Decades before there was K-pop, there was trot. The roots of this Korean style—with its repetitious rhythms, upbeat tempo and distinctive vocals—go back to the early 20th century and draw on popular sounds of the time the world over. Each tune tells its own tale, with graceful melodies often woven around words of love, loss and longing. Lilting country-tinged songs from such legends as Lee Mija, Na Hoon-A and Joo Hyun Mi mingle with ballads and more bubbly tunes by the likes of Shin Yu and K-pop alum HONG JIN YOUNG, who form part of a new generation reinventing the genre.