From NCT DREAM and TWICE mini-albums to the latest full-length from BTS’ RM, this year’s Korean pop scene is delivering a range of excellence.
2024 has been a year of exciting versatility in the K-pop scene. From highly anticipated albums by BTS’ RM, TWICE, and ATEEZ, which propelled K-pop to the upper echelons of the Billboard 200, to projects by several emerging and impressive newcomers, the year has practically delivered too many releases that demand full attention, appreciation, and listen-through.
Some artists underwent refreshing and creative switch-ups years into their careers: NCT DREAM embraced the dark on DREAM( )SCAPE, the ITZY members tried their hands at songwriting and composing across tracks on Born to Be, and Cha Eun Woo showcased his captivating storytelling Entity. Meanwhile, Trust Me by GOT7’s Yugyeom, Fourever from DAY6, DALL by ARTMS, My Girl : My Choice from A.C.E, and Yves’ first solo album LOOP all arrived with a revitalized energy from the artists, sounding like the beginning of new stories in their musical journeys.
As always true with the best K-pop projects, this year’s top albums bring the exciting experimentation and risk-taking that’s shot South Korea to compete on the global music stage. But these releases also stand out for spotlighting artists’ personalized stories, unveiling new areas for their careers to evolve through and developing the next step in their unique musical worldviews.
With so many top-notch mini-albums, EPs and full-length albums from the K-pop scene to choose from in just the first six months, these 20 records helped the artists stand out from their peers. Below, Billboard offers our critics’ picks of the 20 best albums from the Korean-pop industry released in 2024 so far.
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4. PLAVE, ASTERUM : 134-1
Beyond any sci-fi connotations that one might conjure up when listening to virtual boy band PLAVE, ASTERUM: 134-1 album shows proper musical depth with heavy involvement from all five members in the songwriting, production and instrumentation. (PLAVE’s five members utilize motion-capture technology to track their movements and expressions displayed by computer graphics.)
The smooth reggaetón influences on album opener “Watch Me Woo!” quickly set an intriguing soundscape, before moving into the album’s centerpiece in rock-pop single “Way 4 Luv.” Later tracks “From” and “Our Movie” keep the sentimentalism of the lead single: “From” highlights the group’s harmony and falsetto work over stark piano production and “Our Movie” brings back up the tempo with a snappy R&B beats paired with shout-along choruses. The highly clever “Virtual Idol” even directly addresses those who might not think of PLAVE as “real” enough. Instead, it uses a singalong, hip-hop production to declare the group’s worth in a self-empowerment anthem for fans.
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