The best K-pop solo albums of 2020: BoA, Kai, Hwa Sa, Baekhyun and Taeyeon leave fans begging for more

Solo releases this year have come from members of popular boy bands like BTS, EXO, and Winner, as well as from established solo artists such as BoA

Agust D (Suga of BTS) shows his musical growth, Baekhyun’s Delight lives up to its name, and Taeyeon delivers a near-perfect mini album, What Do I Call You

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Soul Lady by Yukika is one of the Post’s best K-pop solo albums of 2020.

Published: 10:47pm, 17 Dec 2020Updated: 2:28pm, 30 Dec 2020

In 2020 many of us sought solace in music, and K-pop singers did not disappoint, with numerous releases overflowing with engaging musicality and passionate vocals.

Soloists in the South Korean idol pop scene, including members of popular boy bands such as BTS, EXO, and Winner, have always released stand-out content, and over the past 12 months many shared their sonic creations with listeners.

Ranging from anniversary albums to conceptual ones, here are the best album releases from K-pop solo artists this year, according to one South China Morning Post critic. Albums are listed alphabetically by title.

Better by BoA

One of the longest-active K-pop stars, BoA’s been doing it for 20 years already, and there’s nobody doing it quite like her.

In an album that feels like a homage to the ghosts of her past, present, and future, the singer serves up sleek dance tracks that bounce between infusions of pop, R&B, jazz, and hip-hop. She muses about love, her career, and her artistry and paints an aural soundscape of musical theatre that is BoA at 34 years old.