These posts are coming out much slower than I had planned (because I got sick AGAIN), but I’m finally moving on to the next section of the list! Aside from a couple of songs, most of the entries in this batch generally fall into one of two categories. The first is K-pop releases that I initially had neutral feelings on but ultimately ended up enjoying. This was due to repeated exposure, usually from a friend who was a bigger fan of that particular group. The second category is the complete opposite. They’re songs that I initially liked but eventually had to pull back on due to overexposure. That was typically because the song became super popular in South Korea and was thus played everywhere. Some of these songs actually flip-flopped between the two categories for me. But at the end of the day, they are all comfortably slotted in the lower to mid section of my Top 50 list and I’m standing by it.
If you want to know more about how I chose the songs for my personal Top 50, you can look at my previous post here.
#40. ZEROBASEONE, “In Bloom”
ZEROBASEONE exploded onto the scene with their sweet and sentimental debut, and their star has been rising ever since. “In Bloom” is an earnest and romantic song that blends gentle verses with upbeat choruses, showcasing the members’ excellent vocals all the while. The overall vibe is very fresh and bright, with dynamic choreography that balances out the song’s overall smooth feel. As expected, all of the visuals are top-tier – not just looks-wise, but also the outfits and aesthetics. I really like the music video’s color palette, as well as its subtle storyline of the members playing a virtual video game. The idea that they have to clear the levels by collecting flowers creates lots of fun visual possibilities. I must admit that I did go back and forth with “In Bloom” a lot. When it first came out, I wasn’t completely sold. As time went on, I did come to enjoy it… but then it got overplayed for me. (So actually, this song somehow falls into BOTH of the categories I mentioned.) By the end of 2023, it was a comfortable “like” for me. I’m a bit too old to really be swayed by the confession theme, but I do find “In Bloom” quite charming.
#39. IVE, “I AM”
Given that IVE is one of today’s hottest K-pop groups, it’s no surprise that “I AM” was everywhere in 2023… and I do mean EVERYWHERE. I actually heard it so many times out and about that I began to get tired of it, which is why it’s the lowest ranked IVE song in my Top 50. Despite my (current) personal feelings about “I AM,” I must admit that it’s nothing short of iconic. It’s very catchy and memorable, especially the powerful chorus. I’m normally not a fan of girl group songs with really high melodies because I’m an alto and can’t sing them, but the members sound very lovely. “I AM” is also a great vehicle for IVE’s “cool and chic” concept. All of the different elements come together well to highlight their elegant and sophisticated image. Perhaps more importantly, I like that it promotes a very essential message of knowing your self-worth. As much as we all love to watch IVE living the life of luxury and strutting down airplane runways, their superstar status doesn’t exactly make them relatable. However, their confident declarations and their clear self-acceptance can resonate with anyone. Sometimes when I’m feeling lonely, that “I hope you’ll be someone’s dreams come true” line hits me harder than I’m expecting. I’m way older than IVE, but I’m happy that I can still be inspired by them.
#38. Stray Kids, “S Class”
“S Class” is a great example of Stray Kids doing what they do best. They confidently pave their own way with their unique melodies, constantly switch up rhythms, and go in hard on the percussion and hip hop influences. While I do like “S Class,” I’ve had my ups and downs with it. I got into it thanks to one of my best friends (who is a Stay), slowly started to like it, overdid it, and then ended up in a more neutral stance by the end of 2023. To be honest, the major reason I put “S Class” on my list is because of the stellar choreography – specifically, the chorus. If you asked me about 2023’s standout key point dances, I would most definitely answer “S Class” for boy groups. The highlight has it all: eye-catching arm movements, precise angles, and impeccable timing. It’s also truly challenging, and I find both the level of skill and attention to detail highly impressive. Although the choreography was the main thing that drew me to “S Class,” I really have to give points to Stray Kids for the absolute confidence they showed in their music. They really declared they were the brightest shining stars, and 2023 definitively proved them right.
#37. The Boyz, “Lip Gloss”
As The Boyz transition into their veteran years, they seem to prefer more mature concepts. But every once in a while, they return to the fun and bright music they favored back in their rookie days. The summer song “Lip Gloss” definitely falls in this category, with its upbeat and irresistibly addictive melody. For all intents and purposes, it sounds like a classic pop song. However, there’s one element that took me by surprise: its unexpectedly sexy lyrics. When I first listened to “Lip Gloss,” I thought it was going for very wholesome vibes like early Justin Bieber or One Direction. Of course, I was shocked when I got to the chorus and heard “Lip gloss lip gloss, I wanna taste your lip gloss” and “All I want is your lips on my lips.” (A surprising amount of the lyrics are in English, so that’s probably why they felt they could be so bold about it.) To be clear, I don’t *actually* think this is controversial in any way. As an American, I’ve seen and heard far more eyebrow-raising things in Western pop music. But in the sphere of K-pop, this feels downright scandalous – ESPECIALLY because both the song and the choreography are masquerading as very vanilla. It’s that contrast that does it for me. I find it low-key hilarious, and watching The Boyz sing these kinds of lyrics with such bright and innocent faces never fails to make me smile. They’re always full of surprises, and I love it.
#36. ATEEZ, “Bouncy (K-Hot Chilli Peppers)”
It’s pure coincidence, but I find it super interesting that the Top 3 Kingdom groups all ended up close together on this part of list. Although I didn’t plan it, my feelings about these releases were actually quite similar – particularly “S Class” and “Bouncy.” I really try to avoid comparing songs when I can, but I actually see these two as companions to each other. (Probably because they were released around the same time and have similar high-energy vibes.) In the beginning, I was a little neutral on “Bouncy.” At the time, I just felt there were other ATEEZ tracks I liked more. Thanks to my numerous ATINY coworkers, repeated listens changed things up after a while. The chorus kept popping into my head, and it eventually won me over. What I like about “Bouncy” is that it’s obviously a lot of fun. ATEEZ clearly enjoy themselves whenever they perform it, which I think always makes things more engaging. Also, the choreography is also a major plus for me (per usual). While the “S Class” hand trick is my chosen boy group highlight move of 2023, those descending body rolls in “Bouncy” are a pretty close second.
#35. KARD, “Icky”
I like almost all of KARD’s songs, but “Icky” is one of the few I find very intriguing. Typically, the word “icky” denotes something that is off-putting or unappealing. These days, I’ve noticed phrases like “gives me the ick” or “new ick unlocked” popping up on social media. (Gosh, I’m starting to feel old.) KARD’s music video even constantly references the word’s original meaning by using a specific shade of neon green that’s typically associated with germs or sickness. However, their song actually uses the word “icky” to describe a very intense physical attraction to someone… and they’re definitely not shy about it. See: BM’s rap verse. Even though it’s a K-pop song, I loved how it made me think about this English word in a whole different and interesting way. On the music side of things, the club dance style is right in KARD’s wheelhouse. I’m also a fan of the choreography, which uses interesting angles and perfectly matches the song’s syncopated beats. (Shout out to 1MILLION’s Root for that amazing chorus.) All in all, “Icky” is really KARD adding to the empire of club bangers that they’ve been building for years. I’m seriously sad that they don’t perform in Seoul that often, because I really want to see this one live.
#34. ITZY, “Cake”
“Cake” is full of ITZY’s signature confident energy. The sass that has become standard for many of their title tracks is underscored by some nice brass riffs in the instrumentation, and it contrasts nicely with ITZY’s charming voices. However, it just feels a touch too peppy for me most of the time. As much as I love ITZY – and I literally just went to their Seoul concert – “Cake” just doesn’t hit for me in the same way that some of their earlier tracks do. That being said, the chorus is INFURIATINGLY addictive. Unsurprisingly, the word “cake” comes up a lot when one teaches kindergarten aged children… and there have been so many times when I automatically heard “Cake cake cake cake cake, it’s a piece of cake cake cake cake cake” in my head. It was NOT easy to resist the urge to sing. (Especially since some of my students just went ahead and did it themselves.) The main reason “Cake” is on this list is – surprise surprise – because of its choreography. If you can’t tell, I love dances that really match the rhythm and small details of the music. “Cake” has this in spades. It’s all so satisfying to watch, especially the chorus and Yuna’s now-famous part in the first verse. I watched their performance videos so many times, and I think that made the song eventually grow on me.
#33. GOT the Beat, “Stamp on It”
So much happened with SM Entertainment in 2023 that it’s hard for me to believe the GOT the Beat comeback was in the same year. (It was technically released before all of the drama went down… but looking back, I feel like I can see some on the signs.) Based on what I saw on social media, “Stamp on It” was not as well-received as “Step Back.” However, I believe that it has its own merits and unique charms. Like many SM releases, it’s very experimental in melody, arrangement, and song structure. When I first saw GOT the Beat perform it during the SM New Year’s concert (RIP), I enjoyed it because I felt like it was full of surprises. Yet while “Stamp On It” seems somewhat unconventional, it also somehow works. I think it’s because it’s well-balanced in vocals, rap, and dance. This makes sense since GOT the Beat is filled with many main and lead positions from SM’s girl groups, plus BoA the iconic all-rounder. The members’ smooth vocals also help the song maintain a consistent cool and chic vibe throughout, helping it seamless transition from section to section. Unfortunately, “Stamp on It” is on the lower end of my Top 50 because I ended up overplaying it and had to step away for a time. But before that, it was one of my top K-pop songs for almost half of 2023.
#32. Jungkook feat. Latto, “Seven”
For those of you who read my blog back in 2021, it’s probably no surprise to hear I don’t really follow BTS anymore. After three full years of either hearing their music or hearing about them every single day – truly not exaggerating – I used their hiatus as an opportunity to take a break, rest, and reset. This was a good call for me, because it has definitely improved how I feel about them. I did check out BTS’s solo releases, and I really enjoyed how each member established his own signature sound. As you can see, the song that stayed with me the most was Jungkook’s “Seven.” This might seem rather obvious, as it’s probably the one BTS solo song that I heard the most all year. It’s also really darn catchy and gets stuck in my head ALL OF THE TIME. However, I actually put “Seven” on this list because it really suits my personal music tastes. Ever since I was in middle school and started exploring music, I have mostly been interested in pop. I went in and out of listening to other genres, but Top 40 hits were always my bread and butter. I think “Seven” is most definitely a Top 40 style song. When I first listened to it, I could instantly hear the influences and inspirations. I’ve always felt that Jungkook had a voice well-suited for pure pop, and “Seven” confirms this. His alluring vocals, smooth dance moves, and handsome visuals are all on full display here, and we all ate it up.
#31. Dreamcatcher, “OOTD”
I personally feel that Dreamcatcher is one of the “concept queens” of K-pop. All of their comebacks have thorough details that permeate everything: storylines, music, performance, aesthetics, etc. From their horror origins to their more recent apocalyptic fare, they execute it all excellently. “OOTD” signals a new move to a “villain” era, where are all the details are much subtler but not any less interesting. While some of us might have been expecting a flashy villain, Dreamcatcher chose to explore the type we encounter much more often in real life: the narcissist. “OOTD” contains a lot of English lyrics, and many of them are very arrogant and egotistic. (JiU’s “I am Venus, Nephthys, call me a goddess” is a standout for me.) A lot of them are also the stereotypical materialistic lines we hear in many pop songs, talking about popping champagne and showing off jewelry. If you listen to just the song, it might seem TOO superficial – perhaps a satire that fell flat. However, watching the music video for “OOTD” really pulls everything together. With the constant editing and faking different visual elements, their message that everything is a construct becomes much clearer. Musically, “OOTD” is a bit of a smoother and cooler pop rock song than their recent explosive singles. However, it still fits right into their discography. I’ll admit I wasn’t as interested in Dreamcatcher’s apocalypse concept, but “OOTD” brought me right back into the fold.
NOTES: All music videos are from YouTube. All images are teaser photos for a group or artist’s comeback unless indicated otherwise. Image credits go to: Big Hit Music (Jungkook)*, DSP Media (KARD), HappyFace Entertainment (Dreamcatcher), IST Entertainment (The Boyz), JYP Entertainment (Stray Kids and ITZY), KQ Entertainment (ATEEZ), SM Entertainment (GOT the Beat), Starship Entertainment (IVE), and WAKEONE Entertainment (ZEROBASEONE).
*Big Hit Music is also part of HYBE, which distributed the music video.
Katherine Does K-POP 