Boys Republic Essentials

Boys Republic zig and zag around skittery beats and uptempo dance sounds, operating with an energy that helps them stand out within the very crowded K-pop field. Since appearing in 2013, the five-piece has performed high-energy songs that find them tag-teaming over verses and—when the chorus arrives—unifying as one vocal force, which lends extra strength to the hook. They glide over disco-inspired synth melodies while using vocoders (“L.I.U”), mosh along to trap-inspired electronic cuts (“Video Game”)—and they even bring their whirlwind approach to ballads (“Like a Doll”).