Music

Upon AKMU’s official debut on the K-pop scene in 2014, the folky brother-sister duo immediately impacted with their refreshing melodic harmonies via debut album Play — which marked their Billboard chart debut when it hit No. 2 on the World Albums chart. After nearly a decade of consistent experimental and creative albums and hit singles, Chanhyuk and Suhyun went back to their roots by describing “Love Lee” as a “second edition” of Play‘s lead single “200%.” The simple, acoustic backing lets the pair’s vocals dance over another one of Chanhyuk’s addictive, hummable melodies, showing AKMU can go back to basics and be anything but reductive. — JEFF BENJAMIN

Backed by sweet synth-pop production — which is warmed by a silky R&B pulse plus a lyrical reference to OutKast’s Billboard Hot 100 No. 1 “Hey Ya!” — “Candy” spotlights Jay Park’s effervescent vocals and Zion.T’s hypnotic flow (plus, the music video boasts a perfectly cast cameo from YooA of Oh My Girl). Following last year’s critically acclaimed “Ganadara,” Park’s venture into smoother pop and R&B via his newly established More Vision label continues strong with “Candy” and an equally satisfying mid-November single, “Why.” — JESSICA OAK

One of the songs that marked NewJeans’ U.S. crossover, “OMG” provided a more effective throwback to the Pop&B girl groups that reigned at the turn of the century than any English-language outfits explicitly designed to do just that. With warm melodies, punch-drunk call-and-response lyrics and, most importantly, a production that feels both familiar and forward-looking, the single established that NewJeans had both the past and the future on lock like no other group in 2023. — ANDREW UNTERBERGER

RIIZE, SM Entertainment’s boy group consisting of members Shotaro, Eunseok, Sungchan, Wonbin, Seunghan, Sohee and Anton, is less than six months old but made an impact on 2023 with a trio of singles. Of the three, “Get a Guitar” highlights the group’s strength in the ever-changing landscape of K-pop and features the boys relishing the joy of music, employing guitars (naturally) to flesh out the track’s upbeat instrumentation, as well as give a peek into what’s to come from the budding idols. — STARR BOWENBANK

This head-bopping song dedicated to women finds Jinbo, Gsoul and touch weaving encouraging lines about persevering through the struggles of the recent pandemic years through its funk-inflected production while extolling everyone to live “a good life” no matter what darkness you encounter. — J.O.

After a reported 9.3 million international votes from viewers of the singing competition show Boys Planet decided on the nine members of ZEROBASEONE, the boy band had to deliver something big to excite their new global fanbase. Debut single “In Bloom” not only brought something familiar to music listeners by cleverly sampling the riff from a-ha’s 1985 Hot 100 No. 1 hit “Take On Me,” but also a message for the fans who voted for them about having the courage to move as a new group even if their time together may be short. — J.B.

Dropped as the buzz single ahead of August’s Pop a Lot, “5882 (OPPA ASAP)” deploys shape-shifting, experimental production that lets Sik-K hop between rapping and singing with each section twisting the listener into a new groove. Released under his newly established KC record label, Sik-K uses the track to distinguish himself from other rappers and set forth his future ambition. Not just for the clever wordplay on the title (5882 roughly translates to “Baby, hurry” in Korean text speak), “5882 (OPPA ASAP)” is one of the most interesting Korean releases of the year and a promising declaration for more innovation from the Seoul MC. — J.B.

Following a tumultuous legal battle with her former agency, the LOONA member was able to truly start anew in 2023 with her first solo album Howl. The title track single from the album not only hints at some of the experimental electronic-pop that helped fuel LOONA’s international adoration but lets Chuu’s powerfully buoyant vocals deliver an empowering and comforting anthem that doubles as a message to the fans who stuck by her: “Wolf shouts out ‘Mayday!’/ Even when God turns his back on me/ You’re there.” — J.B.

“Let’s Say Goodbye” — a piano-driven ballad where Parc Jae Jung pleads to his partner to say a heart-gutting “goodbye” first — not only enjoyed explosive chart success as one of the longest-running hits of the year (peaking in the top 5 on the South Korea Songs chart), but opened audiences’ eyes to the 27-year-old’s full range of talents as both a vocalist and songwriter since he began his mainstream music career a decade ago. — J.B.

Buoyed by a thick, savory bass line and some lite-funk guitars, the bilingual “Sweet Venom” is a “Cake by the Ocean”-esque pop-rock treat from ENHYPEN’s late 2023 EP Orange Blood, which hit No. 4 on the Billboard 200. When the frozen-moment-in-time music video isn’t showing us everything from a can of soda to a bolt of lightning miraculously suspended in mid-air, it’s giving us ample opportunity to witness the septet’s slick choreo. — JOE LYNCH

A song to set R&B lovers across generations swooning, Woody’s “Marry Me” feels both nostalgic and modern with its effortless melody boosted by thoughtful layers of harmonies and vocal samples. After initially debuting in 2011 as the youngest member of the short-lived boy band N-Train, the singer-songwriter shows his continuing promise and ability to hit new creative peaks. — J.B.

Among an insanely talented class of 2022 rookies, The New Six made a solid debut with “Move” last year but 2023 proved their major promise. Switching up from the fierce nature of their debut, “Love or Die” was released around Valentine’s Day, showcasing an intense emotional range from the first boy band under PSY’s PNATION label.

Further showing the track’s versatility, a range of unique artists put their spin on it like indie-electronic legends Glen Check, singer-songwriter-producer and WSG Wannabe diva SOLE, as well as K-pop’s go-to collaborator Sion. And TNX following “Love or Die” with the fun, throwback-inspired “Kick It 4 Now” in June proved these six still have loads more to show us. — J.B.

Sung Si Kyung and Naul of Brown Eyed Soul, two of Korea’s living vocal legends, showcase the ability of a simple ballad to transcend generations with “Even for a Moment.” Nearly two decades into their respective careers, the K-pop artists touched audiences with this duet, speaking to a kind of serenity that comes with having to accept the heartbreak while somehow still holding onto a speck of hope—imagining what it would be like to be reunited “even for a moment.” — J.O.

On the surface, “Girls’ Capitalism” is an irresistible slice of sugary bubblegum-pop that continues the musical promise the “decentralized” girl group first showed in 2022’s “Generation.” But a look deeper into the lyrics (and its brilliant music video) reveals a more extensive social critique of the expectations women and girls feel to commodify and capitalize on any and all parts of them. At its core, tripleS bring an undeniably empowering message (emphasizing inner beauty, singing “I’m the key to my heart”) with this release while opening up a discussion on the entertainment business and gender roles. — J.B.

With the phonk-y Bang Chan production buzzing with the excitement of the final level of a video game, “LALALALA” opens with a ferocity that never lets up throughout its three minutes. Stray Kids speak to pushing through all kinds of pain to find joy and release as they do through music and to “just feel the rock.” The universal message, coupled with both an original and rock version, propelled it to become SKZ’s first Billboard Hot 100 entry this year. — J.B.

With all the markings of a modern-day pop-rock hit, the CNBLUE leader proves he still boasts loads of crossover potential coming up 15 years into his career. An undeniable whistle hook opens and continues throughout the track, backing Yong Hwa’s increasingly passionate and complex harmonies as he leaves a lover behind. Despite the song’s lonely conclusion (“There’s no turning back/ So long baby, I’ll leave your city, girl”), Jung Yong Hwa’s delivery has a way of uplifting the listener to ingrain a sense of hope by track’s end. — J.B.

Nearly 20 years into their career, hip-hop veterans Dynamicduo experienced a musically miraculous 2023. Not only did their 10-year-old “AEAO” collaboration with the legendary DJ Premier go viral in South Korea (named one of TikTok’s Top 10 Song of Summer from South Korea) but a dance challenge around the single “Smoke” took over feeds after superstar members of BTS, SEVENTEEN, ITZY, ATEEZ and many more participated. But with Gaeko and Choiza’s fiery flow seamlessly connecting with rising Gen Z icon Lee Youngji, “Smoke” shows DD’s promise to continue their influence for decades to come via the next generation and beyond. — J.B.

Last year, Billboard named RM’s Indigo the No. 1 K-pop album of 2022 in part for the beautiful range of featured artists who brought out previously unseen facets of the BTS leader’s musicality and artistry. RM continued to show his excellent taste by featuring on So!YoON!’s single “Smoke Sprite.” The crunchy, psychedelic composition is a perfect backdrop for this twisted fairytale romance. So!YoON!’s vocals range from fervid to delicate while RM grows increasingly intense throughout his bridge before they duet on the final haunting chorus. — J.B.

This year marked a new era for iKON as Take Off marked the boy band’s first album under a new label, 143 Entertainment. Main single “U” displayed a new sense of fun and freedom while still providing the group’s signature self-assurance via crisp rap and vocal sections. Since their official debut in 2015, iKON has balanced everything from low-key R&B to highly zealous hip-hop on their singles, but “U” feels like their most balanced combination of their two sides—further proven by a pair of excellent new tracks, “Panorma” and “T.T.M,” released in August. — J.B.

After securing a viral smash with the group’s 2022 breakthrough single “Antifragile,” LE SSERAFIM returned even stronger with the simmering “Eve, Psyche & The Bluebeard’s Wife.” The track dares its listeners to dance with thumping beats, house-inspired elements and borderline frenetic pacing, while the sextet’s cool vocal delivery suggests they are in complete and total control. The song, already strong in its original version, received two revitalizations with Rina Sawayama and Demi Lovato, proving LE SSERAFIM’s scope outside of the K-pop industry, as well as the group’s ability to mesh well with seemingly disparate peers. — S.B.

With SEVENTEEN’s 10th Mini Album: FML, the self-producing South Korean boy band notched its biggest chart week ever, hitting No. 2 on the Billboard 200 in May. Around the same time, “Super” gave the group another first, putting them in the top 40 of the Billboard Global 200. It’s not hard to see why it connected with fans: “Super” melds the anthemic vibes of early 2010s EDM with an insistent party-rap rhythm, showing off the band’s ability to switch from breakneck BPMs to laid-back grooves at a moment’s notice. — J.L.

With its cowbell percussion, beatboxing and gurgling bass line, “Hmm-cheat” is a throwback to the hip-hop-inflected boy band pop of the ‘90s – not a huge shock, since the rap and R&B of that era had a considerable influence on the Seoul-born Crush. Hailing from his 2023 album Wonderego, “Hmm-cheat” shows off the singer’s seductive swagger and ability to ping-pong between sugary harmonies and boisterous flirtations. — J.L.

IVE continued its global ascent in 2023 with a run of hit singles, including the barnstorming “I Am,” which made enough of an international impact to finish on Billboard‘s Year-End Global 200 listing. With a stomping beat, sing-song chorus and vocal harmonies that soar as high as the song’s skydiving music video, both song and group feel absolutely unstoppable — so when the sextet sings “I’m on my way” on the pre-chorus, you have no choice but to believe them. — A.U.

Just a few years after The Weeknd made Billboard Hot 100 history with a song about brightness-impaired vision, Jimin scored a Hot 100 No. 1 of his own with another synth-driven love song about getting lost in the lights. “Like Crazy” works for a lot of the same reasons that “Blinding Lights” does: The neon sweep of the production creates a world of majesty and mystery that just about anyone could abandon themselves in, while Jimin’s delirious vocal conveys the necessary sensory overload, a little bit terrified and hopelessly seduced. — A.U.

2023 was filled with nothing but wins for the girls of NewJeans. After kicking off the year with viral track “OMG,” the momentum continued with the release of the Billboard 200-topping 2nd EP ‘Get Up’. The set’s refreshing take on drum and bass and juke music from the late ‘90s and early 2000s culminated in the project’s crowning jewel, “Super Shy.” Haerin, Danielle, Hanni, Minji and Hyein all have their chance to shine amid the track’s bubbly and upbeat production, despite their exasperation about being too timid to approach a budding love interest and share their hearts’ desires. The cherry on top of the track is its accompanying flash mob style choreography, well-suited for dance challenges and video recreations alike — no wonder it ascended to No. 48 on the Billboard Hot 100. — S.B.