As I said at the end of the last post, this was the hardest list for me to make. There were nearly 40 songs I wanted to put on this list, even with the 1 song per artist rule. So, there were quite a few songs I loved that didn't make it, unfortunately. That also means it was extremely difficult to order these songs, even without set rankings. Basically, I love all the songs on this list, so the order of this list is pretty changeable depending on my mood.
- 1 song per artist per list
- No set rankings (order is generally good to best)
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"기괴한 이야 Bizarre Story: The Game" - PinkFantasy
Official dance video (English subs available)
Music show performance
Not sure if anyone recalls my 2021 top 20 lists, but I placed PinkFantasy's "Poison" at the top of my title tracks list. They just missed my title tracks list this year, but I wanted to make sure they made it onto this list. The reason I'm not placing this song higher is because this song doesn't have many lyrics, which puts it at a disadvantage. However, the choreo and performance for "The Game" are so strong that this b-side still holds up quite well to the competition. PinkFantasy prove, once again, how charismatic and powerful they are as dancers in this b-side.
"The Game" strongly references the hit Korean Netflix series, Squid Game. Funnily enough, I still haven't watched it, but it's such a massive pop culture phenomenon that it's almost impossible not to know a lot about it. Anyways, most people will recognize the references in the song, with the main reference being mugunghwa kkochi pieotseumnida (the game that's similar to red light, green light).
The song's instrumental stands out due to it's dark electronic instrumental. I'm not well-versed in electronic sub-genres, but I believe this is similar to deathstep? I tried to do some research, but I'm still not really sure. Whichever sub-genre it is, it's not common in the k-pop realm, so it's really cool to see PinkFantasy doing something different once again!
I also like how they put their own little spin on the series by making "The Game" a true horror, zombie-esque concept. 0:19-0:36, 1:27-1:30, and 2:05-2:15 are my favorite parts of the choreo! There are also some cool details in the choreo. In the intro, we see Momoka dressed similar to Chucky (to indirectly represent the doll in Squid Game), the other members rush into frame, Momoka sees them moving, and she eliminates them by "shooting" them, just like in the series. There also seems to be a short move performed by Arang at the 0:19 mark that looks like a flower blooming, which could be a reference to the direct translation of mugunghwa kkochi pieotseumnida — the hibiscus has bloomed.
"Love" - NINE.i
- co-composed by VAHN (vocalist, rapper)
- co-written by VAHN, Joohyoung (vocalist)
Radio show performance (7 of 10 members present)
When this mini album dropped, I raved about it immediately. This rookie group had a good debut, but it was this first comeback album that really impressed me. VAHN and Joohyoung have been involved in making all of NINE.i's songs, and the growth they've shown just from the first album to the second is incredible! The second mini album is very cohesive sonically, and it fits my music taste quite well. Some might find this album a bit lacking in energy, but I think it's a welcome change from the main trends amongst the k-pop boy groups these days.
Honestly, I really wanted to pick "Paradise" for this list, but I just couldn't get over the somewhat jarring synth at the forefront of the chorus. So, I decided to go with "Love" because it flows well and has beautiful vocals just like "Paradise". I love the touches of acoustic guitar and the mellow yet melancholy vibe of the song.
In the performance I linked above, there are only 7 of the 10 members present because the other 3 are about to compete in the Mnet idol survival show, Boys Planet. NINE.i isn't a known group yet, so hopefully they can gain some attention through this show. I'm not a fan of survival shows, especially Mnet's, but if they can earn more fans through this show, so be it. Line distribution has been pretty uneven so far (pretty sure the 3 members that are gone right now didn't have any lines in "Love"), so it'd be nice if the distribution was more even while they're 7.
"Love" English translation
Other nominee(s): "Paradise", "Loner"
"Bop" - P1Harmony
- co-written by Intak (rapper, dancer), Jongseob (rapper, dancer), J.Don (N.Flying* member)
- *N.Flying is a band under the same company as P1Harmony (FNC Entertainment)
Live performance (not an "official" video, but it's still HQ)
Dance practice
I had to put P1Harmony on this list because prior to 2022, I didn't have any interest in them. "Bop" and the album it belongs to really changed my opinion on this group; you can see below how many other b-sides I considered for this list. I have to say, I really wish "Bop" ended up as the title track instead of "Do It Like This". This b-side is just as catchy as the title track, but has more finesse and I believe it will have more longevity as well. Their company decided to go with the trendier, more predictable "Do It Like This" for the the title track though.
"Bop" is a modern hip hop song through and through. I'm rather picky about hip hop and rap dominated k-pop songs, but this b-side flows really nicely and I actually like all the rap. Surprisingly, there are some nice vocals in this song as well! Some parts are repetitive and onomatopoeia heavy, but I'm fine with it on this b-side.
This song came out in January 2022, and I just found out while writing this post that "Bop" has choreo.😭 They only performed it at the album showcase and on tour, and their company never uploaded an official performance video, which is a shame. As for the choreo itself, it definitely has its moments; I think the pre-chorus and second verse are the best parts!
"Bop" English translation
Other nominee(s): "Swagger", "Look At Me Now", "Follow Me"
"Survive The Night" - THE BOYZ
- written by Sunwoo (main rapper, lead dancer, sub vocalist)
Survive The Night set to behind the scenes footage from The Boyz' time in LA
The Boyz are another group that I've been a casual fan of for several years now. This is the first time they've made it onto one of my top 20 lists and, of course, it's with a rock inspired song haha. I love the alt rock, emo vibes, and they match the wistful lyrics perfectly.
I think the most iconic part of the song has to be Sunwoo's vocals that open and close the song. Sunwoo is a sub vocal in the group, but he delivers his two small parts so beautifully here. He did write all the lyrics himself, so I'm sure this song is rather personal and meaningful to him. This song brings up a lot of emotions in me as well every time I listen to it. I also love the way the "tell me what should I do / I just wanna be with you" lines are delivered as well. Sadly, as far as I can, this song has never been performed, but at least we did get an official video of sorts.
"Survive The Night" English translation
Other nominee(s): "Levitating"
"New World" - ATEEZ
- co-written by Hongjoong (leader, rapper), Mingi (performer, rapper)
Live performance (shortened)
Honestly, I love "Cyberpunk" and "New World" equally, but I've seen "Cyberpunk" on a number of end of year lists from a variety of music publications, and I think "New World" deserves some love too. "New World" closes THE WORLD EP.1 : MOVEMENT mini album, and what a closer it is. I think part of the appeal of this song for me is that it sounds somewhat theatrical, like it could be in a musical. After all, I do love a good musical.
I like how the song opens with the lyrics "this new world, it's up to you now / changing like a hurricane", and how Yunho's lines contrast nicely with them. All the rap and vocals on this b-side are great, and I don't even mind that there's quite a bit of repetition in the chorus. I love how big the chorus sounds and it's mainly thanks to their main vocalist, Jongho, and his powerful vocals. It's hard for me to explain how epic this song is, so please experience it for yourself!
"New World" English translation
Other nominee(s): "Cyberpunk"
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