Even in the early days of K-pop, our favourite idol groups released multiple groundbreaking hits that cemented their status in the Korean entertainment industry. This trend continued across future generations, with a number of idols reaching significant milestones and earning the title of legends.
However, despite releasing some truly iconic tracks, did you know that some members — or even entire groups — didn’t actually like the songs themselves? It might seem unusual to dislike a hit, but here are instances where idols have expressed their confusion, dissatisfaction or straight-up hate for their title tracks:
1. Girls’ Generation Taeyeon – “GEE”
When you think of Girls’ Generation (SNSD), one of the first songs that likely comes to mind is “Gee”. The track became an instant hit upon its release in 2009 and, along with its colourful music video, went on to become one of the group’s most iconic songs. However, member Taeyeon has said in multiple interviews how she had doubts about the single as she wanted to explore a more mature sound at the time. It wasn’t until the 2021 interview with VOGUE that she started to appreciate the song more after reflecting on the impact it had on the K-pop industry and their career.
2. BTS – “Dynamite”
The song that lifted K-pop fans’ spirits during the COVID-19 pandemic, “Dynamite”, was BTS’ first fully English-language track and quickly became one of their most iconic releases. However, Jin revealed on a variety show that the members initially felt distant from the song, admitting that out of all the demos presented to them, “Dynamite” was simply the one they disliked the least. In another interview, the members also shared that singing in English felt unnatural for them. However, the song turned out to be exactly what their fans needed during quarantine — and that, ultimately, was what the group had hoped to achieve.
3. I-DLE Yuqi – “Senorita”
As seen in the video above, there have been moments where I-DLE (formerly (G)I-DLE) member Yuqi appeared to show some discontent towards the group’s song “Senorita”. While much of it may have been in jest, fans have speculated that she isn’t particularly fond of the track, possibly due to her lines being largely limited to the “유후후후후후후후후” vocalisation towards the end of the song.
4. SHINee Key – “Ring Ding Dong”
It’s basically impossible not to think of “Ring Ding Dong” whenever SHINee is mentioned. The intro, the chorus, the choreography, and the outfits were simply everything back in the day when it was first released. The song was basically an earworm, and sadly, that’s the reason why one of the members ended up being a little too fed up with it.
On the same show where Taeyeon shared her thoughts on “Gee”, Key shared his experience promoting his group’s most famous song. “It wasn’t a problem of personal taste, but I had a difficult time during ‘Ring Ding Dong’. Everywhere I went, I heard the song playing. I didn’t even want to hear the song’s name. I think I heard it over a million times. I would be sitting in a quiet car, but it would be playing in my head.”
5. STAYC – “Teddy Bear”
During their appearance on the “Knowing Bros” show, members of STAYC shared some behind-the-scenes secrets about their album “Teddy Bear”. It turned out the group weren’t so confident about the title song when it was first presented to them, but their producer insisted that it would be a hit. It wasn’t until they started practising the choreography that they were finally convinced that the song would do well.
6. TWICE – “Signal” & “Cheer Up”
TWICE has released a number of hit songs over the years, but that doesn’t mean the members have loved every single one. In a radio interview, they revealed that they were initially confused when they first heard “Signal”, not realising it would be chosen as their title track. The group expressed concerns about the song, as it differed significantly from their usual concepts, but Sana believed it would be a hit.
They also shared that they had a similar reaction when first hearing the demo for “Cheer Up”. Since that track turned out to be a huge success, they decided to place their trust in the team and worked hard to prepare for “Signal”’s release. And the rest, as they say, is history.
