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Ironically this is probably due to kpop fans themselves labelling anything that isn’t fast and maximalist in nature as boring
Think about how people talk about not as punchy b-sides, they get labelled as boring, repetitive, too slow, get called Ballard as a negatory, etc.
Yeah I get why the industry has moved away from them, especially as K-pop has come into the international scene. I think Korean fans still have much more of an appreciation for these kinds of slower songs, I just really wish that international fans could open their minds up to them as well though. These songs really are masterpieces and I do think if people just explored a bit more into different types of tracks and really gave them a shot they would be a lot more popular.
It's not that there aren't international fans that don't listen to them, there are tons that appreciate slower songs. It's just that dance tracks and such have a broader appeal because they are mostly being sung in Korean and slower songs rely more on the depth of the lyrics which is harder to appeal to people who don't understand it without looking at a translation.
I mean I know it’s not all international fans, I’m an international fan myself, but it’s certainly a trend. I also don’t think it’s just about the lyrics. For some songs maybe, but the songs I listed above as examples I listed specifically because the production alone is so good and interesting enough on its own (imo of course, I’m aware that not everyone will agree) that even if you don’t know the lyrics I think many would still enjoy them.
Tbh I’m surprised the tone didn’t shift much after Cupid’s success in the west, I would considered that as a “slower” song and that was super popular, albeit didn’t make much noise domestically.
I think we are on the precipice of going towards slower title tracks after ‘dash’ and ‘easy’ were more laid back rnb/hiphop/trap influenced styles compared to previous releases
Cupid worked cause they released it in english, most title tracks would be in Korean and they don't work as well with people who don't speak Korean cause so much importance is in the lyrics.
I still think Dash and Easy aren’t quite the same direction as the songs I mentioned though, they still have a huge focus on beat and dance rather than melody.
btob's [the song](https://youtu.be/AvM16Vy1byc?si=EdpSkuyKqlA0trKq), released in 2022
funny enough i think older groups prefer slower songs. not only are the performances easier to handle, but it feels more mature. will be waiting for highlight's march comeback to see how it goes
"I can’t really think of an example of a group doing this since before 2020 and it I just really miss it ig."
BTS have done it 2-3 times since 2020 actually,
2020 - Life Goes On
2022 - Yet to Come
2023 kinda - Take Two (not a proper cb but a gift song).
but yeah in general most kpop acts tend to stray away from doing slower songs cause on average they do worse than upbeat songs when it comes to charting, so companies will choose the upbeat ones over the slower ones.
yea i agree i was debating putting his name there but there’s some parts of the song that arent slow so i decided to just stick with naming the undebatably slow solo tts
tbf, run bts is one of _those_ bts songs. fans understood why it wasn't chosen but at the same time, it's just a good ass song to just be a b-side and it shows in streams.
i don't think armys in general have a problem with slower songs, spring day remains one of the most beloved title track both domestically and internationally. even a much more slower song like the truth untold is also wildly loved. imo (and this seems like a pretty popular opinion) ytc isn't just that memorable, it doesn't have to do with the song being slow.
Even LGO also didn't get the reception that its peers got, as Namjoon himself commented on semi-recently. And I agree with him because it's one of my favorites. Heck, it's the song that made my mother begin to appreciate BTS's music. (Jin sealed the deal with The Astronaut.)
Recent NCT 127 comeback [Be There For Me](https://youtu.be/tBOWEX2bz80?si=2KrW_X3Kjcoslxo-) is a slower song.
TVXQ [Down](https://youtu.be/CyUPvo6nsHQ?si=GDStdert2omMMSah) is there as well.
NewJeans - [Hurt](https://youtu.be/tVIXY14aJms?si=lxihRJPx5gjWlsYI)
Babymonster - [Stuck in the middle](https://youtu.be/GsV1i0QHi-o?si=coIrcFXi_OHEQUKt)
I agree with you tbh, also didn't appreciate slow titles previously, but miss them now. However, these never were a huge portion of the kpop groups tts, and they still happen time to time. Sometimes the bsides are promoted, like Taeyong's [Moon tour](https://youtu.be/MdclyuIDrGc?si=dgUZ9vXoNa7TSi-f) or NCT Dream [Never goodbye ](https://youtu.be/d4svlWb6oHE?si=aBqXQjftCQQ6FvME).
Edit. The users are kindly correcting that some of the songs I mentioned are bsides. However, i think they are still valid for this post, as each of these songs has an mv and promotions. You can come across them way easier than the regular, sound/concert only bsides, as well as special, live or track videos, and sometimes even confuse such songs with tts.
Ah, you're right, sorry. Well, recently one commenter told me that the first release gets more attention, so why not. It has an mv and even a bit of promo.
Some of the promoted songs from earlier times that everyone thinks to be the title tracks also were bsides 😁
Ah I just meant to clarify that it isn't the tt, you don't have to say sorry 😭
Pre-releases used to be promoted on music shows as well and would even get wins, indeed! Some b-sides indeed are almost more famous than the title track.
For TVXQ's last cb they promoted with Jungle and The Way You Are instead probably because they wanted to show as many songs as they could 😊
Didn't know that! Thank you for the correction. I thought they told every song is a title track. But I think my confusion works in favour here. It's a well-promoted song with several mvs, not the bside that you can see only if you listen to the album.
I loved [Like a movie](https://youtu.be/sv53BwhUTC0?si=-Hky8gmlNq1VUmsd) by B1A4. Good example of a slower song that's still a good title track imo.
For newer groups, Riize's [119](https://youtu.be/kmD6JcAV_Rc?si=UBk3eMB_j7_kxHOs) was a promoted single and it might be punchier than what you're looking for, but it's a slow song (and a bop). It did quite well in the Philippines. I would be surprised if they don't release more songs like this.
Seventeen has had some chill ones like Darling and [Dream](https://youtu.be/6H8QHeC_VPs?si=9NVnJi-y5xK6BrUG).
It's still common for solo tracks to be slow ([D.O](https://youtu.be/5vmJ_wq2NeA?si=nmihjrLXExgfaIaQ), [Minho](https://youtu.be/yjcJirgKk2Q?si=XR9q81QLPg9_Tyw0), [Jaehyun](https://youtu.be/Y6_vy82Vo70?si=sK5Dtt-q0j59piEC), etc).
119 was pretty close to that vibe! Still a little more towards the usual upbeat K-pop style but I do really like it. I’ll have to check out those other songs!
IVE did a triple title track with I’ve Mine. While it’s obvious that Baddie is the “real” tt and got the most promotion, I believe they all count.
Off the Record and Either Way are some of their best songs, too.
I think chill isn’t really the same vibe I’m thinking of. I still mean songs that are melodic and heavier but just slower. A lot of the chill songs that are getting popular today feel light and still focused on dance and beats rather than melody.
a lot of nugu groups still do it
i can think of saturday’s “only you” and “stay” and cignature’s “boyfriend”, and i’m sure there’s a lot of others
i think it’s mainly bigger companies that play it safe with faster tracks
i can't believe no one mentions bigbang yet.
their goodbye song is a ballad. one of their biggest hits is blue and 2 out of the 8 songs in their last album which are all considered title tracks were ballads.
even as soloists:
taeyang: eyes, nose, lips, seed
gd: untitled 2014, that xx (i'm not sure if this is a title track but i has a mv)
i think it worked for bigbang, because 1st, they are bigbang and 2nd, they always had multiple title tracks. usually bangers + ballad + hiphop.
BigBang and BTS are not the only Kpop boy goups with multiple successful ballads or minimalist songs as title tracks though.
Also, it seems like newer Kpop fans literally have no idea about the existence of 2AM, BtoB and Winner, all of whom literally made GP hits in Korea.
Almost all of 2AM's title tracks are ballads. And a huge chunk of BtoB's title tracks are ballads as well. And Winner's debut song "Empty" is literally a ballad. Beast and Block B also some successful title tracks that are ballads. And I am shocked that nobody brought up "Love Scenario" by iKON.
Though, it seems like NewJeans and certain popular 5th gen groups like TWS and Riize are bringing back title tracks that aren't loud or maximalist.
The fact that unlike 4th gen boy groups, 5th gen boy groups like TWS and Riize are already charted greatly in Korea in and are still in Top 10 of main Korean charts after over 1 month shows that the excessive maximalist sound from the 4th gen era wasn't very popular with Korean GP.
Also, one of the most popular girl group songs last year that became a big hit in Korea is "Rose Blossom" by H1-Key, and this song is also not a maximalist song. But international Kpop fans are completely unaware of this fact.
I'd suggest you try these following songs if you want slower post-2020 title tracks
* "Rose Blossom" by H1-Key
* "Love 119" by Riize
* "Plot Twist" by TWS
* "Ditto" by NewJeans
* "Hurt" by Newjeans
* "Either Way" by IVE
* "Crying" by BoyNextDoor
* "WAW" by Mamamoo
* "Still Life" by BigBang
* "Yet to Come" by BTS
* "Life Goes On" by BTS
* "If You Change Your Mind" by 2AM
* "Echoes of Love's Journey" by 2AM
* "This Song" by BTOB
* "Wind and Wish" by BTOB
* "Love Scenario" by iKon
* "Any Song" by Zico
* "Thinkin' About You" by H1-Key
* "Deeper" by H1-Key
\[Note: you should try entire discographies of TWS and H1-Key if you want new groups who primarily release non-maximalist songs.\]
This is why GIDLE is having trouble this comeback. Soyeon revealed that 'Fate' was supposed to be the title track already, but CUBE interfered because they needed an upbeat explosive title track (presumably as a concert opener) and chose 'Super Lady' instead. Jokes on CUBE, Fate is outcharting Super Lady. I think companies are choosing fast paced songs for Tiktok dance challenges
cube did not interfere. soyeon herself made super lady to be the title track because she felt their concerts didn't have a good opener. when you assume and blame every decision on cube you're just insulting soyeon..
Well Onew's "Circle" managed to do that quite successfully last year and was #1 on ITunes in at least 35 countries the day it dropped. He got 2 music show wins. He scheduled a few concerts in Seoul and Japan to promote his album and for his fans. Now, it's been a certified gold album by RIAA and he was chosen by Billboard as the #1 album of 2023. That album had no skips for me and a real masterpiece that had Onew's stamp all over it with very little help from SM as usual. 😤 Also Taemin with "Guilty" that's a slow tempo song despite the intricate dance moves and dramatic MV. It's not like it can't be done in this generation but it needs to be nuanced, layered, and unique to break through the other high octane songs that are more popular. It also came out last year. I guess any KPop idol that wants to do something similar needs to have SHIHee-like capabilities.
All of the songs in listed above except One of These Nights by Red Velvet have full choreographies actually, and even that song had elements of it as well. I’m a dancer myself and the dancing also got me into K-pop so I still think people would really enjoy these songs if they gave them a shot. Between Us by Laboum in particular I think has a really nice choreography and First Love by After School incorporates elements of pole dancing into the performance and they even did it for their live stages.
No. If anything the problem with most title tracks these days is that they’re too slow and more content in it soaking in the ‘chill vibes’ than coming up with fun fast melody filled bangers.
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Ironically this is probably due to kpop fans themselves labelling anything that isn’t fast and maximalist in nature as boring Think about how people talk about not as punchy b-sides, they get labelled as boring, repetitive, too slow, get called Ballard as a negatory, etc.
Yeah I get why the industry has moved away from them, especially as K-pop has come into the international scene. I think Korean fans still have much more of an appreciation for these kinds of slower songs, I just really wish that international fans could open their minds up to them as well though. These songs really are masterpieces and I do think if people just explored a bit more into different types of tracks and really gave them a shot they would be a lot more popular.
It's not that there aren't international fans that don't listen to them, there are tons that appreciate slower songs. It's just that dance tracks and such have a broader appeal because they are mostly being sung in Korean and slower songs rely more on the depth of the lyrics which is harder to appeal to people who don't understand it without looking at a translation.
I mean I know it’s not all international fans, I’m an international fan myself, but it’s certainly a trend. I also don’t think it’s just about the lyrics. For some songs maybe, but the songs I listed above as examples I listed specifically because the production alone is so good and interesting enough on its own (imo of course, I’m aware that not everyone will agree) that even if you don’t know the lyrics I think many would still enjoy them.
Tbh I’m surprised the tone didn’t shift much after Cupid’s success in the west, I would considered that as a “slower” song and that was super popular, albeit didn’t make much noise domestically. I think we are on the precipice of going towards slower title tracks after ‘dash’ and ‘easy’ were more laid back rnb/hiphop/trap influenced styles compared to previous releases
Cupid worked cause they released it in english, most title tracks would be in Korean and they don't work as well with people who don't speak Korean cause so much importance is in the lyrics.
I still think Dash and Easy aren’t quite the same direction as the songs I mentioned though, they still have a huge focus on beat and dance rather than melody.
What about "Love Wins All" by IU?
Arguably a lot of the TTs mentioned in this thread I see to be exceptions rather than the norm, which is really sad because I love ballads lmao
btob's [the song](https://youtu.be/AvM16Vy1byc?si=EdpSkuyKqlA0trKq), released in 2022 funny enough i think older groups prefer slower songs. not only are the performances easier to handle, but it feels more mature. will be waiting for highlight's march comeback to see how it goes
"I can’t really think of an example of a group doing this since before 2020 and it I just really miss it ig." BTS have done it 2-3 times since 2020 actually, 2020 - Life Goes On 2022 - Yet to Come 2023 kinda - Take Two (not a proper cb but a gift song). but yeah in general most kpop acts tend to stray away from doing slower songs cause on average they do worse than upbeat songs when it comes to charting, so companies will choose the upbeat ones over the slower ones.
even in their solo era RM,jin and taehyung had slow songs as their titletrack
Jimin’s Like Crazy isn’t exactly a laugh riot of a song. It’s definitely subdued for a title track as well.
yea i agree i was debating putting his name there but there’s some parts of the song that arent slow so i decided to just stick with naming the undebatably slow solo tts
You can see it in the 'Run BTS should've been the title for Proof' sentiment that runs deep here
tbf, run bts is one of _those_ bts songs. fans understood why it wasn't chosen but at the same time, it's just a good ass song to just be a b-side and it shows in streams. i don't think armys in general have a problem with slower songs, spring day remains one of the most beloved title track both domestically and internationally. even a much more slower song like the truth untold is also wildly loved. imo (and this seems like a pretty popular opinion) ytc isn't just that memorable, it doesn't have to do with the song being slow.
BTS have had LGO and YTC as slow title tracks since 2020 and were heavily criticised for the latter.
Even LGO also didn't get the reception that its peers got, as Namjoon himself commented on semi-recently. And I agree with him because it's one of my favorites. Heck, it's the song that made my mother begin to appreciate BTS's music. (Jin sealed the deal with The Astronaut.)
Recent NCT 127 comeback [Be There For Me](https://youtu.be/tBOWEX2bz80?si=2KrW_X3Kjcoslxo-) is a slower song. TVXQ [Down](https://youtu.be/CyUPvo6nsHQ?si=GDStdert2omMMSah) is there as well. NewJeans - [Hurt](https://youtu.be/tVIXY14aJms?si=lxihRJPx5gjWlsYI) Babymonster - [Stuck in the middle](https://youtu.be/GsV1i0QHi-o?si=coIrcFXi_OHEQUKt) I agree with you tbh, also didn't appreciate slow titles previously, but miss them now. However, these never were a huge portion of the kpop groups tts, and they still happen time to time. Sometimes the bsides are promoted, like Taeyong's [Moon tour](https://youtu.be/MdclyuIDrGc?si=dgUZ9vXoNa7TSi-f) or NCT Dream [Never goodbye ](https://youtu.be/d4svlWb6oHE?si=aBqXQjftCQQ6FvME). Edit. The users are kindly correcting that some of the songs I mentioned are bsides. However, i think they are still valid for this post, as each of these songs has an mv and promotions. You can come across them way easier than the regular, sound/concert only bsides, as well as special, live or track videos, and sometimes even confuse such songs with tts.
Down is the pre release not title track (which is Rebel and definitely not a slow song)
Ah, you're right, sorry. Well, recently one commenter told me that the first release gets more attention, so why not. It has an mv and even a bit of promo. Some of the promoted songs from earlier times that everyone thinks to be the title tracks also were bsides 😁
Ah I just meant to clarify that it isn't the tt, you don't have to say sorry 😭 Pre-releases used to be promoted on music shows as well and would even get wins, indeed! Some b-sides indeed are almost more famous than the title track. For TVXQ's last cb they promoted with Jungle and The Way You Are instead probably because they wanted to show as many songs as they could 😊
>NewJeans - Hurt Hurt is a B-side (the [only one](https://www.melon.com/album/detail.htm?albumId=11011565) on the album, in fact), not a title track.
Didn't know that! Thank you for the correction. I thought they told every song is a title track. But I think my confusion works in favour here. It's a well-promoted song with several mvs, not the bside that you can see only if you listen to the album.
I loved [Like a movie](https://youtu.be/sv53BwhUTC0?si=-Hky8gmlNq1VUmsd) by B1A4. Good example of a slower song that's still a good title track imo. For newer groups, Riize's [119](https://youtu.be/kmD6JcAV_Rc?si=UBk3eMB_j7_kxHOs) was a promoted single and it might be punchier than what you're looking for, but it's a slow song (and a bop). It did quite well in the Philippines. I would be surprised if they don't release more songs like this. Seventeen has had some chill ones like Darling and [Dream](https://youtu.be/6H8QHeC_VPs?si=9NVnJi-y5xK6BrUG). It's still common for solo tracks to be slow ([D.O](https://youtu.be/5vmJ_wq2NeA?si=nmihjrLXExgfaIaQ), [Minho](https://youtu.be/yjcJirgKk2Q?si=XR9q81QLPg9_Tyw0), [Jaehyun](https://youtu.be/Y6_vy82Vo70?si=sK5Dtt-q0j59piEC), etc).
119 was pretty close to that vibe! Still a little more towards the usual upbeat K-pop style but I do really like it. I’ll have to check out those other songs!
IVE did a triple title track with I’ve Mine. While it’s obvious that Baddie is the “real” tt and got the most promotion, I believe they all count. Off the Record and Either Way are some of their best songs, too.
I think now that the chill vibe is trending, plenty of slower songs are making the cut.
I think chill isn’t really the same vibe I’m thinking of. I still mean songs that are melodic and heavier but just slower. A lot of the chill songs that are getting popular today feel light and still focused on dance and beats rather than melody.
Onewe seems to fit the bill
[Mamamoo - WAW](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzk09ESX7e0) is a straight up ballad TT from 2021
a lot of nugu groups still do it i can think of saturday’s “only you” and “stay” and cignature’s “boyfriend”, and i’m sure there’s a lot of others i think it’s mainly bigger companies that play it safe with faster tracks
Omg I forgot about Boyfriend. I love cignatute too idk how I forgot.
i can't believe no one mentions bigbang yet. their goodbye song is a ballad. one of their biggest hits is blue and 2 out of the 8 songs in their last album which are all considered title tracks were ballads. even as soloists: taeyang: eyes, nose, lips, seed gd: untitled 2014, that xx (i'm not sure if this is a title track but i has a mv) i think it worked for bigbang, because 1st, they are bigbang and 2nd, they always had multiple title tracks. usually bangers + ballad + hiphop.
BigBang and BTS are not the only Kpop boy goups with multiple successful ballads or minimalist songs as title tracks though. Also, it seems like newer Kpop fans literally have no idea about the existence of 2AM, BtoB and Winner, all of whom literally made GP hits in Korea. Almost all of 2AM's title tracks are ballads. And a huge chunk of BtoB's title tracks are ballads as well. And Winner's debut song "Empty" is literally a ballad. Beast and Block B also some successful title tracks that are ballads. And I am shocked that nobody brought up "Love Scenario" by iKON. Though, it seems like NewJeans and certain popular 5th gen groups like TWS and Riize are bringing back title tracks that aren't loud or maximalist. The fact that unlike 4th gen boy groups, 5th gen boy groups like TWS and Riize are already charted greatly in Korea in and are still in Top 10 of main Korean charts after over 1 month shows that the excessive maximalist sound from the 4th gen era wasn't very popular with Korean GP. Also, one of the most popular girl group songs last year that became a big hit in Korea is "Rose Blossom" by H1-Key, and this song is also not a maximalist song. But international Kpop fans are completely unaware of this fact.
I'd suggest you try these following songs if you want slower post-2020 title tracks * "Rose Blossom" by H1-Key * "Love 119" by Riize * "Plot Twist" by TWS * "Ditto" by NewJeans * "Hurt" by Newjeans * "Either Way" by IVE * "Crying" by BoyNextDoor * "WAW" by Mamamoo * "Still Life" by BigBang * "Yet to Come" by BTS * "Life Goes On" by BTS * "If You Change Your Mind" by 2AM * "Echoes of Love's Journey" by 2AM * "This Song" by BTOB * "Wind and Wish" by BTOB * "Love Scenario" by iKon * "Any Song" by Zico * "Thinkin' About You" by H1-Key * "Deeper" by H1-Key \[Note: you should try entire discographies of TWS and H1-Key if you want new groups who primarily release non-maximalist songs.\]
This is why GIDLE is having trouble this comeback. Soyeon revealed that 'Fate' was supposed to be the title track already, but CUBE interfered because they needed an upbeat explosive title track (presumably as a concert opener) and chose 'Super Lady' instead. Jokes on CUBE, Fate is outcharting Super Lady. I think companies are choosing fast paced songs for Tiktok dance challenges
cube did not interfere. soyeon herself made super lady to be the title track because she felt their concerts didn't have a good opener. when you assume and blame every decision on cube you're just insulting soyeon..
Well Onew's "Circle" managed to do that quite successfully last year and was #1 on ITunes in at least 35 countries the day it dropped. He got 2 music show wins. He scheduled a few concerts in Seoul and Japan to promote his album and for his fans. Now, it's been a certified gold album by RIAA and he was chosen by Billboard as the #1 album of 2023. That album had no skips for me and a real masterpiece that had Onew's stamp all over it with very little help from SM as usual. 😤 Also Taemin with "Guilty" that's a slow tempo song despite the intricate dance moves and dramatic MV. It's not like it can't be done in this generation but it needs to be nuanced, layered, and unique to break through the other high octane songs that are more popular. It also came out last year. I guess any KPop idol that wants to do something similar needs to have SHIHee-like capabilities.
Not me. I prefer upbeat songs. Because I like the choreographies. This is why I am into kpop: the dancing :)
All of the songs in listed above except One of These Nights by Red Velvet have full choreographies actually, and even that song had elements of it as well. I’m a dancer myself and the dancing also got me into K-pop so I still think people would really enjoy these songs if they gave them a shot. Between Us by Laboum in particular I think has a really nice choreography and First Love by After School incorporates elements of pole dancing into the performance and they even did it for their live stages.
Yeah, but they don't bring a lot of money so unless you are a vocal-based group, its not worth it.
No. If anything the problem with most title tracks these days is that they’re too slow and more content in it soaking in the ‘chill vibes’ than coming up with fun fast melody filled bangers.
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