It’s a sad state for K-pop producers this generation, as the vast majority of new songs are collaborations between armies of creators, making distinct voices much harder to spotlight. The days of a “super producer” with their own dedicated fanbase seem to be over, making this list almost impossible to compile. Because of this, I’ve cut my usual number of honorees in half… and even then it was difficult to find five producers whose work truly felt idiosyncratic.
2025 Year-End Masterpost
5. COLLAPSEDONE
Collapsedone has been key to JYP Entertainment’s musical success for years now. This year, he mainly worked with band Xdinary Heroes and helped solidify their sound. However, what really caught my eye was his involvement in RIIZE’s excellent Ember To Solar. He doesn’t often work with non-JYP artists, but he needs to explore this bombastic sound further.
2025 Highlights:
Xdinary Heroes – ICU, Lost And Found, Love Tug Of War, Beautiful Life, Diamond, Supernatural
NMIXX – Spinnin’ On It, High Horse
RIIZE – Ember To Solar
Yeji – Can’t Slow Me, No
Twice – Heartbreak Avenue
4. KENZIE
Kenzie is a fixture on this countdown, remaining active year after year and really holding things down for SM Entertainment. She’s branched out as well, working with artists across the industry. Not everything she worked on was great, but she’s at least partially responsible for music I loved from RIIZE, Hearts2Hearts, NCT Dream, Key and ZEROBASEONE. That’s a pretty good track record!
2025 Highlights:
Hearts2Hearts – The Chase, Style, Focus, Flutter
RIIZE – Ember To Solar, Inside My Love
ZEROBASEONE – Blue, I Know U Know, Long Way Back, Extra
NCT Dream – BTTF, Chiller, Cold Coffee
Key – Hunter, Glam, Infatuation
NCT Wish – poppop, Melt Inside My Pocket, Color, Cheat Code
Seulgi – Baby, Not Baby
Red Velvet – Irene & Seulgi – Tilt, Girl Next Door
WayV – Your Song
idntt – Storm
ITZY – DYT
aespa – Angel #48
Twice – ME+YOU
ALPHA DRIVE ONE – Formula
3. E.ONE (JUNG HO HYUN)
e.one is one of the only “classic” K-pop producers we have left, and thank goodness he’s stuck around. He has a very identifiable, uniquely K-pop sound that works well for both boy and girl groups. This year, he developed NouerA’s core sound, composing both of their title tracks.
2025 Highlights:
NouerA – N.I.N (New Is Now), N (Number Of Cases)
ME:I – This is ME:I, Muse
KickFlip – Like A Monster
Boys II Planet – How To Fly
2. JIN JEON (PRISMFILTER)
Many creators work on TWS’s songs, but one name always stands out to me. Jin Jeon has been connected to most of the group’s best 2025 work (as well as co-composing my favorite song of 2024) and seems to bring an anthemic rock edge to their sound. He’s got a great ear for pop melody and a knack for crafting instrumentals that hit with real punch.
2025 Highlights:
TWS – Countdown!, Lucky To Be Loved, Random Play, Go Back, Now Playing, Overdrive, Head Shoulders Knees Toes, Overthinking, Here For You, Hot Blue Shoes, Hajimemashite
Seventeen – HBD, Shake It Off, Damage, Jungle
Seventeen CxM – 5, 4, 3 (Pretty Woman)
Seventeen HxW – 96ers, Echo!
Baekho – Off-Road, Through The Line
QWER – Dear
1. EL CAPITXN
This was a very easy choice for number one. I mean, the guy composed three songs in my top 15 of the year! His main role was writing for AHOF, whose entire catalogue has been steered by EL CAPITXN so far. However, he also co-write NOWZ’s excellent Everglow and standout b-sides for Yoon Sanha and ZEROBASEONE. His penchant for older K-pop sounds matches my taste perfectly and he genuinely feels like one of the industry’s few visionaries at the moment.
2025 Highlights:
AHOF – Rendezvous, Pinocchio, The Little Star, The Universe, Cosmic Underdog, Incompleted, Everything Is Love, Run At 1.5x Speed, Never Lose You, The Sleeping Diary
NOWZ – Everglow, Day_And
Yoon Sanha – 6PM (Nobody’s Business)
ZEROBASEONE – Cruel
idntt – You Never Met, BOYtude, New
Seventeen – 99.9%
Beomgyu – Panic