7 Underrated K-Pop Tracks That Experienced A Sudden Surge In Popularity Later On

Not every song reaches its full potential when it’s released. Whether it’s because the track is slept on or because the group has yet to achieve further fame, there are many reasons why a song might see a resurgence in popularity long after it’s released. The phenomenon even has a name—the “reverse run”! Here are just a few examples of songs that are in the reverse-run club.

DAY6 – “You Were Beautiful”

Released more than nine years ago, “You Were Beautiful” shows off DAY6’s incredible vocals and emotional expression in the best way possible. Perhaps that’s the reason why it shot back up the charts in 2020, and even further up in 2024! Fans often talk about how underrated DAY6’s music is, but this track has had some incredible (and well-deserved) popularity since its peak.

Brave Girls – “Rollin'”

The song that put Brave Girls on the map, “Rollin'” is a song that K-pop fans are sure to know! It was released in 2017 but took a whopping four years to find fame. Found fame, indeed—in 2021, Brave Girls became the girl group with the most cumulative chart-topping hours! With its fun, sunny-summer vibes, it’s easy to see why “Rollin'” became such a hit.

TXT – “I’ll See You There Tomorrow”

Released almost two years ago, you might be surprised to hear that a B-side from TXT’s EP “minisode 3: TOMORROW” is suddenly trending again! “I’ll See You There Tomorrow” gained popularity in early 2026, slowly creeping up the charts. The rise of house music as a genre means that TXT is seeing success with a song that’s aged like fine wine. The light energy and smooth beat make it a fun listen!

EXID – “UP&DOWN”

Another throwback for the older K-pop stans, “UP&DOWN” was originally released in August 2014—that’s almost 12 years ago! Thankfully it only took a few months for this song to find success, but it did in the most iconic way possible! Hani’s fancam went viral, leading to music show wins months after release and skyrocketing popularity for EXID. This song is a cornerstone of K-pop history!

WOODZ – “Drowning”

A B-side from WOODZ’s 2023 album, “Drowning” shot to fame since his legendary performance in military uniform in late 2024 and is still breaking records! It topped yearly charts and recently became the song with the most weeks in the Melon Top 10. That’s an impressive achievement, but once you hear the song you’ll wonder why it didn’t garner this much attention from day one! With WOODZ’s incredible, heart-wrenching vocals, it’s a song you can’t stop listening to.

BABYMONSTER – “Really Like You”

A B-side released in 2024, BABYMONSTER’s smooth R&B track “Really Like You” is back on the charts in 2026! Partially thanks to the social media challenges that feature this song, BABYMONSTER has experienced such a surge in popularity that they performed this song on “M Countdown” just a few weeks ago. The laid-back vibes and ear-candy vocals make this song a perfect easy listen.

BTS – “Spring Day”

You’d be hard-pressed to find a K-pop stan that hasn’t heard “Spring Day.” It topped charts when it was released in 2017 but believe it or not, that isn’t the peak of the song’s success! “Spring Day” reached an incredible high in 2023 when it topped the iTunes charts in 83 countries worldwide. It continues to break records, becoming the only song to stay in the Melon Top 100 for nine years straight. It’s an instant classic!