Billboard magazine revealed its list of the best 20 K-pop albums of 2017 led by IU's "Palette."
"Singles may be the power players in K-pop, but it's the albums where the genre's artists are most able to express themselves -- and in that respect, 2017 didn't disappoint. With popular Korean musicians getting more experimental this year than ever before, there were numerous albums that deserved recognition, and so this year Billboard's Best K-pop Albums of the Year list has been expanded for the first time to 20 rather than 10," according to Billboard.
IU placed No. 1 with "Palette," which Billboard described as "the year's shining example of the power in personal K-pop with a release that employed loads of different sounds and stories to share insight about the star beneath the gorgeous gowns and pristine makeup."
"'Palette' is a rare glimpse into what life is really like for an entertainer in K-pop -- which is characterized by big smiles and glossy productions – and IU isn't afraid to showcase the moments of self-doubt, worry and gloom, and them explain them in the music styles and genres she sees most appropriate. An album as impressive and sonically diverse as Palette proves why injecting an artist's personal experiences into their music can lead to their greatest work yet," it added.
Placing second is Epik High's "We've Done Something Wonderful. Billboard wrote that "a testament to the hip-hop group's impact on the industry, the 11 tracks of We've Done Something Wonderful feature a maturing of the trio's sound after over a decade as leaders of South Korea's hip hop scene."
Third is BTS' "Love Yourself: Her," which is described as the "the biggest Korean album of the year.
"Whether it's teasing their fans about their passionate love for BTS in 'Pied Piper' or tackling financial concerns of the YOLO generation in 'Go Go,' the EP is rife with meaning. With these elements juxtaposed beside one another with ease, Her acts as a witness to BTS' versatility," Billboard said of the album.
Here's the full list of Billboard's Best K-pop Albums of 2017:
1. IU, "Palette"
2. Epik High,"We've Done Something Wonderful"
3. BTS, "Love Yourself: Her"
4. Baek A Yeon, "Bittersweet"
5. JJ Project, "Verse 2"
6. Bobby, "Love and Fall"
7. Heize, "You, Clouds, Rain"
8. Highlight, "Can You Feel It?"
9. Suran, "Walkin"
10. Red Velvet, "Perfect Velvet"
11. EXO, "The War"
12. Glen Check, "The Glen Check Experience"
13. B1A4, "Rollin'"
14. Zion.T, "OO"
15. Taeyeon, "My Voice"
16. CNBLUE, "7CN"
17. Taemin, "Move"
18. Seventeen, "Al1"
19. Twice, "Twicetagram"
20. Lee Hyori, "Black"
