Review

2024 In Review: Day 15 – Concluding Remarks

By Jung Bae | January 29, 2025

2024 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, Crossover and World
11. Best Collaborative Work
12. Rookie Artist of the Year
13. Artist of the Year
14. Other Recognition
15. Concluding Remarks

2024 is now in the books, and we hope you enjoyed this two-week recap of the year’s best in music. The release cycle never stops, of course, and we’re looking forward to what 2025 will bring: already works from the likes of Budung, Moribet, Ive, and Jennie are looking like powerful contenders for the next year. See you back in a year’s time!

The Roundup: What Others Have Picked

As we emphasize all the time, our series is not comprehensive, and some works are always going to fall through the cracks. A review of other publications’ selections can help fill in those gaps, and also show us what kind of works are getting widespread acclaim.

Below is a list of songs and albums that have been named to other publications’ year-end lists. Outlets included are IZM, MusicY, Tonplein, Overtone (new this year), and the Korean Music Awards (when nominees are revealed). A few prominent outlets like Idology, Rhythmer, and the Korean Hip-hop Awards are not included as they focus on specific genres.

The selectors each have different systems. IZM picks the top 10 albums and singles, no order; MusicY does an ordered top 10 for albums, singles and rookie albums, as well as nominees; Tonplein and KMA each do a full nominee list, with around five songs and albums for each category; and Overtone does a full ordered list of 1 through 50 for songs and albums.

Works that did not appear anywhere in our 2024 In Review are listed in italics. (As in not appearing in our “award” categories; doesn’t include Album Art or Other Recognition categories.) If a song did not get picked by us but the album containing it did, the song still gets italicized since it didn’t appear on its own merit.
Each entry also lists the publication(s) that selected that entry, and works that received multiple selections are bolded. If something is bold and italicized, you could say that we “whiffed” or deviated that much harder.
MusicY, Tonplein, Overtone, and the KMAs publish nominees in addition to winners. These are all included except for MusicY’s singles candidates, which are too numerous to list.

Most of the italicized works below were also considered for our list before ultimately being cut, but some were legitimately missed. We hope that you will check them out as well!

Albums

(G)I-dle – 2 [KMA]
Aespa – Armageddon [Tonplein, Overtone, MusicY, KMA]
Aespa – Whiplash [MusicY]
Animal Divers – Odyssey [MusicY]
Archie – Here, This Is Happening [Overtone]
ARTMS – Dall [Tonplein, Overtone]
Awl – Awl [MusicY]
B-Free, Hukky Shibaseki – Free Hukky Shibaseki & the God Sun Symphony Group : Odyssey.1 [Tonplein, Overtone, KMA]
Babymonster – Drip [MusicY]
Badvillain – Overstep [MusicY]
Bando – 반도지형도 (Shape of the Land) [MusicY, KMA]
Batu – 순환의 깊이 (Cyclus Profundus) [MusicY]
Betti Blue – Loneliness Is Relative [MusicY]
Beirut Taxi – 시소 (See Saw) [MusicY]
Blish – Wanderland [MusicY]
Bosudongcooler – 의자에 앉아 (Sitting on a Chair) [MusicY]
Brinicle Rain – Gamma [MusicY]
Broccoli You Too – 우리는 모두 실패할 것을 알고 있어요 (We All Know We Will Fail) [MusicY]
Brwn – Monsoon [MusicY, KMA]
Budung – 보호자 (Guardian)* [Overtone]
Byul.org – 우리 개 (Me & My Dog) [MusicY]
BØjeong – Neom 0541 [MusicY]
Can’t Be Blue – Blue Vinyl [MusicY]
Chawool – Everything Bagel [Overtone]
Chorokbada – From Our Chorokbada [MusicY]
Cifika – Bonfire [MusicY]
Crackberry – Destruction of the Void [MusicY]
Crush – Wonderego** [IZM]
D82 – Take Off [MusicY]
Dabin – Giggles [Tonplein]
Dal:um – Coexistence [MusicY]
Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble – 음악만세 (Hail to the Music) [Tonplein, MusicY, KMA]
Day6 – Fourever [MusicY]
DPR Cream – Psyche: Red [Tonplein]
Dragon Pony – Pop Up [MusicY]
Dulabam – Dulabam [MusicY, KMA]
EK – Escape [Tonplein, Overtone, KMA]
Eosa – Asoe [Tonplein, Overtone, MusicY]
Evenif – Invitation from Space [Overtone]
Fecundation – Moribund [KMA]
Ffpp – Spotless Mind [MusicY]
FireMoth – 분기점 (Bifurcation) [MusicY]
Flying Dog – 오마주 (Hommage) [MusicY]
Fog – Fogesque II [Overtone]
Garion – 가리온3 (Garion 3) [Tonplein, MusicY, KMA]
Gazaebal – Texture Music: 2011-2020 [Tonplein, Overtone, KMA]
Hae In Cho – Sight Beyond Sight [MusicY, KMA]
Hanroro – 집 (Home) [MusicY]
Haon, Vangdale, Sik-K – KCTAPE, Vol. 1 [Overtone]
Hayoung Lyou – The Myth of Katabasis [MusicY]
Herhums – To Save Us All [Tonplein, Overtone, MusicY]
Huckleberry P – Readmission [MusicY]
Hwang Minwang – 장:단 [Jang:dan] with Satoshi Takeishi [KMA]
Hwi – Humanly Possible [Tonplein, MusicY, KMA]
Hyang – Take Off [MusicY]
Hyelyn Joo – Cool [MusicY]
Hyeminsong, Gemma – 시나리오 (Scenario) [Tonplein]
Hypnosis Therapy – Raw Survival [Overtone, KMA]
Hyukoh, Susnet Rollercoaster – AAA [MusicY, KMA]
Idiots – 오늘날 우리는 (Us, Nowadays) [Tonplein]
Ihoteu – A Light in the Fog [MusicY]
Illit – Super Real Me [MusicY]
IU – The Winning [MusicY]
Jaehyun – J [Overtone]
Jaejin Ahn Quartet – 통제불능 (Out of Control) [MusicY]
Jay Park – The One You Wanted [MusicY]
Jeong Mi-jo – 75 [Tonplein]
Jihye Kim – 파도 (Pado) [MusicY, KMA]
Jihye Lee Orchestra – Infinite Connections [Overtone, MusicY, KMA]
Jinbo, Hersh, PoPoMo – PoPoMo [Tonplein, KMA]
Jo Dong-hee – 꽃차례 (Blooming Point) [Tonplein, Overtone]
John Park – Psst! [Overtone, MusicY, KMA]
Joonil Jung – 어떤 무엇도 아닌 (Not Anything) [MusicY]
Juhwan Kim – After Midnight: Still in the Moonlight [KMA]
Jung Cha-sik – 밝은 미래 (Bright Future) [MusicY]
Jung In, Mild Beats – 정인 & 마일드 비츠 (Jung In & Mild Beats) [Tonplein, Overtone, MusicY, KMA]
Kardi – No Doubt [MusicY]
Kang Asol – 아무도 없는 곳에서, 모두가 있는 곳으로 (From Where No One Is, To Where Everyone Is) [MusicY, KMA]
Katseye – SIS: Soft Is Strong [MusicY]
Kave – Say My Name [MusicY]
Kep1er – Kep1going On [Tonplein]
Khundi Panda – MODM 2: The Bento Knight [Overtone, MusicY]
Kimbanourke – 빈자리 (Absence) [Overtone]
Kim Bum-soo – 여행 (Journey) [IZM]
Kim Livingstone – 춘천의 밤 (Night of Chuncheon) [MusicY]
Kim Min-hee – Confessin’ [KMA]
Kim Sawol – 디폴트 (Default) [MusicY, KMA]
Kim Soochul – 김수철 45주년 기념 앨범 너는 어디에 (Kim Soochul 45th Anniversary Where Are You) [IZM, MusicY, KMA]
Kim Yuna – 관능소설 (Tales of Sensuality) [MusicY, KMA]
Kontrajelly – 미사여구뿐 (Rhetoric) [Overtone]
Kwaii – Distorted [KMA]
Leaveourtears – Soft Meltdown [MusicY]
Leaves Black – 비행실 (Flight) [MusicY, KMA]
Leemoon – Eternal [MusicY]
Lee Narae – 지금 어디 (Nowhere) [Overtone, MusicY]
Lee Seung-yoon – 역성 (Yeok Seong) [MusicY, KMA]
Liberosis – Re-mind [KMA]
Loossemble – TTYL [MusicY]
Low Hanging Fruits – Passion of Various Types [MusicY]
Luca Minor – Curse of Romanticism [MusicY]
Maeng Seo Ryeong – Potential [MusicY]
Maria Kim – Misty Blue [Overtone]
Materials Pound – Bulb [MusicY, KMA]
Meaningful Stone – 천사 인터뷰 (Angel Interview) [Overtone, KMA]
Meeroo Choi – nEwCHAt [MusicY]
Milena – Foggy [MusicY]
Minkang – Borngarden [MusicY]
Moah Lee – Arpeggio [MusicY]
Moher – 만화경 (Kaleidoscope) [Tonplein, Overtone, MusicY, KMA]
Mono4oly – Ordinary Chaos [MusicY, KMA]
Mosi – 침묵하고 부수고 답하기 (Silence, Crumble, and Answer) [Tonplein, MusicY]
Moskva Surfing Club – Foggy Sunshine** [IZM]
Movning – Adam [MusicY]
Nam Yeji – 오래된 노래, 틈 (Old Songs, Tmmm) [MusicY, KMA]
Nardis – Nardis Timeline [Tonplein, MusicY]
NCT 127 – Walk [IZM, Overtone]
Nerd Connection – 그래도 우리는 (And Yet, We Still) [MusicY]
Net Gala – Galapaggot [Tonplein, Overtone, KMA]
New Link – While You Are Dreaming [MusicY]
Nowadays – Nowhere [MusicY]
Nubim – Crossroads (Live in Amsterdam) [KMA]
Nuclear Idiots – Cyberpunk 1999 [MusicY]
Oddeen – Od [Tonplein]
OGS – The Origin [MusicY]
Okashii – Orton [Overtone]
Okdal – 40 [KMA]
O’koye – Whether the Weather Changes or Not [IZM, Overtone, MusicY, KMA]
Omilgop – A Trail of Fading [Overtone]
Oswald – Dork [MusicY]
Parannoul – Sky Hundred [Overtone]
Park Yeondu – 가끔 내 방에는 바다가 밀려 온다 (The Sea Comes into My Room from Time to Time) [Tonplein]
Patz – Visitors [MusicY]
Peppertones – Twenty Plenty [MusicY]
PNS – Time of Chaos [MusicY]
Polar Night – Vuja de [MusicY]
Pow – Boyfriend [MusicY]
Pudditorium – Prologue: Hope [KMA]
QM – 개미 (Ant) [Overtone, MusicY]
QWER – Algorithm’s Blossom [MusicY]
Rad Museum, Kid Milli – Rad Milli [MusicY]
Ramhom Choe Jeong U – 사원소론 (Les quatre elements) [MusicY]
Red Velvet – Cosmic [MusicY]
Riize – Riizing: Epilogue [KMA]
RM – Right Place, Wrong Person [Overtone]
Roots Redeem – 전의 (Turning Point) Live [MusicY]
Sahon – Blood Shall Be Paid [MusicY, KMA]
Sailor Honeymoon – Sailor Honeymoon [MusicY]
Samsan – 인생은 생생! (Life, Life, Life!) [MusicY]
Sanmanhan – 산만한시선 (Sanmanhan) [KMA]
Savina & Drones – Lasha [MusicY, KMA]
Seaweed Mustache – 2 [Tonplein, Overtone, MusicY, KMA]
Seoul Busan Incheon – 깽판 (Wrecking Havoc) [MusicY, KMA]
Seoulspit – Kill Each Other [MusicY]
Shin Hae-gyeong – 이상한 경치 (The Oddscape) [MusicY]
Silica Gel – Power Andre 99 [IZM, Tonplein, MusicY, KMA]
Silly Silky – Silly but, Silky [MusicY]
Skipjack – giveusasalvation. [MusicY]
Skinny Chase – 선리기연 (Journey to the West) [Overtone]
Skrr Gang Business – Skreet Knowledge [Tonplein]
Solanin – 어린 기억 (Childhood Memories) [MusicY]
Snake Chicken Soup – Homemade Fast Food [MusicY]
Sole – Time Machine [KMA]
Soumbalgwang – 불과 빛 (Fire and Light) [Tonplein, MusicY, KMA]
SoundSupply_Service – SCA2 [KMA]
Storm – Violent City [MusicY]
Studio360 – 예언 (The Prophet) [Tonplein, Overtone, MusicY]
Sumin & Slom – Miniseries 2 [IZM, Tonplein, Overtone, MusicY, KMA]
Summer of Thoughts – 시냇가 (Streams) [Tonplein]
Sun Bean Kim – Where I Come From? [MusicY]
Sun Gin, Kyuk – 패솔로지 (Pathology) [Overtone]
Sunji Lee – Eternal [MusicY, KMA]
Sunwoojunga – 너머 (Beyond) [MusicY, KMA]
Surl – Xyrup [Overtone]
Susan – Alive [Overtone]
Taehun Lee – 고개를 돌리면 (Turning to You) [MusicY]
Tear Drop – Beastology [MusicY]
Teho – Pierrot le Fumeur [KMA]
The Fourth Group – 제4집단 (The Fourth Group) [MusicY]
The Holy Mountain – 홀리마운틴 (The Holy Mountain) [KMA]
The Solutions – N/A [IZM, Overtone, MusicY]
TripleS – Assemble24 [IZM, Tonplein, Overtone, KMA]
TWS – Sparkling Blue [MusicY]
Various Artists – SCA2 [MusicY]
Various Artists – 인천의 포크 [유령놀이] (Folk of Incheon [Playing Ghosts]) [Tonplein]
Various Artists – 텔레포트 도피 (Teleport Runaway) 2024 [MusicY]
VideoRose – 아무도 없는 숲속에서 주문을 외운다 (Chanting a Spell in an Empty Forest) [MusicY]
Viridian – Down Salvation [MusicY]
Wabi King – Turn Over the Game [MusicY]
Wapddi – 우리의 친구 머피처럼 (Like Our Friend Murphy) [Overtone]
Wildberry – Agape [Overtone]
Wul – 21st Century Blues [MusicY]
Xeuda – 사랑의 말을 가르쳐주세요 (How Can I Tell You Love) [MusicY, KMA]
Yesang – Yesang’s Yesang [MusicY]
YFY – 422 [MusicY]
Yo – 희망열차를 타고 우주로 가요 (Hopetrain to Universe) [Overtone]
Young Posse – XXL [Tonplein, MusicY]
Younha – Growth Theory [Tonplein, MusicY***]
Youn Sun Nah – Elles [KMA]
Yujin Kim – dudndudndudn [Overtone]
Yuleum – Cicada [Overtone]
Yun Eun-hwa – Fe [MusicY]
Yun Seokcheol Trio – 나의 여름은 아직 안 끝났어 (My Summer’s Not Over Yet) [KMA]
Yves – I Did [MusicY, KMA]
Zion.T – Zip [MusicY]
Zzzaam – 빛나 (Shine) [Tonplein, Overtone]

Songs

(G)I-dle – 나는 아픈 건 딱 질색이니까 (Fate) [IZM]
64ksana – Subusa [Tonplein]
87dance – 4DL [Overtone]
Aespa – Supernova [IZM, Tonplein, Overtone, KMA]
Aespa – Whiplash [Overtone, MusicY]
Anonymous Artist – 바로 리부트 정상화 (Immediate Reboot Normalization) [Tonplein]
ARTMS – Birth [Overtone]
B-Free, Hukky Shibaseki – Get It [Overtone]
B-Free, Hukky Shibaseki – Indo [KMA]
Bibi – 밤양갱 (Bam Yang Gang) [IZM, Tonplein, Overtone, KMA]
Bongjeingan – 너의 뒤 (Know You Did) [KMA]
Broccoli You Too – 영원한 사랑 (Loyalty) [Tonplein]
Broccoli You Too – 요즘 애들 (A Band Used to be Young) [Tonplein]
Budung – 알아챈 순간 (The Moment I Woke Up)* [Overtone]
Cacophony – Snowman [Overtone]
CHS – Wet Market [Overtone]
Cifika – Bonfire [Tonplein]
Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble – 독립 (Independent) [MusicY, KMA]
Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble – 오늘보다 더 기쁜 날은 남은 생에 많지 않을 것이다 (Days Happier Than Today Will Be Few in My Remaining Life) [KMA]
Danpyunsun and the Moments Ensemble – 음악만세 (Hail to the Music) [Tonplein, Overtone]
Day6 – Welcome to the Show [IZM]
Donna Goldn – 청포도 마누라 (Grape Wifey) [Overtone]
eAeon, Qim Isle, Jclef – Bat Apt. [MusicY]
EK – Survive [Overtone]
Extra Small – Balmain [Tonplein]
FireMoth – 막춤 (Dance) [MusicY]
Fleeky Bang – 불 (Fire) (Feat. Changmo) [KMA]
G-Dragon – Power [KMA]
Ghost Bookstore – 봄노래 (Spring Song) [Tonplein]
Gogohawk – 파도 (Wave) [Tonplein]
GroovyRoom – Yes or No (Feat. Huh Yunjin, Crush) [Tonplein]
Gyubin & Kim Jong-wan – Special [IZM]
Haepaary – 시작된 밤 (The Night) [KMA]
Hanroro – ㅈㅣㅂ (Home) [Overtone, KMA]
Haon – 꼴통 (Bastard) (Feat. Changmo) [Tonplein]
Hwi – 너의 전생 (Your My Past Lives) [KMA]
Hyelyn Joo – 미친 건가 (Crazy) [KMA]
Hyukoh, Sunset Rollercoaster – Young Man [KMA]
Hypnosis Therapy – Blaze [KMA]
Idiots – 수몰 (Submerged) [Tonplein]
Illit – Magnetic [Tonplein, Overtone, KMA]
IU – Love Wins All [KMA]
Ive – Blue Heart [Overtone]
Jaehyun – Smoke [Overtone]
Jang Sehyun – 다음 꿈이 궁금해서 더 잤어 (I Take a Nap Again by Wondering Next Dreams) (Feat. Hyewon) [Overtone]
Jeon Jin-hee – 비가 오는데 (Raining) [Tonplein]
Jeong Mi-jo – 노라 (Nora) [Tonplein]
Jeong Mi-jo – 살아있는가 (Truly Alive?) (Feat. Hareem) [Overtone]
Jo Dong-hee – 꽃차례 (Blooming Point) [Overtone]
John Park – 꿈처럼 (Like a Dream) [KMA]
Jung In, Mild Beats – 탓 (Blame) [Overtone, KMA]
Kang Asol – 누구도 미워하지 않는 (Anyone But Me) [KMA]
Karina – Up [Tonplein]
Kimbanourke – 기억에 의존한 초상화 (A Portrait from Memory) [Tonplein]
Kimbanourke – 단상: 불나방 (Thoughts: Moths) [Overtone]
Kim Soo-chul – 너는 어디에 (Where Are You) [KMA]
Kim Ximya, Simo Cell – Way 2A Head [Overtone]
Kiss Care & Par – 팬클럽 (Fan Club) [Tonplein]
Kiss of Life – Midas Touch [Overtone]
Kontrajelly – 꽃신 (Floral Shoes) [Tonplein, Overtone]
Kwaii – Pride [Tonplein, KMA]
Leaves Black – 바람 (Wind) [MusicY]
Lee Seung-yoon – 역성 (Anthems of Defiance) [KMA]
Lee Seung-yoon – 폭포 (Waterfall) [KMA]
Lee Young-ji – Small Girl (Feat. D.O.) [KMA]
Lionclad – UloveUwaitingU [Tonplein]
Meaningful Stone – 미카엘 (Mikael) [Overtone]
Meaningful Stone – 활엽수 (Oak Tree) [Tonplein]
Meeroo Choi – 물수제비 (Dap) [KMA]
Moher – 박수기정 (Baksugijeong) [KMA]
Moher – 방백 (Aside) [Tonplein]
Mono4oly – Fake Empire [MusicY, KMA]
Mount XLR – Oving [KMA]
Naul – 1993 [Tonplein]
NCT 127 – 삐그덕 (Walk) [Overtone]
Net Gala – Joappa [Tonplein]
Net Gala – Warp This Pussy [Overtone]
NewJeans – Supernatural [Overtone]
Ninaian – Saam-edne [Tonplein]
Nmixx – Dash [IZM, Tonplein, Overtone]
Okashii – Crib [Overtone]
Okdal – 다이빙 (Diving) [KMA]
O’koye – Yezzir [Overtone]
Parannoul – Evoke Me [Overtone]
Penomeco – 아수라발발타 (Asurabalbalta) [Tonplein]
Piano Shoegazer – 펭귄 (Penguin) [Overtone]
Poomba21 – 의적 (Thief) [MusicY]
QM – 입에총 (Got Yourself a Gun) (Feat. Zico) [Overtone, KMA]
Rad Museum, Kid Milli – S/S (Feat. Dean) [Tonplein]
Rescene – Love Attack [IZM]
Riize – Boom Boom Bass [MusicY]
RM – Groin [Overtone]
Rosé, Bruno Mars – APT. [IZM****, Tonplein, Overtone, MusicY, KMA]
Saay – Domino [Tonplein]
Sailor Honeymoon – Bad Apple [Tonplein]
Sanmanhan – 노래가 되면 예쁠거야 (When It Becomes a Song) [KMA]
Savina & Drones – 아무도 모른다 (Nobody Knows) [MusicY]
Seaweed Mustache – Hex [Overtone]
Socialclub Hyangwu – My Little Baby [Overtone]
Sole – 그럼에도 Love (Still Love) [KMA]
Soumbalgwang – 노랑 (Terrified) [MusicY]
Sumin, Slom – 신호등 (Stoplight) [Overtone]
Sumin, Slom – 왜, 왜, 왜 (Why, Why, Why) [KMA]
Sunwoojunga – 별사탕 (Star Candy) [KMA]
Susan – 바다 뜰채 (Bada) [Overtone]
Swimrabbit – 진화 (Evolution) (Feat. Hunjiya) [KMA]
Tabber – Chi-Ka [Overtone]
TripleS – Girls Never Die [Overtone, MusicY, KMA]
TWS – 첫 만남은 계획대로 되지 않아 (Plot Twist) [IZM, KMA]
TXT – 내일에서 기다릴게 (I’ll See You There Tomorrow) [Tonplein]
Wave to Earth – Annie. [KMA]
Wildberry – Dive in Your Eyes [Overtone]
Xeuda – 사랑의 말을 가르쳐주세요 (How Can I Tell You Love) [KMA]
Yetsuby – 1,2,3 Soleil [Overtone]
Yo – 틸리쿰 (Tilikum) [Overtone]
Yoon Ji-young – Love Is Everywhere [Overtone]
Young Posse – Ate That [IZM]
Younha – 맹그로브 (Mangrove Tree) [Tonplein]
Youra – 101(Home Home) [Overtone]
Youra – Worm in the Apple [Tonplein]
Youra, Mandong – 무수히 (Countlessly) [Tonplein]
Yuleum – Train [Overtone]
Zico & Jennie – Spot! [IZM, Overtone]

*Guardian was released on December 4, 2024, making it ineligible for our series this year; it will be eligible for 2025 In Review.
**Wonderego and Foggy Sunshine were released in November 2023, and each was included in our 2023 In Review.
***Tonplein named the original Growth Theory, while MusicY named the Final Edition repackage (as did Hellokpop).
****IZM named “APT.” to their International Singles list and not to the Domestic Singles side.

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

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