While I’m as much of a boy group stan as the next girl, it’s undeniable: 2022 was the year for girl groups. Even if you’re a casual K-pop listener you can tell this by your playlists — delivering bops year-round, both beloved veterans like TWICE and rookies like LE SSERAFIM peaked in their success and creativity when releasing new songs for fans. Think viral choreographies, start-off-with-a-bang debuts and the comeback of beloved concepts when it comes to the best K-pop girl group songs of 2022.
And, as the end of the year nears and strings out speculations of which group will take the Song of the Year (SOTY) award home, the debate is more heated than ever on who will become the successor of notorious tracks like aespa’s “Next Level,” the winner of Korean Music Awards’ SOTY last year, and BTS’ quintessential chart-topper “Butter.”
The stakes are high, but so is the possibility that a female group could take the prize home — even after boy groups made themselves comfortable in the spot. Boy groups have been the winners of Melon Music Award for Song of The Year for five consecutive years and have been honored with the MAMA Award for Song of the Year since 2019.
Having that in mind, here is a list of 15 contenders that ran 2022 and stood out among the K-pop tracks released this year.
Under the wing of HYBE — the same company that manages K-pop titans BTS — NewJeans entered the industry unannounced, and yet made a big noise with their debut song “Attention.” Part of their self-titled EP, the single tackles R&B and early 2000s groove and counts on minimal instrumentation to give the spotlight to the catchy vocals and verses. With a unique and playful aesthetic, the group was instantaneously popular and placed this single among this year’s most memorable K-pop moments.
Smash hit “TOMBOY” took the K-pop world by storm since it was released. Recorded for their first studio album I Never Die, the iconic “yeah, I’m a tomboy” fits into a fierce instrumental and electric guitar full of personality. There’s no need to say that the single was catchy — it stayed not only in my mind, but also at the top of the charts, debuting at No. 2 on Gaon’s digital charts.
(G)I-dle completely upped their game in 2022, and that’s why they deserve two songs in the list. There, I said it.
“Nxde,” unlike “Tomboy,” has its charms based on the single’s bold message and string instrumentals as it was dropped near the end of this year. The cabaret-inspired concept draws on different musical textures to announce the edgy verses like “now I draw a luxury nude” and the Marilyn Monroe and Bansky-inspired visuals.
Considered “rookie of the year” by some, Starship Entertainment’s IVE is an undeniable fourth generation success.
Ever since their debut with “Eleven,” the group has been conquering ears all over the world due to their energetic sound and charismatic performances. And with “Love Dive” — a strong contender for this year’s SOTY — the sextet expands on their atmospheric songs and delivers a true, well, dive into their talents. With different tempos and siren-like vocals, verses like Wonyoung’s “narcissistic, my god I love it” stick around even after the song is gone.
While BLACKPINK’s long-awaited comeback brought hits like “Pink Venom” and the Born Pink album to match, “Shut Down” reestablished the group’s place as one of K-pop’s greatest after almost two years of hiatus.
The powerful single brings groove and the slick announcement of a, well, shut down while highlighting BLACKPINK’s strongest traits: charged musical production and the sweet blend between traditional South Korean instruments and hip-hop influences.
Leave it to Red Velvet to deliver a stunning performance of both energetic raps and delicate melodies. “Feel My Rhythm,” released as part of the mini-album The ReVe Festival 2022 — Feel My Rhythm, references their more carnaval-esque side, as it’s an energetic synth-pop song.
Similar to their 2019 hit “Psycho,” the production is atmospheric and matched with a creative concept and dream-like visuals.
After successes like “ASAP,” “SO BAD,” and “STEREOTYPE,” STAYC has proven that they don’t miss. “RUN2U” is no different: With a heavy synth chorus, this song reaffirms their recognizable pop sound and tells a story of good girls gone bad.
Powerhouse TWICE couldn’t be left out of this year’s list, just like they haven’t been out of the charts for the past seven years.
With hits in their discography like “FANCY,” “TT,” and “The Feels” (among countless others), the nine-member group released “Talk That Talk” this August. It’s described as a retro pop song that aims to throw it back to the early 2000s. With a Y2K-inspired MV, the track follows TWICE’s tendency to coin addictive lyrics and brings their star power as strong as ever.
What you looking at indeed. This year, rookie girl group LE SSERAFIM gave netizens much to talk about, sweeping the charts with the single “FEARLESS,” which dropped in the first half of 2022.
Following HYBE’s brand of elaborate productions, the lead single is a funky dance pop track and was part of their highly-anticipated debut. Like their name — which is an anagram for “I’m Fearless,” by the way — this song hints at their strength and their message of (and I quote), “I don’t give a sh*t.”
Yup, another one.
Part of the same EP as “Attention,” NewJeans’ “Hype Boy” has also been met with praise from fans. Reimagining the 2000s sound, this single stays true to the group’s trademark of intoxicating melodies and a minimalistic yet atmospheric soundscape.
Recorded for Kep1er’s first comeback, “Up!” brings out a more sonically mature and laid-back side to the rookies we saw performing “WA DA DA” earlier this year. Combining punk and house music, the title song is energetic, groovy, and deliciously summery. Just as the verse goes, this track will cast a spell on you and ask you to follow them up, up, up. The volume’s going up, alright.
![[MV] tripleS(트리플에스) _ Generation](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/0tvTAo2UhdY/hqdefault.jpg)
Even though it’s part of a pre-debut project, tripleS’ single “Generation” is woven with nostalgia. From its addictive la la las to the groovy guitar and cheery trumpets, the track is reminiscent of the 2016 to 2018 K-pop scene — at least to older listeners like me — and is part of the mini-album Acid Angel from Asia, sung by a subunit of the 24-member group.
Set to debut in 2023, the group is under the label MODHAUS and has been revealing its members for the past year, with two subunits announced so far.
Brought together as a part of the supergroup Got the Beat, familiar (and, well, insanely popular) voices like BoA, Taeyeon, Seulgi, Karina and more sing one of 2022’s most remarkable tracks: “Step Back.”
An experimentation with R&B and hip-hop, the single is built on instrumental variations and, as expected, unique vocals. Although it was met with mixed reviews from critics due to its controversial and stereotypical lyrics, the union of these iconic women in a subunit sure made an impact.
With “GingaMingaYo (the strange world),” girl group Billlie sure was no stranger to K-pop listeners this year. But despite entering the Gaon chart in the first half of the year, the lead single was not the only time the rookie artists would sneak their way into playlists in 2022. Take “Ring ma Bell (what a wonderful world),” for example.
Even though it’s not their most popular release, this daring song relies on rock n’ roll to present a new side to the fourth generation group, one much bolder and angstier. It also shows how Billlie is still in the process of creating themselves.
One thing is for sure: NMIXX worked hard this year. Since their debut in February, the JYP girl group entered the charts with first single “O.O” and hit the mark with their later release “DICE,” known for its challenging choreography and unique jazz backdrop. Don’t let it fool you, though: Incorporating hip hop and trap into the classical instrument mix, the track is bold, and more musically complex than their energetic debut.