It was a gloomy December’s night, the eve of my 28th Birthday, the cusp of my own Saturn’s return and astrological rebirth.

Peering with melancholy at a half-crescent moon and pondering what to look forward in this monumental year ahead, several mysteries came to mind. Who will headline Wrestlemania 34? Will we truly find out If aliens exist? Will Weezy release The Carter 5? Will I care? When will KFC drop Hot & Spicy again? And last but not least, what bangers does South Korea have in store for me?

K-Pop is huge and if 2017 proved anything, it was that this all-encompassing machine isn’t going to stop, with several acts (namely BTS) topping global Billboard charts, sold out worldwide tours and appearances on The Today Show/Ellen/The AMAs.

It’s almost mystifying that a genre taking the the most streamlined and catchy elements of modern pop, rap and EDM – but channeled through one single language – can reach and explode at such a rapid rate. Here’s my Top 10 tracks from the Asian genre in 2017. K-Pop fans are savage, but so is soju. Let’s get it!

10. TWICE – LIKEY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2hlQkVJZhE

Love to love them or love to hate them, Twice stands as one of the biggest ruling girl groups in K-Pop and staples of mega-label JYP. They exemplify everything typical about polished K-Pop – Costumes, catchy choreography and super slick music videos. Also this song is based on Instagram, if anything shouts ‘2017!’ with vigour, this would be it.

9. HYUNA – BABE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9xndFqGJ4k

Hyuna is a queen in K-Pop, balancing the line between elegant star and sex symbol. Not quite as abrasive and ear raising as her previous hits (‘Bubble Pop’ and ‘How’s This’), BABE is a slightly more chill, summertime jawnt.

8. HEIZE – DON’T KNOW YOU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvkWaI91mLM

Heize is top-tier in an emerging class of female rappers who have bars and can sing at the same time. This smash saw her step into the mainstream without having to conform to traditional K-Pop dance/dress/promotion strategies, and really flex what she does best.

7. WINNER – REALLY REALLY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4tBnF46ybZk

To accompany the intense, unforgiving heat of the Korean summer, Tropical house – much like in Western music – was really big this year in K-Pop. Coupled with a video directed by the prolific David Meyers (Missy Elliot’s ‘Work It’ and Kung Fu Kenny’s ‘Humble,’ just to name two) and an infectious pointing dance, Korean label YG had a banger to satisfy its Big Bang-less year.

6. BTS – DNA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBdVXkSdhwU

BTS is the biggest export Korea had this year. Selling 433,000 albums in a single day, breaking multiple Billboard records and sparking global pandemonium that’s only compatible to Beatlemania. They also feature the most brutal ride-or-die fanbase, aptly coined as the ‘Army,’ so we included this song just in case we ended up on their hit list.

5. SUNNI – GASHINA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur0hCdne2-s

A vengeful yet infectious song from an ex-member of the iconic Wonder Girls, Sunni came through with the goods on this one. With a beat by YG legend and 2NE1 hit-maker, Teddy, Sunni combined the playful production with infectious, sing-a-long vocals and viral gun/point dance.

4. HYUKOH – TOMBOY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pC6tPEaAiYU

Hyukoh is one-of-kind band with threads in the worldwide music industry that spread far beyond the typical K-pop look and feel. Led by iconic front man Oh Hyuk and harnessing an indie rock sound, Hyukoh visually and sonically stand out in their own personal lane not often found anywhere else in 2017.

3. IU – PALETTE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9IxdwEFk1c

IU is a staple of the Korean music Industry. Beginning from her humble acoustic guitar days and rising at a meteoric rate in a Taylor Swift-ish fashion, before Swift’s recent trash run. ‘Palette’ also features a cheeky verse from Big Bang’s heavy hitter, G-Dragon.

2. RED VELVET – RED FLAVOR

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyiIGEHQP8o

Catchy as hell, Red Flavor is a definitive summertime banger with crazy, poppy samples and an equally quirky video. Acting as the highlight to an overall amazing year, 2017 also saw them breaking the record for most Billboard world Number 1s from any girl group.

1. BLACKPINK – AS IF IT’S YOUR LAST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amq-qlqbjYA

BLACKPINK is one of the newest groups to dominate the K-Pop soundscape, solely releasing one song this year yet still being able to hold relevance and popularity. An international and multi-lingual group with members hailing from New Zealand, Australia and Thailand, Blackpink is gearing up for a strong global 2018, and we are definitely about it.