This year’s SBS Gayodaejun, or “Battle of the Bands,” brought back feelings of nostalgia for many older K-pop fans with covers of some of the biggest Korean pop hits from the 2000s and 2010s.
Each year, SBS’ year-end show surprises fans with special remakes and cross-band collaborations. The 2017 event, which aired Monday night on the Korean television station, evoked the theme “No. 1” and featured popular acts performing not only their own hits and recent releases but also the top songs of yesteryear.
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BIGBANG’s “Haru Haru (Day By Day)” Performed by WINNER
This 2008 song, performed here by lablemates WINNER, put BIGBANG on the map early on in their career.
Fin.K.L’s “Now” Performed by TWICE
The famous early K-pop quartet brought in the new millennium with “Now,” becoming one of the most popular songs in Korea in 2000.
Kim Hyun Sik’s “My Love By My Side” Performed by IU with accompaniment by Yoo Hee Yeol
Two of Korea’s most beloved artists joined together to perform this 1991 hit, released posthumously by Kim.
Panic’s “Snail” by Lee Juck and Heize
Heize joined Lee, a former member of Panic, to perform the 1996 single off of the band’s first album.
Shinhwa’s “Hey, Come On” Performed by GOT7 and NCT 127
The two groups joined together to perform the 2001 hit from K-pop’s longest-running boy band, which got its start at the label that currently houses NCT 127, SM Entertainment.
H.O.T’s “We Are The Future” Performed by Wanna One
The Produce 101–created group delivered a rendition of this 1997 hit by the outfit considered to be K-pop’s first true boy band.
Wonder Girls’ “So Hot” Performed by Blackpink
This 2008 K-pop mainstay got a modern remix by the ladies of Blackpink.
Uhm Jung Hwa’s “Poison” Performed by Uhm with Sunmi
This “Frants Remix” version of the 1998 hit reveled in the dangerous vibe of the two popular songstresses.
Loveholics’ “Butterfly” Performed by members of TWICE, BTOB, Blackpink, GFRIEND, and Wanna One
The most-recently released song covered during the event, Loveholics’ “Butterfly” was released in 2009 and featured TWICE’s Jihyo, BTOB’s Yook Sungjae, Blackpink’s Rosé, Gfriend’s Yuju, and Wanna One’s Kim Jaehwan.