August was packed with several exciting K-pop releases that got the fans tapping their feet. The month began with Red Velvet's Sweet Dreams, Jeon Somi's Ice Cream, and concluded with NCT Jaehyun's Smoke and LE SSERAFIM's Crazy. With K-pop's soaring popularity, Korean groups and soloists have maintained their presence on global charts like Billboard, Spotify, iTunes, and more.
The five most popular K-pop songs released in August 2024 include hits from NMIXX, Lisa of BLACKPINK, and ZEROBASEONE, who have garnered attention globally with their vibrant music and dynamic performance. These are some appreciated releases of August 2024.
5 most popular K-pop songs of August 2024
The most popular K-pop songs of August 2024 that have topped Apple Music and Spotify charts are:
- Crazy by LE SSERAFIM
- Good So Bad by ZEROBASEONE
- New Woman by Lisa (feat Rosalía)
- Smoke by Jaehyun of NCT
- See that? by NMIXX
1) Crazy by LE SSERAFIM
LE SSERAFIM released its fourth extended play (EP) CRAZY with a title track of the same name. The song debuted with 2.5 million unfiltered streams on Spotify, marking the biggest Spotify debut for a K-pop girl group in 2024. The song is the only K-pop act in Apple Music's Top 100: Global playlist, at No. 23.
In an interview with NME, the girls explained how the track deals with the struggle of loving something so much that you lose your mind over it. CRAZY also tackles the idea of insecurities, wherein one restricts themselves from pursuing something, as they feel it is weird or they may not be good enough.
2) Good So Bad by ZEROBASEONE
ZEROBASEONE released their fourth EP Cinema Paradise in August, with the title track Good So Bad. The track debuted with 419,629 streams on Spotify, marking the fourth biggest debut by a fifth-generation boy group on Spotify in 2024. The song also soared atop the iTunes Top chart in eight countries including Qatar, Bahrain, Latvia, Paraguay, Lithuania, Nepal, Estonia, and Argentina.
Good So Bad is an electronic synth-pop genre track, written and composed by K-pop hitmaker Kenzie. The lyrics express a person's feelings for their lover and how they have become the center of the universe in a rapidly changing world.
3) New Woman by Lisa (featuring Rosalía)
Lisa dropped New Woman featuring Spanish singer Rosalía on August 16, 2024. The singer earned the biggest debut by a K-pop female soloist in Global Spotify history with the track. It debuted at number four on Global Spotify with six million streams and entered US Spotify at number 87 with 544k streams.
New Woman currently sits at number 29 on Spotify's Top 200 Global Daily chart. It also reached the 15th spot on Billboard Global 200 and debuted at number two on the Worldwide iTunes Song chart. New Woman is a pop and electronic trap, with lyrics conveying messages of overcoming challenges, breaking free from limitations, and reclaiming one's identity.
4) Smoke by Jaehyun of NCT
NCT Jaehyun released his first solo album J, with the title track Smoke, on August 26, 2024. The title song debuted with 484,352 streams on Spotify, and at number 36 on the Worldwide iTunes song chart after reaching number one in five countries. The singer also secured his first solo win at the MBC music show on September 7, 2024.
Smoke is an R&B track that intertwines rhythmic bass and guitar riffs. The lyrics are a metaphor, describing the ephemeral nature of love, wherein a romantic moment with your loved ones feels like smoke drifting over a boom box. Jaehyun has highlighted his R&B and jazzy side through his first album, garnering a ton of attention from K-pop fans.
5) See That? by NMIXX
See That? by NMIXX was released as a title for their third EP Fe3O4: Stick Out on August 19, 2024. The song debuted with 318,667 streams on Spotify and has gradually gained momentum in popularity. See That? has bagged nine Korean music show wins, including at SBS Inkigayo.
The song relays the message of ignoring haters who judge others as 'weirdos.' The Korean title has two meanings—'weirdo' and 'star,' allowing multiple interpretations of the lyrics. It is an upbeat track with a blend of old-school hip-hop and country genres. The two genres provide two different atmospheres in a classic NMIXX fashion.