From legends like BoA and TVXQ to current hitmakers like Stray Kids and Aespa, the anime industry has long dipped its toes in K-pop, inviting the biggest acts to sing their most memorable theme songs.
Language barriers don’t mean anything when it comes to music, especially if it’s K-pop. Korean music acts have taken the world by storm, and countless countries can’t wait to get a piece of them. Take Japan, for example, and its booming anime industry.
Anime studios have and continue to invite K-pop acts to sing their shows’ theme songs, be they chart-topping groups or beloved soloists. K-pop icon BoA started this shift when she sang the fourth ending theme for the hit show, Inuyasha. Then came the likes of TVXQ, 2PM, Stray Kids, and Aespa!
1. “Every Heart” by BoA for Inuyasha
Ever the K-pop pioneer, BoA was the first Korean artist to make a track for an anime series. In fact, she was also among the first to expand to Japan after achieving success in her home country. This strategic and historic move included creating the ending theme for the iconic early-2000s series Inuyasha.
You’ll hear it from episodes 61 to 85 of the show’s fourth season. The gentle and chill track served as a nice contrast to the anime’s many battles and action scenes. It also touched on the emotional love triangle between the main characters: Inuyasha, Kagome, and Kikyo.
2. “Share The World” by TVXQ for One Piece
Following the success of their labelmate BoA in Japan, 2nd-gen K-pop kings TVXQ dropped a theme song for another iconic anime, One Piece. Released in April 2009 and used as the opening for episodes 395–425, the upbeat track fit perfectly with the show’s current arcs. They included the Sabaody Archipelago, Amazon Lily, and early Impel Down storylines.
The single became the group’s sixth number-one hit on the Oricon charts, further establishing their success in Japan. It also helped that TVXQ released it right around the time they and One Piece enjoyed their respective peaks.
3. “Breaking Dawn” by Kim Jaejoong for Noblesse
Unfortunately for TVXQ, 2009 also marked the last time the group performed with all five original members. Kim Jaejoong, Kim Junsu, and Park Yoochun officially left the group and the agency, SM Entertainment, that year and ventured into their own solo careers. One of them, Kim Jaejoong, eventually sang another anime theme song, this time for the 2020 series Noblesse.
He collaborated on the track with Japanese rock legend HYDE, and it served as the opening for all 13 episodes of the show. Considering the series’s vampiric theme, “Breaking Dawn” is pure rock at its finest, complete with a powerful chorus and dark orchestral elements.
4. “Take Off” by 2PM for Blue Exorcist
TVXQ wouldn’t be the last 2nd-gen K-pop boy group to make an anime theme. 2PM followed suit with “Take Off,” which was the first ending theme for Blue Exorcist in 2011. A more uplifting and cheery contrast to the dark rock opening, the song matched the show’s action-packed, family-centric story.
The track also served as the group’s debut Japanese single. 2PM had already amassed a devoted fan base in Korea, so this song was their first foray into the Japanese pop music market. It kicked off the group’s long and successful J-pop career.
5. “Neverland” by FTIsland for Ozma
Korean rock bands also dipped their toes in anime in the 2010s. FTIsland felt particularly made for this sort of thing, as most anime themes are rock songs, anyway. Unsurprisingly, “Neverland” was already the band’s seventh Japanese single.
The song was the opening theme for Ozma, a 2012 sci-fi anime based on an unused manuscript by the legendary creator Leiji Matsumoto. Widely regarded as underrated among the many hit anime tracks by K-pop groups, it stood out for its rock ‘n’ roll sound, which is a stark contrast to the dance-centric songs on this list.
6. “Baby U” by MBLAQ for Beelzebub
Continuing on with the 2nd-gen K-pop groups who made anime themes, there’s also MBLAQ’s “Baby U.” Originally released as the group’s second Japanese single, it was then used as the fourth opening theme for the 2011 supernatural comedy anime, Beelzebub. It’s featured from episodes 36 to 48.
A standard pop track with a fast-paced beat and a catchy chorus, the song pairs well with the hilarious series. The show tells the story of delinquent student Tatsumi Oga, who is forced to raise the demon infant Beel, son of the Demon King.
7. “Eclipse” by Dreamcatcher for King’s Raid
Let’s get some girl power into the mix now. Though many K-pop girl groups have released anime tracks before, none have been quite as successful as Dreamcatcher’s “Eclipse.” It was a seamless collaboration between the 3rd-gen group and the makers of King’s Raid: Successors of the Will, a 2020 fantasy anime.
The song served as the show’s second opening theme, with the group releasing the TV version first in December 2020. They then dropped the full single around March 2021, just in time for the series finale. You can hear it from episodes 14 to 26.
8. “Top” by Stray Kids for Tower of God
4th-gen boy group Stray Kids technically released two tracks for the 2020 fantasy anime Tower of God. They made both “Top,” the opening theme, and “SLUMP,” the ending theme. It was one of the rare times a K-pop group performed both themes for an anime series.
Out of the two songs, however, “Top” garnered considerably more attention, reaching No. 1 on the Oricon Weekly Singles Chart. They became the first K-pop group to achieve this feat after TVXQ’s “Share The World” in 2009. It’s also credited with introducing the group to anime fans.
9. “Forget Me Not” by ENHYPEN for Re-Main
ENHYPEN succeeded the many boy groups on this list when they released “Forget Me Not” in 2021. The track served as their first original Japanese single, their first anime theme, and the opening theme for the 2021 sports anime Re-Main.
The title perfectly plays into the show’s plot. Re-Main tells the story of former water polo prodigy Minato Kiyomizu, who lost several years of memories due to an accident. Once regarded as the best player in the game, he has to start all over again, rebuilding the skills he had before he lost his memories.
10. “Attitude” by Aespa for Kill Blue
You can always trust Aespa to drop a killer track, even if it’s for an anime. The fierce foursome dropped “Attitude” as the opening theme for the 2026 action-comedy series, Kill Blue. The sequence even features the show’s characters dancing to the song.
Though known for their darker, more futuristic-sounding hits, “Attitude” is a more playful, standard dance-pop track. It fits right in with the series’ high school-centric plot while also capturing the adrenaline of its action-packed storylines.
Name a better pairing than K-pop and anime. It was only a matter of time before these two industries converged, and the result was some awesome bangers.
Sources: Avex YouTube Channel, Warner Music Japan Official YouTube Channel, MBLAQ – Topic YouTube Channel, ENHYPEN Official YouTube Channel, Aespa Official YouTube Channel, Stray Kids Japan Official YouTube, 2PM Japan Official YouTube Channel, Jaejoong Japan Official YouTube Channel, Dreamcatcher Official YouTube Channel, IMDb
