With more of the world watching than ever, K-pop artists stepped up with their singles in ways previously unseen.  After a decade of counting down the year’s best K-pop songs at Billboard, 2022 brought refreshing and remarkable shifts in how these lists usually shape up. Undeniably, this was the year of the girl group. More than half of 2022’s entries are from female troupes who now lead the scene in taste and trends. From established queens like Girls’ Generation and KARA celebrating milestone anniversaries to rising rookies including IVE, NewJeans, and LE SSERAFIM kicking in the industry door, the spectrum for excellence ran the gamut. That’s not to say the boys weren’t bringing their best. In fact, cuts from BIGBANG, Zico, BTS, plus Ha Sung Woon and Jimin blew up big time without traditional music videos or typical promotional tactics. Even for those tracks riding on a viral trend, these were expressions of the artists that audiences won’t look back on as novelty tracks or cringey viral sensations best left as clips on TikTok. Not to mention, K-pop has more eyes on it than ever worldwide, and it seemed like the artists delivered knowing the world was watching. Stray Kids and (G)I-DLE shared personal and powerful messages in their biggest singles yet, while BLACKPINK spotlighted how traditional Korean instruments fit inside their latest pop anthem. 2022 was the time for K-pop artists to express themselves vocally, thematically and artistically in ways previously seen, and it undoubtedly paid off in full. Read on to see who we think did it the best with Billboard’s list of the 25 best K-pop songs of the year.
Jimin & Ha Sung Woon, “With You”
K-pop fans know that Jimin and Ha Sung Woon have been best friends for years, and 2022 saw the K-pop stars finally putting their friendship on record … a musical record, that is. The BTS singer and former Wanna One member came together to duet on this gorgeous, acoustic-led ballad for the official soundtrack for the Korean TV drama Our Blues, which is on Netflix in most countries. Not only is Jimin and Sung Woon’s song able to perfectly narrate the bittersweet romantic drama, but “With You” is a display of a full-fledged musical synergy. – JEFF BENJAMIN
fromis_9, “DM”
Another year passes in the K-pop scene and fromis_9 proves they cannot, and will not, make a bad pop song. “DM” continues that tradition as another gem in their discography, but the group members step up their vocal game throughout the punchy chorus. (Listen for Song Hayoung’s whistle notes on the final chorus — they could make Mariah Carey smile.) Simply put, the girl group represents one of the most consistent and beautiful acts out there today. – J.B.
BTS, “Run BTS”
BTS’ sixth No. 1 album on the Billboard 200, Proof, was a journey to celebrate the group’s musical history with new songs such as the Grammy-nominated single “Yet to Come,” plus “For Youth” and “Run BTS.” The latter track stands out as one that felt like a recall to the septet’s spritely hip-hop sound from their earliest records, but updated with wisdom they have as new-age pop icons as they look back on moments in their journey and promise to keep moving forward. Even without a proper push as a single, “Run BTS” managed to be an instant standout. A choreography video from the guys, as well as a silly and much more accessible take on the intense dance by youngest member Jung Kook, spurred a viral dance that caught the attention of TikTok and multiple K-pop stars, all showing why it’s always worth exploring BTS’ music beyond the title tracks. – J.B.
Zico & Homies, “New Thing”
As one of many tracks soundtracking Korea’s popular dance-competition series Street Man Fighter, “New Thing” wasn’t necessarily crafted as a smash single. But its viral dance challenge (covered by members SEVENTEEN, ITZY, IVE and many more) took off on social media. It also spotlighted the ongoing excitement (and layered wordplay) circulating in the K-hip-hop scene with longtime hitmaker Zico and rap-trio-to-watch Homies representing. – J.B.
IVE, “After Like”
Since debuting at the tail end of 2021 with “Eleven,” Starship Entertainment’s IVE has quickly become one of the most promising new girl groups in K-pop. Its single “After Like” — which arrived in August — builds on the promise of their debut and follow-up “Love Dive” with a giddy pop confection that explores the commitment to taking a budding relationship past infatuation, all set to a thrilling, disco-ready interpolation of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.” – GLENN ROWLEY
PSY & Suga, “That That”
Ahead of the April release of “That That,” PSY told Billboard that he saw his comeback single as means “to make a new start” and officially retire his “Gangnam Style” persona. As evidenced by a throwback-inspired PSY (dressed in his signature blue suit and sunglasses) bleeding on Suga in the accompanying music video, “That That” also represented a rebirth for the king of viral videos. Not only did “That That” return PSY to the Hot 100 for the first time in seven years, but PSY got to display his impressive spitting skills and went bar-for-bar with the BTS rapper, who also produced the cut. PSY and Suga together marked the ultimate display of talent as well as fun. – J.B.
KARA, “When I Move”
From pioneers for K-pop’s success in Japan, to its members further opening the blinds on the harsh realities of idol life, KARA had already cemented its place in global-music history books even before the group’s brilliant 15th-anniversary comeback. Taking the troupe’s signature move of mixing modern-day production with vintage-dance beats, “When I Move” feels right in line with classic KARA singles such as “Step” or “Jumping,” but fresh enough to get listeners of any generation grooving. – J.B.
LE SSERAFIM, “ANTIFRAGILE”
As LE SSERAFIM’s first single after becoming a quintet, “ANTIFRAGILE” proves the budding girl group is anything but breakable. If anything, Sakura, Kim Chaewon, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha and Hong Eunchae shatter expectations with their sophomore release as they confidently declare “All I know is you can’t chain me/ ‘Cause I’m gonna break out” on the track’s irresistible bridge. – G.R.
Paul Blanco & BE’O, “Summer”
After getting a major co-sign by featuring on RM’s Indigo album, Paul Blanco is the rising name in Korean hip-hop and R&B that you need to know, with his single “Summer” full-on showcasing his massive potential. With an assist from BE’O, another one of Korea’s hottest rapper-singers, “Summer” emits a subtle tropical vibe thanks to the minimal production that sparkles with its specks of steel drum. Blanco and BE’O croon about summer flings (“The sun goes up, I’m sorry I forgot her name”) with a warm vocal and lyrical suave that rivals The Weeknd. – J.B.
TWICE, “Talk That Talk”
In the wake of their excellent 2021 album Formula of Love: O+T=<3, TWICE kept ONCE's collective tongues wagging with "Talk That Talk," the lead single to their August EP Between 1&2. With the song's Y2K-themed video, fizzy production and explosive chorus, the girl group demonstrates yet again that no one does bubblegum pop quite like it does. – G.R. Miyeon, "Drive" There can be loads of pressure for a K-pop star making their solo debut away from their primary group, but Miyeon made it look easy. Delicately moving from heartfelt melancholy to a euphoric deliverance, "Drive" is the uplifting rock-pop anthem for reminding oneself to move ahead and never forget who they are. As the (G)I-DLE member encourages listeners through the blissful hook, "Run higher/ Fly, fly, fly higher/ I find myself." – J.B. Jin, "The Astronaut" BTS members rolling out solo music has given fans the opportunity to witness each person's growth outside of the septet, and with "The Astronaut," Jin earned his first standalone entry on the Hot 100. Reteaming with four members of Coldplay as a co-writer, Jin soars into a celestial orbit with this gorgeous romantic anthem that sounds like a distant cousin of BTS and Coldplay's No. 1 "My Universe" — except this relative is more turned on by 2010s indie faves such as Passion Pit and MGMT than Top 40 radio. – JOE LYNCH Girls' Generation, "Forever 1" Undisputed icons of K-pop, Girls' Generation had the near-impossible task of following up a decade of generation-defining hits for its 15th anniversary this August. Even with a five-year break from the scene, the octet's
