Ever wanted to convince your friends that k-pop is more than just PSY? If there was a Korean version of the singers they already love, would they give it more of a chance? We’ve compiled a list of Korean singers who can be easily compared to western singers, and some who may even be better!
Ailee – Beyoncé
After her stunning cover of Beyoncé’s Halo, Ailee has since been referred to as the Korean Beyoncé due to her phenomenal voice and stage presence. She blew the crowd away with her voice during an episode of MBC’s Chuseok Special of Singer’s and Trainee’s not long before her debut.
Park Bom – Mariah Carey
It’s well known that Park Bom idolises Mariah Carey and that she was inspired by the American singer to take up singing for herself. Bom has a beautiful and powerful voice which raised standards for lead vocalists in k-pop girl groups all over Korea. Here’s a short clip of her singing Mariah Carey’s song Hero on SBS.
Lee Hi – Amy Winehouse
Like Amy Winehouse, Lee Hi has a deep, soulful voice which YG used to produce a jazz/blues and rhythm album. This is rare to be heard in mainstream k-pop, but nevertheless Lee Hi ranked high in the charts and won multiple awards for it.
(Rehab starts at 1:43)
Taeyang – Chris Brown
Taeyang and Chris Brown both have a similar style of singing which is so smooth it’ll make the girls swoon. Along with this, they have the abs, the looks, the dance moves…really, what more could a girl ask for? It’d be great to see a collaboration between the two! Here’s Taeyang’s cover of Chris Brown’s Don’t Judge Me.
BoA – Britney Spears
BoA is without a doubt a huge superstar in Korea, releasing energetic and upbeat music much like that of Britney’s. Only with that k-pop twist we’ve all come to love. Due to their similar music styles, they actually did a collaboration stage for Christmas a couple of years ago. Here’s part 1.
Do you prefer Korean singers over American, or vice versa? And why? Let us know in the comments below!
