The title of a song is often the first touchpoint for listeners, hinting at its underlying theme. In K-pop, a song’s title isn’t just a name—it carries weight and significance. Intriguingly, there are numerous K-pop tracks whose titles seem to stand in stark contrast to one another.
Dive in as we explore some K-pop songs with juxtaposing titles.
BIGBANG’s GOOD BOY and BAD BOY
While GD and Taeyang dance to “I am a Good Boy,” BIGBANG as a whole also sings their hit track “Bad Boy.” Both songs are two of the masterpieces of BIGBANG.
SEVENTEEN’s Fear & Fearless
SEVENTEEN is both fearful and fearless. “Fear” is a rhythmic R&B dance song featuring vocal variations, while “Fearless” is an energetic Korean dance-pop track.
SHINee’s Don’t Call Me & EXO’s CALL ME BABY
SHINee makes it clear in “Don’t Call Me” that they don’t want you to contact them, while their junior EXO is practically pleading with you to get in touch through “CALL ME BABY.”
ITZY’s Not Shy & NewJeans’ Super Shy
With the line “Not shy, not me (ITZY),” ITZY ensures they aren’t shy, while NewJeans is Super Shy in their latest hit track of the same name.
Stray Kids’ Question & ATEEZ’s Answer
In their song “Question,” Stray Kids wonder about their true selves, while ATEEZ says they got the answer and urges us to stand tall and strong.
Wanna One’s Energetic & Woosung’s Lazy
Wanna One was full of energy in their hit debut song “Energetic,” while Woosung, the leader of The Rose, appears to be feeling quite lazy in his solo track featuring Reddy.
Apink’s NoNoNo & TWICE’s YES or YES
Apink girls are saying “NoNoNo” to sadness and loneliness, while TWICE gives only two choices: “YES, or YES.”
TREASURE’s HELLO & 2NE1’s GOODBYE
TREASURE welcomes us with their bright track “HELLO,” and their former senior 2NE1 bid farewell to the world in their disbandment song “GOODBYE.”
TAEYEON’s Why & LOONA’s Why Not
Girls’ Generation’s leader, Taeyeon, often wonders, “Why?” several times, while LOONA confidently challenges the world with a resounding “Why Not?”
These songs not only showcase the versatility of K-pop but also offer listeners a chance to connect with the music on a deeper level.
