On the K/Queue: Best 100 K-pop Singles of 2018

Some of the year’s best singles by IU, IZ*ONE, Wanna One and more

16 min readDec 13, 2018

“What do you think of, like, BTS and all that,” a dear friend asked me one night. And all that. For all the media headlines inspired by BTS’s rise to global popularity this past year, I suppose K-pop remains a blip on the radar of the music-listening public of America. But, hey, maybe it’s still too early to tell.

That reality of K-pop in the U.S., though, made it such an overwhelming surprise when I spent a week in Japan. I’m going to be honest: I barely began to keep track of K-pop in Japan this year. I also admit my observations have a lot to do with me barely starting to recognize these names. Though, I know there has been a rush of a new Hallyu wave during the past few years, and it was very exciting to experience even a small portion of that by catching K-pop fans at music stores, being in the middle of Twice mania, or just seeing a huge billboard of BTS’s latest release. I can’t even imagine how it’s going to be next year now that IZ*ONE is a thing.

So much happened in K-pop from idol survival shows, scandals to American talk show appearances, but let’s get to the music. Here are 100 of my favorite K-pop singles.

1) SHINee: “Good Evening”

[SM]

SHINee understands life doesn’t neatly offer a moment of release nor clarity. The de-saturated filter to the beat shade the aqueous surface of “I Want You” with slight melancholy, and the ocean-depths metaphor expresses the loneliness of swimming aimlessly in the deep end. The four don’t look as though they could fully move forward, but instead stuck in place to bask in the feeling of joy that once was. I can’t blame them for escaping into memories to find a better place than the present. That was me this year too.

But if “I Want You” was the pure reflection of reality, “Good Evening” realizes what could be possible. SHINee still struggle emotionally: the four search for steady ground as they wander blindly in the vast, all-consuming darkness. Yet the same night sky of the song’s extended metaphor also offers them a silver lining, looming overhead as a source of deep connection as much as isolation. It’s an epiphany that inspires a hopeful glow in the song, with its bass lines snapping powerful and resilient.

SHINee wipes out any misery and cynicism left during the last moment of “Good Evening.” In the single’s choreography, the four gain full control for the first time, moving so freely after floating endlessly in the abyss. Reality might not ever provide such an opportunity for catharsis or happy endings, but SHINee lose themselves in the music to build a space where that can be possible, if only for a moment.

2) Uhm Jung Hwa: “Ending Credit”

[Mystic/APOP]

Uhm Jung Hwa’s 25-plus years spent as an actress places a quite literal read on this love song that likens a fading romance to a film approaching its end roll, but “Ending Credit” cuts deep precisely because of her background, not despite of it. The midnight synths already give a lonely glow even without the lyrics, and her sighs bear a deep emotional wear from sitting through the same story repeatedly that inevitably ends in heartbreak. She knows the sequences almost too well, explaining the general rundown of a movie’s denouement like a script read. But no matter how much she may have experienced, her shout of “fade out” still echoes with pain like it’s her very first time.

3) Chung Ha: “Roller Coaster”

[MNH]

Chung Ha set the bar high for 2018, releasing this stunning anthem during the first month of the year. She may not have a hold of her feelings while chasing this unpredictable crush, but the solo idol retains full control of her performance throughout the course of “Roller Coaster.” Every ad lib lands with precision: that “look!” before entering the rocket launch of a chorus, for one. For every sharp turn of the beat, she follows its zigzagging neon trail effortlessly. Best of all, she answers to the scale of the song, sharing a feeling as epic and electric as the maximal beat playing behind her.

4) LOONA: “Hi High”

[BlockBerry Creative]

LOONA 1/3’s “Love & Live,” Odd Eye Circle’s “Girl Front,” yyxy’s “Love4eva”: directors sure like making the girls in LOONA run, don’t they? But that sprint to nowhere best represents the propulsive drive behind the group’s “Hi High.” The restless pop beat harnesses an energy that blurs the line between intense excitement and overwhelming anxiety. The girls spends the song’s entire run convincing that very heart-fluttering feeling as ultimately a sweet, rewarding feeling, and the only thing I can do is sit back and take their word as the track accelerates more and more.

5) ZICO ft. IU: “Soulmate”

[Seven Seasons]

ZICO and IU’s cute, sappy coffee-shop rom-com sounds soft around the edges as honeymooner daydreams as these are often expressed. ZICO’s rap leans hard into love-story cliches — feeding each other ice cream or dancing in the daylight without music — as much as the jazz music playing behind him. It’s shamelessly cheesy but very comfortable, enough for both involved to hang up their inhibitions to get lost in each other in the most tender way. Listening to it, too, offers a comfort to leave any cynicism behind to subscribe to this bite-sized fantasy.

6) Pentagon: “Shine”

[Cube]

E’Dawn’s whiny drawl makes for one sticky, very relatable hook that creates pop gold out of that awkward, habitual tic of “umm” before you again finally muster the confidence to continue with the rest of your confession. Pentagon does a fantastic job performing this pockets-in-hands bashfulness which holds the boys back from talking about their true feelings, but it’s how they build such immense personal stakes in “Shine” that truly drives the song home. The boys conclude the effort is futile well before they even begin to open their mouths. “After all, I’m a loser in the face love,” they shrug, and ain’t that the truth for everyone?

7) WJSN: “Dream Come True”

[Starship]

Rather than working up to a single reward, “Dream Come True” is a complex web strung up by smaller yet still spectacular moments. The ornately arranged string-pop production slowly reveals its many moving parts one by one, and the skeleton key is the hook that succinctly sums up what’s at stake: “trust in me, trust in you.” The gradual removal of layers nicely syncs up to the unfolding narrative dealing with two people trying to see each other eye to eye. Throughout the track, WJSN try their best to convince you that there’s no need to keep your guard up. They open themselves up more and more as they go, but if the other does the same is anyone’s guess.

8) Produce 48: “Nekkoya (Pick Me)”

[Stone Music]

While the lyrics take on a typical one-and-only type of romance strictly on paper, off-record context dictates the phrases of “your heroine,” “you’re mine” and the titular “pick me” of “Nekkoya (Pick Me)” as words in reference to choosing your favorite idol contestant competing in Produce 48. All 96 girls involved are ready to give everything they can in their power, and all they ask in return is the same. They sing it as a simple promise, but the massive EDM beat doesn’t let you forget the sheer magnitude of their request.

9) Yubin: “Lady”

[JYP]

The retro city-pop backdrop of Yubin’s solo debut felt almost preordained because of her time as a member of the Wonder Girls, yet she delivers a record that’s far from a stiff pastiche of a past decade. She struts along the glamorous synth-pop record with one sassy attitude, and she shoos away pathetic boys like a choreography routine because she’s got plenty more in line. Her independent-woman narrative may have worked with a lot more styles, though it thrives best in the nostalgic music and the image of the busy city attached to it.

10) Fromis_9: “Love Bomb”

[Off the Record]

Fromis_9 already had scored a hit based on an accelerated heartbeat with “Pitapat (DKDK),” though that song in retrospect would prove to only be a precursor for “Love Bomb.” The Idol School girl group’s fall single magnifies that pounding heartbeat into one overwhelming force, and as the title suggests, the girls remain flustered while ecstatic under the influence of love. What fully ignites the track are those sputtering drums, relentlessly kicking about like their maddeningly thumping hearts that won’t leave them alone.

11) “Brand New Girl”

Twice

While Twice building a separate, more tween-friendly personality for its Japanese audience has its faults, the heart-to-heart girl talk of “Brand New Girl” and the nine empathizing with everyday loneliness in their bubblegum pop suggest some good can come out of the group’s J-pop ventures.

12) “Restless”

Melody Day

The melancholy glow of the after-hours R&B sets a fine backdrop for MelodyDay’s bittersweet reminiscences inspired by its insomnia. The heartbroken musings hit more personal following them along the music video, where the protagonist revisits her past memories via VR.

13) “Light”

Wanna One

The pensive dance-pop beat and the central hook asking “do you feel the same?” frame Wanna One’s yearning for affection as a means to seek reassurance during a time of doubt. A jagged beat drop drowns the silence before they get a proper answer, but the melancholy remains inconsolable.

14) “Chain”

NCT 127

The brazenly loud EDM beat in “Chain” sounds like heaps of steel clattering against each other. The noisiness of the track perhaps would not be a good bet for any group to take it on for its Japanese debut. NCT 127 embraces it no problem, and the unhinged performance makes for the best first impression.

15) “Banana Allergy Monkey”

Oh My Girl Banhana

A chiptune pop record about a monkey allergic to bananas: this song asks to be nothing more than a piece of novelty based on a pun. But this catchy jingle went farther than expected, mainly serving as a lead track for Oh My Girl’s debut in Japan. Silly record, maybe, but it paid off to commit to the silliness.

16) “Checkmate”

MXM

If love is a chess game as the duo says, the inexperience of MXM clearly shows from how they play in “Checkmate.” But the very way how the Brandnew Boys carry themselves, like two juvenile teens trying to play off their young age, adds a charming personality to their best singles.

17) “Go”

NCT Dream

Borrowing the boastful attitude of hip-hop, the NCT camp tried its best this year to establish itself as a threat as much as a group full of swagger. “Go” got the closest with the beat’s electro squiggle and serpentine bass line bringing an unsettling feel as though one roamed into the wrong area.

18) “Egoist”

Olivia Hye ft. JinSoul

LOONA revealed its twelfth and last member with a bang. A massive future-bass drop accompanied the chorus as if it was welcoming newcomer Olivia Hye with a round of fireworks. But beyond the spectacle, “Egoist” closed out the third portion of LOONA’s lore with its bold message of self-love.

19) “Oh! My Mistake”

April

After a series of string-laden pure-girl singles, April picks up a neon-pink dance-pop record and transforms completely into one venomous femme fatale. The titular hook feigns innocence with an evil grin while the girl group explains exactly how it lures gullible suckers into the palm of its hands.

20) “Please, Stop Me”

Park Bo Ram ft. Lil Boi

Park Bo Ram phones a friend in this toy-box R&B so she won’t dial her crush’s number and confess her feelings. From the way she sips a bit too much alcohol for the night, and how the bashful song ignites like a fireworks in the chorus, deep inside, she just wants to give into temptation.

21) Sha Sha: “What the Heck”

[Major]

The chorus alone corners the girl group’s crush into giving into its whims, and the most clingiest single of the year overall refuses to hear any response other than a reassurance that feelings are mutual. The cheery pop-rock only makes it feel more intimidating, like a smile too eager to be told the truth. It’s no surprise, then, to arrive to the bridge with Chaki phoning for the umpteenth time, only to get a dropped call. It’s probably best for anyone to run away from this situation as far as one possibly can.

22) DIA: “Woo Woo” [MBK]
For its summer anthem, DIA sings about one blissful feeling over an equally lush freestyle beat.

23) MoonByul ft. Seulgi: “Selfish” [RBW]
MAMAMOO’s lead rapper hits up Red Velvet’s Seulgi for her solo debut, and the breezy hip-hop track truly sounds like a spiritual vacation far away from home.

24) EXID: “Lady” [BANANA]
EXID throws it back to the ’90s, trying on some New Jack Swing, and the four-piece sharply rocks the decade’s pop style.

25) Hyolyn ft. GRAY: “Dally” [Bridge]
The former Sistar sounded delightful as she sang about falling into the arms of a lover, but her music hit harder when she threw her last kiss goodbye to a frustrating relationship.

26) Apink: “I’m So Sick”

[Plan A]

While Apink’s summer comeback sources candied synths and echoes of distorted voices heard in many typical feelgood anthems of the sunny season, the song’s love story unfolds as anything but. Feelings get played in a classic, frustrating fashion through drunk calls confessing “I love you” and a retraction of it the day after. Thankfully, the group decides to call it quits, and its last goodbye makes for one liberating chorus.

27) BerryGood Heart Heart: “Crazy, Gone Crazy” [JTG]
Before dropping a single with the rest of Berry Good, the Heart Heart trio stepped out on its own with a classy dance-pop seduction.

28) UNB: “Black Heart” [Interpark]
The Unit’s winning boy group can’t contain its excitement, and the sensory-overload of a beat delivers an equally uncontrollable rush through a piano bop mashed with a fuzzy electro bass line.

29) SF9: “Now or Never” [FNC]
A speedy garage beat and a buzzing bass line give music to a lovesick SF9, who’s trying to find stable ground as their world gets thrown out of orbit.

30) S.I.S.: “Say Yes” [Double X]
The girls of S.I.S. would describe themselves as shy considering the cutesy pop arrangements of “Say Yes” plus all the blushing they do, though for a bashful bunch, they sure do ask for a whole lot out of their crush.

31) IU: “BbiBbi”

[FAVE]

IU’s 10-year anniversary single sounds anything but celebratory. The solo icon instead approaches the occasion with her usual shrug, accompanied by a well familiar minimal R&B beat reminiscent of her birthday tune “Palette.” Her playful hooks, too, function more of a warning than a congratulations as she draws the line between her and an anonymous pest. With references to gossip and chatter, “Bbibbi” could be very much about more than just a person.

32) GFriend: “Time for the Moon Night” [Source Music]
As GFriend sings about the cosmic distance between two lovers, it’s only natural for its sentimental string-pop to grow more epic in scale.

33) Heize ft. Gaeko: “Jenga” [CJ E&M/Studio Blu]
Imprisoned by her own love and obsession, Heize is on the brink of crumbling in her melancholy, jazzy boom-bap.

34) Laboum: “Between Us” [Global H]
The midnight-blue shading Laboum’s sultry dance-pop sets the scene nicely as the group lays alone yearning to get closer.

35) IZ*ONE: “La Vie En Rose” [Stone/Off the Record]
“I don’t want to make it blue,” goes a catchy line in this classy dance-pop debut by the Produce 48 finalists, and the booming pre-chorus colors the rest of the song into one passionate shade of crimson red.

36) Lee Jin Ah ft. GRAY: “Run” [Antenna]
Anxiety heavily informs Lee Jin Ah’s re-package single in both the panicked lyrics — “the world is so scary,” she starts her verse — as well as GRAY’s scatterbrained R&B production that finds no middle between the grand exhales and the broken, rapid-fire beat.

37) GWSN: “Puzzle Moon”

[Kiwi Pop]

Despite the group singing about “question marks turning into exclamation points,” GWSN made its debut with a single that resembles more of an ellipsis. Yet the modest glow of its sleek, after-hours house beat alludes to the slowly blooming emotion inside, which the girls explore its dimensions like a curious puzzle. “Make it moon” as a hook reflects that, with its obliqueness but also an allure you can’t help but examine.

38) Gugudan: “The Boots” [Jellyfish]
Gugudan preaches self-confidence, and the group leads by example, strutting along the girl-crush pop with effortless cool.

39) GOT7: “Lullaby” [JYP]
A sleepy ballad by GOT7, this isn’t: her sweet melody instead inspires a love song built upon a heart-racing rush of a electro-pop beat.

40) Nature: “Allegro Cantabile” [n.CH]
While the rookie girl group’s single follows a familiar route as others who can’t keep it together under the influence of love, the delicate piano tune wraps it all into a sweet package.

41) Primary & Anda: “The Open Boat” [Amoeba Culture]
Primary and Anda together brought a series of grand electro-pop, and the hook for this one — “touch the sky!” — gets down the collaboration’s epic, wide-eyed feel.

42) VIXX: “Scentist” [Jellyfish]
VIXX studies sensuality as science, preoccupied by details at their finest levels, and the product of its obsessions bloom in its chorus built by a lush, delicate EDM drop.

43) Oh My Girl: “Remember Me”

[Woollim]

Oh My Girl’s productive year seems to unfold like a highlight reel throughout the many stylistic shifts of “Remember Me.” The essence of the single follows trends as it embraces the sentimental, “you are always in my heart” message of previous release “Secret Garden.” But the ringing electro bass that opens the track shakes up preset expectations while the group’s casual dip into rap comes to the forefront to further make the track anew. The progressive change of course only expresses the multiple facets of the song’s cherished subject, adding new dimensions to the group’s past music in the process.

44) iKON: “Killing Me” [YG]
“I never knew about how hard a breakup would be,” goes a stray lyric of this iKON single, and those haunting memories of past feelings rush back through the beat drop with voices chopped and clipped in dizzying ways.

45) Whee In ft. Sik-K: “Easy” [RBW]
The other MAMAMOO member may keep her cool on the surface to the tune of an equally mellow hip-hop beat, but her relationship problems reveals to be anything but.

46) Dreamcatcher: “You & I” [Happyface]
Dreamcatcher returns with another power-metal riff, and the group continues to deliver its love stories with a slightly treacherous edge.

47) Suzy: “Sober” [JYP]
Suzy moves bubbly and tipsy over a beat made up of carbonated pops and glass clinks for her second single from Holiday.

48) Taeyeon: “Something New” [SM]
The SNSD member turned in a classy funk number that sounded more of a natural fit for her solo gig.

49) Favorite: “Where Are You From?” [Astory]
The keys in this slap-bass funk shines maddeningly bright as if the girls weren’t already blinded enough by their own infatuation.

50) UNI.T: “I Mean”

Interpart/The Happy People

It’s a bummer the winning girl group from The Unit was short-lived, especially since it got on a good groove with its second and final single. Brave Brothers dishes out a dance-pop beat that wears a slight retro vibe. And UNI.T answers with bit of a throwback attitude, talking back with some sass while trying (and failing) to hide its true feelings.