Edited by Yoon
Translated by Yu Jin Kim
One of the most important things to a K-pop artist is their fans, and they repay their love by holding various events to meet and greet them in person. Of all the ways to show their gratitude, the easiest way to appreciate their support is to release a fan song. A fan song is basically a song on an album written specifically for fans to thank them for their support and love.
Seo Taeji and Boys was the first group to release a fan song named “To You.” They also released another fan song called “Good Bye,” three years after the sensational first release. Legendary first-generation K-pop idol band g.o.d also dropped a song named “Sky Blue Balloon,” which is named after their official fan color. Perhaps because of the heartfelt message in the lyrics, the song has become the most iconic track the band has ever released.
Without further ado, let’s take a look at the five of the most touching K-pop fan songs that were written specifically for fans!
BTS – Boy With Luv (feat. Halsey) (2019)
Exploring themselves through “FAKE LOVE,” BTS unravels their narrative through the album Love Yourself and forms a badge of identity through “IDOL.” Rising as a global star, the group says, “With the wings of Icarus you gave me, let me fly towards you not the sun” in the lyrics of their song “Boy With Luv.” ARMY and listeners can easily relate to them – who have now become top global stars – as they tell us, “It’s too high up here, I want to go down and look into your eyes, in their song, “Boy With Luv.”
Despite it being a fan song, every part of “Boy With Luv” is nothing short of absolute bliss as it contains their unique story, sophisticated sounds, and a variety of aspects that can appeal to the public. It is a good example of a fan song released in the K-pop scene. It is also interesting that the track is in line with “Boy In Luv,” released in 2014.
IU – HEART (2015)
IU’s “Heart” highlights the singer’s soft and impeccable voice. The song’s sentimental lyrics backed by sweet piano sound make it very relaxing to listen to. The track also proves how much IU has grown as a musician.
The song’s name speaks for itself as it is about her gratitude for all the support she received from fans. The singer once said, “If I have to be remembered by a single song, I want to be remembered as someone who sang ‘Heart,'” explaining what this song means to her. Proving the magical power of the song, a video of various crowds singing the song along with IU went viral online a few years ago.
TOMORROW X TOGETHER – MOA Diary (2021)
“MOA Diary” is the first fan song that TXT made. They came up with a clever pun using their fan club’s name “MOA” and their group’s name TOMORROW X TOGETHER to include fun words like “Doo-Bat-Doo” in the song. Although it’s a fan song, it exudes bright energy, unlike other fan songs that are quiet and emotional. The song goes, “So what if we’re childish? It’s us,” boasting the close connection between the group and their fans.
The title track is used as a pair track with “LO$ER=LO?ER” in their second LP’s repackage album, The Chaos Chapter: Fight or Escape. The fan song garnered explosive attention following the release of their choreography video.
SEVENTEEN – DIRECTOR’S CUT (2018)
SEVENTEEN’s special album DIRECTOR’S CUT is the expanded version of their 2017 album Teen, Age and a music collection dedicated to fans. The album perfectly wrapped up the year of 2017 with four new tracks for fans to enjoy.
The lyrics of “THANKS” offer a look into their honest yet loving nature and their gratitude toward their fans. In the song, they repeat “Thank you” many times and tell us, “I’m just saying what’s obvious now. But can these obvious words be conveyed to you?” showing their concern over whether they can get across their feeling to us. Their honesty in the lyrics is what made fans affected and feel deeply touched.
Making their debut with “VERY NICE” and enjoying their heyday with “Don’t Wanna Cry,” SEVENTEEN is repaying the love they received through this album and made a bold choice of doing so at a very dynamic time.
GIRLS’ GENERATION – FOREVER 1 (2022)
FOREVER marks the 15th anniversary of Girls’ Generation, showing off their unmatched presence in the K-pop scene. The new album is composed of songs that express infinite gratitude for fans and the public who have joined their journey over the last fifteen years.
Including the title track “FOREVER 1,” the album is dedicated to their fans known as the SONEs. The lyrics of “Lucky Like That” talk about the miraculous reunion that can happen, and “You Better Run” tells the follow-up story of “Run Devil Run.” Moreover,”Paper Plane” features the objects they placed in the music video of their debut song, “Into the New World Again.”
The discography of Girls’ Generation and the reason as to we kept waiting for their return does not only lie in their music. The endless effort of the eight members to stay as Girls’ Generation makes us always root for them.
Editor Yoon: I love music, especially K-POP, and I dream of becoming an A&R person, lyricist, artist, etc. I will cover various articles, including song reviews, artist reviews, and K-pop market analysis.
