The end of the year countdowns are finally here! As always, we’ll kick off with the big one: The Bias List’s top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday.
To be eligible for this top 50 list, songs must have had a Korean release as a title track, follow-up or promotional video between Dec. 1st, 2022 and Nov. 30th, 2023.
Curious about past countdowns? Check out the masterpost here!
50. H1-KEY – Seoul (Such A Beautiful City)
H1-KEY had a breakout year, but it was this underrated, synth-infused highlight that stood out most to me. (full review)
49. Taeyang – Vibe (ft. Jimin)
A meeting of K-pop titans, Vibe takes influence from New Jack Swing to craft a rhythmically addictive, early-2023 highlight. (full review)
48. OnlyOneOf – Seoul Drift
Prickly and confrontational, Seoul Drift didn’t immediately reveal its charms. But over time, I grew to love its commitment to abrasive sounds and distorted textures. (full review)
47. J.Y. Park – Changed Man
As far as I’m concerned, J.Y. Park could churn out these 80’s pastiches for the rest of his career. He knows how to sell a cheesy concept with panache and a tongue-in-cheek humor that’s infectious. (full review)
46. 8TURN – Excel
Excel was one of the summer’s early growers, charging ahead on boisterous rookie energy and brute force. The chorus has endured surprisingly well. In many ways, it reminds me of debut-era Stray Kids. (full review)
45. NMIXX – Roller Coaster
Many fans love NMIXX for their audacious “mixxpop” sound, but by going more subdued the ladies found their catchiest and vibiest hook yet. (full review)
44. TXT – Chasing That Feeling
Chasing That Feeling may have HYBE’s corporate sheen all over it, but you can’t beat its classic synthpop influences and chugging pre-chorus. (full review)
43. GreatGuys – Deep In Love
An underrated group for the win! GreatGuys took a page from Seventeen’s rollicking sound and did them one better. It’s a lean, mean funk machine. (full review)
42. STAYC – Teddy Bear
Depending on the day, I can’t decide whether Teddy Bear is too saccharine for its own good or a sparkling representation of early-10’s, Katy Perry cartoon pop. Most of the time, I lean toward the latter. (full review)
41. Jungkook – 3D
Jungkook revisited sounds of the past for his foray into solo work, and 3D‘s Neptunes-esque groove brought great nostalgia. Notice the absence of guest feature Jack Harlow in my title. The solo version is the definitive one on my playlist! (full review)
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Roller coaster is in my top 3 title tracks this year, it’s so good. The second verse wastes no time to get back into the great chorus, and the final chorus with Lily’s high note is amazing. I hope they get more songs like it
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+ also all their voices are stunning on the track
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im sorry but i just cant get over how ‘fix you’ was SNUBBED! didnt make the top 50 (let alone top 20) but multiple meh boy group songs placed higher
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Jack Harlow’s verse is truly abysmal so the solo version deserves. I love Roller Coaster and Chasing That Feeling so I’m glad they both made it into the top 50!
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Of these, I think only Vibe would make my top 50. OK, and Teddy Bear. (I’ve wanted to hate that song, but every time it comes on, my ears perk up. Still, I miss the old STAYC.)
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Glad to see “Roller Coaster”, “Vibe”, “Chasing That Feeling”, and “3D (solo ver. because it’s the better one imo)” make it on your list!
Here’s my top 50-41. For me, those songs are interchangeable but here’s what I’m feeling rn:
50. VIVIZ – Maniac
49. Monsta X – Beautiful Liar
48. EXO – Cream Soda
47. RIIZE – Talk Saxy
46. Twice – Set Me Free
45. ZB1 – Melting Point
44. RM (BTS) – Wild Flower (with youjeen)
43. NewJeans – ETA
42. SF9 – Puzzle
41. STAYC – Teddy Bear
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Remember those first 3 months of 2023 when there were basically no kpop releases and we were wondering what was going on?
MonstaX’s “Beautiful Liar” kept me entertained during those hard times😂…that song is on my top 20. Plus, I consider it a quintessential Kpop song (not the subdued sound that became a trend as the year progressed) and for that it will stay dear to my heart✌🏻
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Harlow who?
Now if we could just remove that abysmal verse. Meh
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i think its the one listed as “alternate ver” that doesnt contain あいつ
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The one where they overlayed Justin Timberlake as a “duet” isn’t bad. Imho they probably should have led with JT+JK.
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I have or had no idea where to put the Great Guys “Deep in Love”, but right about here feels about right.
My STAYC guilty pleasure for 2023 was “Bubble” would I would just swap in right at about the same spot as “Teddy Bear”.
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I feel the same as you on both counts! Bubble sounds so much like a Disney Junior song that I sometimes don’t understand why I like it, but that chorus is just so infectious. Though, I don’t know if I’d class 2017’s GreatGuys as “an underrated rookie group” (coughNickcough) 😉
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Haha you are totally right! Why do I always think they’re newer than they are? I removed that word 🙂
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I feel like really good songs with one crap-tastic section kinda have an edge above ones that don’t? I mean, I probably wouldn’t have perked my ears up at 3D much without laughing hysterically at the rap break. Same with Gidle and their consistently perplexing lyrics, or even older gems which include “I likey likey dis I likey likey dat.” Feels more quintessentially kpop than something where you unironically are completely blown away with 0 pastiche. But that’s just me.
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I F Y O U W A N N A P R E T T Y , E V E R Y W A N N A P R E T T Y
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Happy to see Seoul (Such A Beautiful City) on here. I’ve done hours of work this year just looping that instrumental. Also, happy for Changed Man and Rollercoaster. Those might make my personal top 10.
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Chasing That Feeling is definitely wayyyyy up there on my list. Sucker for that sound, despite the processing on the vocals.
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“Vibe” and “3D” get points for the nostalgia factor in sound. I also did enjoy “Chase That Feeling” and “Changed Man” cause I’m sucker for 80s music. “Deep in Love” and “Teddy Bear” were good too with Teddy Bear being a song I think Twice would have done earlier in their careers.
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