Playlist Sunday: Favorite INFINITE Songs

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INFINITE came back on July 13 with their new album “Reality”, and the teasers and music video for “Bad” are really getting us excited here at Kultscene. What better way to celebrate the group’s return than with a list of our favourite INFINITE songs?

There’s something about INFINITE’s “Can U Smile” that turns me into a giddy teenager again. Even though the lyrics to the song are a bit on the gloomier side, it’s one breakup song that I don’t mind listening to on continuous repeat, especially with their live performances. INFINITE has a way of making even the saddest of songs enjoyable to listen to and to watch. Their music has only gotten better with every comeback, so the anticipation and bar has been set quite high for what’s to come with this new album!

— Tam

Although this song does not belong to any album and is not particularly well-known, it is a song that never fails to tug at my heartstrings. It has a very simple melody as compared to flashier INFINITE songs, and it does not showcase INFINITE’s vocals as much as other ballads, but “Together” is a memorable and touching song. It feels all the more heartfelt because INFINITE member Woohyun composed it, and when accompanied with videos and pictures from INFINITE’s past concerts, practices and the hardships they faced, I teared up just thinking about how much the boys have grown over the past few years, both musically and in their relationships with each other. It makes me proud to be an Inspirit (fan of INFINITE,) and I’ll definitely be supporting them forever.

— Anna

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Europop is one of the most used genres in K-pop. It has seen many iterations yet none have been as good as ‘‘The Chaser’’. INFINITE’s best song goes down as one of my all time favourite K-pop songs and, as a result, one of the best pop songs of the last ten years. ‘‘The Chaser’’ mixes blasting synths, swooning violins and, slick guitars to euphoric pop perfection. Everything about it works from the vocal arrangements to the stunningly symmetrical choreography. There are very few songs that can match the energy of ‘‘The Chaser’’. It rightly brought INFINITE the success they deserved.

— Joe

INFINITE would not be where they are today without their debut song and, for long-time Inspirits, this holds a special place in their heart. The group’s present popularity all started with “Come Back Again,” a fun track which incorporates rich guitars, signature violins, and a bit of autotune, which is okay in small increments like it was done here. Their first single matches their young and fresh faces perfectly, and even here we can hear the strings and horns that comprise a majority of all their songs to come. This is one group that knows what sound they are going for and sticks with it! “Come Back Again” is an overall catchy tune that will surely have listeners dancing and clumsily getting into bloody accidents while doing it (which might or might not have happened to this Kultscene writer…).

— Shelley

There’s something very distinct about INFINITE’s sound. It builds up, it’s bombastic, and it makes you feel something in your insides. One of those songs, for me, is “Man in Love.” I love how the whole song builds up to the chorus, where it explodes and is a myriad of beats. Not to mention all of the members’ voices, which sound awesome as one. It’s incredibly cheesy, yes. But everything else makes sure to justify and make up for it, especially the choreography and the rap verses.

— Alexis

Also on KultScene: Let’s Discuss: INFINITE & The SM-Woollim Merger

INFINITE’s “Destiny” brings me back to life every time I hear the song. The bubblegum dubstep just makes me want to go crazy and dance to chaotic feeling of the track. The video was filmed in California and everytime I go to Universal Studios Hollywood and see the locations of where the video was filmed I get very excited to know that the members where there. There is really not that much that I could say about this song, the best thing to do is to listen to it and watch the video to get full “Destiny” experience.

— Alejandro

I love “Rosinante” for it’s positive message about overcoming hardships. The title is based on the name of Don Quixote’s horse, a symbol of something that is unable to accomplish the tasks set before it. “Rosinante” is anything but that, and is instead an upbeat, extremely positive dance track with INFINITE’s iconic retro, synth style. “Rosinante” isn’t one of INFINITE’s title tracks, but the powerful beats and various instrumentals, each member’s solo lines, and the lyrics of the song makes “Rosinante” just one of the many non-title track songs that deserves praise. With some falsetto thrown in and a stand out performance by the seven members of INFINITE, “Rosinante” is one of my favorite songs by the group.


–Tamar

What’s your favorite song by INFINITE? Let us know 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: Foreign Language K-Pop Covers

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Playlist kpop foreign language vietnamese spanish chinese

It’s always fascinating to see artists singing in a foreign language that are not their own. Not only does it require a lot of practice, but also a lot of persistence and self-motivation. It can be rather difficult trying to learn lyrics to a song in a different language when the pronunciation of some of the words in that song doesn’t exist in your own native tongue. At KultScene, we decided to name a few of our favorite different language covers sung by K-pop artists.

How would you feel if one of your favorite singers sung a song in your native language? Thrill? Joy? Exhilaration? I felt all three and more when I saw the video of Chunji (from Teen Top), Key (from SHInee) and JB (from Got7) singing a cover of a Vietnamese song, “Yeu Lai Tu Dau”, at the recording of Music Bank in Hanoi. I was taken aback at their pronunciation, especially JB and Chunji. You can tell that they practiced extremely hard to remember all the lyrics and how focused they were on pronouncing everything to the best of their ability. On top of that, as a Vietnamese fan, it was rather breath taking at times being able to understand them and being able to feel the raw emotion, which is always a plus. If these guys didn’t have Vietnamese fans before the show, they sure do now!

— Tam

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Even though I strongly believe that music (K-pop in particular) transcends all languages and boundaries, it’s still nice when my favourite K-pop singers sing in my mother tongue. It gives me a sense of familiarity and makes me happy that I can fully understand what they are singing. During their last world tour in 2014, 2PM made a stop at Nanjing and it was during their concert there that Jun. K sang this amazing cover of a well-known Chinese song, “唯一“. It must have been difficult for him to sing this because of the language barrier, but he still tried his best for his fans, who immediately demanded an encore.

— Anna

When haters say that EXO can’t sing in English, what do they go and do? Wow us in Spanish. In a special stage for KBS’s Music Bank in Mexico, EXO-K, the Korean unit of EXO, performed “Sabor a Mi” live in front of 12,000 fans who were all singing along to the familiar tune. Though Spanish might not be my first language (or anywhere close for the matter), I was absolutely impressed by their pronunciation and by the way they were able handle a completely foreign song in its entirety. The boys rolled their R’s like a native and each member was able to contribute a fair amount to the song. Even member Chanyeol lent his warm vocals to the song in such a sure manner that I would never have guessed that he was a rapper line! And of course, the song would be no where near complete without Chanyeol’s soothing acoustic guitar accompaniment, making it the perfect lullaby to fall asleep to on a warm night.

— Shelley

Leave it to the king derps of Super Junior to turn a seemingly sexual song like “Eu Si te Pego” into a cheesy, goofy cover. Two years ago when they toured a few South American countries, they picked the Brazilian mega hit heard all over Latin America as the song to perform on that leg of the tour. While only Kyuhyun and Ryeowook sango most of the song, all of the members did the signature hip thrust move at the chorus followed by prancing — yes, prancing — and hand flopping around the stage as if they were bumblebees. It was the ultimate fan service, making ELF lust and cringe after them at the same time. And while Brazilian is not my native tongue nor can I speak it, I, for one, found it incredibly cute how they pronounced “delicia” as “delisha.”

— Alexis

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When SHINee toured in Mexico City with SHINee World III, I had the privilege to witness their funny rendition of the Latin classic “La Macarena” live in concert. Not only is this song in my first language, Spanish, but this one of the of most danced songs at every wedding, Quinceañera, and basically every party around the world. It became very popular in the ‘90s, and hearing them perform it gave me absolute life. Seeing Jonghyun with a zarape (like a poncho) and mariachi sombrero just made it even funnier. Everyone in the crowd was so happy and excited to see them having so much fun with this Spanish cover. This is definitely one of my favorite moments that I have witnessed in my life.

— Alejandro

Music Bank in Mexico is a mine of performances if you want to see idols singing in different languages. That is if you want to hear them singing in Spanish. But still it’s a novelty for any listener. Ailee’s performance of Tish Hinojosa’s ‘‘Adonde Voy’’ sticks out for me for a number of reasons. Mostly because unlike the rest of the idols she nails the pronunciation. That may be unfair since she is American but it gives her the edge nonetheless. More interestingly is the thematic undercurrent of the song being sung by Ailee. It is the story of an immigrant who misses her lover (or country) dearly. As Ailee herself is not a total native to Korea it makes for a more meaningful performace. The last reason is her voice. Wow.

–Joe

What’s your favorite foreign language cover by a K-pop artist? Let us know 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: ‘Wonder’ Girls

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kpop playlist songs wonder girls superwoman

In honor of JYP Entertainment’s announcement confirming a comeback from one of the most iconic K-pop girl groups, Wonder Girls, KultScene is dedicating the Playlist Sunday this week to all of the wonder girls out there, whoever they are. Whether it’s a song about being a cool girl, female empowerment, or our favorite Korean female singers, they all make it to this KultScene curated list of wonder girls.

Kicking the playlist off is nobody but, who else? The Wonder Girls themselves. The group’s song “Tell Me” created a dance phenomena throughout Asia, but the music video for it is actually really empowering and features a literal wonder girl. Former member Sohee plays an average school girl who is secretly Wonder Woman and who rescues her classmates from bus accidents, perverts, and more. The song is a bit old school, but it’s one of the most iconic K-pop songs of the late 2000’s and we absolutely love it. It also introduced us to the fierceness that is Yubin for the first time, after HyunA left Wonder Girls.

–Tamar

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True wonder girls are girls who are independent and strong. They’re confident of their own abilities and do not require the approval of the people around them to go on living their own lives bravely. Miss A demonstrates this independence through the song, “I Don’t Need a Man”, which is dedicated to “the proud women who refuse to make easy-money, who don’t like to live on the money of their men or their parents”. The song is really empowering and with its catchy chorus also becomes one of our favorite Miss A songs.

–Anna

SPICA released their first american single “I Did It” and it was all about female empowerment. The song is all about doing everything for yourself not for anyone else and having fun with your friends. Musically, the song is very refreshing. It has that vintage brass feeling and the hip-hop beats make the song very modern. The track is very upbeat and it’s the perfect song to go out and party with the people you love. The vocals from the band are always impressive and hearing them sing in English was great. The chorus is super addicting and what’s more empowering than saying “I did for me”.

–Alejandro

Wonder Girls are the true and original superwomen in K-pop, whether it was by pushing the envelope sound wise or opening doors for other groups to popularize overseas. I’ve never been a big fan of this group, but even I can’t deny their greatness. When their songs are good, they’re good. And one of my favorites is “SuperB.” The Sohee and Yubin solo is all sass and attitude about knowing your worth. And even if it puts down other people, the track says there are different types of success and that it’s not for everyone. For them, however, it is.

–Alexis

Also on KultScene: 11 K-Pop Songs to Celebrate Pride Month

While Wonder Girls may be known for their many popular hits and dances, including “Tell Me” and, of course, “Nobody,” their B-sides receive much love from us too. Like “SuperB,” another great girl power themed song off of their second studio album “Wonder World” is “Stop!” It’s all about having respect for oneself and knowing when a guy’s interest is genuine. Despite what others say might say about someone’s character, your judgment is final so trust it! The track opens with a Western cowboy sound, but don’t let that fool you since that will quickly develop into a fun and loving pop song. Not only do the girls spread important messages that every girl need to hear, they also put out wonderful music while doing it.

–Shelley

What are your favorite ‘Wonder Girls’ song, from the actual group or figuratively? 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. Read more

Playlist Sunday: Father’s Day

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To celebrate Fathers’ Day today, at KultScene we wanted to put together a playlist in dedication to the leading men in our lives, whether it be our fathers, uncles, or grandparents. Although they are rarer than songs dedicated to mothers, there are still a few touching and meaningful K-pop songs for our fathers.

It won’t take much for tears to well up in your eyes when listening to Insooni’s “Father”. Whether you understand the lyrics or not, just knowing that this song is written about a father, whether he was a present one or if not, will automatically tug at your heartstrings. We loved each other, we hated each other, but you held me precious more than anyone and I miss you; what child doesn’t bicker with their parents, what child doesn’t have moments of fury and resentment towards their parents? And at the same time, what father wouldn’t want to protect his child? It’s all a part of growing up; it’s all a part of learning. No matter how much you guys may argue and bicker with one another, just don’t forget to say your “I love you’s” at the end of it all.

–Tam

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The lyrics for the song “Sorry” by f(x) really stand out because of how honestly and clearly they express a relationship a lot of us have with our father. Maybe it’s because our fathers don’t always understand us or because they do things which irritate us, but we constantly find ourselves doing things to hurt our fathers, intentionally or not, and sometimes it’s difficult to open our mouths to apologise. The constant repetition of “Sorry, I’m sorry” brings across this meaning very well.

–Anna

He’s a mother, father, gentleman, that everyone knows, but Psy’s actually a really big daddy’s boy, or at least he makes the case for everybody being one in his song, “Father.” The song is about Psy’s father, who stands in as a representative of all hardworking fathers who work so hard for the success of their children. “Father” describes the admiration and pain of a son looking to his father who worked hard all his life, but due to the amount of time he has spent focusing on work he is disconnected from his children. The song ends with Psy saying “don’t be lonely anymore,” urging people to recognize how hard their parents work for them.

–Tamar

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I can’t be the only one who cried reading the lyrics right? Off of the Asia special edition of their album “Born to Beat,” BTOB’s “Father” is an obvious addition to any Father’s Day playlist. The heart wrenching song describes the fatherly love that we often take for granted as a youth and emphasizes the sacrifices our fathers make for us. His wrinkled eyes, his beaten hands, his lonely back. Why is it that these things only become apparent as we grow up? The lyrics are very poetic, and the powerful notes of the seven members could not convey the pain any better. These are the words we all felt, but never been able to voice out loud. The ballad ends with the very sentimental line “I love you forever my father,”and after a listen, it’ll have you repeating the same.

— Shelley

When we first picked this theme, I was nervous because I didn’t know any K-pop songs about fathers. That didn’t improve much after everyone else picked the ones in existence, so I had to get creative. And the most that my imagination allowed me was Psy’s “Gentleman.” Yes, it’s not about dads or anything even close. It does however say “mother, father, gentleman,” and that’s close enough for me!

— Alexis

What’s your favorite K-pop song about father’s? 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: Favorite ‘90s K-Pop Covers

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Newer artists doing covers of famous songs by beloved artists of the past can be a tricky thing to pull off, not just in K-pop. However, why focus on the negative when we can just enjoy what we’re getting, new music by the artists of today that we like. That’s why for this week’s playlist we’re putting together a list of our favorite K-pop covers of ’90s hits by contemporary groups.

Although I was barely old enough to appreciate the good music at the time, H.O.T’s 1997 hit single “We Are the Future” is forever one of my most adored ‘90s jams. So when I discovered that their junior group under the same company EXO delivered their own contemporary take of the single, I seriously thought that I had hit the jackpot. For the 27th Golden Disk Awards held in Kuala Lumpur, EXO paid homage to their predecessors by performing a remix version of the song that stripped many elements of the original, such as the chimes and futuristic reverbs, and replaced it with some new sounds, like a piano melody which gave the song a bit of a cleaner feel. And while remixes can be risky business, EXO was still able to maintain the nostalgic boy band feel of the era with the electronic instrumentals and synchronized choreography. But above all, what I love about this cover is the vocals distribution. Members in the past who have largely gone unnoticed, such as lead vocalist Xiumin, were finally given solo parts and were able to showcase their talents, which I am sure fans are very appreciative of. The only sin here is that EXO has not released an official full version of the hit yet.

— Shelley

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What better way to pay your respects to those (idols) who came before you than to cover one of their most notorious choreography? With their polished suits and alluring visuals, the six members of B.A.P took the audience in a time machine when they covered Shinhwa’s infamous “Wild Eyes” on Korean pop music TV show, “You Hee-yeol Sketchbook” in 2014. There have been a number of idol groups, both male and female, who have covered “Wild Eyes” throughout the years; some were able to mimic the choreography pretty well, but lacked the intensity and charisma and vice versa. Whereas in B.A.P’s case, they evenly distributed their energy into both their singing and dancing. Although this may be wishful thinking, but it’d be pretty darn spectacular if Shinhwa were to cover a B.A.P song somewhere down the line. I would definitely pay to see that!

— Tam

Before I knew that H.O.T had originally made it, I was already in love with Super Junior’s “Happiness.” It’s one of Super Junior’s early songs from 2007, and when I first discovered it way back when, I was obsessed. The video for “Happiness” is tons of fun and one of the few prior to Kyuhyun joining Super Junior, so I particularly enjoy it because some other members get a chance to shine vocally (even though I do love Kyuhyun’s voice). The song is an amazing pick me up, and will cheer anybody up from a gloomy day. The Super Junior version of the remake is essentially the same thing as H.O.T’s original, but the two groups are so different that the remake is just as much Super Junior’s song as it is H.O.T’s.

— Tamar

I always found it weird that Girls’ Generation had a song titled “Girls’ Generation,” but assumed it was their manifesto or something. It wasn’t until much, much later that I learned it was a cover, and even more that it’s originally sung by Lee Seung Chul, a man. The song came back in 1989, and the girl group used it as one of their lead singles in 2007 for their debut album. The contrast between the two versions is stark, with SNSD making it uberly sweet, while Lee Seung Chul is a rock anthem. The girls tried to embody his persona by mock playing instruments as in a band, which they mostly pulled off.

— Alexis

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I always think releasing a cover of a classic song is a lazy route for groups to go. Even though pop music is not exactly the go-to for originality, it’s still frustrating that there are covers of songs only twenty years old. That being said, I did enjoy Red Velvet’s second single, a cover of S.E.S’s ‘’Be Natural.’’ The strange thing about it is that they did not change a single thing about the song. Usually, this would annoy me even further, but here, it’s not necessary. The song sounds thoroughly modern and at ease in today’s environment. Maybe tastes have come full circle and we are merely listening to the same music as back then. Whatever the reason, the song holds up. It’s the sultriest piece of lounge R&B you’ll ever hear. Red Velvet’s whisper sultrily over slinking guitars and horns. It’s probably SM Entertainment’s most outwardly sexy concept ever and the girls can pull it off despite being relative newcomers.

— Joe

What’s your favorite ’90s K-pop cover? 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: Girl Groups Covering Boy Groups

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At KultScene, the predominant female staff has never tried to hide their biases for boy groups, but in an effort to be inclusive, we decided it’s time to give the girls some love as well. On a previous installment, we compiled our favorite boy groups covering girl group songs, so now is the time to make a playlist the other way around.

Newly debuted idol girl group The Ark has done a number of dance covers on their YouTube channel, but the girls looked like they were having the most fun covering boy group BTS’s Boy In Luv. Aside from their black and white outfits, which gave them an edgier look, their choreography was clean, and mimics BTS’s original version quite well, even with fewer members. A large portion of Boy In Luv includes synchronized choreography, while some parts are of the members jumping around and over one another; it looks like a fun song to dance to. It’s nice seeing a girl group covering a forceful song, one where they don’t have to worry about upholding a cute image, but rather showing off how well they can dance.

–Tam

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You don’t understand you guys… When “A.D.T.O.Y” by 2PM came out, it was my jam. And now with miss A delivering their own cover giving it a female angle for the JYP Nation One Mic Tour, it’s just beyond stellar. Even if it’s a breakup song and 2PM performed it with a lot of sensuality, miss A took it to a whole other level with their sultry voices and dance moves that extended the sense of longing in the song. The ladies of miss A are already sexy in their own right, but if they were to pursue this overtly sensual route as a concept, I’d be all for it! Sorry 2PM, but miss A beat you at your own game.

–Alexis

It’s no doubt that within the YG Family idol groups, Big Bang and 2NE1 are very close to one another. Naturally, this affinity would result in the brother and sister group to cover one another’s hits, offering their own respective flair in the renditions. This was the case in 2NE1’s take on Big Bang’s award-winning title “Last Farewell,” performed at SBS’s “Inkigayo” just a few months after their debut. It’s pretty hard to believe that during this time the four-member girl group was still considered a rookie group, seeing as how they absolutely owned the dance track. Leader and rapper CL was able to deliver the energy that was needed to fill up the barren stage with her nimble and confident raps that would even make her Big Bang counterpart G-Dragon proud, while the collective harmonies of the four work in adding a feminine touch to the song. The original club sound that followed a throw-your-hands-up choreography still remains in this cover, and the members genuinely look as if they are having a blast as they fiercely sing along to their label mates’ song.

— Shelley

It certainly seems like dance covers of 2PM songs are really popular among girl groups, because here’s another one! After School’s version of 2PM’s “Again and Again” adds a whole new charm to the song, with precise dance moves and vocals that are on point. The dance break in the middle of the song was the highlight of the performance for me, as their powerful dancing and flexibility were showcased. 2PM is well-known in the K-pop world for their dancing abilities, but After School rose to the challenge and nailed it, making this one of my favorite covers of all time.

–Anna

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2PM is a group that a lot of girls want to cover, and this collaborative performance of their hit “Heartbeat” is one of my favorites. After School’s UEE and former leader Kahi, 4MINUTE’s HyunA, and Former KARA members Nicole and Seungyeon took on the roles of 2PM for this hypnotic, puppet-like dance. Their dancing is up to par with 2PM’s, and their singing isn’t perhaps as mysteriously dramatic as 2PM’s but is a really nice take on the original song. Also, ignore the title that the uploader used. It’s not HyunA featuring the rest, but a collaboration.

–Tamar

What’s your favorite cover by a girl group of a boy group song? Share your picks with us 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: Favorite Girl Group Debuts

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If you had to choose your favorite girl group debut of all time, which group would it be? With an increasing number of girl groups debuting left and right, it’s hard to keep track, isn’t it? At KultScene, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite debuts, new and old.

miss A made its debut in 2010 with “Bad Girl, Good Girl,” during a time when the music industry was pumping out male groups excessively. These ladies brought a whole lot of personality, sass, and charisma for their debut song. Since they’re a multicultural group (two of the members are Korean, Min and Suzy, and two are Chinese, Fei and Jia), each member is able to attribute different distinctive characteristics to the team. Aside from being talented (and silly) young women, it’s admirable seeing the unique bond communicational skills that the members have with one another, especially with Fei and Jia, considering how they’ve had to adapt to the Korean lifestyle. In an imaginary world, if I could be apart of a Korean girl group, I’d want to join miss A!

–Tam

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f(x) is another notable multicultural girl group with members from China (Victoria) and the United States (Amber), and they made a formidable debut in 2009 with the song “La Cha Ta.” 2009 was a year that marked the debuts of several other girl groups such as 2NE1 and T-ara, but f(x) stood out with this release because of its catchy melody and strong choreography. This debut song also showcased the various talents of the five members well, paving the way for their future releases and growth as a group.

–Anna

Oh My Girl debuted in April with “Cupid,” joining the 2015 rookie debuts. Rather than getting lost in the lineup with something trying to gain attention for being too sweet or too sexy, Oh My Girl did exactly what was expected of B1A4’s little sister group. They took a cute, slightly offbeat concept, showed off excellent vocals and dancing skills, and debuted with a funky song that would get stuck in the head’s of listeners. “Cupid” has a drumline that offers a nice change of pace and keeps the sweetness of the member’s vocals from becoming too cloying. WM Entertainment appears to have put a lot into making the video cute without being cloying, and the styling and talent of Oh My Girl put this group on top of my best debuts of 2015 list.

–Tamar

Debut songs tend to be not so great, but rather establish precedent for a better song later on. However, this wasn’t the case for Purfles, who debuted last year with “1,2,3,” an electro banger and a sexy concept. Not only were the girls gorgeous and vocally talented, but the choreography was on point and the song, well, incredibly catchy — exactly what makes a great K-pop girl group. Unfortunately, Purfles flew under the radar with their debut song and have yet to release new material. Hopefully they’ll stick around and dish out just as awesome songs in the near future. While K-pop is not in need of more sexy girl groups, it is, however, in the need for girl groups who can do it all and do it well.

— Alexis

Listening to ‘’Bad Girl’’ these days brings a sadness to me that I never thought I could feel while listening to K-pop. That’s the reality of listening to Ladies’ Code now. When it first dropped, though, I was stunned and obsessed. I think it was one of the first times I ever really loved a debut single from a girl group. Even the biggest groups that some time to come into their but Ladies’ Code smashed it from the start. They announced themselves as Wonder Girls’ replacements with an orchestral led sound and across the board great vocals. The level of musical arrangement and vocal ability is what set them apart from all other rookies. Each voice was distinct and they played off each other so well. Especially the contrasting lead vocals of the husky So Jung and serene Ashley. It’s poignantly sad that a group who started off so well, ended so early.

–Joe

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2NE1 debuted on May 6, 2009 with “Fire,” and watching their debut performance gives me a lot of joy. It’s amazing to see how powerful their stage presence was since the get go. The girls have kept their fierce persona throughout their successful career and have remained true to their brand. With “Fire,” 2NE1 showed us a new side for girl groups. The girls were influenced by Hip-Hop and Reggae that created their signature style. 2NE1 still remains one of the most loved and influential K-pop girl groups out there and we just can’t wait to see what’s next for them.

–Alejandro

What’s your favorite girl group debut song? Tell us what you think about this band 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.

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Playlist Sunday: Boy Groups Covering Girl Groups

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PLAYLIST SUNDAY 15

Fan service has to be the greatest invention in K-pop. For some reason, fans go especially crazy with the type of fan service where male idols act cute or dress up and dance to girl group songs. We can’t really explain the psychology behind it and won’t try to. Instead, we’re just going to list our favorite instances of boy groups covering female groups for this week’s playlist.

Putting together the divas of multiple K-pop groups and having them perform the biggest hit of the day is brilliant. Having a group of male idols from different groups perform one of the biggest Korean hits ever is pre-genius. Way back in the day, members of 2PM, Super Junior, SHINee, and 2AM performed Girls’ Generation’s Gee and it was fabulous. 2AM’s Jo Kwon and SHINee’s Key shone in their spastic dancing, while all the other performers also joined in on the fun. This is also a little bit poignant, as took place before Jay Park’s departure of 2PM.

— Tamar

It came as no surprise when I saw GOT7 cover A Pink’s Mr. Chu, which was titled Ms. Chu for their stage at Music Bank’s end of the year show in 2014, I was ecstatic. GOT7 is naturally cute, so it was only right that they covered this bubbly song. Not only did they stick to the original concept by keeping the performance delightful and youthful, they also incorporated their own charm into it: Jackson’s little sexy wave, Mark flying midair flip, and BamBam’s reference to their Stop Stop It choreography. It’s a shame the guys didn’t perform this at their recent stops on their fan meeting tour in the USA. I’m sure all the iGOT7’s (fan club name), would’ve all fallen over due to their bewitching charisma!

–Tam

Jo Kwon’s second job is covering girl band songs, but that can’t be said for the rest of 2AM. When it comes to male groups covering the girl ones, you can’t expect them to take it completely seriously, especially when they do it for a variety show. That’s why their interpretation of miss A’s Bad Girl, Good Girl, but in this case Bad Boy, Good Boy, is awesome, because even if they wore similar outfits, sang, and did the choreography, they were acting a fool the whole way through. The cherry on top of the sundae? miss A was right there to watch them slay their song.

— Alexis

These two groups are popping out all throughout this playlist, but 2PM& 2AMare undeniably good at girl group covers. This parody/cover of Brown-Eyed Girls’ Abracadabra is hilarious, because the members of both groups really go all the way out in imitating BEG, be it in acting out the music video storyline or in the costumes that they don. They even went on to name themselves Dirty-Eyed Girls as a parody of BEG.

–Anna

When your favorite boy band covers your favorite girl band it could be the most hilarious thing ever. Thankfully when BIGBANG covered 2NE1’s I Love You for the YG Family concert, they gave us a very funny rendition of the song. From their sexy girl dance moves to T.O.P.’s screams, the boys were having the best time of their lives. Taeyang’s vocals were so on point that it made us even want a real studio version of this cover. Since BIGBANG and 2NE1 are label mates and friends they weren’t afraid to make fun of the song and have a lot of fun with it. This is one of my favorites covers of all time.

–Alejandro

Maybe I’m picking this cover because half of it is Girl’s Day performing Something as supremely as they usually do. Or maybe I’m picking Boy’s Day because it gives NU’EST’s Ren a chance to show off his true colours. I mean that boy is a beautiful woman, no doubt about it. The hair and makeup are flawless and the dress seems to fit his figure perfectly. Even his movements and expressions are quintessentially feminine. Ren completely outshines the rest of the boys which even includes VIXX’s Hongbin who is also known for looking pretty in drag. Unfortunately it is lip synched but at least it lets them concentrate on performing the dance.

–Joe

Playlist Sunday: Ultimate Bias

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Do you remember who your first ultimate Korean idol bias was? Is it still the same person? No? Yes? Well, at KultScene, we understand it might be hard trying to narrow it down to a single favorite artist, especially with new groups debutting each day. However, we all have that one that triumphs over the rest of them. So for this week’s playlist we’re choosing songs from our ultimate K-pop biases because we can’t contain all our feels.

Let’s throw it back to 2002 when I first laid eyes on my first Korean idol and forever-ultimate bias, Eric Mun, from SHINHWA. Eric’s found a nice balance between leading the longest running Korean idol group, to showing off his charismatic acting skills. Not only is he the alluring leader of SHINHWA, he’s also a skilled actor and quite the prankster wherever he goes. Aside from his silly antics, there’s something about those sad puppy eyes, deep husky voice and manly built of his that continuously draws me in. Eric’s been talking about marriage for several years now, but nothing’s really come of it yet, which I’m fine with because I don’t think my heart is ready to let this 13-year-old love go. But when the time comes, I’ll let him go with an open heart. With this said, I have to go with Alright because he gave a great performance.

–Tam

Also on KultScene: BoA ‘Kiss My Lips’ Music Video & Song Review

The first time I saw Jang Wooyoung (on TV that is) was in 2011, when he acted as Jason in Dream High. Back then, I took a special interest in him, especially as I started to find out about his group, 2PM, and listen to their songs. It was only after I heard This is Love, however, that Wooyoung became my ultimate bias. It may not be a very well-known song, especially compared to the rest of his solo releases, but to me, this jazzy and relaxing song filled with his silky vocals is a masterpiece that showcases Wooyoung’s growth both as a singer and as a composer. It makes me look forward to his future works, and I’ll definitely be supporting him all the way.

–Anna

He might have not been my first K-pop bias or even my favorite in Super Junior, but Kyuhyun is definitely bae now. And with his solo debut last year, this week’s playlist theme is the perfect opportunity to brag on my baby’s talent. Of course At Gwanghwamun is stellar, but it was his contribution to the recent drama Fool’s Love that gets my pick this time. ’Till I Reach Your Star is the main reason why I decided to watch the drama in the first place, and it being played at every other scene was the icing on the cake. The song is everything Kyuhyun is the best at: emotional, heart-tugging ballads. And even though he tones his greatness down, he still delivered a powerful performance.

— Alexis

If you ask me who my favorite K-pop star is, I may have a different answer every day, but there are two people I always go back to, and the first was Super Junior’s leader Leeteuk (The other is INFINITE’s Sungyeol, by the way). As a singer, Leeteuk is typically overlooked as a mediocre vocalist in Super Junior, but he’s the heart and soul of the group. His version of Huh Gak’s Hello from Super Show 6 gave him a chance to shine as a vocalist in a way rarely previously seen from him, showing a great deal of growth and improvement from a singer who had typically shied away from vocally strenuous performances.

–Tamar

Also on KultScene: South Korean Patients Dream, and Curse, in A Hybrid Punk World [Interview]

When I think of ultimate biases I always think of the idol that I most want to succeed and I have no doubt that that is Rainbow’s Kim Jaekyung. She is one of the only idols that so completely outshines the rest of her group that I feel sorry for her. Jaekyung excels at singing, dancing, and on variety shows. She is one of the most beautiful female idols working now and is multi-talented (check out her instagram to see the many things she draws and makes). If given the chance to go solo, she would nail every aspect and perform better than nearly all female soloists working right now. I always get the feeling that she genuinely enjoys what she does, and for me, that is most endearing. Unfortunately, Jaekyung has not had the chance to do any solo work that I know of, so I’m picking Rainbow’s To Me for my song. She particularly excels in the chorus wailing her lines to perfection.

–Joe

Who was your first K-pop bias? 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: Mother’s Day

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With much of America (and KultScene’s writers) celebrating Mother’s Day today, we thought it would be appreciated for all of us to take a moment and call our mothers and tell them how much we love them. Then we looked at our playlists and picked our favorite mommy-related songs.

INFINITE’s ballad Omma (Mom) is a heartfelt confession by sons toward their mothers, apologizing for being difficult over the years and not always showing their affection and thanks properly. The keyboard and strings-based song describes the desire to say “I love you” more often, expressing the idea that this is something that many children don’t say outright to their parents but instead hope that they know. “Something that’s so common, but I was never able to say it before,” sings INFINITE. The song is made more beautiful during the group’s concert performances, when pictures of the seven singers and their mothers appear in the background.

–Tamar

Also on KultScene: #CallMeBabyXWin: Korean Music Shows & The Songs That Win Awards

G.O.D’s To My Mother does a great job tugging on my heartstrings. It’s almost impossible to watch this video without shedding a tear here and there. The song talks about the hardships and obstacles the leading ladies in their lives endure and go through, while raising them on their own. Although the song is a bit on the more sorrowful side, it delivers a strong and meaningful message and reminds us to never forget to say our I love you’s to those who we hold near and dear to our hearts.

–Tam

Lee Sul Ah from K-Pop Star 4 made everyone cry, including the judges, with her original song Life As A Mother. The song talks about a mom staying up late to see his son come back home after a night. The song expresses every worry that a mom has and how at the end of the day they are always there for us. The song is beautiful and so simple but makes a big impact on everyone’s hearts.

–Alejandro

Since it’s not Mother’s Day where I am (Ireland), I’ve decided to go with something that has nothing to do mothers but has MAMA in the title. LC9 debuted at a bad time in 2013, right after many other boy groups with a similar powerful concept (B.A.P, Block B, etc.) had already reached popularity. LC9 were not promoted well enough though to follow in the success. It’s a shame as their debut album Skirmish and single MaMa Beat were excellent. MaMa Beat is a heavy slice of EDM hip-hop that features the musical equivalent of a circle (listen and you’ll get it). The vocal talent on display was impressive too, in singing and rapping. It even featured a pretty interesting video inspired by Street Fighter that actually showed some violence where so many others are afraid to. The violence is cartoonish but it’s still there.

–Joe

Also on KultScene: April’s Best K-Pop B-Sides

Even though it wasn’t among my favorites, I can’t deny the lyrics to Kisum’s song for the Unpretty Rapstar semi-final To. MOM was the sweetest ode to mothers everywhere. Even though the song isn’t much musically (or at least to me, anyway), the lyrics are super relatable to anyone who thinks their mom is the best. Of course the footage of Kisum’s mom actually being there and the legendary Insooni featuring on the track made it that more special, but the rapper’s sincere feelings shone through and could’ve also stood on its own.

— Alexis

What’s your favorite K-pop song dedicated to mothers? 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.