Whether you’re running outside or just hitting the treadmillgood music can often make the difference between a great run and a blown goal. That’s why we’re putting together 90-minute playlists each month chock-full of songs with enough of a beat to keep you moving. For even more tunes, check out our list of the best running songs.
Greetings to all our Korean readers, those of you who have rightfully become obsessed with K-Pop, and those of you about to discover the wonderful world of Korean pop music. This month’s running playlist is for you!
Back in 2018 when the Winter Olympics were held in PyeongChang, South Korea, the K-Pop group EXO performed at the closing ceremony, showcasing their hit songs “Growl” and “Power” on a global stage. To say I became obsessed is an understatement and the EXO discography (which is very long) became my new running playlist. The beats go hard, most songs push a fast tempoand if you don’t understand Korean (like myself), it’s easy to fall into a bit of a trance while pounding the pavement.
Over the past few years K-Pop has become an increasingly global phenomenon with bands like BTS and BLACKPINK becoming international superstars that have crossed over to American and European markets. More and more people are discovering the kinetic energy of K-Pop music whether the songs are in English or not.
So for June, we’re taking a break from our standard English-language playlists to try something new. The world of K-Pop is sprawling and this playlist barely scratches the surface of the incredible running music it has to offer, but hopefully it will inspire you to switch up your running playlists and add some more global tracks to the mix. J-pop hits, Scandinavian electronic music, Bollywood numbers, and Reggaeton all make for great running playlists as well.
So whether you’re running in the US, Korea, or somewhere else, here’s a K-Pop playlist to give you the power to run your very best.
