Top 5 Iconic K-Pop Collaborations in Music History

Collaborations in K-pop with both international artists and fellow Korean musicians have significantly enriched pop culture. These partnerships highlight the growing global admiration for Korean music, resulting in a refreshing fusion of genres, languages, and demographics that produces truly distinctive songs. Such collaborations broaden their reach and resonate with diverse audiences across the globe.

While these tracks undoubtedly entertain listeners, the creative journey—encompassing the conceptualization of lyrics and the thought processes leading up to the collaboration—adds an unforgettable layer to their artistry. Here, we showcase notable collaborations ranked by their Spotify streaming numbers.

Notable K-pop Collaborations Featuring Artists Such as Jason Derulo with NCT 127, Cardi B with BLACKPINK, and More

Here are some remarkable collaborations in the K-pop scene:

• BTS x Coldplay (1 billion streams)
• BTS’ Jimin x Ha Sung-woon (290 million streams)
• Cardi B x BLACKPINK (198 million streams)
• TXT x Jonas Brothers (115 million streams)
• LAY x NCT 127 x Jason Derulo (46 million streams)

1) BTS x Coldplay

The collaboration between BTS and Coldplay on the track “My Universe”in 2021 stands out as a pinnacle of K-pop partnerships. This song has amassed over 1 billion streams on Spotify, marking Coldplay’s first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 14 years.

During a Billboard interview on May 31, 2022, Chris Martin, the lead vocalist of Coldplay, shared his initial hesitations about the collaboration.

“At first, I thought, ‘There’s no way this will ever work. We’re like four retired janitors and they’re the most handsome guys in Korea,’” he remarked.

He further explained,

“But once I started singing, I felt it was meant for us and BTS because the song is about forbidden love… and it just flowed from there. I really thought it was a cool concept right from the start.”

The lyrics combine both English and Korean, symbolizing a cultural synergy between the artists.

2) BTS’ Jimin x Ha Sung-woon

In 2022, HOTSHOT’s Ha Sung-woon collaborated with BTS’ Jimin on the original soundtrack “With You”for the drama “Our Blues.”This stirring duet has achieved 290 million Spotify streams, making it one of the standout K-pop partnerships.

Jimin and Ha Sung-woon share a deep friendship, and they had longed to work together. Initially, Jimin was hesitant about participating in a K-drama OST.

Explaining his feelings in an X post, Ha Sung-woon shared:

“He wasn’t keen on doing OSTs at first, but then he asked, ‘But am I doing it with you, hyung?’ Once I said no, he said, ‘I want to try it if it’s with you!’ So I brought it up with the production team.”

Jimin dedicated significant effort to making the track stand out, venturing beyond his comfort zone. “With You”showcases a mature depth not often seen in his previous work.

In a June 18, 2022, interview with Myungseok Kang on Weverse, Jimin shared insights into the creative process:

“This song helped me step out of my shell a bit. The initial versions were emotional, and processing that emotion took quite a while,”he revealed.

For Jimin, this was a new experience, requiring him to express vulnerability, which he found challenging as an introvert. He noted,

“It was a lot of practice; it was really tough from the very beginning, so I had to do many retakes.”

3) Cardi B x BLACKPINK

BLACKPINK’s collaboration with Cardi B on “Bet You Wanna,”released in 2020, is particularly celebrated among K-pop collaborations, racking up 198 million streams on Spotify.

This song, featured on the album “The Album,”showcases various personas through different K-pop collaborations. Cardi B’s dynamic raps complement BLACKPINK’s soaring vocal performances perfectly.

Reflecting on this collaboration, Jennie told APNews in 2020:

“It was our first experience working with a rapper for one of our songs. When we heard her verse, we were all thrilled: ‘Ah! That’s Cardi B!!!’

Rosé added:

“We literally screamed with excitement.”

4) TXT x Jonas Brothers

TOMORROW X TOGETHER (TXT) and the Jonas Brothers dazzled fans with their joint track “Do It Like That,”released on July 17, 2023, marking it as the song of the summer with 115 million Spotify streams.

This collaboration, produced by One Republic’s Ryan Tedder, exemplifies the unique blend between these two boy bands. In an interview with Billboard, the TXT members discussed their distinctive styles.

Taehyun mentioned, “Both TOMORROW X TOGETHER and Jonas Brothers have a rich discography, but while Jonus Brothers are related by blood, we, as a five-member group, share a brotherly bond and family connection,”

5) LAY x NCT 127 x Jason Derulo

The collaboration between Lay Zhang, Jason Derulo, and NCT 127 is another noteworthy assemblage in the global music arena. Jason Derulo honored Michael Jackson’s legacy on the 10th anniversary of his passing by releasing four tracks in 2019, including “Let’s Shut Up and Dance,”which has gained 46 million Spotify streams.

In this project, emulating Michael Jackson’s iconic style blended differently with NCT 127’s sound, and working alongside Jason was a new experience for them. Reflecting on diversity as a theme in the track, Derulo stated in a 2019 ET Now interview:

“This isn’t an imitation of Mike, nor are we trying to look like him, but his influence is undeniably present.”

He continued,

“This project showcases three distinct artists influenced by the greatest dancer of all time, culminating in a celebration of varied talents worldwide.”

Featuring fifty street dancers from various countries, this collaboration aims to uplift and encourage people to dance, regardless of their circumstances.

In 2021, Alesso, CORSAK, and Stray Kids delighted fans with their single “Going Dumb,”and the surprising collaboration between Ateez and Pentatonix also caught many off guard.

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