14 K-Pop Songs From Female Artists That Go Hard

If you’re looking for hard-hitting, in-your-face, bold songs by fierce female artists, then you’re in the right place, because we’ve pulled together some of the most badass female K-pop songs there are. These artists do girl crush so hard that we would almost be scared of them, if we weren’t so busy being empowered by them. So in no particular order, here are 14 K-pop songs by ladies that aren’t afraid to go hard. Enjoy!

1. “Crazy” — 4Minute

“I’m the female monster” seems like a fitting line to start this list off with, and 4Minute’s “Crazy” just gets, well, crazier from there. From the fast-paced verses to the chanted chorus (and HyunA’s incredible stank eye facial expressions), you won’t be able to catch your breath through this hard-hitting track!

2. “Hello Bitches” — CL

It doesn’t get much bolder than everyone’s favorite Baddest Female, and with a song title like “Hello Bitches,” you know this one’s gonna be a banger. CL is not afraid to get a little nasty, in-your-face, and show us why she’s a K-pop queen.

3. “Hobgoblin” — CLC

Goblins aren’t generally known for their beauty, but CLC couldn’t care less, taking on the persona of these little demons for “Hobgoblin.” In the same vein as the group’s hits “Black Dress” and “Me,” “Hobgoblin” (which was co-written by HyunA!) is fiercer and more daring: the girls describe themselves as goblins who lure their romantic interest to come out and love them — and we can safely say that they’ve won us over!

4. “Anck Su Namun” — Yezi

K-pop plus Ancient Egypt is a combination we never knew we needed until Yezi blessed us with “Anck Su Namun.” The former FIESTAR member channels an ancient Egyptian queen for the track, drawing inspiration from a fictional Egyptian royal in the American movie “The Mummy.” Yezi is fierce as a pharaoh in her raps, while the song’s sultry Egyptian undertones and chants give it an alluring vibe that recalls the timeless mysteries of the Nile.

5. “Crush” — 2NE1

No one did the badass girl group concept quite like 2NE1, and while they have a number of lit hits to their name (they are the best, after all) “Crush” is the most flagrant. Daring, challenging, and flashy, the ladies are right when they proclaim “they love me cuz I kill” — consider us slain!

6. “Me & You” — EXID

Why be sad about a breakup when you can go party with your friends? EXID has no regrets about ending a relationship in “Me & You,” riding their newfound freedom to the club with the track’s bombastic horns and chants. Boy, bye!

7. “Punk Right Now” — HYO (Girls’ Generation’s Hyoyeon)

If you’re looking for a dance track, then DJ HYO has got you covered. Girls’ Generation’s dancing machine has been shaking up her image since debuting as a solo artist, and DJ HYO lives up to her badass new stage name in “Punk Right Now,” with bomb beats and bold proclamations about doing what she wants.

8. “Color Me Rad” — D.Holic

As far as made up K-pop English phrases go, “color me rad” is actually pretty ingenious: catchy, fearless, and to the point. And while D.Holic may already be disbanded, we can still appreciate this EDM banger for the lit track that it is — just wait until the beat drops and you’ll see what we’re talking about.

9. “Piri” — DreamCatcher

DreamCatcher’s signature rock-infused sound makes for some uniquely bold songs, but none are quite as jaw-dropping as “Piri.” Intense and slightly haunting, “Piri” quickly becomes a banger when the chorus hits, proving itself the pinnacle of DreamCatcher’s slayage.

10. “Kill This Love” — BLACKPINK

Obviously, this list would be nothing without BLACKPINK’s insanely popular hit. “Kill This Love” is an in-your-face, blaring, assertive denunciation of a romance that has to end — on the ladies’ own terms. It doesn’t get much more hard-hitting than this!

11. “KKPP” — GIRLS GIRLS’ MiSO

If you’ve never heard of MiSO from girl group GIRLS GIRLS, then allow us to introduce you to her via this fierce female anthem. “KKPP” is a jumble of aggressive electro-synths that the rapper dominates with her signature gritty lines.

12. “Red Light” — f(x)

The synths alone make “Red Light” edgier than your typical K-pop track, but the ladies of f(x) slay with their raps and surprisingly tight harmonies on the chorus. Horns, whistles, and snares make for a fast-paced intensity that doesn’t stop building until the song is over.

13. “Sugar Free” — T-ara

T-ara has been going hard since 2014, when they released this EDM-dance track that still never fails to get stuck in our heads. In typical T-ara style, “Sugar Free” is unbelievably catchy, but this song pulls out all the stops when it comes to pure intensity and lit-ness.

14. “Hate” — 4Minute

“Hate” is so belligerent that it takes more than one listen to really love, but it’s worth getting used to. While the song starts off mournful, it quickly builds into a bombastic chorus that is downright nasty: the aggressive beats and chanting of “I hate you” are the definition of hard-hitting, making it the perfect track to close out this list!

Hey Soompiers, what do you think of these songs? Are there any other tracks you would add to this list? Let us know in the comments!

hgordon stays up way too late on weeknights marathoning K-dramas and trying to keep up with the latest K-pop releases. Follow her adventures in Seoul on Instagram.