This week in K-pop brought a polarizing comeback in the form of NCT Wish, stunning visuals paired with anthemic rock from animated group PLAVE, a fun little bonus track from SEVENTEEN vocalists DK and Seungkwan, and so much more. Here are the standout tracks you must know in K-pop right now.

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NCT WISH - “Sticky”

Gearing up for their first full Korean-language album, six-member group NCT Wish dropped their pre-release track, “Sticky,” an interesting take on genre mixing and subverting expectations. Described as a dance/hip-hop song with contrasting mid-tempo and bossa nova-style guitar playing, the track is as whiplash-inducing as it is confusing, switching between soft and sweet to dark and edgy within seconds. But that’s the beauty of NCT’s signature “neo” attitude — you can’t even begin to predict what’s about to happen until you’ve already experienced it. In that regard, “Sticky” is proudly following in the footsteps of its most “neo-sounding” predecessors to a T.

PLAVE - “Born Savage”

Somewhere between dreams and reality lies PLAVE, a virtual K-pop boy group consisting of members Yejun, Noah, Bamby, Eunho, and Hamin. The group debuted in March 2023, and rather than relying on AI, everything from the members’ vocals to choreography and even stunt work is provided by real people and artists behind the scenes. Maybe that’s what makes “Born Savage” so enthralling, as PLAVE doubles as superheroes and warriors battling an evil force while the song revs up in a groovy-rock-based adventure. While the real-life singing voices behind the members remain a mystery, there’s no doubt that they are absolutely killing it.

Jay Chang (One Pact) - “HIGHER”

Jay Chang’s career has been fascinating thus far. In 2020, the Korean-American singer debuted as a soloist, then as a member of the five-piece group One Pact in 2023, and finally, debuted again as a member of the project group B.D.U. in 2024. In just four years, Jay seems to have his hand in just about everything and has now returned with his solo track, “HIGHER.” Sonically, the song is largely bass-driven, supported by the singer’s dynamic vocals and a slinky production that’s instantly hard to resist. With the right amount of charisma and talent, Jay Chang is aiming for gold.

SEVENTEEN (DxS) - “Feel Me”

Following TWS’s collaboration with “essential; studio,” in “You Like It I Love It,” SEVENTEEN members DK and Seungkwan become the next K-pop idols to step into the studio’s promotional limelight with “Feel Me.” Vocally, DK and Seungkwan are always on point as they have some of the most technically solid vocals in the industry, so “Feel Me” already feels like an easy lay-up in terms of enjoyability. With a lighthearted atmosphere and a freeing weightlessness to its production, the track breezes by with earworm melodies and a playful bounce that just screams: “spring is here.”

TXT - “Stick With You”

Back with their latest EP, 7TH YEAR: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns, boy group TXT released their dreamy electro-pop track, “Stick With You.” If there’s one thing the quintet has excelled at over the years, it’s combining melancholic lyrics with an otherwise upbeat production, perfectly capturing the duality of holding on versus letting go. With vintage 909 drum sounds and a techno-punk edge, “Stick With You” revolves around a relationship that’s hanging on by a thread, but wanting so badly to stick it out, even when it’s no use. The same dichotomy can also be applied to chasing one’s dream. In the press conference for the group’s album, member Soobin explained, “We wanted to show that kind of desperation, but in a way that still feels powerful.”