Over the past couple years, k-pop has been slowly creeping into my everyday listening routine. Before then, it was mostly j-pop and j-rock that had captured my attention, and most due to the anime shows that I had been following. Like many that were around in the 90s, boy bands were a big thing for me. In fact, Backstreet Boys’ Millenium was the first album I ever bought, and to this date, few things lighten up my day more than a BSB or NSYNC song.
I really do not recall what were some of the songs that I began to listen to back then, but groups like Super Junior and SHINee were among the first to have made an impact. Since then, my journey into k-pop has expanded greatly. Likely due to my deep appreciation for 90s boy bands, the groups that I gravitate toward are those that to some extent stick to that sound. While I’m still able to appreciate other groups, it may take a while for me to warm up to them.
Below, you will find a list of my favorite songs from this year in ascending order. Happy listening!!!
HANN (Alone) - (G)I-DLE
Album: HANN (Alone)
I Want You - SHINee
Album: The Story of Light
BOSS - NCT U
Album: NCT 2018 Empathy
Shangri-La - VIXX
Album: Eae du VIXX
Oh My! - Seventeen
Album: You Make My Day
BBIBBI - IU
Album: BBIBBI
Baby Don’t Stop - NCT U
Album: NCT 2018 Empathy
Shine - Pentagon
Album: Positive
Give Me A Chance - Lay
Album: Namanana
Sunset - Kim Dong Han
Album: D-Day
Honorable Mentions
K-pop, like all music genres, has a constant stream of new music, and as you can expect, I’m not always able to keep up. What you’ll find below is a list of songs that I also enjoyed, but didn’t quite hit the mark, or I’m still processing.