The 25 Best K-Pop Songs of 2024: Staff Picks

Kep1er, “Shooting Star”

Though it came late, Kep1er’s “Shooting Star” — the temporary girl group’s last release with nine members — is a genuine revelation. While their bombastic debut single “WA DA DA” struck the K-pop world like a meteor, this synth-pop ride through the cosmos, from its celestial falsettos to the spacey Vocoder that goes full Imogen Heap, is truly in a universe of its own. On top of that, the song serves as a poignant reminder: even light that streaks the sky for a short time can leave behind a beautiful wake. — Abby Webster

Dreamcatcher, “JUSTICE”

Dreamcatcher‘s dedicated focus to rock music could have quickly grown stale a few albums into their K-pop careers, but the thundering, progressive nature of a single like “JUSTICE” shows how the group is still keeping things exciting — even after celebrating their milestone seventh anniversary. — Jeff Benjamin

ZICO feat. JENNIE, “SPOT!”

Korean hip-hop idol ZICO teams up with JENNIE on the swaggering “SPOT!”, a collaborative single that topped Billboard’s South Korea Songs chart. Over a New Jack Swing rhythm, ZICO is all swagger and attitude, but the BLACKPINK singer is hardly one to be intimidated. She brings an unflappable confidence to the mic as she demands the party go “up and down and round and round,” and when it’s his turn again, ZICO has no choice but to agree. — Joe Lynch

Loossemble, “TTYL”

While 2024 is closing with the unexpected sadness of Loossemble ending their contract with record label CDENM, the five former LOONA members managed to go out with one of the most addictive tracks of the year. “TTYL” draws listeners in with an experimental, catchy pop appeal that made LOONA such a beloved act worldwide while simultaneously establishing the quintet as their own global K-pop force. — J.B.

EVNNE, “Badder Love”

Consisting of seven rising K-pop hopefuls who competed in the sensational Boys Planet singing competition, EVNNE was initially fashioned as the “bad boys” counterpart to the show’s winning group, ZEROBASEONE, until the summer single “Badder Love” dropped. The septet delivered musical melancholy and dulcet declarations to discuss complicated relationships. EVNNE might have first declared themselves as “Trouble” and “Ugly” on their initial breakout singles, but every rebel has a soft side — and, luckily, EVNNE shares that with listeners on an excellent track. — J.B.

Lee Young Ji feat. D.O., “Small Girl”

While Lee Young Ji has become a recognizable face to K-pop fans for her viral TV appearances and interviewing celebs over drinks on her YouTube series, the 22-year-old delivered her first-ever music project this year, five years since first breaking out on the High School Rapper competition series. The lead single of her 16 Fantasy EP, “Small Girl” featuring D.O. of EXO, broke into the top 40 of the Billboard Global 200 and delivered an encouraging, universal anthem for anyone who’s ever felt like an underdog. She did so by showcasing a witty worldview, as well as her pop, R&B and hip-hop sensibilities alongside one of K-pop’s top vocalists. — J.B.

AKMU, “Hero”

AKMU’s June single “Hero” is a radiant celebration of the brother-sister duo’s signature folk-pop sensibilities. With another intricate sonic tapestry composition from elder sibling Lee Chanhyuk, AKMU layer their harmonies with an almost playful echo that invites listeners into their musical world. Just as the track’s warm acoustic strums begin to settle, the infectious “Shubi doobi love to you” hook bursts in like a ray of sunshine, offering a joyful, easygoing energy. It’s a song that feels tailor-made for basking in summer’s glow, effortlessly combining nostalgia and modernity in a way only the AKMU siblings can. — J.B.

(G)I-DLE, “Super Lady”

Over a rubbery bass line, revving engine noises and thumping synths, (G)I-DLE throw down hard on “Super Lady,” which touches on their hip-hop influences and adds a bit of dubstep, too. “Super Lady” starts in the fast lane, and thanks to the quintet’s fiery verses and commanding performance, it keeps on racing to the finish line. Plus, the leather-and-diamond-laden video gives an impressive peek into the girl group’s stage prowess. – J.L.

Lim Young Woong, “Warmth”

NewJeans, “How Sweet”

G-Dragon, Taeyang & Daesung, “Home Sweet Home”

ITZY, “Imaginary Friend”

Pop music is meant to be escapist. It usually won’t tell you that point blank, though ITZY has always reveled in being different. “I was born inside your head,” Lia sings over guitar plucks on their gorgeous, ghostly single “Imaginary Friend,” which casts fantasy as a protective shield against a world on fire: “When there’s monsters on your ceiling / I’ll keep you safe so you can dream.” The girls sidestep confident roars for a softer register, yet their signature self-empowerment is still there: in the end, that courage you’re searching for will come from within. — A.W.    

ILLIT, “Magnetic”

“Magnetic” isn’t the first song to consider the strange, invisible forces that draw people together — though it was ILLIT’s very first song, period, which makes its entrance onto the Hot 100 chart historic for a K-pop debut. Its superhuman powers of attraction are not actually all that complicated: the no-frills magic of its chopped vocals (“You, you, you, you”/“Bae, bae, bae, bae”) and easy listening electro-pop had an instant pull. Every listen finds more to love, yet its charm was always plain to see. As ILLIT would say, our hearts were already going lub-dub. — A.W.

RIIZE, “Impossible”

With its clear house inspirations, RIIZE could have easily settled into the laidback groove established in the track’s opening. Instead, “Impossible” continues to swell and grow with each verse — and collective spin, kick and shuffle in the accompanying choreography — into an increasingly explosive pop anthem by the song’s end. — J.B.

KISS OF LIFE, “Sticky”

BIBI, “Bam Yang Gang”

South Korean singer-actor BIBI scored an outside-the-box smash in South Korean (and an entry on the Billboard Global 200) with “Bam Yang Gang,” a song about interpersonal relationships disguised as a tune about a red bean-based chestnut dessert. Melding martial drumming, a waltzing rhythm, electronic bloops that bring to mind a ‘50s sci-fi flick and the sweetness of pop music from bygone eras, “Bam Yang Gang” is not unlike what it feels like to be an American biting into a sweet bean-based dessert for the first time: It’s strange and unexpected, but immediately leaves you wanting more. – J.L.

ARTMS, “Virtual Angel”

fromis_9, “Supersonic”

Red Velvet, “Cosmic”

The very best Red Velvet songs feel like a cat-and-mouse game, and in the dark, disco-ready “Cosmic,” falling into their orbit is as inviting as ever. “How about you stay a little longer?” they coyly request on the high-flying chorus, though Wendy makes it clear there’s next to no room for refusal: “I just can’t say goodnight,” she belts as a chills-inducing climax. Can you blame her? It’s just so hard to imagine wanting to escape Irene, Seulgi, Wendy, Joy and Yeri’s inevitable pull when their harmonies sound this heavenly. — A.W.  

ONF, “Bye My Monster”

If you’ve missed K-pop’s second-gen, look no further than ONF’s “Bye My Monster.” Rich and cinematic, the song wouldn’t have seemed out of place next to the melodrama of INFINITE or VIXX’s singles more than a decade ago. However, keeping with modern trends, ONF plays with phrases from the classical music canon: softly lilting, romantic strings of Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 run headlong into pop-punk guitars and angsty falsettos. “Trapped within chaos,” co-writer and rapper Wyatt broods, even if this cohesive instrumental is really something of a masterclass in balance. — A.W.  

TWS, “Plot Twist”

HUI, “Hmm BOP”

A solo offering from PENTAGON commander HUI, “Hmm BOP” is feel-good funk song (boasting playful tongue pops, no less) that soars into the stratosphere thanks to HUI’s irrepressible energy, personality and vocal range. While the song title references Hanson, Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson are more likely the sonic inspirations here, especially when HUI starts riffing on “zip-hop, we don’t stop” before exploding into those ecstatic falsetto releases at the end. — J.L.

ATEEZ, “Ice on My Teeth”

IU, “Love Wins All”

In 2010, the phrase “perfect all-kill” was coined to describe a song simultaneously topping multiple iChart tallies after IU’s “Nagging” pulled off the feat. This year, “Love Wins All” – IU’s first single as a lead artist in three years – became another perfect all-kill for the South Korean singer-songwriter. “Love Wins All” is a gentle piano-and-strings ballad that gradually builds in vocal intensity over four-and-a-half minutes. It’s not over the top, but it is a tearjerker – especially when you take into account the post-apocalyptic lovers music video co-starring V of BTS. – J.L.

aespa, “Supernova”