Often led by electric guitars and heavy drums, rock is slowly beginning to make its way into K-pop. Think Good Night by Dreamcatcher, Azalea by Rolling Quartz, or What Can I Do by Day6.

Electronic

Bizarre, unnerving, and always a bit fun, off-beat and maybe a bit funky, or loud, dissonant, and chaotic, electronic is, well…not like anything that came before it. Think Goblin by Sulli,  Gingamingayo by Billlie, or Simon Says by NCT 127.

Latin Pop

Slowly becoming more common in k-pop, Latin Pop includes a range of styles from Reggaeton to Salsa. Think I Knew It by SONAMOO, Señorita by (G)I-DLE, or Manhattan Tango by BoA.

Black Culture

Again, a very wide genre, this includes everything from Afrobeats (which encompasses Juju and Zouk) to Blues, which often don’t get the credit they deserve. Think The Other Side by Fatou, Piano Man by Mamamoo, or Yo! by SHINHWA.

Ballads

Often dramatic and sweeping, either with strings or piano, ballads can also be anything that’s mainly centered around beautiful vocals. Think When This Rain Stops by Wendy, Don’t Look At Me Like That by Song Jieun, or Love Wins All by IU.

Straight pop, being in the name, is pretty common in k-pop; it covers Latin pop, noise music, retro sounds, and so much more. It’s often thought of as being bubbly, dancy, and effervescent. Think What Is Love by TWICE, Step by KARA, or Married To The Music by SHINee.

Metal

In-your-face and often furious, metal uses shredding guitars and heavy drums to force you to watch. Think What by Dreamcatcher, Internet War by Seo Taiji, or Guerrilla by ATEEZ.

Other

Very simply, this “Other” category is everything that doesn’t fit neatly into a category, from traditional Korean (Promise by Kingdom), to Country (STAY by Blackpink), to Folk (Voyage by Kim Sejeong)