To be honest, you may or may not see recaps for future end-of-year festivals this December. I’d like to write about all three big nights if possible, but over the past few years these events have become so boring and predictable.

Basically, acts emerge with some dramatic intro (swords, pyrotechnics, flags, etc) before performing a version of their song that you could see on any weekly music show stage. Gone are the inventive reinventions and remixes of years past. We’re probably not going to see full symphonies, collaborations that feature dozens of performers at once or throw-down-the-gauntlet epics anymore. Now, we’re lucky if we get a perfunctory trap breakdown. Throw in a ridiculous running time (over three hours!) and these festivals are becoming more of a chore to sit through.

With that said, I’m nothing if not a glutton for punishment. So, I two-screened this event and have compiled my highlights. Nothing here knocked my socks off, but if you’re looking for a whistle-stop tour through the 2022 KBS Song Festival, you’ve found your guide!

For those curious, the theme to this year’s festival was “Y2K”. I was a teen during Y2K. Most of these performance didn’t feel Y2K-ish to me at all, though I appreciated the throwbacks to K-pop songs of that era.

10. JYP Y2K Hip-Hop Medley

This felt like the most cohesive of the night’s selection of cover stages and I like that they didn’t just go with the most obvious choices. This throwback style is emblematic of the JYP sound and I wish their artists would further explore it in their own material.

9. LE SSERAFIM – Fearless + Antifragile

Okay, the intro with the luggage cases was really cool. Simple, but effective. I wish they’d record a title track with this kind of aggressive electro beat. Honestly, all the parts where they weren’t singing their songs had much more exciting instrumentation than the singles themselves. I need them to fully embrace 90’s dance music.

8. Yena – Smiley (ft. Bibi)

I really liked this mix, though it had way too many momentum-killing breakdowns. Such is the case with K-pop, though! Overall, this stage delivered great energy as a song named Smiley should!

7. ONEUS – Same Scent

You know I always give extra points toward remixed versions of songs that feel like something more than a trumped-up weekly music show performance. The traditional instrumentation here has become a year-end stage trope, but this still stood out. It also elevated a somewhat boring song.

6. ENHYPEN – Blessed-Cursed + ParadoXXX Invasion

Okay, I really liked the dance break in between these two songs. It didn’t feel shoehorned in like these breakdowns often do. And, it was long enough to appreciate the group’s skills. The songs themselves were unchanged from original versions, but they were performed well.

5. Forestella – Bad Romance

Was this actually any good? I have no idea. But, it was pure camp and very entertaining to watch. Plus, Bad Romance is an unbeatable pop song. Those ingredients add up to an instant standout, even if that crazy-deep voice kind of creeps me out.

4. Sexy Boy Medley

I have no other title for what this was supposed to be, so I’m just going to call it Sexy Boy Medley. Dance covers are par for the course on shows like this, but this one scores extra points for song choice. I’ve never been a huge fan of SexyBack, but No Diggity was excellent. Now let’s hear some new music in this style from K-pop!

3. IVE – Love Dive + After Like

An honest-to-goodness reinvention of a song! I’m not sure this was the best thing that could’ve been done with Love Dive, but at least the producers put in some effort. The large configuration of dancers also helped, making this feel more like a spectacle. And, After Like is the kind of song tailor-made for a year-end event. They get a pass for not switching it up because the original is already a massive party.

2. TXT – Opening Sequence + Good Boy Gone Bad

I’m not a huge fan of either of these songs, but adding the extra guitars to Good Boy Gone Bad was a perfect choice that elevated the track and made this one of the night’s biggest standouts. I mean, if you’re gonna go rock, go full on rock! The energy was palpable.

1. BoA – Girls On Top (ft. Taeyong & Jeno)

Call me an old codger if you want, but this song from 2005 was the highlight of the entire night. BoA is a legend, Girls On Top is a legend, and having two of the NCT guys join her for the stage was a great way to make it feel a bit different and modern. I loved the production switch-up two thirds of the way through. The rap worked really well without making it feel as if we were shifting into an entirely different song.