Review

2023 In Review: Day 16 – Concluding Remarks

By Jung Bae | January 30, 2024

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

And so we send off 2023 at last. The new year is off to a fine start, with Nmixx perhaps dropping a Best Dance/Electronic Song candidate early and Youra, Yena and more coming out with strong work already. Thanks for joining us for the series, and we’ll see you back here for 2024 In Review.

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, 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.

Works that did not appear anywhere in our 2023 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, and the KMAs publish nominees in addition to winners. We include the nominees at Tonplein and KMA, but not MusicY nominees (as the list would get quite a bit longer).

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

Ahn Maru – Plastic Star [Tonplein]
Beenzino – Nowitzki [IZM, Tonplein, KMA]
Billie – The Billage of Perception: Chapter Three [KMA]
Bongjeingan – 12가지 말들 (12 Languages) [MusicY, Tonplein, KMA]
Brwn – 추 (Yours Truly) [KMA]
Cacophony – Dipuc [Tonplein, KMA]
Carina Nebula – Good Match [KMA]
Choi Su-in – 우리들 마음에 빛이 있다면 (The Light) [Tonplein]
Cifika – Ion [Tonplein, KMA]
Crush – Wonderego [Tonplein, KMA]
Dabda – Yonder [KMA]
Desert Flower – Embrace [Tonplein]
Doguul – If These Bodies Could Talk [KMA]
Do Jae-myoung – 21st Century Odyssey [MusicY]
Dongchan – 활동 (Moving) [Tonplein]
Dongyi – 날초소 분석법 (A Method for Capsaicinoid Analysis) [MusicY, KMA]
Ensemble Sinawi – Cosmos [KMA]
E Sens – 저금통 (Jeogeumtong) [IZM, MusicY, Tonplein]
Fromis_9 – Unlock My World [Tonplein]
Goonamguayeoridingstella – 1969 [Tonplein]
Hanel – 바람의 왈츠 (Vals del Si) [KMA]
Heo Daeuk – Will It Be Spring Tomorrow? [KMA]
Heo Jeong-hyuk – 봉오리 시절 (Bud Days) [KMA]
Hollow Jan – 다떠위다 (Confusion) [KMA]
Hoody – 항해 (Sailing) [KMA]
Hwang Puha – 두 얼굴 (Two Faces) [MusicY, Tonplein, KMA]
Hypnosis Therapy – Psilocybin [KMA]
Iseul Kim’s Two Voices – Evolving [KMA]
Jade – Retrospect [Tonplein]
Jeongmilla – 리버사이드 (Riverside) [MusicY, Tonplein, KMA]
Jerd – Bomm [IZM, Tonplein, KMA]
Jungkook – Golden [KMA]
Jung Sumin – 자성 (Intrinsic Nature) [KMA]
Jungwoo – 클라우드 쿠쿠 랜드 (Cloud Cuckoo Land) [Tonplein, KMA]
Kang Huh Dalrim – Love [IZM]
Kid Milli – Beige [IZM, Tonplein, KMA]
Kim Sejeong – 문 (Door) [KMA]
Kim Suyoung – Round and Round [KMA]
Kiss of Life – Born to be XX [Tonplein, KMA]
Kiss of Life – Kiss of Life [IZM]
Lee Heemoon & Cadejo – 강남오아시스 (Gangnam Oasis) [Tonplein]
Lee Hyungju – 우리는 서로를 간직 하려고 (To Cherish) [KMA]
Lee Jin-ah – 도시의 속마음 (Hearts of the City) [Tonplein, KMA]
Lee Min-hwi – 미래의 고향 (Hometown to Come) [Tonplein, KMA]
Lee Seol-ah – 작은 마을 (Tiny Village) [IZM, Tonplein]
Lee Seung-yoon – 꿈의 거처 (Shelter of Dreams) [IZM, Tonplein]
Lobonabeat! – Trapstar Lifestyle [Tonplein, KMA]
Mahatma – Reason for Silence [MusicY, KMA]
Mihyang Moon – I Wished on the Moon [KMA]
Mijung Lim – Flow [KMA]
Min Soo-hong – 사소함 (Triviality) [MusicY]
NewJeans – Get Up [MusicY, KMA]
Noeazy – Behind the Mask [KMA]
Nohys – Ethic [Tonplein]
No.link – Move That [KMA]
O’Domar – 선전기술 X (Propaganda X) [MusicY, KMA]
Ohchill – The Burning City [KMA]
Omilgop – Swimming Machine, I Wish You Happiness [Tonplein]
Overdrive Philosophy – 64 See Me [MusicY, KMA]
Otot – 21st Century Electronic Duo [KMA]
Parannoul – After the Magic [KMA]
Parc Jae-jung – Alone [KMA]
Piano Shoegazer – Sisyphus Happy [Tonplein]
RM – Indigo [IZM]
Silica Gel – Machine Boy [KMA]
Skyminhyuk – 해방 (Liberation) [Tonplein, KMA]
Song Nam Hyun – 마침내 나는 신록의 봉우리를 비집고 (Finally, I Climbed Over the Verdant Hill) [KMA]
Soojung Lee – Four Seasons [KMA]
Stray Kids – Rock-Star [Tonplein]
Sunny Kim, Vardan Ovsepian, Ben Monder – Liminal Silence [KMA]
Thornapple – 동물 (Animal) [KMA]
Touched – Yellow Supernova Remnant [KMA]
TXT – 이름의 장 (The Name Chapter): Freefall [KMA]
Vardan Ovsepian & Song Ji Yeon – Lawless Heart [KMA]
Wave to Earth – 0.1 Flowers and All. [KMA]
XG – New DNA [Tonplein]
Yeoyu and Seolbin – 희극 (Comedy) [Tonplein, KMA]
Yetsuby – My Star My Planet My Earth [KMA]
Yoon Jiyoung – 나의 정원에서 (In My Garden) [Tonplein, KMA]
Youra – 꽤 많은 수의 촉수 돌기 (1) [IZM, Tonplein, KMA]
Yujin Kim – Extraordinary [KMA]
Zeonpasangsa – Second Quarter Results [KMA]

Songs

Aespa – Drama [Tonplein]
Ahn Maru – 표류 (Drift) [Tonplein]
AkMu – Love Lee [KMA]
AkMu – 후라이의 꿈 (Fry’s Dream) [IZM]
Beach Underground – 꿈결 (Dream) [Tonplein]
Beenzino – Trippy [Tonplein]
Beenzino – 여행 Again (Travel Again) (Feat. Cautious Clay) [MusicY, KMA]
Bongjeingan – 12가지 말들 (12 Languages) [MusicY]
Cho Yong-pil – Feeling of You [KMA]
Cifika – Hush [KMA]
Dabda – Flower Tail [KMA]
Dabda – One, World, Wound [Tonplein]
Dareharu – 순혈주의자 (Pure Blood) [Tonplein]
Dean – Die 4 You [Tonplein, KMA]
Do Jae-myoung – 21st Century Odyssey [MusicY]
Dynamic Duo, Lee Young-ji – Smoke [IZM]
E Sens – What the Hell [Tonplein, KMA]
Fifty Fifty – Cupid [IZM, KMA]
Fromis_9 – Attitude [Tonplein]
Gate Flowers – All In [KMA]
Guinneissik – Farewell Two Shell [Tonplein, KMA]
H1-Key – 건물 사이에 피어난 장미 (Rose Blossom) [IZM, KMA]
Hwang Puha – 난 말을 못해요 (Inept) [KMA]
Hwang Puha – 불 (Fire) [Tonplein, KMA]
Hypnosis Therapy – Jongno [KMA]
Ive – I Am [Tonplein, KMA]
Jclef – 무언가 (Mooeonga) [Tonplein]
Jeongmilla – 서술 (Describe) [KMA]
Jeon Yoodong – 어떤 변명 (Some Excuse) [Tonplein]
Jerd – 영업 안 합니다 (Closed) (Feat. Jjangyou) [KMA]
Jungkook – Seven (Feat. Latto) [IZM, KMA]
Jungwoo – 옛날이야기 해주세요 (Dawn) [Tonplein]
Jungwoo – 클라우드 쿠쿠 랜드 (Cloud Cuckoo Land) [KMA]
Khc/moribet – 저회 (Stray) (Feat. Lee Min-hwi) [Tonplein]
Kid Milli – 25 (Feat. Yanghongwon) [Tonplein, KMA]
Kim Dong-ryul – 황금가면 (Golden Mask) [MusicY]
Kim Oki – 러브송 (Love Song) (Feat. Kim Hanjoo) [Tonplein]
Kim Ximya – Friends Go Foe [Tonplein]
Kirara – 숫자 (Numbers) [KMA]
Lee Hyungju – 내 몸이 들린 날 (A Day My Body Lifted Up) [Tonplein]
Lee Min-hwi – 미래의 고향 (Hometown to Come) [KMA]
Le Sserafim – 이브, 프시케 그리고 푸른 수염의 아내 (Eve, Psyche, and the Bluebeard’s Wife) [MusicY]
Lily Eat Machine – 여름과 지박령들 (35°30’14.9″N 116°10’20.5″W) (Stone Taped in Summer) [Tonplein]
Lobonabeat! – Young Boy (Feat. Oygli) [KMA]
Mount XLR – Acid Wasp [Tonplein, KMA]
My Aunt Mary – 여름밤 (Summer Night) [MusicY]
NewJeans – Ditto [MusicY, KMA]
NewJeans – OMG [Tonplein]
NewJeans – Super Shy [Tonplein]
Nuck – 배태 (Origin) [Tonplein]
Ohchill – Something’s Wrong [KMA]
Overdrive Philosophy – Soju & Soul [MusicY, KMA]
Parannoul – 개화 (Blossom) [Tonplein]
Parc Jae-jung – 헤어지자 말해요 (Let’s Say Goodbye) [IZM, KMA]
Raon – ♡Like Like♡ [Tonplein]
Riize – Get a Guitar [IZM]
Samuel Seo – Some Things Don’t Change [Tonplein]
Seoul Electric Band – Ghost Writers [KMA]
Silica Gel – Mercurial [Tonplein]
Silica Gel – Tik Tak Tok (Feat. So!YoON!) [IZM, MusicY, KMA]
Skyminhyuk – 14-23 [KMA]
Soul Delivery – Whiskey (with Sole, Thama) [KMA]
Sumin – 옷장 (Closet) (Feat. Uhm Jung-hwa) [Tonplein, KMA]
Tabber – Creepin’ [Tonplein]
Thama – Bump It Up [KMA]
TripleS – Rising [IZM, Tonplein]
Verycoybunny – Now or Never [KMA]
Yeoyu and Seolbin – 밤하늘의 별들처럼 (Like Stars in the Night Sky) [KMA]
Yeoyu and Seolbin – 시인과 농부 (Poet and Farmer) [Tonplein]
Yoon Jiyoung – 나의 정원에서 (In My Garden) [Tonplein, KMA]
Yoon Jiyoung – 어제는 당신 꿈을 꿨어요 (I Dreamt About You Last Night) [Tonplein]
Youra – 구운듯한 얼굴이 너의 모티프 ((Motif)) [MusicY, KMA]
Youra – 수풀 연못 색 치마 ((The Cherry Trees)) [Tonplein]
Yun Seokcheol & Sejin – 칵테일 파라다이스 (Cocktail Paradise) [IZM, KMA]
Zeonpasangsa – 아임 브루스맨 (I’m Blues Man) [KMA]