kiwudump

this is basically just music that stood out to me from last year!!

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Best Album:
"LIL FANTASY vol. 1" By Chaeyoung 🥇
Chae made me so proud with this album! This is one of the only albums I don't get tired of. Her indie sound with so much love put into it and meaningful lyrics are immaculate. I love just how much she had a say in this, because if you know chae, you can tell that this entire album is 100% her style(even if she was only 99% satisfied!). Every single song speaks to me in a way, and this will always be one of my favorite albums. I got to listen to the 10th track because I have the CD as well, and it's a perfect little instrumental to end it off.


"THIS IS FOR" by TWICE 🥈
One word for this whole album: iconic. It's so them! TWICE have always been top tier, but for some reason, they've been overlooked these past few years. This release brought everyone else right back. 6 years ago, I never would have thought that they would be giving us an Atlanta bass title track with lyrics empowering women, a full rap song, and MULTIPLE R&B genres all in one album! But they did, and it's amazing! Every single song shows them at their absolute best.


"COMMOTION+" by Rhea Raj 🥉
I checked this one out a little later into the year, but god did it have an impact on me. Rhea's voice is one of the most beautiful things I've heard in a while. Whenever I hear the string version of "Now That Ur Gone", I cry every single time. It's so elegant yet powerful. I love how self empowering this entire album is. I regret not getting into her sooner, but I'm so glad I did. I hope she becomes big in the pop world soon, because she deserves nothing but a good career.

honorable mentions:

TILT - The 2nd Mini Album (IRENE & SEULGI)
Soft Error:X (YVES)
SEQUENCE 01 (f5ve)
ENEMY (TWICE)
TEN: The Story Goes On (TWICE)
AIR (YEJI)
AMERIKA'S NEXT TOP PARTY (PARTYOF2)
GOLDEN HOUR: Part.3 (ATEEZ)


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Best Title Track:
"THIS IS FOR" by TWICE 🥇
Cmon now. What else did you think it would be. This is THE song of all songs. I genuinely can't think of a single other song that's worthy of such a title. Bias aside, it's such an anthem! It sounds like everything ever at once. It can be a year end song, a hype song, a sad song, all of it! It's amazing and deserves all the awards ever.


"TILT" by IRENE & SEULGI 🥈
This song has crack in it. Their robotic vocals are so addicting in the first chorus, and the harmonies that come in are a perfect addition. I cant describe what I like so much about seulrene's style of music except for I love the concept of symmetry and contrast, as well as a bit of creepiness. That's what true perfection is for me, and their polished vibe is just that. They compliment each other so well and we really see that in this song.


"TUNNEL VISION" by ITZY 🥉
NOTHING'S GONNA PUT ME OFFFFFF. I love Itzy so dearly, and see them get their first ot5 win after so long for this was surreal! I always love their new releases, but this one was amazing! The beat is FIRE(thanks to demjointz) and the lyrics actually helped my mindset a whole lot. I've watched all of the stages and special performances, I really love this song so much.


honorable mentions:

ENEMY (TWICE)
SHOOT(Firecracker) Chaeyoung
Killer(Rhea Raj)
I WANT IT (STAYC)
Blind Eyes Red (MINNIE)
ME+YOU (TWICE)
1999 (MARK)
Good Thing (idle)
GALA (XG)
Magic Clock (f5ve)
Lemon Drop (ATEEZ)
The Chase (Hearts2Hearts)
FOCUS (Hearts2Hearts)
Girls Will Be Girls (ITZY)
Baby, Not Baby (SEULGI)
MONA LISA (j-hope)
Rich Man (aespa)
Phantom (EsDeeKid, don't act like u don't love this song)


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Best B-side:
"BATTITUDE" by TWICE (NAJEONGMOMI) 🥇
This is my most listened song of this year, it'd be kinda embarrassing if I didn't make it my number one. I NEVER expected them to pull another song like "HELLO" but they did it, and better. I wish the choreo was more hip hop style because I would KILL to see momo breaking it down to this. As usual, DemJointz did his THING!


"Irresistible" by IRENE & SEULGI 🥈
Girl Next Door is almost equal with this one, but since I've been gagged ever since I heard the preview of this on insta, it's this one. Red Velvet are the R&B queens, but when they go HEAVY R&B? It's over. It's such an elegant song, makes me want to put on my finest pearls and walk the city with my nose up(I don't own pearls).


"GIRL" by Chaeyoung 🥉
Never in my life have I seen a kpop idol make a song about struggling with religious guilt. I've seen so many interpretations of the lyrics, but that's how I read them. This song touched me to my core. From the melody, to the guitar solo at the end, to the lyrics. It's all so sad. A story with a sad and unfinished ending.


honorable mentions:

SHADOW PUPPETS (Chaeyoung)
Kiss & Tell (ITZY)
Girl Next Door (IRENE & SEULGI)
DAT AHH DAT OOH (SAJIDACHAE)
Ex Machina (YVES)
IN MY ROOM (Chaeyoung)
DIVE IN (Tzuyu)
Bow Chika Wow Wow (f5ve)
Commotion (Rhea Raj)
HI HELLO (TWICE)
Now That Ur Gone(String Version) (Rhea Raj)
DIVINE (Stray Kids)
BIZNESS (XLOV)
In Your Fantasy(ATEEZ)
ATM (Jihyo)


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Best Collab:
"Blink" by Corbyn Besson and Tzuyu 🥇
I was not a fan of why don't we, because good lord I was not familiar with corbyn's game! This man is white excellence. His voice is so soulful while still being him, and he seems like such a vibe and fun guy to be around. He could have chosen anyone to sing the chorus, but Tzuyu just makes it so much better. Their dynamic is adorable, but they still managed to give us a great early 2000's pop track.


"RIBBONS" by Chaeyoung, Sumin, and Jibun 🥈
WAVE YOUR RIBBONS! DANCE LIKE REBORN! I love this song so MUCHHHH. I have no idea what genre it is, but it's so experimental and I hope chae makes more music like this. Sumin and Jibun added so much to this song individually, and I loved when they all came together at the end. I could listen to the bass all day.


"Soap" by Yves and PinkPantheress 🥉
This was so fire. Yves really went from being called the korean pink to getting her on her song! AND THE REBECCA BLACK SAMPLE, GETTING HER TO PRODUCE? Insane. The song fits both of them perfectly. I'm so glad it got the hype it deserved, but I also wish it got a littleee it more. Yves in general is so underrated.


honorable mentions:

superstars (Saweetie and TWICE)
Sugar Free Venom (f5ve and Kesha)
MEXE (Pabllo Vittar and NMIXX)
Killin' It Girl (j-hope and Glorilla)
Haute Couture (Rhea Raj and Aliyah's Interlude)
Stateside (PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson)


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now for more notable categories!

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Best Lyrics:

( BF by Chaeyoung🥇 )
This stood out to me because she said they're about her stuffed animals, and I feel the same way about mine :)


"Mean Girls" by KATSEYE 🥈

"god bless the T girls and all the inbetween girls.... and yes, god bless even the mean girls"

"ME+YOU" by TWICE 🥉

"It still feels the same
And though the seasons change
Through the ups and the downs
You stay my main"

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Best Choreography:

"TUNNEL VISION" by ITZY 🥇

"FOCUS" by Hearts2Hearts 🥈

"TILT" by IRENE & SEULGI 🥉

honorable mention: HUNTER bharatanatyam version (Rhea Raj)

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Best Music Video:

"AVOCADO" by Chaeyoung and Gliiico 🥇

"TUNNEL VISION" by ITZY 🥈

"Blue Valentine" by NMIXX 🥉

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That's all of them! Now for some reversed songs that really made waves in the kiwu world this year(regardless of not all being released in 2025):

THIS IS FOR(TWICE)
Soap(Yves, PinkPantheress)
FOCUS(Hearts2Hearts)
SHOOT(Chaeyoung)
Ice On My Teeth(ATEEZ)
Gabriela(KATSEYE)
Little Miss(GIRLSET)
HOT SAUCE(BABYMONSTER)
Dirty Work(aespa)
CLIK CLAK(BABYMONSTER)
TILT(IRENE & SEULGI)
Strategy(TWICE)
Touch(KATSEYE)
APT(Rose, Bruno Mars)
IYKYK(XG)
STYLE(Hearts2Hearts)
Good Thing(idle)
ExtraL(Doechii, Jennie)
Run Away(Tzuyu)
Armageddon(aespa)
Supernova(aespa)
Drama(aespa)
Feel My Rhythm(Red Velvet)
Rich Man(aespa)
DON'T CALL ME AGAIN(TWICE)

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In conclusion, this was a GREAT year in music! I hope 2026 is also just as good.