The middle of September brought us a lot of good music, and like each week the KultScene crew rounded up some of the songs that really caught our eye. New music courtesy of the ladies of Loona, Teen Top’s NIEL & JUSTHIS, and a cover of an EXO song by soloist Gummy really caught our eye. Take a look at our thoughts and let us know in the comment section below what your favorite song of the past few days was.
“Girl Front” by Odd Eye Circle (Released Sept. 20)
The LOONAverse continues in earnest with their second official sub-unit, Odd Eye Circle. Consisting of the last three girls to debut, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, and Choerry, Odd Eye Circle is the girl crush side of LOONA. Produced by Ollipop and Hayley Aitken with some lyrics by Monotree, “Girl Front” is essentially a combination of those three girls’ solo tracks. Both musically and lyrically it takes from each of them, the propulsive percussion of “Singing in the Rain,” the brightness and slap bass from “Love Cherry Motion,” and the smooth as hell bridge from “Eclipse.” It’s a testament to LOONA and their team that they can create a concept as complex as this while still producing great tracks. “Girl Front” is the most energetic of all their songs to date; their vocals bounce off one another with ease, a variety of synths and drums samples seem buoyed along with the girls. It’s the fizziest most exciting kind of pop there is.
—Joe
“Ko Ko Bop” by Gummy (Performed on Sept. 23)
There are few things I love more about K-pop than covers that completely recreate the original song. While EXO’s “Ko Ko Bop” was a feel good summer song, Gummy swooped in and made the hit her own during a recent episode of Park Jinyoung’s Party People drenching the track with her effusive blend of sultry vocals. Paired with the accompanying live band, the soloist offered up a more mature, jazzier take on the track, an alternative to the boy band’s reggae-tinged track. If this is the sort of thing that Party People will be offering up each week, I am very much here for it!
—Tamar
“What’s Good?” by NIEL, JUSTHIS (Released Sep. 21)
Teen Top has always been one of those groups I casually like but never actually stanned. Most of their singles are bops, so when the members go solo, I most definitely keep an eye out for them. I wasn’t particularly impressed by Niel’s past solo, so I wasn’t expecting much this time around. And while “What’s Good?” is not particularly anything groundbreaking, it definitely shows a new side to the singer I’m here for. I especially liked that Niel’s channeling his inner Kikwang and going a more pop-R&B route, both musically and through the choreography. “What’s Good?” caught me by surprise because I had always seen Niel as a singer and not really a performer. But with this comeback, it’s clear that Niel means business and he’s gearing up to what may be Teen Top’s upcoming disbandment.
—Alexis
What was your favorite release of the week? Let us know in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
In the 23nd episode of of KultScene’s K-pop Unmuted, Alexis Hodoyan, Tamar Herman, and the admin of @USBTSARMY discuss BTS’ latest album, Love Yourself: Her, their favorite songs on it, and what they think of the boy band’s ascent in the international market.
[Please note that this was recorded shortly after the album’s release and prior to any major news regarding charts and album sales.]
Let us know what you think of K-pop in July and KultScene’s K-pop Unmuted 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.
Irving Plaza in New YorkCity is no stranger to international acts gracing their stage. Just within the past two month, two different Korean acts were able to sell out the 1,000 capacity venue; not an easy feat even for accomplished domestic artists. This month, South Korean indie band Hyukoh played a sold out show at the New York venue on Sep. 11. Irving Plaza was packed, so much that people were spilling out of the doors and into the hallway due to the lack of space on the venue floor.
After a short wait, the band entered onto the stage and began to warm up their instruments to start the show. Drum beats were played and the familiar guitar chords from “Tokyo Inn” started to play. People instantly began bobbing along to the catchy woos of the song. “Comes and Goes” was up next, continuing on with the jazzy laid back feel of the previous song followed by the upbeat swing song “Leather Jacket.” Despite the venue being packed, people made due with what little room they had to dance along.
For the first MC of the night, vocalist Oh Hyuk introduced the band and thanked everyone for coming to their first show in New York. The shy personality of the band’s front-man then came front and center as the rest of the talk consisted of short mumbles and awkward silence until the next song started up. The set continued with a few more upbeat songs one of them being “Wonderful Barn,” a song first heard on popular Korean variety show Infinity Challenge’s summer music festival special back in 2015. The country inspired song was full of dramatic pauses and tempo changes built up suspense and kept the audience engaged.
The show continued on as red lights flooded the stage and the band played the mysterious sounding “Wanli.” The intensity picked up with “MASITNONSOUL,” and then immediately died down with “Jesus Lives in a Motel Room” and “Die Alone.” The somber mood continued with “Mer” and “Gondry.” The quiet and simple notes of the songs emphasized Oh Hyuk’s unique vocals, showing off the softness, strength, and sincerity in his voice.
The next song was “TOMBOY,” the title track off of their latest album 23. The crowd got really into the sweet and sentimental rock ballad, singing along to the lyrics about overcoming young adulthood and belting out the ohs along with Oh Hyuk. After a few more songs, the band announced that the next track would be their last song and began to play “Paul.” As the song played, the audience raised their cellphone lights and slowly waved them back and forth, creating a sea of shimmering lights. The song ended on a quiet note and the audience erupted into cheers as the band left the stage.
Cheers for an encore immediately began, and soon after, the band came back onto the stage and played “Hooka.” Next up was arguably the most popular song of the night was “Wi Ing Wi Ing.” No matter if you were a casual or dedicated fan, everyone knew this song and sang along passionately as Oh Hyuk turned his mic towards the audience so they could sing a verse. The last song of the night was the funky “Surf Boy,” which ended the concert on a light and happy note.
Hyukoh definitely brought a taste of Hongdae to New York with their unique sound and quirky charms. The band has an indie vibe but exudes more confidence and certainty in their sound and identity than most other bands. With this show, Hyukoh showed their versatility in the amount of different music genres their songs encompass all while still maintaining a sound that is uniquely their own. Hyukoh is definitely a band you should keep a close eye on to see what new and excite music they will come up with next.
Did you go to the show? What’s your favorite Hyukoh show? Let us know in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/09-12-NYC-_-10.jpeg37445616Katherinehttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngKatherine2017-09-19 18:00:102017-09-19 18:00:10Hyukoh brings a piece of Hongdae to New York City
Mid-September has already passed, but we’ve already seen a lot of great releases from K-pop. Last week, some of KultScene’s team were enthralled by releases from members of GOT7 and iKON.
“Victim of Love” by Sanjoy feat. Youngjae of GOT7 (Ars), Stephen Rezza, and Elliott Yamin (Released Sept. 17)
Earlier this year when GOT7 was touring the country with their “Turbulence” tour, producer Sanjoy and singer Elliott Yamin connected with Youngjae through Instagram after he uploaded a cover of the latter’s song. After that, they’ve been talking up and teasing a collaboration fans have been fawning over. But the wait came to an end on Saturday (which coincidentally was Youngjae’s birthday) when Ars (his not so secret pseudonym) uploaded the song to his Soundcloud. “Victim of Love” is your classic pop, R&B hybrid in English featuring three very talented, very different artists. Youngjae, for his part (and the only reason I’m including this song here, duh), shone on the chorus and with his adlibs, though his accent came out a bit on his solo part on the song’s first verse, adding to his charm. There’s no question as to just how talented Youngjae is, but it’s heartwarming to see him branch out on his own and work on stuff well-suited for him that highlights his incredible abilities as a vocalist.
—Alexis
”Runaway” by Bobby of iKon (Released Sept. 14)
Not the biggest fan of hip-hop, I didn’t really expect to enjoy Bobby’s first solo album Love and Fall based on the styling of his Show Me The Money and The MOBB tracks, but with it’s dual identities, the new album ended up being right up my alley. “Runaway,” one of two singles, is a rock-tinged mellow track that thrives on the angst-filled rasp of Bobby’s vocals to emphasize the heartbreaking lyrics. “I have a habit of thinking mistakes are failures/I don’t wanna fail so I keep stopping my efforts,” raps the K-pop idol in the first verse. The song is heart wrenching to listen to, but there’s lilting strings that add an overall hue of positivity over the track. Hopefully, now that he’s released this album, Bobby feels a bit less like he has to “Runaway” from his problems.
—Tamar
What was your favorite release of the week? Let us know in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
It’s no news that many of the songs released by Korean and other Asian acts are written and produced overseas: some of the biggest K-pop hits from the last few years were made by songwriters based in the Americas and Europe. It’s not like you have to have been born or raised in Korea to understand what it takes to write a song that Koreans will love. You can literally sell thousands of copies and have your songs placed with top class K-pop acts such as EXO and Twice without ever really having been in Seoul.
That’s the case of David Anthony, a British songwriter and producer who has placed around 20 (and counting) songs with huge Korean agencies like SM Entertainment and JYP Entertainment. He talked to KultScene about how he got into the K-pop market and what it has been doing for him.
“You can be in the toilet or in an one million dollar studio, it doesn’t matter. What matters is your creativity,” said Anthony. He’s been in the music business for years, but it was when Korean agency WM Entertainment got interested in his creativity that he saw his life (and income) changing. His entrance into the K-pop market was the song “Liar Liar,” which ended up being recorded by girl group Oh My Girl.
“Liar Liar” would become the first of many times Anthony worked with Oh My Girl – he also wrote and produced “I Found Love” and their latest comeback single “Coloring Book.” “They make happy & positive pop songs, and I love making them because it’s just fun. I would say we are a good match.”
In spite of having always been into catchy, fun, and feel-good pop music, boy and girl groups, and all the elements that make a great K-pop song, the K-pop world was something unknown to David Anthony – and somehow it still is. “I’m still learning, to be honest.” It’s only been nearly 18 months since “Liar Liar,” but Anthony is already able to see what makes K-pop so different from other music styles and markets. “First, the openness. K-pop is more accepting, there is so much creativity to be allowed. It’s like a big party. No one is being, like, too cool to listen to this stuff.” Second, but no less important, it’s the financial reward. “Because there’s just so much money to be made and so many productions.”
Anthony certainly understands there’s money in the market: even his non-single cuts gave him remarkable rewards, like EXO-CBX’s “Cherish” and Twice’s “Only You.”
“‘Cherish’ was my first cut with EXO[-CBX], I wrote and produced it on my own, and it was actually the second highest seller song of the album. I was so pleased because it sold around 100,000 copies itself and the album sold about 400,000” “Only You,” in its turn, was featured on Twice’s fourth mini album, which sold incredibly well in Korea, Japan, and also made Twice the first Asian girl group to enter the Top 30 in the United Kingdom. “I got my first Top 30 in my own country due to an Asian group!”
But this wasn’t all: getting a song recorded by the most relevant K-pop girl group of the moment also improved Anthony’s relationship with JYP Entertainment, resulting in him writing and producing the debut track “How Old Are You?” for JYP’s latest act, super young boy group Boystory, in collaboration with JYP head Park Jinyoung. The group’s first comeback, expected for December 2017, is also planned to feature a song by Anthony.
“K-pop for me has been a very natural process,” he said. “When I heard the acts I really wanted to connect with. I knew I could make that type of music. I just needed time, connections.” It seems to be working pretty well for him. But, of course, this doesn’t mean it’s easy. “They just don’t give anyone a cut. You have to be bloody good.”
When asked if his creative process was affected by his relationship and experience with K-pop professionals, he said that he didn’t really have to make drastic changes. “It’s just about doing what I’m doing – and love doing – with a slight tweak here and there to, hopefully, fit what they want. I knew I just needed to make sure that the final product was high quality.”
Well, at least for Anthony, we can assure that the future still holds quite interesting things: besides the above mentioned comeback of Boystory, he’s recently contributed one of the songs featured on B.A.P.’s last mini album, “Blue,” and potentially has upcoming music with Oh My Girl and other Asian acts yet. (The B.A.P track, “All The Way Up” has since been embroiled in a rights controversy, about which Anthony said he wasn’t aware that the song couldn’t be sold to different artists in different countries. According to the CEO of The Kennel, Anthony’s music publisher, Hayden Bell, it was a newcomer mistake. Anthony has since apologized to TS Entertainment and B.A.P. for the misunderstanding).
According to Anthony, both the competition behind the scenes and among K-pop acts explains why few songwriters and producers are getting into this small circle. “Demos these days have to be so good because the competition is so high, so you just have to be on top. [And] in Korea, there are so many products being released, so naturally some are gonna be better than others.” But, at the end of the day, David Anthony is proof that even though, nowadays, the K-pop market might seem a little bit more accessible for non-Koreans, it’s not for everyone, and the bar is surely not low. But Anthony has what it takes to make his music click with K-pop companies and audiences, and will keep doing so as long as he can.
What’s your favourite song written by David Anthony, amongst the ones we’ve mentioned? Let us know your picks and thoughts in the comment section below. Be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Untitled-design.png7681024Ana Clara Ribeirohttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngAna Clara Ribeiro2017-09-14 06:19:282017-09-14 13:34:59David Anthony on songwriting & succeeding in the K-pop market [interview]
In the 22nd episode of of KultScene’s K-pop Unmuted, Stephen Knight, Alexis Hodoyan, and Tamar Herman discuss what it was like being backstage at KCON 2017 LA and New York, and how Produce 101 is shaping K-pop right now. We also discussed new music, including Henry Lau’s sentimental “That One,” Sunmi’s groundbreaking “Gashina,” and HyunA’s age-defying “Bebe.”
Let us know what you think of K-pop in July and KultScene’s K-pop Unmuted 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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Like each week, the KultScene team mused a bit this weekend about our favorite releases from South Korea over the past seven days. With comebacks from some popular boy bands, including B.A.P, and long overdue releases from male idol group members, like Highlight’s Lee Gikwang and Super Junior-M’s Henry Lau, there was a lot to appreciate.
“Honeymoon” by B.A.P (Released Sept. 5)
This week B.A.P served us a plate full of aesthetics with “Honeymoon,” a mellow yet trance inducing EDM track off of their seventh single album Blue. Even without watching the music video, the song and beat painted a beautiful picture (seriously, all that blue). Each member played a valuable asset in this song, and as much as I bias leader Bang Yongguk (his rap verse in “Honeymoon” was the smoothest transition of all time), vocalists Himchan and Jongup’s voices and parts stood out the most. This was a wonderful song to end the summer and to start off the fall.
-—Tam
“That One (Live Band Ver.)” by Henry (Uploaded Sep. 6)
Although Henry had that horrible music video a few months ago (I don’t even want to reference it by name), as an ELF, I’ve been cautiously keeping track of this new journey of rebranding he seems to be on. The previous single, even though the song wasn’t that bad, was a mess, so I was excited when he came back with “That One.” This track is also R&B but sans the tryhard-ness of The Song That Shall Not Be Named. This week, Henry released a live version of “That One” complete with a full band in a ver BBC Live Lounge kind of way. On this version, Henry shows that he’s been working on his singing chops and that he’s done with the gimmicky pop stuff (although I love his previous singles). SM has always sold Henry as a true musician, always making him incorporate his violin playing on every opportunity, so seeing him perform with a live band like this makes sense and seems organic. With “That One” and this particular version of it, I think fans have a better picture of where Henry’s going with his music these days and what he’s capable of doing.
-—Alexis
“What You Like” by Lee Gikwang (Highlight) (Released Sept. 4)
I’ve followed Gikwang (aka LEEGIKWANG) since the beginning of his career, and when I heard that he was having a solo comeback, I was thrilled. His EP One is his first since a short-lived solo career as AJ, aka Ace Junior, before BEAST’s debut in 2009, and the lead single “What You Like” is one of the most addicting future bass R&B tracks out there. With a carefree sense of sultriness, it’s a track built for body rolls, which Gikwang is all too happy to deliver during his performances. The song demands repeated listens with subtle sound effects lying beneath the bouncy melody. And while it’s not reinventing the wheel since “What You Like” sounds like much of the music popular in South Korea right now, and it’s essentially a male version of Chung Ha’s “Why Don’t You Know,” Gikwang is in his element and he makes the musical style his own.
—Tamar
What was your favorite K-pop release of the week? Tell us what you think 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.
Like every year since it started, KCON 2017 LA presented by Toyota outdid themselves with their biggest show yet. In previous years, the event has tried to diversify and stretch the concept of “K-pop,” bringing R&B singers, rappers, and even bands, but this time around it was strictly idols on the first concert night. Headlined by top and up-and-coming Hallyu acts SEVENTEEN, VIXX, Super Junior D&E, Girl’s Day, Cosmic Girls, and SF9, fans filled the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Aug. 19 almost to capacity, ecstatic to see their favorite idols perform.
Courtesy of CJ E&M
KCON 2017 LA kicked off with an announcement on the Jumbotron telling the audience to light up their phones. Once the Staples turned into sea of bright lights, VIXX’s Leo came up from the platform along with a grand piano. Moments later, Girl’s Day’s Minah joined him for a very appropriate special stage of “City of Stars,” a song from the film La La Land. As the audience learned later, this year’s concept was “KCON Land.”
Chaos soon erupted when SEVENTEEN members Vernon, Joshua, and S. Coups appeared as the night’s MCs, with the first two leading the way in English, followed by the latter in Korean. They introduced the night’s first official performance, the rookie group SF9 who left a lasting impression at KCON 2017 NY just two months ago.
High-fiving the crowd, SF9 came out from one of the entrances into the arena, which lead into their first performance, “Fanfare.” Decked in green suits, the members danced their hearts out to their songs “Jungle Game” and “Easy Love,” which drew the most cheers out of their set.
Courtesy of CJ E&M
KCON is infamous for its underrepresentation of female acts, but this year, one can argue there was an effort to make up for this by bringing the largest K-pop girl group, the 13-member Cosmic Girls. With a full marching band, the group made a super extra entrance into the arena, waving their pom poms as if they were in a pep rally. This, of course, was the perfect introduction for them, as their first song was the cheerleader-esque “Happy.”
For their introductions, they threw their pom poms aside and were all smiles as they introduced themselves one by one. All of the members, led by Exy, talked to the crowd in English and said it was their first time in LA. But being one of the younger groups, Cosmic Girls’ set was brief, and said their goodbyes with “I Wish” and their twinkly gem “Secret.”
Courtesu of CJ E&M
When SEVENTEEN first announced their U.S. tour, many west coast fans felt cheated by the fact that their LA stop was KCON, and hence we would miss out the full show. And while this was inevitable, KCON made up for it a a bit by giving SEVENTEEN their own special stage segment, where their three official units were each able to perform a song. First up was the performance unit with “Swimming Fool,” then the vocalists with the ballad “Habit,” and finally the hip-hop unit with “Check-In.” Though brief, LA carats (SEVENTEEN’s fandom) got a taste of what the band’s solo show would be like, though on a lesser scale.
Next up was the girl group of the night, Girl’s Day. Being a group that doesn’t get to come as often to the States as their fans would want them to, the crowd erupted with their newer songs “I’ll Be Yours” and “Ring My Bell.” However, it was with “Something” what got the entire arena attempting to follow their iconic choreography, evoking the most emotion from the members.
Courtesy of CJ E&M
KCON isn’t KCON without special stages, often giving the rookie groups a platform to highlight their skills through them. This year, SF9 and Cosmic Girls paid tribute to K-pop giants and faves Super Junior and BTS by dancing to their songs “Sorry, Sorry” and “Blood Sweat and Tears,” respectively. Since Donghae and Eunhyuk were there to perform as a unit, it would’ve been iconic if they had joined SF9, especially on the dance break of “Sorry Sorry,” but, alas, it did not happen. Those of us KultScene staffers who were in attendance humbly think it was a missed opportunity, but SF9 still killed their performance, and Cosmic Girls joined them towards the end to fill the stage with almost two dozen idols performing the iconic dance moves.
Courtesy of CJ E&M
It did, however, make for a good segue (—we guess). Right after this homage, Donghae and Eunhyuk came up from the platform in the middle of the stage and delved right into “Growing Pains.” While not as popular as Super Junior’s songs, D&E performed their unit’s hits like “I Wanna Dance,” “Saturday Night,” and of course, “Oppa Oppa.” They definitely got everyone dancing to the iconic choreography and finished off their set like the kings they are.
Courtesy of CJ E&M
KCON sets are normally determined by seniority, but this year it seemed they rearranged the order to have the groups with the most hype perform last. And KCON regulars VIXX finally, finally, got a slot towards the end of the show instead of being the opening act. Though a brief set, the sextet brought the house down with highly theatrical performances of their songs “Shangri-La,” “Blackout,” and “Fantasy” — which in itself was an overall KCON highlight. VIXX single handedly brought sexy back and put on an amazing show. And like in KCON New York and Mexico, the con brought back the segment “piñata time,” where the VIXX members ended up posing cutely for pictures.
Courtesy of CJ E&M
But KCON reached its peak with the highlight of the night: SEVENTEEN. The audience’s expectation was literally palpable, as the Jumbotron displayed a life line and every time it beated, the fans chanted the group’s name. By groups, they started appearing on different parts of the stage, making fans squeal. Just like BTS on last year’s KCON, SEVENTEEN was met by an overwhelming euphoric response. The entire Staples roared at the sight of the 12 members of SEVENTEEN as the started performing their newest single (Hoshi was hospitalized a day prior and didn’t attend KCON).
Known for their intricate yet fun choreographies and always being in sync with one another, SEVENTEEN immediately delved into performing their latest song, the electropop “Don’t Want to Cry.” It’s one thing to see this choreo on your computer screen and another one entirely to witness it live; how they all moved in perfect unison, even when doing the floorwork.
Similarly to their opening special stage, instead of sticking to normal KCON programming and performing only singles, SEVENTEEN followed up with yet another b-side; the high energy dance track “Rock.” As mentioned before, KCON was their LA stop in their U.S. tour, so this set was more about catering to fans than to regular con-goers. And because of this, they too participated in “piñata time.” They went with “random play dance,” briefly dancing to “Uptown Funk” and their debut single “Mansae.” Then, the members shot out T-shirts from cannon guns into the audience, even shooting off some autographed ones. With that, they said goodbye to the fans and went right into their, and the night’s, closing performance, “Very Nice.”
Courtesy of CJ E&M
This year, KCON 2017 LA was all about pleasing K-pop fans new and old by offering a diverse pool of idol acts. There was something for the older fans; something for the fanboys; and a lot for the younger fan girls. And it worked. There was not a dull moment throughout the night and it was impossible not to smile ear to ear as all the groups came out during the closing to say goodbye to fans. Most of them holding cameras, they waved at fans and filmed them just as fans were filming the idols.
The first concert night ended on a high, but only left us craving much, much more for the second and final KCON day.
Did you attend KCON 2017 LA? What was your favorite performance of the first concert? Let us know your thoughts on the comment section 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.
In rap music, ego tripping is the attitude of an individual who brags about themselves in a display of confidence and high self-esteem. Despite not being a necessity for rap lyrics, the confident swagger of ego tripping is definitely a part of hip-hop culture. When it comes to Korean hip-hop, it’s not uncommon to see men rapping about how amazing, rich, and successful they are but, when it comes to the ladies, ego tripping is not as well received in K-hip-hop.
Probably the most relevant female names in Korean rap right now, Jessi and Heize, illustrate very well how Korea feels about female rappers. They both rap, sing, write songs, and have been contestants on the female rap competition show Unpretty Rapstar. However, their styles are very different, and it’s this difference that may explain why Koreans prefer Heize’s music over Jessi’s.
While Heize’s music has more R&B elements and her delivery is a softer rap style with sentimental lyrics that stays away from the more abrasive side of hip-hop, Jessi’s music varies between melancholic ballads and hard-hitting rap anthems. It is on those raps, though, that Jessi showcases the figure that made her become a reference of a “tough unnie” (or ssen unnie in Korean, like her single by the same name), a confident and intimidating female with strong opinions, who raps unapologetically about her skills, looks, and overall awesomeness.
Jessi’s outspoken behavior on the first season of Unpretty Rapstar in 2015 gave her huge success among the global K-hip hop audience. But all of this popularity hasn’t translated into sales for Jessi, at least not in Korea. Her latest mini album, Un2verse, was released in mid-July, and ranked number four on the Billboard World Albums chart a month later, but only reached number 64 on the Gaon Album Charts, the chart of the best-selling albums in Korea.
On the other hand, while we’re writing this in late-August, Heize’s latest mini album /// (너 먹구름 비) is at number 47 on Gaon, even though it’s been almost two months since it was released. Her current single off the album, “You, Clouds, Rain” featuring Shin Yong Jae, is charting at number three at the moment on Gaon. The first single from the album, “Star”, achieved an all kill (a number one position on all of the most relevant Korean charts); this is something that has never happened to any Korean female rapper before. Ever!
Another female hip-hop artist worth mentioning is Yoonmirae (also known as Tasha of MFBTY), the Queen of Hip Hop in Korea, who is kind of an exception. Like Heize, she has reached number one on the charts, —but only with pop ballad songs released as OST for TV dramas, similarly to how Heize’s only peaked with less softer tunes; proving that even though hip-hop itself is a vehicle for empowerment, displays of boasting and self-confidence from Korean female rappers are not as well received as songs that focus on vulnerability and romantic relationships.
Yoonmirae, for example, has paved her way as the most relevant Korean female rapper mostly due to songs in which she raps about her personal struggles as a biracial person in Korea. She became an icon of resistance, representation, empowerment, and freedom for women and multiracial people. Even though she’s also an amazing singer with a delicate voice, it’s her rapping what made her the legend she is, though none of those rap tracks topped charts. Yoon is a strong, fierce woman; she has a bass in her voice when she raps, she curses, she does ego tripping all the time, and she has absolutely no fear or shame to sound cocky.
However, even with all these features and history, Mirae’s most famous solo rap tracks are “Memories” and “Black Happiness,” which, in spite of having straightforward and sensitive lyrics, are ballads. Meanwhile, songs like “Pay Day” or the tracks she released with MFBTY, her hip-hop group with her husband Tiger JK and Bizzy, in which she shows more confidence and brags about her power and confidence, sometimes even confessedly ego tripping (“Oh yes I’m ego trippin’ / Middle finger I’m flippin’ / Oh yes I’m chain heavy / So much ice, look how I’m drippin’”), are never as successful as her softer songs.
Other female rappers who have similarly released ego-trip tracks have also seen minimal success: In “Gucci,” Jessi boasts about driving her own car, being “self-made,” speaking “nothing but the truth,” and having a “gangsta attitude.” In “Cinderella,” Tymee, another Unpretty Rapstar contestant, calls herself “hip-hop god mama” and “rap queen.” In “My Number,” Cheetah, who won the first season of Unpretty Rapstar brags about how being “a TV show champion” made her “a rap star, a celeb, and part of the fashion people.
What do all of these songs have in common? They were released by bold spirited women who are greatly talented and with considerable notoriety in Korea. Everyone knows who Jessi, Tymee, and Cheetah are. They’ve all been prominent figures on Unpretty Rapstar, and they have thousands of followers on social media. But did their singles sell as well as Heize’s? No.
And that’s not due to their lack of skills. Cheetah and Jessi were, respectively, the winner and runner up on season one of Unpretty Rapstar and are largely respected as rappers, being called on to participate as guests on rap competitions or features in songs of male rappers quite often. Tymee has one of the most long-lived careers as a female rapper in Korea, being respected as an underground rapper way before turning into E.via, who was sometimes mocked by her controversial concepts, but still praised for her rap skills after switching over to her Tymee name.
Heize, for her part, is a talented and well known rapper too. She was even on Unpretty Rapstar as well. So, basically, what distinguishes her from the ladies we mentioned above is the fact that her style is way more focused on her own fragility and emotions towards sensitive aspects of life and love.
It certainly is not due to the lack of sonic appeal of each woman’s songs either, since all the previously mentioned tracks follow the same hip-hop trends we’ve been hearing in male rappers’ songs on the music charts. It may just be that South Korea isn’t ready for a chart-topping abrasive female, opting for the more sentimental side of these hip-hop artists.
We’re not going for any girl-hate here, but why is Heize’s music easier to consume than music released by women who have no pudency and are not ashamed of taking pride for their qualities and achievements? Are people not comfortable with women ego tripping?
And this is not an isolated trend to Korean hip hop. We can see this mirrored in K-pop as well, where the resurgence of cute K-pop girl groups have pretty much annihilated the ones with a stronger and empowering concept. (But that’s a story for another time…) It’s simply important to note that this is not something that exists in a vacuum.
So why is this happening? It may or may not have something to do with personal taste in South Korea, where coffee house music reigns, or maybe even with cultural factors. As foreign fans, it’s easy for us to point out the sexism and patriarchal values that explain why a man is most likely to achieve success and respect for bragging about himself than a woman is. But it also may be disrespectful, and imprudent, to single out Korean culture since we’re not Koreans.
The fact that Heize stands between Korean rap’s hottest names is indeed something to be celebrated, but the ideal scenario would be to have other female rappers join her. The problem is not a lack of talented female MCs, so why not?
The female rappers we previously addressed are nothing but a few examples of women who are just as deserving as Heize or any other male rapper that is on the charts right now. If Jessi, Tymee, Cheetah, or Yoon Mirae were men, or if they had stuck to a ballad-ish emotional concept, they would certainly sell better in Korea. It’s unfortunate they haven’t been able to reach the success Heize has at the moment by being themselves. And while Heize’s success is well deserved, the larger theme is that some people are still intimidated by strong, empowered females. But, whatever the reasons for their confidence and ego trips be a limiting factor for success, it’s undeniable that persisting on their truth and sticking to their personal preferences regardless of how they’re seen is an act of resistance from these ladies —and that alone is something worth of great respect.
What are your thoughts on female rappers that ego trip? Let us know your picks and thoughts in the comment section below. Be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/21362124_1447791762006133_660330961_o.png5901095Ana Clara Ribeirohttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngAna Clara Ribeiro2017-09-05 13:46:072017-09-05 13:46:07Ego tripping, & not, in Korean female rap
The last week of August and first few days of September saw a lot of good new music from South Korea, both from new and old acts alike. Former 4Minute member HyunA made her return, boy band of the moment Wanna One released a new music video, and Produce 101 finalist Jeong Sewoon made his debut. Check out what we liked about some of their releases.
“Just U” by Jeong Sewoon (Released Aug. 31)
It feels like every day there’s some new music from a Produce 101 Season 2 alum, and the last day of August brought about Jeong Sewoon’s debut with his first EP and the single “Just U.” While I would have expected generic acoustic pop from Sewoon after what he seemed to lean towards during Produce, his debut single is a guitar-driven smooth R&B pop hybrid that doesn’t sound so out of the wheelhouse of what someone like Lee Seunggi would attempt. There’s some funk and electronica elements thrown in, and Sik-K adds a melodic rap break, turning “Just U” into the epitome of K-pop’s freewheeling nature. Jeong showed a lot of promise during the reality series and though he didn’t make it into the final lineup for Wanna One, this is a promising debut and I can’t wait to see what he does next.
I had completely given up on the trend before these last two weeks. Thanks to the work of the new gen girl and boy groups (Victon, DIA, and Pristin in particular) there’s been a resurgence of interesting tracks within the genre. The queen of K-pop brought the best though as she returned with “Babe” a song that uses the sound as her base and roams around it trying different things. Teaming back up with Shinsadong Tiger was Hyuna’s best decision in a long time. Alongside steel drum synths he packs the chorus with sawtooth synths to contrast the softness of the verses. “Babe” also represents Hyuna’s fight back against the haters. In her own version of IU’s “Twenty Three” she teases those who simultaneously drool over her and shame her. In a great reflexive moment in the music video she literally steps off stage during her routine seemingly fed up with it and walks off to a transcendent plane where maybe she can find some peace.
While the boy group of the moment, Wanna One, released a music video for their fan song “Wanna Be,” it was their performance of it on one of the music shows that grabbed my attention. It usually takes groups awhile before they release a song dedicated to their fans, but given their finite lifetime and the fact that they actually exist because of their fandom, it makes sense that they’d feature one on their first EP. “Wanna B” might be a gift for Wannables, their fandom, but this performance is a gem in itself. All of the members stepped up their aegyo game all the way up with this one, and for having such a hectic schedule, the members look like they’re having fun while performing. The song, for its part, is bubblegum pop gold and super infectious. I especially like the fact that all the main vocalists got their chance to shine at the chorus — especially Seungwoo. If you’re a Wannnable, it’s impossible not to fall deeper for these dorks with this rendition of “Wanna Be.”
—Alexis
What was your favorite K-pop release of the week? Let us know your picks and 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.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/weekly-k-pop-faves_june-2017-3.png7681024KultScenehttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngKultScene2017-09-03 16:08:052017-09-03 16:08:05Weekly K-pop faves: Aug. 28- Sept. 3
