My Top 40 Songs From Kpop’s 1st Gen (1990’s - 2005)

[@Icespark3]

BoA, Finkl, and SES really gave us so many bops. Great list

[@nezuko9484]

Lee jung hyun and baby v.o.x too

[@carlosnetro1]

& uhm Jung hwa too. And still giving us bops today!

[@v9rryun405]

and baby v.o.x

[@jaemmissie4450]

Now this is the reason why SM can't just officially disband its first gen artists. They were and they are still SM's pride no matter what generation it is and I believe LSM don't even want to see his old babies just giving up on performing and that's because he treasures their talent more than anyone else.

[@visualbeauty3427]

Excuse me why Hot & ses disbanded?

[@Huangraisy]

No he wants every last drop of their money and wants them to reunite … he literally puts them in slave contracts don’t twist it

[@eukayozineo]

S.E.S are literally bop makers because almost every single of them, both in japanese and korean, are amazing songs till today, and they are like 20+ years old, making timeless songs in Kpop is hard but they really understod the assignment

[@user-wi9cn1wn7b]

Indeed QUEENS

[@GenerationNextNextNext]

BoA was a whole cultural reset. She got me into Kpop in 2003, and I haven't looked back since.

[@jnlmember1]

My first Kpop album was Atlantis Princess. BoA will forever be an icon ❤️

[@jaemmissie4450]

First gen artists must have had so much fun performing back then because their music were full of energy and happiness and doesn't care about anything that much. Same with their fans or the audience who have witnessed them performing on stage.

[@y2kimura]

1st gen really is something else, iconic my favorites would be dreams come true (s.e.s) and rising sun (tvxq!) cus those were some of the songs that kickstarted my love for kpop in the first place ^^ also last night by sobangcha was EVERYTHING, what a bop

[@hwabasa3324]

OMG YES last night is such a banger and dreams come true and rising sun 🤟🏻🤟🏻

[@S.F.Sorrow]

tvxq are technically 2nd gen lol

[@tster]

damn Boa was a hit maker. girl got pipes

[@shakira7301]

Kpop Songs before 2000 has an unpolished beauty. Idc what you say but they have that catchy melody and quality music. Especially the 1997 releases damn

[@YS-eu4ne]

My top 5 would be: 5) TVXQ 'O' 4) Shinhwa Perfect Man 3) TVXQ Rising Sun 2) BoA ID Peace B 1) BoA Milky Way ✨✨

[@YS-eu4ne]

@Fast Paced agreeed, loveee both Korean and Japanese versions 😭✨✨

[@FbodzRyuji]

TVXQ are good. but they are from the 2nd gen. In fact, they are the one that started the 2nd gen after 3-4 years of void era where there isnt a popular group that captures the people's heart at that time I am from that era, so this is what we have experience during that time..

[@Krmx88]

PSY WAS DOING MUSIC IN 2001!!! Wow 🤩

[@shawnnicolo7445]

He's a 1st Gen soloist

[@shineeis5657]

He has a lot of old bops, including a rock song about uniting North and south korea

[@kris-jf4ys]

1st gen kpop is just iconic

[@saintnicole3209]

H.O.T. is so good like their choruses are literally so happy and cute yet they can also do edgy and hip hop concepts Candy quite possibly has one of the best kpop choruses of all time.

[@hwabasa3324]

Candy is now one of my favourite songs I can’t believe I did it like that

[@raymondalbert3494]

YASHHH...Candy is really awesome song...this song made me been fan of H.O.T and Sechskies

[@lll.24601]

A fucking bop why!!

[@hwabasa3324]

Omg watching this back candy deserved so much better that song is a banger

[@ainsleyvlogs3003]

I was born in 2006 when the GEN 2 K-pop era began but My favorite K-pop groups from GEN 1are H.O.T.And SES

[@Itsmayy637]

I miss them 😢 s.e.s, h.o.t, fly to the sky, g.o.d, fin.kl and tt.ma and baby v.o.x brought me to kpop 💞 and i remember boa was debuting as well ❤ Now a days, kpop is so challenging 😢💔 and stressful. They all are artist and have passion to do their career I hope they all will be respected. They are human beings who exress themself through music and give us music that spread the world. And with no music, we won't be able to know the meaning behind feelings. 🤗💕 music, is life 🙌❤

[@raylee444]

Here’s my personal faves: Soul to soul - S.E.S. Red Angel - S.E.S. Boomerang- The Grace Dancer in the rain- The Grace (was released later than 2005 tho lol) 나의 기도 My Prayer - Fin.K.L. My Name- BoA Come to me- BoA ID; Peace B - Boa 10 Minutes- Lee Hyori Candy- H.O.T. Dreams come true- S.E.S. White - Fin.K.L Girls on top- BoA Garden in the air- BoA Waiting..- BoA Shy Love- BoA Dear my love..-BoA Be Natural- S.E.S. Joy- S.E.S. Y (Please Tell Me Why)- Freestyle Tree- BoA Road- God I love you- S.E.S. Come Back Home- Seo Taiji & Boys Last Night- Sobangcha I’m your girl- S.E.S. Valenti- BoA

[@GleeChan]

It's amazing how some of these sound very much of their time, while others could fit right in with the modern era. Watching these in a row like this is sort of like history, seeing what trends stuck and which didn't. (Of course the visuals are always going to be of it's time, lol)

[@enrikevega]

BoA = Kpop Absolute Queen

[@bleepweepD]

My favourites are Dreams Come True(S.E.S), Listen To My Word(Papaya), My Name(BoA), Come to Me and Crystal (M.I.L.K)

[@michi6108]

i love how i was born during kpops first generation.

[@riri._._]

i was born during 2nd gen, i'm an 09 liner

[@yerination8531]

@@riri._._ samee

[@venuslove-i1v]

I like how I was born a decade before 1st gen. 😭😭😭😭

[@samreensarvar7067]

@@riri._._ me too!

[@tblmoon]

I was born a year after gen 1 finished

[@FbodzRyuji]

TVXQ is 2nd gen fyi. 1st gen ended around 2000/2001. It was TVXQ that started a new gen of idols again after 3-4 years of void era where there isnt a popular new group that capitalize the audience at that time. I am from that era, so this is what we have experienced from then. But still, thanks for featuring TVXQ songs here. Especially Triangle. One of my favourite song from them. I really miss 5 member TVXQ/DBSK

[@thehainote1082]

OMG VALENTI BEING AT NUMBER 1 AS IT SHOULD!!!! This was THE song introduced me into Kpop

[@golmeiemanuel4932]

BOA is dominated in 1st gen

[@alexismicayla]

i love this generations styling

[@sasarugy]

Not surprised BoA is on there 400 times. She's the ultimate singer that Korea have ever produced. Same with Utada and Koda Kumi from Japan.

[@Up10tionslay]

Y by K'pop is one of my all time favorite songs. Honestly anything by K'pop, and I am so mad their stuff is so hard to find. Their albums have been sold out for like 17 years and I will never stop wishing for them to release the songs again 😭 stanning 1st gen artists is really frustrating sometimes

[@sofibravo4684]

SHUT UP I LISTEN TO THEM TOOOOO OMGGGGGGG my fav song from them is romance BUT OMG I CANT BELIEVE IT I THOUGHT NOBODY LISTENED TO THEM ANYMOREE

[@dummykwast]

They're on Spotify lmao

[@sofibravo4684]

@@dummykwast i know I know but only 1 album unfortunately

[@Wintersoldier73]

I love that BoA is all over this list. Fin.K.L too & I always forget about young JYP.

[@grotalek8159]

Tvxq is a second gen group,Jaejoong (hero) said that in a interview.

[@chl0e_l0ve81]

This era is like punk, hip hop street and jazz.

[@bluehearts4u]

BoA was the only kpop that I got into since 2002 when I was young kid in Japan, man so much memories and she was so pretty back then and I fell in love. 20 years later, still listen to her and never gets old. I love you, Boa and I've been a Jumping for a very long time.

[@makithehype3903]

Ist gen kpop comparison to international music: *BoA- Britney Spears *H.O.T- BSB or N*Sync *SES- TLC By the way, I love this video.

[@nasro1417]

Actually H.O.T was more like BSB and Sketchies was more like N Sync

[@tiendatphung4853]

Uhm Jung Hwa - Madonna

[@JPLEYONKO4]

And Finkl Destiny's child when they had 4 members, lee hyori - Beyonce.

[@bmfsrl]

Shinhwa was more like nsync though

[@shruthakeerthi4559]

Also 1:25 Miss Uhm Junghwa please pick up your daughter Avril Lavigne Also YESSS DIVA AND BABY VOX MY HIP HOP QUEENS... I loved O24 too ! Blind Faith is a BOP and a half. And KOYOTE Shinji and Lee Junghyun my queeeeeeeens Oldschool BoA - best BoA I don't make the rules sorry And S.E.S. songs are alllll bops I love them so much especially Just A Feeling, U and Love! All their title tracks are superior tho especially their 3rd to 5th albums. What a RUN. Still untouched today. Every single song went down in history. And unpopular opinion but Fin.K.L.'s Eternal Love > To My Boyfriend. Something about eternal love feels so legendary and it's so consistent plus JOOHYUN FINALLY got a spotlight point! She was such a unconventional beauty with a god-tier voice bit because HyolJinYul were such goddesses she was basically the ugly duckling, so sad what they made her do later on with the weight loss and plastic surgery shit. Fuck DSP. Denied her a proper solo career and the right to her own body, had the most haters of any 1st gen idol. I'm so happy she's shown them that her talents are superior and she's the #1 actress in musicals now. And the entire FinKL Vol.3 album is GOLD. What's with 1st gen artists and perfect third albums? SES's 3rd is also frikkin awesome. Also TVXQ WHAT A FLASHBACK Loved this throwback!

[@Ohmyuna]

This video deserves more attention, 1st gen have a lot of gold songs

[@Pixietai]

All the sechskies discography is really cool 😍

[@lizalovestay]

ses being here 4 times speaks for itself! stan ses

[@dior_kpop5091]

I'm addicted with 1st and 2nd Gen songs even when I became a Kpop fan 3 years ago only-

[@user-wi9cn1wn7b]

+ songs I recommend u guys to go listen!!! U - S.E.S Just in love - S.E.S LOVE - S.E.S Be natural- S.E.S Twilight Zone - S.E.S Sharala - S.E.S Oh my love - S.E.S T.O.P - Shinhwa Hope - H.O.T Windy - Eugene The Best - Eugene Lovely day - Eugene My dream - Eugene 1st Gen QUEENS and KINGS 😽🎵

[@zahraarghoon2039]

such an iconic list👏👏 its impossible to be kpoper/kdramer and not hearing any of these songs

[@cloudduel13]

Nice video. My favorite artist from that era is Lee Jung Hyun.

[@YS-eu4ne]

ID Peace B and Perfect Man, are literally SOOOO good my gawdddd

[@garrettlubag3338]

If you're a fan of techno check out Lee Jung Hyun's discography because she takes whatever genre she wants and adds techno to it! I personally play Michyeo, Ddarahaebwa, Nuh, Bakkwo, Wa, and Ari Ari on repeat!

[@drena542]

I cant believe I just found this now. this video gave me major nostalgia! all of them are ICONIC till now and their songs to me just dont grow old

[@shineeis5657]

Sechskies has such an awesome discography! They're mostly known for couple and the way this man lives, but they rivaled h.o.t at the time.

[@LeandroMedinaf1]

We agree on the vast majority but I leave you some more songs in case you didn't know them: Uhm Jung Hwa- aperture 1TYM - One Love Free Style - Y Jewelry - Again Why - Unmyeong (Full House OST) CLON - Come back to Me Fin.K.L - Eternal Love Goofy - Shock Kim Jong Kook - Addiction BoA - Amazing Kiss H.O.T. - Outside Castle Kiss - Because i'm a girl Som2 - DejaVu To-Ya - Go Away To-Ya - look Jinusean - Tell Me Tell me if you didn't know any of them and if you liked them.

[@88Manel88]

Omg someone else who knows dejavu, I love that song

[@dummykwast]

Thank you for this. I didn't know Free Style, Why, Goofy, Kiss, Som2 and To-Ya. I like all of them but I couldn't find Som2, are they on Spotify?

[@floofmccloud]

“Now” is my favorite, and probably one of the first 1st gen songs I ever heard, because I discovered it back when I was getting into Wonder Girls and they had covered it

[@vkskms]

my additions to this list would be: my lecon - jtl 10 minutes - lee hyori cyber lover, only seventeen - turbo bruise - kim hyun jung sharing forever - shinhwa love, couple - sechskies shadow, change - fin.k.l. warning, snow prince - ss501 chau chau - deli spice rain - s.e.s. feeling love, two of us - chae yeon power - boa paradox - traxx

[@guilhermeantonucci9403]

great list! notable exclusions: COOL, Sharp, Steve Yoo, Tashannie, Turbo, Roo'ra, Chakra

[@r1245]

BoA, SES, HOT... são os melhores!!!! Bons tempos!!!!

[@kanaltika1821]

To me BoA really is the gate into kpop world.

[@erina8295]

Dreams Come True 100% deserves a higher rank! It's a masterpiece!

[@YS-eu4ne]

Rising Sun TVXQ🥲🥲 my first kpop song

[@saidatorres9323]

I'd add Seven's Comeback to me, Rain's Bad guy and the iconic We are the future

[@lll.24601]

YES WE ARE THE FUTURE

[@shineeis5657]

I forgot Rain is from 1st gen. He aged like wine.

[@khr007_]

nice list! Nostalgic. :) Please include click B, hongkyung min, Taebin, Fly to the Sky, VOS, NRG, Mc The Max Thanxx

[@lavieenbleu_]

So many hits. A lot of these songs are still beeing covered by young artists, and that shows how 1st gen was truly the basis of kpop. (Btw, TVXQ and Jewelry are actually 2nd gen groups. TVXQ is considered the first 2nd gen group).

[@jakasosoba661]

My favorite is "We are the future"-H.O.T You must listen this!

[@FromBusan]

I've watched SO MANY compilation videos and it's the ONLY ones that includes Tri-angle 😢bless you op

[@ladyqueenqueen1558]

my top 3 are 3: get up by baby vox 2: adult ceremony by park ji yoon and lastly , the best ... 1: PERFECT MAN by shinhwa!!!

[@YS-eu4ne]

Perfect Man 💕💕

[@snapwilson]

Don't think I had heard Fin.k.l's "Now" before, so thanks for that. KZbin really wasn't the best vehicle for these artists. It seems only BoA had consistent access to anything above 720p and the sound was often terrible. I remember my wife showing me H.O.T and I was amazed it was recorded in the 1990s and not the 1890s.

[@user-fb6ct8bj7m]

Queen BoA

[@S.F.Sorrow]

tvxq is actually 2nd gen lol they're the ones that started the 2nd gen wave (1st gen technically ended on 2000 bc from then on it was 1.5/2nd gen aka a more sophisticated generation idols compared to the unpolished gem quality of 1st gen)

[@lll.24601]

I kinda would say it’s at 2000-2001 because that’s when a lot of the groups disbande

[@bigboss5027]

Turbo- Black Cat, My Childhood Dream Sechskies-Couple

[@hwabasa3324]

I’ve been in love with black cat recently so 🤭

[@perfectredd2128]

Come back home is so iconic

[@lea9977]

Look Milky Way will always be my heart ❤️

[@caitlinh762]

Tears will forever be my favorite

[@kwonbrian]

My top 50 songs are probably the same but adding some songs from Jang Nara, Fly To The Sky, Lee Soo Young and SG Wannabe

[@KL-wp8ip]

Me: sitting quietly, nodding Jung Hyun: Wa Me: jumping up to dance Soogeun style

[@user-tc3qz4yc5j]

한국분이신가? 싸이 끝 나오는데 웃음나오면서 감탄함 ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ 케이팝 내공이 상당하신듯 ㅋㅋㅋㅋ잘모를텐데 외국인들은

[@lea9977]

Even though some of those kpop groups are like not really what I grew up to as a 90s kid, I definitely listened to BOA, Bada, Baby Vox

[@vellbariaofficial]

1st gen Kpop is gold!! :)

[@shruthakeerthi4559]

ALL SONGS ARE CERTIFIED BOPS

[@ainsleyvlogs3003]

I agree

[@namgirl5219]

08:31 my favorite

[@oscarasi876]

Great video

[@hwabasa3324]

Thank you 😌

[@freyesha4110]

Thanks for this♡!😊

[@KpopStan2009]

I would also add: Baby Vox - Doll Baby Vox - Why Baby Vox - To Men Ami - Go Away Fanclub - Baby Valentine - Once Again Salt - Forgiveness koast II Koast - I'm just saying Eddie & Chris - Flew Away Se7en - Baby I like you like that Se7en - Passion Lady - Attention Lady - Ladies Night Lexy - Girls Lexy - Ae Song Lexy - Tears Shim Eun Jin - Oopsy Eugene - Wuthering Heights Eugene - Windy Ivy - A-ha D.Bace - Go H.O.T - 투지 (Tuji/Get it up) H.O.T - Age of violence 1TYM - 1tym Park Ji Yoon - Swan Park Ji Yoon - I'm a man Rain - It's Raining Rain - Bad Man U;Nee - Go U;Nee - Call Call Call X-large - You Shinhwa - Eusha Eusha Shinhwa - T.O.P Swi.t - I'll be there Seo Taiji - Feel the soul Seo Taiji - Internet war Lee Jung Hyun - Change Lee Jung Hyun - Joolae Lee Jung Hyun - Follow Me Diva - Yoyo Diva - Perfect! Koyote - Sadness Eun Ji won - Drunken in Melody Julliet - Don't Touch Hoop - Oh my darling Noise - Now Epik High - Peace day Chae Yeon - Two of us Nina - Hit'm Shamoni - Bari-Hyang Zaza - In the bus Cool - Destiny Turbo - Cyber Lover Jang Woohyuk - Flip Reverse Jaurim - Song of Ha ha ha Lee Hyori - Anymotion

[@vkskms]

omg thanks for the extensive list i'll add these right away to my playlist!

[@KpopStan2009]

@@vkskms Thanks ^^ Last year I really dove into 1st gen Kpop and gotten to known alot of new songs and artists bc of it. There are so many good songs and artists

[@misterpurple9440]

Wait, isn't seo taiji feel the soul and internet war was metal song? Is it count as kpop?

[@KpopStan2009]

@@misterpurple9440 Seotaiji is one of the reasons why Kpop exists bc he was in the first Kpop group Seotaiji and the boys

[@misterpurple9440]

@@KpopStan2009 of course i know that im seo taiji fan myself. But seo taiji feel the soul and internet i dont think its kpop song. Its more to underground nu metal.

[@birdy369]

GODDDD. The fact that you included videos/performances really captured the TIIIIME back then. I can almost smell this video. 😆 Kpop boys didn't hold back with the jncos/trip pants

[@LeKementari]

Thank you very much for this!

[@andersonluna7551]

Listen to my heart is good too.

[@jungwon_blue]

Very good list 👍

[@AmerieFanbase]

BoA is iconic!

[@sinair285]

4:11 It’s difficult to ignore Kim Jong Min in Uhm Jung Hwa’s greatest hit songs. Who knew back then he became one of the 1st generation and still last today?

[@leeyounghyun1208]

he is a member of Koyote lol

[@rush2010820]

@@leeyounghyun1208 코요태 하기전에 엄정화 백댄서로 데뷔했습니다

[@Christine0611]

Taesaja - Way is a song that I really love It’s really good

[@godslittlecrayola]

Thank you for introducing me to so bops

[@johnlennardcostuna3683]

Deux - Please Look At Me, Turbo - December and Tonight, try listening to these bops

[@hwabasa3324]

I listened to them and they’re all pretty good ! December in particular

[@FromBusan]

Also Turbo Black Cat Nero. This song is SO cool

[@misslf8]

no 24, my first kpop idol crush 🥰🥰🥰

[@strawberry_shirtcakes6731]

YES ALL 1980 SONGS ARE SO GOODDD

[@deadeyesamurai2231]

my top 5 is 5 pure love by koyote 4 just a feeling by ses 3 listen to my word by papaya 2 honey and dont leave me by jyp 1 ari ari and wa by lee jung hyun

[@BB-nb5yb]

6:51 Sobangcha last night was in reply 1988 right? Haha.. I still remember the way jung-hwan sunwoo and dong ryong danced to it

[@babyfish1083]

Shinhwa!!!!!!!!!

[@MariaFerreira-vs1mu]

So Chanwhee queen

[@angelofwar7699]

I just wanna know how Dr music manage to had one of the first gg and one of the best (BABY V.O.X), but ended up having the girl group with most line up changes in Kpop too (raNia)... Sad

[@Princess-je4tf]

Jinusean❤️‍🔥

[@kharisgo]

Superstar by Jewelry is my jam bc of Audition. Lol. Most Baby vox songs too.

[@Asir._.]

and now i’m the newest kpoper i guess starting like 17 hrs ago when i was totally obsessed with NJ and classy so... it’s actually making me confident abt myself and changed my life quick 💕 and btw kpop song title literally unique from the start..1gen makeup is so different from 4gen now it’s getting really chilling 🪅💘 edit: maybe i love the comeback home like it’s just so modern to me NNNN super swag and that’s more like the 2010s

[@theopollind8024]

Top-tier old-school kpop playlist here

[@_rywrld]

listening to 1st gen “kpop” is so hard for me 😭 like the way they took EVERYTHING from black ppl (just like the western industry) without trying to hide it is 🤔 but the music bangs so what can you do chile 😭

[@lampe_de_lune]

Yes that is because of the americanisation of South Korea after the 2nd world war and the Korean war (1950) after this many american soldiers stayed in South Korea and they listened to american music. The Koreans heard this music to and it was like that that the south korean music was influenced by the american music. But it wasn't only hiphop in the begining it was folk and ballads and so on but because they were under a dictatorship listening to foreign music wasn't really accepted. But in the ninty's when the strict dictatorship fell (and also the Koreans could finaly travel outside of Korea) the american music in Korea became really popular and accessible plus the Koreans could travel to America! And in the ninties the popular american music was hiphop so the Koreans were influenced by that and that's what we see that remains till our day! And it was also in the ninty's that those big entertainments/music companies were founded. So that's why it is like a copy from american music wich in this era was totaly influenced by the music of black Americans. I hope I explaind it well english isn't my first language 😅

[@dianfic3916]

TVXQ was part of 2nd Generation... btw I loved your compilation :)

[@hurmast369d6]

I'm looking for 3 songs from this era. 1. girl trio band. the mv was shot in Thailand. the mv started with a girl dipped herself into the pool. 2. anthor trio girl band. they played as nuns in the mv and in the end they tore off their veils and escaped from being nuns. 3 a sci-fi mv on spacecraft. a guy killed the mutual girl friend by pulling off her cables on her back while kissing her. the girls other lover killed?this guy in the end.

[@zii6219]

jyp when he was young 😰😰😰

[@kirilvelinov7774]

Best generation ever