From global crossover hits to modern-classic compositions, which of these 11 standout releases wins your vote?
Stray children
JYP Entertainment
Every week, the Korean music scene delivers great songs across genres and styles, and last week was no exception, with a heavy selection of hits with global pop dynamism, emotionally stirring compositions, and refreshingly honest storytelling.
Marking major crossover moments in their careers, Stray Kids and PENTAGON's KINO teamed up, respectively, with other chart-toppers such as Charlie Puth and Lay Bankz to bring two unforgettable and unexpected musical fusions that can push boundaries and new audience. Meanwhile, solo stars such as BAEKHO, Kim Jae Hwan, and EXO's DO are embarking on exciting sonic transformations to showcase new aspects of their musical identity in this fast-paced industry. Along with up-and-coming girl groups such as ARTMS and tripleS, who aim to connect international audiences, there is also solo sensation Lim Young Woong, who brings a modern take on classical and gospel music for the world to enjoy.
As the K-pop industry moves at a fast pace, it's important to stop and appreciate the innovation and diversity it brings to its various acts. Take some time to explore these 11 new songs that embody the spirit of the scene and deserve a permanent spot on your playlist. Then vote in our poll for the top of K-pop for the past week.
Of course, we absolutely love RM's future hit “Come back to me” — both the six-and-a-half minute original and the radio. The fact that Advertising sign Readers named it last week's best new release, and an undeniably cool new pop song of the week tells us that music fans really know (and love) the track. So listen to these 11 other K-pop releases for your radar now and vote below.
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Stray Kids, “Lose My Breath” feat. Charlie Puth
Image source: Courtesy photo
Stray Kids' first original English single “Lose My Breath” tops the Billboard 200 charts four times for their biggest crossover moment. A departure from the in-your-face appeal of recent singles like “LALALALA” and “S-Class,” the breezy track sees the Kids team up with Charlie Puth to showcase the super pop powers of two artists who are both strongly in their work. MUSIC. SKZ's main production members Bang Chan, Changbin and Han wrote and composed the track alongside Puth, who co-produced the song alongside Hot 100 Producers mainstay Johnny Goldstein.
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ARTMS, “Air”
Consisting of former LOONA members JinSoul, Haseul, Kim Lip, Heejin, and Choerry, the newly formed project ARTMS has allowed the beloved K-pop stars to continue releasing music as soloists and through this new quintet. After LOONA's original creative director Jaden Jeong produced new songs 'Birth', 'Flower Rhythm' and 'Candy Crush', the latest shape-shifting pop track 'Air' is the fourth and final song to be released before ARTMS' debut album together. Dalreleased on May 31st.
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Yook Sungjae, “Be Somebody”
In his first musical move since leaving his longtime record label Cube Entertainment, Yook Sungjae recalls his shocking power with vocal delivery and storytelling on 'Be Somebody'. The new single reveals a vulnerability in the actor-singer, with Sungjae's introspective lyrics speaking of a global journey: “”All my life I've been fighting this war, trying to be somebody… / I won't go back to who I was before because I you make me somebody.” With this first single, Sungjae's new beginning leaves the huge promise of sharing stories that fans were previously unaware of.
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Doh Kyung Soo (DO), “Mars”
Image Credit: Courtesy of Billboard Korea
Embracing a transformative new chapter in his career by going by his full name professionally and releasing his first new music since founding a one-man record label SooSoo Entertainment, Doh Kyung Soo — also known as DO of EXO — invites his fans into his effortless world of. melodies and introspective lyricism. Easy-listening new track “Mars” bears the hallmarks of some of DO's best solo work like 2023's “I Do,” but has a new lightness that can be heard throughout his new Flower ER.
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KINO, “Broke My Heart” feat. Lay Bankz
As Lay Bankz spends her third week at No. 1 on the TikTok Billboard Top 50, KINO couldn't have planned a better time to release his new collaboration with the MC. The lead single from his debut solo record If this is love, I want a refund, the short and sweet 'Broke My Heart' allows the two to effortlessly and gracefully navigate a fast-paced, easy-listening production. It all points to a promising start for the PENTAGON member who releases the track under his newly formed agency, NAKED.
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HYUNJUN, “Back Seat”
Originally gaining fame as a member of THE BOYZ, today HYUNJUN has established himself as an actor and singer with his rich new release 'Backseat' in Korean and English, a constant throughout his unexpected R&B departure for solo music featuring other global focused tracks like “Let Me Down” and “VO!D”. Infusing this new track with the same undeniable charm that helped him resonate with audiences early in his career as a K-pop idol, “Backseat” further confirms his status as a rising star on the global stage.
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tripleS, “Girls Never Die”
tripleS is an incredibly ambitious girl group where they have grown to 24 total members and split into different groups for their releases since the project began in 2022. For tripleS' full album, ASSEMBLY24, everyone participated. Lead single 'Girls Never Die' not only features a must-see live performance scene with all 24 stars, but tripleS cleverly separates the song and music video, ensuring each member gets their moment to shine on their own .
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BAEKHO & BigOne, “Love or Die”
Former NU'EST member BAEKHO showed off his emo-rock skills by releasing Love or Die, a collaborative EP with indie rap-rock sensation BigOne. The title track not only allows BAEKHO and BigOne to seamlessly infuse their sections with each of their individual talents, but undergoes a transformation with both EDM and unplugged performances. Released under esteemed K-pop label Prismfilter Music Group, the refreshing handling of a new single allows listeners to experience the track in different dimensions and further highlights the collaborative synergy between the pair.
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BM, “Nectar” feat. Jay Park
Image credit: Pierre Suu/GI
Realizing a dream collaboration that manifested years ago, BM unleashes his wild side with “Nectar” alongside Jay Park. Through the light Afrobeat inspired production, both rappers have fun listening to the sexy record. By your standards, it is almost NSFW with thinly veiled metaphors (“Take you down, down, make it spread wide/ Give me one taste of your nectar”) but as the KARD member has joked in the past, he's all about “K-pop for adults”.
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Kim Jae Hwan, “Amaid (Prod. Dynamicduo, Padi)”
While his JAM (Journey Above Music) album was named one of Advertising signThe best K-pop releases of the past year, Kim Jae Hwan continues to demonstrate musical excellence and versatility with his first EP this year. The latest collection from the former Wanna One star I adore centers around new single “Amaid,” produced by Korean hip-hop legends Dynamicduo and experimental hitmaker Padi, letting KJH walk into uncharted territory with a shape-shifting gem that allows his vocals to groove and they dance with an unprecedented fluidity.
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Lim Young Woong, “Warmth”
With two great new songs, Korean sensation Lim Young Woong proves once again that he is a musical force to be reckoned with thanks to “Warmth” and “Home”. While both tracks showcase his unparalleled vocal prowess, the gospel-tinged epic 'Warmth' emerges as the crowning hit with a short film music video featuring actors Ahn Eun-jin and Hyun Bong-sik for an extra layer of depth and emotional impact. . LYW's involvement in the lyrics and composition of “Warmth” adds an extra personal touch to the track to allow more authentic storytelling to shine through.
from our partners at https://www.billboard.com/lists/top-kpop-of-the-week-stray-kids-lim-youngwoong-do-yook-sungjae-artms-triples/
