When Languages Collide: 9 Korean & Latinx Collabs to Add to Your Playlist
Design by Laura Gomez
Music knows no boundaries. In recent years, where digital communication and the era of globalization have taken the world by storm, the music industry has since thrived on cross-border collaborations, and we’re here for it!
Unsurprisingly, K-Pop fever has successfully expanded into multiple global markets—most importantly, Latin America. Since 2022, many Korean entertainment agencies are driving their artists into the Latin markets and catering to their Spanish-speaking fans. Apart from making music in the language of the country you want to tap into, teaming up with established artists with strong, loyal fanbases can boost exposure and interest in your music.
Similarly, Latin music is on an upward trend after a long uphill battle for years. In the early 2000s, a considerable amount of people in the U.S. only heard the Westernized Latin artists who created English versions of their catalogs. However, now we have ROSALÍA, Kali Uchis, Bad Bunny, and so many more Latin artists making waves in the industry. Finally, Korean and Latin acts are positively gaining recognition. Just like Shakira’s hips, the numbers don’t lie. Latinx music made over $1.1 billion in revenue in the U.S. music market this past year. Grammy’s in the U.S. now have BTS and Bad Bunny taking the lead. Looking through the Billboard 100 music charts, there is an increased number of Latin and Korean musicians at the top. These two groups may have been underrepresented a few years ago but have grown together, so why not get these two genres in the studio together—or studios from a distance?
Over the next few years, more incredible collaborations will be inevitable as K-Pop groups continue growing their Latin fanbases and the global music consumption of both countries’ artists increase. The growth can also be seen as more Korean groups and artists are making tour stops in Latin American countries. Similarly, Korean consumers might start listening to Latin artists as they become more exposed to Latin culture. Even though these artists are thousands of miles away from each other, they have all come together to create music. While the future looks promising, here are some existing collaborations that we love.
“Demente (Spanish Ver.)” - CHUNG HA 청하 & Guaynaa
If you are a CHUNG HA fan, you know the artist is no stranger to Latin beats and influences as well as the Spanish language in her music. Her album Querencia and words like “te amo” in her song “Bicycle” makes her good Spanish pronunciation no surprise. Fans can further appreciate the solo artist’s Spanish in “Demente.” CHUNG HA’s iconic song includes Puerto Rican musician Guaynaa’s R&B/Reggaeton flow. The track makes us want to get up and dance and leaves us wanting more.
If you are an avid K-Pop listener, you’re probably familiar with SUPER JUNIOR. Making their debut in 2005, the group has evolved into one of the biggest second-generation acts in the K-Pop industry. 18 years later and they are still making hits. If their target audience is Latin listeners, they have definitely come through with a fair share of Latinx collaborations, covers, and Latin-inspired sounds.
“Lo Siento” - SUPER JUNIOR 슈퍼주니어 & Leslie Grace
Released in 2018, this was SUPER JUNIOR’s first Latin collaboration (and certainly not the last). Leslie Grace is a Dominican, New York-born singer-songwriter who creates bilingual music—trilingual if you consider this collaboration. The three-time Latin Grammy-nominated artist brings clear, sultry English and Spanish vocals to mix with the upbeat K-Pop song structure. “Lo Siento” is a sensual, upbeat sound backed by a catchy Latin guitar that fits the group’s concept while still showing a new side to their usual songs. The tracklist included a bonus track featuring KARD—another K-Pop group known for using Latin beats and influences in its music. The music video includes the typical, undeniably show-stopping K-Pop M/V production with Latin-inspired sets.
“One More Time” (Otra Vez) - SUPER JUNIOR 슈퍼주니어 & REIK
SUPER JUNIOR might as well be the golden standard of Latinx collaborations in K-Pop. Did you know that they sang with one of the biggest musical groups in Mexico? Reik is a band consisting of three members and originates from Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico. They rose to fame with their debut album Reik in 2005. Becoming one of the staple musicians for Latinx listeners, it only makes sense that these two renowned groups joined forces on a song. Both SUPER JUNIOR and Reik started their careers in the early 2000s, making them the definitions of 2000s nostalgia not only in South Korea and Mexico but worldwide. With “One More Time,” the two bring Latin beats with a modern twist to their very popular songs.
“Chicken Noodle Soup” - j-hope & Becky G
There is no introduction needed for these two. Of course, we cannot forget to add the iconic collab between j-hope from BTS and Mexican-American artist Becky G. It is an homage to Webstar’s “Chicken Noodle Soup,” a song that is special to j-hope from his trainee days. The track features English, Korean, and Spanish lyrics to create a multi-lingual hit.
“Magnetic” - MONSTA X & Sebastián Yatra
Any Pop-Reggaeton lover can tell you who Sebastián Yatra is. Just like Becky G, the Colombian artist is a staple in the Latin music industry—having collaborated with Reik, it was time to follow in their footsteps. Released in 2019, “Magnetic” was Yatra’s first collaboration with a Korean act and hopefully, it won’t be the last. MONSTA X is well-known for having a Latin vibe throughout their discography, making these two artists a perfect fit. The group recently collaborated with producer duo Play-N-Skillz, who has created music with the likes of VAV, SUPER JUNIOR, Daddy Yankee, Nicky Jam, Snoop Dogg, David Guetta, and more.
“Son Malas” - Jay Park & Mozart La Para
“Son Malas” is supported by Jay Park’s smooth trilingual flow in Korean, English, and Spanish. The Dominican rapper and singer Mozart La Para created a classic track with Urbano and R&B Reggaeton beats, fitting both his and the Korean artist’s creative outlooks. The release was unexpected but very much welcomed.
“Vente Pa’ Ca” - Ricky Martin & WENDY from Red Velvet
Not many people know about this collaboration because there is no music video and only the audio is available. Although Ricky Martin’s iconic track “Vente Pa’ Ca (feat. Maluma)” was already released, WENDY came together with Martin to provide a different version of the song with some clear and high vocals that WENDY is known for.
“Super Happy” - Su Lee & Ariza
Big K-Pop groups are not the only ones partnering with Latin artists. Su Lee is a Korean indie act who got on the map from her covers of popular songs from her tiny Seoul shoe-box apartment on YouTube. Taking charge of her own creative direction and music, she is definitely a K-Indie artist to keep an eye on. Ariza is a Colombian singer-songwriter who has collaborated and featured with many artists. Su Lee’s calming contemporary vocals along with Ariza’s soft, smooth voice creates the perfect song to dance to or blast on the car and emit happy feelings for listeners. The two artists have another song together from Su Lee’s album Messy Sexy which is worth listening to, especially if you loved this one.
“SG” - DJ Snake, Ozuna, Megan Thee Stallion & BLACKPINK’s LISA
“SG” is a four-way partnership featuring the Thai artist LISA from the K-Pop group BLACKPINK and Puerto Rican singer and rapper Ozuna. K-Pop listeners would likely agree that BLACKPINK is the definition of iconic in this musical era. LISA has accomplished significant milestones as a solo artist, and featuring in DJ Snake’s song is another. Although this song may not have been directly produced in the same studio, Ozuna and LISA’s sweet vocals and flow complement each other along with Megan Thee Stallion’s fierce rap.
There are so many Korean-Latinx crossovers in the music industry, yet still not enough. We are hoping to see more collaborations between our favorite artists as both regional genres continue to top the charts all around the world.