Genius Korea: International Women's Day: Female Songwriters in K-Pop

 ( https://genius.com/discussions/446007-International-womens-day-female-songwriters-in-k-pop  )

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. Marked annually on March 8th, International Women’s Day (IWD) is a day to celebrate women’s achievements but also spread awareness and advocate for equality and issues surrounding women.

Today, we would like to highlight 10 iconic female songwriters in K-Pop that have and still are shaping the Korean music industry through their contribution. This list is subjective and not ranked. While there are countless hard-working female songwriters working in the Korean music industry, these 10 names were collected from the popular opinion of the Genius Korea Community. Our purpose is solely to highlight and applaud their work.

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Moon Byul (MAMAMOO)

MAMAMOO’s Moon Byul is already the most credited female 3rd gen idol and with over 90 credits to her name. Writing for herself and her group as well as for and in collaboration with others, she’s bound to cross the 100 credits line this year and overtake B.E.G.’s Miryo as the female idol with the most credits total. An idol of eight years Moon Byul has been involved with her group’s writing since early in her career, contributing to popular songs like “Um Oh Ah Yeh”, “Starry Night” and “HIP”. As a solo artist, Moon Byul has tackled diverse styles and genres, from the dark and brooding Eclipse to tracks full of fun like G999. Most recently her duet Shutdown with Seori has garnered attention both for its beautiful lyrics, as well as quite explicitly talking about a queer female relationship.

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Exy (WJSN)

WJSN’s latest full group comeback title track “UNNATURAL” really stood out to me, because amidst the strong vocals left and right, the rap in verse 2 left a really strong impression. That’s EXY. As the sole rapper in a group full of strong vocals, EXY stands out well, with raps that give the group’s tracks a little switch up in style. But that’s not all she does. Aside from writing for WJSN, EXY makes regular appearances on Starship junior boy group CRAVITY’s tracks as a writer, first on the fierce addicting “My Turn”. She also contributed to THE BOYZ’s “PRISM” and is set to reappear as a writer on CRAVITY’s upcoming album LIBERTY: IN OUR COSMOS. It’s clear EXY knows how to switch things up. Though she mostly writes for herself in WJSN songs, she is also capable of writing outside that bubble–exploring different genres like with these fierce songs for junior boy groups. Had I not known, I would have never guessed that she was the one behind all the tracks she wrote.

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LE (EXID)

LE of EXID is one of the most underrated songwriters in K-Pop. Besides being a member of one of the boldest girl groups, LE has contributed in shaping the sound of many other popular artists. LE co-wrote HyunA and Hyunseung’s iconic debut song “Trouble Maker” and later “Now.” She also worked with HyunA as a soloist on her album A Talk. LE has also written for groups like Jewelry, Secret, Boys Republic, Fiestar. Most recently LE is the co-producer of the rookie girl group, TRI.BE alongside EXID collaborator, Shinsadong Tiger.

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CL (2NE1)

One of the most prolific rappers and songwriters in Korean music, CL has always pushed the envelope in her releases as part of her group 2NE1 and as a soloist. CL is not only known for writing catchy hooks and addictive choruses but also incorporating clever wordplay. She plays around with phonetics in English and Korean and makes intriguing references to her roots and brand. She takes inspiration from her public persona and her private life to write dynamic lyrics that fit into any genre from braggadocious hip-hop bangers to empowering pop anthems. Her style has become the blueprint for many new female songwriters and rappers.

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Soyeon ((G)I-DLE)

Even though she is a fourth-generation idol, many Korean music listeners have heard of JEON SOYEON. The rapper debuted with (G)I-DLE in 2018, writing and producing their debut single “LATATA”, which helped the group gain popularity and recognition early on as a self-producing group. Since then, she has continued to produce a majority of (G)I-DLE’s discography, with the odd one out being produced by members MINNIE or YUQI, who have followed SOYEON’s footsteps into the realm of composing. She can also be found on credits for other artists, producing CLC’s “No” and APINK Namjoo’s solo debut “BIRD”. Her image as a producer becomes evermore solid as she continues to produce for herself, (G)I-DLE, and other artists, and her active involvement in the studio at such a young age is inspiring to young female idols looking to be more involved in the production of their pieces.

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IU

Known for relatable style, IU’s lyrics are one of the biggest reasons for her immense popularity. Inspired by mundane happenings in everyday life, IU has created an eclectic discography by acknowledging that everyone experiences similar struggles and moments of joy. Fans of all ages are able to relate to IU’s lyrics and feel seen by an artist of her stature. Her age-themed songs, “스물셋 (Twenty-Three),” “팔레트 (Palette)” ft. G-Dragon, “에잇 (eight)” ft. SUGA, and “Lilac” have not only become a chronological diary of her career but also for her fans who grew up with her. She has also lent her songwriting to enrich discographies of other artists like Epik High, Jehwi, AKMU, and more.

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SURAN

Seamlessly blending pop, R&B, jazz, and ballad styles, SURAN has created a very unique sound throughout her career. Showcasing her versatility SURAN has become known for her wide range of collaborations. She is a perfect example of artists who are able to use their storytelling skills to share multiple different experiences. Her best-known collaboration is 2017’s “오늘 취하면 (Wine)” produced by SUGA and featuring rapper Changmo. She has collaborated with balladeers like Car, The Garden, Eddy Kim to R&B singers like DEAN, Crush to hip-hop acts like Beenzino, pH-1, Loco, and the list goes on.

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SUNMI

SUNMI has subtly expanded her lyrical career over the years. Most people don’t realize how much SUNMI has contributed to shaping her own sound. Ever since her viral hit “Gashina,” SUNMI has co-written all of her solo songs. She has tackled lighter themes like peachy love, purple night outs to darker & more mature themes like mental health, self-respect, and social topics like social media addiction and more. SUNMI’s style of writing and creativity has been dubbed as ‘SUNMI-pop’ by fans of Korean music for its uniqueness. For International Women’s Day this year, SUNMI released a new single “Oh Sorry Ya” written and produced by a team of all-female artists, as part of Spotify’s EQUAL initiative.

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Yuki (PURPLE KISS)

PURPLE KISS’ Yuki only debuted a year ago this month but her creative talent is already leaving her mark. Credited on nearly every song of the group’s short but expanding discography, the rapper has proven her talent as a lyricist. That is all the more impressive as Yuki is originally from Japan, making Korean her second language. While her raps in “Zombie” were a highlight of the song, Hide & Seek’s “So WhY”, co-written with and composed by groupmate Chaein, is probably the best entry to get a feeling for this rising new artist.

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HEIZE

Praised by critics and fans alike for always keeping her lyrics the central focus of her songs, HEIZE’s storytelling is on a different level. Despite dabbling with different styles and genres of music, HEIZE is always able to share her story effectively and emotionally. Her notable releases include “HAPPEN,” “We Don’t Talk Together” ft. Giriboy and the iconic OST “Round & Round” from Goblin. She has also lent her songwriting to artists are TWICE for their critically acclaimed single “Cry For Me” and WANNA ONE for their song “모래시계 (Sandglass)”.