The Best K-Pop Workout Songs

K-Pop Workout Playlist:
Truth.
We're 11 days into the New Year. If you're like me, you're still telling yourself you've committed to a healthier lifestyle, and vowing this is the year you'll stop eating Nutella with chopsticks at 2 am.

I need to make working out as fun as possible otherwise iHate it. Listening to the right music is crucial. I narrowed down my Kpop workout playlist to these 13 songs that reflect the 4 phases of any workout: warming up, the workout, when you want to die, and cooling down.

WARMING UP:

Songs that put you in a good mood, and raise your energy level.

"It's Me" by Kahi

This is always my first song. I think I've primed my body to associate this song with exercising. In this song, Kahi exudes a subtle sensuality that I find believable and appealing. Gain and Sunmi are two others, that to me, can carry a sexy concept without it seeming forced or cheap.


"Itaewon Freedom" with JYP

WHERE IS NAMSAN TOWER? How does this not have a million views yet? Low-budget, cheesy, hilarious, and catchy, this song will grow on you if you aren't immediately won over. It's fun to see JYP goofing around - the man behind the creepy "JYP" whisper we've all become accustomed to. (This song is also the obvious choice for pre-gaming before nights out in Itaewon).


"What's Happening?" by B1A4

 If I am hungover or tired, this song is irritating. If I've just chugged a coffee or started to workout, it becomes...THE BEST SONG EVER!!!


"Shower Later" by Gary ft. Crush


Better for lifting than cardio, best when riding a seesaw while eating a popsicle.


THE WORKOUT:

Turn it up a notch: 

"Expect" by Girl's Day

 This was one of the best songs of the year for me in 2013. Great song, great dance, very sexy.


"One Shot" by B.A.P

Let me tell something that you already know. This video is a mini soap opera melodramatic mess. The best part about working out to this song is that YOU DON'T HAVE TO WATCH THE VIDEO! The only cool part is Zelo break dancing. I would rather watch that on loop for 4 minutes. Dat chorus doe...this song is GREAT when working out. I wish they stuck with a more simple concept for the video.


"Step" by Kara


How the song goes: "Step it up Step it up" What I hear: STEP IT UP, LAZYASS.


"Roly Poly" by T-ARA

FUN & FUNKY. It is impossible NOT to dance to this song. Try it, I dare you. However this video is 12 minutes long which is excessive. Here's the condensed dance version.


WHEN YOU WANT TO DIE:

That point in the workout where you are huuuurting, want to keep your mind off of the fact that your muscles and lungs are burning, and need to power through to the end:


"MTBD" by CL

This is bad. Not bad meaning bad, but bad meaning good ya know. So what if it sounds like a rip-off of "Turn Down For What". It works for me. Who am I kidding, I love this song. Why wasn't this released as a single from CRUSH? Why is there no real music video? WHY. MENBOONG.


"Lucifer" by SHINee

An oldie but a goodie. If Taemin can go through this whole video with his hair down, I can keep working out.


"Mamma Mia" by KARA (Areia Kpop Remix #154) 

The regular "Mamma Mia" doesn't do it for me. I found this remix on YouTube, and it gets the job done. It will make your head explode, and then you can stop running.


COOLING DOWN:

Hurray! You survived. 

"24 hours" by Sunmi

Sunmi and her more sophisticated sex appeal. I think she is taking cues from Gain's Bloom in this video, but this song is still sexy in its own way. This song is really on the list because I like taping my wrist and hitting my FitBit like "24시간이 모자라 ::TAP TAP TAP::....hurray for making my step goal."


"Smoky Girl" by MBLAQ

...because Lee Joon.

Honorable mention:

These songs are also great for workouts, I've just overplayed them (because I work out so frequently LOL JK).

Ringa Linga by Taeyang This link leads to the dance version, better IMO.

Hoot by Girl's Generation Excellent Katniss Everdeen inspired dance moves in the chorus. The song is still catchy, great when running.

DOOM DADA by T.O.P This song is awesome.

Maxstep by Younique Unit Putting the best dancers in SM into a group is a good idea in theory, but not well executed in this case. I think overall, this release was a failure for SM, but I find it bearable when exercising.




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