K-pop has had its share of scandals, controversies, and accusations of unfair label practices. Yet, 2024 was when it felt like some of the industry’s darkest machinations became alarmingly visible.
While the dissolution of LOONA and dismantling of 2023’s crossover rookies FiftyFifty in years prior felt like one-offs, few could’ve imagined that NewJeans, one of the most celebrated and trendsetting girl groups of the modern era, were all but ripped apart by insider label politics that played out in the tabloids. Meanwhile, the “global girl group” that was formed by Geffen/Hybe via the American streaming series Popstar Academy: Katseye gave several people a first-time view of how uncompromising the K-idol training regimen can be, and AppleTV’s excellent series K-Pop Idols dove into one of the most candid views yet record of the brutal expectations that Korean idols and labels operate under.
While legendary K-pop innovator HyunA shelved an international tour under the weight of a controversial public romance and the toxic response of a member returning to boy group Riize resulted in nothing short of international condemnation, there was still much to celebrate in a year that was oversaturated with surprising narratives. While Babymonster put up streaming numbers like the Blackpink replacement they were clearly designed to be, the solo activities of the Blackpink girls ran a panoply of fascinating styles, proving that YG Records’ extremely delayed release pattern was perhaps holding them back creatively.
Girl groups like (G)-IDLE, aespa, and Le Sserafim all battled for A-list status (and all won in their ways), while upstarts like Kiss of Life, tripleS, and ALL(H)OURS proved that even small labels could make big waves so long as you had the songs and the talent. The world’s most consistent boy group, Seventeen, continue to feel unstoppable. BIBI remains the only idol who can release any song in any style (no matter how controversial) while still garnering acclaim and comebacks by Hwasa and Twice‘s shock solo champion Nayeon hit that feel-good dance-pop spot. Even ICHILLIN’, a young outfit that never stuck to a style long enough to develop an identity, closed out the year with their best single (“Official”) since their first two back in 2021. (While we’re at it, young rapper Daniel Jikal’s solo debut failed to unleash the shockingly creative and fun energy of his TikTok originals, and P Nation would be wise to tap into that sense of fun in the future.)
So get out your photo cards, turn on your light stick, and embrace the fun, wild ride of 2024’s top-tier K-pop offerings.
15. Dreamcatcher – “Justice” (Dreamcatcher)
Dreamcatcher have come a long way since debuting as the bubbly outfit MINX in 2014. “Justice” is a single from Dreamcatcher’s tenth mini-album, and with each new release, their blending of hard rock textures with the K-pop aesthetics gets more and more refined, as if sharpening a blade to a state as polished as it is deadly. While songs like “BOCA” and “Maison” had elements of play to their six-string squalls, “Justice” finds the girl group at their most dramatic, using a simple snare beat and swelling synth verses to lead to a chorus that gives us their most stunning of vocal climaxes.
The lyrics talk about struggling with internal pain and finding one’s passion through a sense of justice, but the performances by the whole septet after the bridge are nothing short of hair-raising (with Yoohyeon giving possibly the best belt we’ve heard all year). Dreamcatcher’s secret is that they never fall into melodrama, instead tackling their songs head-on with serious intent. “Justice” isn’t only one of the year’s best songs, but it might even be Dreamcatcher’s best title track, period.
14. BOYNEXTDOOR “Nice Guy” (KOZ Entertainment)
While rapper Zico’s KOZ Entertainment label has previously been disclosed as a loss leader for massive parent company Hybe, the label’s sole boy group BOYNEXTDOOR, have been slowly building up a fan base while releasing increasingly-risky songs. The manic energy of this year’s earlier hit “Earth, Wind & Fire” proved that this sextet didn’t need to play by conventional boy band wisdom to find success, and the playful, warm-hearted “Nice Guy” takes an even bigger swing. A laid-back, horn-driven mid-tempo number that opens with Woonhak saying, “Don’t be such a wuss”? It’s genuinely playful in a way that most cutesy-concept groups only attempt to be, with a self-doubting chorus that is effectively played for comedy.
While so many younger-skewing K-groups need their singles to be unmissable events, BOYNEXTDOOR have discovered the power of counter-programming, going soft and laid-back when everyone else is trying to be so loud. When Taesan tries to claim, “Sexy and about my business / All my works delicious,” it’s clear that the group toe the line of pure camp. Just like their namesake, BOYNEXTDOOR is iLike relatable, and now that they’ve figured out their identity, they might soon become K-pop’s first truly casual superstars.
13. (G)-IDLE “Wife” (Cube)
Some loved it with a passion. Others thought it was the worst song of the year. Yet no matter where you stand, there is no denying that “Wife” started a conversation, and in a year where the self-made idols (G)-IDLE put out both thundering anthems (“Super Lady”) and cloying radio wallpaper (“Klaxon”), “Wife” might as well be the group’s most distinct release to date. Over a simple dance beat, Soyeon and team describe simple domestic matters like cooking and cleaning while also implying a sense of otherness: are they fulfilling the role of a wife? Are they complying with societal standards or doing these begrudgingly? Is any of this sexy to you, the almost-husband?
On the outro, they say they want their partner to feel so high even if they “don’t wanna wife”. For its simple setup and meme-worthy music video, a surprising amount of socio-political commentary is packed into this winking, suggestive song. It might be (G)-IDLE’s most divisive song to date — and it might just be their masterpiece.
12. Kep1er “Tipi-Tap” (WakeOne)
As fun and talented as Kep1er have always been, their timing never worked out as intended. While debut single “Wa Da Da” was a certified hit, their quick entry onto yet another idol survival show (Queendom) after literally being formed in one did little to break them out of their perceptions as little more than excitable rookies. They put out exciting title tracks, but none of them could match the success of “Wa Da Da”. Following an amicably planned member reshuffling following a contract renewal, Kep1er is now a tight seven-piece, and “Tipi-Tap” is the sound of a group recapturing its magic.
Over a smooth electro beat, the girls reflect on the emotions that arise over text messages (hence all the tipi-tapping) and how they’re convinced that digital romance can be real, all until that chorus comes in and gives us waves of clattering computer percussion. While “Wa Da Da” and the perennially underrated “Up!” had the girls delivering big and colorful refrains, there’s a melodic maturity to “Tipi-Tap” that could only be executed by a group that was confident in their sonic identity. Despite losing two beloved members, Kep1er came back more determined than ever to prove their worth, and they ended up tipi-tapping into our hearts.
11. loossemble “TTYL” (CTDENM)
After the contentious and very public dissolution of the 12-member girl group LOONA following multiple accusations of entertainment industry malpractice, LOONA fans (ORBIT) were poised to support these dozen idols in their post-lawsuit endeavors, and, surprisingly, their success has been moderate. While LOONA were more beloved by international fans than by the local Korean market, simple metrics like YouTube view counts only point to how the LOONA fandom has been whittled down to its core. It’s a strange thing to witness, especially given that several of the girls, whether in newly formed groups or as solo artists, have been consistently putting out the best K-pop singles of any given year.
Loossemble (consisting of HyunJin, YeoJin, ViVi, Go Won, and HyeJu) are already on their third mini-album and are currently three-for-three when it comes to title tracks. Over an amped-up dance beat and percolating keyboards, the quintet plays hard-to-get in flirty conversation while all the “la la las” and easy-to-learn dance moves in the music video create a sense of pure bubblegum escapism. Iconic pop diva Robyn once speculated that writing happy songs was harder than sad songs because it took so much more effort to make joy feel genuine. Under that logic, it’s clear that much love and labor went into something as breezy-yet-perfect as “TTYL”.
10. Kiss of Life “Sticky” (S2)
Many attribute Kiss of Life’s ascent to near instantaneous stardom because of their pedigree, as Julie, Natty, Belle, and Haneul all trained at different high-profile agencies before ultimately linking up. Yet what made them stand out from the rest of their contemporaries from the onset was their songs: dynamic, trend-avoiding tracks that used elements like acoustic slide guitars and woodwinds to create a vibe that felt distinct in the cluttered Melon charts. “Sticky” might be their most conventional-sounding song to date, but this lush mid-tempo number radiates a natural warmth. One of the most dynamite non-album singles in recent memory, “Sticky” will stick around for a long time.
9. ALL(H)OURS “Shock” (Eden)
ALL(H)OURS’s debut single, “Gotcha”, barely made the earth move when it dropped in early 2024. Eden Entertainment is a small label, and it seemed they had gambled much of their fortune on a very generic boy-crush sound. Yet “Shock” was truly a shock. While SM’s experimental ScreaM sublabel could have potentially been a breeding ground for the darkwave-meets-EDM styling of “Shock”, the fact that it came out on such a small label — and as a lead single for a boy band, no less! — felt like the kind of bold move a label would make when they genuinely have nothing left to lose.
The gambit paid off, as “Shock”, with its absolutely pummeling synths, is so far removed from conventional K-pop aesthetics that it immediately turned heads. While the younger vocal range of this seven-piece sometimes belies the hard concept, the heavy vocal filters — to say nothing of that group shout of a chorus — give the song a powerful push. “Kickstart the beast!” they shout during the refrain, and it’s less an instruction than it is stating what they just did: launching a thundering new era not just for themselves but potentially all of K-pop.