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Being half way through the year, join Genius Korea as we take a look back at the best albums released in 2024 so far. Genius Korea prides itself as being a leading source of lyrics and translations in Korean music. The contenders on the list were chosen based on their ability to effectively tell a story through its lyrics, sounds, and visuals. The list is ranked based on the expert opinion of the Genius Korea Community of Moderators, Editors, and Contributors. Eligibility period: Dec 1st 2023 to June 8th 2024 15. BLESSED – Moon Sujin After debuting almost six years ago, we’re certainly “blessed” to see such a strong debut album from Moon Sujin. Beginning with “In Times”, Sujin invites us into the depths of her thoughts and emotions, emphasizing her vulnerability through harmonically layered vocals. Tracks like “Lost” and “The One” showcase Sujin in her R&B element. “Gotta $ay” and “Baby PLZ” embrace a trap-esque sound and mark her first collaborations with Korean rapper GEMINI and Korean hip-hop star Jay Park, respectively. “Sorry I Don’t” maintains the album’s themes of love and self-assurance whilst underscoring Sujin’s focus on her ambitions. Concluding with “Starry Night”, Sujin brings back the same harmonisations from “In Times.” This circularity elegantly wraps up the album, and leaves us eager to see Sujin’s artistry further evolve. 14. 청춘의 포말 (YOUTH) – DOYOUNG The latest member to foray into solo music, DOYOUNG of NCT did not disappoint with his full-length album, 청춘의 포말 (YOUTH). A debut studio album is a major step forward in an idol’s career, and to release a full-length record is a major risk. However, on the album, DOYOUNG showcases throughout that he is capable of using his vocal talents to fit any genre, from pop-rock to R&B to ballad. Fans were left on the edge of their seats after each song, wondering which genre the singer would attempt next. With songs like “Lost in California,” “끝에서 다시 (Rewind,” and title track “반딧불 (Little Light)” co-written by LUCY member, Cho Won Sang, DOYOUNG has the ability to understand how to capture the essence of a genre and experiment with that, by adding his style to it with his vocal execution. With 청춘의 포말 (YOUTH), you can’t help but find yourself in awe of just how immensely talented this NCT member is. 13. Queen of Tears Original Soundtrack – Various Artists It is very rare that an Original Soundtrack album leaves an impact like the one left by the OST album for the sensational drama Queen of Tears. Telling the story of a married couple who find their way back to each other despite the trials and tribulations of life and loss, the OST album for Queen of Tears matched the drama’s themes and popularity. Featuring a star-studded lineup including SEVENTEEN BSS, HEIZE, 10CM, Crush, and Kim Taerae of ZEROBASEONE, the album became a standalone piece of art that evokes emotions and memories tied to both the music and the drama. From “미안해 미워해 사랑해 (Love You With All My Heart)” to “고장난걸까 (Tell Me It’s Not a Dream)” to “청혼 (Way Home)”—which marked lead actor Kim Soo Hyun’s return to singing after 10 years—the songs on this soundtrack were a perfect blend of memorable tunes, emotional depth, and perfect synergy with the drama’s story, exemplifying what makes a soundtrack truly great. 12. 때깔 (Killin’ It) – P1Harmony One jam packed mini-album after another, P1Harmony’s endless spree of consistently building hype takes place in their first full-length album, 때깔 (Killin’ It). Venturing into various sounds and genres the group hadn’t tried before, the album retains a level of cohesiveness while also adding excitement for veteran fans and new listeners. With songs like “2Nite,” “Late Night Calls,” and “Countdown To Love,” the album is a step forward for the ever-growing boy group bound to make their mark on the global music scene. Allowing P1Harmony to obtain their first music show win, the album had just the right amount of general public appeal on top of keeping that same unique color the members bring to the table. 11. Dall – ARTMS ARTMS, a girl group consisting of five LOONA members, made their grand re-debut with an 11-track project that explores freedom, new beginnings, friendship, and more. The album was supported by four pre-releases, the first being “Birth,”, a dark and intense track that sealed ARTMS “rebirth” into the music scene. ARTMS further made their mark with the dreamy title track “Virtual Angel,” where they sang of the relationship between idols and their fans. Dall is an ode to LOONA via its music production and lyrics; however, the album is also a first look at ARTMS as their own artists. It is an album for fans old and new, and cements ARTMS as a newly-debuted group to keep your eyes and ears on. 10. Kep1going On – Kep1er For their first (and last) full Korean album as nine members, Kep1er lovingly delivered the ten-track project Kep1going On, which is easily their best album to date and spans across emotions and genres effortlessly. Title track “Shooting Star” dazzles with its sincerity in both lyrics and delivery, highlighting the members’ vocals and reflecting upon the group’s career thus far: Hold me just like that first feeling, woah With you, I’m not afraid of this ending Like the intro track “Last Carnival” promised, Kep1er led us on a rollercoaster throughout the album with B-Sides showcasing their different colors. “Flowers, Flutter, Your heart” tenderly combines strings and a hip-hop beat for a fairytale confession, “PUSH BUTTON” is their most sonically experimental track to date with an addictive 12/8 rhythm, and “PROBLEM” is Kep1er’s take on sassy old-school hip-hop. Kep1er has always been known for their range, and undoubtedly, Kep1going On is an essential viewing of what the group has to offer. 9. 성장 (Blossom) – D.O. (Doh Kyung Soo) 성장 (Blossom), the first album D.O released under his new self-established company, Company Soosoo, shows us that while many things have changed in the past year, D.O. has fundamentally not. 성장 (Blossom) explores the valuable experiences and lessons that D.O. has learned from falling in and out of love, and seems to be a continuation of 기대 (Expectation), his previous album which ended on the end of a relationship. “Mars,” the title track offers encouragement to fall in love despite past experiences, while B-sides “매일의 고백 (My Dear)” and “어제의 너, 오늘의 나 (About Time)” remind us of the reality of love and that not every lesson learned will a comforting one. 8. Armageddon – aespa With their first full-length album, aespa continue to establish their unique musical and conceptual identities, while also exploring different sounds along the way. Title tracks “Supernova” and “Armageddon” set the stage, with aespa showing off both their playful and badass sides, respectively. Armageddon also features the excellent hip-hop dance song “Mine” and mid-tempo pop track “BAHAMA,”, where aespa face their fears head-on and have some fun in the sun, respectively. aespa’s first full album Armageddon is a fantastic mix of their futuristic and real world concepts, and will have something for everyone. 7. TEN – TEN In February, TEN became the second member of NCT to debut as a soloist with his mini-album of the same name. TEN contains six tracks including the lead single “Nightwalker,” a dark and atmospheric track wherein TEN sings of his attraction to an irresistible presence. Other highlights include the beautiful but haunting “Shadow” and medium-tempo track “Lie With You,” where TEN laments over a lost love and sings of a romantic evening with a partner, respectively. Throughout his career, TEN has been praised for his spectacular dancing, but with his first solo album, he also shows he is an amazing vocalist capable of standing on his own. 6. Giggles – Dabin Rebranding himself, DPR LIVE aka Dabin independently released his solo album Giggles. Led by singles like “‘Till I Live” and “Tic Tac?,” Giggles conveys Dabin’s raw emotions and focuses on his struggles in the industry, the haunting issues of his past, and the closure of letting go. Songs like “Shower Song,” “Ghost K!D,” and “Kiss The Ring” depict different sides of Dabin not only as an artist but also as an individual. Furthermore, Giggles isn’t just an album; it’s an open book to Dabin’s heart, turning into one of his greatest musical creations. Despite speculations revolving around the album and its lyrics, Dabin’s musical creativity in sound and songwriting is at the heart of Giggles. 5. minisode 3: TOMORROW – TOMORROW X TOGETHER TOMORROW X TOGETHER continue to solidify their powerhouse place in music, demonstrating their meteoric growth in latest release minisode 3: TOMORROW. The 6th EP in their career is oozing with the group’s signature storytelling of youth, kicked off with an attention-grabbing track listed completely in morse code that directly translates to the word “tomorrow.” The EP is accompanied by dynamic track stylings such as afrobeats inspired “The Killa (I Belong to You),” punchy electro rhythms in “내일에서 기다릴게 (I’ll See You There Tomorrow),” and the lead single “Deja Vu” that features emotional lyrics of surviving hardship accompanied by gritty beats and angsty tones. “Miracle” and “Quarter Life” round out the project with sentimental perspectives on adolescence and softer instrumentals in contrast to previous tracks, creating an overall smooth artistic palette. The latest notch in TXT’s belt is—surprising no one—strong, melodic, and heartwarming, giving us just enough to nibble on as we patiently anticipate what the group has in store for us next. 4. ENTITY – Cha Eun Woo Earlier this year, ASTRO member and actor Cha Eun Woo made his music solo debut with the six-track EP, ENTITY. With his first solo album, Cha Eun Woo showcases his storytelling and songwriting abilities. Cha Eun Woo participated in writing the lyrics for each track; as a result, ENTITY’s music production has a great personal touch to it. Throughout ENTITY, Cha Eun Woo explores topics of love and longing, life choices, and the past. On the beautiful but somber title track “STAY”, Cha Eun Woo sings of a lost love, who he longs for to return and stay with him. His vocals truly shine on this track, emphasizing the desperation behind its lyrics. There is also the opening track “너와 단둘이 (U&I),” a dreamy song with jazz influence where Cha Eun Woo expresses the adoration he feels toward his love. “너와 단둘이 (U&I)’s” lyrics are heartfelt and beautiful, with Cha Eun Woo’s warm voice conveying them perfectly. ENTITY is an amazing album from start to finish; it has a clear sense of identity in terms of lyrics and production, which is often difficult for debut albums to achieve. 3. Fe3O4: BREAK – NMIXX To kick off their year, girl group NMIXX came back with their best album yet, [Fe304: BREAK]. Consisting of seven tracks, including the catchy title track “DASH,” Fe304: BREAK is also NMIXX at their most experimental. On the pre-release single “Soñar (Breaker)”, the sextet continues to experiment with their signature style “MIXX POP,” utilized here by combining the Latin hip-hop and UK garage music genres. The end result is a riveting track about following your dreams, no matter how impossible. NMIXX continue to enter new musical territory on their B-Sides, such as country-pop on the vocally impressive “Run for Roses”. There is also the fierce hip-hop track “BOOM”; hip-hop is not new territory for NMIXX, but “BOOM” instantly makes an impression with its heavy 808 bass and minimal, but heart-pounding music production. Words alone cannot describe the brilliance of Fe304: Break; it is truly an album one must experience for themselves. 2. Right Place, Wrong Person – RM RM’s second foray into solo work, Right Place, Wrong Person, is a mammoth, multi-genre project that is a testament to his artistic growth and honesty. RPWP bares it all for the world to see: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Bluntly commenting on his image as an idol on “Groin”, reflecting on past relationships on “Nuts,” or paying homage to his old flow on “Domodachi”, RPWP is as lyrically significant as it comes for the BTS leader at an important juncture in his life. His words are accompanied with sounds that sample the world—Japanese chants, progressive jazz, funk-rock, and classic heavy hip-hop basslines, which are a treat for the well-honed ear to listen to. All of this culminates into a project that pushes the boundaries of RM’s sound and excites us for what is to come next. 1. The Winning – IU The Winning by IU is an album with five tracks that explores various themes and takes the listener on a rollercoaster of emotions and genres. The album consists of two title tracks, “Shopper” and “홀씨 (Holssi).” It also features collaborations with artists like DPR IAN, BTS’ V, NewJeans’ Hyein, and Joe Won Sun. Most tracks from the album are based on the concept of hard work, efforts, and the famous saying “you get what you deserve.” “Shopper,” is a track with attractive visuals and cinematography that convey the lyrics in the form of a story. In “홀씨 (Holssi),” IU explains how certain fears and people’s expectations may hold you from achieving your potential . She expresses her desire to rise to the top unbothered by what people say. The tracks “Love wins all” and “Shh..” featuring Hyein and Jo Won Sun showcase how you tend to adapt certain qualities of the ones you love. “Love wins all” emphasizes concepts like uncertainties, trust, and connection, and “Shh..” focuses on the bond and relationship of a mother and daughter. The last track, “관객이 될게 (I stan U)” focuses on how you should always stay true to yourself and focus on uplifting yourself despite the ups and downs and obstacles that come your way. The Winning is an album that is emotionally rich and showcases IU’s amazing vocal abilities. Being an extremely versatile artist, as evident in this album, IU tells her stories not only through her pen but also through stunning and emotive visuals. Follow Genius Korea on X (Twitter) and Instagram for regular updates about Korean music, dramas, and entertainment. Written by minions_rock, fazers, celestialwaves, sashamarz, beginagain, notcyd, ninaspov, ssaa10dec, zealotofstockholm

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