2023 In Review

1. Introduction + Best Album Art
2. Song of the Year
3. Album of the Year
4. R&B and Soul
5. Rock and Alternative
6. Rap and Hip-hop
7. Dance and Electronic
8. Pop and Ballad
9. Folk and Country
10. Jazz and Blues
11. Crossover and World
12. Best Collaborative Work
13. Rookie Artist of the Year
14. Artist of the Year
15. Other Recognition
16. Concluding Remarks

After a banner year in 2022, the R&B scene wasn’t quite as crowded at the top in 2023, but prominent names like Rad Museum, Youra, and Samuel Seo essentially didn’t take a break in terms of their output. A few consistent contributors like Oceanfromtheblue and Jerd had breakthrough years, while the idol scene’s contributions surprisingly came most heavily from soloists in Onew, Ryu Sujeong, Wheein and more.

Notes:

• The “Next 10” and honorable mention lists are sorted by artist name. Bolded honorable mentions received particularly serious consideration for the Next 10.
• The 2023 R&B and Soul Spotify playlist will be added to this post as an update at the conclusion of the series.

Albums

Best R&B and Soul Album 2023

Jerd – BOMM

BOMM is an album about heavy topics, yet its sound is paradoxically radiant. It’s not an upbeat sound by any means – instead, it’s the kind of brightness defined by clarity and sharpness. BOMM‘s melodies are assertive, and Jerd’s voice sears through the inventive instrumentation as she navigates them. The understated but emotionally effective presentation of tracks like “Bridal Shower” and “Blondie” bear witness to Jerd’s skill as a producer, and the fact that a remake of Kim Hyun-sik’s “Like Rain, Like Music” sits at the album’s center and does not feel out of place speaks to the album’s range.

The Runner-up

Youra – 꽤 많은 수의 촉수 돌기 ((1))

The rather simply translated (1) is perhaps the year’s most dazzling album from an instrumental perspective, powered by rich and intricate jazz play courtesy of the Mandong triplet. From the frenetic cold open of “(Motif)” to the bubbling coyness of “(The Cherry Trees)” and discordant swings of “(I Sing, I’ve No Shape, I’m Incomplete, and I Fly)”, these tracks are consistently evocative and electric; they’re a joy to just ride along with. Youra’s lyricism is highly impressionist, and most passages are challenging, if not impossible, to interpret. This level of abstraction tends to funnel the listener back to the sound, and Youra’s delicate vocal touch soon becomes an instrument in the fray.

The Next 10

Cadejo – Freeverse

Crush – Wonderego

Hoody – 항해 (Sailing)

Joph – 남겨진 것들에게 (Ones Left Behind)

Ku One Chan – Object

Oceanfromtheblue – Oceanfromtheblue

Ryu Sujeong – Archive of Emotions

Soul Delivery – Peninsula Park

Thama – Wooof!

Wheein – IN the Mood

Songs

Best R&B and Soul Song 2023

Crush – 흠칫 (Hmm-cheat)
Lyrics by Crush, Penomeco
Composition and arrangement by Crush, Hong So-jin

“Hmm-cheat” really is a love letter to the early 2000s, the busy beat, big prechorus movements and guitar licks all throwing us back a couple decades. As far as Korean influences go, I hear a bit of prime Se7en in the chorus’s range and the bombastic ad-libs and growls. Crush’s vocal prowess elevates that style beyond nostalgia, and the indulgently rich instrumentals elevate this song even beyond the similarly funky but more laid-back “Rush Hour”. After a few years of alt-R&B dominance, it’s also good to see maximalism alive and done well.

The Runner-up

Rad Museum – 더 (More) (Feat. Sik-K)
Lyrics by Rad Museum, Sik-K
Composition by Rad Museum, Daehee, Sik-K
Arrangement by Rad Museum, Daehee

There are certain songs that just hit different from the first note. “More” was like that for me: the muted keyboard line, and how it sinks and melts into the texture of that bass and kick, landed just right. Then Rad Museum came up with this seemingly lazy, but irresistibly concocted hook that just laid on the syllable “duh” (“more”) and its simple rhymes – for how better could you qualify the desire for more? – as the melody also got wrapped in intoxicating mood. One may imagine there’s literally no better backdrop for Sik-K’s rapping style, one would be correct, and then one had the dopest, most seductive track of 2023.

The Next 10

Hoody – Fantasy

Jerd – Blondie

Naul – I Still Love You

Oceanfromtheblue – 전생 (Past Life)

Onew – O (Circle)

Samuel Seo – Swing Slam

Seo Ja-young – Closer

Soul Delivery – Greenwich Holiday (Feat. Thama, Sole)

So!YoON! – Love (A Secret Visitor) (Feat. Parkjiyoon)

Sumin – 옷장 (Closet) (Feat. Uhm Jung-hwa)

Honorable Mentions

Albums

Alter – Vacant
Babylon – Ego 90’s Part 2
Brwn – 추 (Yours Truly)
Choyoung – A Chapter
Cosmic Chips – Groove Circuit
DeVita – Naughty
Gemini – Still Blue
Hwi – Brilliance
Hyngsn – New Teeth (read our review)
Jang Hanna – Hannah’s Party
Jclef – O, Pruned!
Leebada – 금기 (Heaven)
Minho – Chase
NCT DoJaeJung – Perfume
Naul – Soul Pop City
Oceanfromtheblue – NEWRNBERA
Onemoreday & Mul – Most
Onew – Circle
Rad Museum – Girl
Renko – Ghost Boy
Risso X BNJX – 서울 드라이브 (Seoul Drive)
Sara – Lurch
Sion – Live
Soma – Moth
Soovi – A Tempo
Soulbysel – Soulbysel Compilation 04
Sumin – 시치미 (Sichimi)
Suyo – Mountain
Suzanne – New Life, New Mind
Tabber – Madness Always Turns into Sadness
Taeyang – Down to Earth

Songs

015B – One Day, Someday (Feat. Kim Ji-woon)
AP Alchemy – Beginend (Yoon Dahye, Yeoho, Tuna., Shinjihang, Hyeminsong, Mason Home, Nochang)
AP Alchemy – Sweat (Prod. Jinbo)
Aespa – Thirsty
Alive Funk – Bright Side (Feat. Bona Zoe)
Alive Funk – Show Me What I Like (Feat. Summer Soul, Khundi Panda)
Amho – 세션맨 (Session Man)
Ann One – Reciprocity (This Ain’t Love, Pt. II)
Avokid – Bad Night
Bibi – 홍대 R&B (Hongdae R&B)
Billie – Various and Precious (Moment of Inertia)
Bobby – Drowning (Feat. Sole)
Brwn – Addicted
Brwn – Drown
Choyoung – 궁금해 (If I)
Clazziquai – Static (Feat. Jaeman, Kei)
Code Kunst – 55 (Feat. Yerin Baek, Wendy)
Code Kunst – Bad Bad (Feat. Tabber, Jay Park)
Code Kunst – Circle (Feat. Crush)
Code Kunst – HoMe Boy (Feat. Lee Hi)
Colleen – Anima
Coogie – Right Now (Feat. Crush)
Cosmic Boy – Happening (Feat. Thama, DeVita)
Cosmic Boy – 어린어른 (Grown Child) (Feat. Big Naughty)
Crush – Ego
D’allant – P.O.P. (Pieces of Peace)
DPR Ian – Peanut Butter & Tears
DeVita – Ride for Me (Feat. Dawn)
Dowoo – Spaceship (Feat. Oswald)
Errday Jinju – Silly Dream
Eunoo – Loveable
Exo – Love Fool
Gaho – Love Me
Gemini – Do Me Right
Grace Shin – The Fall
Hayasi Cake House – Wonder Why
Hayoung – What Do You Dream at Night?
Heejin – Video Game
Heju – 너의 결혼식, 너의 장례식 (Your Wedding, Your Funeral)
Hoody – Lonely
Hwi – Mellann
Hyngsn – Candyfloss
Hyngsn – It’s Our Time
Ive – 궁금해 (Next Page)
Jang Hanna – Foolish
Jang Hanna – Shy (Feat. Gist)
Jay Park – Candy (Feat. Zion.T)
Jerd – Bomm
Jerd – Bridal Shower
Jerd – X됐어 (Messed Up!)
Jerd – 각설 (Resolve)
Jerd – 홍시 (My Bad)
Jessica – Get It? Got It? Good (Feat. Amber Liu)
Jihyo – Wishing on You
Jinyoung – 너를 만남이란 기적 (Our Miracle)
Jooyoung – Be
Jooyoung – My Soles Worn Out
Joph – 표류 (Wander) (Feat. Par, Soon)
Junny – Invitation (Feat. Gaeko)
Kanni – Good Afternoon
Kennytheking – 천사들 (Angels)
Kimperi – 내버려둬 (Give Me a Break)
Kirin – 니가 들리지 않게 (2230) (Feat. Hyngsn)
Kiss of Life – Nobody Knows
Kona – Sa-ve (Pipe Dreams) (Feat. Giselle)
Ku One Chan – 번역기 (Translator)
Ku One Chan – 허수아비 (Scarecrow) (Feat. Wonstein)
Ku One Chan – 흔들의자 (The Chair)
Lay.bn – 열 (Fever) (Feat. Hartss)
Leebada – Sleep
Leebada- 선악과 (Apple)
Leebada – 세이렌 (Siren)
Lone – Tox! (Feat. Hippie Kunda)
Max Changmin, Taeyeon, Winter – Priority
Meenoi – Ticket
Millic – Clione (Feat. Sion)
Minho – Waterfall (Feat. Lim Kim)
Minho – 놓아줘 (Chase)
Mirani – Make U Mine
Moon Sujin – Never Let Me Go
My Q – 너의 온기 (Heatwave)
NCT 127 – 소나기 (Misty)
NCT DoJaeJung – Dive
NCT Dream – Poison
NCT Dream – Yogurt Shake
Nashpeep – 321.0
Naul – 1985
Nieah – Not Me
Nine (OnlyOneOf) – beyOnd
Noah1luv – Love for Free (Feat. Horim)
Oceanfromtheblue – Close to You (Feat. SWJA)
Oceanfromtheblue – Open Your Mind
Oceanfromtheblue – Swoosh (Feat. Dut2)
Oceanfromtheblue – 나무라지 말아요 (Treasure)
Oceanfromtheblue – 잠자리 (Come Back Home) (Feat. Yeeun)
Odd Eye Circle – Je ne sais quoi
Onemoreday & Mul – Break Out (Feat. Jjangyou)
Onemoreday & Mul – E-And
Oshii – Original
Risso – Daydreamer
Room306 – Dinner (Feat. Klang)
Ryu Sujeong – Love or Hate
Ryu Sujeong – Wrong
Saay – Ex-TRA
Samuel Seo – Love Eventually
Samuel Seo – Some Things Don’t Change
Samuel Seo – The Light
Sara – Dully (Feat. Protonebula)
Sarah Kang – Pluto (Feat. Trade L)
Seori – Cinderella
Seventeen – I Don’t Understand But I Luv U
Shinee – 10X
Siera – #000000
Sik-K – 모르는 척 해줘 (Got Lost)
Silly Silky – BB New Attitude
Sion – Dirt Cheap
Sion – Money Machine
So!YoON! – Bad
So!YoON! – Canada
Soma – Vestige
Soma – 꽃말 (Floriography)
Soovi – Missing You (Feat. Dvwn)
Soul Delivery – Whiskey (Feat. Sole, Thama)
Soulbysel, Image – Donut
Soulbysel, Junny – Early (Feat. Dut2)
Suen – My Prada (Feat. Sik-K)
Sumin – 기분 좋아지는 노래 (Kiki)
Summer Cake – 괜찮아 (Fine)
Summer Soul – Mirror (Feat. Jeebanoff)
Suyo – Conversation
Suyo – Misty Road
Suzanne – Closer
Suzanne – Count to Five
Syn – Ms.064
Tabber – Baby Doll
Tabber – Being (Feat. Yerin Baek)
Taeyang – 슝! (Shoong!) (Feat. Lisa)
Thama – Andrea’s Song (Feat. Lil Cherry)
Thama – Baby I Know
Thama – Bump It Up
Thama – Kaffe (Feat. Suzanne)
Thama – Passion
Van Siian – Hallway
Viann & Hoody – 아지랑이 (Tingle)
Viviz – Overflow
Wheein – In the Mood
Wheein – On the Island
Wheein – Spark
Wildberry – TLT
Wonstein – I Don’t Believe the Chart (Prod. Peejay)
Xin Seha – Slump
YNR – Gardener
Yerin Baek – Fuckin’ New Year
Yonko & SZN – Crime (Feat. Dok2)
Yonko – No Way
Youra – 구운듯한 얼굴이 너의 모티프 ((Motif))
Youra – 따갑고 부끄러워지는 것 ((Faded))
Youra – 목에게 ((Throat))
Youra – 수풀 연못 색 치마 ((The Cherry Trees))
Youra – 허무한 허무함의 패턴 ((I Sing, I’ve No Shape, I’m Incomplete, and I Fly))
Yunhway – Lost In
n.Ssign – Monologue

Lyric translations by the author. Artist profile and album cover images from Bugs Music.

Read our past series:

2022 In Review

2021 In Review

2020 In Review

2019 In Review

2018 In Review

2017 In Review

2016 In Review

2015 In Review

2014 In Review

2013 In Review

2012 In Review