THREAD START! ๐งต๐งต๐งต
At one point, I didn't think I was going to manage to pick out favorites of the year.
And then I started actually doing it and oh boy.
SO! A thread in celebration of the best of Kpop in 2025, in my not always that humble opinion!
R&B Song of the Year:
Bang Yedam - Against All https://youtu.be/AZkno0B97Wg
cw: lens flares, potential hanky warning
This is the one slot that arguably "suffers" the most from recency bias, though I did go back through my personal Best of 2025 playlist before landing on this heartfelt/heart-wrenching R&B ballad by sweet crooner Bang Yedam. If you aren't familiar with his solo works, this is as good place as any to start, but definitely keep a hanky handy!
Dance/Pop Song of the Year: XLOV - 1&Only https://youtu.be/NBZgirj_C2Y
cw: camera motion, lens flares, flashing
Probably the most heavily contested category this year, the scene produced a LOT of top tier bangers, but in the end I had to give it to this sophomore release from a group that just debuted this year for daring to be unapologetically themselves.
Rock Song of the Year: #Junny - POV https://youtu.be/9NaAOD5hET4
cw: flashing/strobing lights, lens flares
CC in ENG
2025 has been such a heckin long year, I forgot this was released this year. And then surprised myself cuz I don't think of Junny as a rock star.
Honorable mention to #WOODZ's Smashing Concrete, which honestly lost out primarily cuz I can't watch the MV without triggering migraine, so have a live show stage: https://youtu.be/0dtmuN80GqE (cw: aggressive flashing stage lights)
HipHop Song of the Year: Jessi - Girls Like Me https://youtu.be/EkhN7B_bqzU
cw: flashing, dripping wet Jessi (fully clothed)
CC in English
Another rough category, but in the end I had to go with Jessi, the Jersey girl who ran out of fucks years ago. Jessi knows what she wants from her art and she's going after it full speed and if you don't like it, well, that's a you problem.
OST Song of the Year: Boo Seungkwan (Seventeen) - Somewhere in This Universe (Where the Stars Gossip) https://youtu.be/YyLujSP96g0
cw: lens flares, potential hanky warning
As the official drama MV, this video is entirely clips from the drama and as such may contain spoilers. I still haven't gotten around to watching it myself, but with this sweet ballad, it's on the list all right.
Trot Song of the Year JD1 - Heung! (feat. HAON) https://youtu.be/SUmiSDKKsv8
cw: lens flares, stalker plot, flashing
Released before he settled on making his stagename JD1, so the MV is uploaded with the name Jeong Dongwon. There's a whole ridiculous plot going on here, but I won't ruin the twist for you. If you aren't familiar with trot or even if you are, this is definitely from the more modern end of the genre.
[What, you thought I was going to stop at pop, rock & hiphop? ๐คฃ]
Jazz Song of the Year Jo Hyunah (Urban Zakapa) - Softly https://youtu.be/JpClyKCVl6w
cw: flashing
Another struggle genre for me, but I've been in love with Jo Hyunah's voice for *mumble* years now. The way she can go from smokey to breathy/breathless is just... *chef's kiss*
Honorable mention to SM Jazz Trio because I've been in love with Yokan Kim for we don't talk about it years and the trio had a big year this year, too.
Re-Record Song of the Year: Kihyun - Bad Liar (Veiled Musician x KIHYUN w/ Jeongdong-myeon Gangcheol Seongdae) https://youtu.be/u-MuPFItprk
An audio only, I almost didn't include this as an award, but there were several re-records this year, some of them better than others, and this one caught my ear the most.
Unexpected Collaboration of the Year: Doh Kyungsoo (EXO) & PENOMECO - DUMB https://youtu.be/3AwhWIypKxg
cw: comic wipes, school bullying, flashing
CC in 7 tracks, including English
After years of D.O having the arguably unfair reputation of The Serious One, seeing him let his inner Total Geek Loser flag fly free in this was such a treat. Apparently the halfway point between ballad (D.O) and hiphop (PENOMECO) is alt rock ... and I'm completely here for it.
The Kpop Abuela ๐ชท