If there’s anything I’ve learned from covering pop music for over a decade, it’s that songwriters and collaborators are just as important as the artists themselves. Though they often work behind the scenes, this feature is a chance to shine the light on some of k-pop’s most innovative and accomplished producers and composers.

SHINSADONG TIGER

Years active: 2005-present

Associated Acts: Beast, T-ara, EXID, Apink, 4minute, HyunA

His sound: Addictive, heavily repeated hooks with a strong use of electronic elements and riffs. Diverse song structure, melding various rhythms, tempos and segments into one seamless piece.

Why you should love him: Responsible for crafting the signature sound of many of k-pop’s biggest acts, Shinsadong Tiger has become an iconic producer within the genre. But unlike many icons, his work is quite diverse. Though his tracks employ a diverse variety of sounds, they remain easily distinguishable due to their sheer catchiness. He has a gift for melody, but often augments a song’s core refrain with a series of equally catchy supporting hooks. For over a decade, he’s proven his reliability as a high-quality hitmaker, and was absolutely unstoppable during his heyday of around 2010-2012.

Examples of his best work: