I’m one of those K-pop fans who scours pre-release track lists for producer credits. I often become more excited by my favorite composer’s name on a track than the actual artist themselves. Because of this, my “top producers of the year” countdown has become a fun annual tradition. After all, these songs don’t materialize from thin air!
Here are ten talents that stood out to me in 2022.
2022 Year-End Masterpost
10. MONOTREE
Compared to some producers on this list, Monotree had a sprawling 2022 discography. This resulted in plenty of peaks and valleys in quality, but they had more hits than misses — including a handful of great b-sides.
The Bias List Producer Spotlight
2022 Highlights:
Tempest – Bad News, Find Me, Start Up
CSR – ♡TiCON
MCND – #Mood
DRIPPIN – Delusion
BoA – The Greatest
ONF – Your Song, Runaway
ONEUS – Bring It On
Mamamoo – 1,2,3 Eoi!
Apink Chobom – Oscar
Moonbyul – Lunatic
ATBO – Run, Magic
Yoon Jisung – Bloom
Billlie – Highway Romance, My B = The Birth Of Emotion
UP10TION – Give Love
Luminous – Engine
9. KENZIE
Kenzie earns her spot on this list thanks to three fantastic title tracks: Girls’ Generation’s Forever 1, Nayeon’s Pop and Key’s Gasoline. Twenty years in the business and she’s still making hits!
The Bias List Producer Spotlight
2022 Highlights:
Girls’ Generation – Forever 1
Nayeon – Pop!
Key – Gasoline
NCT Dream – Graduation
Apink – Holy Moly
8. RYAN JHUN
Ryan Jhun has been a staple on this list, and how could he not be? His name is a part of so many different K-pop tracks. 2022 wasn’t quite as prolific for him, but he was involved in highlights like IVE’s After Like, Super Junior’s Mango and Oh My Girl’s Real Love album.
The Bias List Producer Spotlight
2022 Highlights:
IVE – After Like, My Satisfaction
Oh My Girl – Real Love, Eden, Replay, Parachute, Kiss & Fix, Blink, Dear Rose
Super Junior – Mango
Lee Chaeyeon – Hush Rush, Danny, Aquamarine, Same But Different
aespa – Girls, ICU
Kihyun – Voyager, Youth
TVXQ – Like Snow-White
Taeyeon – Can’t Control Myself
NCT Dream – Better Than Gold
VIVIZ – Fiesta, Love You Like
Key – Burn
Pentagon – Feelin’ Like
Monsta X – Breathe
Ha Sungwoon – Focus
Luminous – Matryoshka
7. CHRISTOFFER SEMELIUS
A newcomer to my list, Semelius earns a spot thanks to a strong suite of pop-informed tracks this year. Can’t Stop Shining and Adrenaline were personal highlights of 2022, while b-sides like DRIPPIN’s Trick And Treat and ITZY’s Free Fall were weirdly addictive in their left-field choices.
2022 Highlights:
Tempest – Can’t Stop Shining
CRAVITY – Adrenaline
DRIPPIN – Trick And Treat
ITZY – Free Fall
Kim Yohan – Selfish
Victon – Bonnie And Clyde
EXID – Leggo
6. EDENARY
Edenary continued their work with ATEEZ and Dreamcatcher this year. I don’t think either group had a standout year, but both released a ton of solid material. I’m always impressed by the breadth of the Edenary sound. I hope they experiment further in 2023.
The Bias List Producer Spotlight (Leez)
2022 Highlights:
ATEEZ – Rocky (Boxers Version), Guerrilla, Cyberpunk, WDIG (Where Do I Go), New World, The King
Dreamcatcher – Maison, Vision, Starlight, Fairytale, Together, Cherry (Real Miracle), Beauty Full, Some Love
Trendz – Vagabond
5. 13 (SCORE & MEGATONE)
The 13 team helped steer LE SSERAFIM’s successful debut year, having a hand in all of their tracks. This prevented them from working with other acts (I need another Born To Be Wild and Fanfare!), but they were certainly one of 2022’s trendiest creators.
The Bias List Producer Spotlight
2022 Highlights:
LE SSERAFIM – Fearless, Antifragile, Blue Flame, The Great Mermaid, Impurities, No Celestial
4. SWEETUNE
Sweetune are back! They may be working with groups most people probably haven’t heard of, but the triple punch of Nonstop, Icarus and Euratcha is the strongest the duo have sounded since 2018. We want more, guys!
The Bias List Producer Spotlight
2022 Highlights:
RoaD-B – Nonstop, Icarus
CSR – Euratcha!
Sanha – Again
3. COLLAPSEDONE
Collapsedone makes his Bias List countdown debut! His bright, breezy pop sound crafted highlights for many girl groups this year. He was probably the most consistently great producer of the year. He’s really found his niche.
The Bias List Producer Spotlight
2022 Highlights:
Twice – Talk That Talk, Celebrate, Just Be Yourself
woo!ah! – Rollercoaster, Catch The Stars
fromis_9 – DM, Stay This Way
JO1 – With Us
2. NAP!ER, HAEIL, KB & NINE
Though other composers collaborate here and there, this quartet seems to be the core force behind OnlyOneOf’s sound. I’ve been impressed by how diverse their 2022 work has been, from edgy, angular dance music to the melodic sentimentality of Rie’s Because. They’re one of the most exciting teams working in K-pop right now.
2022 Highlights:
OnlyOneOf – Skinz, Begin, Be Free, Be Mine, Because, Beat, Gaslighting
1. NEWTYPE (CORBIN, 1TAKE & TAK)
1Take and TAK have appeared on this countdown before, but this year we bring in Corbin under the team moniker “Newtype.” It’s their first time at number one, thanks to a standout 2022 that saw them experimenting with rock influences. Their music fueled all of Woollim Entertainment’s acts this year. Their collaboration with DRIPPIN resulted in the most exciting standouts, but everything they touched was a hit with me.
The Bias List Producer Spotlight (1Take & TAK)
2022 Highlights:
DRIPPIN – The One, Zero, Switch
Golden Child – Miracle
Rocket Punch – Flash
Kwon Eunbi – Glitch, Croquis
Stray Kids – Give Me Your TMI
Victon – Virus
WEi – Moonlight
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
NEWTYPE had a great year! I really like Walk With You, they need to collaborate with NCT more https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCNpMiflAU4
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I’ve been wondering who were the producers and songwriters behind OnlyOneOf’s Underground Idol series – whether it was the same team for all of them, or different ‘hired hands’ for each track. Nice to know there’s a consistency in the writing and production end. In a year of exciting rookie debuts, my top discovery of the year is OnlyOneOf. Like you wrote elsewhere, they’ll probably not get big, and rather stay an art-Kpop band (is this a new genre they’re pioneering?), and that’s pretty exciting to me.
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Wow! Vagabond was worked on by Edenary?! I didn’t know that and I find this hilarious because the first time I heard it the first thought I had was that this is a jacked up version of Vision! 😂 Trust Edenary to use a distinct sound in multiple songs in an year and also with one for a gg and another for a bg! Last year we had Because and Deja Vu as sound twins and this time we have Vision and Vagabond! 🙃
I don’t follow producers much but I do enjoy knowing interesting connections and patterns! Edenary is probably the only team I end up accidentally recognising by vibes alone! XD
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LEEZ stepped out of Edenary and joined a new company, Hi-Hat (http://www.hihat.co.kr/eng/) this year. Seems like a multi-functional company handling composing/producing, idol training/debuting, IPs and such.
Vagabond is first producing work LEEZ have done after joining, he worked on all three tracks (https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ff4TzXtaUAAJ7rf)
Seems like he won’t present in newer/future works of ATEEZ/DC, he was absent on the new tracks for their Japanese EP for example.
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I’d like to add Viviz’ “Dance” to MonoTree’s list. Some dismiss it as a bland token closer ballad, but I think it has a beautifully subdued and delicate melancholy to it that feels pretty fresh for Viviz.
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Always love this feature, great to find out more on the producers behind songs.
Also Nick, what are your thoughts on LEEZ recently leaving EDENARY to become a music director?
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i need collapsedone to leave fromis alone already
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I liked many people on this list, as well as the always argument-provoking Dem Jointz, who produced at least three songs I loved this year.
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DRIPPIN is one of the few 4th gen boy groups I often give a pass for being “by-the-numbers”, now I know why! Both of their title tracks this year have much more interesting production than their peers’ offerings, Zero especially, with its guitar-driven dance break. As per usual, Woollim kills in the production department.
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