#12. TVXQ - Before U Go
If you want to look at one of the most important comebacks in Kpop history, the revival of 2VXQ after the JYJ lawsuit is definitely a nomination few would argue against. While "Keep Your Head Down" was the official comeback song, the repackaged album featuring "Before U Go" turned out to be one of three ballads on this list. The X factor was the surprisingly formidable Yunho vocals, which matched pace with Changmin in both power and skill.
#11. Secret - Love Is Move
This song was quietly a top-notch dance number that I felt many people slept on. It had many qualities that combined together for a great performance piece. Relatively catchy hook, frantic (but still clean) choreography moves, and a smooth vocal attack by Jieun. Sure, the Zinger rap is forgettable (hey she didn't change her name yet) but then again so are half of her raps. Like Yunho establishing himself in "Before U Go," Hyosung started to gain traction as a secondary vocalist behind Jieun in this song.
#10. K.Will - Please Don't...
Korea loves their ballads, and K.Will is someone that is always ready to deliver. "Please Don't..." is beautiful in that the song is both emotional and eerie. Very few ballads have this characteristic, and the only other song that shares this distinction (that I can name off the top of my head anyway) is Juniel's "Bad Man." K.Will provides us with a blend of serenity and strength, which the masses readily enjoyed. The accompanying music video also threw a nice twist and likely caught every single viewer off-guard.
#9. Wonder Girls - Be My Baby
"Be My Baby" was one of the last releases of Wonder Girls prior to the band revamp, and there's a reason most think of this as the last entry and not "Like This" that followed it. "Be My Baby" is pop-filled fun from start to finish. It boasts a magnificent rap break from Yubin (nice in both Korean and English) alongside a cute choreography. Speaking of the English, the Korean version of the song is highly noteworthy for its English. Words were scattered strategically throughout and remains one of the most effective songs at utilizing heavy amounts of English to this day.
#8. B2ST - Fiction
Apparently I had Park Bom's debut here even though that shit was in 2009?! I must be smoking something. Anyway B2ST's "Fiction" will always be their magnum opus to me. The cute little penguin dance, the yearning vocals, and Park Boyoung's cameo combine for an enthralling affair. Junhyung's brilliance was always in the spotlight and the eerie yet emotional overtones made "Fiction" great for a track that functioned both as a sad song and as a dance song. Sorry about screwing that one up the first time around. Can't believe I didn't catch this during final checks and thinking "yep this looks good."
#7. 2NE1 - Lonely
Versatility is a wonderful asset for any singer and any group, so "Lonely" helped drive the point home for spectators of 2NE1. They're a group capable of those high-octane dance thrillers, yes, but if you asked them to slow it down and move you with their voices, they're certainly able to do that, too. CL's ability as a vocalist made its debut here, and the rest of the cast definitely didn't disappoint, either. Between Minzy's low range and Bom's delicate adlibs, "Lonely" is beautiful on all accounts.
#6. miss A - Goodbye Baby
It's a little painful to write this and realize that miss A's best song was from five years ago. Nonetheless, "Goodbye Baby" was awesome! The MV was less awesome and more confusing than anything, but Jia looked amazing with that orange hair. Miss A's voices are soft and delicate, and spearheaded by Min and Suzy - which is or would become the norm. The other norm is that Fei and Jia do a solid above-average job with support vocals, and the latter also had a substantial rap. Looking back, JYP rappers enjoyed much success in 2011, and Jia was a part of that.
#5. T-ARA - Cry Cry
T-ARA is prized for their consistency. They have been releasing straight up good songs for as long as I can remember. That makes pinpointing a specific song of theirs difficult, but "Cry Cry" separates itself from the rest of the pack. It has unique properties for a dance song - the audio is almost like a blend between high-energy dance and serene ballad. You'd never think those sounds would be work well together but they definitely do in "Cry Cry." It quietly rises above the other songs with splendor.
#4. Sistar19 - Ma Boy
Can you think of a Kpop choreography which emphasized the body roll more than Sistar did in "Ma Boy?" This song sent a rage across Korea with the ridiculous body rolls from Hyorin and Bora, fresh off the press as the Sistar19 subunit. While we all know this as the infamous "Hyorin feat. Bora" subunit, their debut song still withstands the test of time as an iconic pop dance track that is arguably a top 5 member within Sistar's discography. It'd actually be pretty sweet if Sistar19 got revived later in the year when fewer groups are performing. Make it happen, Starship.
#3. Big Bang - Love Song
Before Big Bang started ripping off monstrous runs with their Made and Alive albums, they had much tamer promotional cycles with "Tonight" and "Love Song." The latter was a splendidly addicting dance track that was sort of the predecessor to "Blue:" really chill but with an emphatic beat driving behind it. "Love Song" also featured a music video that was one of the earliest to utilize that nonstop camera, which has become a favorite for a few 3rd generation groups.
#2. Davichi - Don't Say Goodbye
Ballads and other softer ballad-esque songs really dominated 2011, and so it's only natural to find Davichi at the very top of the list. They have Haeri and Minkyung, who are both extremely specialized as ballad singers and that's where their money is made. "Don't Say Goodbye" is powerful enough to bring you to tears, and the beautiful voices of the duo reach heights that are impressive while also not being too shrill or grating. "Don't Say Goodbye" is a top 5 ballad of all time.
#1. 2NE1 - Ugly
Perhaps it's no coincidence that 2NE1's best piece doubles as 2011's best piece. Many of the entries on this set are great because of their hybrid qualities. "Ugly" takes the extreme levels of energy 2NE1 possess and mixes it with some delicate vocal work during the verses for a smashmouth hit. It shows off the group's finesse in different fields of play and has a perfectly executed English chorus, to boot. Being so polished in so many categories nets "Ugly" the #1 spot in 2011's Kpop year.
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