It was a weird year in K-pop. Some of the biggest “K-pop songs” in the U.S. and globally (e.g. “Golden,” “Gabriela”) were only sort of K-pop songs at all. BTS were mostly inactive as a group, as the K-pop juggernauts wrapped up their military enlistment era. Meanwhile, NewJeans, K-pop’s big fourth-generation success story, continued to be embroiled in legal controversy. K-pop acts struggled to sell concert tickets in the U.S. And, in a global cultural climate where media doesn’t have to be new to be popular, one of the most-played songs of the year was a 2024 K-pop hit (Rosé and Bruno Mars hit “APT.”).
Veteran artists that released new music and/or went on tour this year included SuperJunior, G-Dragon, TWICE, Blackpink, Seventeen, Stray Kids, and Taeyeon—to name only a few. New groups KickFlip, Hearts2Hearts, Baby Dont Cry, XLOV, and CORTIS made big splashes. AllDay Project, a rare co-ed K-pop squad, have climbed the Korean charts but have been hindered by the pattern of cultural appropriation from member Tarzzan. Meanwhile, Kiss of Life, who were on track to be one of the breakout K-pop groups of the year, sabotaged their own success with a racist birthday livestream that saw much of their international fandom checking out.
In more positive 2025 happenings, Bain of JUSTB came out as gay during an L.A. concert in April. He told bunnipop in a subsequent interview: “I hope that by sharing my story, I can help create a space where future artists don’t feel like they have to hide who they are.” Earlier this month, Cocona, a member of Korea-based J-pop group XG, came out as transmasculine and non-binary. These were rare and courageous moves in the K-pop and broader Korean entertainment scene, where being queer is stigmatized.
The below list is an attempt to capture what it felt like to be a fan of K-pop in 2025. It includes some of the year’s biggest hits—but is not solely dictated by popularity. In putting together my “best of the year” lists, I limit selections to one track per artist (sorry, NMIXX). I try to take into account a variety of genres (e.g. dance-pop, ballad, hip-hop), kinds of K-pop acts (e.g. solo acts, girl groups, boy groups), K-pop generations, and kinds of releases (e.g. both title tracks and B-sides). Admittedly, an impossible pursuit!
I have decided not to include songs from the soundtrack of KPop Demon Hunters, or from K-pop-adjacent groups, like KATSEYE, on this list. “Golden,” “Soda Pop,” “Gnarly,” and “Gabriela” were no doubt some of the biggest pop hits of the year, but I struggle to call them K-pop. While some K-pop hitmakers were instrumental in crafting the KPop Demon Hunters songs, the soundtrack was spearheaded by and brought together by a U.S. film production. KATSEYE, a “global” girl group collaboration between the American branch of Korean music giant HYBE and Geffen Records, is based in Los Angeles.
As a final note, a reminder that all criticism has a measure of subjectivity to it. Just because your favorite song is not on this list, doesn’t mean it wasn’t one of the best K-pop songs of 2025, or that your taste is wrong. It just means that it wasn’t one of my best K-pop songs of the year. As you read this list, I hope you will keep that in mind.
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20. JUSTB: “CHEST”
Bain made history in 2025 by joyfully coming out at gay on an LA stage, but “nugu” boy group JUSTB has been churning out bangers since their 2021 debut under Bluedot Entertainment. “Chest,” a hyperpop track about refusing to let go of a lover, gives members Geon-u, Bain, Lim Ji-min, Si-woo, DY, and Sang-woo a chance to stretch their EDM muscles, immersing listeners in a soundscape of synths that commits more fully to the genre than most modern K-pop songs.
19. QWER: “Be Happy”
In a crowded K-pop industry, there isn’t any other group quite like QWER. The all-girl rock band is inspired by the sounds of J-pop and J-rock, founded by a fitness YouTuber, and has pre-existing connections to online gaming culture. “Be Happy,” a track off of the group’s 2025 EP, titled “In a million noises, I’ll be your harmony,” is like a dose of sonic serotonin. The song has drummer Chodan, bass guitarist Magenta, keyboardist Hina, and main vocalist Siyeon singing about the “small and precious miracles” of living, including “perfectly toasted bread” and “a warm cup of milk.”
18. P1Harmony: “Dancing Queen”
In their fifth year, P1Harmony remains one of the most underrated boy groups in K-pop, even as they continue to grow their fanbase—especially in the Western markets. “Dancing Queen,” a shout-along B-side off of EP EX, isn’t representative of P1Harmony’s usual output, which tends to skew closer to hip-hop and R&B than rock. However, it shares the same performance-ready, personality-driven fervor that permeates the group’s entire discography.
17. GOT7: “PYTHON”
In their first comeback in nearly three years, GOT7 recommits to the trap-driven pop that made members Jay B, Mark, Jackson, Jinyoung, Youngjae, BamBam, and Yugyeom collectively one of the most successful K-pop groups of the third generation. “Python,” an understated, sing-rap song co-written by Thai member Bam Bam, combines K-pop-themed braggadocio with a more vulnerable story of an attraction that is no less powerful for obviously being a bad idea.
16. Bibi: “Scott and Zelda”
“Scott and Zelda” taps into the same self-aware sweetness as Bibi’s 2024 breakout hit “Bam Yang Gang.” However, with its breathy yet textured vocal delivery and tactile lyrics, the literary-themed love song (titled “Bookshop Boy, Literary Girl” in Korean) is much more sensual. As a soloist who has never operated inside of the traditional idol space, Bibi is able to express sexiness much more broadly than the average K-pop star. In this addictive retro pop track, it’s self-aware, playful, and nerdy.
15. XLOC: “1&Only”
This year, rookies XLOV emerged onto the K-pop scene with a “genderless” concept that challenges the binary on which the idol scene is built. “1&Only,” a chill, Afrobeats-driven appeal to be someone’s romantic priority was the perfect track to highlight the considerable performance chops of one of K-pop’s most promising new groups.
14. Jin: “Background”
BTS member Jin chose English-language pop track “Don’t Say You Love Me” as the lead single off of 2025 solo EP Echo. While the track suits Jin’s emotive tenor and easy-going personality, it’s B-side “Background” that allows the singer to show his depths. Jin injects the Korean-language ballad with a texture of yearning, regret, and devotion that is a reminder why he is one-seventh of the planet’s most popular pop group.
13. ILLIT: “Do the Dance”
ILLIT may have ended the year adorably declaring that they’re “not cute anymore,” but the fifth-generation girl group arguably had their strongest 2025 moment with “Do the Dance.” The peppy pop track blended ILLIT’s penchant for onomatopoeic scatting with a French house beat and cinematic strings for a result that was impossible not to bounce along to.
12. KickFlip: “My First Love Song”
Rookies KickFlip contribute to K-pop’s long tradition of “first love stories” with “My First Love Song,” an exuberant flurry of synths and guitar that chronicles a first crush. The song’s persistent drumbeat, like the thumping heart of a teen about to make a love confession, perfectly matches the group’s youthful story. K-pop excels at painting the brightest colors of youth and, in 2025, KickFlip might have been best at it.
11. CORTIS: “Lullaby”
As one of the breakout rookie groups of the year, CORTIS made a name for themselves with bombastic songs like “GO!” and “FaSHioN,” but the group was at their most powerful when they were at their quietest. “Lullaby” is a minimalist track that skates along on a soundscape of acoustic guitar, whistling, and chanted vocals. “Seasons slipped away underground / I stayed up all night, renting out my hours,” 17-year-old Juhoon sings in this self-described lullaby about the tension between wanting to rest and wanting to show the world what you’re capable of.
10. BSS: “CBZ (Prime Time)”
BSS, composed of the chaotic trio of Seungkwan, DK, and Hoshi, remains the most prolific of Seventeen’s subunit squads so far. While swing-inspired song “CBZ” didn’t find the same breakout success as BSS’ 2023’s “Fighting,” the track hits similar levels of infectious enthusiasm. “CBZ” (short for both “jeans” and “youth is now”) bounds along on a foundation of retro keys and dynamic vocals. By the time the song declares “Happiness is BSS,” it’s hard to argue otherwise.
9. izna: “Racecar”
It was a year of highs and lows for rookie girl group izna, who officially parted ways with member Ji-yoon and also made a big impression performing “Golden” at KCON LA and again at Liberation Day festivities in Korea. As the talented I-LAND 2 group struggles to find their own sound, a B-side off of 2025 EP Not Just Pretty was quietly one of the best K-pop tracks of the year. “Racecar,” a synth-pop track about speeding towards one’s youthful dreams, is a sonically immersive synth-scape that perfectly captures the dream-like side of K-pop determination.
8. Yeji: “Air”
Sometimes, all you need is a good dance beat and a solid lyrical concept. Yeji’s official entrance into the K-pop scene as a solo artist played masterfully to the ITZY leader’s many strengths. “Air” harnesses an upbeat, strut-worthy groove, powerful vocals, and the classic tale of a love that takes one’s breath away for a dance-pop experience that is as catchy as it is sonically rewarding.
7. H1-KEY: “Summer Was You”
When Paste interviewed girl group H1-KEY last year, leader Seoi said: “Something that sets our group apart from others is our ability to give comfort and solace to the people who are listening to it.” In 2025, that comfort took the form of math rock-inspired track “Summer Was You.” In a K-pop landscape when many groups are experimenting with new sounds, H1-KEY chose a more nostalgic route, giving us this guitar-led track about the simple, sunny delights of summer.
6. G-DRAGON: “DRAMA”
K-pop icon G-DRAGON properly returned in 2025, after a seven-year hiatus, with the distressingly titled album “Ubermensch,” After the late-2024 bombast of pre-release tracks “Power” and “Home Sweet Home,” the 37-year-old “King of K-Pop” went more minimalist with “Drama,” a piano pop-ballad dripping with pathos. That this haunting track about a toxic relationship comes in the same album as braggadocio bop “Power” only makes its vulnerability more powerful.
5. WOODZ: “I’ll Never Love Again”
This year was a big one for Woodz. More than a decade after his K-pop debut in UNIQ, he finished his mandatory military service and “Drowning”—a track originally released in 2023—dominated the Korean music charts after a video of Woodz performing it went viral in 2024. “I’ll Never Love Again,” a rock ballad about the life-changing death of a relationship, was Woodz’ first song written following his military release. Despite the tormented subject matter, sonically, the song feels like a rebirth. Woodz’ voice climbs to dramatic heights in the track’s “I’ll never love/It burns me down” chorus—a soaring declaration as much as a devastating heartbreak.
4. fromis_9: “LIKE YOU BETTER”
In their first EP since leaving the HYBE umbrella and reforming as a quintet under ASND Entertainment, fromis_9 proved that they’re still the princesses of seasonal K-pop. “Like You Better,” a Carly Rae Jepsen-esque bop about summertime romance, is warmly confident throughout its three-minute runtime, bringing listeners into a summerscape of breezy synths and upbeat guitar and refusing to let go.
3. KEY: “HUNTER”
From the electric heights of the synth-pop chorus to the husky whispers of the interlude, Key’s “Hunter” waxes and wanes like the most dynamic of dance tracks. Key could make this retro horror-pop song work with any lyrical concept, but the track’s unexpected flip of the singer’s traditional role in the hunter-hunted dynamic makes it truly great. “You, my devourer / You, my destiny,” the SHINee member sings in the chorus, giving predator status to the listener.
2. NMIXX: “PODIUM”
Choosing the best NMIXX song from 2025 is like choosing the best flavor at the ice cream shop: there is no wrong choice. In a global pop music sea of two-minute wisps of songs, the girl group released one fully-formed track after another. From the early heights of trip hop track “High Horse” to the year-ending, pop-rock perfection of “Blue Valentine,” NMIXX was this year’s most consistently stellar K-pop act. “Podium,” a tri-lingual B-side off of studio album Blue Valentine, perhaps best encapsulates the group’s success. “Yeah, there’s no stopping me now / No bringing me down / My sky is the ground / The stars a little closer,” the members take turns singing in the chorus as part of the song’s build towards its celebratory, harmony-layered culmination. If you need NMIXX, you can catch them on the podium, where they belong.
1. HWASA: “Good Goodbye”
Songs about breakups tend to fall in one of two directions: vengeful or devastated. “Good Goodbye,” the end-of-the-year breakout from MAMAMOO soloist Hwasa tells a more complex tale. “Good Goodbye” hits for the ways in which the song’s structure so deeply reflects the message of the song. Even if listeners can’t understand the Korean lyrics (“Goodbye will hurt us, but we’ll keep it beautiful / Smile even brighter”), they can understand the unhurried tone. Hwasa literally draws out the “goodbye” in the chorus—“By-ye-ye, ya-ya-ye”—like a bittersweet lullaby, lulling a relationship to its necessary end. The 30-year-old musician wrote and composed the track alongside An Shin-ae and Park Woo-sang, and it has become incredibly popular in Korea after a performance at the Blue Dragon Film Awards went viral. In November, Hwasa became the first female soloist to achieve a “perfect all kill” across domestic music charts and shows in 2025 with “Good Goodbye,” a testament both to the song’s poignant staying power and to the singer’s emotionally evocative performance.
