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!
Honorable Mentions
SONGS 50-41
40. VERIVERY – Crazy Like That
In a year where most everyone’s sound went subdued, VERIVERY tried their hand at a gentler version of their old-school R&B. Crazy Like That proved to be a massive grower, kicking around my playlist for months after release. (full review)
39. The New Six (TNX) – Kick It 4 Now
Rebranding as The New Six, these rookies released a bright, New Jack Swing influenced summer track with one of the catchiest hooks of the year. This should be their sound going forward. (full review)
38. n.SSign – Higher
In general, K-pop has been light on sprawling vocal showcases this year. Leave it to a rookie pre-release track to deliver the goods. Higher is entrancing for many reasons, but the members’ crystal clear voices are its greatest weapon. (full review)
37. Kwon Eunbi – The Flash
Kwon Eunbi expanded her reign as K-pop’s dancefloor queen with this engaging highlight. The dramatic pre-chorus is among the best things she’s ever recorded. (full review)
36. STAYC – Bubble
STAYC fully embraced their fluffy pop era with this synth-fueled confection. In a year where this effusive energy seemed to fall out of fashion, Bubble was a welcome, late-summer joy bomb. (full review)
35. CRAVITY – Groovy
CRAVITY couldn’t quite match the consistency of their 2022 output, but early in the year they unveiled one last burst of buoyant disco pop. Groovy is pure fun, unbothered by the edgier side of K-pop’s boy group oeuvre. (full review)
34. Jungkook – Seven (ft. Latto)
Jungkook’s Seven was always going to be a massive hit, but its high quality was a welcome surprise. What could have come across as an annoying jingle ended up as one of the summer’s biggest earworms thanks to its early-00’s garage sound and effortlessly cool delivery. (full review)
33. Just B – Medusa
The little group that could returned with a guitar-led burst of pop energy. Tying a catchy chorus to anthemic production, the guys proved their worth as rookies to watch. (full review)
32. NCT Dream – ISTJ
NCT Dream borrowed liberally from classic SMent touches to elevate ISTJ beyond similar-sounding tracks. Its dramatic arrangement lends the song a bombast that retains just enough funk to remind you of the group’s early days. (full review)
31. ONF – Love Effect
ONF returned as a full group late this year, delivering a sonic victory lap that fused their ear for melody to a bright, lively arrangement stuffed with optimistic drive. (full review)
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
As someone who hasn’t been up to date with K-pop aside from favs, I’m glad to get the chance to catch up with the help of people’s top songs of this year. It’s a start! ^^
Ahh lots of great songs here that I recognise here!
The Flash, Groovy, Medusa, ISTJ, Love Effect… Honestly I was expecting a few of these to be at least a little higher but now I’m intrigued on the rest of the rankings.
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Kick it 4 Now was my song of the summer, glad to see it on the list!
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I love Kick it 4 now, The flash, Bubble, and ISTJ. Sometimes I think kpop is losing what made it good, but I think Tnx, Eunbi, Stayc, and NCT dream had really great, very kpop sounding title tracks this year.
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I wish The Flash was higher on your list I genuinely think its my top 5 songs this year, that chorus is amazing she knows how to make DANCE music
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Higher is definitely uh…higher on my list, but I’m happy to see it on here! One of my most replayed songs of the year. I hope n.SSign continue to deliver lovely songs like this…I was disappointed with their debut title track, but some of their other stuff shows promise. It’s fun finding an obscure little group like this that has that much vocal power!
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“Higher” is way higher on my list.
“ISTJ” grew on me, for the SM Nostalgia vibes.
“Crazy Like That” – I liked it like that for a while, then routinely hit the skip button.
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I see a bunch of familiar faces in this bracket: Eunbi, NCT Dream, CRAVITY .etc. I’ll have to admit I haven’t listened to some of the mentioned tracks like STAYC’s “Bubble” or ONF’s “Love Effect” so guess it’s my cue to check them out now 👀
My top 40-31 bracket is where things start to get more interesting:
40. Jay Chang (One Pact) – I’ll Be There
39. Taeyang – Vibe (feat. Jimin (BTS))
38. Key (SHINee) – Good & Great
37. Jungkook (BTS) – 3D (Alternate Ver.)
36. xikers – Rockstar
35. ZB1 – Crush
34. NCT 127 – Fact Check
33. Taemin – Guilty
32. Le Sserafim – Eve, Psyche, & The Bluebeard’s Wife
31. Red Velvet – Chill Kill
(as you can tell I listen to so much SM artists lmao)
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I am in absolute and utter shock.
ONF at only 31???
This is why we can’t have nice things, Nick!
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Funny to see The New Six in this list with a new jack swing sound right next to Verivery who used to have that sound.
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Haha I noticed that when I was playing the songs back to back for my final check of the countdown order! Kick It 4 Now could have easily been a debut-era VERIVERY track.
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all three of Jungkook’s singles made it! he really did have such a great year.
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“Crazy Like That”, “Medusa” and “ISTJ” are perfectly ranked!!
“Kick It For Now” and “Groovy” are probably Top 30 for me!!
Now now now…HIGHER and LOVE EFFECT?!?!?! 😮😵
These are on my Top 10!!!!!!
PS: still salty about TAN’s “Fix You”🙃
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Songs I liked but didn’t make my Top 30:
Taeyang – Seed
Bobby – Cherry Blossom
TxT – Chasing that Feeling
Enhypen – Sweet Venom
NCT127 – Fact Check
POW – Favorite
The Boyz – Watch It
MCND – ODD Venture
Ampers&One – On & On
NewJeans – Ditto
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Happy to see ISTJ and it’s stomper of a chorus represented here! Still think it needs another repeat of it at the end, haha
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“Seven” for sure, that song is just so catchy. I was surprised how much I liked “The Flash” and “Love Effect”, may have to listen to those a few times to see if they will continue to stick. With “Teddy Bear” and now “Bubble”, STAYC has those girly-pop songs that I hate to admit I enjoy.
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