Hello and welcome back to HallyuTones – always focused on sound, stage, and substance.
With 2026’s releases only getting better with each month, June didn’t have as many major group releases, however multiple soloists and smaller artists are working overtime to make sure this summer doesn’t go by without at least a few hits. June didn’t just have summer bangers though, with a striking amount of variety in terms of sound, making for one of this year’s most captivating, compelling months for music.
18. Izykite – ee
Simplicity always works. Izykite delivered a single this June, with the other track, TAT, also being a nice enough track in its own right, but the title track ee is an especially great song carried effortlessly by the singer’s delicate voice.
The vocals work with the light, funky production to help make a very sweet track stand out in a crowded month. Its sound evokes that of BIBI in the best possible way thanks to its very low-key production. It’s not the typical song you’d blast in summer, but it’s one you’d be happy jazzing to any time of the year.
17. NAVILLERA – Friday night
Taking things in another direction, rookie group NAVILLERA makes their first comeback a pretty special one with a summer track that’s just very well executed, following up their debut earlier this year, NO LIMIT, in great fashion.
It has a nice, bouncy sound to it, with the production especially notable in the chorus’ bubbly, dance-ready synths. It’s an easy song to put on, and with just one listen, it’s hard to resist the group’s upbeat energy.
16. ZZONE – We Grow
The former cignature soloist and current LATENCY member ZZONE marks her third appearance on a recap this year, this time on her own with the bright, energetic song We Grow, a wonderfully happy track.
Much like H1-KEY’s Summer Was You from last year, the production is led by a strong guitar that very much helps the song’s bright appeal shine through. The singer makes sure that her first comeback after her debut last year, Devil’s Jam, is an effectively bright tone shift.
15. YEOJIN – Red Hot Chili Summer
It takes a certain skill to effectively do a summer release without feeling familiar, and former LOONA and LOOSSEMBLE member YEOJIN makes her recap return with a really fun, catchy track.
The artist’s voice takes capable control of the song, carrying the track nicely enough. This and one of the other tracks on the release, Quiet Yes, help demonstrate how capable and talented the soloist is.
14. MAMAMOO – 4 Flowers
Marking the group’s first release since 2022’s ILLELLA, 4 Flowers is a very strong return for the group that makes sure to remind everyone how capable the group has always been of making hits.
It’s a very sentimental track, and its emotions are supported by the group’s typically fantastic, powerful vocal performances. MAMAMOO has thankfully returned, and hopefully makes another comeback sooner rather than later.
13. Secret – ICE CREAM
Another group making a long-awaited return, this time after about a decade, Secret not only brought in a new member, but a really sweet (pun intended) and fun track accompanied by new versions of prior title tracks.
While I have a tendency to be skeptical of very prominent samples, the group’s sampling works well enough with the stringed instruments that call back to songs like OH MY GIRL’s Classified in the best ways. It takes a slightly royal approach to pop in a way that feels deserved after years of inactivity, and I’ve only found myself liking the song more and more on repeat listens.
12. PRIMROSE – Ring
Taking a hard left from typical summer sounds, PRIMROSE made their return with two tracks, their title track, Cosmic, and the really solid b-side that is Ring. Their first release in more than half a year, the group shows off their strengths in this song.
The song is filled with very good vocals from the girls, and it oozes charm in its verses with a smoothness that was seen in the group’s own Steal Heart. It’s a song that serves as a welcome reprieve from the season’s summer songs.
11. Suen – What do you think?, Pretty Night
Suen makes her return to the monthly recaps with two really good songs that continue building upon her now-signature sound, being short but really sweet with clean production. Both tracks highlight the soloist’s strengths and add to her increasingly impressive discography.
What do you think? is a really great track that feels very playful and cheeky, with Suen’s vocals going well with the production. Pretty Night is a very short song, but it’s also enjoyable to listen to, with the singer able to show off her voice yet again on this one to great effect.
10. A-plus – Summer Night Again
A-plus may only have three songs in their discography, but with Error amongst those releases, they’ve always been a group to look out for. These girls hailing from Howon university’s K-pop department are able to release tracks that manage to stand out against bigger companies, and Summer Night Again is no exception.
With this summer-tinged track, the group continues their hot streak of releasing great singles every year, calling to mind groups like ILY:1 with their strong, night breeze vibe. The group always makes sure that when they make their yearly return, it’s a fun, memorable track.
9. STAYC – 2 L0VE
After their release last year, I Want It, STAYC is back with what might be one of their best title tracks in years. Along with the great bside SORRY, the group shows that they’re dedicated to bringing back lively, fun K-pop with this tennis-themed bop.
It’s a really energetic, fun song that the group executes perfectly. Feeling like Bubble’s younger sister, 2 L0VE is a song that highlights the group’s best qualities, with a memorably sweet chorus at the center of it all.
8. CLASSy – Tear Drop, Stay Together, Youth
Returning with 9 songs after almost 2 years of no new releases, 7 of which are solo tracks from each member, CLASSy made a real comeback with an incredible release packed with so much variety that it’s easy to find at least one song to match your personal tastes! While not listed, bsides Spinning Coin, Intoxicated and Without You are also pretty good themselves.
Tear Drop serves as the comeback’s title track, working well as a very sentimental pop-rock song carried by really good vocals from the girls. Stay Together follows a similar pop-rock formula to similar success, with member Riwon handling the song wonderfully by herself. Youth from Chaewon is able to give us a wonderful vocal showcase with her solo, delivering a really strong song.
7. KIM SOHEE – Good For You, Slow It Down
NATURE’s very own Kim Sohee made her solo return after almost 10 years (not including OSTs) with a mini album that was an absolute surprise. With two of the year’s best songs, she takes center stage with some songs reminiscent of EJel in the best way. Also worthy of praise is the ballad Dear. Bloomy Days, which soars thanks to Sohee’s vocals and the production.
Slow It Down works as an excellent leading track, with the echoes of the singer’s vocals delivering the track’s yearning really nicely. It’s a really great song that leaves an impact with its immensely high quality, and Sohee’s participation in the writing for the song shows how multitalented she is. Good For You, the mini album’s first song, might very well be its best, despite its incredibly short length. Thanks to its incredible chorus, the song finds itself one of the year’s most memorable songs.
6. UDTT – Drift away
After making their debut last year with Really Really, UDTT makes their first comeback in delightfully successful fashion. While the really (pun intended) good title track Viper is a powerful girl crush track reminiscent of CRAXY’s work, the bside Drift away is one of the year’s best songs.
With production surprisingly similar to LOONA of all groups, it takes flight in its magnetic, soaring chorus that allows the girls to deliver a classically memorable K-pop chorus. It has a more emotional hook to its melodies compared to the title track, but that contrast helps it a lot. Along with a standout bridge that highlights the song’s production, UDTT showcases a penchant for excellently done songs that stand out from what a lot of their modern peers are attempting to do.
5. CHOI YOOJUNG – Perfect Target, Still Cute?
After topping last month’s recap with her group IOI’s runaway hit comeback, Yoojung shows off her own capabilities as a soloist in one of the most gleefully enjoyable solo releases of the entire year. Sharing notes with Yena’s recent work, Yoojung brings the fun back to K-pop with this absolute smash release.
Firstly, the bside Still Cute? rounds out the very short release in very fun fashion in a bouncy, bubbly track. It’s the kind of song that, similar to the title track (more on that shortly), would do well on Pump It Up? systems with its lively production and Yoojung’s easily enjoyable vocals. The title track, Perfect Target, is in competition with Yena’s Catch Catch for being the best Japanese-tinged K-pop release this year. It has similarly catchy lines and really hyper production, and with the singer’s great vocal delivery, finds itself one of the year’s best earworms.
4. Tomatomat – Orange Runway, Collect Call Garage Part. II
Hot off the heels of their biggest hit to date, Collect Call Garage, rookie group Tomatomat proves that their hit was no fluke with three new songs on their latest EP that easily are the group’s strongest work. Alongside the really nice Lemon & Sherbet, the group has two frankly incredible songs.
Collect Call Garage Part. II is a song worthy of being called the successor to their hit track, with similarly nostalgic production alongside terrific vocals from the girls. Especially noteworthy is the instrumental as the song ramps up, allowing the girls’ voices to shine just as much as the production. Orange Runway from the very first second is a SOTY contender. The entire song feels like a throwback, and that is meant as the highest possible compliment. With the girls’ excellent vocals set against a sound that’s unique in today’s K-pop landscape, the song is arguably the group’s best.
3. ISHA, E.SO – Sweet, I don’t feel like going home today, To. Me
Former BerryGood members ISHA and E.SO released their collaboration this June, containing three simply terrific tracks. With good production along with the pair’s great performances, the three listed songs are easily among the year’s most underrated.
Sweet sets the tone well enough as the release’s first song, and it does so in great fashion with rather understated production, allowing the soft vocals of the duo to carry the emotion of the track well enough. Recap followers know I kill for a nice, sentimental sound, evident by my love for Irene’s Wasteland, and that trend continues here in my absolute adoration of I don’t feel like going home today, a song perfect for road trips and wistful daydreaming. Thanks to a downright perfect chorus and moving verses, this song is just incredible from start to finish, and each second is crafted with such precise perfection. Closing track To. Me is no slouch either, being a slower effort laced with enough emotion to make Carly Rae Jepsen blush. It’s a dreamy closer that lets the pair’s vocals work their magic to great effect, only getting better with every listen.
2. izna – The entirety of SET THE TEMPO and I’m serious
Good lord. Just listen to this. Take a break reading this recap and give the entire EP a listen.
Done?
Okay.
izna’s SET THE TEMPO is the best K-pop release this entire year from start to finish, and for the next few hundred words, I will ramble about this piece of K-pop perfection. I’ve had my issues with the group’s music in the past, but I’ve known them to be capable of making great music with songs like In the Rain, Racecar and Supercrush being previous discography highlights. With SET THE TEMPO, the group delivers their best release yet and genuinely the best release of the entire year.
I’ll save discussing the title track for last. Closer song LEAN ON ME builds upon the group’s hopefully now-signature sound with some dreamy synth-pop production that feels a Western-influenced in a way that adds to the track. It’s the kind of song you can imagine playing at the end of a movie in a sweet/bittersweet montage.
INFINITY has even more dreamy synths behind the girls’ great vocals. The emotion packed in the production feels very similar to I.O.I’s Suddenly, with the production climbing to a high in its finale much like in Suddenly, working to close out the song excellently.
I have a slight disdain for shorter songs not capitalizing on a great basis, but ROCK, PAPER, SCISSORS doesn’t quite feel as short due to it’s perfect execution. It’s a very “short but sweet” type of track that will absolutely have you dancing along to its beat, especially in its fantastic chorus. As an established sucker for a good instrumental break, the focus on the instrumental towards the song’s end after a great outro makes me yearn to see this song performed live.
When choosing a song to perform as a promoted b-side, I’m not going to complain about R.I.P. being selected for stages. Its synth-pop production is way more upbeat compared to the previously mentioned tracks, and it feels familiar to their previous track, Supercrush, my previous favorite song of theirs. The energy is palpable in the punchy synths, and every second of the song is a blast to listen to.
Finally, the title track METRONOME is easily their best yet, and one of the year’s most memorable. Laced with the DNA of ICHILLIN’s Official, aespa’s Whiplash and CHUNG HA’s bangers, this is the kind of song that absolutely deserves its place on your playlists. A track born for the Itaewon gay clubs, it’s impossible to resist this track’s electronic perfection. After just one listen, you’ll be moving side to side with the group.
1. dodree – Seasonal Love Letters
All that raving about izna and still my favorite release of the month of June belongs to a returning pair. The chosen title track HAWWAH is a great pick that has the necessary impact for a title track. After their debut earlier this year, the unique pair that is dodree demonstrates with apparent effortlessness their ability to craft beautiful music.
Seasonal Love Letters isn’t just one of the best Korean songs of the year, but one of the best songs of the year hands down. The group’s established sound and incorporation of stringed instruments into their music pays off massively in the delicate, homegrown feel of this song. While I don’t often mention the lyrics in these tracks, Seasonal Love Letters has writing as perfect as every other aspect of it, painting a beautiful image with words flowing as the duo’s vocals. It’s a wonderful song that deserves to be heard by absolutely anyone remotely interested in K-pop.
To support the artists featured in today’s special piece, please follow them at their social media links below:
SECRET: Instagram; Spotify
CLASSY (RIWON/CHAEWON): INSTAGRAM; RIWON; RIWON; Spotify
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