As 2023 draws to an end, the K-Pop industry records another eventful year with many milestone releases. But who truly ruled this year?
The Korean news outlet News1 invited 32 pop music experts from multiple companies, including Innext Trend, JYP Entertainment, FNC Entertainment, SM Entertainment, T.O.P Media, HYBE, YG Entertainment, The Black Label, Cube Entertainment, DSP Media, and many more, to determine the artist who performed the best this year in K-Pop.
The final results comprised ten names, all ranked between 1 and 5. Here’s an overview:
Fifth:
This was the most crowded spot on the list, with five artists who each got one vote. The names are BLACKPINK, ATEEZ, Stray Kids, Lim Young Woong, and FIFTY FIFTY.
BLACKPINK | @blackpinkofficial/Instagram ATEEZ | @ateez_official_/Instagram Stray Kids | @realstraykids/Instagram Lim Young Woong | @im_hero____/Instagram FIFTY FIFTY | @we_fiftyfifty/Instagram
Fourth:
With a total of two votes, SEVENTEEN ranked fourth on the list. 2023 was a busy year for the group, with multiple single and album releases and a worldwide tour!
SEVENTEEN | @saythename_17/Instagram
Third:
Fourth-generation’s representative girl group IVE got three votes in total, landing at the third position! This year, the group broke the charts with their album I’VE MINE and even set off for their first tour!
IVE | @ivestarship/Instagram
Second:
With four votes in their bag, BTS snatched the second position on the list. Despite being on a temporary hiatus as the members complete their mandatory military services, BTS managed to make their presence felt as a group through their sole musical release this year, “Take Two.” It was a song dedicated to fans as they stepped into the 10th year of their career in 2023.
BTS | Weverse
First:
The first position turned out to be a tie between a soloist and a group. With nine votes each, NewJeans and BTS member Jungkook were declared the top K-Pop singers of 2023!
NewJeans | @newjeans_official/Instagram
NewJeans started the year strong with their single “OMG,” following it up with their second EP, Get UP. Their song “Super Shy” took the internet by storm and even charted on Billboard Hot 100. This year, the group has also taken milestone stages, including Lollapalooza, Summer Sonic Festival, and the Billboard Music Awards.
Jungkook | Weverse
Jungkook debuted as a soloist in the last quarter of 2023 and still managed to take the world by storm. He launched his solo career with the global hit “Seven,” followed by another single, “3D.” Finally, in November, he put out his studio album, Golden. Both his singles and the title track of his album, “Standing Next To You,” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart among several other music charts, marking Jungkook’s stature as a global pop icon already!
