BY: Alexis Eichelberger

Are you looking to add some K-pop to your summer playlist? Then, you’ve come to the right place.

K-pop is becoming even more of a global phenomenon every day. BTS and BLACKPINK have officially taken over the charts in the U.S. and beyond, but there are many more superstars and up-and-comers to obsess over.

Here are K-pop artists that are sure to heat up your summer.

 

BTS

We’ll kick off our list with the obvious choice, BTS. These seven Seoul natives have stolen our hearts and become the world’s biggest K-pop band in a matter of a few years. Its energetic and flirty song “Butter” is currently sitting at the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and is a summer essential for all your fun-filled moments.

 

 

 

TOMORROW x TOGETHER

You heard it here first (or maybe not, because it’s oh-so-obvious now). Tomorrow x Together is the next big thing in K-pop. When the five guys that make up this group joined forces in 2019, everyone knew something great was coming. It was the first boy band to debut under the South Korean label Bit Hit Entertainment since BTS. Now they’re on the way to stardom just like their predecessors.

After its debut album, The Dream Chapter: Eternity, rocketed up the charts and earned platinum certification in South Korea, TXT quickly gave fans more music to love. In May 2021, the group released its second studio album, The Chaos Chapter: Freeze. Again, it received rave reviews from around the world and reached number 5 on the Billboard 200.

 

 

SEVENTEEN

SEVENTEEN is a 13-member supergroup that’s been hustling and creating top-notch K-pop since 2015. In the six years since the group debuted, it has released a whopping three studio albums and ten E.P.s. So if you’re a fan of SEVENTEEN, your appetite for new music is always satisfied.

So far, the group has had a particularly successful year in Japan. “Not Alone,” which dropped in April, is already certified double platinum in the country and shattered records for first-week sales by an international artist. So it’s only a matter of time before SEVENTEEN is a global success.

 

 

TWICE

One of the sweetest sounding groups in K-pop TWICE is the perfect choice to add some much-needed bubblegum pop to your summer soundtrack. This nine-member group has received award after award for its adorably catchy tunes and iconic dance choreography.

TWICE’s third Japanese album, Perfect World, is due out July 28. This record is bound to supply us with all kinds of fun summer songs to enjoy.

 

 

BAMBAM

Next up, we have solo rapper and singer BamBam. He’s a member of the popular group Got7 but enjoys his remarkable success as a solo artist these days. The 24-year-old Thai native pushes the envelope and challenges our ideas of what it means to be a K-pop icon with every release. We especially can’t stop listening to “riBBon,” his newest and already most successful single.

 

 

JOY

Joy is a woman of many talents. She’s a member of the K-pop group Red Velvet and now a successful solo artist. But she’s also a talented actress and television host. As if a stellar music career wasn’t enough.

Joy made her solo debut this year with the release of her first E.P. Hello. The retro-inspired collection includes six covers of classic 90s and 2000s Korean hits. We’re anxiously awaiting more original releases from Joy, which we’re sure are coming soon.

 

 

B.I.

We round out our list with B.I. This rapper was formerly the frontman of the popular group iKon. He left the group in 2019 and made his debut as a solo artist in 2021. But he’s already killing it on his own.

B.I. released his first solo single in March 2021 and followed it up in May with a killer collaboration with American artists Tyla Yahweh and Destiny Rogers called “Got It Like That.” In June, he released his first studio album, Waterfall, which received stellar reviews.