We love K-Pop for many reasons – the flashy outfits, amazing stages, catchy tunes, and honestly… the overall Pop goodness this sensational genre delivers. We know that Pop songs are just all about feel-good rhythm, simple lyrics and uplifting melodies. Although we aren’t looking for anything filled with deep meaning, we at least hope the lyrics would make sense!
While K-Pop is known for including English in a majority of songs, even the Korean lyrics can be downright confusing! Check out a few songs that will have you scratching your head after seeing these nonsense K-Pop lyrics.
1. JYJ – Mission (2011)
Again, if this list were an actual ranking, “Mission” by JYJ would be tying up with the last contenders on this list. This song became popular due to the strange sentences strung together in one song that just left people’s minds boggled. “Probably your money is unpublic, try to save my life like a puppy and cream, another hot movie character, Bumblebee treat me like a slave.” I wonder if anyone ever interviewed JYJ and questioned the meaning of these lyrics?
2. NMIXX – O.O (2022)
Since their debut, NMIXX and their questionable concept was already super strange and left fans on the fence with a bad taste in their mouth. However, they didn’t disappoint in providing lyrics that are more confusing than a math test. “Whook, whook, ayy, look at that moving eye, eyes, you saw? Shoog, shoog, shoog!” It almost sounds like unrecognizable chanting rather than rap-girl realness.
3. OH MY GIRL – Dolphin (2020)
Although the song is cute the chorus just doesn’t make much sense. “He’s got another splash,” and “Cute the circle and draw a heart” are probably one of the most lacking lyrics yet – especially since the beginning of the song seems to open up like a cute story. Catchy but a lyrical mess. “Banana Allergy Monkey” is more thought out than this!
4. HYO – DESSERT (2020)
Girl, you just spelled out my whole shopping list with Soyeon in the beginning. Don’t forget cereal, peanut butter, a dozen eggs, chicken noodle soup and a soda on the side. Still, something about the swag behind the words just makes this song a banger to sing out loud at any given moment. “Chocolate, candy, fruit, honey, butter, waffle and Marshmallow, mango juice!”
5. HyunA – Red (2014)
Now this song is a masterpiece like all the others. However, HyunA has collectively made enough songs to have an album titled “Nonsense.” “Ice-Cream” definitely has some story to tell with its lyrics despite her saying “Cream” 30 times but “Red” just drops the beat and slams you with a kooky chorus. “”A monkey’s butt is red (what?) Red is HyunA, HyunA is! Yeah!” Yea…
6. GFRIEND (World Peace) – Monday Blues (2019)
So, like even GFRIEND, a girl group known for their addictive melodies, deep lyrics, and story-telling MVs had a whacky song under their arsenal. Introducing “Monday Blues.” With lyrics like “Red is apple, Apple is delicious, Delicious is banana, Banana is long, Long is Train” they are basically giving “Pen, Pineapple, Apple, Pen” a run for its money.
7. f(x) – Red Light
“Be the witness of change. When everyone is being quiet in front of the rough caterpillar that is being pushed it turns on, red light. Red.” I get it when people are trying to go for edgy and artistic meanings in their work but this is like an abstract painting I can’t look away from and will never understand.
8. Pink Fantasy – Iriwa (2018)
I love how most girl groups try to be bad@$$ these days but Pink Fantasy literally had no shame in dropping a list of girls who are better than them though. “I don’t lose to anyone besides Jennifer Lawrence, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried. OK, girls. Know thy enemy at its finest. I just love that the ending part of that rap goes “Bay-boo.”
9. NCT U – Boss (2018)
Now, many fans seem to claim that NCT’s lyrics are fire but can sometimes be a little whacky. They were NOT joking. “Hot dog feel like I wear goose goose.” I mean… what do fans even do with these kinds of lyrics? People who don’t listen to K-Pop already question what we understand and these are the only English lyrics we have to work with? Their song “Regular” also offers up laughable lyrics such as “I be walkin’ with the cheese, that’s the queso.” – Like, OK then.
10. A Pink – It Girl (2011)
Now this one is an oldie but a goodie. One of the cutest songs to walk the Earth of 2nd Gen K-Pop was “It Girl” by A Pink. The lyrics were cute, the melody was soft, and the track was melting our hearts with girl group charm and love. “I’m just a tired tomato. Now, I’m thirsty. Rooibos! Okay, so, I’m normally, normally, normally, normally, like, that that that that that that that girl.” Love it but sense? Nowhere to be seen.
11. ZE:A – Mazeltov (2010)
The song is just weird. Like really weird. From the horrible autotuned beginning screeching “It’s shutting down, Love. It’s shutting down, Blind,” to the “Latin girl, Mexican girl, Korean girl, Japan girl,” is an utter cringe fest. Plus the random countdown of the days of the week – I’m just lost from start to finish. The lyrics have nothing to do with the title even. If this list were a ranking, ZE:A would win in my eyes.
12. Super Junior – Sexy, Free, and Single (2012)
The men of Super Junior have had a plethora of songs plagued with a few nonsense lyrics here and there but “Sexy, Free, and Single – I’m ready to bingo!” What a legendary lyric choice. Who could resist saying this before hitting up the clubs? It’s the K-Pop community’s version of saying “Single and ready to mingle” essentially. “Just close your lips, shut your tongue” and accept the K-Pop nonsense.
Now there are a plethora of K-Pop songs with lyrics that might not be the best, but the ones mentioned here certainly take the cake. Any songs you remember being completely random and leaving you confused when you first heard it? Share it with us in the comments below!
