2025 felt like three lives crammed into one, which meant that my listening started strong then slowly sputtered by the end of the year, staying within the confines of what I already knew and whatever the Instagram algorithm sent me. Still, there were some releases that I returned to and regularly recommended to anyone that would listen to my excited rambling.
noremi : i am very young and i am learning how to live
I listened to this at a cafe near my apartment. Usually, when one visits a new place, they are busy taking in the place itself, but upon listening to noremi’s album, I was too busy crying.
I’ve heard some of noremi’s music before, but nothing prepared me for how the project as a whole would feel. There’s a certain warmth to the album that comes across like an ache or a hug, depending on the song.
It’s also aptly named, inviting listeners into the confusion of figuring out who you’re supposed to be, while also saying that though there’s no answers, surely it’ll be okay.
Permanent Red: ARMADILLO
Permanent Red’s “Stand By Me” was in my top 5 most listened songs of the year. At first, I was listening to it a lot because I wanted to figure out the rhythm of the song’s intro, but then it grew on me. Though the lyrics are a bit clunky in English, they are still endearing and warm.
The EP as a whole is a compelling beginning to the band’s career. The decision to anchor oneself to a nostalgic sound is bold, but it paid off, and I’ll be reaching for “Armadillo” for cozy tea times and light night drives.
o-sheep: pearl
o-sheep is five members, all born in 2003, who are very good at their craft. Pearl is the band’s debut EP, and it’s bright, tightly woven rock with good lyrics. Though it’s only four songs, it’s a good intro to the five-piece band.
I discovered this band by accident when I walked into their rehearsal in 2023. They sounded good, though, so I came back that night to watch their show and was hooked.
I also got to catch them live right before I left Korea. Their forthcoming music takes a turn from the sounds of “Pearl” but still retains what made o-sheep so appealing: a certain brightness, solid technique, and the members’ joy of being on stage.
ibun: friend
ibun was another artist that I knew previously, but as an acoustic duo named hail. friend was the members’ first step under a new name and was a proper reintroduction, dressing the vocals in new textures and bringing out other qualities in them.
“doombye” is one of my favorite songs from the year for its expansive sound and “popore” made its way into my daily morning playlist. In a way, it feels full circle, almost a decade later, to meet the members of ibun again and still enjoy their music.
Sometimes, Instagram recommendations are actually good. I came across HAGA’s “mutation” which was set to a guy goofing off to a bop of a song, and decided to check it out.
HAGA’s music reminds me of monbisam in how cheeky it is, but with a bit more of a pop punk edge and assorted ear candy. “Nobody listens to our song, I know,” HAGA sings in the first track of the EP, but if he keeps it up, that’ll change soon enough.
K-pop releases and some singles and albums
MIKI: industry plant
I think I found MIKI while looking for French music. She sings mostly in French but sprinkles in bits of Korean over light hyperpop vibe that feels home-cooked but not in a bad way. “ça pik un peu quand même“ in particular is what got me listening to her music and the album does a good job pairing MIKI’s voice with different genres and textures. It’s just her beginning, but I’m fully tuned in.
WayV: Big Bands
There’s nothing revolutionary happening in WayV’s “Big Bands” but I was still amazed at how crisp everything sounded. The title track itself is very straightforward, but the balance of everything sits perfectly and every detail works incredibly well.
At the end of the day, sure, it’s just another hip-hop and R&B-inspired K-pop album, but it’s pulled off so well that it feels somehow more than that.
JAESSBEE: SHUT THAT
JAESSBEE started as a project between a dancer, a YouTube show host, and an Internet personality, and then just kept going, cause why not? “SHUT THAT” is the trio’s third release, seeing the group swap out their saccharine sound for an edgy, more in-your-face song. It’s well produced and fun, the way a good K-pop song should be.
NMIXX & Pabllo Vittar: MEXE
Though K-pop regularly pulls from different global styles, not every group collaborates with artists from said countries. NMIXX, a group that already tried out Latin pop, takes on Brazilian funk on this fiery single with renowned drag queen and singer Pabllo Vittar.
It’s a cross-cultural project that works really well, and I hope will encourage more collaboration with the originators of global styles rather than just mimicry.
MARK: The Firstfruit
MARK’s first album as a solo artist is the best I have heard from within K-pop. The desire to present himself as an artist comes across clearly with the eagerness of someone starting something new, rather than someone with a decade-long career.
Split across the cities of his childhood, the album, penned by the singer himself, fluidly bounces between indie, hip hop, spoken word, and pop without losing any heart. It’s a strong beginning to yet another chapter for MARK and manages to offer something new: himself.
Written by Ashley J Chong for Korean Indie.