Collaborations are popular in the music industry as they allow artists to combine their unique talents and fan bases, creating exciting and diverse musical experiences. With the rising popularity of K-pop and Korean performances, it’s no wonder that Western artists are looking eastwards for superhit collaborations. When Western artists collab with Eastern artists, it not only brings their fandom together but also both cultures. If you are a music enthusiast and would want to know more about Korean-western collaborations, here are the Top 10 Korean-Western music collaborations.
1. BTS And Halsey
BTS and Halsey met for the first time at the 2017 Billboard Music Awards and have been good friends since then. In 2019, the Boyband collaborated with Halsey to feature on one of their tracks from the album "Map of the Soul: Persona." This gave birth to the iconic song "Boy With Luv." This catchy and fun song became one of BTS's most famous songs. This iconic collab broke several records, such as the most viewed online music video in 24 hours at the time and the record for the song with the most music show wins after the 2000s in South Korea. Halsey has always called herself an ARMY and has always supported the boys.
2. Lady Gaga And Blackpink
American singer Lady Gaga and South Korean girl group Blackpink collaborated to produce "Sour Candy" for Gaga's studio album, Chromatica. Sour Candy is an electro and dance-pop song. The song was one of 2020's most high-profile collaborations. Lady Gaga loved working with the girls so much that she even expressed how much she wanted to be the fifth member of Blackpink. Both collaborators have called each other an inspiration.
3. BTS And Coldplay
British rock band Coldplay and South Korean boy group BTS collaborated for the song "My Universe", the second official single from Coldplay's "Music of the Spheres". The song was a hit and received positive reviews from Music critics. It became the most downloaded song of 2021 by a group in the country. "My Universe" is a synth-pop track written in English and Korean. The song was nominated for the Grammy's in the category Best Pop Duo/ Group Performance. Both BTS and Coldplay have expressed mutual admiration for each other. BTS member Jin collaborated with Coldplay again for his single ‘The Astronaut’.
4. Blackpink And Dua Lipa
English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa and South Korean girl group Blackpink collaborated for "Kiss and Make Up," a song for the reissue of Dua Lipa's debut album. This commercially successful dance-electropop track was released in October 2018. The blend of vocals between the two multilingual artists has been praised by music critics. Both artists have been a fan of each other and are often seen supporting each other online.
5. Jungkook And Charlie Puth
American singer and songwriter Charlie Puth and BTS member Jungkook came together to release "Left and Right" for Puth's third studio album Charlie. This was the duo's second collab, the first being their performance of "We Don't Talk Anymore" at an award show in 2018. Left and Right is a catchy, upbeat pop song. The song was a commercial success and peaked at number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.
6. BTS And Megan Thee Stallion
K-Pop sensation BTS and American rapper Megan Thee Stallion came together to publish the remix version of "Butter," which was originally a BTS single. Butter is a dance-pop, and it was a chart-topper. The remix is a feel-good, flirty dance track that will push you to join the dance floor. BTS and Meghan performed the remix live at BTS's concert series at Sofi Stadium, where the Rapper made a surprise appearance during the second night. The remix was very well received by the BTS ARMY.
7. Dua Lipa And Hwasa
English-Albanian singer Dua Lipa and Hwasa of the South Korean girl group MAMAMOO collaborated on the remix of Physical by Dua. The new lyrics in Korean bring even more power to the synth-dance track. Both artists have made significant contributions to the music industry and have their unique styles and performances, so when they both came together, the result was bound to be successful. The duo had collaborated onstage at the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMA) when they performed each other’s songs.
8. Wendy And John Legend
Wendy from the K-Pop girl group Red Velvet and American singer John Legend teamed up for the song “Written In The Stars”, a Station XO collab project by SM Entertainment. The song is an entirely English track. “Written In The Stars” is an R&B-Ballad with beautiful guitars and soulful music. The collaboration is a significant piece of music as both artists are well known and well-established. The song marks John's first studio collaboration with a K-Pop artist.
9. Psy And Snoop Dogg
South Korean rapper Psy and American rapper Snoop Dogg came together in 2014 to work on the single "Hangover." The song is a humorous take on the experience of having a hangover after a night of heavy drinking. The EDM rap single racked up over 10 million views within 24 hours of its release. The 2018 Marvel superhero film Black Panther incorporated the song into its soundtrack.
10. Selena Gomez And Blackpink
American singer Selena Gomez and South Korean girl group Blackpink collaborated to work on the second single from the group's first Korean-language studio album, The Album (2020). "Ice Cream" was released on August 28, 2020. The song combines electropop and bubblegum pop styles with hints of trap influences. The song was a commercial success and broke many records.
