Melon, the largest music platform in South Korea, has unveiled its Top 100 Songs of the last decade (2010 - 2019).
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As an era draws to an end and a new one is arriving, Melon has revealed the top 100 songs that have been enjoyed and downloaded the most in South Korea for the last decade.
An overview of South Korean music in the last decade
While the 2000s were the heyday of dance music-oriented idol groups, the 2010s showed outstanding performances by talented and new musicians. Busker Busker, who first received attention through an audition program, was listed as the owner of the best hit song of the 2010s by consistently appearing on music charts every spring with his first full-length album 'Cherry Blossom Ending', followed by 'Through the Night' of IU, who became a top solo female singer. Musicians such as MeloMance, Yoon Jong Shin, and Bolbbalgan4 were also notable for their late-rising songs, and K-Pop idols are now spreading their popularity around the world.
It is safe to say that the 2010s were IU's era. The singer recorded 11 songs in the Top 100. 'Through the Night', which ranked second on the annual chart in 2017, was also ranked second on the decade chart, while 'Friday' ranked 5th, 'Meaning of you' ranked 13th, and 'Merry Christmas in Advance' ranked 18th despite being a Christmas carol.
IU has been consistently listed on the annual chart every year since 2010. After topping the annual chart in 2010 with 'Nagging' (Lim Seulong), she ranked 8th on the annual chart in 2011 with 'Good Day' and 9th on the annual chart in 2012 with 'Every End of the Day'. In 2014, she recorded 3 songs in the top 10 list, making it an unrivaled achievement for a female solo artist. IU is South Korea's leading female solo artist and music powerhouse. Despite the emergence of many artists over the past 10 years, IU's position seems to remain at the top.
Ballad/R&B songs are loved every year. Park Hyo-shin's 'Wild Flower', which was released in 2014 and ranked second on the annual chart, ranked third on the decade chart, while MC The Max's 'No Matter Where' ranked ninth and Naul's 'Memory Of The Wind' ranked 10th, showing off their veteran-musician popularity. The artists who were listed on the 2000s list are still very popular in the 2010s.
But we cannot forget the performances of talented new musicians. Debuting in 2014, talented musician Paul Kim became an emerging music powerhouse, ranking 8th, 40th, and 66th on the decade chart with 'Every Day, Every Moment', 'Me After You', and 'Rain', respectively. Ailee's 'I Will Go To You Like The First Snow', which topped the annual chart in 2017, became the first drama OST to reach the top. Heize and Han Dong Geun also proved their skills by recording two songs in the top 100 charts. The dance music of the 2000s was replaced by ballad/R&B music. In particular, familiar and sophisticated songs by young musicians have captivated not only the new generation but also the older generation.
A song that is belatedly gaining attention after its release is usually called a "reverse track". Especially in the mid to late 2010s, the number of songs that gradually climbed the charts has increased significantly. MeloMance's 'Gift', released in 2017, started to draw attention little by little two months after its release, and topped the real-time music charts after that. It ranked 18th on the annual chart in 2017 and 11th on the decade chart. Another reverse track, 'Like It' by Yoon Jong Shin, was ranked 14th on the decade chart, giving him the honor of winning his first music broadcast title in 27 years.
Right now, Bolbbalgan4 and Paul Kim are two representatives of reverse tracks. Bolbbalgan4's 'Galaxy', gaining popularity through word of mouth on SNS, ranked 17th on the decade chart, while Paul Kim's 'Rain' ranked 66th. Momoland's 'Bboom Bboom', the best reverse track of 2018, ranked 73rd.
K-Pop idols were also spotted in the flood of ballads/R&B. The world-famous group BTS also performed well on the domestic charts. 'Spring Day' ranked 4th on the decade chart, setting the record among K-Pop idols, while 'DNA' and 'Blood Sweat & Tears' ranked 28th and 89th, respectively, proving that they are the best idol groups now.
TWICE's 'CHEER UP', which topped the annual chart in 2016, ranked 16th in the decade chart, the highest ranking among female idols, while 'TT', 'Like OOH-AHH' and 'Dance The Night Away' ranked 39th, 76th and 81st, respectively. iKON's 'LOVE SCENARIO', which topped the annual chart in 2018, ranked 22nd in the decade chart. Red Velvet's 'Red Flavor' ranked 29th. The global group BLACKPINK ranked 38th with 'DDU-DU DDU-DU' and ranked 50th and 55th with 'As If It's Your Last' and 'Playing With Fire'.
Among many idol groups, Taeyeon and Kyuhyun were the only solo idols in the top 100. Taeyeon ranked 71st with 'I' and Kyuhyun 74th with 'At Gwanghwamun'.
Top 100 Songs Of The Last Decade (2010-2019)
1. Busker Busker - 벚꽃 엔딩 (Cherry Blossom Ending)
2. IU - 밤편지 (Through the Night)
3. Park Hyo Shin - 야생화 (Wild Flower)
4. BTS - 봄날 (Spring Day)
5. IU - 금요일에 만나요 (Friday) (Feat. Jang Yi Jeong Of HISTORY)
6. Ailee - 첫눈처럼 너에게 가겠다 (I will go to you like the first snow)
7. HIGH4, IU - 봄 사랑 벚꽃 말고 (Not Spring, Love, or Cherry Blossoms)
8. Paul Kim - 모든 날, 모든 순간 (Every day, Every Moment)
9. M.C the MAX - 어디에도 (No matter where)
10. Naul - 바람기억 (Memory Of The Wind)
11. MeloMance - 선물 (Gift)
12. Sung Si Kyung, Park Hyo Shin, Lee Seok Hoon, Seo In Guk, VIXX - 크리스마스니까 (Because It's Christmas)
13. IU - 너의 의미 (Meaning of you) (Feat. Kim Chang Wan)
14. Yoon Jong Shin - 좋니 (Like it)
15. Heize - 비도 오고 그래서 (You, Clouds, Rain) (Feat. Shin Yong Jae)
16. TWICE - CHEER UP
17. BOL4 - 우주를 줄게 (Galaxy)
18. IU - 미리 메리 크리스마스 (Merry Christmas in Advance) (Feat. Thunder Of MBLAQ)
19. Lim Chang Jung - 또 다시 사랑 (Love Again)
20. Urban Zakapa - 널 사랑하지 않아 (I Don't Love You)
21. Soyou, Junggigo - 썸 (Some) (Feat. Lil Boi Of Geeks)
22. iKON - 사랑을 했다 (LOVE SCENARIO)
23. IU - 좋은 날 (Good Day)
24. San E, Raina - 한여름밤의 꿀 (A midsummer night's sweetness)
25. SHAUN - Way Back Home
26. Han Dong Geun - 이 소설의 끝을 다시 써보려 해 (Making a new ending for this story)
27. Kim Bum Soo - 끝사랑 (Last Love)
28. BTS - DNA
29. Red Velvet - 빨간 맛 (Red Flavor)
30. Lim Chang Jung - 내가 저지른 사랑 (The Love I Committed)
31. Primary - 자니 (Johnny) (Feat. Dynamicduo)
32. IU - 팔레트 (Palette) (Feat. G-DRAGON)
33. BOL4 - 좋다고 말해 (Tell Me You Love Me)
34. Lee Juck - 걱정말아요 그대 (Don't worry, dear)
35. Busker Busker - 여수 밤바다 (Yeosu Night Sea)
36. IU - 너랑 나 (YOU&I)
37. Crush - Beautiful
38. BLACKPINK - 뚜두뚜두 (DDU-DU DDU-DU)
39. TWICE - TT
40. Paul Kim - 너를 만나 (Me After You)
41. Nilo - 지나오다 (Pass by)
42. Jang Deok Cheol - 그날처럼 (Good old days)
43. BOL4 - 나만 안되는 연애 (Hard To Love)
44. Lee Hi - 한숨 (BREATHE)
45. DEAN - D (half moon) (Feat. Gaeko)
46. WINNER - REALLY REALLY
47. Jung Seung Hwan - 너였다면 (If It Is You)
48. BOL4 - 여행 (Travel)
49. BTOB - 그리워하다 (Missing You)
50. BLACKPINK - 마지막처럼 (AS IF IT'S YOUR LAST)
51. BIGBANG - 뱅뱅뱅 (BANG BANG BANG)
52. Park Hyo Shin - 눈의 꽃 (Snow Flower)
53. Wanna One - 에너제틱 (Energetic)
54. Seo In Guk, Jeong Eun Ji - All For You
55. BLACKPINK - 불장난 (PLAYING WITH FIRE)
56. Zion.T - 양화대교 (Yanghwa BRDG)
57. Jung Joon Il - 안아줘 (Hug Me)
58. Oh Hyuk - 소녀 (A Little Girl)
59. GFRIEND - 오늘부터 우리는 (Me Gustas Tu)
60. B2ST - 비가 오는 날엔 (On Rainy Days)
61. BOL4 - 썸 탈꺼야 (Some)
62. Woo Won Jae - 시차 (We Are) (Feat. Loco & GRAY)
63. PSY - 어땠을까 (What Would Have Been) (Feat. Lena Park)
64. Heize - 돌아오지마 (Don't Come Back) (Feat. Yong Jun Hyung Of B2ST)
65. Taeyang - 눈, 코, 입 (EYES, NOSE, LIPS)
66. Paul Kim - 비 (Rain)
67. GFRIEND - 시간을 달려서 (Rough)
68. IU - 삐삐 (BBIBBI)
69. Park Hyo Shin - 숨 (Breath)
70. Baek A Yeon - 이럴거면 그러지말지 (Shouldn't Have...) (Feat. Young K)
71. Taeyeon - I (Feat. Verbal Jint)
72. HYUKOH - 위잉위잉 (Wi Ing Wi Ing)
73. MOMOLAND - 뿜뿜 (BBoom BBoom)
74. Kyuhyun - 광화문에서 (At Gwanghwamun)
75. DAVICHI - 이 사랑 (This Love)
76. TWICE - OOH-AHH하게 (Like OOH-AHH)
77. M.C the MAX - 그대가 분다 (Wind that blows)
78. Loco, Yuju - 우연히 봄 (Spring Is Gone by chance)
79. Han Dong Geun - 그대라는 사치 (Amazing You)
80. IU - 스물셋 (Twenty-three)
81. TWICE - Dance The Night Away
82. 4MEN - 못해 (Can't Do) (Feat. MIIII)
83. Busker Busker - 처음엔 사랑이란게 (Love, At First)
84. Sung Si Kyung - 너의 모든 순간 (Every Moment Of You)
85. Roy Kim - 그때 헤어지면 돼 (Only then)
86. Lee Sun Hee - 그 중에 그대를 만나 (Meet him among them)
87. SURAN - 오늘 취하면 (WINE) (Feat. CHANGMO) (Prod. SUGA)
88. IU - 나의 옛날이야기 (My Old Story)
89. BTS - 피 땀 눈물 (Blood Sweat & Tears)
90. AKMU - 200%
91. Zico - Boys And Girls (Feat. Babylon)
92. MAKTUB, Gu Yoon Hee - Marry Me
93. Primary - ? (물음표) (question mark) (Feat. Choize Of Dynamicduo, Zion.T)
94. MAMAMOO - 별이 빛나는 밤 (Starry Night)
95. AKMU - 오랜 날 오랜 밤 (LAST GOODBYE)
96. Park Won - all of my life
97. Naul - 같은 시간 속의 너 (Living In the Same Time)
98. Zion.T - 꺼내 먹어요 (Eat)
99. 10CM - 봄이 좋냐?? (What The Spring??)
100. Gummy - You Are My Everything
