The K-pop industry is heavily focused on one single per release. Whether it’s an EP, LP, deluxe version, greatest hits or anything in between, K-pop artists tend to define releases by one central song. But thanks to how listeners now curate their own playlists and soundtrack stellar social-media moments with music, the single is not necessarily the only song on a release to get attention.
In addition to K-pop having more worldwide eyes than ever, today’s listening habits demand more material from artists and more quality material on par with the singles already getting expensive investments and heavy promotional pushes.
Luckily, these 25 artists below not only delivered on their title tracks and singles but created bodies of work that deserve further exploration beyond the glossy music videos. From TVXQ!‘s Max Changmin, BTS‘ J-Hope, and Red Velvet‘s Seulgi letting listeners into new parts of their minds with their solo efforts, to AKMU’s Lee Chahyuk adopting a whole new character with his concept album Error, plus RM creating a musical museum to honor his twenties on Indigo, there was a lot to dig into this year. Meanwhile, unexpected viral sensations came from B-sides by (G)I-DLE, TREASURE and ENHYPEN, proving that these artists packed their records with songs and messages to connect even further with fans.
From satisfyingly short EPs to the more in-depth full-length albums, each of these releases stood out thanks to the artists reaching for something beyond a quick hit single. Read on for Billboard‘s staff picks for the best K-pop albums of the year.
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TREASURE, ‘The Second Step : Chapter One’
Image Credit: YG ENTERTAINMENT
While the single off TREASURE‘s The Second Step : Chapter One EP was technically the pulsating “JIKJIN,” it was B-side “DARARI” that truly took off to spotlight a new side of the YG Entertainment boy band. While “JIKJIN” leaned into the group’s high-flying performance style (particularly on the final chorus), a TikTok trend utilizing a sped-up version of “DARARI” helped the track debut on Billboard Global 200 even without a music video or proper single push. It’s a shame “DARARI” didn’t get any additional love beyond a “dance practice” video, because the song’s numbers showed significant potential to rise beyond other K-pop tracks.
Alongside the peppy funk on “U” and acoustic ballad “It’s Okay,” Second Step : Chapter One showed the importance of having solid tracks even on a four-track EP, and TREASURE proved they know how to make each song count. – JEFF BENJAMIN -
WJSN, 'Sequence’
The past two years have been important in WJSN‘s growth after they won the K-pop performance competition show Queendom and explored new music styles in smaller splinter groups, but July’s Sequence brought them back to a familiar yet more developed sweet spot. Lead single “Last Sequence” delivers the glossy, sophisticated synth-pop the ladies are known for in one of their catchiest earworms, while “Done” turns them into dancefloor divas with an empowering message: “‘Cause I love myself, I love my body…/ Don’t touch my mind.” The power ballad “Stronger,” sung by members Dawon and Yeonjung, who had not partaken in the unit groups mentioned above, brought the group’s ongoing evolution full circle and showcased how the 10 members in Korea all share the spotlight. – J.B. -
ENHYPEN, ‘Dimension : Answer’
ENHYPEN dropped their first studio album in 2021, but its deluxe repackage Dimension: Answer released at the top of this year showed why the boy band remains a leader in this new generation of K-pop. Lead single “Blessed-Cursed” produced one of the group’s most ambitious singles to date with its blend of ’70s hard rock and modern hip-hop poured over Post Malone-esque deliveries. Plus, the B-side “Polaroid Love” became an unexpected viral breakout and signature hit for the band, showing the importance of making sure each song on your album hits hard. – J.B. -
MCND, ‘The Earth : Secret Mission Chapter.2’
MCND, a boy band to keep your eye on, kicked off the second chapter of their The Earth : Secret Mission series by surprise dropping the EP’s opening track “W.A.T.1” (or “We Are the One”) with a music video to introduce a refreshing pop lean to the hip-hop–focused act. Once they revealed lead single “#MOOD” (written by leader and main rapper Castle J), MCND proved their evolution with expanded genre offerings (“Back to You” is an unexpected piano ballad, also written by Castle J) while honoring their roots and core message to one day achieve greatness. – J.B. -
STAYC, ‘Young-Luv.com’
Since entering the scene in late 2020, STAYC has risen in the K-pop rankings by proving their consistency with irresistible hits. While their Young-Luv.com EP included yet another earworm with the surging, bubblegum-pop single “RUN2U,” tracks like the stunning mid-tempo “Young Luv” (which lets the members’ vocals shine their brightest yet), as well as slinky R&B numbers like “Same Same” and “Butterfly,” laid the groundwork for STAYC to show far more than radio-ready hits. – J.B. -
TEMPEST, 'It’s Me, It’s We'
While new girl groups stole the spotlight in 2022, rookie boy band TEMPEST shouldn’t be overlooked, especially with how strong they came out the gates. The septet’s first single, “Bad News,” brought feel-good pop with a playful, hip-hop twist, reminiscent of the early days of K-pop superstars like Block B and SEVENTEEN. Standouts like the melancholic-to-euphoric “Just a Little Bit” and the racing trap-pop gem “Bad at Love” demonstrate even more promise. Even more impressive: Members Lew and Hwarang have writing credits throughout every track on the release. – J.B. -
BLACKPINK, ‘Born Pink’
Image Credit: Courtesy of YG Entertainment
The pressure was certainly on when it came time for BLACKPINK to follow up their smash 2020 debut The Album. But instead of giving BLINKs more of the same, Jisoo, Rosé, Jennie and Lisa subverted expectations for what a sophomore album could be by filling Born Pink with a devastating, career-defining ballad (“The Happiest Girl”), a surprise solo track (Rosé’s “Hard to Love”) and a previously unreleased fan favorite cut (“Ready for Love”) amid bangers like “Pink Venom,” “Shut Down” and “Typa Girl.” – GLENN ROWLEY -
Kwon Eun Bi, ‘Color’
After various starts and stops in the K-pop industry, Kwon Eun Bi finally made her impression on the scene after competing in the singing competition Produce 48 and earning enough votes to debut as a member of the girl group IZ*ONE. While the female troupe was only contracted for two-a-half years, Kwon Eun Bi proved she has what it takes to stay with Color. Lead single “Glitch,” alongside tracks like “Magnetic” and “Colors,” take sharp, unexpected musical turns (particularly during the final minute of the former) that Kwon navigates like a pro. Meanwhile, cuts like “Speed of Love” and “OFF” showcase her knack for jazzy arrangements, demonstrating that the star can handle the experimental and the traditional. – J.B. -
Max Changmin, ‘Devil’
Beyond his undeniable influence as the lead vocalist of TVXQ!, one of the best-selling and most iconic K-pop acts, Max Changmin firmly demonstrated that he has even more to offer as an artist, singer and songwriter via his second solo effort, Devil.
Throughout the lavish, six-song set, Changmin commands listeners from beginning to end with his pure vocal talent. His powerful, sonorous four-octave range — which can move seamlessly between throaty belts and breathy falsettos across multiple genres — tackles hypnotic R&B on lead single “Devil,” explosive pop-rock on “Manic,” as well as smooth slow jams on “Airplane Mode.”
Not only does Devil show off the 34-year-old’s strength as a powerhouse vocalist, but his ability to own any concept that exceeds ordinary K-pop expectations. – JESSICA OAK -
Oh My Girl, ‘Real Love’
While Oh My Girl have been dipping into unexpected genres since their debut, the troupe broke big in 2020 by releasing a string of peppy pop hits like “Nonstop,” “Dolphin” and “Dun Dun Dance.” For their second full-length album Real Love, the title track is another cheerful anthem (while incorporating fresh and fun brass into the mix) with the full album letting the group explore styles beyond their comfort zone. The best songs are the most experimental: “Eden” is one half-acoustic ballad and another half of glitched-out vocal drops, while their girl-group harmonies dance over the drum-and-bass track “Kiss & Fix.” Even less inventive tracks like funky jam “Blink” or EDM-house throbber “Replay” (which don’t necessarily stretch the group vocally or conceptually) are still elevated by Oh My Girl’s ability to make distinctive, fun pop. – J.B. -
NewJeans, ‘New Jeans’
Image Credit: Courtesy of Hybe
You’d be hard-pressed to find a collection of songs that all scream “hit” as much as NewJeans’ debut EP. The label CEO for the girl group, Min Hee Jin, told Billboard that she “always felt that it’s such a pity how it’s the lead singles that get all the attention” and instead went with three focused tracks: “Attention” (a top 10 selection among the best K-pop songs of 2022), the irresistibly effervescent “Hype Boy,” plus the slinky-sweet “Cookie.” Even the one B-side, the a cappella-influenced “Hurt,” got a music video, showing a dedication to letting all the EP’s songs shine. – J.B. -
CIX, "OK’ Episode 1 : OK Not’
The titles of CIX‘s musical releases can be complicated, but they’re always a rewarding listening experience. After the boy band dropped the sunny ‘OK’ Prologue : Be OK full-length album last summer, the guys switched up with the much darker Episode 1 of their ‘OK’ series. For example, the slithering single “458” equates falling in love too fast to a high-speed Ferrari crash. Even with CIX being down in their feelings, like on the heartfelt rock-pop anthems “Without You” and “Drown in Luv,” the group still sounds so good and so in-sync with a true knack for finding quality pop tracks to best share their stories. – J.B. -
(G)I-DLE, ‘I Never Die’
The title alone (I Never Die) speaks to (G)I-DLE’s confident vision for the future and refusal to let anyone but themselves define the group. Beyond excellent comeback single “Tomboy,” (G)I-DLE had to prove the K-pop girl group was back and bolder than ever. “Never Stop Me” showed range, “Already” messaged their resilience to move forward with no regrets, while “Polaroid” illuminated a more tender side of the quintet. At the same time, darker tracks like “Villain Dies” and “Liar” squarely positioned them as K-pop’s unconventional girl group.
Even the sassy album closer “My Bag” (which garnered a minor viral moment, inspiring a Shake Shack commercial) brought out a fun side of (G)I-DLE to show that I Never Die (which included heavy production and songwriting involvement from members Soyeon, Minnie and Yuqi across all eight tracks) had something for all kinds of listeners. – J.B. -
Lim Young Woong, ‘Im Hero’
After winning Korea’s hit singing competition Mr. Trot in 2020, which focused on Korea’s traditional trot genre with its distinct rhythmic and vocal style, Lim Young Woong’s album proves he’s far more than a flash-in-the-pan reality show contestant.
Crucially, Lim’s first full-length does not see the singer staying only in his trot lane, but hitting a range of genres: there are moving ballads (like the singles “If We Ever Meet Again” and “Our Blues, Our Life,” plus tearjerker “Father”), rock-pop songs (the anthemic “Rainbow” and raw, acoustic “I Love You”), jazz (the moving “Lovely Touch”) and even reggae (the unexpected Auto-Tune treat “A bientot”). As expected, trot tracks like “Love Station,” “Loving You,” and “Nest” are not only standouts but great introductions to the time-honored genre. – J.B. -
J-Hope, ‘Jack in the Box’
Image Credit: Courtesy of BIGHIT
Just one look at J-Hope makes it clear that the star lives up to his name as the sunshine of BTS. But his first proper solo album, Jack in the Box, unveiled an entirely new side of the star—a darker and more reflective one. Under the umbrella theme of its title, the LP lets the rapper-singer open up from “Pandora’s Box” for a cohesive sound and story about what moves him internally.
Singles “More” and “Arson” went into heavier hip-hop territory than we’ve previously heard from J-Hope, particularly in contrast to lighter solo tracks such as “Daydream” and “Chicken Noodle Soup.” There are also love letters to hip-hop (“What If…” uses a brilliant sample of Ol’ Dirty Bastard‘s classic Hot 100 hit “Shimmy Shimmy Ya”) and pertinent social messages (“= (Equal Sign)” denounces hate and prejudice, and is crafted alongside BTS collaborators Melanie Fontana and Lindgren with Snoop Dogg and Kendrick Lamar producer Scoop DeVille). – J.B. -
HIGHLIGHT, ‘Daydream’
As HIGHLIGHT‘s first full-length album since changing their name from Beast, the 10-song project displays the kind of sophistication only true K-pop veterans can achieve on this effortless and timeless set. The standout title track single, “Daydream,” lets Doojoon, Yoseob, Gikwang and Son Dongwoon mix the melodic R&B-pop production with a seductive vocal performance to mourn a love they’ll never see again. – J.O. -
ATEEZ, ‘The World EP.1 : Movement’
Image Credit: KQ ENTERTAINMENT
ATEEZ‘s confidence in their sound has never been more apparent than on The World EP.1 : Movement. The EP elevates the band’s hard-hitting hip-hop with new electronic influences and heavy synth-pop sounds, kickstarting a new musical era for the boy band. The entire project sounds like it could soundtrack a futuristic action movie as the band sings about looking for truth and finding themselves through tracks that read like different chapters of an epic movie saga: “Sector 1,” “Cyberpunk,” “WDIG (Where Do I Go)” and “New World.”
While nearly every track on EP.1 is animated and energetic enough to pass as a single, having “Guerrilla” as its centerpiece single lets the eight members’ personalities shine best. Whether it’s leader Hongjoong’s brilliant Joker-like delivery to kick off the track, Mingi’s roaring rap section, or Jongho’s vocal climaxes on each chorus, all eight members prove why they’re the main characters in this project. – J.B. -
TOMORROW X TOGETHER, 'Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child'
TOMORROW X TOGETHER cover a lot of stylistic ground in just 15 minutes on Minisode 2: Thursday’s Child. “Good Boy Gone Bad” sees razor-edged guitar licks rubbing up against melodic “whoa-WHOA”s, “Thursday’s Child Has Far to Go” evokes the lonely but pulsating synths of the ‘80s, while tracks like “Trust Fund Baby” and “Lonely Boy (The tattoo on my ring finger)” show off their introspective side. It became the quintet’s third No. 1 on the Top Album Sales chart, spending 14 weeks on the Billboard 200—and there’s promising new music coming in the first month of 2023. – JOE LYNCH -
Seulgi, ‘28 Reasons’
Throughout her eight-plus years as a member of Red Velvet, Seulgi has consistently shown how versatile of a performer she is, and her first solo effort, 28 Reasons, showcased all the reasons why she’s a K-pop force all her own. The EP sees the 28-year-old playing with darker and more mature themes on its title track and the vocally demanding “Dead Man Runnin’.” She outshines featured guest BE’O on bouncy R&B collab “Bad Boy, Sad Girl” and embraces her inner dance diva for the thumping “Anywhere But Home.” The only real critique of 28 Reasons is why it took so long for Seulgi to step into her solo power. – J.B. -
SEVENTEEN, ‘Sector 17’
As a repackaging of SEVENTEEN’s fourth full-length album Face the Sun, Sector 17 doubles down on what made the original 2022 album such an exciting, propulsive ride. On the studio set, the 13-piece boy band shows their devotion on English-language single “Darl+ing,” turns up the heat with the bouncing “HOT,” and leans into their swagger on “CHEERS,” performed by S.Coups, Woozi and Hoshi as the “SVT Leaders,” who put their versatility to the test and coming through with flying colors. – G.R. -
NCT DREAM, ‘Glitch Mode’
When a K-pop group commits to a full-length album, their artistic identity needs to shine on every track. With NCT DREAM‘s trend-setting concept, the group struck gold with the release of their first full-length Hot Sauce last year and kept the momentum going with an even more impressive LP this time. Introduced via its futuristic and fun title track, Glitch Mode delivers songs that always feel like a preview of what’s next in K-pop while bringing moments of youthful brightness and nostalgic memories.
Standouts like “Arcade” and “Teddy Bear” recall childhood while bringing out harmonies that can compete with some of the greatest boy-band blends. Meanwhile, the more mature songs (“Saturday Drip” and “Replay”) have video-game samples and old-school Vocoder effects. Who wouldn’t want to revisit these sounds again and again? – J.B. -
Heize, ‘Undo’
More than three years after Heize’s last full-length album, the R&B songbird puts her growth on full display with Undo. Opening with the disco-lite title track, the first half of the LP lets the soulful star play with a range of uptempo beats and guest stars that complement her unmistakable, raspy timbre, including I.M of Monsta X, Minnie of (G)I-DLE, and Giriboy. Meanwhile, the second half lets Heize take on the spotlight for some of her most introspective work yet, which takes us through a journey of shifting emotions and soundscapes. It’s a trip from acoustic-pop number “Love Is Alone” to stirring ballad “Real LOVE” to the melancholy and poetic “Supercar” and “Traveler,” which detail the complicated movements within evolving relationships.
While we’d usually push for even more Heize vocals, having the jazzy, piano-only cut “About Time” close out the record lets everything Heize brought to Undo wash over the listener on a soothing album outro. – J.B. -
Lee Chanhyuk, ‘Error’
A concept album unlike anything else released in K-pop this year, Lee Chanhyuk uses the 11 tracks of Error to tell the story of someone who’s fallen into a coma. Keeping a musical theme crafted around vintage synthesizers, Error‘s story starts from the coma-inducing accident with “Eyewitness Account” and leads to Chanhyuk’s rebirth in lead single “Panorama,” crafted around brilliantly simple chord jumps. The journey continues with representative song titles like “Siren,” “If I Can’t Go See You Right Now” and “Goodbye, Stay Well” (featuring the album’s sole guest appearance from solo star Chung Ha) before its haunting, gospel-inspired closing track, “Funeral Hope,” all pushing the listener to think about what they would do if they found themselves with only hours left to live.
While Chanhyuk has crafted some of K-pop’s biggest chart hits as one half of the folk-pop duo AKMU with his sister Suhyun (the acoustic-guitar number “Castle in the Sky” recalls their classic sound), on Error, it feels like a genuinely new artist has arrived. It’s exciting to see someone still so young and so successful reinvent himself like this. (Pro tip: There’s a satisfying, hidden musical outro in “Funeral Hope” if you keep listening once the song ends.) – J.B. -
Stray Kids, ‘Oddinary’
Image Credit: Ssam Kim
Stray Kids’ first No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, Oddinary succeeds with its message to perceive so-called “odd” things as “ordinary” through a cohesive, comforting piece of work. The excellent, shape-shifting lead single “Maniac” fully encapsulates the theme as SKZ uses famous outsiders like Frankenstein’s monster to inspire listeners to express one’s true self, lest they end up feeling like a “Maniac.” Elsewhere, the Kids use hip-hop cut “Charmer” to share how one’s quirks will eventually be the thing to charm others, while “Freeze” encourages emancipating oneself to pursue one’s dreams.
The eight members split into quartets for two of Oddinary‘s standouts: “Lonely St.” is a melancholy rock-pop cut about feeling lost, while rock ballad “Waiting for Us” is a promise to stick together ’til better days. “Muddy Water” closes the set to fully secure the Oddinary message of a commitment to changing current “muddy” norms and cleansing them for a brighter, better day. Stray Kids have always had significant messages in their music, but Oddinary sounds like a SKZ more secure in themselves than ever: the ambition and experimentation of songs like “Maniac” and blitzing trap opener “Venom” are balanced by Oddinary‘s more subtle unit tracks. Yet it’s all part of the same story and vision, almost entirely written and produced by the group itself. – J.B. -
RM, ‘Indigo’
Image Credit: Courtesy of BIGHIT MUSIC
It was 2017 when Kim Namjoon officially changed his professional stage name from Rap Monster (a nickname earned from hip-hop heads for his spitting abilities) to RM (a moniker far more open to interpretation). In 2022, the BTS leader’s first proper full-length project dropped at the tail end of the year and proved he is not just a beast in rapping but in meaningful musical design as well.
Ahead of Indigo‘s release in December, RM shared that the LP should be listened to from start to finish. One can feel the intention with the 10 tracks acting as different exhibitions of the superstar’s life: Opening track “Yun” (with a rare feature from neo-soul legend Erykah Badu) kickstarts the journey of RM realizing he needs to “be a human [be]fore I do some art,” as the crossover-ready “Still Life” (alongside Anderson. Paak) and “All Day” (with Korean hip-hop veteran Tablo) speak to breaking conventions and moving forward in life with confidence.
We also get snapshots of a more vulnerable RM. Standouts like “Closer” (featuring brilliantly selected guests in rising K-pop/R&B star Paul Blanco and British-Jamaican singer Mahalia) recognize harsh realities through astute storytelling, before “Lonely” lets RM show off his vocals to tell a relatable tale of feeling trapped by one’s choices. By “Wild Flower” (a nearly five-minute rock-pop song featuring Korea’s pioneering rock diva Youjeen that serves as a bold, beautiful and unexpected single choice), RM has recognized and embraced the confusion, pain and hope that comes from being in the spotlight. He’s aware that what he’s accomplished leading BTS has never been done before, and subtle album closer “No.2” (featuring K-pop legend Parkjiyoon, who entered the scene as a teen before evolving into the creatively in-control singer-songwriter she is today), leaves us with a superstar at peace with whatever comes in his second chapter.
While much can be made of Indigo‘s appeal extending beyond BTS’ core audience thanks to its guests, different genres and the fact that it made RM the highest-charting K-pop soloist ever on the Billboard 200, there’s a true accomplishment in an artist’s ability to tell their story and still make it wholly universal. RM captured the essence of his twenties in the 10 tracks on Indigo, but this 32-minute journey touches far beyond one person’s experience. Like good art, Indigo speaks to ideas and messages that are complicated to put into everyday words, but just listening to the music lets it all come to the surface. – J.B.