[Writer’s Picks] 10 Underrated K-Pop Songs Of 2025

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To describe 2025 as a great year for K-Pop would be underselling it, thanks to a number of strong debuts, great comebacks from beloved groups, and overall really high-quality music. But while there were quite a few hits throughout the year, some really fantastic songs still flew under the radar, both title tracks and hidden gems. Here are 10 great K-Pop songs released in 2025 that haven’t even broken 50,000 streams on Spotify (at time of article release).

10. XL (Remix Love Drive ver.)

Streams: 43,814

Okay, this is cheating a little bit because the base version of ICHILLIN’s latest title track undoubtedly has more than 50,000 streams, but this remix, which is arguably even better, hasn’t cracked that number yet.

ICHILLIN‘ definitely knows how to make a great pop song, with ‘La Luna’ and ‘Officia’l being two nugu classics. While ‘XL’ has a very fitting summer vibe to it, the Love Drive Remix falls in line with their best work thanks to production that is absolutely out of this world in terms of quality. It ended up even becoming my second favorite K-Pop song of the entire year (more on the 1st later).

9. U_Chae – Bad Guy

Streams: 26,231

The first of quite a few former group-members-gone-solo in this list, the former Pixy member manages to improve on a pretty solid debut with this really strong comeback. It’s a song that hits quite a few familiar beats, yet does so in a very strong manner that makes it a really engaging listen from start to finish.

U_Chae’s vocals also get a strong chance to shine, as she belts out “I’ll play the bad guy” in the final chorus against a refreshing guitar-led instrumental. It’s a holistic listening experience, with a confident final chorus explosion after the calming bridge, and even has a little bit of an outro to close out the track.

8. Shim Sojeong – To.Love

Streams: None visible (Data not publicly available)

You know a song is underrated when the streams aren’t even listed. This entire song feels like a fairytale packed into a 3 minute package, and it’s an incredibly dreamy one at that. Oh, and there’s less than 10 comments on the music video too (and she responded to mine!).. This is a hidden gem of a b-side, from an EP filled with great b-sides. It just so happens that I found this song the best (Breakdown is a really sweetEnglish ballad, and Magic Spell is a catchy little pop song!).

From the little flute sounds to the harp instrumentals, this song exudes an ethereal, Disney vibe that it absolutely makes the most out of. There’s a lot to love from the instrumental alone, but I’d be remiss to not mention the downright mesmerizing vocals given to us by Sojeong. It’s a great, slower track compared to other ones in this list. And if you’re not into slow, there’s always her other b-sides to check out!

7. JI SUYEON – A Fish Gone to the Forest

Streams: 22,553

Weki Meki absolutely deserved better than a rushed, mishandled disbandment, however I can take comfort in member Suyeon’s stunning guitar-focused track. Another slower song, this entire song feels deeply comforting. Slow without being boring, this is another dreamy track that takes its time.

Then comes the explosion of emotion. Suyeon’s vocals greatly support the song’s comforting feeling, especially as the guitar picks up and a drum is added to the instrumental to give the final minute of the song a kick of energy to truly make it stick the landing. It’s soft, gentle and sweet, and an absolute necessity for any Weki Meki stan.

6. Shin Euijin – Anthem for You

Streams: 9,577

QWER condensed into a single person. That’s my pitch for this song, and it absolutely rocks. Simple enough. It’s a deeply underrated song that features an absolutely killer guitar to give this song an upbeat feeling akin to Yena’s tracks.

The soloist’s light, sweet vocals give the song everything it needs, making for a strong, intriguing showcase of her talents. There’s not too much that’s wholly special or unique, except that it’s a song executed excellently, and should be heard by way more people. It’s a song that just nails the pop-rock vibe it goes for, made better by the singer’s sweet voice.

5. soon – By Heart

Streams: 18,355

This independent artist dropped an entire EP in the middle of the year that feels just like listening with headphones on as you lay on the grass to relax. This is the exact kind of song you would hear in a montage in a movie thanks to the guitar in the background being incredibly soft and easy to listen to.

soon’s vocals also carry the track, ensuring the softness of the guitar also extends to her voice. It’s a song practically made for road trips and long drives, and that’s very familiar in all the best possible ways.

4. COOING – Masquerade

Streams: 23,524

Coming from the soloist’s album, this song exudes an aura quite unlike any other song on this list. There’s a sort of mystery laced within the song’s instrumental, with a piano always in the background behind the singer’s careful, soft and excellent vocals. If a song could sound like it had secrets, it would sound a lot like this.

COOING’s vocals help sell the song’s vibe, with the singer excellently hitting some high notes in the chorus. The instrumental behind her is odd, but in the best possible way. The chorus drop is especially memorable, starting off with the singer taking on some intoxicating high notes. It’s a song that absolutely makes you want to dive into its production and vocals, being a truly underrated b-side from a solid album.

3. Yein – Landing

Streams: 33,036

One of the best title tracks from a soloist this year (and that’s a REALLY high bar), there’s a definite argument for it being the absolute best. This operates on a level quite similar to WJSN member Seola’s own debut, ‘Without U’, striking a familiar, nostalgic tone with its chorus and instrumental that makes it stand out.

What really makes this song come together is the Lovelyz member’s voice, having a soft passion to it that helps land the song’s impact. It’s a song that feels like Weki Meki’s ‘Coincidestiny’ music video, or in other words, feels like running through a perfect green field. The rousing chorus is an especially memorable part, and Yein truly gets her chance to shine in this fantastic track.

2. iii – Guilty

Streams: 28,288

After a really weird debut situation, iii finally officially dropped their big single, ‘Forbidden Midnight’, and with it came ‘Guilty’. Frankly, ‘Guilty’ might be one of the catchiest K-Pop songs of the decade. From the opening hook of “Imma be a bit selfish tonight,” the funky bassline kicks in behind their vocals as it becomes clear what we’re in for as listeners.

The chorus is an absolute funky triumph, with the girls’ vocals bringing about the gleeful yearning the lyrics yearn for. “Lock me up good,” is a memorably catchy line, and the song has an infectious energy to match the pure desire the line gives off. The bridge slows things down to show off their vocals before a little bit of rapping kicks in to send the song hurtling towards its fantastic final chorus. The song is complete with a celebration of an outro, something K-Pop songs tend to leave out. It’s indeed a crime to not listen to this incredibly fun and short song.

1. SOORIN – Yes, I’m a Hot Mess Girl

Streams: 48,106

Bordering on 50,000 streams at this point, this is an interesting case, as it’s a b-side that actually managed to outnumber the streams of its title track. That said, it absolutely deserves it. This is Soorin’s debut, serving as the accompanying track to ‘Boys Can Be’, an extremely bright and fun song in its own right, but while it’s also one of the best debut tracks of the year, ‘Yes, I’m a Hot Mess Girl’ is just something else.

From the very opening line, funky fun is promised and delivered. With Soorin’s light, breezy vocals carrying the song, conveying the confidence and sass of the lyrics. You will believe that together you can run the world. As with typical bridges, it slows down, shows off Soorin’s vocals well, and leads excellently into the final chorus. This is my personal favorite song of the entire year, and it doesn’t have any big vocal runs or insane production, yet it provides the sweetest, most infectious 3 minutes you could ask for.

It’s the perfect song for going out on a bright sunny day, pretty much embodying that very concept. It’s never been this fun to be this frantic and chaotic, and you’ll absolutely not regret stepping into Soorin’s world. She’s quite set to be the next Gyubin, and with this and her other release ‘Sure Thing’ (whose bside ‘FEVER’ is also swimming under 50k and also happens to be an excellent, short track), there’s undoubtedly nowhere to go but up for this Hot Mess Girl.

Author Bio:

Vince is a writer coming from the Philippines, having discovered K-Pop during lockdown, and has only gotten deeper into it over time. He is a college student and an expert on active girl groups and soloists, having made the transition from writing about video games to K-Pop because of his intense passion for the music and artists. He is an avid fan of the genre, and wants to reach out to others with a similar passion for the music. He is primarily also a fan of fromis_9, H1-KEY and Soorin, and seeks to open up discussions about artists both active and inactive, highlighting the quality of their work.

To support the artists featured in today’s special piece, please follow them at their social media links below:

ICHILLIN’ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ichillin_km/
ICHILLIN’ Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5357DGet3KsoJNwVkV7qvy

U_Chae Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamuchae/
U_Chae Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1GUjN74XWZuvtSrutSRRdt

Shim Sojeong Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shimsojeong.official/

Shim Sojeong Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/17bujU3MYWyK0Vkq99plbE

JI SUYEON Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suye.on2di/

JI SUYEON Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/70iA690AZviTkQKgfjlSK6

Shin Euijin Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/euijin_sh/

Shin Euijin Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/7HmyuNAcZXHck33BIFSaiZ

soon Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rladysk

soon Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1G3jhXJfaqMfNojx7SxDcW

COOING Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cooingchicken/