r/kpop • u/KPOP_MOD • Jul 01 '23

[Discussion] What are your favorite releases so far? - 2nd Quarter 2023

Welcome to the curated favorite releases post for the 2nd quarter of 2023!

These discussions happen on a quarterly basis every year to give the community a chance to gush over their favorite recent releases. You are free to discuss your favorite songs, albums, music videos, and performances from the previous three months. This can also be treated as a 1st half of the year marker, keeping everything from the start of the year in consideration. You can list, link, discuss, and generally celebrate the releases you've loved the most however you wish, just don't be mean about anyone else's taste!

So r/kpop, what have you loved so far?

For reference!

The South Korean music 2nd Quarter section on Wikipedia - LINK

r/kpop's own releases wikis:

114 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

100 comments sorted by

1

u/Outrageous_Elk_7159 Jul 06 '23

IVE: I loved the whole album, but I am, kitsch, blue blood and hypnosis were my favourites!

(G)-IDLE: haven’t listened to the whole album yet, but queencard is amazing!

Aespa: spicyyyy it‘s awesome!

Le ssersfim: I didn’t like Unforgiven much, but it’s rlly addicting

Chaeyeon: Knock is super addicting and fun, esp the dance challenges/choreo!

Dreamcatcher: Bonvoyage is really good, one of my fav dc releases :DD

Rover and set me free are cool, just don’t like them as much as the rest

6

u/IamKira777 Jul 05 '23

LESSERAFIM - unforgiven

JISOO - all eyes on me (my #1 favorite release of 2023)

LISA and Taeyang - shoong (perfectly crafted *chef's kiss)

(G)I-DLE - Queencard (catchy af)

IVE - I AM (kitsch too)

3

u/Marco_Memes Jul 05 '23

CSR in general has really been doing it for me lately, as someone whose a huge fan of gfriend and their whole sound it’s like they’ve been reincarnated. Shining bright off of their mini album from March is SO GOOD, their cover of Dolphin is incredible too. Also really liked Apocolypse: from us from dreamcatcher, My Love by CLASS:y, menow from fromis9 was great, the new albums from Aespa and lesserafim have been on repeat on my phone nonstop since they came out, and Target by CLASS:y is a song that I will never stop recommending. The production the lyrics the beat the vocals, y’all better start stanning class:y bc these high schoolers are absolutely swimming in mother lake. And I’m not sure if this counts since technically it’s only out as an MV on YouTube but Sugarcoat from natty is EARTH SHATTERING, when this officially comes out on apple music in a few days it’s gonna be skyrocketing to the top of my most listened to playlist. I’ve watched that MV more times in the last 2 days than I’d care to admit and there’s a good chance most of the views it has came from my phone

5

u/azaanabbas Jul 05 '23

This quarter was an amazing quarter for K-pop.
My favorites from Apr/May/Jun:
IVE - I AM/Kitsch
LE SSERAFIM - UNFORGIVEN/Eve Psyche
tripleS - Touch+/Cherry Talk
Aespa - Thirsty/Spicy
Secret Number - DOXA
fromis_9 - #menow
ATHENA - SNAP

8

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '23

As of now probably Bouncy by Ateez and Move by T5. Oh oh I forgot and Shoong! by Taeyang ft. Lisa

9

u/catsinsweaterpaws Jul 04 '23

So far in this quarter:

Something by Kim Areum - I'm always going to be someone who adores her music

Time and Trace by Ha Hyunsang - Pretty vocals

Drowning by Woodz - Emotional catharsis if it was a song

When I close my eyes by Kangta and Lee Areum - One of the prettiest MVs in recent memory

Snooze by Agust D ft. Ryuichi Sakamoto and Woosung - Made my heart hurt

Perfume by NCT DoJaeJung - They pull off r&b so well

Knock by Lee Chaeyeon - Catchy and fun

I am by Ive - The chorus is always stuck in my head

Golden Hour by Mark - Iconic. That's it that's the song

Bloom by Yang Hee Eun and Chen - VOCALS

Save Me, Kill Me by Cix - Just everything about it

Beautiful City by Kim Areum - Nighttime driving excellence and please listen to her if you enjoy city pop, she does not miss

Bonvoyage by Dreamcatcher - One of their best songs

束の間の恋 and c.h.a.o.s.m.y.t.h. by Yesung - he hit it out of the park with this one and solidified himself as a rockstar with the c.h.a.o.s.m.y.t.h cover

Icky by Kard - Catchy and the MV was super cool

Hello Future Orchestra Version - Will always be a sucker for classical pop music

Lovesick by Sungmin - I'm so glad he's back and releasing music again

Hybrid by Max Changmin and Ha Hyunwoo - VOCALS and Changmin released a rock song!!!

Summer Love by Kim Areum - City pop queen AND summertime queen

Let Me In and Hear Me Out by Exo - They're back and I could not be happier

Identity and Sweet Misery by Shinee - They're back and better and ever for their 15th anniversary

SOS by Kang Daniel - One of the MVs that can be described as CINEMA

Manana (Our Drama) by Zhoumi ft. Eunhyuk - A bop!!!

4

u/DohnJoe8 Jul 05 '23

I just listened to the first 3 songs in your list and I have to say your recommendations are top tier. Thank you

3

u/catsinsweaterpaws Jul 06 '23

Thank you, and I'm glad that you enjoyed them!!!!!

6

u/cuartoreich Jul 04 '23

  • Thirsty - aespa

  • Touch - tripleS +(KR)ystal Eyes

  • Cat & Mouse - BLACKSWAN

  • Attitude and Prom Night - fromis_9

  • Back to the city - Kep1er

  • And just the entire I've IVE album. Especially Mine, Kitsch and Hypnosis.

2

u/[deleted] Jul 04 '23

Songs: aespa: Spicy, Salty & Sweet, Hold On Tight XG: Left Right Jisoo: Flower Ive: Kitsch, Hypnosis, Wave NMIXX: LMLT, Paxxword NJ: OMG BND: But I Like You LE SS: Eve, Psyche and the Blue Beard's Wife SKZ: S CLASS

Top albums: I've IVE MY WORLD 5 STAR WHO!

7

u/LeadingInspector1891 Jul 04 '23 edited Jul 04 '23

Favorite songs:

Favorite albums:

4

u/[deleted] Jul 03 '23

Like it Like it and Doxa by SN

8

u/Saucy_Totchie Jul 03 '23

The two biggest releases of Q2 for me were 5 Star by Stray Kids and D-Day by Agust D. Definite shoutout to Thirsty by aespa and Hare Hare by Twice though. Love both songs a whole lot.

I'll start off with 5-Star, the most pre-ordered album in KPop these far! Amazing achievement for SKZ. Favorites include Hall of Fame and Collision.

Now to D-Day... This is probably going to be my favorite album of the year and Haegeum is probably going to be my favorite song of the year. Yeah I'm definitely biased because I saw him perform it live. It's difficult to explain that moment but it was truly surreal.

13

u/xMey Jul 02 '23

TNX - Kick it 4 now (been having this on repeat the most these days, love looove 90s type songs)

Boynextdoor - One and Only (didn’t initially like it as much but boy did it turn addictive, actually the same with the whole debut album. It weirdly grows on you and keeps replaying in your head)

Ateez - Bouncy (this one has a very catchy chorus, took me a few listens to enjoy the rest of the song)

P1harmony - I am you (pleasantly surprised by this b-side, also on repeat together with TNX)

NCT Dojaejung - Perfume (this beat and the vocal is so SM-style and can’t go wrong with it. Love it, gives me nostalgia)

Shinee - Hard (Love the breakdown in the chorus, reminds me of old gen when they used some rock-ish infusion)

Exo - Let me in (always loved exo’s r&b type songs, they never miss)

Bang yongguk - Rain on me (this song is so my style)

6

u/SongIcy4058 Jul 02 '23

I feel like I haven't kept up with much in Q2 but I have a few favorites:

-Wei -Overdrive a great summer bop, the chorus is so addictive

-TNX - Kick it 4 Now such a perfect 90s boyband throwback, gives me all the nostalgia

-Dawn - Dear My Light such a vulnerable, heartbreaking song, and I love Dawn's soft singing voice

-Ha Hyunsang - Time & Trace (album) the whole album is excellent but my favorites are One Day and The Boy's Chamber

-Aespa - My World (mini album) the whole mini is great, they tackled so many different styles and did them all perfectly. I'm Unhappy is my favorite, I love a gloomy sad girl song

15

u/teudoongi_jjaang Jul 02 '23

fromis_9 #menow deserves lots of love

5

u/THEnesnes32 Jul 04 '23

fr, had their entire new album on repeat for a while

10

u/Klaban Jul 02 '23

Q2:

  1. IVE - I Am

  2. Oneus - Erase Me

  3. Vi'enx - On My Way

  4. iKON - U

  5. Mijoo - Movie Star

  6. Kep1er - Giddy

  7. Lee Gikwang - Predator

  8. YongYong feat. Zene The Zilla - Cheetos

  9. Lee Chaeyeon - Knock

  10. UV feat. Yoo Byungjae & Jonathan - Shaggy Cut

Second quarter certainly started off strong bringing my current song of the year, but kinda petered off. IVE is on a roll. Didn't particularly care for their debut, but they followed up with three great title songs. Reminds me of OMG. :)

7

u/[deleted] Jul 02 '23

Jelly Pop - Boys Planet 🍭

(I love that it sounds like a bright concept gg song)

Queencard, Bite Me, Icky, Broken Melodies, Hare Hare

9

u/Icantlikeeveryone Jul 02 '23

My fav songs rn are Eve, Psyche, and The Bluebeard's Wife (Le Sserafim), Life Goes On, AMYGDALA, People Pt. 2 (Agust D), Welcome to My World (Aespa), Satellite, Identity (SHINee), etc.

13

u/Ceinic Jul 02 '23 edited Jul 02 '23

Combing through six months worth of releases in a matter of two weeks was as arduous as it was rewarding, but a diverse and fair share of highlights were gathered and my enthusiasm for this genre has come out all the more refreshed for it. Praying that the following format won't be too much of an eyesore 🙏

Singles:

Q1 Q2
1. Wait For You - PLAVE I AM - IVE
2. Like a star - GIRL'S RE:VERSE The Wonderful Escape - U-KISS
3. Fix YOU - TAN Sirius - The Wind
4. Like Crazy - Jimin ADDICT!ON - Airi Kanna
5. Sugar Rush Ride - TXT ROCKSTAR - xikers
6. NEW DAYZ - TRENDZ FREEDOM - JOOHONEY
7. Rising - tripleS BONVOYAGE - Dreamcatcher
8. Beautiful Liar - MONSTA X BOUNCY (K-HOT CHILLI PEPPERS) - ATEEZ
9. Killer - KEY KNOCK - LEE CHAE YEON
10. Small Talk - Kim Sung Kyu

B-Sides:

Q1 Q2
1. Autopilot - PURPLE KISS I Don't Wanna Know - LEE CHAE YEON
2. Doesn't Matter - SEVENUS Attitude - fromis_9
3. GOT THE THRILLS - TWICE Blue Blood - IVE
4. Colorful - tripleS TRIP - YOUNITE
5. A to Z - CRAVITY Party Tonight - U-KISS
6. Farewell, Neverland - TXT Identity - SHINee
7. Falling - PIXY Busted - WOODZ
8. DEMIAN - Dreamcatcher
9. Back to the City - Kep1er
10. This World - ATEEZ

The year started off on a bit of a slow note for me personally with the first three months, but Q2 more than made up for it with a treasure trove of singles. Eight of them didn't make the cut here, but comprises of equally refreshing nostalgic soundscapes and some of the most quirky fun I had with kpop in a while.

It's always nice to have some free time to really dig into the releases and I'm hopeful that the remaining half of the year can carry through with this momentum too 😌

4

u/RadishFaerie Jul 02 '23

I absolutely LOVED Like A Star and Time Takes Me To Love! I'm glad someone actually mentioned it at all here 😅

2

u/Ceinic Jul 02 '23

Both are gorgeous and it’s so refreshing to have their sounds with us in 2023 🥰

11

u/Hopeful-Effort-4624 Jul 02 '23

Dreamcatcher-Bonvoyage

Le Sserafim- Unforgiven

(G)I-dle- Queencard

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