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Weekly K-pop faves: May 29 – June 4

June 4, 2017/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Some weeks in K-pop are busier than others, and the beginning of June was definitely full of some interesting releases. Whether it was Sistar’s farwell or the first original releases from the boys of Produce 101 Season 2 or Baek A Yeon’s return with a new EP, KultScene’s team took note. Here are some thoughts on our favorite songs of the week.

“Never” by Produce 101 Season 2 (Uploaded June 2)

By now, a lot of people are over the deep house and dem bow hybrids plaguing the global music scene — but not me. So when the concept evaluations on Produce 101 Season 2 came up and “Never” was one of the songs up for grabs, I knew it would be one of my faves. But, of course, the trainees making up the team is what made this song. “Never” probably had the best popular to talented members ratio among all the groups. Plus, the fact that they had the most talented singer in the whole competition surely helped. I haven’t watched this ep of Produce 101 yet over lack of English subtitles, but I can make out that Jonghyun was once again the leader. It’s pretty endearing to see how time and time again, he takes on the leadership role and steps away from the limelight in order to let the other members shine. This is probably the first time that Guanlin gives us an idol-worthy performance in the competition, and Woojin held his own and stepped out of the shadows of the other Brand New Music trainees (his company). Even with its upbeat breakdown, “Never” is sultry yet powerful at the same time, and the members perfectly captured and conveyed this duality. Every single member in this group is a contender for the final 11, and with “Never,” they definitely made their case strong.

— Alexis

Also on KultScene: Aeon Dream Studios talks ‘To The Edge of the Sky,’ BTS, & dreams [interview]

“Magic Girl” by Baek A Yeon (Released May 29)

At first glance Baek A Yeon’s Bittersweet EP could be ballady banality. But it’s most definitely not, with each track exploring the dichotomy of a young girl’s heart, perfectly suitable for a 24-year-old who has won over South Korea with her mellow love songs. While all of the tracks are intriguing in their own way, “Magic Girl” is so compositionally fantastical that it quickly became my favorite. With it’s ethereal synths and lilting electronic beat, “Magic Girl” feels like it’s straight off of an ‘80s film soundtrack, perfect for a lighter moment of a film like Labyrinth or Neverending Story. Although there’s no translation of the song currently available, the track appears to be, well, about the otherworldly essence of Baek, and it’s perfect. Until that one moment when the imagination meets reality and turns into a choppy piano melody reminiscent of basic keyboard exercises much like a young child would learn–just as their imagination is freewheeling and innocent enough to create an magical song like “Magic Girl.” It’s just my interpretation, but I’m in love with it.

— Tamar

Also on KultScene: Text to Text: DIA and Terrence Malick’s modern romance

“Lonely” by SISTAR (Released May 31)

SISTAR ends their legendary seven-year career with a single unlike the rest of their releases — an evocative, slow pop song, with no choreography or visual hook for listeners and viewers. Despite the more low-key nature of SISTAR’s final single, the song is conspicuously in tune with the group’s characteristic sound — loud, vocal, and powerful. As a dedicated fan of the group for five years, I am sad to see the group come apart, but thankful for the last stages and still finding myself getting hooked on this song, repeating it for hours on end and still enjoying it every time. SISTAR’s music has always had that quality, the ability to stick to your ears and invigorate no matter how many times you’ve already heard the song. Their performance and music have a valuable, long-lasting impact that will be missing from K-Pop from now on. For STAR1’s, it’s been a reflective and painful week, with fans talking about everything from the group’s long reign of success to the minute details of their music show stages this week. Thank you SISTAR, for everything. From your debut to your final stage on Inkigayo, you have officially failed to release a flop, and K-Pop will forever admire its queens of summer for that reason.

–Kushal

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.

Weekly K-pop faves: May 22-28

May 29, 2017/in Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

The final week of May 2017 saw a lot of musical releases in South Korea, ranging from rap to pop to ballads. We picked some of our favorite new songs, including music from Tarin, San E, Bolbbalgan4, and LOOΠΔ’s Kim Lip.

“Mohae” by San E featuring Bolbbalgan4 (Released May 23)

After a “Season of suffering” (title of his last album), summer brings us a softer San E. “Mohae” is a light hip hop song with R&B and trap traits, featuring indie pop group Bolbbagan4. It was a matter of time until Bolbbagan4 became a feature in a rap song, a field in which female vocals and indie groups often are featured and bring balance to the rappers’ strong vibes. In “Mohae”, however, both San E and Bolbaggan4 seem to vibe in the same wavelength, while they rap/sing about a boy messaging a girl.

— Ana Clara

Also on KultScene: Introducing KultScene’s K-Pop Unmuted: ‘Produce 101’

“Coffee Ending” by Tarin (Released May 22)

Say what you want about melancholic ballad drivel, but I’m a huge fan of Korea’s coffee house music and Tarin’s “Coffee Ending” was the perfect fix when I heard it midway through the week. Tarin’s mellow vocals and the song’s gentle, jazzy melody aren’t probably for everyone, but they were the perfect mix of sweet and bitter, just like the perfect cup o’ joe.

— Tamar

Also on KultScene: Text to Text: DIA and Terrence Malick’s modern romance

“Eclipse” by Kim Lip/LOOΠΔ (Released May 22)

The Loona girls are paving a curious path since we can’t yet really sense homogeneity between the songs they’ve been releasing, but “Eclipse” is the most intriguing step of the journey so far – and also the best. Both the song and MV are more sensual than we’d expect from a young artist who will debut in a girl group, but whatever is the company’s intention, I can only congratulate them for this track. “Eclipse” is a smooth jam with a mature vibe that at first made me think Monotree Music (Sohee’s “Spotlight”; Ladies Code’s “The rain”) wrote and produced it. My guess wasn’t completely wrong: the song is produced by Daniel Obi Klein and Charli Taft (same duo that did Red Velvet’s “Automatic”, just as sexy as “Eclipse”), but Monotree’s lyricists Park Jiyeon and Hyun Hwang wrote the fancy lyrics, which works even more perfectly with Kim Lip’s soft and sultry vocals.

— Ana Clara

Weekly K-pop faves: May 15-21

May 21, 2017/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

As summer looms closer, K-pop has started to pick up the pace. This week saw lots of different releases, from soloists to idols to rappers; the game is on. And like every week, we took on the task of selecting our absolute faves, so here they are.

Also on KultScene: 12 visually appealing K-pop music videos

“Spotlight” by Sohee (Released May 18)

In all honesty, I clicked on “Spotlight” once it showed up on YouTube because I assumed that it was the former Wonder Girl member Sohee. I was wrong, but definitely not disappointed. K-Pop Star 6 finalist Kim Sohee’s single is a trendy R&B-tinged dance track that immediately made me think the queen of solo K-pop dance, BoA. And from other reviews I’ve seen, I’m not the only one thinking this. Sohee’s performance in the video is no joke, and her light pop vocals hooked me immediately. For a debut song, “Spotlight” is pretty impressive and I’m really excited to see what Sohee does next.

— Tamar

Also on KultScene: Kevin Kim talks ZE:A disbandment & new beginnings with radio show ‘SBS PopAsia Live’ [interview]

“Hyung (feat. Dok2, Simon Dominic, Tiger JK)” by Dumbfounded (Released May 16)

Korean-American rapper Dumbfounded dropped his first official Korean release and enlisted a roster of K-rap A-listers to feature on it. Dok2 and Simon Dominica bounce verses off of Dumbfounded, while Tiger JK addresses them shortly at the beginning (and maybe the chorus? Not sure). Essentially, the track can be summarized by the line: “Show me respect, I’ll show it back, that’s the code of conduct.” It talks about earning respect rather than being given to automatically on the basis of being a hyung, an older male. The music video stays true to Dumbfoundead’s funny aesthetic and uses lots of Korean culture references to emphasize that this is a Korean single. In short, “Hyung” is a bop.

— Alexis

What do you think of these songs? Let us know what your favorite song of the week was 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.

Weekly K-pop faves: May 8-14

May 14, 2017/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Each week, some of our KultScene contributors pick songs that excited them over the past seven days. In the second week of May, we enjoyed songs by Day6, Moon Myung Jin, and Hitchhiker’s new song with NCT’s Taeyong.

“Dance Dance” by DAY6 (Released May 8)

Five months and ten songs into their monthly 2017 release project, DAY6 is still going strong in terms of coming up with extraordinarily catchy tracks that match perfectly with their identity as a band yet are unique enough to show their growing musicality with each release. Adorable music video aside, I think that I may have just found my favourite DAY6 release of the year. “Dance Dance” is a perfect musical representation of how much this band truly loves making music as well as how good they actually are at doing so. Their burning passion and enjoyment is evident right from the onset with maknae drummer Dowoon’s memorable first lines (he’s never had lines in other DAY6 songs before) and Jae’s playful pause toward the end of the song. The music video also shows scenes of the members creating songs or jamming in their natural habitat (the practice room) which gives off a much more comfortable vibe than any of their previous videos and really showcases the brotherly relationship this group shares. We still have seven months and 14 more releases to look forward to, so here’s hoping that DAY6 will continue to outdo themselves and reach the height of popularity they deserve.

–Anna

Also on KultScene: Day6’s ‘I’m Serious’ song & music video review

“Around” by Hitchhiker (Released May 12)

Hitchhiker is a difficult producer to work with in terms of sound for any vocalist, since he takes centre. His latest track “Around” is a frenetic mix of sitar-like sounds and Major Lazer-esque dancehall. It pulses with unstoppable energy leaving a lot of work for NCT member Taeyong to not fall behind. The idol does not falter for a second though as his trademark deep drawl drags the song into his own. He rasps and bites as the song takes off around the halfway mark. It’s a clear sign that Taeyong is as good a rapper as people say, even for an SM idol.

–Joe

Also on KultScene: Jonghyun’s The Collection ‘Story Op.2’ album review

“Lie Down (feat. Reddy)” by Moon Myung Jin (Released May 13)

Sometimes when K-pop is slow and unamusing, I have to go on YouTube to find cool releases on my own. This was precisely the case this week, which brought me to singer Moon Myung Jin’s “Lie Down” featuring Reddy. And while I don’t know the first, I certainly know the latter, leading me to click on the song without a second guess. “Lie Down” has that The Weeknd dreamy, baby-making soundscape, although it weaves in iconic East Asian sounds and chants that give the song a fresh take. Moreover, Reddy’s signature laid-back rap was meant to feature on “Lie Down” given that it’s a pretty chill song.

— Alexis

What do you think of our takes on these songs? Let us know what your favorite song of the week was 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.

Weekly K-pop faves: April 17-23

April 23, 2017/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

At last, K-pop’s starting to pick up, with more and more artists dropping new music. This week, we’ll tackle our fave up and coming rookie groups, as well as a much anticipated solo debut from a renowned artist.

“Will You Go Out With Me” by DIA (Released Apr. 18)

I am a huge fan DIA’s unique brand of aegyo. Theirs is brash, not innocent, and slightly deranged. While new single “Will You Go Out With Me?” is not as chaotic as “Mr. Potter” or “My Friend’s Boyfriend,” DIA do not lose their trademark edge. Apparently produced by the girls themselves alongside member of Brave Sound Park Hyun Joong, “Will You Go Out With Me” sounds like a little sister companion to another Brave Sound belter Stellar’s “Crying.” Squealing synths drive the girls to confront their crush rather than wait. This is best encapsulated by rapers Huihyun and Eunjin’s conversational style. They swap between straight rapping and inquisitive confrontation. It goes well with the best vocals of their career so far as well, abely helped especially by new member Jueun. To top it all off, the video has a Terence Malick-esque intro with whispered voiceover and backwards walking.

— Joe

Also on KultScene: Inside KCON 2017 Mexico [photos]

“Easy Love” by SF9 (Released Apr. 18)

I haven’t really been a fan of a lot of the music rookie boy bands have been putting out so I was pleasantly surprised when I listened to SF9’s “Easy Love” for the first time. The song is more melodic than their previous releases, and I’m here for it. It reminds me a lot of BTOB’s early songs (“Insane,” “Irresistible Lips”) because it both shows off the group’s evocative vocal capabilities while still providing space for the rapper’s to do their thing. The song’s pre-chorus build is pretty unique, at least recently, leading into the song’s hook. I honestly enjoyed “Easy Love” because it sounds a lot like the K-pop boy band releases of a few years ago rather than the EDM-focused music we’ve been seeing lately. It’s a good sound for SF9, and I honestly think it works much better than their other songs (I’m looking at you, “Fanfare.”) SF9 were just announced for KCON NY and I was kind of unimpressed, but now that I heard “Easy Love” I’m looking forward to their performance.

–Tamar

Also on KultScene: K-Beauty Review: Son & Park Beauty Water

“Flashlight feat. Jay Park” by Minzy (Released Apr. 17)

After giving up every hope of CL’s solo (I like to think “Lifted” never happened), I put up all my expectations on another ex-2NE1 member, Minzy. My faith in her was tested when she released an OST ballad, but it was all cool, cause that wasn’t it. “Ninano” was everything I expected from her, but “Flashlight” was what I wanted. From various 2NE1 songs we knew homegirl could sing and rival even Bom, but I didn’t know she had a bit of soul in there. “Flashlight” is more pop than actual R&B, but I’d go as far as to say that Minzy is probably one of two female idols able to tackle the genre successfully (the other one is Hyorin). If Jay Park would’ve sang instead of raped in a “My Boo” kind of way, it would’ve taken the song to a whole other level. Alas, this didn’t happen, but his Drake-esque sing-rap verse worked and gave the song another dimension. Minzy should further develop an R&B sound rather than try to go the CL in “Mental Breakdown” route.

— Alexis

What was your favorite release this 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.

Weekly K-pop faves: April 3-9

April 9, 2017/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

Every week, the KultScene team writes up mini reviews of our favorite new K-pop releases from the past week. This time, we enjoyed music courtesy of NCT’s Ten, YG Entertainment’s revamped WINNER, and up-and-coming idol band DAY6.

”Dream In A Dream” by Ten (NCT) (Released April

East meets west in Ten’s solo debut under SM Station, and it’s one of the most interesting songs SM has released this year. I’ve said for a while now that K-pop needs to focus a bit more on the “K” aspect, and this song does that perfectly. The hazy, instrumental-heavy sound of “Dream In a Dream” draws on both traditional Asian music styles and rhythmic contemporary dance beats to create a hypnotic effect. Altogether, the sound provides a glorious, ambient backdrop to the beautifully choreographed video. (Seriously, watch the MV.) The–all English!– singing is minimal, but it does poise Ten as a singer, which is very different from how we’ve seen him in the past: when he debuted in NCT U last year, Thai member Ten was positioned as a rapper. After that, he appeared on the dance competition show Hit The Stage. But now with “Dream In A Dream” it seems like the company wants all eyes focused on this talented performer.

–Tamar

”Fool” by WINNER (Released April 4th)

WINNER’s comeback accomplished nothing short of demolishing expectations. One of two singles off of Fate Number For, “Fool” sees the newly-established 4-piece lineup do what they do best — emotive music that demonstrates their artistry and versatility as idols and musicians. The rappers’ delicate singing voices complement the already sweet-toned vocal Jinwoo and stronger-voiced Seungyoon in a way that feels complete and harmonious even after losing a member last year. With complex instrumentalism and beautiful vocals, the group has shown strong potential to maintain relevance even after a tumultuous first few years in and out of the spotlight. I am looking forward to more from them this year, provided YG can pull through with the releases.

Also on Kultscene: Monsta X’s ‘Beautiful’ song & music video review

–Kushal

“I’m Serious” by DAY6 (Released April 6)

DAY6 returned a few days ago with their monthly Every Day6 album, containing title track “I’m Serious” as well as “Say Wow”. Despite its title, this single is one of the most playful and fun tracks DAY6 has ever come up with. Following a string of angsty heartbreak songs, this song and its adorable accompanying music video felt like a breath of fresh air. It’s lovely to watch the boys having fun performing this song as well, especially since they decided to go for another round of music broadcasts after last month’s “How Can I Say” performances. This fourth comeback in the year marks a pivotal turning point for DAY6 however, who created a big stir last week because of their flawless performance on the semi-final of K-pop Star 6. It was a homecoming for member Jae, who was on the first season of the audition program and he truly demonstrated how he had grown as an artist since then. They followed this feat with their first appearance on Yoo Hee Yeol’s Sketchbook, which caused their songs to bounce back onto music charts and Naver searches. It’s about time Korea started awakening to DAY6’s insane talent so I’m really happy for them and excited to see where this new popularity will take them.

–Anna

Weekly K-Pop Faves March 6-12

March 12, 2017/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

It seems like 2017 is finally starting to pick up. Maybe agencies were waiting on their good releases, or maybe it’s the change in the policy to drop songs earlier in the day instead of midnight. Either way, here are our favorite K-pop songs from this week.

“Rollin’” by Brave Girls (Released Mar. 6)

I know you’re sick of tropical house, I am too, but there’s always hope for any genre when Brave Brothers is still making music. Who better to reinvigorate this tired genre with than his first ladies Brave Girls? All it took was two choruses, one with a hook and one with a dance break. So simple yet it takes the best of what tropical house can do and moulds it to his unbeatable formula. Thanks to a stellar year in 2016, I had been excited for them to comeback this year, but when Hyeran (not so much the other one) left, my hopes deflated somewhat. Her raps were key to their distinct qualities and she would be missed. You can hear exactly where she would have gone in “Rollin.” This is Brave Bros though, so he alters it a bit, making the rap sweeter than the ferocious Hyeran would have delivered it. “Rollin” is sticky, sexy, and so fun. Also watch them live for quality stool work and the smiliest idol ever, Yujeong.

— Joe

Also on KultScene: What to expect at KCON Mexico’s concerts

“Wake Me Up” by B.A.P (Released Mar 6)

In my decades of being a fangirl, I’ve never met a group that lives by the saying “actions speak louder than words” more than the sextet B.A.P. They’ve continuously showcased meaningful messages through their music time and time again, with their recent title track “Wake Me Up” being no less than powerful. There had already been a great deal of build up weeks prior to the song’s release, considering leader, Bang Yongguk, was rejoining the rest of his members in this promotion after a four month hiatus. The answer that the world wants, is blind to it’s desperation, “Wake Me Up” touches on societal issues, something B.A.P has written about numerous times and mental health (Yongguk was on hiatus due to panic disorders) – an issue society seems to turn a blind eye towards and shy away from talking about. This music video showcases all that’s wrong in the world (racism and judgement) and how it plays it’s role with various types of mental illnesses (depression and self hate). For the members of B.A.P to take a subject as touchy as this and turn it into an eye opening “lesson” is absolutely remarkable. It’s been five years and I still get blown away with their bold and compelling concepts. I’m also hopeful that people who listen to B.A.P’s music for the first or fiftieth time, are able to walk away from each song with a new outlook on life. If you’re still sleeping on B.A.P, you need to seriously wake up!

— Tam

Also on KultScene: 10 SHINee B-sides to know before ‘SHINee World V in USA’

“Pick Me” by Produce 101 Season 2 (Released Mar. 9)

I couldn’t stand the girls’ version of “Pick Me.” I even drafted a potential year-end list on worst singles, which it would headline. Then KCON happened, and well, I suddenly became a Stockholm Syndrome hostage of it. It has since grown on me, but not to the point of actually liking it. And since I never watched the first Produce 101, I wasn’t planning on watching season two either. But then I came across this video and it made me change my mind. This version of “Pick Me,” despite the EDM overhaul, is not annoyingly repetitive and the song as a whole is more easily digestible. Not being able to get out the girls’ “pick me” line out of my head seemed like torture; this version, however, is quite the earworm. It’s a bubblegum banger, just as its predecessor, but without the “odd thing I found on the internet today” factor. Which brings me to point out that the girls’ choreography seemed more tight and had that wow factor. Nevertheless, 101 dudes dancing in near perfect unison is why I can’t fully stan boy and girl bands outside of K-pop; they’re just subpar in comparison at this point. Season 2’s “Pick Me” surely sealed the deal on me looking up bootleg videos with subtitles to see what’s up. Maybe they’ll be as big as I.O.I, who knows? With “Pick Me,” it seems promising.

— Alexis

What was your favorite song of the week? Share your picks 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.

Weekly K-pop Faves: Jan. 9-15

January 15, 2017/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

January’s shaping out to be quite the slow month for K-pop releases — or at least thus far. 2016 showered us with songs every other day, so this pace is definitely a big change. And while releases have been scarce, we got enough to pick out our faves of the week.

“Don’t Worry” by JB (Released Jan. 15)

In what may be the best present to fans to commemorate their third anniversary, GOT7’s JB dropped yet another couple of songs today (the 16^th) for our listening pleasure. Out of the two, “Don’t Worry” stood out to me cause it balanced his soul interpretation with a more up tempo beat. After five solo songs I finally understand why JB’s always so extra in his GOT7 performances: the boy has all this emotion harboring inside of him, waiting for the right avenue to come out — and this is it, you guys! JB’s finally doing R&B and it’s fantastic.

— Alexis

Also on KultScene: 2017’s artists to watch

“Without A Heart” cover by BTS (Performed Jan. 14)

BTS’s cover of 8Eight’s song was one of the highlights of the 2017 Golden Disk Award show for me. Both groups were created by BigHit Entertainment, so it’s fitting for BTS to remake the soulful tune. The “Without a Heart” performance was quite different from the original, considering the 8Eight was a co-ed vocal trio whereas BTS is a seven-member boy band. But the group was able to blend their voices together in the emotive performance, resulting in one of BTS’s best ballad performances ever. (Plus Rap Monster and J-Hope’s hard-hitting raps added a bit of a rougher feel to the tune). Their cover also offered a peek into BTS’s professional attitude: Suga’s mic failed during his line, but it was nearly imperceptible.

— Tamar

Also on KultScene: Why experiencing GOT7’s Turbulence in USA fanmeet may be better than a show

“Kiss Later” by Yeojin (Released Jan. 15)

Loona’s girl of the month strikes again this time with their most fun track so far. The creative dream team of Monotree and Digipedi come together once again to give Yeojin “Kiss Later” an orchestral pop explosion IU would relish. Yeojin’s vocals are not as strong as her predecessors but she gets around it with a playful delivery, going into talk-sing mode every now and then. Each moment is a blast with Monotree varying the instrumentation as much as they can. Horns and strings swirl in and out and they even throw in a guitar solo. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, get ready for Loona to be a girl group for the ages.

— Joe

What was your fave song this week? Share your picks with us in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Weekly K-pop faves: October 10 – 16

October 16, 2016/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

With two weeks into October, K-pop releases have slowed it down for the more solemn months of the year. This, of course, doesn’t mean it’s all ballads, but the overall mood has dropped a bit from the thrill of summer. Here are our most recent faves that have been on repeat all week.

“Better Day” by 100% (Released Oct. 12)

The charismatic guys of 100%, who always makes sure to highlight their uptempo choreographies for every comeback, are finally back! However, this time around, they’re experimenting with a more mellow and mature sound for title track “Better Day.” Unfortunately, another member, maknae (youngest member) and rapper Changbum departed from the group a few weeks ago, but they regained their leader back, Minwoo, who was on hiatus from the group due to his military service.

“Better Day” reminds me of something I would’ve listened to growing up in the ‘90s; a fusion of what pop and R&B was. Unlike some of the songs that are currently out, nothing about this song seemed forced or over the top. Everything from the smooth transitions to those exceptionally high notes, were all easy on the ears. And even though the song is about a breakup, I couldn’t help but feel entirely relaxed while listening to it. Although the beat for “Better Day” may not be as intense as previous songs, I’m sure they’ll kill it with their choreo anyway!

Top Media needs to do a better job at actually promoting 100% (they’ve been around since 2012 and are still heavily underrated) so that everyone can stop sleeping on them.

— Tam

Also on KultScene: Run River North Is Walking To The Beat of Their Own Drum, All the Way To The Top [Interview & Review]

“Love Is” by Davichi (Released Oct. 13)

Davichi came back recently with their latest album “50 X Half” and while all the tracks this time around are amazing, my personal favourite would have to be “Love Is”. This sorrowful song is perfectly suited to the vocal talents of this duo and my heart melts whenever I hear their emotional crooning. The track as a whole is a quiet one but it seems to reach the recesses of my soul and touches me deeply, something I haven’t felt from a song for a long while. The music video released is just a cherry on top, since Lee Jong Suk’s marvellous acting really matched the sadness of the song. The video is also beautifully directed and shot, with an obvious but still heartbreaking plot. This album is a great comeback for Davichi, who hasn’t been disappointing with their various releases this year.

— Anna

“Prove It” by GOT7 (Uploaded Oct. 15)

This is cheating, I’m aware. GOT7’s newest album has been out for a minute and the single and b-side they’re promoting are good, but as an IGOT7, I can’t help but want more. Sadly, when it comes to K-pop mini and full albums, we only get one single before they come up with the repackage. It’s frustrating because sometimes the original album has amazing songs you want a music video of, but nope; we get an entirely new song. So when GOT7 took to V app to deliver performances of the other b-sides on “Flight Log: TURBULENCE,” I was here for it. Especially when the live performance of “Prove It” came out. Written by JB, he recruited the crooner line (Youngjae and Jinyoung) plus the group’s best rapper Mark (yep, I said it). The combination of these specific members’ voices is the perfect formula for a heartfelt yet sexy rendition of a love song. Extra points for JB being in his feelings as per usual.

— Alexis

Also on KultScene: 5 Sentimental K-Drama OSTs Which Give Us Autumn Feels

“Pet” by Davichi (Released Oct. 13)

For year’s I’ve been a lowkey fan of Davichi. The pop-ballad duo wowed us all at KCON LA in August and now again with their new EP 50 X Half. Along with absolutely adoring the single “Beside Me,” I fell in love with the playful “Pet.” Davichi is pretty well known for their more serious songs, but they’re also phenomenal when making things a bit more upbeat. The bouncing melody and Davichi’s reassurances of being fine are just so heartwarming, and I really adore the beats and the guitar melodies that seem like something out of 10cm’s music.

— Tamar

What was your fave K-pop song this week? Share 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.

Weekly K-pop faves: September 26- October 2

October 2, 2016/in Fans, Playlist Sunday /by KultScene

As previously warned, this month will be the month where everyone and their mommas make a comeback. It’s only been two days since September ended and the K-pop gods have already unleashed a plethora of new releases. This also meant that some groups rushed their comebacks to the last week of September before it got crazy. For two of our writers, however, it was the week one of their fave groups came back, so anticipate the bias. With that out of the way, here’s our faves of the week.

“Dreamin’” by GOT7 (Released Sep. 26)

All JB has to do on a track is breathe and I’m here for it. Add the fact that he not only delivers the perfect chorus and verse complete with a falsetto, but also co-wrote the lyrics for “Dreamin’” and it’s my favorite song on GOT7’s new album Flight Log: TURBULENCE. Bias aside, like the title suggests, this song is so dreamy thanks to the vocalists’ tones and beat, but it also has a bit of duality going on with the rap line’s sometimes hard-hitting sometimes deep verses. Hands down, it’s one of my all time favorite GOT7 songs. There’s just no pretense about it; they’re not trying to be all swagged out nor cheese balls. They’re just real and showing off their talent, which has grown immensely since the last release. I love it!

— Alexis

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“Sugar Rush” by Gemma (Released Sep. 26)

As K-pop fans, we see plenty of our favourites go overseas in search of international glory. Korea has been a great feeder state for pop all over the world yet has had few established stars from outside come in and do well. Taking up that challenge is Gemma aka Gui Gui aka Emma We aka Wu Ying Chieh, Taiwanese Mandopop star, actress, and former member of Taiwanese girl group Hey Girl!, but you probably recognize her as Taecyeon’s virtual wife from their season on We Got Married. She is now expanding her pop career into Korea with “Sugar Rush.” It was recorded in both Korean and Mandarin, and I might actually prefer the Mandarin version. It offers wildly complex tones to a song, going from a soft hush to a quite sharp harshness. The song is a fairly fun bit of bubblegum pop with great guitars and chorus. Although it does transition with seemingly no clue as to what came before or what will come, the best part is by far the tiny bit before the chorus where it sounds like it might go full on rock out mode.

— Joe

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“Sick” by GOT7 (Released Sep. 26)

When a relationship is over, are both parties left with lingering pain or is it just one of the two? Ballad track “Sick” off of GOT7’s full length album, “Turbulence” will flood your mind with any past heartaches and painful farewells. Sure, most of GOT7’s members might’ve never even had a chance to fully experience a relationship or what love might be, but their voices says otherwise in this song.

Vocalists, JB, Jinyoung, Youngjae, and Yugyeom, all carry such diverse characters when singing, but it was Youngjae’s emotive voice that shone the most in “Sick.” His voice did a remarkable job of conveying the aftermath of an unfortunate break up; his every word made me want to cry (maybe I did). Unfortunately the rap line, Mark, Jackson, and BamBam, plays a small role in this song, but their one liners in conjunction with the other members had impactful messages, leaving you with a major sense of loneliness and bitterness. Is it weird that I want GOT7 to sing this to me, even though it’s such a heartbreaking song? Yeah, I guess it’s that GOT7 fever.

— Tam

What was your fave K-pop release this week? Share 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.