My Top 15 Kpop Songs of 2022
(15) 'Tank' - NMIXX
I have disliked many NMIXX songs this year, but 'Tank' was not one of them. It's gloriously weird, and is the perfect earworm. You will almost certainly hate it upon first listen, but within hours of hearing it, it will echo in your mind until it's all you think about.
(13) 'After LIKE' - IVE
I did this song SO DIRTY in my review. I thought its sampling and speed would be its downfall, but here we are, with it at number 14. This song can only be described as glorious - it's the midpoint between third generation and fourth generation, it’s the culmination of all of IVE’s work so far, it’s the epitome of kpop. And yet, it’s only at 14. That shows how good 2022 kpop has been.
(14) 'Blue Flame' - Le Sserafim
The first of many Le Sserafim entries on my list, ‘Blue Flame’ playfully shows off the group's undeniable potential. It’s lilting and mesmerising, low key and relaxed, and the girls’ vocals dance around the beat with pseudo–naivety.
(12) 'Still Life' - RM
RM’s ‘Indigo’ album is pure magic, but ‘Still Life’ has stuck with me more than any other track. The song’s defiant euphoria is delicious, and Namjoon’s ‘don’t give a fuck’ attitude works so well. This song laughs in your face, and then pulls you onto the dance floor. It’s a reminder to take life less seriously, a message that many of us, including myself, need to hear.
(11) 'Impurities' - Le Sserafim
‘Impurities’ is ‘Blue Flame’ at 1000%. The whimsy and delicacy are even more so, and the whole song is like falling into another dimension. It’s like an acid trip in the best way. Chaewon shines on this song, demonstrating a softer side to her we don’t usually get to see.
(10) 'Generation' - TripleS AAA
The immediacy of ‘Generation’ has consumed all my thoughts. I don’t care if the lyrics are meaningless, because this song is pure, addictive joy. It immediately brings a smile to the face - and it demands you dance. It’s a small pocket of teenage perfection.
(9) 'Cookie' - NewJeans
I know it’s problematic, I know it’s kind of odd, I know, but I can’t help loving this song. ‘Cookie’ is constructed perfectly, and keeps you unbelievably hooked, despite its minimalistic sound. NewJeans never miss.
(8) 'DM' - fromis_9
We forgot about ‘DM’ too quickly. While this song reinvents nothing and explores no new territory, it does pop to the highest degree. It’s a feast for your ears from the first to the last second. I literally have no critiques, it’s a flawless pop song.
(7) 'ANTIFRAGILE' - Le Sserafim
OH MY GOD. Everything about this song makes me ascend to another plane of existence. The languid vocals, the squeaky beat, the CHORUS, the dance, EVERYTHING. Chaewon is the beating heart of this song, but it's Kazuha that ties everything together into one of the greatest girl pop songs of the fourth generation. It shouldn’t work as well as it does, but I’m not complaining.
(6) 'Heart Burn' - Sunmi
This song has been on my mind since release. I don’t even truly know why I love it so much - sonically and vocally it isn’t insanely unique, but somehow the whole package forms a song that is utter perfection. Sunmi is an enchantress on this track.
(5) 'Glitch' - Kwon Eunbi
The 8-bit production, Eunbi’s soft vocals, the reinvented anti drop, the thrumming bass - this song is a recipe for perfection. Every risk it takes pays off to the point where they aren’t even risks anymore, just the perfect choice for the song. The UK garage sound works wonderfully with Eunbi, and I pray she returns to it. And fuck me the final chorus of the song is pure, divine magic.
(4) 'Anywhere But Home' - Seulgi
The entirety of Seulgi’s ‘28 Reasons’ album is artistically flawless, but ‘Anywhere But Home’ has something the other tracks don’t. It operates within the space between melancholic and exhilarated, between desperate and careless, and it works so well. Let’s not leave this masterpiece in this year, it has the longevity to keep it afloat for many years to come.
(3) 'Forever 1' - Girls' Generation
It is physically impossible to listen to this song and not dance. Its energy is indescribable - it’s a celebration of SNSD’s legacy, and even if you are a new fan of them like myself, it makes you feel like you were there in 2007 when ‘Into The New World’ changed the industry forever. Girls’ Generation are beyond iconic, and this song solidified what we already knew - SNSD are the queens of kpop.
(2) 'Hype Boy' - NewJeans
One night, all the stars and planets aligned in a once in a lifetime event, and on that night, one of the greatest songs of all time was created. ‘Hype Boy’ is an instant classic. It’s timeless, it’s playful, it’s the most familiar song to ever exist, it’s A FUCKING LIFESTYLE. And yet, it’s at number two. What sort of god given instant smash hit could possibly beat out fucking ‘Hype Boy’? What kind of group could even do that? Who else, but NewJeans themselves.
(1) 'Attention' - NewJeans
I clearly remember the first time I heard this song - it was like 5pm and I opened youtube, only to see a new music video on HYBE’s channel from a group I didn’t recognise. I clicked, and watched it, and instantly I fell in love. I listened to it on repeat, and then spent the rest of the evening desperately searching for the little information about this group that was available. I checked spotify every day for when this song would be uploaded, and when it blew up about a week later I couldn’t be happier. ‘Attention’ has it all. The production, the vocals, the originality, it’s all unbelievably good. Within a week NewJeans became my favourite fourth generation group, and every day they rival Twice to be my ults. NewJeans are my rookies of the year, and their debut album is literally my favourite kpop album of all time. Their first comeback is only around the corner, and I can’t even imagine the hits on that album. Congratulations NewJeans, you’ve stolen my heart along with the hearts of the entire kpop listening community. I can’t wait to see what you do in 2023.
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