With each new debut, the boundary of what is popular constantly changes. Here are 11 underrated K-pop artists who have yet to receive the spotlight, according to Genius Korea.
1. BIBI
BIBI is one of K-pop's hottest names at the moment. She was first discovered by FeelGhood Music CEO's Tiger JK and Yoonmirae after she snagged the number 2 spot at the SBS program "The FAN" in 2019. BIBI wowed the K-pop scene with her unique blend of genres, from pop to rock, to hip-hop, to folk.
BIBI dropped her first EP in 2019. Since then, she has featured on tracks with powerhouse names in K-PO, such as J.Y. Park, Crush, ZICO, B1A4, and QM. She also co-wrote TWICE's hit song "MORE & MORE." BIBI's song "I'm Good at Goodbyes" was selected as one of Billboard's Top 20 K-Pop Songs of 2021.
2. Lim Young Woong
Lim Young Woong is the face of Trot in South Korea at the moment. After taking home number one on the TV Chosun program, "Mr. Trot," Lim Young Woong successfully stole the hearts of the older generation with his soulful, relaxed voice. However, his last release, "HERO," strays from the traditional Trot style and leans towards more British pop.
3. Damons Year
Damons Year is a fire that just will not go out. In 2017, Damons Year won the 2017 Bucheon Busking Contest grand prize, securing him a music scholarship with CJ Cultural Foundation's Tune-Up Program in 2018. Two years later, he sold out his fourth solo concert in Oct. 2020. He already kickstarted 2021 with a new release - his debut studio album, "HEADACHE." The album is an autobiography of how happiness and stress come and go like ocean waves.
4. Choi Jin Soul
Choi Jin Soul is a viral sensation in South Korea! The singer started off as a YouTube cover artist, and her cover of Imagine Dragon's "Believer" brought her to the public's attention. Her YouTuber covers were uploaded by the prestigious music academy, PowerVocal, which lead to her virality.
She is still uploading YouTube covers to her channel, but she is also working on original music. She dropped her debut single, "Lighter," which has a smooth-pop R&B sound. She also released the song "Who I Am" as part of the MBC drama soundtrack "Please Don't Date Him."
5. Lee Seung Yoon
Lee Seung Yoon is the lead vocalist of the metal rock band Alary-Kansion, who debuted in 2019 with the mini-album "Gibberish." He has been pursuing a solo career since 2013. He was discovered through the JTBC program "Sing Again," a survival program to rediscover lost talent. Lee Seung Yoon shook the audience with his experimental skills. He won the program with his rearranged version of Lee Hyori's "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang." He has since released a 2020 single, "Hero Collector."
6. oceanfromtheblue
oceanfromtheblue is an up-and-coming SoundCloud artist, one of the many artists who release music without the help of any record label. Debuting in 2018, oceanfromtheblue has already released five mini-albums and one mixtape. According to the artist, he aims to build an "island" where he can share his stories in different ways. His stage name has two inspirations: "ocean" from Frank Ocean, his musical role model, and "blue," referring to depression.
7. Oisobagi
Oisobagi is a composer duo who has been producing background music since 2017 for Naver Webtoons. Since their debut as composers, they have created songs for numerous hit webtoons, such as "Tomorrow," "Our Oppas is an Idol," "Love Revolution", and "Random Chat". The duo has hinted at preparing an album.
8. youra
Lena Kim handpicked youra as a top choice for "THE FAN". She debuted in 2018 with "my" and, following the popularity she received from the survival show, have dropped her first mini-album "GAUSSIAN" on Feb. 2. Vogue Korea praised youra's alluring vocals, applauding her vocal color and her ability to switch between singing and rapping.
9. Mool Kyeol
Not much is known about Mool Kyeol, but it is not too late to discover her! The R&B singer-songwriter has earned a following for her covers of numerous Jaurim songs. She dropped her first digital single, "Stardust", on Feb. 1. According to Poclanos, Mool Kyeol is able to "gather the pieces of emotion to form a wave."
10. DEMIAN
DEMIAN only dropped three songs in 2020, but all three songs were able to earn highlight the artist's talent and give him a spotlight. Starting off as a SoundCloud artist, DEMIAN is signed to Sony Music Entertainment Korea. In the past, he has stated that he wants to be an artist who can tell both difficult and easy stories in a pop=like manner, like a classic novel.
11. O3ohn
O3ohn is another SoundCloud artist making waves in the industry. He debuted in 2016 with the mini-album "[O]," which tells the story of trying to remember a moment forever. Since his debut, the singer has dropped four mini-albums. According to his label, DooRooDooRoo Artist Company, he is currently preparing a new song that will surprise everyone. O3ohn is also the guitarist for the band Xin Seha & The Town.
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Written by Alexa Lewis
