[identity profile] juhli.livejournal.com posting in [community profile] omonatheydid
[...] 2018 saw an uptick in music quality. Over the past few years, K-pop’s trend-chasing had gotten out of control, resulting in a somewhat identikit musical landscape, and while tropical house, trap, and Latin sounds are still popular, producers are consciously refining and redefining those sounds. Our annual rundown of the year’s best K-pop songs is limited to one track per artist or group, and – given the genre’s focus on unified music and visuals – takes into consideration both the song and its MV (music video). Here’s our dive into the year in K-pop.


10. Stray Kids, "District 9"



Stray Kids only officially debuted in March, but they’ve made a remarkable impression, not least because three members (Bang Chan, Changbin, and Jisung) have co-written their four EPs, a level of responsibility that’s rarely afforded to such a young group. Their first title single, “District 9”, is a hoarse call to lost young souls – the lyrical draw of a Neverland haven meets visual sci-fi dystopia – as sirens and muscular beats segue into a fantastically riff-aggressive chorus. Musically, it harks back to B.A.P’s 2012 singles “Power” and “Warrior”, but Stray Kids certainly possess their own strengths; they ride the intimidatingly heavy instrumental like big wave surfers, adding flairs and power moves, which results in “District 9” packing giant punches and apologising for none of them.


9. APINK, "I'm So Sick"



“I’m So Sick” wrestles between staying away from, and running back to, an ex. Its sound draws on trop-house, but there’s a less obvious disco influence too, which leaves its glittery imprint on the chorus. It’s a song that dances through the pain, ferried along by subtle double time hi-hats and melancholic lyrics, delivered with an upbeat energy over throbbing bass. It’s a far more mature direction for Apink, whose earlier sound could definitely be described as frothy – from the distorted vocals curving over the choruses, to the single squall of electric guitar on the bridge, each moment imparts sophistication.


8. Monsta X, "Jealousy"



The funk stylings of 2017’s “Dramarama” steered Monsta X away from heavy-duty EDM/trap singles, and although “Jealousy” returns the septet to that particular watering hole, there’s plenty of room for some memorable moments – the echoing “yeah, yeah...” hook, Hyungwon’s breathy warning of “jealousy, baby, jealousy...” – to shine. The soaring chorus sees Kihyun burn through melodies that sound like they’ve been fattened on fist-pumping 80s pop and early 90s R&B, and at the song’s climax, his power ad-libs yield a frustrated intensity. “Jealousy” is on a dark spectrum overall, encompassing fury (from Jooheon), competitiveness (I.M), and suspicion (Wonho). It’s one hell of a ride.


7. EXO, "Tempo"



When EXO experiment, like they did on last year’s “Ko Ko Bop”, the results tend to be divisive, while their straightforward pop offerings, such as the dazzling “Love Me Right”, are usually certified crowd-pleasers. “Tempo” ambitiously sets out to straddle both worlds. The things one might expect from an EXO record – the sublime harmonies, flawless production, and little quirks and surprises (here, it’s the squeaking springs and Bruno Mars/Michael Jackson-esque ad-libs) – are all present on “Tempo”. But the song also zigzags through the unexpected – pitch-shifted vocals and marked pace switching – before blindsiding listeners with a velvety acapella bridge. Being able to achieve coherence while being simultaneously familiar and challenging is a difficult undertaking, yet EXO make it seem effortless.


SF9, "Now Or Never"



“Now or Never” is a three-and-a-half-minute tease, constantly beckoning the listener to slide into its embrace – only to be pushed back to become an eager voyeur instead. The combination of electro-funk and house music gives the track a club-friendly edge, featuring as much thump as the choreography does grinding hips. There’s ample propulsion, thanks to Inseong’s high notes and Dawon and Jaeyoon’s ad-libs (not to mention the jaunty guitar in the chorus), but the real bait is that hook. Delivered most effectively by Hwiyoung and Chani, it’s moody and staggeringly potent, giving this two-year-old group their finest moment to date.


SHINee, "Good Evening"



With 2018 being both SHINee’s tenth anniversary, and their return to the public eye after the passing of singer Jonghyun late last year, the build-up towards “Good Evening” felt fraught – yet the ambiguity of its lyrics and its visuals gave the song a gauzy veil to deflect the abject scrutiny. They returned to a deep house sound, but, unlike 2015’s chunky “View”, the timbre here is lithe and ethereal. SHINee’s vocals – at once delicate yet still powerful – give “Good Evening” its momentum, and the harmonies and waves of electronic percussion layer into a celebratory, though bittersweet, climax. Whether you’re approaching this as a fan or a curious onlooker, “Good Evening” quietly proves itself as one of SHINee’s, and 2018’s, strongest offerings.


4. Red Velvet, "Bad Boy"



Red Velvet’s ‘red’ singles – wild bangers such as “Dumb Dumb” and “Red Flavor” – have been their most successful, but on 2017’s “Peekaboo” and this January’s “Bad Boy”, some of that feisty energy is transferred to the group’s quieter ‘velvet’ side. “Bad Boy” is understated but bold, a buttery, mid-tempo R&B track that puts the focus on the quintet’s voices – Irene nabs the year’s sassiest opening line, and Wendy and Seulgi pack in killer ad-libs. A fantastically utilised trap beat adds a menacing touch, an atmosphere that also lurks in the jaw-dropping MV; meanwhile, a bounty of finger snaps, whistles, and footsteps create intriguing little flickers. Red Velvet are already K-pop’s most musically interesting girl group, and “Bad Boy” solidifies them as one of the best in the game overall.


3. (G)I-DLE, "Hann"



(G)I-DLE’s monster debut, “Latata”, erred on the side of caution, sticking to tried and tested trop influences, but “Hann” – a song that’s equal parts self-empowerment and emotional revenge – throws all its chips on the table. Looking and sounding like a Spaghetti Western (a whistled refrain, a desert scene, both gothic and colourfully lavish amidst the dust), it utilises familiar pop mechanics, only they’re constantly restrained or isolated, lending the track an unfamiliar feel. Theatrical strings peek through the mix, the chorus is punctured by a gleaming, high-pitched effect for an alien-like quality, and even when it’s at its warmest and most approachable, the girls, particularly Soyeon, infuse it with a take-no-prisoners haughtiness that makes “Hann” incredibly compelling.


2. BTS, "Fake Love"



Taken from Tear, the second installment in the group’s Love Yourself trilogy, “FAKE LOVE” has a lavish, clever MV that relays the dark mood of the song’s lyrics. But rather than merely build around these lyrics, the MV also augments visual storylines from BTS’s previous trilogy, The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, to bridge these complex pieces of work. The poignant rawness of the pre-choruses leaps out, and Jungkook, V, and Jimin respectively evoke pain, resignation, and disbelief as they tackle its bleak self-realisation (“For you, I’m enacting a pretty lie... I’m erasing myself to become your doll”).

Although trap beats thrum alongside doomy bass, gritty guitars counterbalance a tense chorus, and the rap verses use the triplet flow saturating hip hop, BTS’s biggest influence on “Fake Love” is really themselves. They revisited the cinematic landscape of 2016’s “Blood Sweat & Tears”, a return to high theatre that eschewed the conventional thought of continuing along the more easily accessible path laid by hype track “MIC Drop” and the colourful EDM-pop of “DNA”, two songs that coincided with their breakthrough in the US. But even if America wasn’t ready for a highly strung, Korean emo anthem by seven young men sporting crimped hair, bondage accessories, and glittery shirts, BTS gratifyingly weren’t interested in waiting for them to catch up.


1. NCT U - Baby Don't Stop"



In February, NCT U (the NCT unit with a revolving door of members) released the excellent “BOSS”, and then a week later put out its sibling track, “Baby Don’t Stop”. Whereas the former song rallies a gargantuan bassline and aggressive chorus, “Baby Don’t Stop” is friskier. The song features the raspy tones of leader/rapper, Taeyong, and light, clean vocals of Thai member, Ten, and has a far more elastic beat, as well as an outro that sees the titular lyrics from Gene Vincent’s “Be-Bop-A-Lula” turned into its own playful chant.

As the urgent heat of the chorus confirms, this is no love song – it’s a full-blown seduction, one that is, at times, incorrigibly provocative. Fittingly, its instrumental is just as sly and coquettish, with a warm, intermittent synth line, and a complex array of percussive drivers that rise like an immense wave but, as it crests, drops into a sparse, spoken bridge. The MV, shot against the stark beauty of Kyiv’s Soviet Brutalist buildings, is no less coercive, with choreography that forgoes precision synchronicity and celebrates the singers’ dynamic screen presence and opposing styles – Taeyong’s sharpness, Ten’s fluidity.

NCT, on the whole, have gifted the year with a slew of exceptional material, but “Baby Don’t Stop” is mesmerising and, even after 10 months, shows no signs of inducing listener fatigue. While that may be impressive alone, what’s really astonishing is its sense of completeness. There are no overlooked opportunities or missteps, no parts that haven’t been chiseled into their purest form. A combination of intelligent production, experimentation, charisma, and unbridled ambition, “Baby Don’t Stop” is, unironically, a true showstopper.


source: dazeddigital, jypentertainment, 1thek, starship, sment, (g)i-dle official, ibighit

You can find the full ranking at Dazed.
Omona, what were your favorite releases in 2018? Is this a ranking you can get behind? Any B-side that you want more people to know about?

Date: 2018-12-19 09:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] benihime99.livejournal.com
Sunmi's black pearl is one of the best song of 2018

Date: 2018-12-19 09:32 pm (UTC)

Date: 2018-12-19 11:19 pm (UTC)

Date: 2018-12-20 08:48 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gathyou.livejournal.com
It's my favourite Sunmi song BY FAR omg it's perfect
(deleted comment)

Date: 2018-12-19 09:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] benihime99.livejournal.com
Siren by far, although Gashina is my favorite MV

Date: 2018-12-20 12:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] xlovexlessxtyx.livejournal.com
I ended up really loving Addict and Curve. But of the three titles, Siren > Heroine > Gashina.

I’m excited for her next era, whatever it may be.

Date: 2018-12-19 09:52 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] daceymormont.livejournal.com
It really is. The entire album is perfection.

Date: 2018-12-19 09:56 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dantethetaco.livejournal.com
Facts! Her whole album is great honestly.

Date: 2018-12-24 08:14 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lizanka23.livejournal.com
it really is

Date: 2018-12-19 09:28 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] xlovexlessxtyx.livejournal.com
The full top 20 list included Dreamcatcher, Gugudan, April, Fromis_9 and Oh!GG.
Nice to see someone at Dazed has TASTE!

I'm really excited to see that the international music scene is still in love with Bad Boy.
(deleted comment)

Date: 2018-12-24 07:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lizanka23.livejournal.com
yesss all of loona's ep was so good

Date: 2018-12-19 09:39 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rainstormraider.livejournal.com
This was a great list.

Though I would replace Tempo with Love Shot.

And where is Pentagon’s Shine?
Edited Date: 2018-12-19 09:40 pm (UTC)
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Date: 2018-12-20 12:35 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nekobot.livejournal.com
I kept scrolling down expecting BP to be #1, couldn't think of anything else getting that spot with BTS further down and then...really? I'm glad fromis_9 got a mention and nothing against NCT but it's amazing how it's a list full of obvious choices that then manages to leave out the most obvious (and still deserving) track. Thinking of the average Dazed reader it would be nice to get a more interesting mix.

Date: 2018-12-19 09:53 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] daceymormont.livejournal.com
Baby don't stop?

It's not even a bad song but I'm convinced these critics just pull random song titles out of a hat and call it a day. This list makes no sense!

Date: 2018-12-19 09:58 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] dantethetaco.livejournal.com
I did not see no.1 coming, lmao. But I love Ten, so get it baby!

Date: 2018-12-19 10:05 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] kkslider.livejournal.com
replace number 2 with shine and number 10 with siren (or vice versa) and i would be fully behind this list

Date: 2018-12-19 11:18 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rosiemotleymind.livejournal.com
Good Evening has to be one of my favorite songs from this year. I feel....A LOT when I listen to it but it never fails to bring me to a certain calm mood. The only other song that does that consistently for me and my anxiety is Symphony of Blase by Anberlin

Shine was a song i didn't give a chance to at first but I LOVE IT now. It's so fun and sweet and airy.

I'm actually very tired of Fake Love getting all this shine when the album has way better songs on it though.

Date: 2018-12-20 12:39 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] nekobot.livejournal.com
It's probably a style choice as much as an actual thought out song pick. It's much easier to make an aesthetically pleasing full looking article people that will linger and click on if it's filled with pretty official music videos rather than uploads with only sound and a cover image.

Date: 2018-12-19 11:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] ohbubbajoan.livejournal.com
everything Ten touches should go #1. get it my baby

Date: 2018-12-19 11:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] rojounotori.livejournal.com
Imo Shoot Out is way better than Jealousy (partially because I find using jealousy as a concept/theme creepy). Fake Love really shouldn't be that high lol

Love Bomb should definitely be higher

Date: 2018-12-19 11:32 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] veep-throat.livejournal.com
some of my faves in no order!!

nct - baby dont stop
bi - one & only
ptg - shine, do it for fun
jbj - moonlight
jay park - upside down
aoa - bingle bangle, ladi dadi
apink - im so sick
shinee - drive, chemistry
hyukoh - love ya
key - i will fight
17 - our dawn is hotter than the day
ateez - my way, twilight
sf9 - unlimited
shaun - way back home

Date: 2018-12-25 09:19 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bruzte.livejournal.com
i second this list

Date: 2018-12-19 11:41 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] torontok.livejournal.com
I agree with SF9 and Baby Don't Stop.

I wish Blooming Days was getting more love on these end of year lists though, it's my album of the year. Give Monday Blues a listen and bless yourselves
Edited Date: 2018-12-20 12:21 am (UTC)

Date: 2018-12-20 12:57 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] myrrhcat.livejournal.com
man, i really don't like music journalism. some of these descriptions are just... the bassline chungles and trungles through the chorus, the synths peeking through like a mischievous disco fairy...

Date: 2018-12-20 01:06 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] revedesnuages.livejournal.com
My favourite 20 K-pop releases of 2018 are:
1. MOMOLAND - Bboom Bboom
2. RM - mono (the whole playlist except Moonchild)
3. BTS - Outro: Tear/Ddaeng/Singularity
4. Hyorin - See Sea
5. ELRIS - Summer Dream
6. (G)I-DLE - Hann
7. LOONA - favOrite
8. Oh Hyuk & CIFIKA - MOMOM
9. Yubin - City Lady
10. Sunmi - Siren
11. IN2IT - Sorry For My English
12. KCM - Dawn
13. Dreamcatcher - 어느 별/Wonderland
14. Blue Fox - Wake Me Up
15. TWICE - What is Love?
16. Seventeen - Oh My!
17. ATEEZ - Pirate King
18. dress - hug & kiss (feat. miso, fka, sogumm, lydia paek)
19. Jehwi - Dear Moon
20. Lovelyz - That Day/fromis_9 - Love Bomb

Date: 2018-12-20 01:41 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] typhlogirl.livejournal.com
This is an excellent list
(deleted comment)

Date: 2018-12-20 07:44 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] revedesnuages.livejournal.com
My list isn’t very cohesive so I’ll probably get complaints if I did haha 😅

Date: 2018-12-20 01:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jyusou.livejournal.com
I can’t say really how valid this list is cuz I haven’t heard all the songs yet, but I find Dazed kind of full of shit, so my opinion is already skewed towards the negative.

Date: 2018-12-20 02:04 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] carmine-pink.livejournal.com
IMFACT's Nanana is at no. 13 and they said it "should have seen far more success", which I totally agree with.

SF9's Now Or Never is really THAT song, I still jam to it.

Not sure Baby Don't Stop deserves no. 1 but it's probably my favorite new track out of NCT Empathy album alongside Boss. It's simply a fun song. Baby I just feel so right... baby I just feel so nice......

Date: 2018-12-20 02:28 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] bubble-monkey9.livejournal.com
RV - Bad Boy
Hyolyn - Dally, See Sea
April - Oh My Mistake, Blue Bird
Pentagon - Shine (it's basically what Ikon's song should've been if ikon could sing)

Date: 2018-12-20 06:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] welljustguess.livejournal.com
Love Bomb is going to get 10M views, thanks for the recognition

Date: 2018-12-20 08:47 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gathyou.livejournal.com
I've been consistantly pleased with Fromis_9 since Glass Shoes, I'm so happy that Love Bomb is getting recognition!!

Date: 2018-12-20 07:32 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] aeipathy.livejournal.com
i love ten and baby don't stop but my favorite nct song this year was actually touch (despite poor winwin's 0 seconds of lines and johnny's 1.5 seconds).

i liked mama mia by sf9 better than the song they picked. and that was the first time i've heard don't mess up my tempo and i couldn't stand the squeaky spring sound effects during the chorus, wtf's with that. sm used them in nct's baby don't like it last year and i hated it there too.

best albums were by jonghyun, key, shinee, bol4, sunmi, & day 6. seungri's was surprisingly good as well.

limiting it to only singles, these are probably the songs i bopped to the most:

1) good evening - shinee
2) jealousy - monsta x
3) feeling - unb
4) oh my! - seventeen
5) kiss me like that - shinhwa (idk why but i played this one on repeat forever)
6) shine - pentagon
7) love bomb - fromis_9
8) oh my mistake - april
9) days gone by - day6
10) no air - the boyz

runners up sea see - hyolyn, stray kids - my pace & get cool

Date: 2018-12-20 07:34 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] timetobegin.livejournal.com
I stan mostly girl groups so idk about all the boy groups listed above minus SF9 - randomly clicked on that one day and what a bop it is.

I feel like this was an amazing year for girl groups and female soloists. We got so many good releases from them, its diffficult to pick:
- Hyolyn's singles
- all of Sunmi's solo ep
- Gidle debut + Hann
- KHAN'S I'M YOUR GIRL
- Yubin's solo projects
- Katie's Remember is a work of art
- After her generic poprock albums last year, Taeyeon redeemed herself with me with Something New. Gorgeous title and ep.
- Apink's So Sick ep
- Twice's musical development has really halted sadly... Did love BDZ and the Summer Special album though.
- OMG: Remember me and Twilight(!!!!!!!)
- UNI.T I mean
- WJSN Save me save you
- Every b-side to Dreamcatchers Alone In The City
- Wow Thing
- Fromis_9. Love them, especially the From_9 single.
- April. Cutest, especially The Ruby.
- IZ*ONE because I just really really LOVE LVER
- Gugudan: New Action ep
- Nature's SOME. The bop I did not expect but its got that undeniable Kpop sound and charm to it?

There were others on my Spotify Kpop playlist I could have noted but these stood out most to me. All women in Kpop blessed us this year though!!!




Date: 2018-12-20 08:46 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gathyou.livejournal.com
I like this list. It's obviously really biased, but all lists are, no matter how hard the writer tries to say otherwise :)
I would have added : That Day by Lovelyz, Save Me Save You by Cosmic Girls, Time for the Moon Night by GFriend, Black Dress by CLC and Egoist by Olivia Hye but that's because I mostly listen to girl groups (and they already put a lot of women on the list)
It was a good year for female soloists, Sunmi of course ruled it but I really enjoyed BoA's stream of activities, Yuri's debut, Taeyeon and Soyou's comebacks, and Hyolyn managing her career (though her sound hasn't really clicked with me yet). Looking forward to Chungha too, she has so much potential!
(deleted comment)

Date: 2018-12-20 09:55 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gathyou.livejournal.com
I was a little underwhelmed on first listen but it grew on me so much, by February is was already one of my most played song ever lol
The "love myself today~" part really gets me

Date: 2018-12-20 11:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lydzi.livejournal.com
MY GIRLS FROM (G)-IDLE ARE THIRD THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS!

I really shouldn't stan anything from Cube anymore but here I am. They are magnificent ♥

This list is a mess but honestly, I could care less about some personal top.

Date: 2018-12-24 07:54 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] lizanka23.livejournal.com
some of my faves this year that didn't make it on this list:
roller coaster-chungha
for nct i would switch it to boss
daydream and blueside-j-hope
everythingoes and tokyo-rm
spring fever, rainy season,and midnight summer dream-mamamoo
jenga-heize
april fools-jimin park
is who-minseo (so quirky)
time to love-red velvet
black pearl and addict-sunmi
a pleasant meal-suran
Edited Date: 2018-12-24 08:11 am (UTC)

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