Playlist Sunday: Wedding Edition

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In honor of the recent K-Pop wedding of Super Junior’s Sungmin and actress Kim Sa Eun, this week’s Playlist Sunday is all wedding themed. While some of the songs on this list are bright, happy songs, we’ve also included some wedding-themed ballad songs that make us think twice about everybody attending weddings. Included on the list are songs by Super Junior, F.T Island, BIGBANG’s Taeyang, K.Will, and B1A4. You could even use this playlist at your own wedding. Lots of people forget that organising a playlist should be at the top of your list of priorities when it comes to wedding planning, as it really helps set the tone for the day, along with booking in your photographer because the best (visit olgatopchii.com for an example) are never available if you wait too long.

Even though the music video is several years old and outdated, Super Junior’s Marry U is a timeless song that asks the eternal question: “Will you marry me?” The thirteen members of Super Junior try to woo Girls’ Generation’s YoonA in the music video throughout the mid-tempo R&B song. The harmonies as well as the individual voices of the members really stand out in Marry U. Fittingly, now-married Sungmin is the first vocalist to sing following a rap intro.

–Tamar

What’s more appropriate for a wedding-themed playlist than a proposal song? F.T. Island’s Marry Me expresses the man’s point of view when he realizes that he wants to be with his love forever. The song talks about how they can do more things openly when they are married and how they will never have to leave each other once they vow to stay with each other forever. The lyrics are sweet, but the rock instrumental and Lee Hongki’s raspy vocals give Marry Me an attractive aura. If F.T. Island is proposing, especially in song form, I don’t know who would be able to resist that.

— Tara

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K Will is the master of the K-Pop ballad. Where most are dull and completely indistinguishable from each other, K Will offers something else. His always perfect voice, interesting instrumentation, and forward thinking ideas are what set him apart and would make him perfect as your wedding singer. Please Don’t is the highlight of his career for me due to its immediate easy listening and amazing music video. In it, Seo In Guk plays the conflicted best friend of a man who is about to be married. The video makes it seem like he is in love with the bride to be, Sistar’s Dasom, but in the final shot we see he is actually in love with his best friend. Not the bro kind of love either, real love.

–Joe

Weddings can sometimes be the end for some people. In Taeyang’s Wedding Dress he tells the story of a man who knows that his loved one is getting married. The thought of letting her go has him thinking about all the times they had together and how he could have been the one she married. This song showcases Taeyang’s style and amazing dancing abilities, and it’s one of his staple songs. The R&B ballad may not be the conventional wedding song, but whenever I think of a wedding song, this comes to mind.

–Alejandro

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Even though this song is not about marriage per se, the lyrics are hardcore romantic, so it would be weird for it to be for a regular girlfriend. Plus, and most importantly, it’s the OST for the show We Got Married global edition, where K-Pop celebrities are paired with foreign ones for a virtual marriage. Sunshine by B1A4 is so cheesy, with its lyrics and sound, that you can’t help and smile a little bit (or a lot) when you listen to it. The song, as the chorus says, basically says the girl is his everything and he loves her.

–Alexis

Playlist Sunday: Winter Edition

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Even though winter began last month, it wasn’t until recently that the season was fully experienced by all of us at KultScene. That’s why this week’s Playlist Sunday is fully dedicated to all things winter, including and especially the cold that comes with it. Our picks include songs that talk about snow, the weather, and how love is experience during this chilly season.

Living in Ireland means that when I think of winter, I think of the cold. So I decided to think outside the box and go for It’s Cold by Epik High and Lee Hi. Lee Hi was the perfect YG Entertainment artist to pick for this song as her vocals can have a cold, unemotional feeling to them in the best possible way. It mirrors the frosty nature of the song with its slow piano melody and lyrics about cold hearts. It makes winter feel like a never ending season, one of regret and hurt. This sometimes feels painfully true as I wear five layers of clothing every day.

–Joe

Winter in Korea is pretty frigid, but Girls’ Generation Snowy Wish is heartwarming and will make any snowstorm romantic. Even though the snow is falling, Girls’ Generation’s voices and lyrics make the frigidity something endearing, just another memory to make a relationship even better. The sweet-sounding tune is filled with hope and longing for a successful, warm relationship, and Girls’ Generation really makes listeners feel loved during live performances of the song.

–Tamar

Jonghyun and Juniel’s Love Falls gets us in the winter spirit for many reasons. One being that the song actually uses bells in the instrumentals that creates the picture of soft snow falling onto an already snow covered ground. The second reason it gets us into the spirit of winter, is the love story involved. Juniel and Jonghyun’s sweet vocals perfectly compliment each other and give off the feeling of warmth and love for the season. Even with the slight hiccup in their seemingly perfect relationship, the two are brought back together in the beautiful nighttime snow fall, so romantic.

— Tara

In SoCal, there’s no such thing as snow in winter, unless you travel to a mountain town. Despite this, snow is one of the default things one associates with winter, and that’s why I picked Super Junior’s First Snow. At first, the piano and bell sounds create a Christmas jingle feeling, but as the song progresses, we hear a signature Super Junior chorus in the likes of Miracle or Dancing Out, with its cheerful and cheesy sounds. Not that that’s a bad thing! The cheesiness and uplifting feeling of the song is what makes this a warm and cute song about young love.

–Alexis

Yes, we all have heard thousands of covers of the movie Frozen’s famous song Let It Go. But in YG Entertainment’s Mix & Match survival program, a new and fresh version was showcased. B.I, Donghyuk, Hongseok, and Lee Hi adapted the Oscar winning song into a new genre. B.I. made the song into trap, and it just makes you want to go up and dance. The song gives you a very fun and exciting new perspective of the song. Their version makes the song perfect for a winter party or a kick back.


–Alejandro

Playlist Sunday: Junk Food Edition

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If we’ve learned anything from watching variety shows is that K-Pop idols love eating. And while Korean food ranks among the healthiest, it doesn’t make for great pop songs. That’s why while picking a theme for this week’s <b>playlist</b> we took the wrong turn in terms of nutritional value and went for <b>junk food</b>. Because no matter how good kimchi is, it will never taste as comforting as a milkshake.

Woolim rookies Lovelyz burst onto the scene with the candy themed Candy Jelly Love. As always, it is not explicitly about candy but a metaphor for love or something a little bit more racy, if that’s how you interpret it. Anyway, it’s the production of this song what makes it truly candy-like. The twinkly J-Pop influenced sound reminiscent of early Kara is instantly satisfying and sweet combined with the dreamy, innocent vocals make this worthy of the food Lovelyz are singing about.

–Joe

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f(x)’s Lollipop is a fun, flirty, and addictive song. The beat, the vocals, and the featuring artist, SHINee, all make this a timeless song. The sugary sweet song is fun to listen to with the volume turned up, especially in the summer. I wish there was a music video for the song; it would be fun to see both f(x) and SHINee do a video for Lollipop. I can’t even imagine what their outfits and sets would look like. The song has everything, female vocals, male vocals, harmonies, catchy hooks, what more could we need (beside a music video)?

— Tara

BIGBANG and 2NE1 released a song together on 2009 called Lollipop. At first, the song starts with the girls of 2NE1 singing in a very cute voice, which get’s the listeners confused because none of these bands are known for being cute. But then G-Dragon comes in and says “Nah, that’s not how we do it,” and the song changes to their signature YG Entertainment hip-hop swag. Both 2NE1 and BIGBANG are styled with very fun ensembles and crazy hair, specially Dara. This collaboration makes me want to see them release a song together.

–Alejandro

Also on KultScene: YG Entertainment Wants You To Know It’s Different

Even though we already picked a f(x) song for this week’s playlist, they make a second appearance because, among girl groups, they always come up with the most interesting albums music wise. This time pick is Milk, a confusing song about healing a broken heart with cold milk, but with great Middle Eastern beats, which blend effortlessly with the girls’ vocals and harmonies. Milk is a flawless production of pop music; every aspect of it is perfect. The track, just as milk itself, is a tall glass of freshness.

–Alexis

What are some of your favorite junk food-themed K-Pop songs? 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: Rookie 2014 Edition

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Every day in K-Pop brings new comebacks, new music videos, new everything, and that includes rookie groups that debut in hopes of making lasting impressions on fans and being successful. Countless new groups debuted in 2014, so for this week’s Playlist Sunday, we all picked a particular group that stood out from the rest to us.

The R&B-Hip-Hop duo 2000 Won may not be so popular among international K-Pop fans, but their debut song I Hate Seoul is a wistful soul-filled song that highlights the duo’s strength. 2000 Won gained popularity in K-Pop Star 2, but only debuted in 2014. Singer Hyobin, with his flower boy looks, stars in the music video with Hello Venus’ Nara, as a man who has to leave Seoul because every place he visits reminds him of his ex-girlfriend. Ildo, 2000 Won’s rapper, acts as the narrator and Hyobin’s conscious, and breaks up Hyobin’s melody with his powerful raps. Not an idol group, but this song is one of my favorite of 2014.

–Tamar

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While Wonder Girls’ Ye Eun is not new to K-Pop , her alter-ego HA:TFELT is. Her song Ain’t Nobody, as well as her full solo album, really impressed me. Her debut solo track it’s an exceptional piece, a mixture of a ballad, dub step, and trap. The mixture of different genres creates a very unique musical experience that makes the listeners empathize with what HA:TFELT is feeling in the song.

–Alejandro

Mamamoo is one of the best rookie groups of 2014, in my opinion. These four ladies exude sultry sexiness. Their songs are jazz and swing based, but relevant and catchy. The ladies’ vocals are all exceptional, which is a feat in K-Pop. It’s rare to have more than one or two great vocalists. Even their rapper, Moonbyul, is quite good. Her rapping somehow fits seamlessly into Mamamoo’s jazz sound. Each girl shines in their songs and their music videos are fun and entertaining. Piano Man is Mamamoo’s comeback single, and it further proves that they have the voices and attitudes to go far in the business.

–Tara

I was not entirely impressed by this year’s rookies, but Nega Network’s LABOUM immediately stood out as the highlight for me. That does not, however, make them merely the best of a bad bunch. Their second single of the year, What About You? is an excellent entry into the quirky cute category similar to Hello Venus. With elements of ‘80s pop, an assured interesting rap, ticking 8-bit beats, and a member who looks like Girl’s Day’s Hyeri, where can you go wrong?

–Joe

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Big things were expected of JYP Entertainment’s newest boy group, especially since SM’s rookie group was doing exceedingly well. And while GOT7 has not yet taken K-Pop by storm like EXO or even WINNER, their debut and two subsequent comebacks have brought catchy, well-produced singles with top notch performances. Their latest, Stop Stop It, is heavy on the autotune, but instead of this being a crutch for the young group, it was actually used on the two best vocalists in order to create a futuristic sound on par with the music video. Good luck trying to get the chorus out of your head or not to do the choreography after watching the music video since Stop Stop It is highly infectious. What’s more, each of the members got at least a decent part in the song and they were all allowed to shine, making this song even more enjoyable.

–Alexis

Who’s your rookie 2014 favorite? 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: Korean Rap Edition

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We’re going to take a quick break from K-Pop and highlight the amazing Korean rap scene. A lot of the time Korean rappers may go unnoticed to K-Pop fans. But, as I’m sure most of you are aware, the majority of these rappers are extremely talented and use both Korean and English rhymes, which adds texture and shows the amount of skill these artists have. For this Sunday’s playlist we want to show the rappers some love. From this playlist alone it is clear that each rapper has their own color and style, which is one of the reasons why we love Korean rap here at KultScene.

A popular theme in rap is asserting yourself as the best and/or different than other artists in the game, and that’s exactly what LOCO does with No Manners. The song is his manifesto that he’s going to “keep crossing the line” and

kill it, stomp the business unapologetically.

LOCO raps about how he’s not going to hold back in order to be number one, even if he’s perceived as rude and, well, with no manners. The rapper owns the criticism against him and cleverly uses it to his advantage. Other than that, the hook where he sings “no manners” is pretty infectious and the beat has great flow without being too overpowering; it is LOCO’s rap that is the highlight.

–Alexis

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Gaeko makes up one half of the talented duo Dynamic Duo. His solo song Rhythm is Life expresses his feelings about his occupation and what people think of him and of Dynamic Duo. Gaeko is known for his singing as well as his rapping, but Rhythm is Life strictly showcases his talented rapping skills. His flow is unbelievable, the beat is unstoppable, and his lyrics give us an insight into his thoughts about his music career. It’s clear that Gaeko is doing what he loves and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Music is my playground, I’m like a mischievous child, running around and playing all night

Rhythm is Life addresses Gaeko’s thoughts about his long career, the new kids on the scene, the old people who don’t understand what he does, and all the haters. It’s a song that deserves undivided attention.

–Tara

Over from Epik High‘s 2010 Epilogue is one of Epik High’s few fully English language songs, and has a different feel from many other Epik High songs. Tablo’s rap dominated the song, and DJ Tukutz’ absence is noticeable, but there’s still an Epik High feel to it- the message of the song makes it 100% clear that Over belongs to the hip-hop group that criticizes many aspects of Korean lifestyle. The title revolves around being an overachiever, and Tablo’s soft spoken rap is an accusation towards everyone who “all you do is do.”

— Tamar

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Beenzino‘s Dali, Van, Picasso is one of my favorite songs ever. This track is Beenzino’s self portrait. He lists his art influences through the song and let’s the world know that Salvador Dali, Picasso, and Van Gogh’s work influenced him through his life.

–Alejandro

Who are some of your favorite Korean rappers? 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: Raunchy Tunes

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Not everything in K-Pop is cuteness and sweetness and retellings of innocent first loves. The genre does explore topics on the raunchy side like sex and usage of cuss words, but the references are often obscured or just don’t make it on music shows. But since we’re all adults here on KultScene we figured it was time to address more mature and naughtier songs for this week’s Playlist Sunday.

Seungri‘s Let’s Talk About Love should actually be called “Let’s Talk About Sex,” because that’s what he and his groupmates G-Dragon and Taeyang are singing about. They obviously never mention it directly, but with lyrics like these:

Past the stage of ecstasy, we’re trembling
From your head to your toes, I won’t miss a single part
Scream louder, I want to fly
You want to climax? I be ya thriller
Let’s talk about me? Let’s talk about you
Let’s talk about love? Let’s talk about X

… It’s like they’re just trying to hide it enough for it not to be banned or censored on T.V. The song is unmistakably an invitation for sex, but a fun, nice to dance to one. Besides, if any of the BIGBANG members would want to “talk about love” (wink, wink) with me, who am I to say no to them? Sex can be a little bit of a taboo subject to discuss but it is part of who we all are, however, it can be a dicey subject if a person may be having an ‘issue’ whilst in bed. Luckily help found at https://www.blinkhealth.com/viagra can assist with this need and eventually get people to talk about sex. Maybe this music will also help that along!

–Alexis

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BEAST‘s So Hot is a very sexy ballad that talks about a one night stand. Through the song the listener is taken on the journey of a man who instantly lusts about a woman he just met at a club. As soon as he sees her he is taken aback by her sexy persona and beautiful eyes. By the end it, the narrative eventually leads into a one night stand, but the man realizes that he wants to turn their encounter into a long term relationship. BEAST’s smooth and sexy vocals really enhance the sultry raunchiness of the song.


–Alejandro

Jay Park‘s Welcome is, as he states, “…a rated R love song.” The whole song is about Jay welcoming his girlfriend to his bed. He sings about what he wants to do, touch her all over, keep the lights on so he can see her body, turn off her cell phone, and more. He can’t wait any longer, she’s driving him crazy, and his emotions and lust for her are taking over. The sexy lyrics are brought to life with the equally sexy music video. Welcome is an intimate love song that clearly expresses Jay’s feelings and thoughts at that time. All he sees is his girlfriend and all he wants is,

I don’t want anyone bothering us
I want to fall into a world of our own
This bed, your pillow, your body
I want to stay like this forever, I don’t wanna go to work
Making sweet love music
This is how we how we do it

— Tara

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Ga In‘s Fxxk U featuring Bumkey is one of the overly sexual songs out of K-Pop ever. The song is about abuse, of someone telling their lover that they don’t want to have sex right now. The music video has the two visually representing the lyrics in a dark, raunchy film that is both shocking and exciting. Fxxk U is different from the normal K-Pop song and approaches basic emotions and desires in an artistic way that makes it a fantastic song.

–Tamar

What’s you favorite raunchy K-Pop song? Share it with us 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: Day of the Dead Edition

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Following the holiday theme for our Playlist Sunday, this week’s focus sets on The Day of the Dead. Although it may sound macabre, November 2nd is a day dedicated to remembering and honoring deceased loved ones. And while it’s very unlikely that K-Pop groups would have songs about the Day of the Dead, we’re interpreting it in our own way by choosing songs with similar festive makeup, about lost love, and saying good bye.

Even though it’s not a real Catrín (dapper male skeleton), Jay Park donned skull-like makeup for the music video of his album’s intro New Breed. The track was not a single, but Jay Park decided to release a video for his album’s intro by the same name with the eye catching makeup to further enhance his message of him being different to other artists in the game. The look was inspired by Rick Genest, aka Zombie Boy, rather than the Day of the Dead, but the similarities and loose connection to the Catrín are there. This song is full of curse words, so listeners wary and click play at your own discretion.

–Alexis

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My pick for this week’s theme is not related in any way to the Mexican holiday. Instead, I am playing off of the name “Day of the Dead” for my pick. Primary’s Poison featuring E-Sens talks about an array of feelings and emotions that make the narrator feel half dead and wanting to be more free. The lyrics show the pain the narrator experienced through a period of time. He went through a lot of dark and rough times and it took awhile for him to realize that he is in control of his happiness. He was in such a dark place that he didn’t realize all of the things he was losing. The end of the song brings some clarity in the form of these lyrics:

If I rush to follow along, I keep forgetting which one is me
If I rush to follow along, I keep forgetting which one is me
If you need to stop, then stop now
We lose too many important things in life
If I rush to follow along, I keep forgetting which one is me

— Tara

Nell’s The Day Before may not be exactly what The Day of The Dead is about, but the song’s video remind me of the feelings that someone has towards the passing of a loved one. The lyrics are seemingly about a couple that’s broken up, but Nell’s music video shows that the band wrote it with the thought of death in mind.

It was difficult at first
More than I will admit
It was burdensome
But after accepting it,
it makes me too sorrowful.

Losing a loved one is difficult, but even after you accept that you will never see them, that pain never goes away. It’s hard and burdensome to love and lose someone, but as humans it is what we do.

–Tamar

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Day Of The Dead is a holiday to remember the loved ones that passed away. In HA:TFELT’s song Nothing Lasts Forever, she talks about losing someone you love and not being able to say goodbye to them. This song is very dear to my heart because I wasn’t able to say goodbye to my grandmother before she died, and listening to this song, it gives me a lot of peace. In her voice you can hear a very fragile tone and how regretful she is of not saying that last goodbye. She knows that even if she didn’t have the chance to say what she wanted to say, at least she has that last memory of her loved one. That’s what Day of the Dead is all about, knowing that your loved ones who have passed away are at peace and in a better place, even if it’s hard at first to accept it; you will always remember them.

–Alejandro

What’s your favorite Day of the dead-like K-Pop song? Leave your pick in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: Halloween Edition

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From the out-of-this-world fashion and costumes to the dark and creepy concepts artists undertake, K-Pop gives great choices for Halloween costumes and soundtracks. And since the holiday is rapidly approaching, KultScene decided that this week’s Playlist Sunday should revolve around things we associate with All Hallows Eve: creepiness, mysteriousness, and darkness… And yet, a lot of fun.

A mix of dreams and eeriness, Sunny Hill’s Midnight Circus is one of my favorite music videos. There’s a whole story going on here, and each member of the idol group has a role, whether it’s as the stars of the show or the ringmaster controlling each act. There’s one interpretation that the music video and song are about the hardworking life of Korean idols, who are controlled almost entirely by their entertainment agencies. Even if the song doesn’t have a deeper meaning, the song’s creepy accompaniment and the fantastical sets make Midnight Circus absolutely wonderful. The variety of sounds within one song and the imagery gained Sunny Hill a lot of attention, and Midnight Circus is still definitely one of the best K-Pop music videos ever produced. Bonus– Beast’s Kikwang makes a cameo as a weak “strongman.”

—Tamar

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Snakes, blood, brains, sewing together skin, voodoo dolls, what more do you need for a creepy music video? VIXX‘s concepts are always different than the mainstream K-Pop music. They tend to stick to their alien/other worlds concept and do a great job with it. Voodoo Doll is no exception. When the music video was released, it was a new concept and an extremely catchy song. There’s even stabbing in the choreography that VIXX had to alter for their live stages. The fact that the members are tortured by a girl via voodoo dolls makes the concept creepy and, for some people, cringeworthy, but worth watching. The guys do a great job acting out being tortured throughout the music video and their vocals and choreography are reason enough to watch.

— Tara

K-Pop music videos are known for their colorfulness and vividness. Well, mostly anyway. But then BEAST comes into the picture and give the antithesis to that notion with last year’s Shadow. For starters, the video is film noir and relies on the mysterious, eerie, and haunting to best represent the sorrowful lyrics of the song. From the actual plot to the props used to the wardrobe, Shadow’s dark concept make it the perfect Halloween jam.

–Alexis

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SHINee’s album Chapter 2: Why So Serious?- The Misconceptions Of Me has a lot of tracks that have themes of paranormality, zombies, and vampires. In their track Nightmare, the listeners learn of a story of a man who falls in love with a beautiful vampire. The song is full of synths and sound effects that make you picture a very cold and eerie setting. The music really conveys the feeling of the song of being trapped in a nightmare, not being able to distinguish between the dream and reality.

–Alejandro

What’s your favorite K-Pop Halloween song? We’d love for you to share your picks with us, and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr, so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: Haters Gonna Hate

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Haters will always be around and we can either become consumed with their negativity or brush it off and continue to live our lives the way we want. This week’s Playlist Sunday is all about shutting up those haters and showing them that we don’t give a damn about their pessimism and snide remarks. With the help of Beenzino, CL, G-Dragon, and Teddy, Epik High (with some friends), and MBLAQ let’s all forget about the haters and enjoy the music.

Beenzino’s Up All Night talks about a different kind of hate and how the narrator deals with it. He just lost his lover and he hates everything and everyone. He just wants to go out, get drunk, have fun, and forget everything else, especially his love situation. He hates love songs and dealing with a breakup, and he makes it more intense during the bridge when he adds some cuss words. At the end of the song, he clearly states how much he hates his haters while continuing his use of profanity, but lets his fans know that he does everything for them.

–Alejandro

If we’re going to talk about haters, there’s probably not two people in K-Pop who have gotten more hate than G-Dragon and CL. That’s why in The Leaders, the idols, together with YG Entertainment producer Teddy, came out with a song celebrating themselves. In the song, they talk about being on top of their game and not being fazed by any haters. The Leaders has the best one liner disses in english ever, making it the reason I love this song. It’s a very smug song, but true nevertheless.

–Alexis

[Note: The following song contains explicit content.]

Epik High celebrated their 10th anniversary last October with the release of an exclusive track on their Soundcloud. The song, 420, was produced by DJ Tukutz and highlights Tablo’s and Mithra’s rapping. But this song isn’t just Epik High, seven other rappers join the hip hop group. Double K, Yankie, Dok2, Sean2Slow, Dumbfoundead, TopBob, and MYK all have a verse in the song.

The song is about Epik High’s rise from the bottom and how they’re still here and the same group as when they started. Each verse gives listeners brief insight into each rappers’ career, beginnings, and feelings about the hip hop scene. The beat is addictive and everyone’s verses flow well together. 420 is not for the faint of heart, but it’s definitely worth listening to and understanding the lyrics.

— Tara

MBLAQ’s known for its dance and R&B songs, but Run is one of MBLAQ’s most powerful, epic songs as well as by any idol group. It serves as the introductory song on MBLAQ’s 100% Ver, and sets the mood for the entire album- the idea that MBLAQ loves what it’s doing, and doesn’t really care what your reaction to the album is.

MBLAQ has done a lot of experimental stuff, and Run is the group’s anthem saying that it doesn’t really care what your reaction is, but MBLAQ is going to overtake you. Run is the intro for an album with a multitude of song styles including This Is War, Hello My Ex, and Scribble, and the variety is a bit overwhelming. Run knows that not everyone will be comfortable with every song, with every style that MBLAQ includes in the album, but MBLAQ is ready for both criticism and competition.

–Tamar

What’s your favorite song that sticks it to the haters? Be sure to share it and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: OST Favorites

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Whether Korean dramas got you into K-Pop or the other way around, one thing’s for sure: they’re both inevitable gateways into each other. Maybe your favorite idol was in a drama, or maybe that group you’re listening to participated on an OST. Since K-Pop is mainstream music in Korea, it comes as no surprise when idols sing OSTs, even if they don’t act in them.

And since we’re all K-drama addicts at KPOPme this week’s Playlist Sunday is dedicated to a few of our favorite OSTs.

When Jonghyun’s (CNBLUE) character was introduced in A Gentleman’s Dignity, I did not expect the My Love OST. The scene of him playing guitar and singing on the street is the first time we hear the song. As soon as I saw this scene and heard this song I was hooked. My Love showcases Jonghyun’s gentle and innocent vocals. It’s a beautiful song performed by a beautiful man with beautiful vocals. I can’t get enough of the song and as soon as I heard it in the drama, I loved it.

–Tara

Few dramas tugged at the viewers’ heartstrings like Rooftop Prince, and Ali’s song Hurt is one of the songs that helped set the tone. Ali’s deep voice portrays the emotions of someone full-heartedly in pain, making the melancholy ballad the perfect backdrop to the pain and suffering of the couple in both Joseon and present times.

— Tamar

Boys Over Flowers was the first Korean drama that I ever watched, and SHINee was the first K-Pop band that I fell in love with. So naturally while watching the drama and heard the song, I was hooked. Stand By Me really brings out the softness in Onew’s vocals. They may not be as powerful as in other songs, but for this type of song, it was perfection. Jonghyun, Taemin, and Key lead you perfectly to the chorus, and once you hear this song, the soothing melody will make you never forget it.

–Alejandro

Monstar was one of those dramas with idols who are in a fictitious band. This time, said idols were BEAST’s Junhyung and BTOB had a few scenes since they were in the band, but not relevant to the story. After Time Passes was the song that played anytime there was a bittersweet moment. And what makes this song stand out from others in the drama is that Junhyung sings rather than raps in it. The lyrics talk about still being hung up on a girl, but anticipating getting over it and thinking less and less of her as time passes. The track is very mellow, making it an easy listen for whenever.

–Alexis

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