Show your love and support by joining thousands of fans in ranking the best K-pop solo artists of 2026! This list, selected with avid fan participation, acknowledges the talents and achievements of artists leaving their mark as individuals in the K-pop world. The artists on this lineup are being ranked on this year's songs and performances, their vocal ability, stage presence, original creativity, global influence, and the impact of their solo work. Their place in the final ranking reflects not only their skills and achievements, but also the heartbeats of their fans. IU, acclaimed for her enchanting voice and emotional depth, has consistently been applauded as a pioneer of the genre. Taeyeon, famous for her lead stint in Girls' Generation, moves hearts with her powerful vocals, earning her a strong following as a solo artist. Meanwhile, Crush’s blend of R&B and hip-hop coupled with his soulful voice creates a compelling pull to audiences globally. Astro's Cha Eunwoo, besides his striking visuals, has won over fans with his versatile vocal range in his solo endeavors. Dancing legend and vocal chameleon Taemin, formerly of SHINee, continues to push boundaries with his solo work. There's also Bibi who, with her unique blend of indie pop and electronic music, is making a name for herself. Naturally, a list like this is a celebration of the diversity in talents, styles, and personalities. From former male idols to female singers, each artist brings something unique to the table, earning a spot in the hearts of fans around the world. Whether they are power vocalists, charismatic rappers, or exceptional dancers, all have forged distinct identities in this competitive genre. So, it's time for you, the fans, to make your voices heard! Vote for your favorite Kpop soloists of 2026 and let's find out who leads the pack this year.
Tap upor downto vote. Your vote is added to Ranker's counts.
Voting identifies your browser with an anonymous fingerprint, stored only as a salted hash, to count one per visitor. Privacy
Source: Ranker, ranked by its voters.
Debuting in 2016 with BLACKPINK, Jennie and her members quickly rose to fame and joined international stardom. Since becoming a K-pop singer, the superstar has also mastered the art of modeling, became the face of countless brands, and tried her hand in acting.
It's about time that our girl Jisoo gets her solo! On March 31, 2023 Jisoo dropped her first single album ME. The album's title track “FLOWER” is the singer's solo debut song.
Famously known in South Korea as the “Nation's Sweetheart”, IU is K-pop's most popular solo artist of all time - and there's really no debate. She's been topping music charts with every album release since her debut in 2008.
If you're looking for an edgy singer who isn't afraid to be daring and different, then you'll absolutely love BIBI. She's not a conventional K-pop idol by any means, and that's why we love her. Check out some of her hits like “BIBI Vengeance” and “Kazino.”
Mamamoo's popular maknae made her solo debut in 2019 with the single “Twit." She found even more success as a solo artist when she released her first mini album María in 2020. Unsurprisingly, the album's title track “Maria” was even trending on TikTok.
Somi is a former member of the project girl group I.O.I which was formed through Mnet's idol competition show Produce 101. She finished first place on the show and became the center of I.O.I. It wasn't until 2019, two years after the group disbanded, that she made her solo debut with the single “Birthday." In 2021, she released her first full-length album XOXO. The song "XOXO" serves as the title track. She made her long awaited comeback on August 7, 2023 with the album GAME PLAN. “Fast Forward” acts as the album's title track.
Taemin isn't only a talented member of boy group SHINee, but he's also a notable K-pop soloist, with multiple hit solo songs. He debuted as a soloist in August 2014 with the song “Danger” off of the album Ace. Other popular songs by him include “Press Your Number” and “Move.” Taemin made his long awaited comeback following the completion of his mandatory military service in 2023. He released the album Guilty with the title track "Guilty" on October 30, 2023.
As a member of Big Bang, Taeyang is an established veteran soloist whose R&B ballads took the K-pop community by storm. Seriously, if you were a K-pop fan in the mid 2000s, there's a high chance you were probably crying and singing along to "Wedding Dress." On January 12, 2023, Taeyang made his long-awaited comeback. He released the single “Vibe” which featured Jimin from BTS. He released his EP album Down to Earth along with the title track “SEED” on April 26, 2023.
Taeyeon may be known as the leader of Girls' Generation, but she's had a successful career as a solo artist. With her impeccable vocal talent, it's no surprise that she's considered to be the best soloist in the industry. On February 2, 2023, Taeyeon released the ballad single “Nights Into Days” as part of Naul's Ballad Pop City project. To wrap up the year she released her fifth album To. X on November 27, 2023. “To. X” is also the name of the album's title track.
Jessi is a Korean-American rapper who rose to fame after competing on the first season of Unpretty Rapstar. She made her solo debut long before the show though in 2005 under the name Jessica H.O. Some of her best hits include “Zoom” and “Nunu Nana.” She left her label P-Nation in 2022 after her contract expired. We're excited to know what K-pop's favorite baddie has in store next!
Yena is a former member of IZ*ONE - a project girl group formed through the idol competition show Produce 48. She made her solo debut in 2022 with the album ˣ‿ˣ (SMiLEY). She released her first single album Love War on January 16, 2023 with "Love War" serving as the title track. On June 27, Yena made a comeback with the album HATE XX, and title track “Hate Rodrigo.”
After IZ*ONE completed their contracts in 2021, member Chaeyeon debuted with “Hush Rush” in late 2022. As for her 2023 plans, Chaeyeon released her first comeback in April 2023 with her second mini album Over the Moon. “KNOCK” serves as the album's title track. She followed up with the single album The Move: Street and title track “Let's Dance” just months later, in September 2023.
Sunmi is a former member of Wonder Girls who left the group in 2010 and rejoined them again in 2015. After the group disbanded in 2017, Sunmi released her hit solo single “Gashina” and quickly rose to success as a solo artist. In March 2023 she collaborated with Korean rapper BE'O on the track “Lights Out”.
Chung Ha is a former member of I.O.I - a project girl group formed through the idol competition show Produce 101. After the group disbanded in 2017, she made her debut as a solo artist. And since then, she's been slaying the game. On January 30, 2023, she left her label MNH Entertainment after her contract expired. Whether she signs with a new label or goes independent, we're excited to see where she'll go next.
The K-pop industry got its first glimpse of Chuu and her talents in December, 2017 when her first single “Heart Attack” was released prior to her debut. She officially debuted with the girl group Loona on August 19, 2018. The singer left her previous company in November, 2022 due to internal issues regarding treatment and her contract. She joined the company ATRP soon after, and made her solo debut with the song “Howl” off of her first mini album Howl on October 18, 2023.
As a member of SHINee, Key is a veteran singer in the K-pop industry. Luckily for fans, he's been quite active as a soloist since releasing his comeback single “Hate That…” in 2021. On February 13, 2023, Key released the album Killer - a repackage of his second full-length album Gasoline. The song “Killer” serves as the title track.
Actor-singer D.O started off his K-pop career as the main vocalist for international hit boy group EXO. While he continues to work with the group on promotions and new releases - and on his career as an actor - D.O has also been releasing his own music as a soloist. His individual career began when he released his first EP titled Empathy in July 2021. “Rose” serves as his first title track. In September 2023 he released his second mini album Expectation with title track “Somebody” to bless our ears. We look forward to even more amazing music from D.O!
Hyuna is another soloist who many would consider to be an icon in K-pop. She is a former member of the girl groups Wonder Girls and 4minute. Her most famous song “Bubble Pop!” had the K-pop community in a chokehold when it was released in 2011. Since she left P-Nation in 2022, fans are curious to see if she will release new music under a different label this year.
Wheein has been in the K-pop industry for years, starting her career in 2014 as a member of the girl group Mamamoo. In 2021 she left her former agency RBW Entertainment but continued with the group. She made her solo debut in April, 2018 with the digital single, “Easy.” Since then she's made multiple comebacks as a soloist and with Mamamoo. On October 12, 2023 she released her first full solo album In the Mood with a title track of the same name.
Actor-singer extraordinaire Hwang Min Hyun was a member of the boy group NU'EST until their disbandment in 2022. He also participated in the second season of Produce 101 and became a member of the project boy group Wanna One. Although Hwang Min Hyun is gaining fame as an actor in hit dramas like Alchemy of Souls, he's still going strong as a singer. He made his official solo debut on February 27, 2023 with the release of his EP Truth or Lie. The EP's title track is called “Hidden Side.”
JINI originally debuted as Jinni with the girl group NMIXX in 2021. In December, 2022 her former agency JYP Entertainment announced that she would be departing from the group due to personal reasons. Since then JINI has continued to pursue her love and passion for music. She joined a new agency - ATOC - and made her solo debut on October 11, 2023. She debuted with the song “C'mon” off of her first EP An Iron Hand in a Velvet Glove.
Following the expiration of their contracts with YG Entertainment, Bobby and the other members of iKON signed with 143 Entertainment for their upcoming endeavors. Bobby's first solo project with the new company is his solo single “Drowning”, released in March 2023. He also released a music video for the song “Cherry Blossom” that same month. His second comeback of the year came on October 10, 2023 with the mini album ROBERT. “f” acts as the album's title track.
Jinyoung from boy group GOT7 finally made his solo debut! He released his first EP Chapter 0: With on January 18, 2023. "Cotton Candy" serves as the album's title track. He also released a MV for another song on the album called “Letter.”
Rocky began his career in 2016, debuting as a member in the boy group Astro. Throughout his career with them he established himself as a successful singer, song-writer, actor, composer, and dancer. He made the decision to leave the group and his previous company in January 2023, instead beginning his own company called One Fine Day Entertainment. Rocky made his solo debut with the song “Lucky Rocky” off of his first EP ROCKYST on November 27, 2023. We're excited to see where else his career takes him!
