Top 5 K-pop moments of 2021 you can't forget

The Hallyu Wave is spreading to all corners of the world and K-pop is one of the biggest reasons behind it. Although 2021 was extremely difficult due to the pandemic, K-pop fans still enjoyed the year because of major solo comebacks, outstanding performances, and other legendary K-pop moments.

For many, 2021 has been a difficult year with the pandemic and casualties. Fortunately for K-pop fans, the long year has become bearable with various comforting songs, hilarious variety shows, and exciting MV's.

Many other K-pop moments of 2021 made an impact and turned out to be the best moments of the year.

Top 5 K-pop moments of 2021 loved by all K-pop fans

1) Butter and Permission To Dance by BTS

Pop sensation BTS dropped their hit English singles Butter and Permission To Dance in 2021. While Butter was a summer bop, Permission To Dance brought joy and positivity among listeners globally.

Both the songs enjoyed commercial and critical success, with Butter bringing BTS their second Grammy nomination. On top of that, the K-pop group attended the United Nations General Assembly as ambassadors for Youth and Culture and performed Permission To Dance for the attendees. It definitely has to be one of the best K-pop moments of 2021.

2) The rebirth of Brave Girls on charts

The Brave Girls hit their second innings and received mainstream breakthrough success with their 2017 song Rollin. The girl group was on the verge of disbandment. However, when a compilation of Rollin started spreading like fire across all military bases in the country, the song became an instant hit.

The soldiers shared that the track "got them through" the hard times of their lives. In 2021, the song became a sleeper success, bringing Brave Girls back to the charts.

3) GOT7's reassurance to fans with Encore

2021 marked the end of a journey when all GOT7 members bid farewell to JYP Entertainment upon the end of their contracts. This created havoc among fans, leading them to believe that GOT7 might disband too.

However, the Just Right singers assured AGHASE (fandom) by releasing a thoughtful song, Encore. In fact, after a year of waiting, fans will finally see GOT7 on stage as the group is all set to make a comeback soon.

4) Revival of the second generation K-pop groups

The comeback of many second-generation groups has to be one of the best K-pop moments of 2021. Although most of these K-pop idols have hit the thirty mark, they came back with more energy and fire.

Influential groups like SHINee and 2PM made blockbuster comebacks with albums Don't Call Me and Must, respectively.

5) CL and Rose make history at The Met Gala

2021 was a huge year for female K-pop idols CL and Rose as they became the first female K-pop idols to attend the Met Gala. Several idols have previously attended the fashion event. However, CL and BLACKPINK's Rose made history by walking the red carpet as the first female K-pop idols.

With fashion colliding into K-pop, fans are now expecting more idols in the upcoming global and western galas.

Besides the top 5 picks, many other K-pop moments of 2021 eased the fans. With K-pop growing every day, 2022 will be another hit with countless hits, comebacks, and impactful events.

About the author

Muskan Jaiswal is a journalist specializing in pop-culture, lifestyle, and Korean entertainment at Sportskeeda. With a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and a Master's Diploma in Journalism, she began writing as a form of creative expression during the pandemic-related lockdown. She has about four years of experience, working at Otakukart, Movieweb, The Times of India, Aeroplay Entertainment, and Lifestyle Asia, among other organizations.

As a Pop-culture writer, she values presenting reports after a robust fact-checking process on celebrities and other trending topics, which interest people. Among her professional achievements is a feature on eco-friendly practices in K-pop album production. This write-up, which took a week of research, covered a range of sub-topics such as the export-import history of K-pop albums, and shifts in music marketing in that industry.

When not working, she enjoys watching films and discovering indie artists across several music platforms. Her favorite bands include Coldplay, BTS, and CAS.

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