To say K-pop had influence on my 2022 as a whole, would be somewhat of an understatement. I went to my first K-Con in L.A. this year, saw some of my favorites perform (Twice, StayC, (G)I-dle, and Itzy to name a few) and even got married to my wonderful wife and had our DJ play a significant amount of Blackpink. My spotify wrapped playlist was enveloped by K-Pop, with my top 5 being all in that genre even. Only entering the year as someone who mostly listened to gen 3 girl groups, 2022 was significant for debuting some of my new favorite acts. I know I'm not alone in thinking this, but it seems like the K-Pop landscape (at least for girl groups) is going to be heavily influenced by this year. With groups like Ive, Le Sserafim, Newjeans debuting and already establishing themselves as serious players, it's been difficult to remember what we were listening to before this year besides the usual suspects. With this year coming to a close, it has been nice to look back through my playlists, ticket stubs, and countless physical albums, and try my hardest to narrow down what I think my top 10 is for the year. Here's to 2022 being a legendary year for the industry, and thanks for reading!

Honorable Mentions

NewJeans - Ditto

First up on my honorable mentions list, is Newjeans’ fantastic follow up to their debut, in “Ditto”. It’s a bit more subtle of a track, much closer to their b-side “Hurt”, than their debut songs, but still just enough of a bop where dancing is a requirement while listening. It's a little premature to put it on any top list, but I thought it should be mentioned here, as it continues to showcase the incredible skill of Newjeans.

Fifty Fifty - Lovin' Me

Not going to lie, I don’t know where Fifty Fifty came from, as I only heard this song on recommendation from LobbyRumble founder, Rob. This song is so different and takes me back to when I was really into EDM that gave off calming vibes. Although their follow up track “Higher” is decent, it doesn’t capture what I thought to be a strong start with “Lovin’ Me.” But perhaps I’m in the minority on this one.

Choi Yena - Smiley

Perhaps the most complete, all-rounder Iz*one alum, Yena’s debut song “Smiley” really delivered something unique and fun. Going solo has really allowed her to create the music she wants to perform, allowing her to portray a very distinct style. Stay weird Yena, and I will keep listening to whatever you want to showcase.

Itzy - Snowy

It was close, we almost didn’t get anything of note in 2022 from one of my favorite girl groups. “Sneakers” wasn’t the prince that was promised and “Boys Like You” was rough to say the least. But at the end of the finish line here in 2022, Itzy dropped their mini-album Cheshire, which has fantastic tracks. The Cheshire comeback is a good one, and almost feels like it was the missing 2nd (not to mention better) half of what Checkmate was supposed to be, but I digress. I put Snowy here, as I think this B-side is their top track of this year, followed by Cheshire. I highly recommend the Christmas performance video of Snowy.

Lee Chaeyeon - Hush Rush

My last honorable mention, and really my number 11 most favorite track of 2022, is “Hush Rush” by Lee Chaeyeon. I was a little thrown off at first by the obscure concept mixed with this song, but once the performance videos and weekly award shows started, that's when this song really took off for me. The chorus and pre-chorus are really catchy, and the dance is really fun and cute. Lee Chaeyeon is really a favorite idol of mine, and I love watching her shine. I just hope going solo was the right move.

Top 10

10. Aespa - Girls

And we begin. Last year’s top girl rookie group Aespa, consisting of two of K-Pop’s future superstars in Karina and Winter, takes my 10 spot with their second album title track “Girls.” The song continues to deliver on Aespa’s AI/video game like concept, complete with something of a signature beat and attitude that their title tracks such as “Black Mamba”' and “Next Level” are becoming synonymous with. I’m a big believer in K-pop being a visual industry just as much as it is an audio one, and I would be remiss if I didn’t recommend the M/V. This should be watched to get a full sense of the theming of the type of “world” this song would come from. From the fun dance break, to Winter’s high note, Aespa succeeded again in a top tier track. Quick aside, “Illusion” could have been interchangeable in this spot, as it's an incredible song in its own right, but the M/V for “Girls” puts it slightly over.

9. GOT the Beat - Step Back

Is putting a super group on my top 10 cheating? Oh well, they deserve it. “Step Back” by GOT the Beat is an incredible, hard hitting song, by some of the best female performers that SM Entertainment has to offer. The song delivers on a catchy chorus (complete with dance) alongside a balanced showcase of each of the girls and their individual talents. With the girls ranging from generation 2 to 4, it almost seems like finding a song and performance that would fit should be near impossible. That could be farther from the case for “Step Back”, as it seems like every member of this supergroup fits the mold of what they were trying to accomplish. Taeyeon, Wendy, Karina, and Winter sharing a stage is something straight out of a dream. Pro-Tip: Make sure to watch the behind the scenes practice, as it's a treat to watch them all interact.

8. Red Velvet - Feel My Rhythm

To cap off my SM run, I have the queens from Red Velvet and their ReVe Festival 2022 title track of “Feel My Rhythm.” Red Velvet has been known to always play into their strong, beautiful vocals, and this song is no exception. Each of the girls brings something a little different to the table, while still staying in theme of the warmth of the song. The M/V captures the song perfectly and genuinely feels like a piece of art. If for any reason, the video should be watched for Joy’s iconic finger/head twirl in the first chorus.

7. Le Sserafim - Antifragile

ANTI TI TI TI FRAGILE FRAGILE. I will be the first to admit I did not initially jump on the Le Sserafim train when they first debuted as Hybe’s new girl group. I knew they featured two Iz*one alumni, and not much else. Nothing helped their case for my attention, as their name didn’t seem very good marketing-wise, their debut song “Fearless” did not seem like my cup of tea, and there were rumblings of early controversy with a member of their group. What eventually drew me in, however, was the perfect storm of content pushed out, such as Chaewon’s appearance on Lee Mujin Service, the girls’ YouTube documentary, and their performance at Yonsei University that commanded my attention. Now hooked, I was all in on the Antifragile album, and the title track of the same name. The song is fast, fun, and really showcases what Le Sserafim is trying to be as a unit. Looking back at OT6 videos, I see why the member that left (Kim Garam) was beloved. With that being said though, the group with the smaller head count of five, has unlocked the other members that were more bit players, now having Kazuha and Eunchae emerging with enlarged roles and really thriving in them.

6. StayC - Young Luv

This is honestly just a placeholder for the whole “young-luv.com” album from StayC. But, I’ll play fair and pick one, and my choice is “Young Luv”. As sure as the sun sets, and the tides ebb and flow, a certainty in the K-Pop world is that StayC girls just don’t miss. Whether that’s with their title tracks, or their more impressive B-sides, their wonderfully composed songs, carefully tailored to match the girl’s strengths, allow them to rival any other group. “Young Luv” and the rest of the tracks on this album are no exception. Every song is a treat to listen to and the girls’ voices are distinct and different. You can really feel their individual strengths in a song like “Young Luv”. I’ll post the medley video for the album below.

5. Twice - Talk That Talk

The hardest working women in the K-Pop industry did it again in 2022. Fresh off the heels of their world tour (of which I went to 3 times, be jealous) Twice had announced their next mini-album “Between 1&2.” Upon release, the girls burst back onto the scene with their new title track “Talk That Talk.” The song is energetic, entertaining, and has Twice’s signature specialty of catchy choruses alongside the creation of trendy, memorable dance moves. Twice has the unique combination of having a high count of members (OT9), while being able to showcase each of their individualities. The M/V and awards show performances for “Talk That Talk” do just that, with more stunning visuals, fun concepts, and remind everyone that they’re in a different league than some of these new groups. At least for now.

4. (G)-Idle - Tomboy

Dominating the industry for a good chunk of the early part of 2022, was (G)I-dle’s title track off of I Never Say Die, “Tomboy.” The song is raw, unapologetic, and just so different from anything any k-pop girl group had put out, and has since put out. Because of that, the global reception of (G)-Idle’s Tomboy was a positive one. I remember scrolling through Tiktok and hearing the track at least once every few swipes, as the song could absolutely not be escaped. The girls of (G)I-dle have an incredible combination of beauty, impressive vocals, and a unique style, and those things shine through in the track and the M/V for it. Success like theirs is no fluke, and really requires buy-in from all the members. Soyeon, the leader and front-woman of the group, has really unlocked something with her composition skills, as she has since followed up this hit with another one, with “Nxde.” I don’t put too much stock into the Korean music awards scene, but “Tomboy” should have taken home way more trophies than it did.

3. Blackpink - Shutdown

Blackpink is back! With “Pink Venom” every bit as deserving for this 3rd spot, personally I just like “Shutdown” a little more. Jisoo, Jennie, Rose, and Lisa have since become bigger global icons than potentially every K-Pop girl group combined, returning from an almost two year hiatus required songs that really showcase each of the members. This showcasing is something I think “Shutdown” does well. The song, mixed with the simplicity of the hip hop bass tones and sampling of the classical La Campanella, almost dares the girls to take complete control with their voices alone. The swagger that Lisa and Jennie carry during their raps and vocals (skills of which stand alone atop the k-pop mountain) show up in spades, while Rose and Jisoo’s vocals round out the song with their beautiful voices. The M/V (which around the time of this writing is nearing 300 million views on YouTube) has wonderful callbacks to videos of old, and is a treat to watch for any Blink. Not to be outdone, the B-sides on “Born Pink” I could also listen to forever, with “Yeah Yeah Yeah” being my favorite of those.

2. NewJeans - Hype Boy

The new kid on the block, Newjeans absolutely exploded onto the scene, with not just one title track, but 3. Though I could see an argument for “Attention” to be one’s favorite Newjeans track, I think the union of the brilliant and catchy song mixed with the addictive choreo is the perfect combination, and is the reason for their overwhelmingly successful debut. The track is pure delight for the ears, and I found myself singing or humming it every chance I got (although currently that title belongs to “Ditto”). It came to a point where every name and group in the k-pop industry was covering the “Hype Boy” dance at some point or another, and if you didn’t yet have a 30 second clip of you doing it, you were behind on the trend. Posting the performance video below, but Hybe has been putting out all sorts of videos and content for each of the Newjeans tracks, which are highly recommended watches.

1. Nayeon - Pop!

We’ve arrived at my number 1 pick, in my 2022 favorite K-Pop tracks. My bias from the girl group Twice was tasked with making her solo debut amidst one of her group’s busiest schedules, and Im Nayeon delivered on an incredible album and title track. “Pop!” was unquestionably the k-pop song of the summer, and it was an absolute showcase of what makes Twice’s lead vocalist and center so special. As stated before, I am a big proponent of k-pop being just as much a visual art as it is an audio. Nayeon’s M/V for “Pop!” showcases her bright and bubbly attitude (which matches the song perfectly) with very colorfully loud concepts. There are possibly 10-15 different outfits (maybe more) that Nayeon wears throughout the video, complete with appropriate scenery changes. The track itself leans into everything that makes early Twice tracks great - fun and cute dances, over-sugary candy pop vibes, catchy lyrics, and trendy dance moves. “Pop!” does all of that, and turns it up to 11.

Most importantly as to why I have it as my number one song of 2022, I think it perfectly captures what is most important in K-Pop to me, which is the artist really matching and buying into everything the song is trying to project. Many of the songs on my list do just that. “Tomboy” by (G)-Idle for instance knows what it’s trying to do and executes it perfectly. “Pop!” is a culmination of what Nayeon contributes to Twice, and has allowed her to own an unaccompanied spotlight for the first time. In 2022, where it seemed like the “girl krush” concept ran rampant within every top tier girl group, Nayeon’s debut track doubles down on the persona she’s established for herself within the (now senior) group Twice. Her fun, loud, and playful personality is showcased throughout and had the whole industry take notice. It is an incredible feat, and I’m so happy that the product she put out in her debut was everything Twice and Nayeon fans could have hoped for. JYP got it correct, and I have high hopes for his plans with the other members.