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2016 Gift Guide For Lovers of K-Pop, K-Drama, & K-Beauty

KultScene 2016 Holiday gift guide feat TWICE!It seems like the holiday season already began as far back as September, but for many of KultScene‘s readers it kicks off in earnest on Thanksgiving day when the Black Friday sales jump into action in the US (and much of the rest of the world!) Every year, we’ve greeted the busiest shopping season of the year with our K-pop-oriented gift guide and once again we’ve put our heads together and come up with some great ideas.

Albums and K-pop swag may be a lot of fun (all the lightsticks and posters!!) for the music fans, and you may be tempted to see if that drama you know they love is available on Amazon, but there’s so much more out there! Along with our recommendations, we’re offering a few discounts and giveaways throughout the next month, so make sure to check back throughout the holiday season!

Scroll below to see our rotating giveaways. Currently we’re giving away a Korea Curated Box, so scroll down to enter!

For The Masking Fiend

There’s a lot of K-beauty-oriented subscription boxes out there (and on this gift guide), but Piibu Subscription Box is the answer to every masker’s dreams. If you know someone who has ever tried the 10 masks in 10 days challenge, Piibu’s box filled with different masks is perfect for that. The monthly subscription box comes with a variety of masks from different Korean brands.

Price: $19-108, depending on the subscription plan

Piibu is offering KultScene readers a chance to win a box, so enter below (begins at midnight 11/24). However, this is only available for those in the US, sorry!

Update: Thanks to everyone who entered our Piibu giveaway! Congratulations Naomi Pangelinan for winning!

For People Who Love Wearing Their Fandom Hearts on Literal Sleeves

Everyone loves T-shirts, right? TeePublic gives artists an opportunity to sell their designs for $20, and there are some really great K-pop themed ones available through the outlet so just dig around a bit. We’re fans of designs by sittinginclover and dekoreate, but there’s a lot more K-related items on the site. The site is called TEEPublic, but you can also get the designs on a variety of items, like cell phone cases and mugs!

Price: Tees for $20

For the K-pop Inept

Just in case someone in your life is completely lacking all knowledge of Korea’s music industry, Woosung Kang‘s recently released The KPop Dictionary is probably a good place to start. Or, you know, take a look at our other fact-finding suggestions.

K-Pop Dictionary

Price: $6 for Kindle version, $13 for paperback copy


Also on KultScene: 2015 Gift Guide For Fans Of Korean Pop Culture

For The Skin Tone Perfectionist

For some people, sunscreen is all you need before leaving the house. For others, you better have your primer, foundation, powder, and setting spray. Most of us are somewhere in between. Missha makes it pretty easy, with their BB Boomer primer setting things up as a great base for whatever you’re dressing your face up with. (Plus, Alexis swears by their Time Revolution Essence!). Everything on Missha’s site is 30% OFF between Dec. 1-27 and there’s a lot of free gifts, including sheet masks and samples of some of their Time Revolution products.

Make sure to enter our Missha X KultScene giveaway! We’re giving three winners a gift set worth $90 featuring the BB Boomer, Missha’s Time Revolution Night Repair Science Activator Ampoule, Time Revolution The First Treatment Essence. However, only U.S. residents can participate since the prizes must be sent to an address within the country.

misha-bb-boomer-kultscene

Price: Regular $15, but on sale for $9

Thanks to everyone who entered our Missha giveaway! The winners have been notified.

For The Lipstick Loving EXO-Ls

Apparently, Sephora has shades in their Rouge Cream Lipstick line that sound suspiciously like they were named after songs by EXO, like “Call Me Baby” and “Lucky One.” It may or may not be related, but it’s a nice little token with an inside joke for anyone who wants a piece of K-pop in their makeup bag. [Let KultScene know if you find any other K-pop connections at Sephora!]

Sephora Lucky One EXO lipstick KultScene

Lucky One

Price: $12.50 each

For The Lipstick Loving Wino

No, I don’t mean a fan of WINNER (shout out to Inner Circle!). Style Korean has a lot of really cute products, but our favorite is their Labiotte Wine Tints. Or just buy them some soju or plum wine!

 

Price: $9 each

For The K-pop Fan Always Losing Their Headphones

Psy apparently tested these adorable brightly colored earbuds from Soul Electronics. So if that celebrity endorsement matters to you, here you go! They come in a variety of different neon hues so can suit just about anyone’s taste. (And maybe buy an album or two with them?)

kpop_product_shot_pink

Price: $50

For The K-Beauty Confused

What the heck is the 10 step solution? If your giftee, or yourself, are befuddled by the nuances of K-beauty skincare, the BomiBox is the perfect place to begin. Each box comes with eight full or deluxe sized Korean beauty products, ensuring that you’ll have a diverse range of items to peruse as you dig further into K-beauty.

Bomibox KultScene

Price: $37, but if you use the code KULTSCENE you get $2 off each order you make. For life!

Thank you everyone for entering and congratulations, Briana Fortunato!


Also on KultScene: 2014 K-Pop Inspired Gift-Giving Guide

For The Cuddle Buddy

Zombie Mamma makes some adorable K-pop plushies, specialized upon request. So if you know someone who wants to be able to brag about sharing a bed with their favorite Korean star… Here’s your chance! Contact Zombie Mamma through her Facebook page.

Zombie Mamma K-pop plushies

Price: Prices range from $50-$60, depending on how elaborate you want to get with the hair, outfit, etc.

For The Burgeoning Anthropologist

K-beauty and K-pop is good and all, but is that really what Korea’s all about? Definitely not! Korea Curated and Inspire Me Korea are two different subscription boxes that bring a little bit of Korean culture straight to your front door.

Korea Curated offers subscription boxes featuring Korean items that aren’t typically sold outside of Korea. Each month’s box can feature anything and everything, filled with things such as Korean snacks, toys, artwork, socks, craft projects, and more. (Plus it’s run out of Korea by a married couple, Cory and Marie, which you know it’s filled with love!) If you use the code KULTSCENE, you’ll get 20% off your first order.

Korea Curated boxes KultScene gift guide

Price: $43-75, depending on the size of the box.

Inspire Me Korea, on the other hand, offers the most diverse Korean subscription boxes around with their monthly culture boxes geared to both men and women, plus they also feature a beauty box. It’s UK based, but don’t worry, they ship their boxes around the world. If you use the code KULTSCENE you can get 10% off your first order.

Inspire Me Korea Box KultScene Gift Guide

Price: £13.99-40 (about $18-100 USD), depending on the subscription

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For The Foodie

Watched Let’s Eat or Drinking Alone? There’s so much food, how can you not want to try some Korean food firsthand? We spoke to the women who started Crazy Korean Cooking years ago, but they have these DIY kits that we think would be a great addition to any kitchen pantry.

They also have a great option to get meals shipped directly to your door , and if you use the code KULTSCENE you can get 25% off your first order. Or, if you’re looking for something more stocking-sized, there’s also the A Very Crazy Korean Christmas Gift set filled with some fun items, ranging from food to kitchen gloves. (Literally!) If you’re interested in that, use the code KULTCRAZY to get 10% off. Both codes expire on Dec. 18, so decide which delicious-looking foodstuff you want soon! There may be times when you want to get drinks such as Soju in very cute mugs. If you’re a K-pop and K-drama series fan, you could get custom mugs with photo of your favourite singers or stars making it even more personal to you.

DIY Crazy Korean Cooking

Price: $19-85

What’s your ideal holiday gift, either for yourself or for others? Share your thoughts (and pictures of your holiday shopping!) about this article in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

This is the hardest K-pop quiz ever

impossible K-pop quiz

Think you are a K-pop genius? That may very well be so, but our latest K-pop quiz will put that to the test. There’s nothing as simple here as “what group is Umji a member of?” (Gfriend) or “what year did 2NE1 debut?” (2009). Know how many members there are in Super Junior? Too bad!! Oh no, this is all about the little facts, that only the most fanatical K-pop lovers will know.

Take the quiz and let us know how well you fared in the comment section! A word of warning: Most of KultScene’s very knowledgeable team of writers did pretty poorly when taking this quiz so… Take your time while answering the questions!


Also on Kultscene: Which K-pop generation do you belong in?

What was your favorite (or least favorite!) question? Have any other random bits of trivia you think we should have included? Share your thoughts and results in the comment section below or on Facebook, or Tweet us your results @KultScene. Be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Op-ed: Trump, BTS, & the state of K-pop journalism

Trump BTS

A few minutes before I planned to go to bed last night, I noticed something funny trending on my twitter feed: fans of the K-pop boy band BTS appeared to be getting riled up over a tweet the US presidential candidate Donald Trump allegedly shared in August, where he complimented the boy band and mistakenly called them Chinese.

But it wasn’t the Orientalist racism that sparked the outrage. It was the fact that this tweet had never been tweeted, and one of the most well-known K-pop news outlet wrote an article about it. I searched Twitter, spending a whole three minutes using the site’s Advanced Search function and couldn’t find anything except for a tweet that was clearly photoshopped. Trump, who is extremely outspoken on Twitter, hasn’t deleted any of his past faux pas, so it seems unlikely that he would have deleted (or ever tweeted in the first place, really) anything on his Twitter feed dealing with K-pop or BTS. But this website didn’t take those few moments to determine that and instead ran it as news, which many fans took as fact.

To reiterate the fact: Donald Trump has never, to my knowledge and the best of my research ability, ever tweeted about K-pop or BTS. 

After getting frustrated at the fact that a website that presents itself as a reliable news source didn’t even do the basic minimum fact-checking on what was clearly a click-bait timely news peg, I went to bed. While I slept, the article was later deleted from the site. A quick perusal of the news outlet’s social media revealed that no apology or clarification was issued regarding the original publication. Another website with a less-than-stellar track record at reporting K-pop-related stories also wrote about the tweet, but instead more fully expressed how the tweet was clearly inauthentic.

 


Also on KultScene: What’s Killing ‘Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo’?

As KultScene is not a news site and is based around the opinions of several writers who feel the urge to discuss their favorite topic, Hallyu, I typically wouldn’t address anything about the mistakes of other websites. But this morning, a reputable Korean newspaper picked up the article by the US-based K-pop “news” source and published a piece on their website about it. As a well-respected site with a credible reputation, this is extremely unfortunate. Despite fans tweeting to the outlet that the original source was faked, it has yet to be updated or corrected as of 10:00 p.m. EST on Oct. 27.

Clearly, the Korean outlet didn’t check facts itself, which is problematic for its own sake, but the article was written on the word of an allegedly reputable source. Since the modern state of journalism is an aggregate-heavy environment, it is probable that the Korean outlet expected that a reliable K-pop news outlet based in the US would do proper legwork to research claims that may possibly relate to the US election.

Journalism has always been about telling stories based on facts and research. The outlet that wrote the original piece about the alleged tweet has a track record of regurgitating information without doing research or — even worse — releasing information obtained off-the-record. I personally was unsurprised by the website’s article, since it’s clear they hire writers based on speediness and translating skills rather than any journalistic capabilities. When output and hitcount becomes King, basic steps of newsgathering, like fact-checking, will be disregarded.

The sad thing is that just about every US-based K-pop news source struggles from this. Aside from a handful of outlets, most of which have few reporters but rely on Korean news sources or international wires, none are truly able to be dedicated to Hallyu media and maintain a journalistic edge. Outside of Korea, newsgathering is nearly impossible and there just isn’t a large enough audience to support multiple news sites. Instead, websites depend on keeping their numbers up by spending the least amount of resources possible on the most amount of content.

Until K-pop journalism becomes a more viable, economical field, we’ll continue to see misreporting like this.

What do you think about the situation? Share your opinions in the comment section below. Be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Win BTS’ “The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Forever Young” Album for Our 2nd Anniversary [GIVEAWAY]

BTS The Most Beautiful Moment In Life Young Forever KultScene Giveaway

In 2014, a few friends put their heads together and thought up what we now know as KultScene. To celebrate our second anniversary on May 19, we’ve put together a celebratory slew of giveaways to thank our readers for sticking with us. And by slew, we mean seven giveaways; one per day leading up to our anniversary! We launched our first giveaway yesterday, so now it’s time for the second.

BTS just dropped their latest album ”The Most Beautiful Moment In Life: Young Forever” on May 2. And if you still haven’t purchased it, don’t worry, KultScene’s got you! We’re giving away one copy of the album to one lucky reader.

From Tumblr

So what are you waiting for? Entering is easy, just follow the plugin below. This giveaway is open to anyone, anywhere in the world! The giveaway ends on May 17 at midnight EST and the winner will be chosen randomly and will be announced on through our Facebook and Twitter, so make sure to check back.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Also be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter,Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

5 Songs to Get Ready for Rock Bottom Crew’s Show in London

Rock Bottom

Rising from the ashes of forgotten rap crew Daenamhyup and featuring a number of former idol trainees, Rock Bottom Crew have a good base to start off, but some work to do to set themselves apart. Rap crews springing up is no surprise given the mainstream popularity of rap in Korea at the moment . Now that being a rapper in an idol group is not as frowned upon as before, turning back to the underground after not getting into a group also gives some artists a second chance. This is the case for Supreme Boi and Kidoh of Rock Bottom. Supreme Boi is known for being a pre-debut member and current producer of BTS. Kidoh is a former member of Topp Dogg who seemingly left on good terms, just wanting to pursue his personal goals.

While trawling through their back catalogue, it’s easy to see a certain sound that captures what Rock Bottom is. Modern vaporwave trap permeates throughout their tracks. Even with few songs that feature all of them it’s easy to hear the throughline. Clearly influenced in sound and flow by the ‘90s Atlanta hip-hop scene (or Keith Ape and the Underwater Squad), trap beats hold together the songs as the crew let their vocals loose. It’s the addition of floaty synths and retro samples that really draw the attention though. Giving them a slightly softer edge than your average try hard Korean rapper.

Along with the aforementioned Supreme Boi and Kidoh, Rock Bottom bring fellow BTS trainee i11evn, producers Hashmate and Type-C, and Don’t Call Me A Dog (who may be a rapper or a model or a producer or all of the above, I’m not really sure to be honest), to London, UK, for a one-off concert. The show will be at Camden’s The Underground on April 14. Tickets will go on sale at the end of February and range from £15 for presale, £20 standard, £35 early entry, and £45 main show + after party.

Now time to get excited, here are five of Rock Bottom’s best and most well known songs.


Also on KultScene: 5 Female K-Pop Acts Taking On Sexism

“Nicki Minaj Girls” by Rock Bottom

Every crew needs their signature song. Something simple enough that each rapper can spit over it in their own style while still having enough of a hook to work as more than a showcase of talent. For Rock Bottom this song is “Nicki Minaj Girls.” It is their call to action; each member brags and disses in typical fashion. The music as well is typical of this type of song, carried by a trap beat, it has inflections of ringing electronics and bassy synths. The passion and anger they bring serve to sell the song. Supreme Boi shouts “Rock Bottom place to be.” It’s hard not to take his word for it.

 

“Hawaii” by Supreme Boi

Supreme Boi tones it down slightly on “Hawaii,” his soundtrack for spring break hangovers. His aggressive delivery remains in parts but the song floats on its dreamy vocal samples and house sounds. In between his raps, pianos mellow things out creating a vibe that is a first relaxing, but with continued raps becomes creepy and unsettling. In other words, perfect for that morning after “Where the fuck am I?” feeling.

 

“Siwi” by i11evn

i11evn continues with a chilled out sort of vibe on last year’s single “Siwi.” It’s three and a half minutes of pure rap skill. The song spins cycles with retro muzak remaining for the whole song over a trap beat. i11evn provides the variations with laid back flows interspersed with whines and shouts.


Also on KultScene: ‘INFINITE Effect’ in Los Angeles was Anything but ‘Bad’

“PRETTY MOF#CKA” by Kidoh

If “Hawaii~” and “Siwi” show the vaporwave side of Rock Bottom, Kidoh’s ”PRETTY MOF#CKA” shows us how they do trap. That is, just like everyone else. At the first few beeps of synth you could even mistake it for “It G Ma.” As a song to upload onto your Soundcloud, it works quite well though. Kidoh shows an agitated angry side to him that maybe someone who knew him as a member of Topp Dogg would never have seen. Best of all it could be an absolute frenzy when played live.

 

“Jong-Ro” by Hashmate

Something that might not be heard at the concert but could be a great warm up track is producer Hashmate’s instrumental “Jong-Ro.” It brings new meaning to term vaporwave by being as ethereal as a plume of smoke. The synths are ultra smooth and envelope you as it drifts along with its slow tribal drums. That is, until it becomes a house track towards. Drums kick in and break you out of your trip providing a banging end to a chilled out track. This combo of heavy and light is a clear theme with the music of Rock Bottom and could prove to provide an electric night out.

Do you plan on going to Rock Bottom? What are your favourites from them? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Which Song from BTS’s ‘The Most Beautiful Moment in Life’ Albums Are You? [QUIZ]

bts quiz what song are you describes

By Sana Parvayz

BTS, aka Bangtan Sonyeondan, has risen to fame within a short span of time, especially coming from a small entertainment company. The group debuted with “No More Dream,” on June 13, 2013, and since then, they have accomplished a lot. Last year, the group came back with their fourth mini album ‘The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt. 2,” a follow up to part one of the series released six months prior. Divided in two, both EPs emphasize youth. Part one portrays the difficulties, insecurities, and issues faced by youngsters. Whereas part two expresses the adventures and joys of being a young adult. “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life” portrays the intensity of emotions youth feel, either happiness or sadness, and how being a young-adult is the most pleasing moment in life.

These albums proved to touch upon the inner feelings of fans and overall youth, given that their fourth mini album stayed on the top of Billboard’s World Albums Chart for straight four weeks. And with two flawless albums, Bangtan Boys definitely deserved it. The songs on these albums range from euphoria to desolation, narrating through several emotions that an average adolescent and young adult goes through. And since they’re about youth, we can all pick one we can relate to. However, we’ve taken the liberty of finding that out for you. Take the quiz to see which one of the songs from both EPs best embody you.


Also on KultScene: 5 Reasons Why You Should Be Watching ‘Infinite Showtime’


Did you agree with your result? Share them with us on the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Top 30 Korean B-Sides of 2015

top best korean kpop b sides album cuts 2015

2015 is the year that could do little wrong when it came to Korean music, and just when KultScene’s staff thought we were done adoring songs from last year, we decided it was time to single out our favorite non-singles. The list, compiled by several members of our staff, takes into account personal taste and the overall quality of songs as we strive to highlight the overlooked B-sides from some of K-pop’s best albums.

30. Infinite – “Between Me And You”

Undoubtedly one of Infinite’s best ballads to date is “Between Me And You,” a song that allows all the members to show off their extremely emotive vocals. Less vocally impressive members, such as Sungyeol and Sungjong, held their own in this track and showed how much they improved since their last album. Unlike most ballads, this song didn’t get boring, mostly because of the drum beat that was present throughout the song and the passionate raps provided by members Dongwoo and Hoya. This track proved that Infinite is more than just a dance group as the members showed off their great vocal talent, revealing that Infinite still has a lot of potential to grow.

29. Red Velvet – “Lady’s Room”

You honestly cannot find a cuter song than “Lady’s Room” on Red Velvet’s stand out album “The Red.” The song is about friends opening up about the boys that they like, talking together in the “Lady’s Room,” and overall enjoying the company of one another. It’s perfect for Red Velvet’s fresh and youthful image, and the song’s composition is filled with synth undertones and absolute sweetness. It’s an adorable ultramodern take on the typical girl group pop song, with crisp vocals and playful back and forths between the members. The falsettos and harmonizations in the chorus show Red Velvet’s cohesiveness as a vocal quintet as opposed to the dance-ready choruses of many of their other songs. Seulgi’s “follow me” line is a standout favorite, but the song’s continual playing with different tones and styles is just absolutely fitting for the fun girl group known for its constant reinvention of itself.

28. TVXQ Yunho – “Komplicated”

2015 was Yunho’s time to shine. The dream-inducing rhythmic track “Komplicated” is a trip dance song that would be perfect at any club. Heavy house influences on the trippy song fit with Yunho’s vocal color and preference towards dance music. The song starts off slow with pounding beats and quieter wailing sounds before giving Yunho a moment to let his vocal color show. And then the listener is slowly drawn towards the spiraling, pounding dance breaks. The song is minimalistic with a true emphasis on the music rather than the lyrics, while still giving Yunho a chance to show why he’s considered one of K-pop’s most versatile singers. MonoTree is credited with editing the warped vocals on “Komplicated,” and he’s done an absolutely phenomenal job creating one of K-pop’s best house songs of the year.

27. Shinhwa – “Alright”

“Alright” has a feel-good vibe, one in which you’ll continuously find yourself twiddling your fingers and nodding your head back and forth. There’s an immense sense of sexiness that exudes from their (well) aged voices. What’s great about Shinhwa, and I say this in the most positive way, is their lack of skin exposure; their sexiness is purely in their natural charisma. The members are now well into their mid 30’s, and with that said, it’s admirable seeing them toy around with new genres of music. The incorporation of ChaCha Malone and GRAY from AOMG in composing and arranging this song, lightly sprayed a swag element to the track.

26. ToppDogg – “O.A.S.I.S”

When I think of ToppDogg, hard hitting, rap based songs like “Follow Me” come to mind, so when I first heard “O.A.S.I.S,” it was a pleasant surprise. Especially considering another artist, Crush, released his own yummy R&B song with the same title last year. But rather than being a carbon copy or a lesser version, ToppDogg’s “O.A.S.I.S” is a funky, disco-ey symphony displaying all the right sounds from the ‘70s. This track showed the boys’ versatility, how they’re not stuck in one genre and are open to more croony sounds. And even if the oasis in question is a girl, the true oasis is the song itself for being incredibly smooth and delicious to the senses.

25. GOT7 – “Put Your Hands Up”

Disguised as a party song, “Put Your Hands Up” doesn’t imply raising your arms in the air and waving them like you just don’t care. For this B-side on their “MAD” album, GOT7 play with the idea of arresting a girl who doesn’t realize they’re into her. Instead of relying on the talented vocal line, “Put Your Hands Up” is a rap-driven earworm reminiscent of their senior’s “Hands Up.” The hip-hop influence was very visible on this album, but the jumpiness and easy to follow chorus is what makes “Put Your Hands Up” super fun.


 Also on KultScene: K-Pop’s Competition: What Korea Also Listened To In 2015

24. GOT7 – “Feeling Good”

It seems as though GOT7 is all about making their listeners feel good nowadays, and it’s definitely working in their benefit! “Feeling Good” allowed members Bambam and Yugyeom, who are less likely known for their vocals, to give you a taste of their serene and soothing voices without taking the shine away from the already skilled JB, Jr., and Youngjae. “Feeling Good” is filled with charming melodies that’ll easily swoop in and wrap you up into a bundle of greasy GOT7 feels. Considering how young the group is, GOT7 certainly knows how to get your hearts fluttering with their pleasantly delicate voices and sweet compliments of one’s beauty and fullon wonderfulness. Instant swoon, is it not?

23. Kim Sungkyu – “Daydream feat. Tablo & JW”

Kim Sungkyu, the main vocalist of Infinite, released a great solo album in 2015 filled with songs of different genres, but “Daydream” was one of the standouts. Sungkyu’s calming voice along with the leveled rapping by Borderline (Tablo & JW) was perfect and created chill vibes for the whole song. Despite only having one main melodic strand, the song never got boring because of the various ways the repetitive melody was presented, a sign that shows the high production quality of this song. The emotions in the song were shown well through Sungkyu’s voice as well, which went from appropriately soft and mild to loud and full of feeling at different points in the song. It’s not a typical song to get hooked onto, but it’s definitely an earworm in its own right.

22. G.Soul – “Dirty”

Words can’t begin to express how amazingly versatile of an artist G.Soul really is. “Dirty” is different than anything that he’s done since debuting. Not only does it incorporate deep house music, but it’s also sung in English! I kept forgetting that I was actually listening to a Korean artist and not an American. The lyrics were slightly raunchy and in your face, not the norm for a number of Korean singers, but G.Soul’s always pushing different boundaries. And maybe it’s because “Dirty” was in English, but as soon as he let out that first soulful note, my heart started doing somersaults. It blows my mind as to how well he can continuously pump out all these EPs and transition from R&B to neo-soul to house music with little to none promotions and still make it all work.

21. Nine Muses – “Yes or No”

Nine Muses tried hard this year. Three albums but little to show for it in terms of success. What they do have, however, is this delicious slice of disco. “Yes or No,” for those who venture past their singles, is a song about waiting for a reply to that risky text you sent a crush. It’s a lighter look at Nine Muses. Luckily, their wide ranging vocals survive the trip and the sound here allows both high pitched and low pitched vocalists to shine. It even has an adorable Instagram video which matches nicely with the modern look at love the song gives us.

20. f(x) – “Diamond”

“Diamond” encapsulates what makes f(x)’s album cuts so good. Like many of the best songs on “Pink Tape” and “Red Light,” it starts off one way and slowly but surely becomes something completely different by the end. In this case, we start off hearing a plodding hip-hop beat, Luna’s vocals working to make it even heavier as she delivers each syllable with an assured confidence. The song is carried like this for a while longer before Luna herself turns up again to begin lifting the song off its feet. Her 30-second long pre-chorus with Krystal adds a growing sense of euphoria ready to burst after a long build up. It then drops into a fierce electro chorus. Only f(x) could carry such an array of elements in the one song and not allow it sound a mess. “Diamond” is full of surprises, each one of them a joy.

19. MFBTY – “Let It Go feat. Yoon Junhyung”

MFBTY’s “WondaLand” is a pop album unlike anything else from K-pop in recent years. Every song is different, and “Let It Go,” featuring Beast’s rapper Junhyung, doesn’t hold back. The travel-oriented tune starts off with simple enough piano tune that leads into Yoon Mirae’s English intro before turning into Tiger JK’s devil may care rap about finding happiness and throwing away burdens. Yoon Mirae picks up the song with a spitfire “f- you” rap that references Kelis’ “Milkshake” before returning to her singsong English lines. Junhyung joins the couple on the track with his own building rap. The song’s message is exciting enough, but it’s the constantly differentiating stanzas and musical styles each singer utilizes throughout the track that made us fall in love with this MFBTY hip-pop song.

18. Hyuna – “Get Outta My House feat. Kwon Jung Yeol of 10 cm”

For Hyuna’s solo work, we’ve come to expect the ultra sexualized EDM banger with a catchy chorus or hook. And that’s fine, we all grow into liking those earworms. However, for her latest solo mini album “A+,” Hyuna showed us she’s growing and exploring more sounds. The perfect example of this is “Get Outta My House,” a slow tempo almost ballad where she talk raps about kicking a guy out of her house and the relationship. Hyuna’s voice can come off nasally and borderline annoying at times. But with “Get Outta My House,” she’s finally found the right flow for her tone, which is even sexier and goes better with her overall image than what she normally does. “A+” was solid, especially coming from Hyuna. So if she continues to drop tracks like “Get Outta My House,” we might be able to fully take her seriously as a rapper.

17. EXO – “Promise (EXO 2014)”

EXO’s “Love Me Right” repackaged album definitely saved the best for last. Closing the group’s second studio album is “Promise (EXO 2014),” a track that is as poignant as it for the members as it is for the fans. Firstly, member Lay helped compose and write the lyrics for both the Chinese and Korean versions, while members Chen and Chanyeol participated in the lyric-writing of the latter, giving the song a great deal of personal meaning. The alternate title “EXO 2014” emphasizes the importance that the year 2014 was for the boy group, and it’s not difficult to figure out why. It alludes to former Chinese members Kris and Luhan’s departure, and as if that is not depressing enough the funereal piano melody and string sections only makes listeners feel worse. But this is not what the group wants us to take away from the sentimental track. Despite all the trials and tribulations, they want to convey their appreciation for the fans who have stuck by them through all of their trials and tribulations. “Thank you, I’m sorry, I love you,” raps Chanyeol. Even if you have a distaste for all things ballads, please make an exception for “Promise (EXO 2014).”

16. Kim Sungkyu- “Alive”

Sungkyu’s silky voice is at its very best in “Alive,” which showcases a perfect combination of wonderful music production and great vocals. The unconventional but wholly appropriate music instrumentals in the background of this track stand out on their own but also enhance Sungkyu’s voice, creating this addictive and touching track. With lyrics such as “I’m better off just longing for you, that’s right, I have no other choice,” the best part of this song is its emotional climax, where Sungkyu is singing passionately and the instrumentals are on the brink of overwhelming his voice. The hopelessness is conveyed in such a clear manner that even non-Korean listeners would be able to understand the pain and meaning behind the lyrics, a trait that makes this song a really amazing one.

15. GOT7 – “Good”

With such a positive start to the song, how can one not automatically feel good? Sure, when looking at the lyrics, some will probably question why and how GOT7 can be so “full” of themselves, but if the members are able to confidently sing it, then where’s the problem in that? If you’re well put together, whether it’s your outfit, hair, makeup or all of the above, then why not strut and show it off? Self-confidence and self-loving can only start with you. But lyrics aside, not only will “Good” have you in a delightful mood whilst listening to it but it also shows the diversity and unique vocal techniques with each member’s voices. The smooth blending of members JB, Jr., and Youngjae’s voices will surely have you swooning in no time. You don’t have to worry GOT7; we’ve already fallen for you.

14. Jonghyun – “Deja-Boo”

One of the best things to have happened to K-pop was SHINee’s Jonghyun’s album “Base,” and one of the best songs to have hit us was “Deja-Boo” off of said album. With this song, we see a smoother side to the SHINee leader that was previously masked in the group’s more dynamic productions. Throw in Zion T. as a feature into the mix, and now you can pretty much bet on a pretty solid R&B track. And as the intro song as well, it sets the right tone for the rest of the album. The song, laced with finger snaps and a mellow bassline, is flirty yet funky, just like its coy lyrics about a woman who Jonghyun swears he encountered before. There may not be a climax moment, but the varied structure – some singing abbreviated with soft murmurs – makes it nevertheless very addicting. Trust Jonghyun to deliver yet another well written and composed song.

13. BTS – “Boyz With Fun”

Sometimes I forget how young the members of BTS really are. Their lyrics and music are usually deep and transcends powerful messages to the listeners. One would think they’re all serious and no fun, but “Boyz With Fun” showed otherwise. This song does exactly what the title states. The members are cheerful from beginning to end. It’s easy to sense their playfulness towards one another, even without watching their live performances. With it’s hooking beat, who could possibly sit still and maintain any sort of calmness while listening to this? BTS doesn’t want to be bothered with someone who’s not down to having a good time, would you? What would life be like if it was just filled with humorless and full days? “Boyz With Fun” is reminder to always fill your days with as much enjoyment as possible!

12.5 Super Junior “Stars Appear”

Due to editorial oversight, “Stars Appear” was not included in the originally published version of this list. Our bad!
Super Junior’s known for their dances, but some of their most memorable tracks throughout the years have been power ballads. “Stars Appear” begins with a simple piano melody before building into a soft rock song that is all about the group’s decade-spanning career together. The member’s vocals come together in an emotion-wrought chorus over strings and clashing cymbals, along with a lot of subtle sounds. The song comes to a sudden with an acoustic, a nearly a cappella bridge filled with Kyuhyun and Ryeowook’s smooth crooning before returning to its previously-introduced tempo. The song has plenty of parts distributed so that Super Junior’s members each get a chance to sing, but the real beauty of “Stars Appear” are the choruses, which have several members showing off their vocal colors backed by the rest. Super Junior’s a big group, but this song gives each member a time to shine.

12. miss A “Love Song”

Despite JYP Entertainment having its best year in a long time, miss A still seemed to slip under the radar compared to their compatriots. This is a shame as their album “Colours” was fantastic and this track from it, “Love Song,” is one of the best of the year. The song opens with an atmospheric piano melody that transitions into a subdued but moody verse. The intro then returns as a pre chorus before what can only be described as a crunk classical chorus. It is merely oriental strings along with a bass drum and snare but manages to be instantly danceable and energetic. This unexpected turn transformed “Love Song” from a great filler track to a genre-creating masterpiece. ‘’Like a tornado’’ is right.

11. BEAST – “See You There”

2014 was BEAST’s year — no doubt about that. “Good Luck” and “12:30” won everything in music shows and rocked our worlds. So when 2015 came around, we were perplexed by their singles that were subpar to its precedents. I say with deep pain in my heart that BEAST was a disappointment in 2015, but at least they managed to release an awesome b-side worthy of their previous album, “See You There.” The synth beats effortlessly weave into the R&B influences, with the member’s velvety vocals bringing the whole thing full circle. Not only are the lyrics, about a man wishing to meet his lover where they first met, beautiful, but it’s the perfect example of BEAST’s flawless harmonization. It’s a sweet, feel-good song, but it’s also the best in the entire album “Ordinary.”


 Also on KultScene: 5 Must See K-dramas of 2015

10. Infinite- “Moonlight”

Perhaps the song most celebrated by Inspirits for having the best line distribution in Infinite’s mini album “Reality,” “Moonlight” is an upbeat dance track that has Infinite written all over it, mostly because it sounds familiar to their old hits such as “Paradise.” Surprisingly, this track does not have any raps in it, but perhaps this is for the better because it gave resident rappers Hoya and Dongwoo a chance to show off their amazing vocal ability. Dongwoo in particular had several high notes in the track and pulled it off very well. The producers of the track should be given credit as well because of how skillfully originally weak vocalists such as Sungyeol and Sungjong were used in the song. Yes, their parts were auto-tuned sometimes, but for once, the auto-tune didn’t sound out of place and fitted the song perfectly. They were also given parts which suited their voices and allowed them to sound really good. The track was also layered with many vocal ad-libs and strong instrumentals, all in all creating one of the best songs of the album.

9. EXO – “Hurt”

EXO’s “EXODUS” album from earlier this year was absolutely stuffed with addicting songs and “Hurt” is the highlight of the non-singles. The haunting instrumental opening drops into an electropop song that is addicting that leads into a dub-pop dance break. “Hurt” stands out by giving EXO everything that the members need to shine; there are individual, building solos, there are harmonization-filled choruses, some raps that don’t detract from the abundance of heartbreaking crooning. The moody, angsty song’s lyrics are like something out of late 2000’s MySpace pages, and the narrator of “Hurt” probably could use a few hugs. “Will you take me inside the veil that covers you?” sings EXO. “Can’t you make me live?” EXO does well at being the desperate lover, and “Hurt” is the epitome of that. EXO is an idol dance group first and foremost, but the artistry of “Hurt” with its ability to seamlessly introduce different rhythms and musical styles is a standout from EXO’s discography.

8. BTS – “Hold Me Tight”

BTS’s “Hold Me Tight” is easily title track material, if only their album “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt. 1” did not already have two other singles already. The song walks us through several distinct moments, from the opening with the delicate piano instrumentals, to the body’s snaps and snares, and finally to the bridge with the muffled rap. The members’ long vibratos and angsty raps makes it one of the group’s most emotional songs, and the harmonizations throughout the verses and choruses are exemplars to the group’s talent. Moreover, the passionate mood perfectly conveys the lyrics about the regret and the desperation that accompanies a foreseen breakup. But, wait, it gets better. In collaboration with Slow Rabbit, pdogg, and the rapper line, the song is composed and written by member V, making it his first time participating in a BTS production. For a first, it is pretty impressive, but then again it is BTS, so what else is new?

7. f(x) “Rude Love”

The love of British dance music didn’t end with “Four Walls” for f(x); “Rude Love” is a sprawling house ode to sex. While it is ostensibly a house track, it also seems to borrow from other British music of the same era. The satisfyingly simple piano is reminiscent of a Stone Roses or Happy Mondays track, and I assure you f(x) are picking the right influences. These pianos mix with the house beats to create an almost pure dance track only lifted by the dynamic vocals. The muffled refrains of “I’m wanting you baby” being particularly important to bringing it all together.

6. BTS – “Silver Spoon”/“Crow Tit”

BTS may not have a “Cypher Pt. 4” for us in their album “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt. 2”, but they do have “Crow Tit” (“Silver Spoon”), which is pretty much the same thing. On the surface, it’s one of those songs that make listeners feel bigger than life with its trap beats, but at the microlevel, it’s a track about originality, social expectations, and generational divides. The title refers to a Korean proverb “If a crow-tit walks like a stork, it will tear its legs,” which, in turn, translates into an expression about people who ruin themselves by trying to emulate those who are better. In this case, BTS are the crows who are condemned by the superior storks. But BTS embraces their crow-like position, as supported by the implementation of crow caw beats, and thank their haters (“Thanks to the stork, my legs spread”), which explains the members’ cocky tones. The track boasts of each member’s’ colorful voices, which are barely indistinguishable here, and it’s just one of their many songs that listeners have to see live.

5. GOT7 – “Back to Me”

Before GOT7 released “If You Do” and the album “MAD,” their thing was the cutesy and playful concept epitomized by “Just Right.” However, on that same album, we got other just as good lively and cute jams like “Back to Me.” Sprinkled with hip-hop, “Back to Me” is the sweetest song about wanting a girl back that allowed for the backup vocalists Jr. and Yugyeom to take the lead. It’s impossible to hear this strong and not have your heart immediately warm up and a big smile form in your face. While GOT7’s manly and fierce image was the true revelation of the year, we’ll always cherish their perfectly human boyfriend concept paired with bubblegum pop/hip-hop hybrids.

4. Red Velvet – “Time Slip”

Red Velvet has had a great year and their album “The Red” was truly a wonderful one. “Time Slip” is simply exceptional though, with its use of cohesive instrumentals and a great bass. It’s tempo is similar to that of English hits such as “Fancy,” but comparatively, “Time Slip” has more interesting sounds (a school bell was used at one point). The vocals of the members are also showcased well here and they brought out the meaning of the lyrics because they literally transported listeners to another world through this song. The song seems like a successful experiment which worked exceedingly well for Red Velvet and I’m glad that they’re defying conventional K-pop girl group standards. I’m really excited to see what else they have in store for us because they are a group with boundless potential.

3. EXID – “Thrilling”

EXID’s funk-dance songs like “Up & Down” and “Ah Yeah” are great, but the girl group’s vocal performance in “Thrilling” is one of KultScene’s favorite songs of the year. The alluring, haunting track offers up a bevy of everything that makes EXID the fierce group we know and love. The vocal talent, the seductive voices, the take no bullshit attitude… “Thrilling” is EXID at their very best. EXID’s distinct sound is clear throughout “Thrilling,” and is the grown up version of 2012’s “Every Night.” The song doesn’t hold back, and each member is given their chance to shine. The highlight is definitely the builds that lead into the singsong chanting chorus featuring Junghwa, and there’s an absolutely phenomenal harmonization towards the end of the song featuring Hani’s sultry voice lightly layered over Solji’s belting high note.

2. BTS – “Whalien 52”

BTS is known for being K-pop’s “social conscious,” as they often tackle heavy subjects such as oppression and the pursuit of happiness through their lyrics, so with their latest album “The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt.1” this is not any different. In particular, “Whalien 52” uses a real life solitude creature, a whale who communicates at a disparate 52 hertz wavelength, as a trope to speak about loneliness and despair. Unlike what one would expect, however, the group approaches the topics in a hopeful manner. Behind all the light piano melody and synth sounds is an inspirational song also about how one day this whale’s tune will reach someone, just as how through the right effort and persistence one can leave a dent in this world. A repetitive wailing in the backing track resembling a whale song further supports the notion of how this whale should keep singing until its voice is heard, and continues throughout the tune until it ends on one resoluting cry. “Whalien 52” attests to how an unlikely muse like a marine mammal can be incorporated into both the greater message and the production of a beautiful track.

1. Brown Eyed Girls “Wave”

In the context of Brown Eyed Girls’ album “Basic”, “Wave” plays almost like a warm up for lead single “Brave New World,” but goes above and beyond the single’s radio-friendly take on ambient pop. With less bombast, “Wave” washes over its audience and allows a build of quiet tension to pervade its entirety. The instrumental intricacies are similar to “Brave New World” but work to give us something more chilled out but with a broken hearted bite, matched by breathtaking harmonies. “Wave” contains similar funk guitars and a gorgeous slinking bassline, but it’s more mellow in its overall sound. Simple keys open up the song before a perfectly tight rhythm section and eventually a funky scratching lead guitar. Each of these elements are balanced delicately, coming in and out of the song to build the aforementioned tension and also to create a heavenly climax during Miryo’s rap. “Wave” is one of Brown Eyed Girls’ most spectacular productions to date, and it is something we’d love to see more of this sort of song from the talented vocal group.

What were your favorite K-pop B-sides? Share your picks and thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Video of the Top 25 Korean Songs of 2015

BTS

So far 2016 has been a slow year, aside from Dal Shabet nothing of any interest has been released. This has led us to looking back at how great of a year 2015 really was. To celebrate it, one of our writers cut together a video of the top 25 songs of the year as voted for by the KultScene writers. As you may have seen our top 50 list, this video takes the top 25 and edits them together in inventive ways. This is something to celebrate the year in music with, but mostly we hope you have fun watching it.

What was your favorite Korean song this year? Share your picks and thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

From Underdogs to International Stardom: BTS’s Rise to Success

RIDE WITH ME ON THE JOURNEY OF MORE SUCC(ESS)

Recently South Korean hip-hop group BTS made headlines again for their latest feat: For the second, non-consecutive week the septet was able send their latest album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life, Pt. 2 atop Billboard’s World Albums chart, making the group the first K-pop act to have the same album spend more than a week on top. This only comes after their other accomplishment as the first K-pop act to enter the Billboard 200 that is not from a large company, such as YG or SM Entertainment, after the album was released back in late November. With this, the group joins their senior groups EXO, BoA, Girls’ Generation and its sub-unit Girls’ Generation TTS, 2NE1, and Big Bang. Indeed, BTS’s international success, coupled with their five music show wins for their title track “Run” in their native Korea, makes a strong case for the group’s rising popularity.

What makes the achievement even more salient is that BTS has not even been around for long. Debuting under the small company Big Hit Entertainment back in June 13, 2013, the underdogs managed these unprecedented feats in an extremely and relatively short amount of time. And as their company’s first attempt at a boy group, the members of BTS did all this and more without much experience from their agency, unlike some of their contemporaries. When we consider just how much BTS carries the weight of their company on their shoulders, it really puts their surging popularity and multiple triumphs into perspective.


Also on Kultscene: Whales & K-pop: EXO, BTS, & The Loneliest Creature in the World

But so we get it. The damn group is taking great strides toward stardom. They’re the face of their company, its cash cow. From a business standpoint, however, it’s nothing special unless we can analyze what exactly it is that they are doing right. And in BTS’s case, it’s not just one particular thing, but several.

Starting at the most basic level – what gets monetized and why the group exists in the first place – is the music. Since debut up until now, the group has always had an active role in the genesis of their albums, whether it is in lyric-writing, song composition or production. This is especially true for the rapper line, which consists of leader Rap Monster, Suga, and J-Hope, who have all taken part in the rap making of their songs. Their character is delivered through their original lyrics, and through these lines the group weaves together a story told through multiple vignettes. There is always a conversation happening in their songs, but it also does not at all mean that they always end in reconciliation. A notable example is in “Converse High,” off of their album The Most Beautiful Moment in Life Pt. 1, in which Suga took the notorious dissenting opinion when he said “Converse, Converse, I really hate a Converse.” Contrast this to the rest of the song, which literally promotes how great the shoe is. Even though it might create a lapse in the theme of the song, the members are true to their feelings. By not playing it safe and by offering different outlooks, the piece actually ends up becoming more personal.


Since the lyrics are all penned by the members, they are also all free to express whatever they want with whatever they want. Using the same “Converse High” track as our model, we see that not only do the members mention the inescapable “Converse” brand, but also name drops a slew of other brands, including “Chanel,” “Alexander McQueen,” and “Raf Simons.” However, the use of brand names is deemed unfit for broadcast and resulted in the song’s ban. But the boys, who have had their songs banned in the past on the basis of coarse language and vulgar jokes, are no stranger to this by now. The group would much rather forgo public friendly content than sacrifice meaning, and you cannot say that is not admirable. There’s just something in sharing in on the same insiders (“Hey! I know that brand too!”) that feels more rewarding. BTS is definitely the type of group who speaks the truth first, and thinks about its consequences later.

Usually, I would take idol produced anything with a grain of salt, as they are often trained more in the performance than the actual doing, but with BTS it’s an exception. The rapper line even inspired the vocalists to become more involved as well, which was highlighted in their album “The Most Beautiful in Life Pt. 1” in which the youngest Jungkook and fellow member V wrote the songs for “Outro: Love Is Not Over” and “Hold Me Tight,” respectively. Being actively involved might not seem like such a big deal so long as the end product has that catchy hook, but it’s what separates passion from a hobby and a flame from a spark. One look at their discography, and anyone can see that the group knows what the fans wants. From the tough, bad boy image they debuted with, they matured over the years to bring us a more sophisticated sound. And through it all, they found a way to use music as an outlet to tackle subjects such as the pursuit of happiness and the rejection of our ideologies, which becomes all the more significant taken in the context of their conservative environment.


Also on Kultscene: Which BTS Member Are You? [QUIZ]

Another hallmark of the group’s appeal is their PR and social media presence. An idol group is nothing without their fans and as Big Hit Entertainment’s golden child, all efforts at bolstering their name is directed at BTS. They are constantly on their SNS giving us fan service, whether it is through Twitter, the V app, or their YouTube where their meokbangs (eating shows), logs and Bangtan Bomb segments can be found. This is all in addition to their fancafe posts and to their own blog as well, the latter of which the members use to upload exclusive content and member Jin’s cooking recipes. Through these various platforms, fans are able to catch a glimpse of the playful beagle-like, idols in their downtime in all their barefaced glory. Fans eventually come to learn that behind all the glitz and glamour is a group of seven twenty-somethings who shop the same drugstore brand lip balm and who love the latest internet trend as much as we do. At times, they share their personal struggles or their intimate thoughts with us, too. As much as the boys are dedicated to their stage, they are even more dedicated to their fans. It’s actually surprising how they are not so burnt out yet.

jk nivea

With so many opportunities to get to know the boys online, it’s no wonder their fanbase, both domestically and internationally, is so strong. Throughout 2015, they were able to rack up 116,582 additional members in their fancafe, the highest amount for a fancafe last year. BTS was able to headline their “2015 BTS Live Trilogy Episode II: The Red Bullet” concert tour overseas very early in their career, which stopped at eighteen cities at thirteen different countries. What’s even more impressive is the fact that they were able to sell out shows in places like Sydney and Melbourne that traditionally do not experience that level of success when it comes to selling out venues for K-pop acts. Indeed, with Hallyu picking up speed, their company must have realized the size and importance of an overseas market.

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Korean boy group FanCafe rankings from Jan 31th 2015 – Jan 2nd 2016 with BTS at #4

Part unbridled personality, part musical talents, BTS is engaging in everything they do. They understand that in order to release good music, they have to have fun with it. Sometimes, it’s difficult to extricate their personas on stage from their everyday personalities precisely because they are able to blur the line that marks this distinction. The group, with some members who began music from the underground scene, started from the bottom of the barrel but evolved into one of K-pop’s best Horatio Alger story. Without a doubt, BTS is one group to watch out for in the 2016 year.

Are you a BTS fan? What makes them special to you? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Whales & K-Pop: EXO, BTS, & The Loneliest Creature In The World

EXO "Sing For You" BTS "Whalien 52"What does EXO and BTS have in common?

Ask me this yesterday, and I’d have said a variety of things like, “K-pop boy bands, good looking, talented, etc.” Ask me today and I’d have to say “they’re lonely.” Or, alternatively, both BTS and EXO are fans of the 52-hertz whale, known as the loneliest creature on this planet.

It is pretty well-known that K-pop idols are dedicated to their craft and their fans. Fan service, the shows of affection that Korean singers put on for their fans that range from throwing hearts into crowds to getting down on one knee and mock-proposing to fans with roses, is commonplace. As entertainers, it is the job of Korean idols to make fans believe that they are happy; showing anything less than a large smile is often seen as unprofessional.

But within the past two weeks though, two of K-pop’s most up-and-coming idol groups both addressed loneliness verging on depression, using the lonely 52-hertz whale, the world’s so-called loneliest whale to do just that.

The Loneliest Animal On Earth

“It’s as if he speaks his own language– a language of one. Even stranger, 52 Hertz does not follow the known migration route of any extant baleen whale species. He sings alone and travels alone.” — Bryan Nelson for Discovery.com

The 52-hertz whale was first heard in 1989 by a team of scientists, singing a whale song that was more than double the average frequency of whale song from other species of the animal, which sing between a range of 15-25 hertz. Since then, the 52-hertz whale has been identified as single, solitary whale. He is the epitome of loneliness on this planet, and has been this way for at least twenty years.

And BTS and EXO have each tied this lone creature into their recent songs, turning the 52-hertz whale as a symbol of both depression and hope.


Also on KultScene: Which BTS Member Are You? [QUIZ]

BTS – “Whalien 52”

BTS’s “Whalien 52,” from their latest album “The Most Beautiful Moment In Life, Part 2 “ is a song about being misunderstood and not being able to fit in. The title is an amalgamation of the 52-hertz whale’s name and the idea of “alienation,” or being apart and different from those around you.

“Alienation- A withdrawing or separation of a person or a person’s affections from an object or position of former attachment : estrangement. (Alienation…from the values of one’s society and family.-S. L. Halleck)” — Merriam-Webster

BTS’s song was produced by Pdogg in collaboration with members Rap Monster, J-Hope, and Jungkook, giving “Whalien 52” a personalized touch that is usually missing from K-pop songs. BTS has set themselves aside from most new K-pop groups for this reason, with members taking a role in just about every song of their latest album. Which means that the final message of “Whalien 52,” to be the best “whale” you can be, and do your own thing even if it means being alone, is a message directly from the mouths of these K-pop idols themselves.

The everyday loneliness that people feel isn’t something that is a typical part of K-pop, which more often than not offers up love songs or bombastic anthems. “Whalien 52” is one of the few songs out there to discuss how each and every person has their own life that is unlike that of anyone else in the world.

BTS’s lilting take on “Whalien 52” takes a harsh subject and gives it a lighter feel, with an ultimately inspiring ending. The initial dark, solitary lyrics and meaning of “Whalien 52” bely the harmonies and raps interspersed with tinkling keyboard and synth sounds, which innately give the song an uplifting vibe to match the song’s final message rather than the initial feeling of being alone.

EXO – “Sing For You”

The lyrics of EXO’s most recent winter ballad, “Sing For You,” describes someone who has regrets towards the person that they love and expresses the desire to sing a confession song for that person. But the music video, an entirely black and white production, initially shows EXO’s members enjoying their winter days and then hints to the darker feelings that people repress under their surface.

The music video depicts literal loneliness, anger, and misunderstanding through the actions of EXO’s members, some fighting, some disappearing etc. And Sehun explores space as a lonely astronaut who meets a solitary, 52-hertz whale.

This isn’t a case of possibly misunderstanding the music video plot; the 52-hertz whale is a symbol of loneliness and the wintery scenes likely hint to depression, particularly seasonal depression, a condition that accompanies the winter months and affects millions of people. The video ends with EXO’s members coming together and Sehun befriending the whale, showing that loneliness can be beaten with the help of others.

Cultural Meaning

EXO is currently one of K-pop’s most popular groups and has spent much of this year competing with Big Bang to take first place. To address the loneliness that people feel, both when they’re on their own (figuratively in outer space,) and when they’re with others, is a big step for the K-pop industry.


Also on KultScene: Meet iDR, The Man Behind EXO’s “Love Me Right”

Whereas BTS is a relatively independent K-pop group (if such a thing were possible,) with members having real roles in creating their music, EXO is the exact opposite. The group is perfectly produced by SM Entertainment with only a few instances throughout their career where EXO’s members have been able to try their hand at playing a part in their artistic career (such as Lay’s hand in the beautiful song, “Promise 2014.”)

But, regardless of their differences, both groups have recently addressed loneliness, comparing the individual’s struggle for understanding to that of a solitary creature who roams the world without literally being understood by its peers.

Both EXO and BTS have offered inspiration in the face of estrangement (BTS- keep persevering, EXO- Find others who understand you), and that’s all good and dandy but there is something deeper behind these two songs than just the normal K-pop/hip hop ballads.

South Korea, the country that makes bubblegum K-pop for all of us to enjoy, is one of the most depressed countries in the world. It has the highest suicide rate by country, with 24.7 people out of 100,000 committing suicide each year according to the Washington Post. According to the OECD Better Life Index, South Korea has the lowest ranking community support in the world, with only 72% of South Koreans feeling that they have people to turn to in times of need. Additionally, South Korea’s work-to-life ratio is lower than that of many other countries.

By offering up inspirational tracks in the dark of the winter, BTS and EXO offer their own sort of 52-hertz whale to their fans. “Whalien 52” and “Sing For You” feature aspects of loneliness, offering understanding to K-pop fans, both Korean and otherwise, who need support in the lonely world.

But, even more so, the message of each song/music video also shows that even the perfectly coiffed K-pop world is a lonely place.

BTS’s members personally partook in writing “Whalien 52” and EXO’s members vividly drew attention to their own battles with loneliness while still trying to keep their smiles on their faces at times. It’s almost expected that BTS has a harder time, because several of them were underground artists and because the group is still under a relatively small entertainment agency, and members of the group have addressed depression in interviews.

But because EXO is under SM Entertainment, the largest entertainment agency, they’re expected to put on a good face the majority of the time and the meaning behind the video of “Sing For You” is almost shocking.  It’s been some time since an SM Entertainment artist discussed depression (several members of Super Junior and Girls’ Generation have addressed it in the past), and it’s the first time that this writer can recall where an SM Entertainment music video hit on something related to mental health.

Because it breaks the illusion of what it means to be an idol, and EXO is arguably the most popular young male K-pop idol group in the world today, depression has been taboo to the group (despite former members leaving and others visibly struggling through performances). But throughout the music video for “Sing For You,” EXO depicts the sort of inner turmoil that isn’t about the love-related lyrics of the song, and instead depict the struggles that go along with the world that they (and the rest of us) live in. “Sing For You” is the opposite of an upbeat anthem; the music video shows suffering and loneliness in a way that just doesn’t let the viewer ignore it.

The 52-hertz whale may be alone, but he’s also a symbol of hope, of resilience, when feeling alone. By bringing out their inner whales and depicting loneliness that is on par with that of the 52-hertz whale, BTS and EXO not only helps their audiences understand that each individual isn’t the only one struggling in this world with loneliness, but also helps people relate more to the very human K-pop idols.

What’s your interpretation of the BTS and EXO songs? How do you deal with loneliness? Let us know in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.