I know there are many readers who look forward to this post each year, but I’ve been putting it off because I just don’t have many songs to inaugurate!
For those new to the blog, this is a feature where I reveal any songs that have grown into a 10-out-of-10 rating since their initial review. A “10” is a lofty rating and one that I rarely use. I believe songs need time to reach this level since you can’t accurately judge longevity without experiencing actual longevity. And as the K-pop industry continues to change, 10-out-of-10 songs are becoming ever more rare than they used to be.
With the advent of my “A Career in Song Ratings” feature, it’s been a lot easier to bestow tens on older songs, so this post will only focus on newer tracks that have reached this threshold. This year, there are only two.
What do you think, readers? Are there any recent songs you’d rate 10 out of 10?
- First Annual Inauguration Ceremony
- Second Annual Inauguration Ceremony
- Third Annual Inauguration Ceremony
- Fourth Annual Inauguration Ceremony
- Fifth Annual Inauguration Ceremony
- Sixth Annual Inauguration Ceremony
2025
AHOF – Rendezvous
Original Review
Rating change: 8.75 –> 10
TWS – Overdrive
Original Review
Rating change: 9.25 –> 10
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
Damn, just two songs and no j-pop is depressing. But oh well, Rendezvous, Ember to Solar (shame that it’s a b-side 💔) and VVV are 10s for me. While Like You Better and N.I.N are 9.75 for me.
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Quite the shame we didn’t get a j-pop song for last year, it ought to be the first in a very long time 😢
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Yeah, it was a very weak year imo. Not sure 2026 will be any different.
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This year has been dire for both J-Pop AND K-Pop. I don’t think we’d even get a song this year cross 9.5 by next year, let alone get a 10 :’)
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Sorry gotta correct you here but shinee’s Atmos is definitely a 9.5+, Nick himself did raise it on his Risers list, though I agree with the general sentiment
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I know, I meant that I doubt we’d get a song from this year get past 9.5 and get even a 9.75 if nkt a 10 by next year. Although I can see Atmos reach a 9.75 though but I can’t say for the rest…
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I second your Ember to Solar and VVV, and also add Blue Valentine to the list.
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And ngl, I was sure that TWS’ Countdown would also get a 10 since it was 3rd in the best kpop songs list + I noticed that you always give the top 3 songs of the year a 10 in the ceremony the following year 😭
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bruh this is Lowkey depressing
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I know. That’s why I was hesitant about publishing it! 😭
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there’s really no songs from past years that rose to a 10?
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None that I haven’t already featured.
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Umm…. I think it’s totally make sense if there’ll be lesser songs that available for legendary song inauguration ceremony. Over the past ceremonies Nick already gave 10/10 to all of the strong & available contenders here (for those that Nick had post a review here), and thus for the newer ceremony Nick could only choose either the past year’s top rated song, and some leftovers (sorry if I used this word) top-rated songs that hasn’t been picked.
I would truly understand and assuming that for the future ceremony most likely only able to select back the past year’s top rated songs to be in list.
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Not sure if you’re aware, Nick, but KiiiKiii has again surprisingly drop their pre-released “Candy Pop Magic Flip Phone”. No spoiler but ‘m waiting to give my comment after you’ve reviewed it, haha.
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I’m happy to see these two songs reach legendary status, and I don’t mind that it’s only those two songs.
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Just curious, but are there any bsides that have reached 10/10 for you since 2020? If so, what are they? I don’t think I remember seeing any adjusted scoring on those songs so I’ve been curious for a long time 🙂
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Lucy’s Flare and Taeyeon’s Time Lapse made it into the 2021 edition and a few J-pop b-sides have been sprinkled in as well. I can’t think of any others off the top of my head, but I may need to re-assess.
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I remember you mentioned in your 2022 ceremony that ATEEZ’ Take Me Home and SHINee’s I Really Want You were on the brink of getting 10/10, so I wonder if those two had their ratings changed now (even if not a 10) or still the same? I’m also curious to know how you’d rate Ember to Solar now
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So happy to see Rendezvous here. That song got me back into kpop fr.
also, Like You Better and Pinocchio aren’t Legendary Songs to me but they’re close. I’m surprised to see no songs from pre-2025 or early 2000s and 2010s.
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I don’t inaugurate songs that existed before this blog started. Those get taken care of in the “Career in Song Ratings” feature.
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Only 2? and no Japanese releases nor Chinese? And nothing from the past you raised to a 10? That’s… depressing.
But don’t worry, I have a plethora of songs I bumped to a 10
2025:Rendezvous – AHOFBTTF – NCT DreamStyle – Hearts2HeartsLike You Better – fromis_9Lemonade Fever – Cravity
2024:H! Teen – The Wind2023:Feel Me – Golden ChildThe Wonderful Escape – U-KISSThe Feeling – SHINeeThe Flash – Kwon EunbiOn and On – Ampers&OneHeartbeat – TAN
2022:Pop?Pop! – CSRDance On – ALICEThe One – Drippin’Chiquita – Rocket PunchMove Like This – Kang Daniel, An Yujin, Kim Yuna2021:Popping – ONFGoosebumps – ONFPirate – EverglowKILLA – MIRAEBreathe – Golden ChildMoon Rider – BDCChi Mat Ba Ram – Brave GirlsAfter We Ride – Brave GirlsEternal Sunshine – ATEEZDon’t Call Me – SHINeeTrigger – VeriveryBad Love – KeyBlind – Ciipher
2020:One(Lucid Dream) – Golden ChildGoblin(Favorite Boys) – A.C.ELa Di Da – EverglowW.ALL – GHOST9LALALILALA – AprilAnswer – AteezLay Back – VeriverySoul Lady – YukikaNostalgia – Drippin100 – SuperMBack Door – Stray Kids
2019:HIT – SeventeenSSFWL – Oh My GirlBeautiful Days – LovelyzHold On Me – WooHyunValkyrie – OneusRing Ring Ring – VeriveryMissing – TRCNGNANANA – IMFACTYou Calling My Name – GOT7As You Wish – WJSNBoogie Up – WJSNFocus – Kim DongHan
2018:Paradise – TSTRight Here – The BoyzBlack Heart – UNBTo Heart – fromis_9That Day — LovelyzHelp Me – Nu’ est W
2017:Can Be Better — HighlightHoliday – Girls’ GenerationParadise – S.E.STake It – MVPWe Like – PristinJuliette – RainzPower – ExoHwi Hwi – LaboumWonderful Love – MomolandOh NaNa – KARD
2016:Someone Like U – Dal ShabetBack Again – KNKAngel – Berry GoodConfession – ASTROLucky One – ExoPlaying With Fire – BLACKPINKSecret – WJSNThe Eye – InfiniteSave Me – BTSBetter Day – 100%
I might have more, but this is what I have for now
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Stupid formatting
2025:
Rendezvous – AHOF
BTTF – NCT Dream
Style – Hearts2Hearts
Like You Better – fromis_9
Lemonade Fever – Cravity
2024:
H! Teen – The Wind
2023:
Feel Me – Golden Child
The Wonderful Escape – U-KISS
The Feeling – SHINee
The Flash – Kwon Eunbi
On and On – Ampers&One
Heartbeat – TAN
2022:
Pop?Pop! – CSR
Dance On – ALICE
The One – Drippin’
Chiquita – Rocket Punch
Move Like This – Kang Daniel, An Yujin, Kim Yuna
2021:
Popping – ONF
Goosebumps – ONF
Pirate – Everglow
KILLA – MIRAE
Breathe – Golden Child
Moon Rider – BDC
Chi Mat Ba Ram – Brave Girls
After We Ride – Brave Girls
Eternal Sunshine – ATEEZ
Don’t Call Me – SHINee
Trigger – Verivery
Bad Love – Key
Blind – Ciipher
2020:
One(Lucid Dream) – Golden Child
Goblin(Favorite Boys) – A.C.E
La Di Da – Everglow
W.ALL – GHOST9
LALALILALA – April
Answer – Ateez
Lay Back – Verivery
Soul Lady – Yukika
Nostalgia – Drippin
100 – SuperM
Back Door – Stray Kids
2019:
HIT – Seventeen
SSFWL – Oh My Girl
Beautiful Days – Lovelyz
Hold On Me – WooHyun
Valkyrie – Oneus
Ring Ring Ring – Verivery
Missing – TRCNG
NANANA – IMFACT
You Calling My Name – GOT7
As You Wish – WJSN
Boogie Up – WJSN
Focus – Kim DongHan
2018:
Paradise – TST
Right Here – The Boyz
Black Heart – UNB
To Heart – fromis_9
That Day — Lovelyz
Help Me – Nu’ est W
2017:
Can Be Better — Highlight
Holiday – Girls’ Generation
Paradise – S.E.S
Take It – MVP
We Like – Pristin
Juliette – Rainz
Power – Exo
Hwi Hwi – Laboum
Wonderful Love – Momoland
Oh NaNa – KARD
2016:
Someone Like U – Dal Shabet
Back Again – KNK
Angel – Berry Good
Confession – ASTRO
Lucky One – Exo
Playing With Fire – BLACKPINK
Secret – WJSN
The Eye – Infinite
Save Me – BTS
Better Day – 100%
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girl groups released banger after banger in 2022
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I only just went through K-pop history last year, so here’s what I’ve got:
TVXQ! – Wrong Number
Girls’ Generation – Gee
SUPER JUNIOR – Sorry, Sorry
SHINee – Lucifer
SHINee – Obsession
KARA – Step
SUPER JUNIOR – Mr. Simple
EXO-K – History
SHINee – Sherlock
Topp Dogg – Follow Me
Red Velvet – Red Flavor
Dreamcatcher – BOCA
ITZY – Not Shy
WayV – Turn Back Time
NCT DREAM – My Youth
Weeekly – After School
ATEEZ – HALAZIA
Cherry Bullet – Love In Space
NewJeans – Hype Boy
woo!ah! – Rollercoaster
NewJeans – Super Shy
NewJeans – Zero
aespa – Welcome To MY World
ATEEZ – BOUNCY
EL7Z UP – CHEEKY
J.Y. Park – Changed Man
Kep1er- Shooting Star
NMIXX – DASH
Red Velvet – Cosmic
ILLIT – Magnetic (the song that converted me to k-pop)
NCT DREAM – i hate fruits
NCT DREAM – No Escape
NCT DREAM – Heavenly
NCT DREAM – Flying Kiss
fromis_9 – Supersonic
xikers – Red Sun
KickFlip – Band-Aid
KickFlip – My First Love Song
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four DREAMSCAPE songs, iktr (that album is getting me through a lot these days so I’m glad to see similar sentiment)
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Nice! It’s the best kpop album I’ve heard so far. Should be 5 10’s from it actually, but I have some small issues with lyrics in Rains in Heaven (going all English is damn risky). There are 2 others from them that should be 10s too, but have some tiny flaw: Hello Future (some comical water drop sounds), Rainbow (lyrics again).
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Oops Rainbow’s flaw isn’t lyrics, they’re amazing (since I can’t understand them). It’s the trap percussion I find slightly distracting.
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“Countdown” could’ve been “Complete” levels of good had they improved the verses tweaked the song’s length. It has their best chorus.
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Countdown is brushing against “10” for me, mostly due to bias. The thing that keeps me from feeling totally comfortable is that the version I consider “complete” is my own DIY version with an extra drop/finale. The official version feels incomplete, and that’s the one I’d have to rate. But yeah… incredible chorus.
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My comment below was supposed to be a reply here.
Let me repeat it:
“Can you link that version here, pretty please? I never got to hear it.”
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Here you go!
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Can you link that version here, pretty please? I never got to hear it.
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how close is sakurazaka46’s “i want tomorrow to come”?
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Close! In fact, it might already be there. It slipped my mind to re-evaluate this song for this post.
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that’s nice to hear
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Sad there’s only two songs, but what absolute fantastic two songs though!
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