South Korea, the fascinating country that has delighted the whole world with its dramas and manhwa, also has a lot to contribute to music. The K-pop industry is filled with many renowned stars, including Lisa, IU, RM, Chanyeol, and many others. BTS has become a worldwide sensation, with each song gathering more views. Several Korean pop songs have reached the Billboard rankings and even topped it. South Korean music is appreciated for its pleasing melody and insightful lyrics. And indeed, without talented songwriters to accompany the voice, the industry would have withered long before. In this article, we have gathered a list of the ten most popular lyricists in the South Korean music industry.
1. IU
Lee Ji-Eun was born in Seoul, South Korea, on May 16, 1993. Famous by her stage name IU, she is known as an actress, lyricist, and singer. She debuted at age 15, under LOEN Entertainment, with the release of the EP "Lost and Found" in 2008. Her song "Good Day" from her album Real, released in 2010, catapulted her into stardom. Also a gifted songwriter, she has written several well-known songs, including Only I Didn't Know, Good Day, Celebrity, You and I, The Red Shoes, Peach, Love Poem, etc.
2. Suga
Min Yoon-gi, also known as Suga and Agust D, was born on 9 March 1993. He made his debut in 2013 as a member of BTS, under Big Hit Entertainment. He co-wrote many of their albums with RM and J-Hope. He is counted among the band's most famous members. Suga has created the lyrics for several albums of BTS and also for other artists.
3. Kim Tae-Hyung
Kim Tae-Hyung, also known as V, was born in the Seo District of South Korea on December 30, 1995. He is known as a South Korean lyricist and singer. As a member of BTS, he has published three singles under the band's name, including Stigma, Singularity, and Inner Child. V made his solo debut in 2019 with the release of "Scenery.
4. Kim Eana
Kim Eana was born on 27 April 1979 in South Korea. She is primarily known as the lyricist for many famous songs like "Good Day" by IU and "Abracadabra" by Brown Eyed Girls. Kim made her debut in 2003 in the K-pop genre, and her songwriting partners were Park Geun-tae, Todd Wright, Tim McEwan, Jess Cates, and Shin Hyuk. Eana is a prolific writer and has written numerous songs for artists including VIXX, 24K, Shinee, Son Dam-bi, Brown Eyed Girls, Sunny Hill, IU, Exo-CBX, and Younha.
5. Yoon Jong-Shin
Yoon Jong-shin was born in South Korea. He is known as a lyricist, singer, and record producer. He founded Mystic Story and served as its CEO. He produced his lyrics in partnership with PERC%NT, Kang Hwasung, Jeong Seok-won, Henry Lau, and Jo Kyu-chan. He was honored with the MCB music award and Golden Disc Award Song Division. He debuted as a solo singer in 1991 with " Like The First Time We Met. "
6. Kim Jong-Hyun
Kim Jong-hyun, also known as Jonghyun, was born in Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea, on 8 April 1990. He is known as a lyricist, singer, radio host, record producer, and author. He works for SM Entertainment. His songwriting partners were Ray Romulus, Choi Min-ho, Zion.T, DEEZ, Ryan S. Jhun, and LDN Noise. Some of his renowned tracks are THIS IS LOVE, Unlimited, Break Down, Take my hand, Let's Party, The Smile In Wine, and Marry Me. Kim died in Seoul, South Korea, on 18 December 2017.
7. Park Chan-Yeol
Park Chan-yeol, also known as Chanyeol, was born in Seoul, South Korea, on November 27, 1992. He is a lyricist, singer, rapper, model, producer, and actor. He is one of the members of the Korean-Chinese boy band Exo. He's also a member of its sub-group Exo-K and sub-unit Exo-SC. Chanyeol debuted along with Sehun as the group's sub-unit Exo-SC. The group released their debut EP, "What a Life," on July 22, 2019.
8. Jung Ji-Hoon
Jung Ji-hoon, also known as Rain, was born on June 25, 1982. He is a lyricist, singer, actor, record producer, and dancer. His contribution to music includes seven albums and 28 singles. He performed many concert tours in various countries. His third album, "It's Raining," released in 2004, sold a million copies in Asia. He starred in Ninja Assassin in 2009, because of which he became the first-ever Korean to win an MTV award.
9. Shinsadong Tiger
Lee Ho-yang, also known as Shinsadong Tiger, was born on June 3, 1983. He is known as a lyricist and music producer. He achieved prominence in the K-pop industry by releasing several trendy songs. He was named the "New Generation Producer" at the 18th Korean Culture Entertainment in 2010. He was named one of the highly influential figures of the K-pop industry by OSEN in 2011.
10. BoA
Kwon Bo-ah, also known as BoA, was born in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, on November 5, 1986. She is a lyricist, singer, actress, dancer, and record producer. She debuted at the age of thirteen with the release of "ID; Peace B" in South Korea on August 25, 2000. Known as the "Queen of K-pop, " she is one of South Korea's most influential artists.
