30 Of The Best K-Pop Songs Of 2024

2024 has been another incredible year for K-Pop! With crazy stats like 33 different K-Pop albums entering the Billboard 200, 21 BBMA nominations for Korean artists, and so many more, there’s no denying K-Pop’s global power. From groups like SEVENTEEN and aespa to solo artists like Rosé and G-DRAGON, this year has been full of incredible releases. It was hard to narrow down some of our favorites, but it was a challenge we were willing to face…

So, without further ado, here are The Honey Pop’s 30 picks for the best K-Pop songs of 2024, in release order!

‘Untouchable’ – ITZY

2024 started with a bang thanks to our girls, ITZY! The song might be called ‘Untouchable,’ but we’ve been touching play on repeat for almost a year and we’re still not sick of it! ‘Untouchable’ also kicked off a year of iconic TikTok challenges, especially for girl groups.

‘Killin’ It’ – P1HARMONY

We’re pretty sure P1HARMONY manifested their 2024 with ‘Killin’ It,’ because that’s exactly what they’ve done all year! It’s the title track from their first full album, which saw them elevate to new heights. We love that this next iteration of P1HARMONY is as “unique and vivid” as they are!

‘Smart’ – LE SSERAFIM

If we had a nickel for every time a LE SSERAFIM b-side accidentally became a hit… well, we’d have several nickels. And that is certainly not to say that their title tracks aren’t great, too! ‘Smart’ was the promoted b-side from EASY (alongside title track of the same name) and it went viral in a blink. As well as being one of our favorite K-pop songs of 2024, it might take the crown as our favorite choreography, too!

‘EENIE MEENIE’ Chung Ha Featuring Hongjoong Of ATEEZ

‘EENIE MEENIE‘ was one of the best collaborations this year, and that is saying something! Two of K-Pop’s coolest stars united, and this was the cosmic result; ‘EENIE MEENIE’ is slick, confident, and satisfied. Co-written by both artists, the collaboration came to be after Chung Ha realized the song needed “a real rapper and a real captain” on it. How cute is that?!

‘Magnetic’ – ILLIT

ILLIT’s ‘Magnetic’ has to be one of the biggest 2024 K-Pop debuts, right? This song has been inescapable all year, especially on TikTok, and we are not mad about it. ‘Magnetic’ is totally dreamy pop, and the choreography is just as adorable to match it!

‘Smoothie’ – NCT DREAM

It’s been nine months since ‘Smoothie’ dropped and we still can’t get that anti-drop chorus out of our heads. It’s so addictive that it surely can’t be good for you, no matter how ‘Smoothie’-like it is. Mark absolutely slays that opening verse, and we’re still sat here jaw-dropped over Jaemin’s low vocal range.

‘Deja Vu’ – TOMORROW X TOGETHER

TXT having another iconic, career-best year? Wow! We’re getting ‘Deja Vu!’ Jokes aside, this is easily one of the best K-Pop singles of 2024. And would we expect anything less from these It Boys? From the powerful vocals to the trap beat to that kick, we’ll never get enough.

‘Midas Touch’ – KISS OF LIFE

KISS OF LIFE definitely has the ‘Midas Touch’ because everything they’ve touched in 2024 has turned to gold! 2024 really has been the year for the girlies to take over K-Pop’s TikTok challenges, and this might be one of the very best.

‘youth2youth’ – EPEX

Nothing hits quite like a K-Pop-meets-synthpop banger, right? And that’s exactly what EPEX gave us back in April with ‘youth2youth.’ The anthemic call-to-action was designed to be equal parts catchy and inspiring, and it works! We’d travel down the “Royal road,” with these guys any time.

‘Earth, Wind & Fire’ – BOYNEXTDOOR

We need ‘Earth, Wind & Fire’ like the air we breathe. BOYNEXTDOOR’s HOW? title track elevated them to the next level in their sophomore year, and they deserve all of the celebrations they get! ‘EW&F’ is completely irresistible, and we’re also taking this opportunity to demand you watch maknae and former INKIGAYO host Woonhak’s reaction to BOYNEXTDOOR’s first win on the show.

‘FREAK’ – YUQI

Next up is (G)-IDLE’s YUQI, who absolutely destroyed us all with her solo comeback, YUQ1. Title track ‘FREAK’ builds from a rhythmic guitar intro to an anthemic-yet-charming chorus, and YUQI’s energy as both a performer and songwriter can be heard in every part of the track. Plus, this has to be one of the best music videos of 2024. The horror concept is so good.

‘MAESTRO’ – SEVENTEEN

One of the best K-Pop dance breaks from one of K-Pop’s best groups! The title track of SEVENTEEN’s compilation did more than just set the tone for the album, it was the album, pulling samples and influences from several of SEVENTEEN’s biggest hits. Stressing the importance of [human] creativity and self-evolution, ‘Maestro’ won six music show trophies and gave us that footwork.

‘Come back to me’ – RM

We’re not even sure if this counts as K-Pop, but the need to talk about it is simply too great. The indie-pop track was the pre-release for Right Person, Wrong Place, and was hotly anticipated after RM initially performed it on Agust D’s tour way back in August 2023. Delving into ideas of right vs. wrong, and wandering vs. stability, ‘Come back to me’ is easily one of the most original K-Pop songs we heard in 2024.

‘Armageddon’ – aespa

aespa has had an absolutely killer 2024. Can you believe we got ‘Armageddon,’ ‘Supernova,’ and ‘Whiplash’ all in the same year?! A potent mix of R&B and hyperpop, ‘Armageddon‘ has to be our favorite; it gave us another iconic dance challenge and the music video is the perfect aesthetic for aespa. Plus, how could we not be addicted to that chorus?

‘Supernatural’ – newjeans

2024 was another year of hits for newjeans, and our fave has to be ‘Supernatural!’ Sampling Pharrell and Manami’s 2009 hit ‘Back of my Mind,’ the track has that old-school-meets-new-style that newjeans have quickly made their staple sound. Moreover, member Minji is credited as a lyricist, making this the second track she’s credited on after smash hit ‘Ditto!’

‘Small Girl’ – Lee Young-ji Featuring D.O

We didn’t expect this collaboration at all, but we’re so glad to have it! EXO’s D.O and soloist (and funniest host ever) Young-ji come together for this one-of-a-kind song, that sees Young-ji softer and more vulnerable than we’ve ever seen her before. Young-ji’s iconic sense of humor is showcased beautifully in the music video too, with the slapstick elements within such a romantic aesthetic.

‘Cosmic’ – Red Velvet

We’ll say it again: Nobody, and we mean nobody, does synth-pop better than K-Pop groups do. And Red Velvet’s ‘Cosmic‘ is the perfect example! Complete with wistful fairytale lyrics and dance-pop production, this song is a total pop. No matter where you are in the cosmos, you can’t help but love it.

‘Rockstar’ – LISA

Whether you love it or leave it, there’s no denying that LISA is a ‘Rockstar,’ and she knows it too! Blending so many genres, as well as LISA’s Thai heritage, ‘Rockstar’ is a truly global hit by one of the most prominent pop idols.

‘Moonstruck’ – ENHYPEN

Next up is another b-side! ENHYPEN has given us some great title tracks this year with ‘XO (Only If You Say Yes)’ and ‘No Doubt,’ but their discography is just too good! We were torn between ‘Moonstruck’ and ‘Brought The Heat Back,’ but ultimately ‘Moonstruck’ just about took the crown. ‘BTHB’ might be our new favorite ENHYPEN music video, but ‘Moonstruck‘ is our favorite choreography thanks to the WALK THE LINE World Tour.

‘Chk Chk Boom’ – Stray Kids

From the production to the lyrics to the Deadpool and Wolverine cameos in the music video, everything about ‘Chk Chk Boom’ is quintessential Stray Kids. The ferocity and confidence in the track are so Stray Kids-coded, but the reggaeton influence shows us a new side of the group as well as their undeniable appetite for growth. And they ATE it up!

‘Who’ – Jimin

We don’t know about you, but our hearts were waiting for this one. The title track from Jimin’s second album, MUSE, is as glittering and perfected as Jimin himself. ‘Who’ also marked Jimin’s sixth entry on the Billboard 100 as a solo artist, and the only Korean act to have more entries than that is… you guessed it, BTS! It’s clear that no one is asking ‘Who’ Jimin is…

‘Touch’ – KATSEYE

Is this one technically K-Pop-adjacent? Either way, we’re gonna talk about it! After debuting with, well, ‘Debut,’ the girls didn’t pull any punches with their second single! The drum and bass-influenced track was already a hit before it went viral, taking this brand new girl group to new heights. And then they gave us the cherry on top of the cake with that Yeonjun remix.

‘See that?’ – NMIXX

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, no one dissects fame and success quite like K-Pop artists. NMIXX brings hip-hop energy and country influences to ‘See that?,’ a really clever single that declares confidence against criticism. Notably, the Korean title of ‘See that?’ is ‘별별별,’ which can be translated to mean both ‘Star’ and ‘Weirdo,’ once again highlighting the duplicitous nature of celebrity culture.

‘Pineapple Slice’ – BAEKHYUN

We were thrilled to witness a new era of Baekhyun, and we guarantee you were too, right? His first album under his own label, INB100, Hello World was a masterclass in pop perfection. The title track ‘Pineapple Slice’ was quintessential Baekhyun – a heady mix of temptation, charisma, and some of the best vocals around.

‘GGUM’ – YEONJUN

We mentioned him earlier, but now it’s time for Yeonjun to take center stage! Our 4th Gen It Boy debuted as a solo artist in September, and our playlists – and chewing gum consumption – will never be the same again. From the production to the lyrics to the aesthetic, (and especially the puns) every part of ‘GGUM‘ just screamed Yeonjun, and MOA couldn’t have been happier about it! Yeonjun said, “This song’s now stuck in your head,” and the prophecy was fulfilled.

‘APT.’ – Rosé Featuring Bruno Mars

Did you know THP manifested this collaboration? Because we did, and you’re welcome. ‘APT.’ is as fun and addictive as the game it was named after, and we absolutely love seeing these two industry juggernauts come together to create one of the catchiest songs we’ve heard all year!

‘POWER’ – G-DRAGON

“GD’s in the house,” and we couldn’t be happier that he’s back! Not only is G-DRAGON one of the most popular K-Pop artists, but he’s also one of the most observant and honest. Back with his first single in seven (7!!) years, ‘POWER’ is not only a great song in itself but an incredible piece of satire about the media’s influence on music and celebrity. Is it kind of meta for us, a music media publication, to say that?

‘TIPI-TAP’ – Kep1er

Another track that sprinted passed the finish line at the last second to end up on our top K-Pop list! Kep1er’s first comeback as a 7-member group was hotly anticipated, and they blew any expectations out of the water. ‘TIPI-TAP’ is a total bop that feels so timely and on trend, without losing that distinct Kep1er essence!

‘Shhh!’ – VIVIZ

We meant it when we said the girls came through with pop anthems and iconic choreo to match in 2024! VIVIZ were no exception with ‘Shhh!,’ which is somehow even more addictive than 2023’s ‘Maniac.’ The girls said “I’m killin’ it,” and they were right.

‘Ice On My Teeth’ – ATEEZ

Just when we thought ‘WORK’ would be the ATEEZ song on our 2024 K-Pop list, they hit us square in the jaw with ‘Ice On My Teeth.’ Ballet-meets-mafia wasn’t a concept we were expecting, but oh my we are glad it happened! Catch us adding buying diamonds at our dentist to our 2025 New Year’s resolutions (if only).

So there you have it! 2024 is complete, and so is our list of the best K-Pop songs from this year! Of course, this might be 30 of our favorites, but we have to give special mentions to ‘FRI(END)S’ by V, ‘SPOT’ by Zico and Jennie, ‘HEYA’ by IVE, ‘Plot Twist’ by TWS, ‘Bam Gang Yang’ by BIBI, ‘Black Out’ by Chanyeol, ‘Fake Happy’ by Seori, ‘ABCD’ by Nayeon, ‘SHEESH’ by BABYMONSTER, ‘Nectar’ by The Boyz, ‘Ride The Vibe’ by NEXZ, ‘GOOD SO BAD’ by ZEROBASEONE, and ‘I Got You’ by TWICE.

So this list is technically a lot longer than 30, but you’ll keep our secret, right?

What do you think of our choices? Which track is your favorite from this year? Let us know on Twitter @TheHoneyPOP! And you can find us on Instagram and Facebook!

Don’t forget to head this way for more K-Pop!