People that have been following this blog for at least a year or that know me in real life might have noticed how I have been getting more and more interested in K-Pop music and culture. I actually originally became interested in it during high school back in the early 2010s; one of my best friends in high school was from Korea, and he exposed me to artists like Big Bang, 2ne1, and Hyuna. After high school, I continued my appreciation for the genre from afar, jamming out to the biggest hits from artists like Psy and BTS like everyone else. About a couple of years ago, though, I started to become a huge fan of Blackpink. I was mesmerized by everything about them; from their vocals to their dancing to their performances to their music videos, everything about Blackpink drew me in. Shortly after getting into Blackpink, I started to get into another titan of K-Pop, Twice. This is when the rabbit hole started. Now, I would say I am more well-versed in K-Pop than most men in their late 20s. I have become a big fan of so many groups, and I love following the genre to see who is starting to come up and become popular next. If you love hearing new and exciting or love performance art, K-Pop has so much for you to love. The music within this industry is so diverse, and I feel like there is anything for all fans of all genres. In my opinion(and I know I am not the only person who feels this way), who has felt like the American music industry has felt a bit slow in 2023; this has gotten me to look even more into K-Pop than I had been the last couple of years. There has been so much good K-Pop music released in 2023, especially recently. Below is a list of a few K-Pop songs that have come out in the last several months that I enjoy a lot. Please let me know in the comments below how you feel about these songs, and also comment some more K-Pop songs and artists I should check out.

SUPER SHY – NEWJEANS

NewJeans is a young and fresh K-Pop group that has taken the world by storm over the last year or so. Their songs ‘Ditto,’ Hype Boy,’ and ‘OMG’ have all gone insanely viral, and they have already broken multiple streaming records within the K-Pop world. ‘Super Shy’ is one of the singles from their new EP Get Up, which actually just came out(I will be reviewing that EP next week). ‘Super Shy’ is a UK Garage and 90s R&B-inspired track that reminds me a lot of their aforementioned 2022 single ‘Ditto.’ This song has a colorful melody that is so sweet and cute. ‘Super Shy’ has a very quick beat, and it is the kind of song that will make anyone want to dance when they hear it. The vocals from the girls are soft and delicate, which match the charming nature of the instrumental. I especially enjoy the rap performance from Hyein, as her high pitch and speedy flow sound so great on this beat. ‘Super Shy’ is the latest great example of why NewJeans is one of the hottest new acts in K-Pop right now.

UNFORGIVEN – LE SSERAFIM FEAT. NILE RODGERS

Like NewJeans, Le Sserafim is a K-Pop group that debuted in the last year or so. They have quickly risen to the top of the industry, and are another group that is poised to be at the forefront of the next generation of K-Pop. Their very popular recently released single ‘Unforgiven’ contains a guitar riff played by legendary guitarist Nile Rodger(how the heck did they get him as a feature?). As one might expect from a song that has Nile Rodger on it, this song is so groovy and dark and fun. This track has so much attitude, and it is reminiscent of the Pop music from the late 2000s; particularly, this track makes me think of artists like the Pussycat Dolls. The vocal performances on this track match the sassy nature of the instrumental. The way the vocals on this track are delivered gives it an anthemic feeling. ‘Unforgiven’ is such an audacious and vibrant track, and it is easy to see why it has become so popular internationally.

QUEENCARD – (G)I-DLE

(G)I-DLE has been one of the most underrated groups in K-Pop for several years. Until recently, they had never gotten the credit they deserve as one of the coolest acts in the K-Pop industry. Everything about them sticks out; from their image and style to their vocal profiles to the fact that they write and produce all of their own music, (G)I-DLE stands alone in the best way. Their song ‘Queencard’ is an empowering anthem that has the kind of energy that should have landed it in the new Barbie movie. This is an upbeat and light Pop track that is so entertaining and cheeky. It has a lively melody and beat that will make anyone want to dance around their house when they hear it, and it has the kind of convictions that will make anyone feel like a girl boss. Each of the vocal performances plays off each other well which gives the song so much texture. ‘Queencard’ is bold and exciting and immediately puts me in a good mood when I hear it.

GRL GVNG – XG

XG is my personal favorite new K-Pop girl group on the rise right now. I actually wrote about why I enjoy them a few months ago, so please go check out that post after finishing this one. Their new single, ‘GRL GVNG,’ is nothing like anything being made in K-Pop right now, especially by female groups(that I have heard at least). This is a gritty and brazen Trap banger that has the energy of an Atlanta Trap song. This song fits so well into the atmosphere of modern American Hip Hop; it is the kind of song I could imagine hearing at a club here in Milwaukee. I love the Reggae-tinted melody that this track has; when paired with the heavy hitting beat the song has, it gives the song such an all-encompassing feeling. The vocal performances on this track are the perfect combination of graceful and brazen; the vocals from the singers in the group are elegant, and the vocals from the rappers are harsh; this creates an awesome juxtaposition. ‘GRL GVNG’ is a great Trap track that makes XG stick out from their peers in the best way.

DO IT LIKE THAT – TOMORROW X TOGETHER FEAT. JONAS BROTHERS

Tomorrow X Together, which is sometimes stylized as TXT, has quickly become of the biggest K-Pop boy bands in the world since their inception in 2019. Their debut EP was the first album by a Korean male group to break into the Billboard Top 200 chart, and this summer they will be the first Korean act to headline the Lollapalooza Music Festival. Their new single, ‘Do It Like That,’ features one of the biggest American boy bands of the last 20 years, the Jonas Brothers. This is an upbeat Dance-Rock track that reminds me a lot of the Pop-Rock that was big in the early 2010s. When I hear this song, I think of bands like Walk The Moon, Neon Trees, or Joe Jonas’s side project DNCE. I love the way the vocals of Nick Jonas and the members of TXT complement each other on this track. All of the vocal performances on this track play off of each other well, giving the song such a luscious and energetic feeling. ‘Do It Like That’ is an awesome collaboration between two of the biggest boy bands in the world, and it is the latest example of K-Pop’s growing infiltration into mainstream American music.

DO NOT TOUCH – MiSaMo

MiSaMo is a mini-group recently formed made up of the three Japanese members from TWICE, Mina, Sana, and Momo. Music from these three has been long awaited by the TWICE fandom, and it is cool to finally see their new project come to fruition. ‘Do Not Touch’ is one of the singles from MiSaMo’s upcoming EP Masterpiece out July 26. ‘Do Not Touch’ is a breezy Pop-Trap track that makes me think of music from artists like Ariana Grande when I hear it. The instrumental is light and easy-going, which puts the focus on the vocal performances of the ladies. All three of these women have drastically different vocal styles, and this is highlighted in ‘Do Not Touch.’ I love the way that all the voices of MiSaMo contrast each other; their vocals give the song so much texture and make it feel so full. ‘Do Not Touch’ is not the most riveting song on this list, but it is a solid Pop track that highlights the vocal talents of Mina, Sana, and Momo nicely.

I DO – (G)I-DLE

‘I Do’ is the first single from (G)I-DLE all-English EP HEAT which is set to be released in September. This will be the group’s first all-English project, showing they are growing and diversifying as they try to appeal to a more global market. If someone were to hear ‘Queencard’ and ‘I DO’ back to back without knowing anything about (G)I-DLE, I doubt they would be able to tell these songs are by the same artist. ‘I Do; is so different from ‘Queencard’(and all of the other music on their EP I Feel released back in May), and it shows the massive range that this group has. ‘I Do’ is a downtempo New Wave-inspired Pop Track that sounds directly inspired by the 1980s. This instrumental reminds me a lot of the music from The Weeknd’s album After Hours. The song has a welcoming and warm melody that feels utopian and futuristic, and the smooth, lowkey beat the song has adds to the overall embracing feeling of the song. The vocal performances on this song are so lush and full and emotional; the sentiment of ‘I Do’ is so palpable through the vocal performances. ‘I Do’ is yet another example of why (G)I-DLE is one of the coolest and most interesting acts in K-Pop today.