Playlist Sunday: Goofy Tunes

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In an industry where highly processed and staged music videos are the staple, it’s refreshing to see something with a goofy plot or props. That’s why for this week’s playlist we’re going the funny route, check it out!

Nothing get’s me more excited than the beat for Crayon Pop’s Uh-Ee; it has something that makes me really happy (I even have it set up for my alarm). Crayon Pop always makes the goofiest and most fun dances, and I love how easy they are to follow. After meeting Crayon Pop in their 1st USA Fan Meet and watched their opening performance for Lady Gaga, I feel more in love with them. They give out so much energy in their performance and they are really nice. The video that accompanies the song is also very funny and I find myself cracking up every time I watch it.


–Alejandro

Bigstar’s Run&Run is a song and video that I can never get sick of. The first time I saw the video, I instantly fell in love with Bigstar. It was the first video I had seen of theirs, and the fun video and song got me hooked. In general, I’m a sucker for bright colors and patterns, and the music video for Run&Run has all of that more. It’s a fun and quirky video that almost everyone can relate. The video shows the aftermath of a night of epic partying, all complete with a catchy chorus and an impressive dance routine.


–Tara

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Not only did this song stalk me throughout my stay in Seoul, (I wish I was joking), it is one of the weirdest, most hilarious songs that K-Pop has created in a long while. While Orange Caramel is meant to be slightly odd, B1A4 turned out to be a goofball of an idol group just by having the members acting like themselves. The song is catchy for it’s random lyrics and tune, with breaks that seem a bit atypical for the song but actually match the whole feeling.

The music video involves the B1A4 acting as the directors of a love relationship. But this isn’t just a normal romance; the man and woman wear masks that make them appear creepily like Barbie and Ken dolls. The title What’s Happening is very apt, considering that the music video is bizarre and confusing, but it’s definitely one of my favorite songs.


–Tamar

Rather than Super Junio-Happy, this Super Junior subunit should be called “Cute.” And it is because Pajama Party is an explosion of cuteness that it is consequently goofy: I mean, seriously, here you have some of the “manliest” members of the group living in a comic book and being scared of a gorilla who’s trying to get into the apartment!

From their cute pajamas, to the cute choreography, to their cute expressions; there’s just no way you can take these guys seriously in this setting. Pajama Party is just a fun song to dance and sing along to. It’s safe to say that the music video is a huge fan service to ELF, similar to everything they do on their Super Shows and thus why I love them ( ˘ ³˘)❤.


–Alexis

Who else is goofier in their music video than G-DRAGON singing CRAYON? From his outrageous outfits to his equally crazy antics and the addicting get your CRAY on chorus, there’s not really much that isn’t strange in this video. At some parts, he’s sports a devilish grin, and at others? Well, he’s just… loopy! There’s also nothing wrong with being quirky, either, because it’s completely hilarious watching him goof off. I kind of want to join in, because it looks like he’s having a bunch of fun! Why should life be a total bore when you can let go and not be so serious?


–Thuc

What’s your favorite silly song? Share it with us! Don’t forget 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: Love Edition

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When it comes to love, it’s safe to say that it doesn’t come in a packaged, conventional way. No; love has many shapes and forms and can’t be restricted to just one definition. It can be big and boisterous for a higher power, or small and growing for a significant other. For this week’s playlist, we chose songs that talk about overall love, whether it’s love confessions, feeling desperate over it, or just embracing and rejoicing it.

After seeing BTS at their free showcase, Show & Prove, in Los Angeles this week, they became my current obsession. So naturally when I found out about the theme for this week’s playlist, I automatically thought of their song, Boy In Luv. This is one of my favorites from BTS; it’s cute, but it still showcases their tough side. The beginning is the part that I love the most: telling the girl “I want to be your oppa” is just too cute coming from them. They are in love with a bad girl, and they don’t know what the girl wants or what to do to be with her. Poor guys; the girl just keeps playing and teasing them! The music video is very fun and has the group looking very cute and sexy with school uniforms. Get ready to get addicted to the song’s chorus; it’s very catchy.


–Alejandro

Ailee‘s Evening Sky isn’t a typical love ballad about a couple; her composition actually brings up her faith and devotion to her religion and God. While that isn’t a romantic sort of ordeal, the song is still a wonderful example of another kind of love that can exist. She showcases her beautiful voice and amazing control in this piece, as she goes from soft and soothing to powerful vocals seamlessly.

Her lyrics are also extremely poetic, as she struggles with keeping a personal attachment to God despite sharing the faith with many other people. Even if you look past such allusions, it’s not difficult to see that this is a sweet song of adoration, confusion, trust, and acceptance. What else do you need in love? You don’t have to be religious to enjoy this, and that’s just another reason why I picked Evening Sky for this week’s playlist.


–Thuc

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One of the most tender songs I’ve ever heard is Falling In Love With A Friend by Beige, featuring Super Junior‘s Ryeowook. Although it’s a featured song, the two really are collaborating, singing each part of the couple that’s struggling to make the jump from being good friends to something more. The confession itself is beautiful, depicting the nervous anticipation of friends who have reached this point.

Rather than being a slow, soft ballad to depict the anxious emotions, Beige and Ryeowook’s duet has an upbeat melody that helps portray the happy feelings of each other as they realize that they want to be closer. The music video is also well done, partially being a behind-the-scenes look while the two recorded, but it also features the two as friends in circumstances where they bond and grow more fond of each other. All in all, it’s an adorable song about reaching out and confessing to your beloved.


–Tamar

I don’t remember when or how I first heard 15&’s Can’t Hide It, but, from the opening lines, I immediately knew this would be on repeat for a while. The chorus of the song is mostly in English ,and the girls sing “I’m in love” throughout it. I’m in love with this song! Can’t Hide It is a perfect spring and summer love piece.

The beat and music is reminiscent of ’90s and early ’00s R&B. Jimin and Yerin’s voices are perfect for this genre. The ladies’ power vocals carry the notes effortlessly, and I can’t get enough of it. It’s always on my car playlist, and, every time it comes on, I blast it and sing along enthusiastically. I have to admit that I try to convince myself that I sing as well as the talented duo (which I clearly don’t). These girls own their live stages, too, which is amazing. If you haven’t heard Can’t Hide It, then I suggest you listen to it and then go buy it; you won’t regret it, I promise!


–Tara

Earlier this week when watching ASC After Show, Eric Nam and GOT7’s Jackson and Mark danced to their song, I Like You. I instantly had it stuck in my head all week. The backup vocals repeating nan niga joha, niga joha had me doing the elbow swaying dance as I jammed along. Some people in my household (who will remain unknown) said that it was annoying, but I love it! I dig that all the boys got to showcase their talents –Yugyeom, Mark, Jackson, and Bam Bam with their fierce rapping while Jr., JB, and Youngjae with their powerful yet soothing vocals — to the max. I Like You is the boys’ love confession to a girl, complimenting her on everything they like about her. It kind of made me draw parallels between this track and One Direction’s What Makes You Beautiful. I listen to it while driving or writing (or pretty much all the time). The music doesn’t overpower their vocals, making them the true stars of the song and not just the producer.


–Alexis

What’s your favorite K-Pop love song? Let us know in the comment section below. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter,
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Playlist Sunday: I Wanna Dance

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You know those songs that just make you get up and move? Well, for this week’s playlist we have each picked K-Pop tunes that always make us move our feet. Whether it’s BIGBANG or Ailee, there are plenty of dance-worthy K-{op tunes out there for all to enjoy. Here are our picks for this week.

If there’s a song I love blasting on my laptop while getting ready to go out, it’s Orange Caramel’s Bangkok City. Even though I’m not a big fan of the rave concept with the clown hair and outfits, it’s a great song to dance and sing along too. Plus, this is probably the group’s song that showcases Nana’s voice the best without making it cutesy fake to fit their overall concept. And that’s another thing! Even though they wear the little top hats and oversized bows, Bangkok City is probably the least cute song they have. Don’t get me wrong, I love Orange Caramel’s weirdly cute concept, but it’s refreshing to see another side to them while still remaining true to their brand.


–Alexis

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I Will Show You is one of the most fun, powerful songs that I’ve heard in a while. Ailee‘s powerful vocals and the beat are amazing, and the revenge message of “I will show you,” is extremely empowering. Ailee’s change from a bit of a nerd to a sexy woman to prove to MBLAQ’s G.O that he shouldn’t have broken up with her (once he got hot) is comical, but it’s something that many people with broken hearts probably feel like doing.

However, I do have one small problem. At the end, G.O wants her back, but not because he realizes that he likes the old Ailee, but instead because he likes the new Ailee. Not cool. Love her for everything she was and is, not just what she’s changed into. The song is great, but the ending message is a bit lacking. Sure, Ailee knows she has him wrapped around her finger, but what about when she gets a bit old and can’t fit into those shiny dresses?


–Tamar

f(x) is one of my favorite girl bands, and listening to their newest album Red Light, I fell in love with 뱉어내(Spit It Out). Everytime f(x) releases a song like this, it makes me remember why they became one of my favorite bands. They always have songs that make me want to blast them in my room, and of course, dance along and create my personal choreography to the song. This song has the element that I love about them, the way they blend different music genres together. The track has a lot of electronic and dance elements, and the way they all sing together at the chorus is what makes an f(x) song. My favorite part is when Amber yells “Spit it out” right before the beat goes up. Get your dancing shoes and get ready to dance!


–Alejandro

A surefire way to get everyone up and jamming is to blast BIGBANG’s Fantastic Baby and watch the party begin. The eccentric fashion and totally hypnotizing lyrics (BOOM SHAKALAKA, anyone?) pulls you into this music video, and the addicting beat and chorus (Wow, Fantastic Baby) come in to make you stay. Every time this song comes up on my iPod, I get to have a little moment to myself and dance a little.

Who could also resist TOP’s mesmerizing role as the vocal bass, or Taeyang’s powerful voice that lies in the bridge, tying the verses and the chorus together? Whether you’re a big fan of BIGBANG or not, it’s difficult not to move along when Fantastic Baby comes up!


–Thuc

One song I can’t stop listening to is Jump by BTS. I first discovered the song during the showcase for their Skool Luv Affair album and haven’t stopped listening to it since. The rapping is what makes this song.

Aside from great rapping from Suga, J-Hope, and Rap Mon, the overall tone of the song is upbeat and energetic. If you turn on Jump there won’t be anyone standing around. The whole song keeps an upbeat and fast tempo, which gets me in such a good mood and so energized and excited to do whatever I’m about to do. I listen to Jump almost every morning on my way to work to get my day started off right and to give me energy for the day.


–Tara

What’s your favorite dance song? Share your opinion with us! Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: Provocative Tunes

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Some K-Pop songs are cute, some K-Pop songs are sexy. And there are a few that stand out for their sexy, provocative messages. The KPOPme staff sat down and picked of their favorite provocative tracks ,and this is the playlist we came up with.

When I first saw the teasers for Red Light, I was very surprised. The girls of f(x) were looking very strong and very sexy. Then I read the tittle of their comeback song, Red Light, and I instantly thought, ” Wow, this is gonna be provocative”. Giving that there is a Red Light District in Amsterdam, I thought the song was going to be about prostitution.

But then the song was released and after watching and reading the English translation of the song, I realized that I had been deceived. Nevertheless, I love this song and I love the different sounds in it. And for me, this is a very refreshing track (specially the parts with trap) . I always love how f(x) always miles real instruments with electronic beats. And I can’t take the, “Ay ay is a red light” out of my head. I love this song and I can’t stop listening to it.


–Alejandro

One of the first K-Pop music videos I ever saw was TVXQ‘s Mirotic. And, wow. If The Wonder Girls hadn’t done it for me, those five handsome men would have. TVXQ’s last Korean music video as a quintet was banned because of the suggestive dance and seductive lyrics. “I’ve got you, under my skin,”  is still one of the most famous K-Pop lyrics nowadays for its desirous meaning.

Not only was the song provocative with it’s alluring video and lyrics, but the song actually provoked quite a response from the Korean Commission of Youth Protection, which determined that Mirotic was dangerous to the youth of Korea. SM Entertainment had to change the lyrics to TVXQ’s song. And that’s why we love it so much.

–Tamar

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I can’t really remember when I first heard Trouble Maker‘s Trouble Maker, but I can surely remember I was in shock. I was new to K-Pop, and while the music video would be standard protocol for Western artists, I had learned that outright sensuousness had little presence in the genre, so this music video caught me off guard.

Performed flawlessly by Cube Entertainment’s staple sexy duo, Hyuna and Hyunseung, Trouble Maker is a song about lusting over someone and not wanting to repress said feeling. A provocative choreography accompanies the equally provocative music video and song, which, of course, the media had a field day criticizing it. Despite this, Trouble Maker succeeded in the market and was highly parodied by other artists on variety shows.

–Alexis

Brown Eyed Girls‘ Sixth Sense comes to mind when we talk about provocative; from the sexy outfits and choreography to the deeper conflicts between North and South Korea, this music video brings forth many emotions. Ga-In starts off the first verse, sitting on a throne and crooning words like touch, bitch, and guilty. Combine Ga-In with scantily clad Narsha, close-to-drowning JeA, and rebel leader Miryo, and what do we have? The perfect combination of provocative!

I could feel the anger and the tension coming from these ladies as they faced their opponents, and their powerful vocals further added to these strong emotions. That high note not only was breathtaking, but it also seemed to represent an inner cry for war! This group never fails to impress me.


–Thuc

I first heard After School‘s Dressing Room a few months ago, even though the song is over a year old. The beat of the song got me hooked right from the beginning. Naturally, I looked up the lyrics and discovered the song is about a secret love taking place in the dressing room… scandalous!

It was probably a smart choice not to choose Dressing Room as a promotion song because it’s a safe bet to say that their lyrics would have to be altered for being too provocative. Especially this part:

Take me, come to me, feel me closer
Wherever your hand touches, make me so hot.

One can only imagine what the choreography would be if this song had a video and that would most likely also have to be changed for censorship purposes. Although After School didn’t promote this song, it’s still one of my favorites on their First Love EP.


–Tara

What’s your faveorite provocative song? Share your opinion with us! Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: Stalker Idols

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Even though having a stalker or an obsessed ex-lover can be  traumatic experience in real life, in the K-Pop world it seems to be harmless and cute. This week’s playlist is dedicated to the emotions that rise when yearning for another person. Our picks range from creepy to adorable. You decide which one is which.

I really, really didn’t like History‘s Psycho during the first listen. The group has no consistency in style, and I fell in love with its debut song, Dreamer. Psycho couldn’t be farther apart in sound from Dreamer, but after a few listens of the former, I realized that both songs, all of History’s songs in fact, had different styles but displayed the member’s vocal talent in unique ways. This way, every member is able to play to his skills, expressing himself in whatever genre of music suits him. History debuted as a group with a few strong vocalists, but Psycho shows off even the “weakest” members have powerful lines that resonate with the listener.

The music video for Psycho is creepy with stalker plot; the song is influenced by the Alfred Hitchcock film, so this is expected. But it also has some amazing (i.e. sexy) dancing, especially from my favorite member Kyungil. The way that man thrusts his hips was so X-rated that they had to tone down the dance for broadcasts, disappointing fans all over the world.


— Tamar

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Similar to Tamar’s experience with Psycho, the first time I saw the video for GOT7‘s A, it really didn’t leave a lasting impression with me. I never thought it was bad, I just didn’t make much of it. It wasn’t until I saw After School Club earlier this week with them as guests that I paid better attention to the song and them as a group.

The ending result, of course, involved me playing the song all week and even choosing a bias in the group (hey JB!). I’m regularly not into the cutesy, pedo-noona inducing concepts, but it’s hard not to fall for the boys’ charms. Who knew GOT7 could make stalkers seem harmlessly cute?  Moreover, the song’s chorus is incredibly catchy, same goes for the choreography.


— Alexis

Ever since I heard Taeyang’s song Eyes, Nose, Lips from his newest album Rise, I became obsessed. Then Tablo made a cover and it obsessed me even more. Tablo’s cover is in English, written by him and featuring Tayeang at the end. Tablo’s rap throughout the song really takes us to the anger in the song. I really love when Taeyang sings in English, his voice sounds beautiful.

Furthermore, the lyrics are powerful. The song talks about a lost love, while still seeing their lovers face, which sounds a little bit like an obsessed ex to be quite honest. But you have to give it for the guys. It does hurt to see the person you still love and know that you lost them. It this case, the other person in love seems to had done something very bad because there is a particular very intense line (which is my favorite line from the song) that says:

You wish me well, I wish you hell.


— Alejandro

Flower is a mid-tempo R&B song composed and produced by none other than Yong Junhyung. I was excited to hear about the Beast member’s solo debut in December, and he did not disappoint. The music video for Flower perfectly matches the tempo and feeling of the song. Junhyung compares his love to the scent of a flower even long after they have drifted apart. One of the lines of lyrics translated says:

Even after time passes, the thickly settled scent remains.

Clearly he cannot get over his former love. He still smells her and feels her arms hug him and lips kiss him. As the song progresses, he loses these senses and wishes to gain them back just once more. Although the memories of her touch, smell and kiss grow faint, Junhyung just wants to feel them one more time. Flower is his request just to be held by his love once more.


— Tara

I swear I’m not on an EXO rampage, but when it came to our theme of stalker idols, I was instantly reminded of the group’s entire drama series for Wolf. Albeit a little cheesy, the plotline for this drama involves some major creepiness. After being stalked by some bad guys, Luhan plays the stalker role by following his ex-friends as they visit D.O in the hospital. I couldn’t keep a straight face as I watched this, but I did enjoy how SM actually made a pretty long dramatic interpretation of the group’s comeback.

Wolf itself was not my favorite song, but it slowly grew on me; when EXO came to KCON in 2013, I found myself cheering and singing along just as loudly to Wolf as I did for their other songs. The dubstep is a tricky and risky move for the company and group, but the song was still popular with fans. My favorite part was probably when they howl, because it is just so darn fun to pretend I’m a wolf myself.


— Thuc

What stalker-y song is your favorite? Share it with us! Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: Get Lucky

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South Korea might have lost to Algeria today at their World Cup game, but that doesn’t mean we’re not cheering and wishing them luck for their upcoming game against Belgium (Park Chu-Young, fighting!). So to continue the high spirits of luck, this week’s playlist revolves around that. Whether it’s wishing an ex-lover luck on their life, considering oneself lucky for having that special someone in our lives, or just having it, we’ve recompiled the luckiest songs in K-Pop.

If there’s one song that got the entire KPOPme staff excited this week, it’s BEAST’s Good Luck. Where do I even begin? The styling, the choreography, the song itself with its lyrics and beats… *sigh* Sheer perfection, I tell you. I can’t stop doing the initial dance move in the chorus –it’s applicable to pretty much any situation where you want to brush someone off with dignity.

Written by Junhyung, Good Luck is a break-up song where the guy still loves the girl even though she dumped him, and ultimately he’s left with nothing but to wish her the best. Even though the track is bittersweet (more bitter than sweet, to be honest), it’s a great dance tune to enjoy while doing anything. Like I mentioned before, we’re all obsessed with the song and it’s been on repeat all week!


–Alexis 

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When I first heard Super Junior-H‘s Good Luck, I didn’t realize that it was about dating. Based on the title, I thought it was some motivational song made for students, since Korean idols often do that. Once I learned more Korean, I realized it was a song being sung by friends trying to set up a couple who have had a hard time dating in the past.

Even though I may have missed the meaning behind the lyrics, Super Junior Happy’s song, (yes, the “H” is for “Happy,”) really cheered me up. The sweet melody starts softly and then goes up through the octaves, building up the meaning of the song, as if the Super Junior members were really cheering the listener on with each new verse of the song.


— Tamar

This song brings me back so many memories of watching my first K-drama, the little known cult-favorite Boys Over Flowers (I’m obviously kidding). Those romantic moments when Lucky by Ashily came up had me singing along to the song and thus addicted. However, the songs talks about a different kind of luck, being the luck of having the love of your life. And me being the hopeful romantic that I am, this corny lovey-dovey song gets me every time I listento it.


–Alejandro

Every time I listen to EXO-M‘s Lucky, I feel enlightened. This is a pretty sweet song, although I could stand without some of the cheesy lyrics, but Luhan’s voice makes up for it. What’s so great about this is that it shows the vocal talents of some of the rappers! While I enjoy their rapping, I also enjoy hearing them sing. I feel quite lucky to have been able to fall upon this piece!


–Thuc

Kim Hyun Joon’s Lucky Guy is an upbeat, fun song. The actor/singer doesn’t shy away from expressing how extremely happy he is when this woman comes into his life. The music video is fun while it goes between scenes of Kim Hyun Joong dancing and scenes of him interacting with this mysterious woman. But if you’re a fan of SBS’ The Roommate, the actress might not be such a mystery, for she is Hong Soo Hyun!

Throughout the video, Hyun Joong is clearly just living his life and having a good time throughout the video. Even in the end when he gets caught, he still has that ridiculously gorgeous smile on his face. The song may be titled Lucky Guy, but let’s be honest, Soo Hyun’s character is the lucky one.


–Tara

What’s your favorite K-Pop good luck song? Share it with us! And don’t forget 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: First K-Pop Listens

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For this week’s K-Pop playlist, KPOPme’s writers did some soul searching and recalled the One. The first K-Pop song that they remember listening to, the first music video they ever saw. Most are extremely popular songs, trend-songs that still are entrenched in K-Pop’s history, but some are a little bit surprising.

If you remember the craziness that was 2008 and 2009 in K-Pop, there were a lot of trendy songs with addicting dances. So Hot, Nobody, Sorry Sorry, Gee… This was their time to shine. Somehow, even though I never really looked at the site, I discovered the Wonder Girls‘ So Hot on Perez Hilton’s site.

The addicting tune was catchy, but I couldn’t figure out what the heck was up with the bizarre leopard print outfits and comical circumstances in the music video. So Hot is hilarious but at the time I was turned off. It wasn’t until I heard 2PM’s 10 Points Out Of 10 a few weeks later that I started seriously looking into K-Pop, and realized how amazing the Wonder Girls actually are.


–Tamar

Gee, I think my first encounter with K-Pop was back in middle school. Yup, it was when I was standing in line to get some lunch when I heard some faint music. I looked around, asking people if they noticed the sounds as well, before the little whispering noises turned into a thundering song over the loudspeakers. It was addictive from the beginning, and I didn’t even know how to sing along! If you haven’t guessed it already, my first K-Pop song was Girls’ Generation‘s Gee.

Maybe it was the upbeat rhythm, maybe it was the cute vocals, or maybe it was the fact that I absorb music better when I’m hungry, but I was hooked. Upon finding out the title of the song, I stormed YouTube in order to find its origins and came across the bubbly group and their other releases. I think this was a pretty great introduction, for me at least, because it’s actually pretty fun to (attempt to) sing along with and (try really hard to) dance to!


–Thuc

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SHINee’s Sherlock (Clue + Note) was the first K-Pop song I ever heard. It was the summer of 2012, and I was on a family trip to Taiwan, when my sister and I turned on the TV in our hotel room and the music video for Sherlock was just beginning. My sister and I were immediately hooked. We grew up in the era of Backstreet Boys and NSYNC, so obviously we love our boy bands. Thanks to SHINee I’m a fan of K-Pop.


–Tara

Alexis was who first introduced me to K-Pop by showing me a few songs she had discovered, but the song that captured my heart, mind, and soul was SHINee‘s Lucifer. I got trapped the moment I saw Minho. Not only was the song fun but had amazing choreography. Being in love with boy and girls bands growing up, I finally found a band that could fill hole that had been gaping for some time.


—Alejandro

The first K-Pop song I heard was 2NE1‘s Can’t Nobody, English version. Since I’m very fashion conscious, the name brand dropping in CL’s opening rap captured me instantly. As I continued to watch the video and hear the song, I was instantly hooked by the music, visuals, and the fact that this girl group seemed completely badass. I’ve always loved good quality pop music and this was exactly it. 2NE1 is still one of my favorite bands to date and it’s all because of that one song that started it all.


–Alexis

What was the first K-Pop song you listened to that got you hooked? Share it with us! Don’t forget 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: Male Solo Edition

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For this week’s K-Pop playlist, we compiled a group of songs by some of our favorite male performers. Some are idols, some are artists, and we love them all. Check out our picks here:

Jung Joon Young is an unsung hero in Korean music; he brings a unique and ethereal sound to his rock songs. Spotless Mind was Jung Joon Young’s debut song, and it didn’t disappoint his fans. He may be known for his 4D personality on We Got Married, but Spotless Mind proves that he is an amazing musician.

The two versions of the music video show the different emotion of a man dealing with the feelings of a broken heart and confused mind. The rock ballad has an acoustic guitar sound which, combined with Jung Joon Young’s deep voice, is pervasive throughout the song, bringing forth heart-wrenching emotions.


— Tamar

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Producer and singer-songwriter Crush debuted earlier this spring with his digital single, Sometimes. Crush’s voice is reason enough to listen to anything he sings. It’s so smooth and attractive; I love it! Sometimes is a song about a man who can’t let go of his former love. He constantly thinks about her and the memories they shared together. Crush’s tone and vocal ability suit the song well, and you can feel his emotion in every word he sings.


–Tara

When it comes to rappers, they’re well known for their strong confidence and big egos. That’s a trademark that boosts their attractiveness for some, and it’s a tool widely used in the music industry. Block B’s Zico is no stranger to showing off his self-esteem, as shown in Sam, a single from his mix tape, Zico on the Block.

What you may not know about this idol is that he’s been an underground rapper for a number of years before being discovered by Brand New Stardom Entertainment! It should be no surprise that he’s proud and shows it in this song that discusses jealousy and his rise to fame. There is a brief moment of questionable language (in English), so I warn younger fans to approach with caution.


–Thuc

If you watched the drama To the Beautiful You featuring SHINee’s Minho and f(x)’s Sulli, you’ll certainly remember the tune that blasted every time anything cute happened. That song is Onew‘s In Your Eyes. While he might be SHINee’s second main vocalist (but first in my heart), Onew delivers a power ballad about love declaration that will surely melt your heart.

I would like to say that listening to this song takes me back to watching the drama, but it actually makes me think of Onew performing In Your Eyes at SHINee’s fifth anniversary concert with joyful tears filling-up his beautiful eyes. This ballad proved that he is one of SM Entertainment’s best vocals and should be given more solo opportunities, whether it’s on SHINee albums, movie or drama soundtracks, and/or singles. His delivery is flawless and genuine – I would love for him to sing this to me ♡(.◜ω◝.)♡


— Alexis

My pick for the week is Eric Nam’s Ooh Ooh featuring Infinite’s Hoya. I love this song because of the fun beat and its funkiness. It makes me reminisce of SHINee’s Dream Girl’s sound a bit, making me love it even more. Being very fashion biased, I enjoyed all of Eric’s styling choices and the overall music video concept. And of course, who doesn’t love U-KISS member Kevin’s cameo? It’s the perfect, groovy track for the weekend! I thoroughly enjoy it.


— Alejandro

What male soloist were you listening to this week? Don’t forget 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: Mixed Emotions

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For this week’s K-Pop playlist, we recompiled a group of songs that convey lots of deep and mixed emotions. It explores both positive and negative feelings we all have. Check out our picks:

G-Dragon always surprises us with his music. When he released his second album Coup d’état, the physical edition contained two extra songs, one of them being “Window.” The song was produced by GD himself, Choice37, and Teddy.

“Window” talks about accepting that you have to let go of your loved one. This makes me wonder what happened to GD that made him write this very emotional song… He sings it in a very low tone that really conveys his feelings of sorrow. He really kills me when he sings, “This might be the last time we say goodbye.”

I’ve been listening to the live version of this song because GD’s performance is amazing. It really highlights the sadness of the song.


— Alejandro

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My pick this week is EXO‘s “Baby Don’t Cry,” one of my favorite songs from the group. As I have a bias towards Luhan, I prefer the EXO-M version of this song. However, both languages sound beautiful.

Ever since I heard a snippet of this during their first showcase, I’ve been frantically trying to find a full version. The piano instrumental sounds just as amazing by itself. All in all, this is a song I listen to on repeat whenever I’m in the mood!


— Thuc

Two years ago when Jo Kwon’s released his solo album I’m Da One  I immediately fell in love with it because the sounds of it were right on trend. While I still enjoy many of the non-released gems like “Wingardium Leviosa” and “Lipstick,” this week’s pick is “Awesome Girl.” It’s a very club friendly track and I can perfectly imagine myself dancing to it with all my awesome friends. You can’t help but move and feel uplifted when you listen to it, you just can’t!

In my fantasy, I picture Jo Kwon in full drag à la Priscilla Queen of the Dessert (the musical he’s gearing up to star in) while performing it. Although this is highly unlikely since the song is about the girl he likes being super cool, that’s what I envision. Can Jo Kwon have another solo album and come to the States, please?

I think that what I love most about the song and the whole album is that you can feel that this is the real Jo Kwon. You know, in Jeffrey Campbell heels performing “Animal” rather than the signature soul wrenching songs by his group 2AM. See if you can share my vision by listening to the track below:


— Alexis

Dynamic Duo’s “Three Dopeboyz” featuring Zion.T, enough said. This song boasts a strong and addictive beat with flawless rapping, as expected from the veterans. Zion.T’s unique voice adds to the awesomeness of this song. Ever since I heard this gem I can’t stop listening to it on repeat. To add to the amazing song is an equally amazing music video.

The music video is a work of art. It is simple in a complicated way. Dynamic Duo doesn’t focus on props or different sets. Instead, they stick with the black background and shots of themselves rapping. The effects are really what makes the video (aside from the rapping of course). The final shot of the music video is my favorite. The silhouettes with the red backlighting as the camera pans out is pure gold.


– Tara

Speaking about mixed emotions, Dickpunks‘ “Sunglass” is a ridiculous mess of confused emotions. The lyrics speak about wanting to know what someone is like without the dark, smooth facade that they hide behind-the so-called sunglasses.

Ever since I saw Dickpunks live, I’ve loved their sound and the meaning in all of their songs. This song has a goofy music video and doesn’t take itself all too seriously, but the topic matter is a somber one. People try too hard until their very soul is hidden from the world, and now people can only look at them through the dark, shaded sunglasses.

The fact that Dickpunks approach a topic like this and make it into a catchy summer song, getting it stuck in my head while I still think about the subject matter, is simply amazing. And then the silly outfits, toys, and actions of the members? What can make you not love this group and song?

–Tamar

What song best describes how you felt this week? Don’t forget 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: Hard to Forget

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It’s no secret that we at KPOPme are all avid K-Pop fans, just like you, who follow all the new releases and enjoy the old ones. That’s why every Sunday we’ll bring you a small playlist of songs that the writers have been listening to all week. These can be chart topping hits, non-single gems, well-loved classics, or pretty much anything that we’d like to share with our readers. This week, the writers have enjoyed G-Dragon, Orange Caramel, Hong Dae Kwang, EXO-K, and SPICA. Check out our list below.

G-Dragon’s Coup d’état album came out in September, but I only started listening to it last week. I listened to it the whole way through and as soon as R.O.D. came on I was in love with it.

The very first notes of R.O.D. sound very similar to MGMT’s Time To Pretend (one of my favorites) and immediately after, we get into a reggae vibe and a deep base, which I totally love. From the get-go, R.O.D. has a great beat that will make you bop your head and enjoy the groove. GD’s rap opens the song and then Lydia Paek graces us with her vocals during the chorus (which is in English). As Lydia sings, a dubstep beat takes over from the reggae-inspired music present when GD raps.

G-Dragon’s R.O.D. is perfect for blasting in your car with the windows down, in your house, in your apartment, in a barn, while walking down the street, wherever. It begs for you to turn it up and just enjoy it. Listen to the audio of R.O.D. here:

— Tara

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Earlier this week, Orange Caramel released their latest music video Abing abing and has had me dancing to its very 1990’s electronic beat ever since. The After School sub-unit has made it their staple to mix just the right amount of cute and weird, and that’s exactly what we’re getting with this new song.

Following Catallena’s sushi concept, this song is about the weather being too hot and curing your bad temper with ice cream. And although summer is still a month away, Abing abing is a great song for a pool or beach day. Check out the video here:

— Alexis

In the middle of March, Hong Dae Kwang released the upbeat love song Thank You My Love. Ever since hearing it, I couldn’t get the tune and his voice out of my head; some of the comments on YouTube compared him to a male version of IU, whose beautiful love songs are impossible to ignore.

The music video for Thank You My Love matches the lyrics in a unique way. While the song is about someone in love who can’t wait to meet his lover and hear her voice, the music video  depicts Hong Dae Kwang as the best friend of a girl who he’s in love with. But while he is singing the song to her, she is completely in love with someone else. The cute love song becomes instantly sadder, but it’s  still a beautiful song and music video that everyone should take a look at. So check it out here and tell us what you think!

— Tamar

EXO’s second mini album Overdose is one of the newest releases in the K-Pop world.  One of the songs that really captured my attention was Run. It takes me back to EXO’s first album and reminds me so much of 3, 6, 5.

Everytime I’m listening to the album and that song comes on, it makes me very happy. I love the upbeat feel of the song, and you can tell that they had so much fun recording that song. Enjoy below:

— Alejandro

SPICA made their formal debut with Russian Roulette back in January of 2012, and their re-release of the mini-album, Painkiller, got me hooked and still has me in its grasp.

The song begins with a powerful piano and vocal combination, as it sets into a strong bass that resembles a heartbeat. The lyrics deal with a failed relationship, as the speaker can’t deal with the breakup. The music video takes place in a dark, urban setting as the choreograph reflects the feelings of the song. This is definitely one of my favorite tracks from the group; I always listen to it whenever I need to take a break from my life.

— Thuc

What song have you been listening to all week? Let us know! Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.