April picked up in a big way over the last week with releases from some of our favorite K-pop artists. In this week’s K-pop faves list, the KultScene team wanted highlighted some music from soloists and boy bands alike.
“Honestly” by Eric Nam (Released Apr. 11)
Eric Nam made his long anticipated comeback with his first EP in two years this week, and the amount of effort he put into it is evident, especially from his title track “Honestly,” which he co-wrote and composed. A departure from his usually sweet and gentle image, “Honestly” features the stronger use of electro-synth to create a colourful track that allows Eric to show off both his moves and his vocals. Accompanied by a vibrant music video filmed in Mexico, the track is very dynamic and sets the tone for the rest of the EP, which is a masterpiece in itself.
—Anna
“Me & U” by Super Junior (Released Apr. 12)
This week, the legends Super Junior came back with a repackage of last year’s Play. Along with the latest single “Lo Siento” and all the previous songs, Replay has a few new songs, including “Me & U.” This song perfectly blends the pop sounds we know and appreciate Super Junior for modern lite-R&B. “Me & U” perfectly exemplifies how the group, with all the members over 30 and a 13-year-old career under their belt, are moving forward sonically. It’s a great spring song to bop along to.
—Alexis
‘Yet’ by Drunken Tiger (Released Apr. 13)
The king is back, and he’s going hard as always! I am not a “today’s music sucks, bring back old school *insert music genre name*” kind of person, but wow, how I missed Tiger JK’s powerful deliver and deep lyricism. Since “Yet” marks the last album he’ll release under the name of the group that changed the scene for rappers in Korea, he surely has a lot to say – and he says it with a furious, cathartic flow, with the little “drunken” vibe that is his trademark. It is a blessing to see Tiger still going strong, almost 20 years after his debut. I’m all for having different styles and generations shining together. If hip-hop has welcomed new trends, it is because people like him paved the way for the genre to be what it is today, and Tiger’s story is definitely one worth listening to.
—Ana Clara What was your favorite song of the week? Let us know 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.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/K-POP-3.png7681024KultScenehttp://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngKultScene2018-04-16 20:00:582018-04-16 20:00:59Weekly K-pop faves: April 9-15
This week for our K-pop faves, we picked very diverse picks. From R&B, to soloists, to up and coming boy bands, here are the songs that stood out to us the most.
“Swimming Pool” by George (Released Mar. 3)
The last couple of years have seen a surge of R&B acts in Korea, and while not all of them are particularly good, there are a few that stand out. George is one of such artists I’ve been low key keeping tabs on. His latest release, “Swimming Pool,” is chill and depressing and is just such a #mood for colder days or when you’re PMS-ing. The singer produced the song all by himself, proving that he has the chops to join his contemporaries as a fave in the scene. It is, after all, barely his third single, so I can’t wait to see how his artistry and career play out.
—Alexis
“Idle Song” by Jeon Soyeon (Released Feb. 28)
Cube Entertainment’s plucky little secret weapon, Jeon Soyeon came back this week an interesting track called “Idle Song.” Written and produced by herself, along with “Flow Blow,” “Idle Song” is about a stagnant romance. After a long time, Soyeon and her lover have become too comfortable with each other. She’s reminiscing at times about how much she loved this person, but now it’s so far gone she can even criticize his Stussy hoodie (shock horror). The music follows her languidly. It’s basically just a continuous bluesy guitar riff, a beat, and a few scattered keys. Soyeon raps over with her irresistible charm. She switches between rapping and singing with such ease that they eventually seem to be the same thing. It’s a unique quality that even labelmate Hyuna can’t quite grasp. Everything combines to perfectly express the discontentment of her words. It’s not merely a sense of boredom that she’s conveying, the guitar gives it that feeling of love and the sense of a past. It’s a sad realization that even the best things must come to an end.
SF9 got on the radar of a lot of people (including myself) with their last comeback, “O Sole Mio.” At first, “Mamma Mia” could seem that it would go for the same style of its predecessor, due to the title in Italian language. But instead, the FNC Entertainment boy group went for an upbeat song with reminiscences of rockabilly music and other 1960’s sounds this time. It’s definitely their catchiest release so far. I love how the chorus stands out from the harmony of the verses and intro/post-choruses, and overall, I absolutely love the spectacle, musical, and theatrical vibes. For someone who doesn’t really stan a lot of boy groups, I’ve been getting impressed by SF9 way too much, and if they continue to release songs like “O Sole Mio” and “Mamma Mia,” I think might become a big fan.
—Ana Clara
“Stuck On” by Kim Sungkyu (Released Feb. 26)
INFINITE’s Kim Sungkyu has always had solid albums, and his first full album 10 stories is similarly so. An elongated, perhaps not as tightly produced, rehash of his electro and synth-pop 2015 27 EP, my personal standout track is the hypnotizing “Stuck On.” Blending electronic beats and a simple piano melody, the B-side packs a powerful emotional punch and one of his best performances on the album, not at all diminished, and perhaps even enhanced, by the heavy vocal distortions. He chose to perform it at several music shows alongside the single “True Love,” and it’s absolutely glorious to hear Sungkyu’s clear vocals interacting with the echoing backing track.
I first heard this song on the variety program All the Butlers, when Jeon In Kwon (vocalist of Deulgukhwa) performed it for the members at the end of their stay with him. It brought the members to tears, and the strong emotions of the song were indeed very moving, even if I wasn’t privy to the socio-political context of the song. On his recent appearance on Yoo Hee Heol’s Sketchbook, INFINITE’s Kim Sungkyu performed a toned down but equally touching version of it, displaying his musical-trained impressive vocal abilities through the entirely live performance. With his clear, sweet voice, Sungkyu conveyed in his own way the desperate sentiments of the song, and brought a new meaning to it.
—Anna
“Daydream” by J-hope (Released Mar. 1)
After countless mentions, teasers, and false alarms, BTS’s J-hope was able to finally drop his debut solo mixtape, Hope World, this past Thursday, becoming the third member to do so after RM and Suga (aka Agust D). Along with the “Hixtape,” the colloquial name fans ascribed to the album, the rapper also released a pop-art inspired music video for “Daydream,” an artistic direction that suits the modern funky song to a T. It addresses the deep, unattainable desires with profound psychedelic elements, using bouncy beats as a framework for whispery vocals. Like the references he makes to Lewis Caroll’s psychedelic novel Alice in Wonderland, we are able to get a better sense of these mirage-like dreams when we take everything in holistically.
—Shelley
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This week for our K-pop faves, we turned to up and coming faces that we’re all familiarizing ourselves with. To balladeers to rappers to amazing SM Entertainment performers, these are our faves.
“Francesca” by Hash Swan feat. Dean (Released Feb. 21)
Earlier this week, the rapper and Show Me the Money alumni Hash Swan dropped his second mini album, Alexandrite. The record features a slew of famed producers, such as Cha Cha Malone and Gray. For the album cut “Francesca,” Hash Swan teamed up with Dean and delivered a “Havana”-esque tune. The rapper’s laid-back flow paired with Dean’s own signature crooning plus rapping create a mellow vibe and is a low key bop.
“Baby Don’t Stop” by Ten and Taeyong of NCT U (Performed Feb. 24)
So it’s not technically out yet until tomorrow, but Taeyong and Ten‘s NCT U duet of “Baby Don’t Stop” premiered on the 24th, so it counts for this week. The minimalist track utilizes digitized drum beats and a smooth bass riff to provide a melody over which Ten and Taeyong alternate between smooth crooning verses and deep-voiced raps. Both are known as dancers in the group, and the performance perfectly pairs their dynamic grace. The best part about it, personally, is that it gives Ten a chance to fully show off his vocals, in a way he wasn’t necessarily able to do in NCT U’s “The 7th Sense” or even own solo “Dream In A Dream,” where the ambiance overtook his vocal delivery. But with a clear tone and his charisma that has made him NCT’s No. 1 Bias Ruiner, “Baby Don’t Stop,” at least the performance version if not the single and MV itself, give Ten that moment to shine while countering it with Taeyong’s smolder. It’s honestly one of the most mature sounds NCT’s shown off so far, and I’d love to see more of it.
Coming off the success of his first mini-album “His Voice,” balladeer Jung Seung Hwan made his return to the K-pop scene with his first full album Spring Again. While it is mostly an album of slow ballads, “Excuses” stands out for the amazing vocal technique and range he displays in this song. From the instrumentals which come across more harshly here than in the other tracks to the overall more angsty mood of this song, there is ample room for Jung Seung Hwan to express himself here, and he pours in his emotions in a way that he’s never done before. For me, “Excuses” beats out even the title track of this album, “It’s Raining,” and it shows his immense growth as an artist even over the short span of this year, evidenced also by how he wrote the lyrics of this song (and others in the album) with his CEO Yoo Hee Yeol. It’s only the beginning for this talented vocalist, and I can’t wait to listen to more.
—Anna
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2018 is shaping up to be a great year for K-pop releases, given how strongly artists have started out the year. This week in February was no different, with a few comebacks from many familiar names we’ve been waiting on for awhile even amid the Lunar New Year industry-wide hiatus. Here are some of our faves.
“Boss” by NCT U (Released Feb. 18)
I went into this NCT U “comeback” very upset because I’m a Ten stan. Even though SM Entertainment announced that U’s lineup was rotational, I couldn’t understand why they weren’t including the talented dancer once again. Those feelings were momentarily interrupted once the music video for “Boss” finally dropped today. Though the focus is, predictably, on NCT’s trinity — Taeyong, Mark, and Jaehyun — we were introduced to two new members, Lucas and Jungwoo. Win Win was also added and, like with 127, was ignored (though the boy served major looks!). “Boss” resembles NCT 127’s concepts more than “The 7th Sense,” being hard-hitting and relying heavily on hip-hop rather than being experimental. And while the song’s arrangement and line distribution were pretty predictable, the surprises came mainly in the form of a rapper other than Mark and Taeyong (this time Lucas) having a verse all to himself (and murdering it, mind you) and Jungwoo’s vocals blending perfectly with Doyoung. “Boss” is yet another gem in NCT’s growing discography and, like with every release, further proved that there’s nothing they can’t tackle and completely own.
With the recent release of a music video for “Sober,” Suzy’s self-composed ode to blurting out your true feelings while drunk just about qualifies for this week’s playlist. Suzy’s solo career has been somewhat smaller than you’d expect from a star as big as her but it has luckily been extremely composed. She’s one of very idols who can walk around a stage and completely captivate with a mere glance. On the b-side to her second single “Holiday,” Suzy effortlessly whispers her way through a minimal track of precise sounds and movements. Produced by EJAE, Aaron Kim, Isaac Han, and Andrew Choi, “Sober’s” instrumental is mostly percussion and handclaps, with the odd bubble popping to highlight certain elements. It’s a song of pure confidence and comfort. Singing her own words Suzy knows her limits and beautifully blends with the music to create that easy feeling. It’s believable that a performer like Suzy could be this comfortable while drunk but it turns out she was tricking us this whole time. Her confidence is very real and not clouded by alcohol as she reveals in the last line, “Baby, let me be honest with you, don’t be surprised, I’m not drunk at all, I’m sober.”
—Joe
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We’re nearing the end of the year so new releases by K-pop artists have slowed down. This, of course, does not mean they’ve completely stopped. While very few, as most artists are focusing on their end-of-the-year performances, we still could count on DAY6, GOT7, and Taemin to drop something to hold us on the year’s last stretch.
“I’ll Try” by DAY6 (Released Dec. 6)
One of the three last tracks released by DAY6 for their Every DAY6 project, “I’ll Try” is the closest to a conventional ballad this band has ever released. Composed mainly by keyboardist Wonpil, the instrumentation is very simple throughout the song, with Wonpil using many techniques normally found in classical piano here. What makes “I’ll Try” stand out however, is the acapella section found towards the end of the song. Stripped bare of all instrumentals, all five of DAY6’s members showcase their vocal abilities and create a breathtaking harmony which is just so beautiful to listen to. Coupled with the song’s heartfelt lyrics about receiving and giving love to others which Wonpil penned while thinking about his mother, this track is a wonderful way to end off the Every DAY6 project, and is appropriately placed at the end of their Moonrise album (not counting the final versions of their older songs included), acting as the curtain call to this era and showing the band’s gratitude to all who have supported them this year.
I’m totally cheating, I’m aware, given this song was not only released last month but I also already chose it for a previous Weekly K-pop fave. But you know what? There’s still more to talk about! Better seasoned with the song, GOT7 focus on the fun yet sharp choreography and seducing the viewer — and I’m here for it. Completely absent in their last few comebacks, the group brought back their signature cute side, although it has matured and is now a damn tease. And, again, I’m here for it. It’s refreshing to see how a group that incorporated a cutesy concept since their start has evolved it and not gotten rid of it. Also, the looks they’re serving on “Teenager” are just the icing on the cake. Anytime we get to see GOT7 on a livelier, more fun performance —you guessed it— I’m completely, 100% here for it.
Pulling a complete about-face from “Move,” Taemin returned this week with a follow up single, the stirring ballad “Day and Night.” While it felt more similar to the solo work of fellow SHINee-member Jonghyun, and a music video that looks a lot like DRP Live’s “Jasmine,” that aesthetic works for a tune to listen to at the end of a long day, or a night out when you need to unwind. It’s not as bombastic as some of his other singles, but there’s something tender about this strings-focused song that is lacking from other songs of the soloist’s. Though that isn’t surprising, considering Taemin co-wrote it.
— Tamar
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It seems the K-pop gods had the best saved for last, for we have been bombarded with great single after great single in the last couple of weeks.
“Beautiful” by Wanna One (Released Nov. 13)
Not that fans didn’t already know this, but still, “Beautiful” was a cute reminder that the OngNiel ship is real and sailing. For Wanna One’s latest comeback, instead of veering towards the typical love story that accompanies a ballad, the group gave us the romance Wannables actually wanted: the one between bros Daniel and Seong Woo. But music video aside, “Beautiful” shows yet another facet to this wildly successful group. Known for their energetic performances, Wanna One came out with a ballad that highlights the members’ vocals —especially those on the sub vocal and rapper lines. It’s so interesting to see the members’ development as performers and singers before our eyes, considering some of them hadn’t been training for that long. With “Beautiful,” we get to see that all their hard work is paying off.
—Alexis
“Twinkle” by Lovelyz (Released Nov. 14)
While Red Velvet are a little late to the Halloween game, Lovelyz are ahead of the pack with their (sort of) Christmas song “Twinkle.” It’s not a typical Christmas track thanks to Lovelyz inability to stray from their electronic influences. Produced by 1Take (who takes a lead single for the first time after producing a number of b-sides for various groups including Wanna One’s only good song “Wanna Be (My Baby)) and Tak, “Twinkle” uses an incredibly dense backing electro track under typically lovely bell and string details. The electronics change as the song goes on, adding 8-bit moments and classic big euro synths for the chorus. What makes “Twinkle” a little bit strange is the way Lovelyz’s vocals are the same as always. They are used to synths but not quite an intense rhythm section. Jiae, Jisoo, Yein’s rap part is particularly important than as it adds a great amount of personality to a vocal section that could veer towards Disney territory. That being said they are just setting the stomper of a chorus which the unstoppable Kei knocks out of the park. It feels like the chorus happens five or six times but it’s so good you want it to keep coming anyway.
—Joe
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Each week, the KultScene team writes about some of the songs and performances that made an impression over the past few days of K-pop’s busy cycle. Last week, we liked new music from GOT7, SF9, and the cast of the new television show The Uni+. Take a listen now, and let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
“Teenager” by GOT7 (Released Oct. 9)
It’s been a trend on the last few GOT7 albums to contain a fun song written by the members where they just act a fool. On 7 for 7, said song is “Teenager.” A little bit more upbeat and hip-hop-lite than the rest of the album, “Teenager” embodies Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” through the male perspective, essentially telling some girl they make them feel giddy inside. I personally really liked “Teenager” because, ever since the first listen, I could picture the members going around the stage greeting fans and taking pictures with them. The feeling was only enhanced with the live performances on music shows, where they all look visibly happy and pleased with themselves (especially that darned “I can do anything if you tell me good boy” line). Like the lead track, JB wrote “Teenager,” and if anything, 7 for 7 is the first album where we actually see a bit more artistry to this JYP Entertainment boy band.
—Alexis
“O Sole Mio” by SF9 (Released Oct. 12)
People are calling “O Sole Mio” the K-pop “Despacito”, which I’m not sure it’s fair to say. I understand it’s because it has a Latin approach, but we can’t ignore the fact it has so much more than this! Even if it might be intentionally channelling the huge Luis Fonsi hit, I think it still holds more complex features. The lyrics speak in 5 languages (Korean, English, Spanish, Italian, Latin) and the instrumental blends EDM, tropical house and hip hop with a beautiful Spanish Guitar– by the way, my salute to the producer for putting the guitar instead of the now-cliché tropical house drop after the chorus. Besides, I can hear the old-school K-pop feels in the melody of the chorus. “O Sole Mio” is a mix of so many things, but they all work very well together.
—Ana Clara
“My Turn” by The Uni+ Cast (Released Oct. 13)
Perhaps not as addicting as the theme songs of either season of Produce 101, the promotional pre-release for The Uni+ is a bright batch of co-ed colorfulness put to light EDM form. AKA, exactly what the doctor ordered. The twinkling, retro-styled synth and funk elements is perhaps the most cheery form of electropop we’ve seen out of K-pop in a while, and honestly one of the most innovative sounding takes on a trend that we’ve all seen done to its depths. I wasn’t particularly interested in the show aside from a few vocalists, which I still don’t think necessarily shine in this song thanks to some flat tones, to be honest. But the melody’s production is a nice change from the trends of the moment, and feels more K-pop to me than much of what is getting put out today. Which is definitely a good thing, at least in my book.
—Tamar
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Each week, KultScene’s team rounds up some of our favorite releases or performances out of South Korea from the week before. This week, writers were fans of new music from boy bands B1A4 and DAY6.
“Call Me” by B1A4 (Released Sept. 25)
It is not unusual for me to fall in love more with album B-sides and filler tracks than the actual singles, and I encourage all K-pop fans to explore the complete works of the artists, so you can delight yourself with hidden pearls like this one. I really like the whole Rollin’ EP but “Call Me” absolutely caught my attention. It’s hard to stand out in K-pop nowadays with a song that goes for the way of synthpop, EDM or tropical house (since these are becoming so cliché); but this song does all of this and still is amazing and somehow distinctive, maybe because it goes more to the direction of sexy and alternative R&B that reminds me of Canadian singer The Weeknd. This sensual vibe works very well with the sweet provocative lyrics and the melody that explores the great vocal range of the boys. We can see their talent through the songwriting too, since this song was composed and written by members CNU and Baro, along with songwriter Choi Myung Hwan. I’m very impressed.
—Ana Clara
”Why Am I Alone” by DAY6 (Released Sept. 29)
DAY6 released their two singles for “Every Day6 October” a little earlier this time, and while I was slightly underwhelmed with their title track “When You Love Someone,” this piece blew my mind. Also known as “I Need Somebody,” the emotional song opens with Jae singing in the lowest octave he’s ever sung in (seriously, I barely could recognise his voice). It initially sounds like a quiet ballad, albeit one that is a bit more jazzy than usual, but suddenly blows up in the chorus with Young K’s explosive “Why Am I Alone.” The instrumentals build up from this point, even reaching a surprising but well-placed whistle melody, and a full-on rock chorus toward the end. With heartbreaking lyrics and unpredictable musical twists, this song was awesome and really showed how multi-talented DAY6 were as singers and musicians, making it one of my favourites of this year’s series.
—Anna
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The middle of September brought us a lot of good music, and like each week the KultScene crew rounded up some of the songs that really caught our eye. New music courtesy of the ladies of Loona, Teen Top’s NIEL & JUSTHIS, and a cover of an EXO song by soloist Gummy really caught our eye. Take a look at our thoughts and let us know in the comment section below what your favorite song of the past few days was.
“Girl Front” by Odd Eye Circle (Released Sept. 20)
The LOONAverse continues in earnest with their second official sub-unit, Odd Eye Circle. Consisting of the last three girls to debut, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Choerry, Odd Eye Circle is the girl crush side of LOONA. Produced by Ollipop and Hayley Aitken with some lyrics by Monotree, “Girl Front” is essentially a combination of those three girls’ solo tracks. Both musically and lyrically it takes from each of them, the propulsive percussion of “Singing in the Rain,” the brightness and slap bass from “Love Cherry Motion,” and the smooth as hell bridge from “Eclipse.” It’s a testament to LOONA and their team that they can create a concept as complex as this while still producing great tracks. “Girl Front” is the most energetic of all their songs to date; their vocals bounce off one another with ease, a variety of synths and drums samples seem buoyed along with the girls. It’s the fizziest most exciting kind of pop there is.
—Joe
“Ko Ko Bop” by Gummy (Performed on Sept. 23)
There are few things I love more about K-pop than covers that completely recreate the original song. While EXO’s “Ko Ko Bop” was a feel good summer song, Gummy swooped in and made the hit her own during a recent episode of Park Jinyoung’s Party People drenching the track with her effusive blend of sultry vocals. Paired with the accompanying live band, the soloist offered up a more mature, jazzier take on the track, an alternative to the boy band’s reggae-tinged track. If this is the sort of thing that Party People will be offering up each week, I am very much here for it!
—Tamar
“What’s Good?” by NIEL, JUSTHIS (Released Sep. 21)
Teen Top has always been one of those groups I casually like but never actually stanned. Most of their singles are bops, so when the members go solo, I most definitely keep an eye out for them. I wasn’t particularly impressed by Niel’s past solo, so I wasn’t expecting much this time around. And while “What’s Good?” is not particularly anything groundbreaking, it definitely shows a new side to the singer I’m here for. I especially liked that Niel’s channeling his inner Kikwang and going a more pop-R&B route, both musically and through the choreography. “What’s Good?” caught me by surprise because I had always seen Niel as a singer and not really a performer. But with this comeback, it’s clear that Niel means business and he’s gearing up to what may be Teen Top’s upcoming disbandment.
—Alexis
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Mid-September has already passed, but we’ve already seen a lot of great releases from K-pop. Last week, some of KultScene’s team were enthralled by releases from members of GOT7 and iKON.
“Victim of Love” by Sanjoy feat. Youngjae of GOT7 (Ars), Stephen Rezza, and Elliott Yamin (Released Sept. 17)
Earlier this year when GOT7 was touring the country with their “Turbulence” tour, producer Sanjoy and singer Elliott Yamin connected with Youngjae through Instagram after he uploaded a cover of the latter’s song. After that, they’ve been talking up and teasing a collaboration fans have been fawning over. But the wait came to an end on Saturday (which coincidentally was Youngjae’s birthday) when Ars (his not so secret pseudonym) uploaded the song to his Soundcloud. “Victim of Love” is your classic pop, R&B hybrid in English featuring three very talented, very different artists. Youngjae, for his part (and the only reason I’m including this song here, duh), shone on the chorus and with his adlibs, though his accent came out a bit on his solo part on the song’s first verse, adding to his charm. There’s no question as to just how talented Youngjae is, but it’s heartwarming to see him branch out on his own and work on stuff well-suited for him that highlights his incredible abilities as a vocalist.
—Alexis
”Runaway” by Bobby of iKon (Released Sept. 14)
Not the biggest fan of hip-hop, I didn’t really expect to enjoy Bobby’s first solo album Love and Fall based on the styling of his Show Me The Money and The MOBB tracks, but with it’s dual identities, the new album ended up being right up my alley. “Runaway,” one of two singles, is a rock-tinged mellow track that thrives on the angst-filled rasp of Bobby’s vocals to emphasize the heartbreaking lyrics. “I have a habit of thinking mistakes are failures/I don’t wanna fail so I keep stopping my efforts,” raps the K-pop idol in the first verse. The song is heart wrenching to listen to, but there’s lilting strings that add an overall hue of positivity over the track. Hopefully, now that he’s released this album, Bobby feels a bit less like he has to “Runaway” from his problems.
—Tamar What was your favorite release of the week? 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.
April picked up in a big way over the last week with releases from some of our favorite K-pop artists. In this week’s K-pop faves list, the KultScene team wanted highlighted some music from soloists and boy bands alike.
