ONF was one of the first kpop groups I fell in love with, not only for their charisma and talent but also for the way they have such an incredibly cohesive signature sound. This is partly due to the uniqueness of their tones and their synergy together but also in working with a consistent set of composers and producers through their entire nearly-ten-year career.
Throughout this write-up, I'll say "ONF is good at—" or "ONF tends to—" and in that, I want to be clear that this is almost always referring to ONF and Hwang Hyun (of Monotree, formerly of Sweetune) as an artistic collective. That kind of relationship between producer and artist is something really special, and something I think has fallen away in modern k-pop in favor of massive song camps. Producer-artist teams like Sweetune and Infinite/KARA, Brave Brothers and Sistar, Shinsadong Tiger and T-ARA… it's difficult to find these anymore. I think it's a huge part of why ONF always sound exactly like themselves, even as they constantly try new things and dabble in other genres.
Picking my favorite songs was, as always, heartwrenching — but I think this is a pretty solid list.
Honorable Mentions:
- 25.
Aphrodite (Beautiful Shadow, 2024)
A lot of my favorite ONF tracks fit a specific format: a gritty, dark, slinky set of verses that burst forth into a tight, buoyant, funky chorus. This is less a formula, and more a plate of delicious nachos that I will enjoy every time it's reheated until the end of time.
Even on the rare occasions when they're a little sexy, ONF can't help but be a little bit silly too. Wyatt's rap is goofy, the way they pronounce the name Aphrodite is goofy, the bleeped out "fuck" is really goofy. But! As I will probably return to many times, they are such charismatic singers that it all works! I'm having such a good time! Fuckin' Aphrodite!
- 24.
Love Effect (LOVE EFFECT, 2023)
ONF has this incredible talent for taking what could be a piece of light, insubstantial fluff, and turning it into something super compelling. With another group, "Love Effect" could so easily be a throwaway, but some smart arrangement choices underneath their performances make this track shine. I love the way it's piano that grounds the whole track — it alternately works as bass, percussion, and in little accents throughout. Wyatt's rap verse isn't bogged down by a tired trap beat change-up, but by a delicious little bluesy piano solo. The brass is, as always, so buoyant that you can't help but smile. And there's a key change!! What more could I ask for!!!
- 23.
Chemical Type (Beautiful Shadow, 2024)
ONF owes a lot to the pop of the 80s and 90s, and it's never more apparent than in tracks like "Chemical Type." The arrangement of the backing vocals and the brass recall the harmonies of boy groups far-past. I love the sorta awkward but incredibly earnest intro and outro raps (from Minkyun and Wyatt respectively). However, the guitar is really the star of this song — it's ever-present, lending an effortless funk to the whole track. I love how sweet the whole thing is, it's so charming.
I'm linking a live version because I think it's great and also so you can hear how much Wyatt and Minkyun are hooting and hollering, on average.
- 22.
Sukhumvit Swimming (SPIN OFF, 2020)
This title track came directly after ONF had finished in 2nd place on survival show Road to Kingdom, and frankly, I remain baffled at the choice! Their most successful and most recent tracks had been dramatic, dark, and cinematic ("We Must Love," "WHY," and the RTK finale song "New World"). It would have made a ton of sense to try and recapture some of the success of "We Must Love"… and instead we got this — a deeply goofy, off-kilter, idiosyncratic song.
I adore that the clarinet isn't just a sample, it's developed into a full solo in the second half of the track. I don't think this song will work for everyone, but that's not a bad thing. It was a risky move and, to me, it's an incredibly strong addition to their far-reaching discography.
- 21.
Secret Triangle (OFF Team Version) (ONF:MY NAME, 2021)
For those not in the know, ONF is divided into two subunits — ON team (Hyojin, E-Tion, Minkyun) tends to do vocal-heavy ballads, while OFF team (Yuto, Wyatt, Seungjun) gets dance-heavy tracks.
What I'm always impressed by is how much singing they do even in a track that is ostensibly about performance. The melodic build of the pre-chorus is so perfect leading directly into wide-open space. I love the crazy, bendy synth that marks the chorus — it's only kind of an anti-drop, with the momentum never faltering for a second. I don't think Seungjun gets enough credit for the way he holds down this track without ON team to fill in the rest of the vocal-heavy sections. I'm also just so delighted by the extended outro of this song — the introduction of the immensely heavy metal guitars underneath Wyatt's refrain of "we're screwed!" is the perfect post-bridge energy build that takes us through the very last, thrilling seconds of the song.
- 20.
Love Arrow→ (ON/OFF -Japanese Ver.-, 2018)
Something I find interesting is the way ONF has never made much of an attempt to break into the Japanese market — to date, they only have two original Japanese songs (along with a few re-recorded title tracks).
"Love Arrow" is the kind of song that's not necessarily an immediate standout, but — for me — it lingers. It flows so effortlessly, sung almost entirely in a soft, breathy falsetto that makes the low accent of Wyatt's voice hit harder. The harmonies are rich and thick, making what could otherwise be a forgettable track into something with depth and staying power.
- 19.
Slave to the Rhythm (Beautiful Shadow, 2024)
The title isn't the only nod to the MJ song of the same name, going so far as to interpolate it - both songs are pulsing, dark tracks meant for the dancefloor. The beat changes up during the verses and pre-chorus, but the chorus is deliciously house — I really like that it leans into being piano house, rather than the more muted sound that boy groups tend to use. As always, I think the places they deploy Wyatt's lower tone is so masterful — this is one of my favorite verses of his, tending more towards sung rather than spoken rap. It's another example of them utilizing something close to an anti-drop but never losing any energy or momentum. I really like the outro, too — this song is uncharacteristically devoid of harmony, so it hits hard when their voices overlap and twine together in the last bit of the song.
- 18.
Runaway (Storage of ONF, 2022)
The real MVP of this song is the deep, wobbly bass that undercuts the whole thing. It's such a slick, stylish dance track. I love the way the first half chorus opens up from its predictable anti-drop into this maximalist second half marked by synthy string stabs and electric guitar. The only reason this song isn't higher is because of the second verse trap beat break, which I could go the rest of my life without hearing ever again. But all is forgiven when we hit the absolutely TRANSCENDENT post-bridge, its choices unexpected and surprising and setting up for an explosive outro. An immaculately constructed song.
(I'm linking a dance mirror so that you can both see the banger choreo and also hear the actual song.)
- 17.
Yayaya (WE MUST LOVE, 2019)
I love a little k-pop tango moment, and this track is boosted by the enchanting, playful fiddle line that darts in and out throughout the instrumental. The pre-chorus is a wall of electronic sound, that cracks open into a slinky chorus composed almost entirely of acoustic instruments. The juxtaposition of these two modes makes for an incredibly compelling flow to the song.
Early ONF tracks were often marked by Minkyun and Wyatt trading off during rap verses, their highly contrasting tones making for a really fun sound. This format has fallen off more in recent years, though it still comes up from time to time. I always really enjoy it when it happens — Minkyun's speaking tone is as unique as his singing timbre, but incredibly versatile at the same time. The production on this one really allows them to shine.
- 16.
Fat and Sugar (Goosebumps, 2021)
Another entry in the ONF subgenre of "Sexy but Silly" — this smooth funk track compares a perhaps ill-advised hookup to a craving for candy with some really goofy-ass lyrics. The instrumental is light and airy, its easy flow accented by a delicate funk guitar and classic keys. My favorite aspect is the way they use these faux shepherd tones in the intro (and throughout), giving it this slightly off-kilter vibe. Their vocal delivery is playful and tongue-in-cheek to match the instrumental. It's just a fun, goofy, sexy little song! I love it!
- 15.
Asteroid (GO LIVE, 2019)
This song skirts so close to my most beloathed k-pop genre (tropical house) but somehow manages to escape it by being so tightly produced and hard-hitting and making slightly different instrumental choices. The pan flute is there but it's mitigated by classic house piano stings and little flourishes of electric guitar. It's just the right amount of delicate and pounding. I really appreciate the way the percussion is relatively sparse outside of the chorus.
ONF are really masters of the two-part chorus, an art I feel is being lost as songs get shorter and shorter. It gives the song so much more dynamism and room to play as the song progresses.
- 14.
Night Tale (ONF:MY IDENTITY, 2025)
This song is funky and dark, understated and stylish. I love how close the lead synth is to a human voice - Wyatt's tone matches it closely and it creates a fascinating effect. Every second is so tense and perfectly controlled, their vocals floating over the deep instrumental. The thing I love most is that, despite having a sub-three-minute run time, they put down a bridge AND a full twenty-second Daft Punk-esque breakdown in the post-bridge - which just goes to show how airtight and compact the song is without feeling rushed at all.
(Linking the live performance because the heel click right at the end is supremely satisfying.)
- 13.
Escape (ONF:MY SELF, 2026)
My hottest take is that ONF are the closest thing we have to SHINee successors (in vocal ability, charisma, and musical risk-taking), and this song really solidified that belief for me. The song tricks you with its dark, moody, simmering verses and then BLASTS you with dense, thick harmonies as it opens up into an unexpected, triumphant, exhilarating chorus. They are singing their asses off on this song! Every chorus has a fresh, new fake-out which serves to build you up and up and up, all the way through the delicious broken-down outro. I will always appreciate that no matter the genre, their vocals will always be at the forefront.
- 12.
Fly Me to the Moon (Complete, 2018)
I'm not exaggerating when I say - this track has best saxophone solo in pop music since CRJ's "Run Away With Me". The whole song is just leading up to that peak, every choice made in service of building you up to it and sending you flying. It's light and funky and bouncy, just hit after hit of serotonin the entire way through. The other parts of the song are also great - the synth choices in the chorus are really fun paired with the funk guitar - but man... that sax... there's nothing else like it.
- 11.
Popping (POPPING, 2021)
I haven't been talking about MVs at all (and I think this song is amazing even without it), but I'd be remiss not to talk about it for this one. There's something so poignant about the way this bright, youthful, optimistic-sounding song pairs with the tragic sci-fi story playing out in the MV. The song itself has this bittersweet edge to it, like it's yearning for the kind of nostalgic summer that you can never quite get back to, no matter how hard you try. The nostalgia factor is boosted by the key change and the childish sing-song that places this track in another place and time. It's a sound and a concept that's really hard to pull off, and they do it with grace.
- 10.
The Realist (ONF:MY NAME, 2021)
This is the kind of synthwave that I yearn for 24/7. It's dark and dramatic, driving forward with a thumping beat underneath layers and layers of dreamy 80s synth. I love how their vocals are processed and stacked on this track, sometimes crystal clear and sometimes fuzzed out and overdriven. The real centerpiece is its bridge, where the track breaks down into nothing but a wailing, mournful electric guitar line. The post-bridge hits you hard, and the last chorus hits harder. And an OUTRO! This song really has everything. If you like synthwave at all, you have got to check this one out.
- 9.
Moscow Moscow (GO LIVE, 2019)
An absolute masterpiece of a song. It's delicate and moody, built on a foundation of jazz piano and walking bass which contrast so beautifully with the sparse moments where the string synth glitches and skips. There's such a deft, restrained touch on the instrumental that allows their vocals to effortlessly shine through. ONF and their producers often play with effects on their voices, but in this track they're crystal clear and unmodified. I really appreciate how Wyatt sings his verse so as not to take away from the flow. This remains one of their more well-known b-sides, and for good reason. It's unique, both within their discography and in k-pop at large.
- 8.
Goosebumps (Goosebumps, 2021)
God, I love when a song is WEIRD! Every chorus is different! There's like three bridges! The structure doesn't make sense, the song hops between vibes and textures, and yet... it works so well it's almost baffling. The vocal layering in this song ties it all together - even underneath the spoken sections, there are dense stacks of background harmonies that rescue it from even approaching the kind of modern boygroup chanting that I hate. When they get to that chanted bridge(s), it doesn't rub me the wrong way because it feels both earned and supported by the rest of the song. It's so adventurous but never feels sloppy. I want to chew on that nasty, nasty bass synth.
- 7.
My Genesis (Übermensch) (City of ONF, 2021)
I can say with confidence that I have never heard another song that sounds like this. This is the other time I will invoke SHINee - not because it sounds like their music necessarily, but because it has the spirit of taking immense risks that pay off on the strength of the group's vocal mastery and sheer charisma. The song is bombastic and maximalist and STRANGE. It's built on a massive, driving electric guitar that follows through the whole track, building into a nasty, nasty solo towards the end. There are horns and synths and jazz piano breakdowns and crazy sound effects and samples. It's goofy, it's ambitious, and my god is it good.
- 6.
Ugly Dance (City of ONF, 2021)
This was such a smart choice of follow-up from the success of "Beautiful Beautiful", maintaining the bright, optimistic, bombastic tone of the former while finding a slightly more understated sound to pair with the hip-hop choreo. As with many of my favorite ONF songs, its two-part chorus fakes you out before opening up into a blooming, soaring strings-heavy soundscape. I love how much they utilize Wyatt's vocal tone to break up the song, pulling back on energy before blasting you again. It's just an immaculate piece of writing and production. Like, yeah, I am feeling the beat and moving my soul! Thanks guys!
- 5.
We Must Love (We Must Love, 2019)
This song is That Girl for a reason. The slow, steady build from the first verse into that monster of a chorus is just incomparable. There's so much depth of emotion in this song, in its construction and in its delivery. You can feel the desperate yearning in every moment, from the way the members trade off in the frenetic pre-chorus to the way each chorus builds on the last to keep that tension fresh and present.
- 4.
Trip Advisor (ONF:MY NAME, 2021)
I'm genuinely not sure I can explain why this song is so dear to me. Something clicked with me when I heard it the first time, and I believe it's still my most played k-pop track of all time, by the numbers. It's not a boundary pushing song by any means - I think what gets me is that every aspect is so perfectly executed and so in line with their identity as a group. It's silly and light-hearted, earnest and playful. We get the return of the Minkyun-Wyatt rap section, we get some impeccably arranged brass and strings, and a multi-part chorus that's beautifully full and joyous. It has an infectious energy that's impossible to resist.
- 3.
Bye My Monster (Beautiful Shadow, 2024)
There's no better time to remember that Hwang Hyun got his start in Sweetune than when ONF got together to release a track that would not have been out of place on an Infinite or Boyfriend album. It has that trademark sound, built on an impeccable interplay between driving rock guitar and gorgeous, sweeping strings. It's a style that's gone out of vogue as (and I know I sound old and tired) vocal ability has also become less and less of a priority, but that leaves room for ONF to swoop in and absolutely murder it. This track encompasses some of the best vocal work I think they've ever recorded. It's dark and dramatic and bold, a statement piece that serves once again to differentiate them at a time where the industry is giving in more and more to monoculture. I will always trust ONF to do exactly what they want, and to do it well.
- 2.
Complete (Complete, 2018)
I really do believe that this is one of the best songs k-pop has ever produced. Yes, I know it's number two on this list, but I mean this in a nearly objective sense. Every single moment of this song is not only flawless in its production, delivery, execution, but in a lot of ways it is like the genre made manifest. It's tirelessly bright and energetic, somehow comforting and predictable while simultaneously surprising and thrilling in its twists and turns.
I love the way it works with empty space, I love how intentionally sparse the instrumental is at time, I love the way the chorus is built on this layered vocal synth that creates the feeling of soaring. I love the way the synths during the verse/pre chorus are softer to contrast with the brash, bright horn sample that marks the chorus.
This song did so much to establish what made ONF so special and would shape their sound for the rest of their careers. Hwang Hyun did his big one with this track.
- 1.
Beautiful Beautiful (ONF:MY NAME, 2021)
Has a song ever hit you with such a staggering dose of dopamine and adrenaline that you cry a little bit? I fear this song did that to me the first time I heard it, and that's why it's the indisputable NUMBER ONE ONF SONG! This is the song that truly broke them out of nugudom - it clinched them their first win and, more importantly, it was the 2nd most requested song at the 2021 Seoul Queer Parade.
It's easy to understand why - it's relentlessly bright and optimistic, performed with such verve and bluster and energy that you just can't hate it. It could so easily tip over the line into cloyingly, unbearably sweet, but the group's sheer charisma and the bombastic fury of the instrumental keep it grounded. As with "Complete", this song is at times satisfyingly predictable (the easy sing-along chorus) and at times exhilaratingly surprising (the a cappella post-bridge breakdown?).
"Beautiful Beautiful" is everything that I have come to cherish from ONF - their earnestness, their commitment to giving 110% in their performances, their unmatched synergy with each other, and their eternal willingness to take risks and buck the trends of the day in favor of making music they believe in - and so, we believe in it, too.
WOW okay that was a lot! If you're a fellow fuse, I'm curious if your favs are on my list! If you're new here, I hope you found at least one new song you really enjoyed. I really do think ONF are one of the most unique groups making music right now.
See you next time!
<3 han
(Also, I didn't put it on the list because it's a cover, but their performance of "It's Raining" is one of the best survival show stages of all time and it's super worth checking out - they even use the sax sample from "Complete" in it!)