Top 100 K-pop & J-pop Tunes in SG & MY : OSTs Rules, TikTok Powers Zico’s 'Any Song' to the Top, IU Scores 6 Spots in MY

Drama and movie OSTs take up spots on the KKBOX mid-year Top 100 charts for K-pop and J-pop in Singapore, while soloists like IU and Aimer reign Malaysia’s.

Leading the pack in Singapore’s K-pop Top 10 is 2020’s biggest K-drama hit Crash Landing On You with three entries. Itaewon Class’ captivating ‘Beginning’ by Gaho finds its way to #9 on the charts. But the top three places for the K-pop list are helmed by some of the brightest stars of the industry here and Malaysia. Leading the K-pop list here is Zico’s TikTok-approved ‘Any Song’ (#3 in Malaysia), Red Velvet’s ‘Psycho’ at #2 in Singapore and Malaysia, and IU’s sweet ‘Blueming’ at #3 here and #1 in Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Official Hige Dandism’s ‘I Love’ from the popular Japanese serial Love Will Last Forever takes the top spot here and in Malaysia, alongside the Japanese version of Disney’s Frozen 2 with five positions, on J-pop’s Top 10. Likewise, J-pop veteran Utada Hikaru’s new hit ‘Time’ and Arashi’s ‘A-Ra-Shi: Reborn’ place #5 and #7 respectively.

In Malaysia, IU takes a whopping six positions on the K-pop charts featuring most of the tracks from her outstanding Love Poem EP released last year. Another soloist that is making waves on the J-pop charts across the Causeway is indie singer Aimer, who has two spots on the list made up of an assortment of various artists and bands. Known for her deep and husky vocals, Aimer is referred to as one of the best singer-songwriters of the new generation.
Check out some of the highlights of the K-pop and J-pop charts of Singapore and Malaysia in the KKBOX mid-year Top 100 chart rankings.

#1 Crash Landing onto the charts

You and your gal pals did not obsess over Crash Landing On You throughout the first two months of 2020, spend the entirety of Circuit Breaker looping its OST while crying your eyes swollen red again, and then contemplating a rewatch. Nope, that did not happen. But of course it did, landing the hit drama’s OST three spots on this chart: Yoon Mi Rae’s ‘Flower’ stands at #4, ‘Here I Am Again’ by Yerin Baek at #5 and ‘Sunset’ by Davichi at #8. Many would agree that listening to the drama’s OST was therapeutic in nursing that post-drama sadness.

#2 Try this rhyme: Talented Zico has TikTok to thank

‘Any Song’ places top in Singapore, driven primarily by the popularity of the ‘Any Song’ dance challenge on the TikTok app. Shortly after the song was launched, the talented and smart digital native that is Zico cleverly choreographed a two-person dance challenge — with MAMAMOO’s Hwasa and Chungha separately — to pair with the rhythmic music of ‘Any Song’. Soon, K-celebs started taking up the challenge, including the respected singer-producer Lee Hyori and Girls’ Generation’s Tiffany, kicking off hundreds of submissions, many of which have since chalked up millions of views too. ‘Any Song’ may sound flamboyant with a colourful MV to boot, but it reveals the insecurities that introverts or people with depression and mental disorders feel if you look deeper into its lyrics.

#3 IU x Malaysia = An astonishing six spots on the K-pop Top 10 list

There is no doubt IU is one of the biggest solo artists in the K-pop scene today, and if you need further prove of her fame, just take a look at the Malaysia’s K-pop Top 10 charts. Nabbing an impressive six spots on the list, IU’s vibrant rock-pop ‘Blueming’ comes in top there and #3 in Singapore; ‘Love Poem’ at #4 in Malaysia and #6 here. Malaysia’s Top 10 list includes IU’s ‘Lullaby’ at #7, ‘Unlucky’ at #8 and ‘The Visitor’ at #9. The singer-songwriter’s latest collaboration with BTS’ Suga ‘eight’ is at #10 here and #12 in Malaysia. Many of her other works are included in the Top 100 charts too.

#4 Disney’s Frozen 2 OST dominates the J-pop charts in Singapore

Imagine belting ‘Into The Unknown’ in Japanese. Well, some of us in Singapore have been, judging by the stunning five-spot chart domination that Frozen 2 has on the J-pop charts here. Truth be told, the Japanese versions of ‘Into The Unknown’, which came in at #2 in Singapore and #23 in Malaysia, and the entertaining ‘Some Things Never Change’, at #3 here and #16 in Malaysia, sound pretty much like the originals, except that the language is different. The Frozen franchise has found a winning formula in their song-writing to ensure that everyone including, ahem, adults, enjoy these songs too — and no matter the language. The others on the Top 10 here are #4 ‘All Is Found’, #5 ‘Lost In The Woods’ and #8 ‘Show Yourself’.

#5 Everyone will love the J-pop chart-topper in Singapore and Malaysia, <I LOVE…> by Official Hige Dandism

Standing at #1 in both Singapore and Malaysia’s J-pop charts is Japanese pop band Official Hige Dandism’s ‘I LOVE…’. The four-man group certainly deserves more attention for their superb music. Formed in 2012, the group is big in Japan, especially among the younger crowd, and it is no wonder because they are so good. Every music video on their official YouTube account rakes in at least 70 million views. Case in point: ‘Pretender’ released last year has some 218 million hits. While ‘I LOVE…’ is the theme song for J-drama Love Lasts Forever, which ended its run in March, the soundtrack has all the makings of a superb pop hit that will live long after the post-drama high wears off.

Listen to the Top 100K-pop & J-pop Singles of 2020 music on KKBOX.