My Top 10 Korean Songs of 2018

For whatever reason, 2018 felt like the flattest year in Korean music since I’ve started regularly listening to it back in 2013. With the dissolution of groups like 2NE1 and Sistar last year and the lack of new releases from favorites like f(x) and Brown Eyed Girls, combined with a very sluggish dripfeed of actual bangers throughout the year and my overall disinterest in a lot of the bigger releases, I wondered many times this year if I’d even have enough songs for a Top 10. It wasn’t until I finally sat down near the end of November and started putting this list together that I managed to scrape together a list of ten songs I felt strongly enough about. Even still, I don’t have nearly the same enthusiasm for these songs as I have for songs on my lists in past years. Regardless, I still ended up being pretty satisfied with the group of songs I chose for this year, especially the top 5. It’s a solid group of songs that represent a variety of genres and styles and each speak to some different aspect of my musical tastes. I hope you enjoy my list and I encourage any criticisms, comments, or sharing of your own favorites!

10. Siren - Sunmi

Sunmi first entered the Korean music scene as part of Wonder Girls. She debuted her solo career back in 2014 with the superb Full Moon, before rejoining the Wonder Girls reformation (and releasing two completely fantastic tracks). Now that they are disbanded for good, she has returned for more solo work. Most notable is Siren, the best track off her new EP Warning. It has a very atypical pace and sound that I can’t easily compare to anything else, but it somehow manages to remain quite enjoyable despite that fact, mostly due to a solid driving beat. The verses are fantastically slick, a good mix of sultry swagger and poppy fun that is reminiscent of Sunmi’s past solo releases despite using an entirely different style. The chorus is pretty memorable too, despite not really being catchy in the traditional sense. I wouldn’t call Siren a masterpiece by any means, but it’s a deceptively solid track that eschews some typical pop elements.

9. Starlight - Bolbbalgan4

I’ve adored Bolbbalgan4’s (often shortened to Bol4) style of music ever since they first debuted in 2016. Their typical mix of soft vocals and acoustic guitar is like a warm, aural blanket for me, and I enjoy almost every one of their songs. This year’s Starlight is no exception, a breathtakingly beautiful track that makes me smile every time I hear it. This time, the duo works in some piano and light drumming to the always-gorgeous guitar playing, resulting in an even gentler song than usual. As always, the vocals are absolutely stunning, especially during the uplifting “choruses” where the instrumentation swells to match her impactful voice. Finally, there’s the equally impressive video, filled with adorable shots of the duo and lovely sweeping pans of a beach at sunset. Starlight isn’t a huge song by any means, nor is it one you’ll find yourself humming under your breath randomly one day, but it’s a remarkably pleasant song that I absolutely adore.

ALSO: Travel

8. It’s Been A Long Time - Solar

Solar is best known as the leader and main vocalist of Mamamoo, but she’s actually done a fair amount of solo work too, mostly doing covers of famous Korean songs in her Solar Gamsung singles. It’s Been A Long Time is one such cover, originally sang by Korean group Love and Peace in 1978, and it’s a fantastic updated version of the song. Most notable is the increased tempo and more modernized production, retaining the core retro style while making it sound like something that could come out in 2018. That core sound is really catchy too, with a fun rhythm that never stops. Solar’s vocals are fantastic as well. She clearly had a lot of fun with this, as her performance is playful and energetic from start to finish. She even throws in a lot of little vocal flairs that are incredibly adorable. The video is just as lively, with everyone happily dancing and posing for the camera, and it has a killer retro-ish aesthetic that I really enjoy. All in all, It’s Been a Long Time is a faithful update of a classic Korean song that also makes it a bit more palatable to modern audiences.

7. Wish - KIRARA

As I said on my Top 10 list last year, KIRARA is one of the best electronic producers out there right now. Every year, she continues to put out fantastically creative songs that utilize a variety of sounds and styles. My favorite track of hers this year has to be Wish, an undeniably joy-filled track that brings me a great deal of happiness. I think this is one of her most playful songs to date, ditching the discordant effects found in many of her other tracks (something she’s done a lot more in the last few years) and instead focusing on an upbeat, blissful sound that just makes me want to smile and nod along with the beat. I think this is particularly evident in the live performance video I’ve embedded here, as she bops along to the beat and smiles while doing cute things like hitting a key with her elbow. As is the case with many of her tracks, this song rises and falls many times throughout its length, expertly building the energy and keeping you guessing. It’s just a fantastic ride from beginning to end. If you aren’t already listening to KIRARA, Wish is the perfect place to start.

ALSO: Earthquake

6. Egotistic - Mamamoo

Mamamoo is one of those KPOP groups I’ve always appreciated but mostly from afar, never liking any of their songs quite enough to include on one of these lists. This year, that finally changes--and on the year that lead vocalist Solar’s solo work also makes it on my list. What a coincidence. Egotistic is the group’s most traditional pop song to date, and that’s likely why I enjoy it so much. It utilizes a sultry Latino style for its production, which made this an excellent summer song. This is most evident in the swagger-filled chorus, which is a huge earworm and has been stuck in my head for months. The verses are no slouch either, trading arrogance for delightfully sensual seduction. I especially love the little vocal grunts that transition from one to the other, each unique but all remarkably sexy. Speaking of sexy, the video has some serious aesthetic, featuring killer outfits for each of the four members and visuals that drip with pure sexuality. It’s...really something. From top to bottom, Egotistic is an impressive track that lives up to its name both musically and visually.

5. BBIBBI - IU

IU remains one of my absolute favorite Korean artists, appearing on my Top 10s multiple times and being the only artist to win two of my top spots. I’m absolutely in love with every aspect of her performances, from her impressive vocal range to her unbelievable cute visuals during each of her videos. Unsurprisingly, she’s made it onto yet another one of my lists with the quirky BBIBBI. This song took a long time to grow on me, as it has a very atypical style and rhythm for a pop song. The verses in particular have a somewhat droning, paced rhythm to them that I hated at first. Now, I appreciate their unique style and the way they nicely build into the more fun chorus. That chorus is ridiculously catchy and I catch myself humming/singing it almost every day. As I noted above, I’m infatuated with IU’s voice, and that’s still the case here. Her voice just sounds so pleasing to my ears, no matter what she’s singing. I won’t deny that she doesn’t really stress her impressive vocal range here, but I do enjoy her delivery on all the little transitory English phrases, such as “jealous jealous.” She’s also always fun to watch in her videos, equally sexy and cute and just hard to take my eyes off of. I wouldn’t call BBIBBI my favorite IU song by any means, but it’s a playful and unconventional track that I certainly appreciate.

4. Papercut - OOHYO

OOHYO is another one of those indie Korean electronic artists who is slowly growing in popularity. Her soft, somewhat husky vocals and skillful productions have been some of my favorites ever since first discovering her via one of @aurahack's Top 10 lists years ago. While I generally find myself preferring OOHYO's poppier releases, I absolutely love the hypnotic electronic sound of Papercut. This is an utterly soothing track, thanks both the the mellow production and the warm vocals from OOHYO herself. At the same time, it manages to be quite catchy, somehow being both upbeat and downbeat at once. I particularly love the breakdown sections the follow the “choruses,” where the production picks up for a little bit with some vivacious synth. And, of course, OOHYO’s voice is still a favorite of mine. She has a style that is perfect for songs like this, almost as if she were meant to shift to a more electronic sound for her music. I also want to praise the video’s depiction of a real-time performance of this track using her real hands and a CG mixer--it’s a delightfully cute idea that fits the song well. If you enjoy Papercut, I suggest visiting more of OOHYO’s past work: it’s all fantastic.

3. See Sea - Hyolyn

Originally the leader and main vocalist of Sistar, Hyolyn has worked in the music industry for nearly a decade. After the disbandment of Sistar in 2017, she formed her own music label, Bridʒ, and began a full-time solo music career. Not content to only have the best summer song of 2015 with Sistar’s Shake It, she released the best summer song of this year as well, See Sea. This is mostly due to the lazy, slow-paced beat the persists throughout the whole song. It’s not what you might expect from a summer track, and it’s deceptively catchy despite its measured pace, especially the chorus and its refrain of “down down down down.” The sultry verses are no slouch either, with Hyolyn’s alluring voice deftly bouncing along with the beat. I also need to mention that the video has a LOOK. It’s packed with incredibly vibrant colors, a blown-out visual filter that works way better than you’d expect, and some very attractive Asian ladies in very tight swimsuits. It’s...pretty great. I found myself going back to See Sea more and more frequently over time, as it wormed its way deeper and deeper into my head. Even during the course of writing this list, it kept making its way higher and higher as I continued to revisit it. It’s a fantastically memorable song and one of the best summer songs in years.

2. One More - Yaeji

Ever since her explosion onto the music scene last year, I’ve done my best to tell everyone I can about the superb talents of Yaeji. An American-born Korean producer who skillfully utilizes both English and Korean lyrics along with her delightfully lazy production style, she is one of the most exciting and promising talents on the scene. One More is another great example of her abilities. The best way to describe her music is hypnotic, utilizing a minimalist production and her ethereal vocals to lull you into a state of soporific splendor. I can’t say enough good things about her vocals in particular. Her flow is impeccable and her voice fits this style of music so well that it’s like she was born to make it. It’s also important to note how incredibly perfect this video is as well, with lots of dim neon lighting and dreamlike visuals and effects. The aesthetic is almost grimy, reminiscent of crappy house parties, but it’s incredibly seductive nonetheless. Nothing about One More seems complex or difficult, but it all somehow comes together into something incredibly evocative and instantly memorable. That, I think, is the true genius of Yaeji.

1. Bboom Bboom - Momoland

Momoland is still a relative newcomer to KPOP, only debuting a few years ago. I hadn’t paid much attention to them prior to now, as their early tracks didn’t do much for me. This year, they finally caught my ear by putting out Bboom Bboom, which was not only my favorite KPOP song of the year but both the first KPOP song I heard this year, as it released on January 3rd, and the first song to go onto this list. From the beginning, I suspected it might end up on the top and here we finally are twelve months later. It features all the things I’m looking for in a top song of the year. Exciting and fun production that keeps me nodding along? Check. Consistently excellent vocals in both the verses and chorus? Check. Absurdly catchy chorus that I sing to myself long after hearing it? Check. It’s got it all. In fact, it has even more than that. The whole song is almost as catchy as the chorus, and I find myself singing along to practically the entire thing at this point. There’s a rap verse that’s actually not completely terrible; in fact, I kinda like it. The video is also quite enjoyable; despite its clearly low budget, the girls put a lot into it and the choreography is a lot of fun, particularly during the chorus. Bboom Bboom is yet another one of those KPOP songs that doesn’t really do anything unique or exciting, but it’s so damn catchy that I don’t really care. I’ve listened to it far more times than any other song this year, so it’s only fitting that it tops my list for 2018.

ALSO: Baam