10 Best K-Pop Songs of 2023

2023 has been high on hits from major acts and new arrivals, collaborations, singles, and solo numbers across categories, concepts, techniques, and soundscapes. Here is an ensemble of the 10 Best K-Pop Songs of 2023, not as a ranking but as a set of tunes we’ve played the most.

“Haegeum” – Agust D (BTS’ Suga)

Rich hip-hop sound in a dark, dramatic music video—evoking the mood of a chic Korean noir movie—typifies this second single from Agust D’s debut studio album, D-Day.

It is a societal commentary in a dynamic arrangement and reference to the classic Korean string instrument haegeum, with the pun implying that “freedom” is not the same as “self-indulgence.” The term “haegeum” in Korean also means “lifting a ban,” signifying the theme of the song—doing away with limitations.

It considers how social media, capitalism, money, envy, hate, and greed have enslaved us and asks if we’re being engulfed by a “tsunami of information.” With his commanding presence, Agust D asks and raps, letting “Haegeum” pound with its “lively rhythm,” sophistication, and vigor.

“Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard’s Wife” – LE SSERAFIM

Allegorizing women who dismiss rules, the song uses archetypes including the biblical Eve, the Greek soul goddess Psyche, and Bluebeard’s wife from a French folktale.

Featuring bouncy funk electropop disco sounds, the second track of LE SSERAFIM’s debut studio album, Unforgiven, emphasizes women’s empowerment via a chilled-out rhythm that fits its hip façade.

“Like Crazy” – Jimin (BTS)

The second single off BTS’s Jimin’s staggering debut solo studio album, Face, “Like Crazy” is a catchy synth-pop smash; its words, notably “This will break me/This is gonna break me/No, don’t you wake me/I wanna stay in this dream,” found in the Korean version, describe an unwillingness to cope with losing a lover.

Emotions flow in the music video over the backdrop of a neon-lit revelry. Its sensuous tones snugly spotlight Jimin’s distinct singing.

“Sugar Rush Ride” – TXT

“Sugar Rush Ride” is TXT’s odyssey into dark fantasies—the lead track on their fifth extended play, The Name Chapter: Temptation.

Here, the boys, in their gestures and vocals, ooze mesmeric pop ingredients to convey the euphoric high that is devouring them in a surreal paradise. Words like “I can feel it, I can’t resist it/ That sweet devilish smile/ You open my locked door so easily/ Oh my, I see the stars/ The devil said/ Gimme, gimme more…” bring them face-to-face with this fatal rush.

A superb composition, a more mature context, and fresh sounds give the piece an extra layer of brightness while also expanding TXT’s oeuvre.

“Super Shy” – NewJeans

“Super Shy” embodies an ebullient, infectious, and inescapably animated soul. The song is a cross between bubblegum, liquid funk, and Jersey club tunes. Featuring a rapid rhythm that lends the song an atmospheric bounce while going over how shy they are in professing love, NewJeans’ imprint on the bubblegum pop realm manifests itself.

The evocative synths lure you into the bustling scene as the girls drive throngs of people around to follow their lead in an energetic dance.

“Cupid” – FIFTY FIFTY

“Cupid” hit the mark worldwide, marking FIFTY FIFTY’s first and fastest admission on the UK Singles Chart and the Billboard Hot 100.

It’s a synth-pop, disco-pop, and bubblegum-flavored single about a failed romance and the shame it gives a girl. The song went viral on social media, spawning a ton of Instagram reels, TikTok videos, and Spotify streams—quite a feat for the up-and-coming girl group.

Easy on the ears, the breezy throwback melody resonates most with subtle dance beats, fresh vocals, and effective rapping to pepper the mood. Its vivacity, city-pop flair, and fluttering heartbeat win you over.

“Super” – SEVENTEEN

Glorifying SEVENTEEN’s success in pushing past barriers while alluding to Sun Wukong, the fabled Monkey King, “Super” sounds eclectic; a tour de force, it dropped as one of two lead singles off their extended play, FML.

The analogies are obvious: “I looked at the ground and kept going to the top/Faced everything like I’m so proud, I always win/It’s key that you’ve got a strong will/The future’s not going anywhere, not until I let go…” in addition to words like “Don’t break till we make it/ Feels like I turned into Sun Wukong…” state their meteoric rise and passion.

“Super” is an earworm in its choreography, groove, lyricism, rapping, and booming beat patterns. Still, Mingyu and Joshua’s “DARUMDARIMDA,” alongside the delicious drop, hits differently.

“I Am” – IVE

This song grows on you effortlessly. It’s the lead single of IVE’s first studio album, I’ve Ive, a commercial hit and a spectacular K-pop jam with profound and perceptive undertones. Being ‘I am’—the success story you aspire to be—means loving yourself, believing in yourself, and having the confidence to succeed in life.

That’s a great message, as is the song; the groove and sound reflect pop brilliance. It feels fabulous the entire time, especially the chorus, in sync with the composition.

The MV is lavish and lustrous, getting gorgeous by the minute as the girls do their bit in style. The production is top-notch, and I want to highlight how it uses these unique transitions, edited perfectly. Bottomline: “I Am” is all things great rolled into one—great music, great lyrics, great vocals, and visuals; it exemplifies—IVE is going great guns, befittingly put: “I’m in sky high, oh, my God/The trivial things are fading away.”

“Flower” – Jisoo (BLACKPINK)

The hook section of “Flower” is at its very best; the song hit a home run, soaring to number two on the Billboard Global 200, to be Jisoo’s maiden top-ten hit on the list of hits. I think of “Flower” as a legato, with its melodies being interwoven and flowing and the artist’s voice expressing them succinctly.

Jisoo performs it, of exiting an unhealthy relationship, redolent of only the aroma of a flower—indicative of her grief—on this debut solo single.

True to its name, “Flower” is replete with luxurious aesthetics and hues; it fully blooms as she rises above the pain. Her characteristic low notes come through as the mix dance pop trap number cruises, bettered by a hint of Caribbean influence.

“Seven” – Jung Kook (BTS), feat. Latto

“Seven” is a love-infused garage pop hit about longing to be with the lover “seven days a week.” Except desires get deeper and unfiltered in the track’s explicit version.

The song has been on a roll, amassing record metrics, streams, and accomplishments for the BTS superstar.

The jumped tempo presses the tune on top. While maintaining a finely controlled pitch, Jung Kook’s slick voice and soft falsetto meld in happily. More zing is thrown in at the last leg’s cool Latto verse.

As he shows his passion for Han So-hee in the sepia-rich cinematic song video, Jung Kook offers his intrinsically sexy, casual, carefree charm; the vibe is unavoidable.