One of the unique features of The Bias List is its “buried treasure” write-ups. I try my hardest to comb through every major K-pop album released each year and when a song catches my ear I highlight it on the blog. This countdown is an encapsulation of those write-ups, ranking my top 40 b-sides and album tracks of the year.
This countdown encompasses any track that didn’t receive a full music video. This includes album tracks, as well as songs that may have been performed but never actively promoted. It also includes Japanese b-sides from Korean acts. Just like the Top 50 Singles list, all songs here were released between December 1st, 2022 and November 30th, 2023.
Songs 40-21
20. WOODZ – BUSTED
I missed the chance to feature this as a buried treasure and that’s too bad. WOODZ excels at this quirky rock sound and Busted was the best example of that in 2023.
19. THE BOYZ – FIRE EYES
The Boyz try their hand at a classic synth wave sound and come away with a stunner. Fire Eyes added great texture to an already strong album. (full review)
18. TAN – NEW DAYS
I’ll always be a fan of K-pop that sounds like an anime theme, and New Days‘ pulse-pounding rock adds anthemic heft to TAN’s varied discography.
17. FROMIS_9 – ATTITUDE
Sleek and chic, Attitude might be the best song fromis_9 never released as a title track. They pull off this stylish, slightly aloof, sound so well. (full review)
16. KEP1ER – TOGETHER FOREVER
Producers FULL8LOOM strike again, giving Kep1er one of their strongest songs yet. It’s a shame it’s buried as a b-side for a Japanese single because the instrumental’s swelling strings deserve to be heard by everyone.
15. JUST B – DRAMA
The effusive Drama opens Just B’s most recent album with a welcome dose of driving pop energy. The song thrives on its embrace of full-throated, optimistic melody. (full review)
14. U-KISS – PARTY TONIGHT
Party Tonight delivers a full sonic meal, keeping the intensity high throughout and building to a striking instrumental break that creates a memorable climax. (full review)
13. THE BOYZ – PASSIONFRUIT
Given its performance video, unit track Passionfruit could be considered a “single” of sorts, but I wanted to spotlight it here. It’s the funkiest moment on The Boyz’s summer album and only grew more addictive with time.
12. KIM SUNGKYU – SOMETIMES
Kim Sungkyu thrives when his voice is placed against interesting soundscapes, and the brilliant synths in Sometimes compel as strongly as his own performance. (full review)
11. THE WIND – SIRIUS
You can’t beat this barreling, youthful energy. Sirius starts slow, but soon snowballs into an anthemic dance track. It feels as fresh and inviting as a spring breeze.
10. AESPA – HOLD ON TIGHT
Interpolating the Tetris theme could have ended very badly, but by tying it to a rugged electro beat Hold On Tight drips with style. It’s aespa’s strongest 2023 track. (full review)
9. CRAVITY – FLY
CRAVITY are such quality purveyors of upbeat pop music. Fly is their brightest work this year and should be the template going forward. Its rollicking guitar and exciting melodies compliment the group so well. (full review)
8. ZEROBASEONE – NEW KIDZ ON THE BLOCK
New Kidz On The Block is arguably ZEROBASEONE’s catchiest song. Its house influences give it plenty of drive, but it’s the members’ personality that really shines.
7. SHINEE – LIKE IT
This should have ruled the summer of 2023 as SHINee’s big comeback track. Instead, it was relegated to a very strong b-side. It’s the spiritual successor to View, and you just can’t argue with that lineage. (full review)
6. ZEROBASEONE – BACK TO ZEROBASE
Thus far, Back To ZEROBASE is the crown jewel of ZB1’s burgeoning discography. It’s a rare vocal showcase, placing their harmonies over skittering drum and bass to brilliant effect. (full review)
5. NINE.i – HURT
Few 2023 choruses grabbed me as hard as Hurt‘s. I love the conviction in the performance, and this sense of drama becomes even more gripping when couched within the song’s hypnotic drum and bass beats.
4. KEP1ER – BACK TO THE CITY
You know I’ll always love a good 80’s pastiche, and K-pop isn’t quite done with them yet. Kep1er fit the style like a glove, quickly establishing Back To The City as their strongest song yet. (full review)
3. TAN – VIOLET
TAN’s Violet was recently re-recorded as a Japanese single, but I didn’t want it to get lost in that countdown. It’s too good for that. The group was on fire this year, proving their funk prowess with this exciting highlight. The breathy sample punctuating Violet‘s exciting chorus was an inspired choice. (full review)
2. B.I – DIE FOR LOVE (FT. JESSI)
To Die For follows an established summer song template but elevates it thanks to its lush, atmospheric production and unexpected rhythmic flourishes. It turns out B.I is right at home on a deep house beat, luxuriating over the addictive groove and infusing the style with a keen sense of melody. (full review)
1. NINE.i – POWER UP
NINE.i are going for the triple crown this year with my favorite b-side as well! To be honest, I listened to no b-side or album track more than Power Up this year. It’s such a blast of unfettered joy, bounding forward with a larger-than-life bubblegum pop sound and one of 2023’s biggest, best choruses. It’s an instant mood-lifter and charmingly cute without ever crossing the line into cloying. (full review)
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
happy to see fromis_9 attitude and kep1er together forever so high up! attitude was basically what i wanted from newjeans song “attention” but didn’t get. together forever is up there with bright, invigorating songs like april’s lalalilala or gfriend’s labyrinth.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I put together my top 10, but I probably left a few out:
1. B.I – Die for Love (ft. Jessi)
2. Le Sserafim – Eve, Psyche & Bluebeard’s Wife (this was originally a b-side, not sure of its status now)
3. Purple Kiss – Autopilot
4. tripleS – New Look
5. aespa – Hold On Tight
6. fromis_9 – Attitude
7. n.SSign – Melody [Hotflash: Nick underrates a Sweetune tune!]
8. Twice – Got the Thrills
9. Infinite – Time Difference
10. Lee Chaeyeon – I Don’t Wanna Know
LikeLike
Time Difference was SUCH a good song
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hate that all my lists feel incomplete since I’m behind on releases (apologies to Infinite, Taemin, SVT, Bang Ye Dam, D.O, ZB1, B.I, Taeyeon, Woohyun, Ateez, etc), but here’s a generous cut of my b-sides to date:
🔹Agust D (feat. Ryuichi Sakamoto, Woosung) – Snooze (my most played song on Spotify this year and the best thing I’ve heard from any of the BTS boys in years)
🔸BLITZERS – Question Mark (I don’t think y’all realize what a little gem this song is)
💎SHINee – Identity, Sweet Misery, Like It, The Feeling, Satellite (I know The Feeling qualifies for the title list, but I failed to put it on there so here it is. And in my world, it’s the soaring album closer)
🔸The Wind – With Us (speaking of soaring)
🔹Treasure – G.O.A.T, I Want Your Love, The Way To, Run…the only one I dislike is Bona Bona luv ya
🔸Dreamcatcher – Propose
🔹IVE – Blue Blood, Not That Girl
🔸Taeyang – Nightfall
🔹Key – Heartless, Easy, Live Without You
🔸Twice – Blame it on Me (I need Twice to rock out more often), Got the Thrills
🔹Purple Kiss – Autopilot
🔸REN – Autofill
🔹B.I – The Island of Misfit Toys, Beautiful (feat. Crying Nut), Michelangelo, Truth (been hitting Misfit Toys particularly hard lately)
🔸Chen – Mirage of Flower, Free World (love him. will definitely be revisiting these a lot)
🔹Lee Chaeyeon – Don’t Be a Jerk
🔸Woodz – …all of them (long live Woodz and his 🎸 agenda)
🔹Onew – Expectations, No Parachute, Paradise, Anywhere, Walk With You, Always…okay, I’ll stop.
🔸fromis_9 – Attitude, In the Mirror, What I Want, Eye Contact
🔹TAN – Violet
🔸The New Six – 1000 Miles
🔹NINE.i – Hurt, Like Crazy
🔸Kwon Eunbi – Beautiful Night
🔹Lucy – Never in vain, So What (the 🎻. I do so appreciate Yechan and his violin)
🔸Ateez – This World
🔹Kai – Sinner
🔸Monsta X – Lone Ranger (a hoot. a guilty pleasure)
🔹ONF – Be Here Now (nice to have them back!)
🔸Red Velvet – Will I Ever See You Again?, One Kiss, Nightmare
🔹Cravity – Fly
🔸Jihyo – Nightmare
🔹iKON – All The Way Here, Fighting (Song solo), Kiss Me (DK solo)
🔸Golden Child – Dear
🔹ZEROBASEONE – New Kidz on the Block, Back to ZEROBASE, and Always (cause Hao is my boy)
🔸U-KISS – Party Tonight, The Way You Are
I also just need to second how nice it is to hear Jinyoung’s voice again even if it’s on a song for an insurance commercial 😆.
I need a full B1A4 reunion 😭.
Add these onto my titles list, and it may look like a decently long list. However, I did some very scientific research and concluded that by liberal estimate, I enjoyed about 19% of the Kpop I listened to this year. Or out of 62.5 hrs, I only felt alive for maybe 12 of them 😆.
If I tightened up my playlist a bit for a more conservative estimate, it would probably land closer to 10%.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ok, one more list before I retract back into my hole. Groups I love dearly but whose music didn’t quite work/stand out for me this year:
-Seventeen (music hasn’t worked for the last few years really. Forever devastated about it)
-Vanner (album felt a bit mid, but I’m proud and excited for them)
-EXO (they’re EXO. I expect much greater things)
-BTOB (voices great as ever; songs a bit on the mediocre side)
LikeLiked by 2 people
the biggest surprise is definitely Hold On Tight making the top 10. to think that you rated it an 8 during its release! the Korobeiniki interpolation is probably the best I’ve ever heard this year, it just works so well as the chorus.
and two ZB1 songs in the top 10 is a W for me personally.
my favorites (in no particular order, except for Over Me):
1. Over Me – Overdose (BOYS PLANET)
Take My Hand – ZEROBASEONE
New Kidz on the Block – ZEROBASEONE
Jelly Pop – BOYS PLANET
Say My Name – Say Yes! (BOYS PLANET)
Kiss – NCT DOJAEJUNG
Hold On Tight – aespa
Blue Blood – IVE
Cherish – IVE
LikeLiked by 5 people
Those are my favorite BP songs as well…crazy to think that everyone in those songs (except for Kuanjui) has debuted or will debut next year.
LikeLiked by 3 people
they’re definitely the top 3 BP songs, they’re the most streamed songs on Spotify too LOL it’s refreshing to see that majority of the fans are on the same page when it came to the music
LikeLiked by 2 people
I was very surprised and proud that æspa’s “Hold On Tight” made it to the top 10. I really hope they do more cyberpunk tracks like it.
I’m definitely going to check out some of the b-sides that I missed from your list. Really looking forward to hearing “Attitude” and WOODZ’s catalog (I can’t believe I missed out on his releases this year :((. I enjoyed “Chaser” so this is something to look forward to)
Here are my favorite b-sides of the year (in no particular order):
SHINee – Satellite, Identity, Like It, Sweet Misery (Identity is my favorite out of the bunch but there’s no denying how strong this collection of b-sides is)
TXT – Growing Pain
IVE – Blue Blood, Hypnosis, Not Your Girl
Key (SHINee) – Heartless, CoolAs, Can’t Say Goodbye (honestly the majority of the Good & Great mini is really good)
æspa – Hold On Tight, YOLO, Hot Air Balloon
ZB1 – Back to ZEROBASE, New Kidz on the Block, Take My Hand
EXO – Love Fool, Cinderella, Regret It
Kai (EXO) – Sinner
DoJaeJung (NCT) – Kiss
Boys Planet – Jelly Pop, Over Me
Lee Chaeyeon – I Don’t Wanna Know
NMIXX – PAXXWORD
I think I might be missing a couple of other b-sides but I’ll probably add in a reply when I think of more. This is a fairly long list lmao.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Oh wait I forgot about the BTS guys lmao:
RM – All Day (with Tablo), Hectic (with Colde)
Jungkook – Yes or No (his album isn’t as strong as his three singles but this song is really nice and smooth)
LikeLiked by 1 person
I haven’t listened to many but from what I have my favorite bsides of the year :
TXT Farewell Neverland (Seriously this is my best memory of the Sugar Rush cb; this is a gorgeous song which gives goosebumps even when I think about it)
Ive Off the Record (Ok, I’m usually not one to pay attention to lyrics but a couple of the English phrases just instantaneously register and that one line of “late night conversations” just makes me emotional. For context , I’m super close with my sis and she moved our recently for work and we’re staying apart for such an extended time for the first time in like 20+ years…. and what I miss the most are our late night conversations…. and somehow the melancholy vibe of the song coupled with that line makes me feel a lot of emotions)
Ive Either Way (Again the melancholy vibe kinda connected to me and the flow of this is really good)
Other bsides :
The Xdinary Hero albums (their bsides always hit harddd!)
Kepler Back to the City
Enhypen Chacome
Dreamcatcher Propose & Demian
LikeLike
It has now occurred to me that many of my top songs are technically b-sides, howboudat.
LikeLiked by 1 person
My 1-20
It’s K-pop and fellow travelers (ie anything I like)
1 Misty NCT 127
2 Dust SEVENTEEN
3 Attitude – fromis_9
4 A to Z – CRAVITY
5 Bluffin – Hojean
6 Tangerine Love (Favorite) – NCT DREAM
7 Your day -MOONBIN&SANHA(ASTRO)
8 Insane (B.LEAGUE version) -Instrumental-Okazaki Taiiku,木村昴,アイクぬわら
9 Sinner – KAI
10 Sirius – The Wind
11 Waterfall – MINHO,LIM KIM
12 Promise – House Remix – Voyager
13 Fly – CRAVITY
14 Kiss – NCT DOJAEJUNG
15 Standing Next to You (Usher Remix) – Jung Kook,USHER
16 Phantom – Pierre Blanche Remix – WayV,Pierre Blanche
17 Ordinary World – Adam Lambert
18 Timeless Melody – Album Ver. -Subway Daydream
19 PADO – NCT U
20 Daydream – MONSTA X
LikeLiked by 1 person
Also, while NINE-I are favorites, they’re kind of languishing in the middle realms because while their new EP is immaculate, it’s just that. I miss the dash of grit and guitar they had on last year’s offerings. But hey! People are starting to notice them!
And that Jungkook/Usher joint might climb even higher next year because perfection.
LikeLike
My top 20 this year !!!
1. Rising, Dreamcatcher
2. Identity, SHINee
3. DEMIAN, Dreamcatcher
4. Skyscraper, NCT127
5. JUICE, SHINee
6. Holy Moly, IVE
7. Can’t Say Goodbye, KEY
8. nevertheless, Billlie
9. PADO, NCTU
10. BLAME IT ON ME, TWICE
11. Propose, Dreamcatcher
12. 10X, SHINee
13. Don’t Blink, aespa
14. Insomnia, SHINee
15. enchanted night, Billlie
16. WALLFLOWER, TWICE
17. Cherish, IVE
18. Not Your Fault, NCTU
19. Scenery, Red Velvet
20. Low-key Scared But H1-Key Ready, H1-Key
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think my list looks something like this:
1. Purple Kiss – Autopilot
2. LE SSERAFIM – Eve, Psyche, and The Bluebeard’s wife
3. fromis_9 – Attitude
4. VIVIZ – Untie
5. TWICE – Wallflower
6. aespa – Hold On Tight
7. Kep1er – Back To The City
8. IVE – Holy Moly
9. THE BOYZ – Fire Eyes
10. Key – Live Without You
11. Xdinary Heroes – PLUTO
12. Dreamcatcher – We Are Young
13. IVE – OTT
14. Dreamcatcher – Demian
15. LE SSERAFIM – Fire in the belly
16. EL7Z UP – Die For You
17. Loossemble – Newtopia
18. IVE – Not Your Girl
19. Red Velvet – Will I Ever See You Again?
20. IVE – Blue Blood
Honorable Mentions:
– ATEEZ – Silver Light
– Jungkook – Yes or No
– Key – CoolAs
– Lee Chaeyeon – I Don’t Wanna Know
– TXT – Farewell, Neverland
LikeLiked by 2 people
Happy to see Kep1er and El7z Up on someone’s list 🙂
And Autopilot is a deserved number 1.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes on the Passion Fruit appreciation! That was my top song on an already fantastic album but the performance vid really sealed the deal for me.
LikeLike
I’ve heavily overplayed Cravity Masterpiece, with Baddie and A to Z as instant favorites
+ (since I don’t see it nowhere, my mistake of it is the case) Poison from NCT Dream (hope it is the right subdimension…), Haechan’s vocals just feel at home there
LikeLike
Yes! Poison is soo good! ISTJ album was so underrated
LikeLiked by 1 person
my fav bsides of the year in chronological order (this year was an amazing year for bsides imo):
skyscraper – 127
colorful – triples
savior – tbz
candy bomb – onlyoneof
fly/baddie/a to z – cravity
hypnosis – ive
i dont wanna know – lee chaeyeon
attitude/prom night – fromis
10x – shinee
my secret playlist – oec
now and forever – mirae
back to zerobase – zb1
hurt – ninei
not like you – stayc
fantasize/fire eyes – tbz
kill shot – itzy
seoul sonyo sound/speed love – triples lovelution
role model – evnne
moto princess – triples evolution
take my hand – zb1
rat in the trap/escape – tbz
LikeLike
if u cant tell i rlly fucking love dnb lmao
LikeLike
I’m surprised to see “Hold on Tight” on here, but that’s cool! I enjoyed that song too!
LikeLike
My top 20!!:
1. Busted by WOODZ
2. Bad blood from queendom puzzle
3. hold on tight by aespa
4. Like We Just Met by nct dream
5. Django by ateez
6. Oh My Gosh by xikers
7. Over Me from boys planet
8. Rising by dreamcatcher
9. Drowning by WOODZ
10. STAY TOGETHER by TRI.BE
11. Jelly pop from boys planet
12. Parade by nct 127
13. Man in the box by xdinary heroes
14. But I like you by boynextdoor
15. Chaconne by enhypen
16. The Rizzness by taemin
17. Memories by riize
18. Freddy by xdinary heroes
19. Burn it down by taeyeon
20. welcome to my world by aespa ft naevis
honourable mentions: i want your love by treasure, 404 file not found by taeyong, autopilot and agit by purple kiss, silver light by ateez, propose by dreamcatcher.
I would include wayv and xg but idk if they count as kpop
LikeLike
if there’s anything you’d like to recommend me based off this, pls feel free to!
LikeLike