As is tradition, it's time for the Best of 2023 K-Pop songs (according to me). Only I have a problem this year - I bought way too many albums this year, listen to far too many songs, I have a lot to say, and the word count on Newgrounds is limited. So consider this the pre-show!
This time I'm going to point out the top songs I enjoyed that weren't the official comeback or title-track, then in a later blog I'll go into the main event. I have several categories this year because K-Pop has really changed in the last two years. There isn't just a flat-out "title track" with "b-tracks" anymore. Now you have songs only marketed to other countries, pre-releases, b-tracks and so on. I don't think it's fair to pit just a standard b-track against a song that has a full production and MV behind it, you know? So this is how we're doing it this year... plus it'll be nice to show some lesser known songs some appreciation.
Top Ten B-Tracks:
Number Ten:
Number Nine:
Number Eight:
Number Seven:
Number Six:
Number Five:
Number Four:
Number Three
Number Two:
Number One:
Top Ten Foreign Language K-Pop Songs.
So this is one of those new categories I was talking about. A lot of my favorite artists make songs in different languages that SHOULD count, but doesn’t according to Korean award shows. Like you won’t see TWICE promote their Japanese songs, even though they are just as good, if not better than their Korean releases. So here we are. This is a category for NEW songs, not songs that are an English/Japanese version of an already released Korean song. A song that only is presented in a different language other than Korean. The list is a little short this time since it's new and I'm still working out the format, but really the category got created because I realized I couldn't add any of these Song of the Year tracks on a regular list. So this is what we have for right now. (Plus a lot of this is TWICE since they've been pushing international appeal this year)
Number Six:
Number Five:
Number Four:
Number Three:
Number Two:
Number One:
(In my opinion I DO is the true song of the year with Moonlight Sunrise being very close. But because they aren't Korean songs, they can't be counted)
Top Ten Pre-Releases
This year and last year it’s getting harder calling some of these B-sides, given the amount of money and promotion goes into them. (G )I-DLE’s My Bag, BLACKPINK’s Pink Venom, Purple Kiss’ Pretty Psycho, LE SSERAFIM’s Impurities, and NewJeans Ditto comes to mind. They technically aren’t comebacks, but more or less are at the same time. In my past lists I go back and forth on whether these should count in my rankings, so there is no consistency… until now. This year, Pre-releases go in their own category separate from B-tracks. That said, a lot of these are so good it SHOULD be on the proper list. (Hell, Ditto is literally winning awards while no one is talking about OMG...). But this is what we're doing!
Honarable Mentions:
DreamNote - Blue
NMIXX - PAXXWORD / NMIXX - Rollar Coaster
NewJeans - Super Shy
MAMAMOO+ - Chico malo
ITZY - None of My Business
Number Ten:
Number Nine:
tripleS - EVOution ‘Invincible’
Number Eight:
Number Seven:
Number Six:
Number Five:
(For me, this song comes from what might be Album of the Year. Ready to Be, Kiss of Life, and Zone comes close, but out of all the albums this year, I think every song on Chuu's solo debut just flows seamlessly with each other. It's a perfect album)
Number Four:
(This is a case where I loved the B-track 1000% more than what the title one was supposed to be. Maybe I'm a sucker for actual instrumentals, but this song is a vibe)
Number Three:
(While a lot of people would be putting None of My Business in this spot, I think Bet On Me feels more personal to the ITZY members. It's the best song I've heard from them in a long time, and I love CAKE. Because this song is emotional to them, it's emotional for me. They put a lot of themselves in this and it shows)
Number Two:
Kiss of Life - Bye My Neverland (Sugarcoat, Countdown, Kitty Cat, Play Love Games)
(This is the most perfect debut of a new group I've ever seen. Every song is a Pre-Release. Every Song is title-track worthy. Every song has a storyline that ties with the others. Kiss of Life, for me, came off the corner swinging and EVERY. SINGLE. TRACK. deserves this spot.)
Number One:
(I can't be alone in thinking that this song is just as important as NXDE before it, and TOMBOY before that. When Soyeon said that she had intended this to be the titled track until another idea came to mind, I believe her. The lyrics are her personal struggles with the harsh criticism and how Social Media can just make it worse. People bragging about their lives and looking down on you just hurts, but it's all done behind a screen. I think it's an isssue anyone can relate to which is why I think this is one of (G)I-DLE's most important songs. It might have got outshined by Queencard, but that song very much builds on Allergies foundations. Allergy is the problem, Queencard is the solution).
drake-rex
How did you get into K-pop? Like I know it's a dumb question, but I've always seen it as such a part of you, I never wondered till now
glee-chan
It started with Anime and J-Pop. Back when it was impossible to find foreign music legally in the states, you had to find shady sites to download anime songs or J-Pop. Occasionally you'd download something it was the wrong file. I got a number of songs that were supposed to be J-Pop but were Japanese versions of Korean songs. Eventually I found a Wonder Girl's song I liked, but wanted to hear the original. So Wonder Girls and Girls Generation were my intro into K-Pop. But I'd say I was only a casual listener, not even a fan until the 4th Generation. I liked groups like AOA, f(x), and Crayon Pop in passing, but my inner fangirl wasn't awakened until (G)I-DLE's appearance on Queendom. I tuned into the show because AOA was going to be on it and I wondered what they were up to (since I kinda came and left the fandom). Queendom, really, was a perfect way to introduce someone to what K-Pop is, as well as get a preview on different groups. Everyone on that roster impressed me, but (G)I-DLE was the one that stole my heart. So I started following them (and the rest of the Queendom cast), which led to ITZY, aespa, Everglow because at the time those four were seen as "the future". Eventually Dreamcatcher got added on, then TWICE. Now I'm deep in it, man! lol.