Korean R&B Artists You Must Know

Writer: Neyna Nayak (Berhampur, Odisha, India)
Editor: Devyani Segan (Delhi, India)

I only think of you
On autumn nights
And every now and then
It’s getting cold
– Lyrics from “Autumn Night” by Dept(뎁트)

Korean R&B fuses traditional R&B with contemporary K-pop, resulting in a distinctive genre of music. It is primarily known for its velvety, heartfelt sound. This style often blends electronic and acoustic instruments. It’s a creative mix of hip-hop, rap, soul, and funk. Its definition is still a little hazy, but the genre currently only includes a mix of rappers, ballad and pop singers, and hip-hop artists. Notable artists in this genre include Crush, Zion.T, and Dean.

What is R&B?

When we listen to music, we feel the most relieved; we experience many feelings, whether sad or pleased. Sometimes you become the happiest human and feel so happy while listening to music that your hands and legs can’t stop dancing. Different songs are composed of various genres. One of the genres is R&B (Rhythmic and Blues). R&B songs generate momentum by incorporating repetitive yet rhythmic interconnected elements. A soothing composition, with the singer displaying strong emotional investment in the lyrics. Despite this emotional intensity, singers often project a cool, composed demeanor.

Explore Korean R&B Artist

Korean R&B (K-R&B) as a genre of music has become something quite special. It has emerged as a fascinating and diverse music genre that has gained recognition as well as appreciation both locally and internationally. The Internet is one of the reasons we can connect with people through music. The soulful melodies, and heartfelt lyrics. What’s cool is that it takes some inspiration from Western R&B, but it adds a unique Korean twist, creating this mesmerizing blend of sounds. Below are the lists of some K-R&B artists that you can listen to:

Dept

Lee Ho-jeong (이호정), who is also known as Dept (뎁트) is a South Korean singer, producer, and DJ under Dept Music. He made his debut on July 15, 2016, with the digital single ‘편하게 들어’. His main genres are ‘R&B’, POP’, and ‘dance music’. The name ‘dept’ comes from the combination of the words ‘debt’ and ‘department’. This title implies a sense of aspiration and ambition that the team and he have to repay the ‘debt’ to artists that we respect and have been inspired by in the past. Some songs you can listen to are Stupid, Autumn Night, Bubble Bubble, and Special Signs.

Gen Neo

Gen Neo is a Singaporean singer-songwriter, producer and composer based in South Korea, under BAMM Entertainment. He started his career in producing and writing for established artists and idol groups in the K-pop industry. Heavily influenced by 90s R&B music, alongside his love for film/ visuals/ fashion, he aims to craft his contemporary take through his artistry. Gen Neo has also worked with big South Korean boy bands like Super Junior and F(x). He also wrote songs for popular K-dramas Oh My Venus and Sweet Stranger And Me. Some other songs you can listen to are Stay, Losing Game, and Called it Love.

DPR IAN

DPR IAN is a Korean-Australian rapper, director, and composer under Dream Perfect Regime aka the director of DPR. He was also a former member of the boy group C-CLOWN (2012 – 2015). He debuted with the Digital Single: So Beautiful. He is credited for various music videos for huge names in the Korean music scene: HOLD UP! by Bobby of iKON, BODY by Mino, and Movie Shoot by Loco. Some songs you can listen to are No Blueberries, Dope Lovers and Shopper.

Woodz

Cho Seung-youn (조승연), popularly known on stage as WOODZ (우즈), previously as Luizy. He is a South Korean singer, songwriter, rapper and producer under EDAM Entertainment. He is a member of the boy group UNIQ and a former member of the project boy group X1. He made his solo debut on July 29, 2016, with the single Recipe. The music genres are K-pop, K-Hip pop, and K-R&B. Some songs you can listen to are Thinkin bout you, Kiss of fire, and NOID.

All over the world, people enjoy listening to R&B music. It’s not just about music, it’s about feelings, emotions, and stories. Also, we want to appreciate every K-R&B artist out there who continues to make music with so much dedication to help the genre gain more acceptance. We want to thank them for creating beautiful music and leaving an everlasting impression on the global stage. Some other incredible artists that you can stream are Jeebanoff, Junny, Gemini, George, K.vsh and DPR LIVE.

Who is your favorite K-R&B Artist, and what is your favorite K-R&B song? Do let us know in the comments!