#bestkpop2023
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
5 - 1
5: In Bloom - ZEROBASEONE - This song and M/V choreo make me feel young, which I’ve read is what pop music should do
It sends me back to a stardust memory from my teens, at the school dance in the rich part of town that a girl who I didn’t really know invited me to
4: Shooting Star - XG - This gyroscopic gravity-defying supernova, coupled with Left Right, is possibly the greatest double A-side single ever released (hyperbole acknowledged, but also substantiated)
I really expected them to ascend to the throne with their next release, but NEW DNA was a disappointment for me, so maybe the ascension is merely delayed
3: Harmony of Stars - QWER - I had this at No. 38, but after this performance video (with translation) moved me to tears, it leaped up 26 slots (and pulled No. 39 with it, for consistency’s sake)
Then I watched it again and it kept ascending to No. 3 (and I learned a new word from it: “rumbustiously”)
2: Aliens - Chuu - Her ouster began the dismantling of LOONA, but she emerged with a strong AF mini-album, and this song is as gorgeous as new wave-esque K-Pop gets, due to the alluring melodies she weaves in the pre-chorus/chorus and vocal runs at the end
1: Girls’ Capitalism - tripleS: LOVElution - Suffused with subtly beautiful musical colors/flavors throughout—and a superlative “la la la” chorus—the neofeminist lyrics are what place this song at the top for me
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
10 - 6
10: Strange Way To Love - YEEUN - Just a sublime voice and tender performance, reinforcing the fact that I’m a sucker for a good K-Pop ballad that I can’t lyrically understand
9: Lavender - xooos - I don’t like to throw the term “sexy” around when discussing music, but when your chorus is “you are my stress relief / come and love me back to sleep” that’s an artful way of expressing what most would be vulgar about . . . and the voice, the music, the production are the definition of lush
8: C’mon (feat. Aminé) - JINI - With her solo debut, she landed on her feet running after leaving NMIXX for undisclosed reasons before their one-year anniversary
This la-la chorus is just too melodious to resist, and the ingenuity is having it begin before the beat and synth bass join in
7: I AM - IVE - So expansive and momentous, with such an overwhelming chorus: a K-Pop watershed moment
6: Night Away - TAEMIN - I’m not his intended audience, but his voice during this sensual song made me melt, and that tumbling falsetto run is masterful, jettisoning you into a weightless tumble through the galaxy’s vastness
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
15 - 11
15: LEFT RIGHT - XG - It wasn’t until I watched the stage performance that this group “clicked” for me and my expectations for their world domination were set
14: I DO - (G)I-DLE - I was watery-eyed after seeing this M/V upon its premiere (and even upon re-watching it recently)
With a classic 50s structure, and despite being sung in English, it’s probably my favorite song by this group
13: Fadeaway - BOYNEXTDOOR - A blend of 80s new wave and 90s rock, the falsetto moment in the chorus is really striking, but the lyrics don’t translate as powerfully in English as does No. 12 below
12: Dust - SEVENTEEN - New wave K-pop that places so high because the synths and chorus lift the spirit, like the best new wave does . . . and it turns out the lyrics destroy you
11: Late Morning - SUMIN - An absolutely devastating beauty of an opening track for her EP, and I hope to one day find the English translation of the lyrics, which supposedly deal with a regrettable habit of oversleeping
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
20 - 16
20: 7HEAVEN - PURPLE KISS - For me, the latest PK release is on a different level, and this borders on ethereal
19: HAPPY ENDING - Sandara Park - The guitar riff à la Wish-era The Cure played Peter Hook style caught my attention, but the simple yet effective chord progression in the chorus is what moves me
18: Hare Hare - TWICE - TWICE is my favorite K-Pop group, but as of late, they appear to be on the decline of their musical trajectory, as Ready To Be was below par IMO
However, this Japanese single was a return to cheery form that sets up a possible true comeback in the traditional sense
17: Cat & Mouse - BLACKSWAN - Not only is this vocal melody ambrosial, laid over that elastic synth bass, it’s an irresistible confection
16: OMG - NewJeans - The choreo is a big part of this song’s appeal because it will always play in the mind’s eye, but the double time shifts are what make an impact
Depending on their future output, this group could end up being the biggest girl group in K-Pop history
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
24 - 21
24: Paradise - NiziU - Avoid this if you are allergic to syrupy cinematic ballads, but it has really grown on me over the past year
When I first watched this M/V, I applauded during the Last Night In Soho-eseque mirror scene, and it still leaves me awestruck
23: Lips - IVE - Mellifluous vocals bewitch you into bossa nova-hop heaven
22: PUPPET SHOW - XG - Fusing an impelling arrangement with neofeministic lyrical gravitas (and a bonus Atari reference), this track salvaged the group for me, as I felt they had been on an artistic decline since the summer
21: OTB - Young Posse - It only recently clicked in my brain how much I liked this song—which feels like progressing through the levels of an arcade game—but, honestly, this is what I expected the new XG songs to sound like
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
30 - 25
30: Autopilot - PURPLE KISS - Like a broken record, I’ll repeat: New wave K-Pop will always find a place on my list, and this chorus lands a hook that contends with the best of the 80s
29: CoolAs - KEY - Finds the niche in the sweet spot of late 80s nite-soul for cyborgs carousing in the spaceport lounge
28: Je Ne Sais Quoi - ODD EYE CIRCLE - The spaceport lounge DJ seamlesslsy segues into this galaxial groove from the LOONA/ARTMS subunit to keep the bots gyrating
27: 특 (S-CLASS) - Stray Kids - This banger pulls you through different stages like a K-Pop Star Tours at Disneyland
This was the track that enticed me into the SKZ world, especially with that sharp choreo
26: I WANT - IVE - IVE released the best ever Pepsi campaign song for Pepsi Zero Sugar
While it doesn’t break new musical ground, it gratifies as they practically pour it down your throat and make you feel like you can achieve greatness!!!
25: Zero - NewJeans - NewJeans’ Coca-Cola Zero Sugar promotional single slightly bests IVE’s soda song, due to a less conventional sound, and is also Coke’s best ever campaign song
It makes you half-believe it’s love potion No. 0
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
35 - 31
35: Newtopia - Loossemble - The pulsating synth bass propels LOONA Assemble with explicit lyrical references to new frontiers, heralding a space where Orbit hopes there will one day be a 12-member reassembly
34: Overdrive - VIVIZ - Ambrosial city pop invoking transit to utopia, exploiting my Achilles Heel: a chorus that climbs and surges to falsetto peaks
33: Like Heaven (feat. Paul Blanco) - Kwon Eunbi - Recalling the horn section from 80s TV show Too Close for Comfort theme song, this ode to leisure by the former IZ*ONE leader features a chorus that exemplifies the ethos of city pop
32: PRO (feat. KINSARAM) - CHUNG - Languid city pop that seeps with variegated chord progressions like rainbow sherbet melting from a cone
31: 404 File Not Found - TAEYONG - This translunar grind by the NCT leader contrasts emotive vocals with an indolent drift, like a malfunctioning satellite orbiting a planet to which it so desperately wants to return
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
40 - 36
40: Dandelion - CSR - The melodies are absolutely beautiful, especially the rise and fall in the chorus like a roller coaster, but the overly-sappy translated lyrics probably detract from the song for me, so I’m blissful in my ignorance
39: Fall In Love - Minji, Soodam & Zuu from SECRET NUMBER - Admittedly, this sounds like it’s a ballad from some princess diaries movie, but a slowly ascending chorus with lilting vocals will usually get to me
38: Even So - COOING - Her susurrations reveal the aftermath of an emotionally abusive relationship: the quintessential “maudlin drip” . . . and I absolutely love it
37: LOOK AT ME - NiziU - At first, NiziU was too bubblegum for me, but once they clicked, I wholeheartedly embraced their blithe brand, and now they are my second favorite girl group
(Technically, J-Pop, but they are signed with K-Pop Powerhouse JYP Entertainment)
36: LOVE YOURSELF - Mako, Ayaka & Miihi from NiziU - Musically almost identical to the aforementioned “Look At Me,” but with slightly catchier melodies and BGVs
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
45 - 41
45: Everything gets brighter (feat. SAGE) - merrymerryseoul - Can’t find any info on the artist merrymerryseoul—who uses different models on each release cover—but the combo of music and guest vocalist SAGE is seoul-stirring (bad pun intended)
44: FEARNOT (Between you, me and the lamppost) - LE SSERAFIM - Based solely on the moving melody and emotive vocal performance, I ranked this song without having looked at the translated lyrics, but now that I have, the choice is probably underrated
43: Mistake - PURPLE KISS - Ringing guitars introduce a melancholic chord progression suitable for the heartbreaking lyrics
42: Let Me In - EXO - Dazed had this slow jam ranked as their No. 1 song of 2023 (but the author has backtracked and said the list was not intended to be ranked . . . c’mon now. . . )
I admit the falsetto chorus popped into my head quite a bit when it was released
41: RUBY - Taeyong - The best musical memorial for a dog, ever
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
50 - 46
50: Cupid - FIFTY FIFTY - And here it is: a song so globally successful that it spurred greed engineered by a gaslighter that tore the group asunder amid a lawsuit, ensuring these particular four members would become one-hit wonders
49: Social Path - Stray Kids feat. LiSA - I didn’t care much for this song when I first heard it (except for the catchy chorus LiSA sings), but when I paid attention to the lyrics, it reminded me of a friend who had a rough time but whose dream career really took off over this past year
48: Bet On Me - ITZY - This song wouldn’t mean much to me either without knowing the lyrical translation, which also reminds me of my aforementioned friend and her burgeoning success
47: Picnic of Night (feat. Chan) - Heize - Buttery smooth city pop with club sensibilities as female+male vocals narrate the dance of doomed romance
46: Real World - Loossemble - Here, the former LOONA members emulate Red Velvet with a sample of a standard (Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue”) and a chorus that shoots to the spires (reminiscent of RV’s “Bad Boy”), over a grinding tuned-tom beat
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
55 - 51
55: Colorful - tripleS - Embellished with cosmic effects, the counterpoint of the chorus against the beat really impels the spirit
54: Killer - KEY - New wave K-Pop is the best of both worlds, this one imbued with a slightly sinister obsession
53: Back To The City - Kep1er - If I were in Footloose, I would be the guy throwing an alternative prom with better music and cooler dancing and this would be the theme song
52: SEOUL (Such a Beautiful City) - H1-KEY - Another new wave city-centric song for my alt-prom
51: BEEP BEEP - Jessica - Sonically reminiscent of FIFTY FIFTY's “Cupid” but from the other side of the love-coin, this bass-heavy bop by former Girls’ Generation member Jessica Jung appeals to me more in its Korean lyric version
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
60 - 56
60: Indigo Promise - Kim Sejeong - Sonically takes me back to my high school years, walking on a pier, rain threatening to fall . . . I am headed to the arcade beneath the boardwalk, but am taking photos with friends . . . decades later, I find a poignant shot that was made into a slide
59: Shoong! (feat. LISA of BLACKPINK) - Taeyang - The hook is so simple, but such an earworm that once the chorus starts, your brain is already anticipating it
58: DEMIAN - Dreamcatcher - Not only does this bassline groove hard, mixed in with DC’s signature metal break, but this track also features very 90s-esque hall reverb production which gives it anachronistic appeal
Dreamcatcher was my first ever K-Pop show in March 2023 ✨
57: FESTIVAL - Sandara Park - I liked this tune even before I learned that it interpolates Uhm Jung Hwa’s “Festival (Life Is Beautiful)” and includes her in the M/V at the end
You don’t need to understand the lyrics to enjoy the celebratory vibe
56: Algorithm - HeeJin - Another LOONA/ARTMS member striking out on her own, here with DX7 keyboard tings and a Janet Jackson-esque groove (seriously, tell me you can’t imagine JJ singing this) . . . and the cameo by the other ARTMS members--ODD EYE CIRCLE and HaSeul--is (much appreciated) Orbit fanservice
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
65 - 61
65: Sugar-holic - ITZY - At first I thought this was just a pleasant sounding summery-feel-over-trap-beat ditty, but one night a switch flipped in my brain and the richness of Lia’s voice coupled with the swoon of Yuna’s falsetto emblazoned itself into my consciousness
64: Flash Forward - LE SSERAFIM - Not the type of bangers they are known for, and it’s relatively tame, but the delivery of the lines is just too adorable to resist
63: Someday JINex (feat. Grayscent, Amin) - Starts off with a relaxed flow by Grayscent, then Amin’s dulcet voice sets this slow jam adrift
62: Biscuit - PURPLE KISS - I would really like this song anyway due to the interplay between the melody and beat, but the exotic fluttering plinks elevate my adoration to love
61: Pretzel - Chung - This evokes a saunter down the sidewalk in summer to meet someone at the mall before grabbing fresh-squeezed lemonade, a soft preztel, and sitting by the fountain counting the pennies
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
70 - 66
70: The Way - Jeon Somi - With lyrics in English, this new wave bop could be a hit on any country’s charts
69: Strawberry Soda - Loossemble - The kind of infectious groove that could animate the floor at a wedding reception (meant as a compliment, not an epithet)
68: Love Me Back - fromis_9 - This is the classic fromis_9 sound: heavy bass anchoring a disco groove en route to a memorable chorus
67: Paradise - (G)I-DLE - The entirety of this song is suffused with delectable melodies
66: Off The Record - IVE - The appeal of this melody has slowly grown on me but I always appreciated them slipping in an interpolation of The Cardigans’ “Lovefool”
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
75 - 71
75: ’Til We Meet Again - aespa - An abridged version, still conveys the essence of the song’s hopefulness
74: Day by day - Loossemble - The optimistic tone is so apropos for this re-emergence of 5/12 of LOONA after the disintegration . . . Hyunjin’s voice is so beautiful
73: So Far So Good - PURPLE KISS - A lovely song about burgeoning romance
72: Thirsty - aespa - A very abridged track video version of this ode to anticipation . . . that “ah ooooh” gets me every time
71: Rome - BOL4 - Can’t go wrong with new wave K-Pop
This utilizes a soulful guitar (instead of synth) hook once and leaves it at that
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115 Fave K-Pop Songs of 2023 (Ranked)
80 - 76
80: STAY TOGETHER - TRI.BE - Developed a fondness for this group as well in advance of their show in July
The sing-song chorus is feelgood, but it’s the ingenious chord progressions in the pre-chorus and the bridge that give me the sensation of gliding low above water
79: Oh Ma Ma God - EVERGLOW - A dose of amusement-park strolling sonic bliss from a group who put on one of my favorite shows of 2023
78: Deja-vu - tripleS +(KR)ystal Eyes - Another tripleS subunit in rendezvous with evanescent dreamworld memories, “like cotton candy that will disappear in a moment”
77: Dejavu - Limji - Wait . . . didn’t I just pick a song entitled “Dejavu”?
Oh, that was “Deja-vu”
Actually, this is like a remnant of +(KR)ystal Eyes’ reverie, so they elide well, and Limji’s voice is so soothing
76: Roller Coaster - NMIXX - Continuing today’s narcotic daydream theme . . . this may be my favorite song of theirs (although it is probably still “Cool (Your Rainbow)”)
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