Hello
안녕하세요
(Annyeonghaseyo)
こんにちは
(Konnichiwa)
你好
(Ni Hao)
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K-pop in 2018 was eventful and quite a journey, I've changed up how I've done my list this year to include albums that I only have digitally. It's yet again been an expensive year for me inside the world of K-pop, with buying many new and old albums, and it took me quite a while to decide on who I would place where, I even set up a playlist on my iPod to listen to all the releases again and even that didn't really help in my decision.
I also want to remind you that this is just my personal opinion, meaning there is a good chance you won't agree with the ranking or the albums, so lets get this countdown started.
NO.10
Starring off my countdown and coming in at No.10 is GFriend's 6th mini album Time For The Moon Night.
I won't lie, for me this album saved GFriend, for me personally. The last GFriend album I had purchased was their 4th mini album, The Awakening, after that album they seemed to go back to their previous concepts, which while I loved them from their debut, I was getting bored of the seeing the same things yet again after Fingertip, but Time For The Moon Night, helped me find my love for them yet again.
Time For The Moon Night
Love Bug
NO.9
Coming in at No.9 is GOT7 with their 3rd full length album Present: You.
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Not only was I blown away by each of the members having their own solo track, that they had participated in the creation process themselves, I was even more blown away that their title track was released not only in Korean but also in English, Chinese and Spanish, personally for me showing that they're thankful to all their fans around the world, strangely though my favourite version is the Spanish, it fits the song so well.
Lullaby
I Am Me
NO.8
Next up and No.8 we have VIXX and their 3rd full length album EAU DE VIXX.
I often have this album on repeat, I feel it's too short of an album, so once it stops, I start it again. I loved the whole concept for EAU DE VIXX as well as 향(scentist). I'm sad that this could be their last album as N and Leo are due to enlist soon but I will always eagerly await their return, I've been a starlight for 3 years now and if EAU DE VIXX is the high they will be leaving us on for now, I don't think they could have created a better album to do so at that time.
향 (Scentist)
닮아 (Resemble)
NO.7
Coming in at No.7 we have DAY6 with their 4th mini album Remember Us: Youth Part 2.
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DAY6 never disappoint me, they are one of the few groups that release album after album, where all the tracks could be title tracks, I've not disliked any of their songs, they play London this month and I'm absolutely devastated that I can't be there to see them live. I have to admit though that 행복했던 날들이었다 (Days Gone By) is my favourite title track from them, it also reminds me of the route British pop rock band Busted took when they returned with their Night Driver album. Of the two albums DAY6 have released this year, Remember Us: Youth Part 2 is definitely my favourite of the two, showing they get better with each album.
행복했던 날들이었다 (Days Gone By)
Beautiful Feeling
NO.6
Coming in at No.6 is Girls Generation and their 2nd sub-unit Oh! GG with Lil' Touch.
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If I'm being truly honest, this was not what I was expecting from Oh! GG and I was blown away by everything. I loved the songs, the line distributions, the M/V, the colours, the fashion and the choreography. They all looked stunning, I'm glad Sunny finally got to shine even more than she's been able to in the past and I'm even more happier that haters were proven wrong, when they were all saying it would be Taeyeon and her back-up singers. I can't wait to see more from Oh! GG and fingers crossed they'll promote and release a mini album this year, as well as possible full group Girls Generation comeback.
몰랐니 (Lil' Touch)
쉼표 (Fermata)
NO.5
Next in at No.5 we have Nam WooHyun with his 2nd mini album Second Write..
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I'm familiar with Infinite and I became a fan when they released 태풍 (The Eye), and the only member I really remembered was MyungSoo (L) as we share the same birthday (I'm older than him), until recently when I sat and watched Hi! School: Love On, and I came to adore both Woohyun and Sungyeol, from watching this drama I assumed he was a sub vocalist for the group until I went back to my Infinite albums and figured which voice was his. I'm not usually a fan of albums that are mainly ballads but if the voice can melt everything away then it makes a big impact on me, which is what Woohyun did with Second Write.. He's also now officially my Infinite bias and unknown to me, I was already following him on Instagram.
너만 괜찮다면 (If Only You Are Fine)
Smile
NO.4
Coming in at No.4, we have Onew with his debut mini album Voice.
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2018 saw SHINee celebrate their 10 year anniversary as well as the solo debuts of members Key and Onew. Onew is my bias in SHINee and I was really excited that he was finally getting his solo debut, it's sad that we never got to see him promote his album as he was releasing it as a gift for fans before his enlistment. While I was nervous as I knew that it would be an album of ballads, I was left feeling overwhelmed by each song. I love Onew's voice and could listen to him all day everyday, I've been waiting for him to have his solo debut for the best part of 4 years and it was well worth the wait, I still find it difficult to hear Blue and not get a little tearful, Onew is a singer that can bring true emotions to the song he's singing as well as bringing out the listeners emotions too.
Blue
온유하게 해요 (Shine On You)
NO.3
Coming in at No.3 which may surprise a a few people is BTS with their 3rd compilation album Love Yourself 結 Answer.
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Idol
KBS Song Festival BTS Special
(Just Dance-J-Hope/Euphoria-Jungkook/Serendipity-Jimin/Love-RM/Singularity-V/Seesaw-Suga/Epiphany-Jin/Fake Love
I'm Fine
NO.2
Taking my No.2 spot we have JongHyun's 2nd length album POET | ARTIST.
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빛이 나 (Shinin')
환상통 (Only One You Need)
우린 봄이 오기 전에 (Before Our Spring)
Before I reveal who has taken my No.1 spot for 2018, here is a few honourable mentions, albums that hold meaning and blew me away.
TRCNG with their 1st single album Who Am I.
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I'm a little fearful for TRCNG and feel that TS may be damaging their chances for future success like they did with B.A.P. Wolf Baby did really well on music shows and quickly gained interest from K-pop fans, especially for a rookie group, TRCNG are my favourite male rookie group but sadly this was their only Korean release in 2018, meaning TRCNG have not made a Korean comeback for a year.
Wolf Baby
EXID with their digital single I Love You.
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I wasn't going to include any releases that were just digital singles BUT I Love You was the track that marked Solji's return to the group after being on hiatus from the group due to health reasons.
I Love You
NCT Dream with their 2nd mini album We Go Up.
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We Go Up was NCT Dream's final promotional period with member Mark graduating from the group on the 31st of December. I always adore NCT Dream's albums and this even more so as I will no longer see my NCT bias within this unit, it does make me wonder if with their next comeback will we be introduced to a new member. I do have to say though that my favourite song has to be Dear Dream which is clearly Mark's farewell song.
We Go Up
EXO with their 5th repackaged album Love Shot.
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EXO finally made their comeback in 2018 and even more exciting Lay returned to ass his vocals to the Chinese version of their 1st title track Tempo after 2 years being inactive from the group. The reason why I picked Love Shot and Don't Mess Up My Tempo is because I love Love Shot as a title track more than I do Tempo. Love Shot also reminded me Sehun was one of my first biases when I first found EXO (it's Chanyeol forever and always), it's actually also nice to see and hear EXO do something different and unleash the sultry side.
Love Shot
Last up in my honourable mentions is Yuri with her debut solo mini album The First Scene.
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2018 saw Yuri become the next member of Girls Generation to make her official solo debut and while it was unexpected it was extremely welcomed. Yuri is one of those women that makes being sexy, sensual and sultry look easy and effortless. I loved the whole album from start to finish and it was about time for us to have not only a song but a mini album showing that Yuri can stand alone and show off her vocal talent.
빠져가 (Into you)
DRUM ROLL!!!!!
NO.1
Hitting all the right notes for me and coming in in the top spot at No.1 is...........
MONSTA X and their 2nd full length album Take 1. Are You There?
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Shoot Out
Heart Attack
OuterSpace
By My Side
So that concludes my Top 10 K-pop albums of 2018 list, I'm excited to see what 2019 brings in the world of K-pop. Just in this month alone I'm looking forward to the debut of Jellyfish's new male group VeriVery, GFriend are making their comeback, the teasers are looking rather pretty and promising, Astro are making a comeback. yet again their teasers are looking stunning and Seventeen are also making their comeback. I'm hoping 2019 also sees Dreamcatcher get their 1st music show win and I hope TRCNG make their Korean comeback, there will also be some members of my favourite groups that will be enlisting within the year, it surely is going to be eventful but I cant wait to see what it brings.
Who had your No.1 album in 2018?
Let me know in the comments below.
See you soon!
안녕
(Annyeong)
さようなら
(Sayonara)
再见
(ZaiJian)
Bye
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