K-CULTURE K-POP

aespa’s ‘Better Things’ makes The New York Times’ Best Songs list

By The Korea Daily

Dec 7, 2023 8:40 AM PST

Last Updated: Dec 7, 2023 8:40 AM PST

Girl group aespa [SM ENTERTAINMENT]

aespa‘s “Better Things” was the only K-pop song to make The New York Times’ Best Songs of 2023 list, which was unveiled on Dec. 6.

“Better Things” is an English single that was released by the girl group on Aug. 18.

The 71 tracks on this year’s Best Songs list were selected by three pop music critics, and aespa was picked by Jon Pareles, a chief pop music critic at The New York Times.

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“Cowbells, handclaps and piano chords drive ‘Better Things,’ a K-pop kiss-off with ingeniously cascading vocal harmonies and absolutely no regrets,” Pareles writes about “Better Things” in the article.

According to the group’s agency SM Entertainment, “Better Things” is a minimal up-tempo dance track with refreshing sounds, sending a positive message of cherishing what we have here and now.

aespa debuted in 2020 under SM Entertainment and has four members: Karina, Winter, Giselle and Ningning. The group is known for songs such as “Next Level” (2021), “Savage” (2021) and “Spicy.” Its latest EP “Drama” was released on Nov. 10.

The group was named one of the Financial Times’ 25 most influential women this year, again being the only K-pop artist to make the list.

To find out more about aespa, visit Celeb Confirmed!

BY KIM JI-YE [kim.jiye@joongang.co.kr]

The Korea Daily

Founded in 1974, The Korea Daily (미주중앙일보) is the largest Korean media outlet in the U.S., providing in-depth coverage of local, national, and international news with a strong focus on immigration, business, and the Korean-American community. While covering major cities across the U.S., including New York, Washington D.C., Atlanta, Chicago, San Diego, San Francisco, Denver, and Dallas, as well as Vancouver and Toronto, Canada, The Korea Daily primarily focuses on news in Los Angeles County and Orange County. Headquartered in Koreatown, Los Angeles, it serves as a key news source for Korean Americans in Southern California.