One of my favorite things to do is find and listen to artists that I have never heard before, across different genres of music. A lot of the time, these artists that I have discovered have been around for a while but, upon my discovery, end up being new to me. From K-R&B to K-Indie to K-Rock, and of course K-Pop, there are so many great artists and music out there for you to dive into, and many that you might have not heard of before. So, to help you discover some new or new-ish music in 2023, here are my suggested B-sides from Korean artists you may be missing out on.

“SHAKER” - SUMIN

SUMIN’s discography is so vast and diverse that picking just one B-side from her is a near impossible task. From R&B to pop to indie to electronic, there’s not a genre that SUMIN can’t do. “SHAKER” is the opening song from her 2019 EP OO DA DA, and showcases a fun and experimental side to SUMIN’s musicality. The track highlights her talents as a vocalist, with and without the use of vocal effects, and also as a composer with “SHAKER” having such a unique and intriguing backtrack.  

“White Lies” - Summer Soul, K.vsh

“White Lies” is the mesmerizing collaboration between incredible singer-songwriters Summer Soul and K.vsh from Summer Soul’s 2021 album, November. Their delicate vocals sing against a backdrop of guitar strings and electronic beats to create this soft, melodic R&B track that will instantly have you hooked. If you’re looking for new music to check out within the K-Indie/Alternative/R&B scene, then Summer Soul and K.vsh are excellent choices to start with.

“Lotus” - Hey Men

For those who watched Mnet’s band survival competition show Great Seoul Invasion last year, you may already be familiar with this incredible three member K-Rock band, Hey Men, who became known for not only their versatile music abilities but also their fun and energetic personalities, especially drummer GongTan. Their single “Lotus,” released in 2018, reveals a more emotional, vulnerable side to the band through its slow rock composition that highlights their chemistry as a group through their instrumentation and harmonies. Hey Men revealed “Lotus” to be their favorite song of theirs in an interview in 2019, with the lyrics telling their story.

Edited by Kelly Sipko