Covers have become a staple feature and aspect of K-Pop today. Showcasing their incredible creativity and vocal talents, many K-Pop idols often treat cover performances as their own songs. Whether subtle or loud, there is always a noticeable difference between these covers and the originals that often makes them as unique and special as the original works.
While original songs always remain number one, here are some covers of songs by K-Pop idols/artists that are just as enjoyable to listen to as the original versions.
GaHo is a master when it comes to cover performances. Not only does he deliver, word for word or sound for sound, the original version of the songs, he puts his creative spin on the music, making it sound so unique and recognizably different from the original. We call this the GaHo effect. His ability to make every cover he does sound like his own original song. It’s almost as if he’s trying to show off another version, the GaHo version, which is just as compelling and enticing to listen to.
There are countless covers that fall under this thematic article, covers that are recognizable as bops, covers that showcased his versatile sound and creativity as an artist, and covers that made us frequently say “wow! This is amazing”.
Kim WooJin is another artist who treats cover performances as if they were his original songs. With each cover he shares, it almost feels like another moment to acknowledge not just his outstanding vocal abilities, but his musicianship as a whole. There are always several moments in his songs that give you goosebumps and leave you so entranced or lost in his sound.
Frankly, while the original songs are already successful and great, in Kim WooJin’s style, he adds another layer of appeal to the songs that somehow makes them even more enjoyable and wholesome. A cover by Kim WooJin is always a delight to listen to, as regardless of genre or artist, he always delivers an emotional vocal performance that leaves you in awe. Just like GaHo, Kim WooJin has a long list of covers that could very well form a discography. The videos embedded in this article are some of our favorites so far.
In our opinion, DaWon is such an underrated vocalist and it’s almost criminal how he doesn’t get the due recognition he deserves. DaWon has one of the sweetest vocal textures in K-Pop today. So sweet, he makes every song he sings so easy to listen to. We can safely say that, perhaps due to the number of members in SF9, having only 1 or 2 moments within a song where he shows off his vocal powers is not enough. But luckily, he’s also one of the idols who likes to share covers with fans, and with every cover he’s shared so far, we feel blessed. Just as our senses were opened to receive the blessings emanating from her angelic tone. These three covers incorporated into this article are some of our favorites so far.
BTS songs are very high pitched and whenever another artist performs them, they can hit or miss terribly. This performance by DaWon fits in with the first as it left us in awe of his vocal powers.
The weekendHis voice is unique and therefore his is the music. But with this cover, DaWon gives us a copy of his own version that makes us want to hear it on loop too.
If your speaking voice already sounds angelic, imagine what your singing voice would sound like. There’s no reason to wonder too much though, as Maddox has vividly shown that he’s a vocal powerhouse with the ability to not just sing a tune, but mostly treat it to blissful vocal experience. It’s always an experience when Maddox sings because right after he sings the first note, you go on a serene or emotional journey with him. It’s like a slow, easy ride on a fluffy cloud as her angelic tone soothes and refreshes your mind.
Maddox has such amazing covers so far, with this one Adele‘Easy’ is one of the most famous so far. And for all the right reasons. He just delivered! He gave an A+ performance which made us enjoy the song even more.
Watching this cover, even though it’s from 3 years ago, to say we don’t expect this level of mastery from June would be a lie. As we mentioned in our Boyfriend Material Pictures article, Kun is a complete artist and that fact goes unnoticed today. As if his smooth, mellow vocals that could soothe any stormy heart weren’t enough to make this song wholesome, he also plays the piano, taking the listening/watching experience of this cover to a whole new level.
Whenever we do articles about K-Pop idols and covers, Jeon Woong is always mentioned because when it comes to iconic covers, he takes the crown in that category. Regardless of genre, each cover by Jeon Woong is just as flavorful and delicious as the original.
While it easily incorporates and reflects the feel of the original songs, it also adds its own unique flavor and style that makes it even more unique. It could be with your intonation, a smooth change in flow or rhythm, or (when watching the videos), your attitude. With Jeon Woong, covering amazing songs is a skill he has honed to perfection.
After watching the video above for the umpteenth time, we decided to take a look at the comments to see if we could find like-minded fans who are just as in awe of SeungKwan as we are. And two comments caught our attention. “There’s no one doing it like SeungKwan” and “His voice literally matches every genre”. No truer words have been said about SeungKwan like these.
SeungKwan’s talents are impressive, and when it comes to music, his technique is impressive. Whenever he sings, it’s so evident that he’s a seasoned performer. With this cover, there’s a clarity to her vocals and delivery that’s so wholesome and her vocal colors are as warm and smooth as they are beautiful.
honorable mentions
GaHo and Kim Woojin
If there’s an award for the best cover song by a K-Pop idol, this cover would rightly win. No matter how many times we hear it, we still get goosebumps at how amazing this song is. And we’re sure many fans feel the same way too. With clearly distinct vocal tones, they both brought their own feel to the verses and at the climax it was just dazzling and beautiful as their voices blended together seamlessly to create a unique harmony.
Since we heardcall me anytime‘, we patiently wait for the day when JongHo and Maddox will show their incredible vocals in the same song again, and with this NewJeans’ ‘Idem‘ all our wishes were duly granted. From the smooth, sweet melodies each artist delivered to their beautiful harmonies and incredible high notes, this cover is simply a masterpiece that you can listen to on a loop.
Which of these idols/artists make the best covers? Let us know in the comments section.
