K-POP Masterpieces of 2025 Selected by Music Experts... NMIXX, Jennie, Mark, and Others Recognized for Their Musical Excellence

Music experts conducted an in-depth analysis of K-POP masterpieces from 2025 based on criteria such as musical sophistication, vocal performance, and the integration between stage presence and performances. In CUL;PI’s pop music talk show “K-Pop Cham-Cham” on YouTube, a vocal trainer and a dance trainer兼 YouTuber from Luda evaluated songs that represent 2025 from their respective fields of expertise. Yang Do-seong outlined his evaluation standards from a vocal perspective, stating, “I focused more on how a person’s voice can become art rather than technical high notes or singing ability.” He explained that NMIXX’s “High Horses” is the track that most clearly reveals the group’s narrative and direction, while Jennie’s “Like Jenny” is a song made possible only because of Jennie herself, adding that the artist’s identity and story are naturally embedded in the music. He also mentioned Mark’s “1999 (One Line),” describing it as an amazing track that demonstrates how art can be created through tone and expression alone rather than technical skill. From a performance perspective, Luda defined 2025 as a year when standards rose to a higher level. Citing KATSEYE’s “Nanri” as an example that set the next benchmark for performances in the K-pop industry, she described it as a stage that conveyed the message that failure to achieve such standards could lead to obsolescence. She further noted that “Soda Pop,” the OST for KPop Demon Hunters, is the track that best showcases the charm of soda pop—music that everyone can enjoy easily—and added that CORTIS’s “GO” is a performance-oriented song that balances refined choreography with strong stage control. Regardless of rankings, the experts ultimately selected five songs—HUNTR/X’s “Golden,” BLACKPINK’s “Ttueo,” Jennie’s “Like Jenny,” ALLDAY PROJECT’s “Payamous,” and CORTIS’s “GO”—as the K-POP masterpieces of 2025. They evaluated these works as pieces that symbolize 2025 due to their combination of popularity and traffic, as well as their contributions to musical experimentation and performance influence. International music experts also showed great interest in the works of new groups that debuted this year. HYBE’s rookie boy group CORTIS was recognized as a model example of self-produced idols, with its debut track “GO” receiving widespread support from global critics. SM’s Hearts2Hearts gained recognition for their potential through songs like “STYLE” and “FOCUS,” while Starship’s newcomer KIKI established herself as a new driving force in K-pop with two tracks, “I DO ME” and “Dancing Alone,” both receiving high praise.