Kpop’s Best Albums: Encore

4th generation, 5th generation, alternative, ballad, hip hop, HYBE / Big Hit Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, regular pop, soloists

April 20, 2025

Kpop’s Best Albums: Encore

While it’s of course useful to divide kpop into generations, some artists aren’t as easily defined, such as idols who are / were in kpop groups but make solo work in English or Japanese, or bands who aren’t *technically* k-pop. So this is about artists like eaJ, The Rose, Rolling Quartz, or Rosé.

Simply put, the most cohesive, most unique, and most moving EPs and LPs from the industry, across all genres. This list will hopefully grow a lot longer as I continue doing my reviews.

(For albums, from all generations, click here)

(For my all-time favorite kpop albums, click here!)

Full reviews for these groups can be seen under each album.

<– #5

Other Languages:

Phantom; WayV (2021)

We could argue back and forth about whether WayV “counts” as k-pop or not, but there’s no arguing about how solid Phantom is as an album. Making the most of WayV’s smooth voices and charismatic delivery, it transitions from sensual titles to ballads and back again.

Language: Mandarin Chinese

Best Songs: Phantom, Back To You, Low Low

U; NiziU (2023)

Language: Japanese

Best Songs: Chopstick, With U, 9 Colors

ALTER EGO; Lisa (2025)

Language: English

Best Songs: Rapunzel, Born Again, Moonlit Floor

When The Rain Stopped; eaJ (2024)

Language: English

Best Songs: When The Rain Stops, Friendly Fire, Burn Baby Burn

TEN: The First Mini Album; Ten (2024)

Though he’s part of a Chinese group under a Korean company, Ten’s self-titled EP is all in English. While it’s a bit too understated to say it comes out guns blazing, between Ten’s confidence, the dance-floor ready beats, and some clever turns of phrase, you couldn’t do much better for a debut.

Language: English

Best Songs: Lie With You, Nightwalker, Dangerous

Beautiful Chaos; KATSEYE (2025)

Language: English

Best Songs: M.I.A., Gameboy, Mean Girls

Rosie; Rosé (2024)

Language: English

Best Songs: APT, Too Bad For Us, Call It The End

On My Youth; WayV (2024)

Language: Mandarin

Best Songs: On My Youth, Moonlight, Lighthouse

DEPTH; Yuta (2024)

Language: Japanese

Best Songs: Butterfly, Bad Euphoria, Off The Mask

Bands:

From.; Lucy (2024)

The band Lucy always creates such lovely classical k-pop, and From. is a perfect showcase of their strengths, managing to go from heartbreaking to heartwarming in only five tracks. Unique for their violin, Lucy is at some of their best here, vulnerable, nostalgic, and comforting.

Best Songs: Villain, Donggaebi Dance, Complex

Livelock; Xdinary Heroes (2024)

Another EP that succeeds on the strength of its b-sides, Xdinary Heroes’ Lovelock explores the many different sounds of rock, from tender ballad to bombastic declaration and back again, not wasting a beat.

Best Songs: Freddy, Enemy, Pluto

Manito; QWER (2024)

Best Songs: Harmony, Ferris Wheel, T.B.H.

Dual; The Rose (2023)

Separated into two halves, the darker, more introspective and angsty Dusk side and the brighter, more hopeful and upbeat Dawn side, Dual, with songs in Korean and English, covers mental health, heartbreak, and everything in between.

Best Songs: Eclipse, Nauseous, Back To Me

Childhood; Lucy (2023)

Best Songs: We Will Fly Away, Play, Prequel

Fighting; Rolling Quartz (2022)

Some may argue that Rolling Quartz is k-rock, not k-pop, but this album is too great not to include. At just six tracks, Fighting is a near-perfect debut, a brash and unapologetic introduction to RQ’s rock sound, and should be talked about so much more.

Best Songs: Azalea, Higher, Rock N’ Roll Paradise

Poor Hand Love Song; Crying Nut (1998)