10 “Trivial” Pet Peeves That Fans Say Make Them Dislike K-Pop Songs
Sometimes, there are certain trends or interesting choices used in K-Pop songs that some fans enjoy, while others find questionable or even irritating and grating. These can be trends that fans notice in a lot of different songs, or certain sounds and artistic choices in one particular song that makes it so they just can’t enjoy it as fully as they think they would otherwise. Recently, a Reddit forum was created for fans to discuss the “trivial” things in K-Pop songs that make them unable to like a song, and these are 10 of their top answers. Of course, all of these opinions are entirely subjective, and some people might completely disagree with some or all of these!
1. Too much/improper use of auto-tune.
Auto-tune has long been used in K-Pop, and BTS certainly isn’t the only group still using it in their music. However, sometimes fans would really just prefer to hear raw (or at least, less tuned) vocals from their favorite idols, so they can really appreciate their talent!
2. The screaming man noise in the background of Miss A’s “Only You”.
This, of course, is an extremely specific peeve, but it was one that more than one person mentioned! The scream-sounding noises used in the background of Miss A‘s “Only You” really can sound off-putting to some, but otherwise it’s still an iconic song!
3. Chanting/repeating choruses.
This is another trend that has long been a part of the K-Pop world, but an be understandably old or tiresome to some fans. There are a ton of song that have highly repetitive choruses, which after a while can just get a little old! Some people are fine with it, and some just aren’t into it, and both are totally fine.
4. Extremely high-pitched/screechy noises.
Not only can this be unappealing to some people, but such sounds can actually trigger migraines in some people, especially if they’re not anticipating it. It’s probably something that should try to be avoided in general to prevent such things. But again, it’s an artistic choice, so it’s totally up to the producer whether or not they think it adds to the song!
5. Songs created with the intention of being viral dance challenges.
With TikTok becoming increasingly popular in the younger generation, a lot of K-Pop artists are riding on the wave of viral videos on the social media app. Some people really enjoy taking part in dance and other types of challenges on TikTok, while others might just find it unappealing or uninteresting. It’s totally dependent on the person!
6. The “slurping” sound in the middle of (G)I-DLE’s “Oh My God”.
This is another extremely specific example, but several K-Pop fans mentioned the “slurping” sound in the middle of (G)I-DLE‘s “Oh My God”, which is otherwise a very well-received and much-loved song! The noise can be a bit unsettling to some people, though, so it’s understandable why it would make some fans unable to listen to the song.
7. Creaking noises in songs.
The “creaking” noise can be, again, unsettling and even a bit eerie to some people, and once heard sometimes can’t be unheard in a song. It’s an interesting choice to put into any song, but again, it’s entirely up to the producer as to if they think it’s suitable!
8. Choruses not matching the verses sound-wise.
“Dessert by Hyoyeon….idk why it’s such a big thing right now but the chorus doesn’t match the other verses at all, the beat sounds like some generic background music for an early 2010s BuzzFeed skit, and overall it just sounds really cliche. I’m sure [Hyoyeon] is an amazing artist but why would anyone choose to promote her talent with THIS?” — u/jellyworms
Some fans really like this trend, whereas others don’t. Another great example of this (and a song that has long been controversial over its changing sound multiple times) is Girls’ Generation‘s “I Got A Boy”. Again, it’s completely dependent on the person listening as to whether or not it seems like it works, but there are some fans that just aren’t for this trend and prefer songs that sound more “cohesive”.
9. Nonsense words/repetitive onomatopoeia sounds.
One of the most recent and debated instances of this happening is the ending part of BLACKPINK’s “How You Like That”. Some fans find it just to be lazy songwriting to include nonsense words; others think it just doesn’t sound good; and then of course, some fans like it! Whatever the case, it’s something else that happens in a lot of K-Pop songs, so if you don’t like it, it might be hard to avoid!
10. Elongated high notes.
Whereas some fans find lengthy high notes such as the chorus in Taeyeon’s “I” beautiful and moving, it’s also just not suitable to everyone’s tastes. It certainly takes a lot of vocal control, but even then, it’s alright if a person just isn’t into it!
Share This Post
