Seven K-Pop Covers to Obsess Over

Reimagined and remade with love, the following K-pop covers have breathed new life into their beloved tracks. Featuring poignant renditions like BTS’s “Fix You” and stunning duets such as EXO’s Chen and N.Flying’s Heeseung on “Ghost Town” and EXO’s Baekhyun and Ateez’s Jongho on “Until I Found You,” these covers are beautiful, creative reinterpretations. Here are seven K-pop covers to obsess over.

BTS – “Fix You” (Original by Coldplay)

Four years ago, BTS performed this poignant cover of British rock band Coldplay’s “Fix You” for MTV Unplugged. The song’s origins are rooted in Coldplay frontman Chris Martin’s heartfelt gesture to comfort his then-wife, actor Gwyneth Paltrow, after her father’s demise in 2002—he even used a keyboard given to her by her father to compose the track. BTS, who’ve been open about the song’s impact on them during tough times, created a stripped-down yet emotional rendition of the rock ballad that highlighted its message of finding comfort, hope, and support, with RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jungkook’s rich vocal textures deepening the song’s emotional resonance.

Enhypen Heeseung – “Off My Face” (Original by Justin Bieber)

It feels as if Heeseung is wrapping a warm whisper around Justin Bieber’s soft rock ballad. And as his voice soars on the falsetto notes, he adds more depth to its contemplative mood—exploring the lessons love taught Bieber and helped the pop icon identify himself and his purpose in life. “‘Off My Face’ is a song I often enjoy listening to by an artist whom I highly respect,” Heeseung shared, as reported by Billboard. That shows in his rendition, as he adheres closely to the original acoustic sound while minimizing the instrumentation to its bare essentials—just his vocals and a delicate guitar melody.

Doh Kyung-soo (D.O of EXO) & Lee Suhyun – “Rewrite the Stars” (Original by James Arthur, Anne-Marie)

Originally performed by actors Zac Efron and Zendaya in the film The Greatest Showman (2017), this iconic duet by English singer-songwriters James Arthur and Anne-Marie has found new life in the voices of D.O. and AKMU’s Lee Suhyun. It all started with a snippet of the song performed by the K-pop stars on KBS’s show The Seasons: Long Day, Long Night With AKMU, which went viral and sparked fan requests for a full version. Suhyun took the lead, directly contacting D.O. to suggest recording it, and the full studio cover was released in September of last year to overwhelmingly positive reviews. The original version definitely has set the standard, but D.O. and Suhyun’s version, characterized by their vocal chemistry and stunning harmonies, is just as brilliant.

Cha Eun-woo (Astro) – “Love Is Gone” (Original by Slander, ft. Dylan Matthew)

As a tribute to his late friend and fellow Astro member Moonbin, Cha Eun-woo shared this cover of American DJ duo Slander’s EDM song “Love Is Gone” on his YouTube channel last year. He revealed in the video description that the song holds special meaning for him, that every time he thinks of Moonbin, he works harder, and every time he misses him, he finds comfort in music. He wrapped up the message saying, “Happy birthday, my friend… I always miss you, I’m thankful, and I love you, my friend.” The cover is a soulful expression of grief and love in Cha’s signature soft vocal delivery, cutting out the original’s driving electronic sound for a simple, minimalistic piano accompaniment, much like the song’s acoustic version, to let its emotional core shine through.

Enhypen Jay – “Always” (1995 Wembley ver. Original by Bon Jovi)

“Always” by Bon Jovi, the legendary rock band founded by frontman Jon Bon Jovi, has an interesting backstory—Jon wrote it for the 1993 film Romeo Is Bleeding, but after being underwhelmed by a sneak preview of the movie, he shelved the track. However, his friend, A&R executive John Kalodner, discovered it and convinced him to give it a second chance. Jay’s cover uploaded on Enhypen’s YouTube channel, featuring a live band, brings back the song’s rock ballad energy from Bon Jovi’s iconic 1995 Wembley Stadium performance.

EXO Chen & N.Flying Hwe Seung – “Ghost Town” (Original by Benson Boone)

Chen and Hwe Seung took the stage on Secret Duet—a popular Hello82 YouTube series featuring K-pop acts performing duets with mystery partners whose identities are revealed only after the performance—to deliver a sublime jam of American singer-songwriter Benson Boone’s pop hit “Ghost Town.” The song’s dark themes of toxic relationships and emotional depletion, evident in lines like “Before I turn your heart into a ghost town,” resonate deeply in their performance. This duet might just be one of the show’s best pairings, and it’s surely a testament to the talent and versatility of the two K-pop sensations.

EXO Baekhyun and Ateez Jongho – “Until I Found You” (Original by Stephen Sanchez)

Another draw of the Secret Duet series is Baekhyun and Jongho’s cover of “Until I Found You” by American singer-songwriter Stephen Sanchez. The song is about love and redemption, inspired by Sanchez’s relationship with his girlfriend, Georgia. Baekhyun and Jongho’s effortless and expressive singing revamps the sound while highlighting its emotional depth. The harmonies they create are delivered with such precision and clarity, making them truly stunning and significantly enhancing the overall listening experience.