Playlist Sunday: Brand Name Shoutouts

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playlist sunday kpop brand names songs

Even if Korean broadcasting stations aren’t keen on airing songs that contain name brands on the lyrics, that doesn’t stop the artists from including them. Or at least not on the B sides. Hey, the struggle is real and they need their singles to get some airplay. So for this week’s playlist, we’re talking about our favorite songs with shoutouts to fashion houses and overall brands. Because even though they’re rare — especially with K-pop — they exist.

Seven member hip hop group BTS released this catchy ode to Converse high tops on their 2015 mini album, “The Most Beautiful Moment In Life Part 1.” Their leader, Rap Monster, said his inspiration for the lyrics stemmed from the notion that his ideal woman should wear red Converse high tops. Clearly implying that Converse should be the only brand his girlfriend wears, the rapper jokes: “Oh f your Chanel, f your Alexander McQueen, f your Raf Simons.” The song continues to extol the virtues of the Converse brand, until fellow rapper Suga declares: “I really hate Converse,” simply because he feels they are they too difficult to remove when he is getting amorous with a woman. Due to strict laws on product placement in South Korea “Converse High” was banned by TV network KBS, who strongly objected to the over use of brand names.

— Eve

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Some of 2NE1’s early songs were just so full of sass. “Can’t Nobody” was released in 2010 and won an award at the Mnet Asian Music Awards (MAMAs) that year because the video was so on point. But it’s the lyrics of their English version of the song that were just jam packed with brand name shouts. The entire first stanza is just one designer brand after another: Balmain, KTZ, Jeremy Scott, Givenchy, Chrome Hearts, Fendi, they all are referenced by CL in the first few moments of the song (Lamborghini gets referenced later on). The Korean version of “Can’t Nobody” doesn’t have the same fashion-forward flare, but the message of the song is the same, and there is nobody who can hold these ladies down.

— Tamar

Rapper Beenzino has made it very clear over the year that he’s into fashion and art. Whether it’s by his everyday looks, the magazine spreads he’s featured in, or his lyrics, he makes it really clear that fashion occupies an important spot in his life. And similarly to BTS, Beenzino raps about the type of kicks he likes to see his girl wearing in “Nike Shoes,” which are, of course, Nike. The song is essentially an ode to this girl’s style, since he talks about everything from her effortless chic charm to her tight jeans. Throughout the song, he name drops a few other designer houses like Gucci, Chanel, and Givenchy, but ultimately, it’s the Nike sneakers on this girl what he likes.

— Alexis

Fans of BTS’s leader Rap Monster (real name Kim Namjoon) would know that the guy loves his outfits of the day. Rap Monster, who also goes by the moniker “Kim Daily,” regularly updates the group’s Twitter account with what he is wearing that day. Naturally, his passion for fashion makes its way through his lyrics, as not only seen in BTS’s contemporary songs like “Converse High,” but also in his pre-but tracks. In his version of Wale’s “Illest Bitch,” he confesses early on his affinity for girls in simple white tees, denim, and a pair of red Converse high tops through his original lyrics. Other girls may talk about brands like “Gucci, Louis (Vuitton), Fendi, Prada,” but to him those are the kinds of things that will mask her beauty. And even if he does refer to her as a “bitch” throughout the song, Rap Monster is a total sweetheart while showing off his fashion know-how.

— Shelley

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Here in the United States it seems as though there’s always a new song that comes out that has a heavy emphasis on mentioning brand names and labels. It’s the norm here; artists can mention practically anything from sunglass brand Ray-Bans to vodka brand Cîroc and not receive any form of penalization for it, most of the time anyway. Meanwhile, BIGBANG’s “WE LIKE 2 PARTY” was deemed unfit for broadcast on one of the major Korean broadcasting network, KBS, for mentioning a wine brand, Opus One. Sure, there were other factors that played into why the song wasn’t allowed to broadcast, but you can’t have a song that talks about partying and not mention the most obvious, drinking. But then again, South Korea is still considerably reserved as country, it’s just insane to how quickly Korean music programs are to put a stop to streaming a song, even at the mention of a single brand name.

— Tam

What’s your favorite K-pop song with a brand name shoutout? Share your picks 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.

What K-Drama Cliche Is Your Life? [QUIZ]

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heirs

You’ve seen the Korean dramas with memory loss, with somebody disappearing for months, with… Well, you know all of the tropes. You can probably list off the cliches without even thinking about it: Love triangles, evil mothers, rich guy-poor girl… The list goes on and on. You may even have your favorite, cliche-filled drama that you watch clips from just to make yourself laugh sometimes. You love K-drama cliches. We all do!

There has probably been a time in the life of every K-drama fan where we’ve wanted to live in a K-drama. A bit difficult to achieve, but we have the next best thing for you. This KultScene quiz will help you figure out which K-drama cliche your life is, so take a few minutes and then let us know your results in the comment section!

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Do you like this quiz? Make sure to tell us what other quizzes and content you’d like to see from KultScene in the future. 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.

Playlist Sunday: Coffee

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kpop playlist coffee song

For every person in Seoul, it seems there are three coffee shops. To go along with the caffeine addiction that has affected much of South Korea, many Korean artists have sung about coffee or being caffeinated. Kick-off this week not only with an actual shot of caffeine but an auditory pick-me-up as well. Coffee seems to be a staple in practically everyone’s lives, now that there are multiple options from organic coffee (https://www.ampersand-coffee.com/organic-coffee) to over-the-top flavorings, there is something for everybody to have a cup of. So sit back with your favorite drink and pair it with some tunes.

UL, also known as “Infinite Challenge” producer-collaborator Yoo Jae Hwan and Towgeworl’s Lim Kim (Kim Ye Rim) released “Coffee” only a few days ago, and it’s one of my favorite caffeine-addled Korean songs to date (and there are a lot of them!) UL’s first song as a singer rather than a producer was produced by “Infinity Challenge” star Park Myung Soo, and it’s a heart-wrenching uptempo ballad about lovers questioning the end of their relationship. Many interpersonal relationships, and particularly dating culture, in South Korea revolves around coffee dates and “Coffee” takes this to a new level by comparing the coffee’s bitterness to the level of interest in the relationship. Even though the song is sad, the voices of UL and Lim Kim meld together well with the eerie music, creating a beautiful song while perfectly expressing the melancholy.

— Tamar

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The love for coffee gives way to many songs with coffee metaphors, such as BEAST’s Yoseob‘s “Caffeine.” In his solo track, the singer compares his love interest with caffeine, which keeps him up all night, gets his heart rate up, and, well, is innately bad for him. Because while coffee is a cup-full of yummyness, it can be bad for you, just like some relationships are. Moreover, Yoseob’s warm vocals soothe over any broken heart, even with a break-up song. Not no mention fellow BEAST member’s Junhyung’s laid back and mellow rap.

— Alexis

Coffee to me is purely a way to survive a long and tiring day because it fills me up with much needed energy, and this song by CNBLUE’s Yonghwa expresses it well. Granted, “Energy” is directed more at the idea of a woman being the energy source of a guy in love but when you take the lyrics out of context, they literally describe me and coffee. “I’m out of energy I’m breaking down” and “I need your energy I can’t move.” Of course, the song itself is totally amazing as it adopts a laid-back but catchy feel and it is made better by Verbal Jint’s chill rapping.

— Anna

Also on KultScene: Blink & You’ll Miss These ‘Doctor Who’ References In K-Pop Music Videos

Coffee makes a great analogy for relationships it seems, and well, BTS‘s “Coffee” is no different. Like the transitive nature of coffee, this mellow song compares a first date that was once so sweet like caramel macchiato to the bitter aftertaste left in one’s mouth after a breakup. And after any breakup, little things such as the minty coffee she or he used to like can instantly transport a nostalgic lover back to those dates in that one cafe. The caffeine in the brewed beverage is a little addictive, and so is returning to those memories. With many rhetorical devices and references to different types of coffee, “Coffee” is an easy listen perfect for anyone who may be experiencing similar post-relationship symptoms.

— Shelley

What’s your favorite coffee inspired K-pop song? Let us know in the comments 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.

Blink & You’ll Miss These ‘Doctor Who’ References In K-Pop Music Videos

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Doctor Who Meets K-PopK-pop and British pop culture has little direct influence on one another, but some K-pop music video directors are definitely fans of the iconic British television series, “Doctor Who.” Although they’re few and far apart, there are some K-pop music videos that directly take influences from “Doctor Who.”

In honor of the new season of “Doctor Who” being well under way, I took a look into three K-pop music videos that get their inspiration from “Doctor Who.” Even if you’re not a fan of the British show, you know these K-pop music videos and may be surprised.

Big Bang’s “Bang Bang Bang”

Long before Buzzfeed’s Try Guys noticed a connection between the British television series “Doctor Who” and one of this year’s most watched K-pop music videos on YouTube, I noticed a seemingly impossible reference to the iconic sixth season premiere, “The Impossible Astronaut.” In the music video, wearing a cowboy hat and a leather jacket, Big Bang’s rapper T.O.P appears to be no other than the stand in for the show’s leading man, The Doctor.

Also on Kultscene: 4 K-Pop Songs Casting ‘Harry Potter’ Spells

Yes, T.O.P is The Eleventh Doctor. And River Song. Or, at least, he’s wearing a cowboy hat while hanging out with an astronaut, who also appears to be T.O.P. To my knowledge, YG Entertainment hasn’t explained if T.O.P kills himself and ruins the history of time forever or is married to himself, but it’s a pretty humorous few moments in the music video.

Think the cowboy and astronaut are just coincidences and accidentally appear to be referencing “Doctor Who?” Think again, because here are definitely alien-like specimens in jars on the sill and that white room looks a bit like the room from the episode “The Girl Who Waited.”

ZE:A’s “Breathe”

The Big Bang music video is actually just the most recent addition to this list of K-pop music videos that take aspects from “Doctor Who.” The 2014 music video for ZE:A’s song has a bit of a depressing tone to it, like the whole world being destructed and ZE:A dancing in a spaceship, but then we get our space elements that take us to “Doctor Who” and everything seems like it is much better.

In this case, we don’t get a blatant reference to The Doctor or any other character from the show, but we do get a TARDIS. Yes, a TARDIS, but not The Doctor’s TARDIS. This is more like ZE:A’s COE.

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Also on Kultscene: 5 Most Social Media Savvy K-pop Idols

For K-pop fans who don’t know, The Doctor’s TARDIS is his spaceship that travels through time and space, and it looks like a 1960’s police call box from England. Its name is an acronym for “Time And Relative Dimensions In Space.” So, going with that, ZE:A’s blue box has the group’s name it in English, which is Children of Empire so… I decided that ZE:A’s spaceship is called a COE, and it doesn’t really travel through space and time as much as it makes a handsome K-pop group.

ZE:A’s music video has a lot of out of this world elements, but I can’t help but wonder whether their blue stage outfits came before or after someone suggested throwing in one of the most iconic images of British pop culture, the TARDIS from “Doctor Who”.

IU’s “You & I”

Last but definitely not least, we have a K-pop singer emulating The Doctor.This 2011 music video from IU takes us to England, or somewhere that looks like it, with a clock tower that can’t quite compare to Big Ben and a cozy little house with black and white pictures and a random goose walking around IU’s home as she counts down to D-Day.

Do you remember how I explained that the TARDIS is a spaceship that travels through time and space? Well, IU’s waiting for some handsome guy to wake up and there’s a magical mystery device that says “time” and “space” on it.

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And then it gets better!

Not every season of “Doctor Who” has clockwork in the beginning of each episode as part of the opening theme, but clockwork played a role in the intro of the eighth season of “Doctor Who,” and what is IU dancing in front of during the intro of the song? Nothing more than tons of clockwork gears.

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Okay, that may be a bit of a stretch, but here is the best use of any “Doctor Who” reference in K-pop to date- IU uses the TARDIS. Or something that looks like it and works the same way.

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Yes, Korea’s pop princess IU takes a ride on a train called the Fantasy Express and then gets into a time machine that looks oddly like a TARDIS from the outside. “You & I” foregoes the delightful bright blue color for something a bit more sedate, but there’s the same twirling and cosmic ambiance of IU’s box of time and space.

Do you know any other references to “Doctor Who” in K-pop? Let us know in the comments 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.

5 Most Social Media Savvy K-pop Idols

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The use of social media is steadily increasing along with the development of smartphones in our world and K-pop idols are no exception. Social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram aren’t just platforms for idols to update their fans about their activities, they also help to break the physical barrier separating us from them, allowing fans to directly interact with the idol. These platforms have helped them grow instagram followers, as well as twitter followers. At times, the idols even reply or acknowledge the comments or tweets of their fans through fan talks, which is a great method to make a fan’s day. By showing more of their true selves through social media, idols can garner more support and love from their fans, which is as good a business strategy as any other. Here are five idols who are particularly social media savvy and are consistently appearing on fans’ feeds.

1. Jae (Day6)

This guitarist from freshly-debuted band Day6 has been grabbing attention recently not just because of his group or his amazing voice but also because of his hilarious tweets and Instagram posts. Known fondly by fans all over the world as the “hashtag king”, he literally hashtags everything ranging from “#NoseBloatedLikeSquidward” to “#EveryVillainGottaHaveAFurCoat”. If you ever need to find new hashtags for your posts, you might want to use his hashtags as inspiration as they’re so original. Popular news website Soompi also noticed that, as can be seen by their humorous interaction on Twitter with JYP Entertainment’s Twitter account regarding Jae and his love for hashtags.

social media Jae

Jae seems to be online for a good majority of the day because he is constantly replying or retweeting fans’ tweets to him, most of the time with funny comeback lines or pictures. He also made use of his internet prowess. He even went and changed his group’s “Wikipedia” page when they first debuted.

It is rare to find K-pop artists with so much freedom, especially because most artists allegedly have to check with their managing companies before they can update their social media. The other members of Day6 also seem to enjoy this social media freedom, even though they are not as enthusiastic about hashtags as Jae. Whatever it is that JYP’s doing right with this group now, I hope they continue doing it.

2. Jackson (GOT7)

GOT7 recently made a comeback with their latest album “Mad,” and Jackson announced its release proudly on his Instagram account in three languages (Korean, English, Chinese). Two days before, he also took to his Instagram account to wish his fans a “Happy ??” (“Happy Chuseok”) or “???” in four languages (Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese). He doesn’t just use social media to practice the languages that he has been learning (such as Japanese), he also uses it to talk to more fans from around the world. For non-native and non-Korean speaking K-pop fans like myself, nothing touches my heart more than when my idol takes the effort to write a caption on social media in a language that I actually understand. It makes me feel like the distance between us just got shortened (delusional, I know) but it is an effective way for Jackson to reach out to his international fans, of which GOT7 has many. He also shows his fans that he is preserving his roots as a Hong Kong-born boy and that he is multi-linguistic, along with the various other skills this multi-talented artist possesses.

https://instagram.com/p/8ITcBkHdTb/?taken-by=jacksonwang852g7

Also on Kultscene: GOT7’s ‘If You Do’ Music Video & Song Review

3. Tiffany (Girls Generation)

Out of all her fellow members of Girls Generation, Tiffany uses her Instagram account the most frequently and in the best ways. She shows various sides of herself through her posts. There’s the professional side, where she shares her group promotion pictures and advertisements; there’s the cute side, where she shares lovely selfies of herself, with her group of mates, or pictures about her dog. More importantly, she also has a goofy and playful side, a side which fans especially adore. For the Chuseok holiday, she posted a cute cartoon picture wishing her fans a happy celebration and she also posted a video of Yoona, Yuri and herself on a lunch date. Tiffany uses Instagram to share her current favourite things, be it a singer or even packs of “Despicable Me” minion-shaped twinkies. It is social media users like Tiffany who remind fans that K-pop idols are humans just like the rest of us, and it definitely allows fans to relate more to these idols and feel closer to them. It’s no wonder that she’s got so many more followers than the majority of Instagram users; even those that use websites like socialfollow to build their own Instagram fanbase.

https://instagram.com/p/8P8ZanmOHc/?taken-by=xolovestephi

https://instagram.com/p/8IZXM2GOHr/?taken-by=xolovestephi

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4. Dara (2NE1)

Dara is already well-known in the K-pop world for her quirky and adorable personality, along with her flawless beauty and fashion sense. Her Instagram account further shows off her unique character as she constantly posts cute selcas of herself, hilarious pictures of herself when she is filming, and her amazing clothes whenever she attends an event. She also seems to go overseas a lot, be it for a relaxing holiday or to catch up with friends and family in the Philippines, and whenever she does, tons of photos are bound to posted along with it. Through her Instagram posts, fans are allowed to see more of Dara’s personal life and to fall further in love with her truly cute and cheerful personality. The best part is, this idol knows it and utilizes social media as a tool to portray herself more endearingly. She also uses her account to show support to her friends and labelmates, cheering them on whenever they have a comeback, further empathizing the YG family friendship and close bonds.

5. Seungri (Big Bang)

YG labelmate Seungri is an active participant on a different social media platform, one that has recently become popular among K-pop idols. The “V App” was launched earlier this year, reintroducing the idea of live-streaming and adding an interactive comment section for fans. Although “Naver” used this in the past with apps like “Starcast”, the older apps were significantly less accessible and more difficult to use because the apps were all in Korean. Comparatively, the “V App” allows global fans to watch the live streams as well because there are instructions in English and even a subtitle function for some of the live streams. It is extremely convenient for the idols to use as well because they just need to install the app on their smartphones and do not need a fixed time to have a broadcast. Seungri utilizes this app very well as a tool to interact with his fans and to show them more aspects of his personal life. A notable example would be when he broadcasted his volunteer work at an animal hospital. As he helped to clean up the hospital, Seungri also conducted fanservice according to the requests of the viewers commenting on his livestream, such as spoon-feeding a fan who was at the scene. Through livestreams like this, Seungri shows off his caring nature while also showing fans that he is willing to listen to them and read their comments. If this isn’t the best way to keep his fans happy, I don’t know what could be better.

Do you follow these idols on social media? How do you think idols can interact with their fans better?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.

Playlist Sunday: Outer Space

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playlist sunday kpop outer spaceSept. 27 will have one of the most spectacular lunar eclipses in recent years in many parts of the world, so in honor of that, this week’s Playlist Sunday is outer space oriented. Living on Earth is all good and fun, but sometimes K-pop gets a little bit interstellar and out of this world. Some of KultScene’s writers picked their favorite astronomy-based songs including hits by Stellar, AKMU, EXO, and more. Whether you’re going to see tonights blood moon or not, take a listen to these extraterrestrial K-pop tunes.

Girl group Stellar debuted in 2011 with title track “Rocket Girl,” featuring Eric Mun of Shinhwa, who was previously the CEO of the company the girl group was signed to. In general, I’m not one to usually listen to girl groups since a majority of their songs are usually too bubbly for my own liking. But being that Eric Mun is my ultimate bias, I thought, “why not?” “Rocket Girl” was filled with auto tune, but it wasn’t as bothersome since the chorus was rather entrancing. One could probably tell without looking up the lyrics that the song is a bit on the cheesier side but mixed in with the catchy beat, “Rocket Girl” can surely put one in a good mood. Although the music video is a bit embarrassing to watch, it’s unique, a rare sight to see in an industry where people expect to see girl groups on extravagant sets and glamorous outfits. Eric’s rap was a bit random and totally unnecessary, but it adds a fun twist and will probably have you wanting to get on that “rocket space ship” with him. If you’re feeling a little down in the dumps and need a quick pick me up, take a listen and watch the music video for “Rocket Girl” — although your brain might be scrambled with a hundred different thoughts, at least you’ll feel better!

— Tam

Also on Kultscene: Playlist Sunday: Meaningful K-Rap

When this song was released, it was immediately touted as a Samsung advertisement because of how many times the word “Galaxy” was repeated. Sibling duo Akdong Musician (AKMU) debuted in 2014 with their album “Play” and this song caught my attention immediately. Yes, it was acoustic and adorable like the rest of their songs, but it had a great mix of lively and mellow melodies. It was a relatively short song compared to their other songs, but it was extremely catchy and I soon found myself singing along with it, especially it’s catchphrase, “Galaxy”.

— Anna

Whenever I look at the nighttime sky, I can’t help but think about how beautiful it is and that feeling was put to words in Super Junior’s “Stars Appear.” The building ballad is one of Super Junior’s best songs in the past few years, bringing together the members’ voices and beautiful lyrics in the best way possible. The lyrics talk about creating memories that will make “Stars Appear” in lovers’ eyes, comparing the brightness of love to the brightness of the nighttime sky. It sounds a bit cheesy as I’m writing this, but there are millions of stars in the world, each with their own spark and flame, and there is really nothing better than this comparison paired with the crooning, acoustic-heavy backing music.

— Tamar

With its late ‘90s, early ‘00s futuristic concept and sounds, “Galaxy Supernova” is hands down one of my favorite Girls’ Generation songs. Long forgotten are these types of songs in the anticipation of the new millennium, so of course I was ecstatic when the Girls’ came up with this cosmic concept that took us back to a time when we thought everything would be metallic and minimalistic by now. The song itself uses cheesy similes comparing their love interests to a supernova and them, the great SNSD, ruling the galaxy and being like comets and shooting stars. But as international fans, half of the greatness of the song is the overall packaging and not just the lyrics. So even though it’s cheesy, it’s a pop masterpiece.

— Alexis

It’s one thing when a song or music video is centered around a galactic space theme, but it’s another when the group itself is from a different planet… Or so the story goes. At the time when EXO debuted, we didn’t really question how laughable their EXO Planet lore is; we just ate it all up. But looking back at their music video for “History” now in 2015, it seems kinda dated and – have we used this word enough yet? – cheesy, even for a video trying to play off of the futuristic concept. The boys dance on a barren celestial body in full on harem pants and moon motifs, while the song references “this planet called earth” and the “sun that is great.” Essentially, they are made out to be like extraterrestrials who are preparing to rise up and do big things one day. But even if the members are embarrassed of their past images now, “History” and its iconic “pocket dance” choreography did do wonders for the group, paving the way for their future success.

— Shelley

What’s your favorite outer space K-pop song? 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.

Playlist Sunday: Meaningful K-Rap

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k rap korean playlist meaningful

Rap gets a bad rep for being about materialistic things, violence, and demeaning women. But like everything else when you round them up to absolutes, there are exceptions to every rule. This concept also applies to K-rap, even if the songs about violence, materialistic things, and misogyny are rare in the genre. And while those songs might be fun to sing and dance to, let’s focus on those with meaningful lyrics that speak to us.

Korean fans are legendary with their enthusiasm towards celebrities, and Epik High’s “Fan” is one of the earliest Korean songs to address the madness of fans; the song’s official title is “Fan (Fanatics).” Tablo and Mithra Jin spit their lines clearly and frankly, expressing the insanity of fans, emphasized more so by a haunting, melancholic beat. “Even though everyone says I am crazy and the entire world disappears, Babe you belong to me, but why are the worthless multitudes talking you away?” Epik High’s newer songs have been extremely popular, but it’s the poetry of early songs like “Fan” that I really think shows their prowess as spoken word artists. The song, and it’s frightening music video, became one of Epik High’s earliest hits way back in 2007, and is still relevant as Korean musicans struggle with the love and obsession of fans.

— Tamar

Also on KultScene: 5 Fantasy Collaborations with Non K-Pop Artists Pt.2

During the latest season of the hit show “Show Me the Money,” the contestant who received most of the flack by the rest of the rappers was Song Mino. Everyone bashed him left and right and the like “Song Mino will always win” even became a thing after Black Nut said it repeatedly in all his raps. But the moment people had to take him seriously materialized with his semi-final son “Fear” featuring Taeyang. Mino decided to put his all into the song, spitting about his hardships leading up to his debut and enduring it all for the sake of your dreams and not letting your loved ones down. Moreover, he epitomized the fear of growing up a lot of people can relate to, saying “I’m much too young and fragile to be an adult/ I still don’t know the way.” Mino and allowed everyone to see his vulnerability and forced people to recognize him for something more than a plastic idol: a mere human, just like everyone else.

— Alexis

If you were to consider Simon D’s years in the underground hip-hop world and the years he spent in the mainstream music industry, he has almost two decades worth of experiences under his belt. To some, that may not seem like a long time, but to many others, he’s undoubtedly considered an “OG” in the hip-hop game. “Simon Dominic” is a prime example of his artistry as an artist, as he raps about the raw side of things, “real life” relatable situations, the trial and error of life. When you’re young, you’re not going to want to listen to what the older folks have to say. We try doing things on our own terms, it’s our way of rebelling. Sometimes, it goes our way, but they’ll be more failed plans than successful ones. It’s like a natural cycle of life; sometimes it’s almost as if we want to make things more difficult for ourselves, even when others who have gone through these difficult situations before, tells us to do avoid them, we still do it anyway just so we can say we did. But that’s okay. Why? Because you live and you learn.

— Tam

I’ve always been of the opinion that rap is the best way of personal expression in music. Its simplistic nature and almost talking style mean the words take centre stage. Super producer Primary seems to have a similar opinion which can be clearly seen on his song with E-Sens, “Poison.” Even though Primary’s gets top billing, this is an E-Sens song. It’s a song about all his insecurities, his fears of not living up to his dreams. The past spreads through his body like a poison, not letting him move on. It’s a poignant song given the trouble he would go on to have with Supreme Team splitting. Poison works because of Primary’s decision to step back with the production, stripping his form into something that guided E-Sens’ words rather than overpowering them.

— Joe

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When I think about meaningful raps, no other group does it better than BTS. Despite essentially being an “idol” group, the rapper line (J-Hope, Rap Monster, and Suga) does not let their status set them back from doing what they do best – expressing their emotions through their music. Like their previous songs, “Move” is one example of what happens when the three put their lyrical genius minds to work. The result is a memoir of how the members have come so far since settling into their shared dormitory three years ago, of how they are on the move again, and of how a new start awaits them. The song also depicts their attachment to their board, and how it is a reminder of their humble beginnings. As Rap Monster ends his verse with “This place smells like us/Let’s not forget this scent… Nonhyungdon, third floor, thank you,” it’s clear how much the group cherished their home. More than just a roof over their heads, it’s been there for them when they needed protection from their uncertain future during their trainee days or when they needed a container for their laughter. This is what makes a house a home, and I think this is exactly what the three are trying to get at.

— Shelley

What’s your favorite K-rap song with meaningful lyrics? Share your picks 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.

Playlist Sunday: K-Pop Songs Named After Movies

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kpop songs movie titles film names

The inspiration between music and movies is a two-way street, and K-pop knows it well. Especially given that K-pop releases and groups often rely on themed concepts for their latests comebacks. So it’s no surprise that groups draw from the silver screen for inspiration. So for this week’s playlist, we’re listing our favorite songs that got their name and overall concept from film.

When I first came across Brown Eyed Girl‘s music video for their song “Kill Bill”, I was slightly intimidated at the fact that it was seven minutes and thirty seconds long. You know you’re in for a treat when a music video is that long for what are usually a three-minute and few seconds song. In case you didn’t know, the song is based off of the American film/series “Kill Bill” starring actors Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, and Vivica A. Fox. B.E.G’s homage to the movie “Kill Bill” was brilliant. Everything from their costumes to the choreography, the music, right down to the original storyline was on point. Although there were bits of humor in the music video, the ladies didn’t forget to incorporate their sexy concept, in which they tastefully executed, per usual. If you’re a bit confused by the music video then you might need to watch the first “Kill Bill” movie in order to put the pieces together. Once that’s out of the way, everything should be crystal clear and that way you’ll be able to enjoy B.E.G’s “Kill Bill” a lot more!

— Tam

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Outsider is definitely one of my favorite K-pop rappers and, thanks to my father, many of my early memories relate to Star Wars. So Outsider’s song with the American hip hop artist Twista, “Star Warz,” is easily one of my favorite K-pop songs that vaguely relate to a film. While “Star Warz” has little to do plot-wise with the film series, the battle is just as serious as saving the galaxy in “Star Warz,” with Twista and Outsider attacking one another to claim the title of fastest rapper while still taking inspiration from the film series. “Star Warz an intergalactic lyrical tactic in the flow with the homie from overseas,” raps Twista. The orchestral backing of the rapping makes the song a dramatic tune that would fit right in during a dramatic scene of any film.

– Tamar

Being a horror films lover, I got excited when I saw a track named “Dracula” on f(x)‘s “Red Light” album. The song opens up with a narrator saying “Deep in the darkest night, when there’s no one around, his force is coming. There’s no way out.” Only f(x) can pull of a song that has so many elements to it. It has classical instruments, electronic, and even horror screams, making the track a little creepy but very cool. Luna’s vocals are amazing in this song and it’s really cool that they made the classic horror music sound with the girls’ harmonies in the chorus. “Dracula” is one of the best songs in the album, which could have gone a very crazy route but was executed perfectly.

– Alejandro

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When I first heard HA:TFELT‘s “Bond,” it immediately took me back to the ‘90s and brought back happy memories of me playing “GoldenEye 007” on Nintendo 64 with my cousins and sister after school and being the best at it (please, don’t try to figure out my age). There were so many good games on the Nintendo 64 which I miss playing, although there are things like this Paper mario rom which give you the opportunity to play them once again. “GoldenEye 007” was definitely one of my favourite games, though. “Golden Eye,” of course, is one of the installments of the “Bond” series, and HA:TFELT’s track by the same name uses the movie’s theme song in the chorus to keep the same mysteriousness and suspense alive. In “Bond,” HA:TFELT is a Bond girl, singing an ode to Bond in her sultriest voice, longing for him. And if you’ve seen any of the Bond movies, you know this guy’s a player, so the song gives us the woman’s perspective. Moreover, the track features rapper Beenzino, who only makes the whole thing that much greater. The song managed to give us older fans a great throwback while still keeping it contemporary and innovative. I dare say the song is unique in K-pop and it’s a shame it was pushed back to the B-tracks.

— Alexis

In terms of songs inspired by films, few are as clear cut as Rainbow’s “Black Swan”. Rainbow borrow mostly from Darren Aronofsky’s film of the same name more so than it does “Swan Lake”, the ballet that film was based on. The monochrome palette is everywhere in the film, and Rainbow take it to the extreme by having their music video covered in it too, but also shot in black and white. Thematically, it also takes more from the film; it focuses on the evil, obsessive swan. Scared that her actions will result in a loss of her humanity, yet there is nothing she can do to stop it. The monochrome motif continues even with the music. The song’s jabbing synths are sparse and simple enough to sound like black and white in musical form. This song was made to show a darker side of Rainbow, something we had never seen before. So it was appropriate that they referenced a film that plays on the duality of what a person can be.

— Joe

What’s your favorite K-pop song named after a movie? Share all your picks 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.