into the horror theme and making music that is not only sonically appealing, but also spine-chilling. Many of the genre’s music videos are also inspired by the holiday, showcasing ghosts, gory scenes and even séances. The groups’ outfits and dance moves also play on the Halloween theme.
Fairlain Reymundo, founder and CEO of Asian Entertainment and Culture, said that K-pop has “some of the most unique and memorable looks in the global entertainment industry.”
“Halloween is the Western world’s quintessential excuse to become someone else and be applauded for doing so. It’s that one day you can be anything, from a cigarette pack to Elvis,” she told Yahoo Entertainment. “K-pop, on the other hand, had mastered the creation of different personas through [the groups’] fashion and makeup.”
As K-pop continues to evolve, “the different silhouettes of the sound will continue to evolve as well,” Marcus Collins, who once ran digital strategy for Beyoncé and is now an author and marketing professor at the University of Michigan, told Yahoo Entertainment.
“You’ll see [K-pop] finding places that it typically had not been, just like R&B music or pop music typically has not been in a horror frame until you get a ‘Thriller’-like object, right? But for those musical genres to live in different spaces, says a lot about how diverse those genres are.”
For long-time fans or anyone new to the genre looking to create a Halloween playlist with some diverse tracks, these 15 songs are prime for haunting and howling.
DKZ — “BlockBuster”
Speaking of Ghostbusters, this upbeat tune from DKZ, samples the beat from the movie’s popular theme song and references the film its the music video. In the song, the South Korean boy band isn’t afraid of “no dust” nor ghosts.
Cross Gene — “Black or White”
The 6-member boy band, makes the list with “Black or White,” a fun track with a dark feel. The gory and graphic video adds to the horror vibes consistent with Halloween.
Vixx — “On and On”
What’s Halloween without vampires and ghosts? Vixx skyrockets (literally) in “On and On.” It’s an upbeat track that showcases the boy band’s singing and rapping skills.
Ateez — “The Black Cat Nero”
Ateez’s “The Black Cat Nero” begins as a ballad beginning before transforming into a high-energy, rock-themed track. In the music video, the group dances back and forth between a church to a graveyard.
(G)I-DLE — “Put it Straight (Nightmare Version)”
Girl group (G)I-DLE dazzles in “Put it Straight.” In the music video for the nightmare version, the group dresses up in costumes including a ghoulish nun, a mummy and The Joker.
TRCNG — “WOLF BABY”
“Wolf Baby” is the perfect song for a Halloween playlist. It’s bright and bouncy, with an accompanying video that plays into horror tropes.
Irene and Seulgi — “Monster”
This South Korean duo delights in “Monster,” an energetic track that Raymundo considers “one of the most underrated songs ever, K-pop or non K-pop.” She attributes it to the interesting theme of the song about how a monster can crawl into someone, deserved or not.
Jimin – “LIE”
BTS’s Jimin cries for help as he faces an inner battle of competing sides in “Lie.”
EXO —”Monster”
Aside from incredible, pop-locking dance moves in the video, the energetic song is dark and mystifying, making it a perfect fit for a Halloween playlist.
f(x) — “Dracula”
“Dracula” is vibrant and catchy song, but it might catch you off-guard with its bloodcurdling screams.
(G)I-DLE — “VILLAIN DIES”
(G)I-DLE earns a second track on this playlist with its dark, raspy “Villain Dies.” The track has plenty of ups and downs, twists and turns. It’s truly about being the villain and embracing it.
Purple Kiss — “Zombie”
Purple Kiss starts the music video for their song “Zombie” right away with … zombies. The singers don’t hold back their vocals on high-spirited and vivacious track.
Seori — “Can’t Stop This Party”
Seori delivers emo-esque ballad in a dark and icy tone.
TWICE — “Cry For Me”
TWICE doesn’t shy away from being mad in “Cry For Me,” about a failed relationship. “‘Cry For Me’ sounds rather relaxed but the original Korean lyrics actually hint at an obsessive kind of love, to the point of lunacy. The girl is telling the guy she will never leave his side,” Raymundo explained.
Dreamcatcher — “Chase Me”
“Chase Me” could double as both inspiring and menacing. The hard hitting, pop-rock style beat has moments of tender delivery and then chaos. The video is like a movie, showcasing a creepy hallway with ghosts and also what appears to be a séance with the group surrounded by a circle of candles.
