A song achieves a Perfect All-Kill (PAK) when it has charted at number one on the daily and real-time charts of all major Korean music streaming platforms like Melon, Genie, Bugs, FLO, VIBE, and YouTube music, as well as number one on Instiz's real-time and weekly iChart. It is one of the most challenging achievements for K-pop artists to obtain. The song must be widely played and loved by the South Korean public in order to achieve a Perfect All-Kill. In South Korea, songs that attain the coveted Perfect All Kill achievement are considered major hits, with only six songs achieving this feat in the year 2022. Check out the six songs below.
INVU - TAEYEON
“INVU” is the lead single of Girls’ Generation’s Taeyeon’s third studio album of the same name. “INVU” topped all charts and became the first song to achieve a Perfect All-Kill in 2022. SM Entertainment described the track as a house and pop dance song with a mellow and dreamy synth sound, an outstanding flute melody in the chorus, vocals that profoundly depict a range of emotions, and stunning high notes that draw attention to the lyrics. “INVU” earned Queen Taeyeon the first Perfect All-Kill of her career.
Tomboy – (G)I-DLE
“Tomboy” is the title track of (G)I-DLE’s first full album, ‘I Never Die.’ This is the most successful comeback of the girl group to date. “Tomboy” and the B-side “My Bag” are two of the most popular songs from the album. “Tomboy” by (G)I-DLE is the second song that achieved Perfect All-Kill this year and also their first song to do so. Leader Soyeon participated in the album as a lyricist, composer, and arranger, including on the title track. “Tomboy” got a total of 167 hourly PAKs and currently ranks in the 10th position.
Still Life - BIGBANG
“Still Life” by BIGBANG was one of the most anticipated comebacks in the history of K-pop. BIGBANG returned to the music industry after four years of hiatus with the digital single “Still Life,” when the flowers bloomed as they had promised. This was also their first comeback as a four-piece group. The track topped each and every chart and achieved Perfect All-Kill proving BIGBANG’s undying popularity and impact despite being inactive for quite a long time. BIGBANG is the only boy group and the only second-generation group to achieve this achievement in 2022.
After Like - IVE
IVE is the only rookie group on the list. IVE got the first Perfect All-Kill of their career in their second comeback with “After Like” and became the fastest fourth-generation group to do so. This is an impressive achievement for a rookie group. “After Like” is the lead track of IVE’s third single album of the same name. Member Rei participated in making rap lyrics for the song. The song is described as a pop tune that incorporates elements of disco, house, and EDM. The track samples 70’s hit “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor.
Nxde – (G)I-DLE
The latest comeback of (G)I-DLE, “Nxde,” made them the only artist of 2022 to get Perfect All-Kill with two songs. (G)I-DLE became the first idol group since TWICE in 2016 to have multiple songs achieving Perfect All-Kill in one single calendar year. “Nxde” is the title track of their 5th mini album, ‘I Love.’ The fact that “Nxde” got a Perfect All-Kill despite not being a GP-friendly song proves (G)I-DLE’s rising popularity both in and outside South Korea. Leader Soyeon again participated in making the album, including the lead single.
Event Horizon - YOUNHA
"Event Horizon" by soloist Younha is the last song of this year to be included on the list. She is regarded as one of South Korea’s best singer-songwriters. “Event Horizon” is the lead single of the repackage album, ‘End Theory: Final Edition’ and was released in March 2022. But the song began to climb the charts and gain popularity later this year as Younha started performing the song in universities and festivals. “Event Horizon” topped all charts and eventually got its first Perfect All Kill on November 20.
Achieving Perfect All Kills (PAKs) is no easy feat, and as of now, IU holds the record for the most songs to achieve the feat at 21. BTS's "Dynamite" holds the record for the most hourly PAKs at 610 hours, and BIGBANG, with six songs, is the top idol group with the highest number of songs to achieve the coveted PAK.
Many good songs on this list. My favorite is Still Life 👑