When people initially think of K-pop they picture bubblegum pop, bright colors, and lyrics as sweet as sugar. Whether it comes as a surprise or not, K-pop actually offers much than the saccharine coated lyrics. Villains make their appearance in many forms and styles throughout K-pop songs. For this week’s Playlist Sunday we pay ode to those villainous songs.
K-pop songs are mostly always about love and relationships, but not exclusively. Even though rare, idols do sing about friendship. Sometimes friendship is great, sometimes it is empowering, and sometimes friendship isn’t all that great. But, at the end of the day, our friends are there for us through thick-and-thin and that’s what this week’s playlist is all about.
Whenever you are feeling down, you always have your friends there to bring you back up. On SPICA’s upbeat track I’ll Be There, the ladies let their friend know that they are there for them. Throughout the song, the girls sing beautiful lyrics about supporting your friends and letting go of the bad memories. SPICA’s vocals are as powerful as always, and Juhyun’s rap throughout the song gives a really cool edge. The beat is very addicting and lifts you up. This song is a great reminder that there’s always someone out there to cheer you on and support you.
–Alejandro
The love we have for our friends is something that we never have to be subtle about, and Secret know this. Their song Friends is a wonderfully literal ode to our friends, how much we love and are thankful for them. The thing about these songs is that fans can interpret them as either songs about the groups themselves all being friends or songs about how the groups are friends with the fans. It makes for a bright and joyful experience which comes across well in this song. It mixes a gentle piano melody with twinkly electronic sounds to create a truly sweet track.
–Joe
SNSD’s My Best Friend goes through the trials and tribulations of being best friends. There are moments where arguments and differences arise, but they are easily worked out and forgiven. Every emotion your best friend feels, you feel. You are always connected by more than friendship. It’s a strong bond that is almost like sisters. My Best Friend perfectly depicts the feelings and thoughts about being best friends. Sharing everything with each other from food, movies, feelings, emotions, stories, everything brings you closer and connects you for life. Best friends are usually the first person one thinks of when they need to discuss things. Whether they be about a new crush, a new favorite restaurant, or just to talk about pointless things a best friend will always be there for you.
— Tara
With the GD & TOP subunit, fans got to see the incredible dynamic the BIGBANG rappers have, and with High High, their friendship was on display for the world to see. Right off the bat, G-Dragon boasts on his opening verse about how his relationship with TOP is better than ever and how they really like partying. So, naturally, that’s exactly what the music video is: two friends having a good time while turnin’ up. The song is a fun jam to dance and jump to, exactly like GD & TOP do in the video.
–Alexis
Old school BIGBANG was all about being friends, and T.O.P and Taeyang (also known as SOL) did it best. Despite the up-tempo beat, Friend is actually a bit depressing, about two people who no longer are friends. Taeyang sings the chorus, about how he no longer has any idea what to do now that the friendship has ended. Even though it’s about a mutual friendship rather than a romantic relationship, it’s clear that this friendship that the two are singing about is a childhood friendship that has deeply affected both parties. T.O.P’s raps pair with Taeyang’s lyrics, to explain how the world looks the same but isn’t actually. The two narrators in the song are clearly regretting whatever fight led to the end of their friendship, and reminiscing about the days they spent together having fun. Sad, but the song is one of my personal BIGBANG favorites.
–Tamar
What are some of your favorite K-pop songs about frienship? Share your picks in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
K-pop is a mixture of sounds found in all genres around the globe; nothing is too much or too little and it’s all fair game. That’s why we’ll often see songs with middle eastern sounds or Bollywood-like disco in some of our favorite hits. And for this week’s Playlist Sunday we picked a particular theme that encompases many genres from several regions: Latin America. Salsa, trova, merengue, you name it, K-pop’s tried it. Here are some of our picks that have Latin flavor.
Super Junior‘s 2014 comeback song Mamacita is the epitome of Latin-infused K-pop. Super Junior acts out a Western-themed cops-and-robbers mini-movie that is a bit analogous with the title and style of the song, but the smooth Latin beat of Mamacita works. The song’s complex Spanish-infused style is different from many of Super Junior’s pop-dance songs, but still has the catchy hook-chorus and an iconic dance for the ten members to dance. The music video is fun, the song is catchy, the vocals are great. What more is there to ask of Super Junior?
— Tamar
The opening guitar and trumpet in FT Island’s I Wish immediately tell the listener that the song will have a different sound compared to other K-pop songs. The Latin music is used throughout the song and perfectly fit the style and feel of it. The pop/rock song utilizes the trumpet and acoustic guitar for a softer beginning of the song. After the chorus, which uses the rock sound, the music calms down and again uses the trumpet until the chorus comes back around. The Latin flare mixed with FT Island’s pop/rock sound creates an appealing song to listen to and sing along to.
—Tara
In the wake of Stellar’s semi-success with the controversial video for Marionette, many girl groups tried to recreate that magic. It was 4L who pushed this to the limit. The video for their song Move was not only a complete jack of Marionette, but was much more explicit and even included some lesbian scenes. Unnecessary lesbians aside, the song was actually great. It’s a surprisingly classy slice of tango pop. Guitars and accordion are the main melodies of the song and make for a steamy but sensual three and a half minutes.
–Joe
Despite the Latin American sounds dissipating once the singing starts, the opening of MBLAQ’s Oh Yeah is lead by a trova guitar riff that sets the tone for the flavorful song. Once Mir begins rapping, the guitar turns into a synth, but still playing the same notes. And while that might have been the only glimpse at a Latin American sound influence, Oh Yeah is a song you feel at the hips and chest, much like many other Latin genres. And who better to dance to a song like this than MBLAQ, a performance group formed under the representation of sex in human form Rain?
–Alexis
SHINee‘s Señorita is one of my guilty pleasure songs. Key starts off the song speaking Spanish saying, “Damas y caballeros, amigo baila conmigo. Somos SHINee!” which means, “Ladies and gentleman, my friend dance with me, we are SHINee!” The song has a very catchy chorus and the boys sound very sexy saying “Señorita.” The song has a guitar that plays rhythms that are usually heard in Latin music and are very subtle in SHINee’s song. Their vocals are stunning as usual, making it one of my favorites songs from the group’s early days.
—Alejandro
What are some of your favorite Latin style K-pop songs? Share your picks in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
Everyone loves a good fairy tale and all of us here at KultScene are no exception to that. K-pop delivers with many fairy tale-themed and styled songs that are not only attractive musically, but lyrically as well. From the title of songs to the other worldly feel to the lyrics, K-pop provides us with a healthy amount of fairy tale songs to choose from. These are just a few that of those songs that we wish to share with you in this week’s Playlist Sunday.
EXO’s love song titled Peter Pan uses the Neverland story, but instead of Peter falling in love with Wendy, he is looking for his true love, the fairy Tinkerbell. Throughout the song, EXO lets the listeners know the story of Peter and Tinkerbell. Peter starts looking back at an old diary and reminisces about all the memories that he had together with the fairy, only to realize how much he misses her and loves her. Even if he is trapped in time and still a child, he is ready to become a man for her and be with her. EXO delivered a cute ballad with soft and beautiful vocals thanks to the group’s vocalists. With Peter Pan being one of my favorite fairy tales, I just couldn’t help but love this song.
–Alejandro
With sweet, delicate vocals and an infectious electro pop beat, Neon Bunny’s 2012 song Oh My Prince sounds like a fairy tale in itself. However, the actual lyrics are another story. The singer uses “prince” to describe a guy’s negative traits rather than good ones, meaning a man who thinks he’s all that. Right off the bat, she disses the guy by telling him she doesn’t care what school he graduated from or what household he comes from, and suggests he tattoos it on his face given he’s so proud… you can imagine how the calling-out continues throughout the song. The use of the jarring lyrics and Neon Bunny’s sugary tone set a cool contrast that pokes fun at these types of guy. Because no, the idea of having a prince in your life or as your partner isn’t always a fairy tale.
— Alexis
Before Disney, L. Frank Baum’s The Wizard of Oz was the epitome of the American fairy tale, and Clazziquai’s Wizard of Oz puts music to dream-like quality of the famous story. Alex and Horan’s whimsical voices match with not only the famous story itself, but also with the hypnotic, poppy-induced tune created by DJ Clazzi. The song tells the story of how we all really live in Oz without realizing it, thanks to our dreams and adventures. The music video is also fairytale inducing; it features some of the most popular stars from 2009 including Kim Bum, Kim Ki Bum of Super Junior, Lee Yeon Hee, and Yoo Seungho.
–Tamar
In the hands of Ga-In fairy tales become a lot more adult and sexual than your usual K-pop fairy tale concept. If EXO are mischievous rascals as Peter Pan, Ga-In is a sexy temptress as Tinkerbell. Tinkerbell is about two Romeo and Juliet-like lovers who meet up at night for their fleeting but passionate sexaul encounters. Ga-In’s solo work is known for pushing boundaries, and Tinkerbell is the song that does this on her second album Talk about S. The lyrics are a great reimagining of a fairy tale with added maturity. The production is innovative and jarring. It sounds like she took the Latin guitars from Irreversible and cut out every second note. The pre-chorus is built around a strange vocal effect similar to the guitar. So if you’re looking for a more adult fairy tale, Ga-In’s your girl.
–Joe
U-KISS’ Neverland is a fun song about a fantasy land where staying young and having fun are priorities. The beat on Neverland is club-ready and will make anyone feel young again. You can shout the chorus to the skies as you dance the night away wishing you were flying to Neverland. If it’s good enough for Peter Pan and for U-KISS it’s definitely good enough for the rest of us. The song doesn’t boast much lyrically or have any deep symbolism behind the words. Instead it makes us feel like a kid again as we jump around the room with the volume turned all the way up.
— Tara
What are some of your favorite Fairy Tale-themed K-pop songs? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
Snowstorms in the Middle East and Texas are not exactly normal, even in January, so this week’s Playlist Sunday is dedicated to everyone suffering from the unusual cold weather. Here are some songs that will definitely warm you up or remind you of the coldness in the world.
Even though it’s cold outside, ice eventually thaws. Nobody knows that better than TVXQ in Love In The Ice. The song is not only one of TVXQ’s most vocally impressive ballads from pre-2009 split, but relates feelings to the seasons; that narrator of the song sings about wanting to melt his lover’s heart that is frozen from past failed love. “A single ray of light will swoop down into the darkness,” sings the quintet, which can apply to both heartbreak and the dark, cold winter months.
–Tamar
If you’re going outside in this terrificly cold weather remember to wrap up well like Brown Eyed Girls in the video for their song L.O.V.E. The warm feeling of this song will also help as you walk through bitter winds with your headphones on. L.O.V.E, like the majority of Brown Eyed Girls songs, is a masterclass in line distribution. Each member is perfectly suited to their parts and pull them off accordingly. They have some of the best vocalists in all of K-Pop with Jea’s showstoppers, Narsha’s falsetto and Ga-In’s huskier tones. Yet, Brown Eyed Girls are the type of group with enough range that they can let their rapper, Miryo, take the majority of a song like in L.O.V.E and it still be great.
–Joe
Eric Nam’s Melt My Heart is a very fun upbeat ballad that will surely melt your heart and keep you warm. In this track, Eric serenades a girl that he loves but it’s not part of his life anymore. Every winter reminds him of her, when the snow falls he just can’t help to think of her. He wants to know if this girl still feels the same as he does. Even though the song’s lyrics are sad, the track keeps a very happy beat. Eric’s vocals and cute looks will surely keep anyone warm specially if his serenading you in your ear.
–Alejandro
Akdong Musician’s Melted describes instances of cold, ice, frozen feelings, shadows, gray skies and more in a metaphoric way. Either way, the song and the music video portray people who are cold toward each other. The somber violin throughout the song lends to the feeling of being sad, lost, and confused. The duo’s vocals perfectly depict the characters’ (of the song) feelings. They sing, “If the ice melts, a warmer song would have come out. But why is the ice so cold? Why is it so cold?” In the music video, the old man’s drink in the beginning is full of ice as he looks out over the city. We then see his experiences as a younger man, and at the end, he finally found compassion and thoughtfulness from someone. As we flashback to the current old man, his ice has melted in his drink as he thought of the kind man who helped him. During these cold months, remember that there is warmth all around us in many forms.
— Tara
Coldness is probably one of the best metaphors to describe an aching heart post break up, and that’s exactly what 2NE1 use in Missing You. The music video in itself evokes a cold and somber feeling by utilizing dark colors, and the styling is also winter themed. Also, the snowing throughout several scenes is the most explicit sign of coldness. The lyrics, for their part, talk about yearning over a past lover inspite of feeling negatively towards him. When Bom and CL sing in the chorus, “My cold heart is still missing you” we get a raw, heart wrenching confession of the complicatedness of the break up. Furthermore, the girls’ demeanor throughout the video is also cold and distant, as if trying to not appear sad and heart broken. All of this serves as the perfect metaphor of describing how a relationship turns cold when it meets its end and how the effect lingers even after some times passes.
–Alexis
What are some of your favorite songs that warm you up during the cold days? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
The last Sunday of the years means two things: that New Year’s is just around the corner and that this edition is KultScene’s last for the year. And in order to ring in 2015, as it has become a custom, we’ve come up with a list of songs around this theme. Our picks range from songs about new beginnings to saying goodbye.
U-KISS’s Tick Tock (Out of Time) is the ultimate New Year’s Eve theme, both the Japanese and Korean versions of the songs. January 1st brings a new start, but it also brings an end that’s poignant. The clock theme relates to New Year’s Eve countdowns, but the connection doesn’t just stop there. With lyrics like “Tonight we gonna party like we’re out of time,” and “Time flows so let the memories pass,” U-KISS does the New Year right.
–Tamar
miss A‘s is the embodiment of a powerful and independent girl group, and Over U continues that theme. The song is essentially a breakup song for a man who continuously convinced the girl to stay in the toxic relationship. Finally she realizes that he’s bringing her down and she’s ready to be free of him. She’s ready to be happy, like she was before she knew this man. The girl is ready for a clean slate and to forget about that horrible relationship. And doesn’t a new year mean a lean slate?
— Tara
This year in K-Pop had too many bad days, so as a song to welcome the New Year, IU’s Good Day is perfect. It is the most joyful, hopeful and wonderful song you could ever find. IU’s voice is just as good especially at her famous three octaves in one note part. We must see things in a new light just like the lyrics of this song as we look forward to 2015 and hope that we have good days then.
–Joe
Lee Hi’s song It’s Over talks about the end of a tumultuous relationship. This year was known as the K-Pop Apocalypse and this song is the perfect metaphor to say goodbye to this catastrophic year. The video comes with a super cute teddy bear as Lee Hi’s ex-boyfriend is dressed as the members of BIGBANG, paying tribute to her label mates and seniors. Lee Hi’s strong vocals and the very cute age appropriate image of this music video create an interesting combination that makes her stand out from other solo artists. So on this last Sunday of 2014, let’s say goodbye and cheer for an amazing 2015!
–Alejandro
Whether 2014 was a good or bad year for you, with a new one coming up there’s a sense of letting the old one go once and for all. And there’s no better song out there to say just that than Super Junior-M’s Go. While the song is about a relationship (what K-Pop song isn’t?), us English speakers can ignore all that and just focus on the chorus. Let’s encouragingly bid farewell to 2014 while singing, “Go! Just let it go! Go go go go go!” The new year brings with it a metaphorical new slate, so past troubles should be left behind with the memory of the past year.
–Alexis
What songs are on your New Year’s Eve playlist? Share your picks in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
We’ve made it a tradition to come up with playlists for Sunday Playlist holiday themed when they’re approaching, and of course one of the major ones couldn’t be bypassed: Christmas. For this edition, we’ve come up with a few songs that set the perfect mood for Christmas parties or the actual 25th. Our picks are songs that get us in the Christmas spirit while still having fun.
There are many western Christmas classics open for K-Pop groups to cover around the festive time to show their spirit. These songs are such a big part of Christmas in the west that it’s fun to hear the odd Korean version. SHINee chose the ever popular Last Christmas by British duo Wham. Although as you start listening you might be mistaken that it actually is a cover since the production has been nearly completely changed to a strange twirling electronic sound. The pronunciation is all ok but helps the endearing charm of it all. I say let’s have some more weird covers of classics, that’s the true spirit of Christmas.
–Joe
White Confession (Lately) is an original song by INFINITE to express the warm spirit of the holiday season. White Confession is a song about remembering old relationships around the holidays and the desire, but also embodies the feeling many people have around this time of year. The song uses INFINITE’s typical retro style with bells that are reminiscent of holiday tunes, creating a sweet song for the winter months.The video music shows the seven members of the idol group shopping for one another and enjoying time together in the winter, when people come together to spend time with their loved ones.
–Tamar
Super Junior’s White Christmas talks about the important stuff to worry about during Christmas: presents and snow. Or at least that’s half of what I think about during these holidays (no snow in SoCal *sigh*). The song is upbeat and fun, a now staple concept for this group of derps, and is refreshing because it’s not a dull ballad. I picture this song in a playlist along with Jingle Bell Rock and Rocking Around the Christmas Tree. It’s the perfect song to get everyone in a cheery mood.
–Alexis
What’s your favorite K-Pop Christmas song? Share your pick 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.
Even though winter began last month, it wasn’t until recently that the season was fully experienced by all of us at KultScene. That’s why this week’s Playlist Sunday is fully dedicated to all things winter, including and especially the cold that comes with it. Our picks include songs that talk about snow, the weather, and how love is experience during this chilly season.
Living in Ireland means that when I think of winter, I think of the cold. So I decided to think outside the box and go for It’s Cold by Epik High and Lee Hi. Lee Hi was the perfect YG Entertainment artist to pick for this song as her vocals can have a cold, unemotional feeling to them in the best possible way. It mirrors the frosty nature of the song with its slow piano melody and lyrics about cold hearts. It makes winter feel like a never ending season, one of regret and hurt. This sometimes feels painfully true as I wear five layers of clothing every day.
–Joe
Winter in Korea is pretty frigid, but Girls’ Generation Snowy Wish is heartwarming and will make any snowstorm romantic. Even though the snow is falling, Girls’ Generation’s voices and lyrics make the frigidity something endearing, just another memory to make a relationship even better. The sweet-sounding tune is filled with hope and longing for a successful, warm relationship, and Girls’ Generation really makes listeners feel loved during live performances of the song.
–Tamar
Jonghyun and Juniel’s Love Falls gets us in the winter spirit for many reasons. One being that the song actually uses bells in the instrumentals that creates the picture of soft snow falling onto an already snow covered ground. The second reason it gets us into the spirit of winter, is the love story involved. Juniel and Jonghyun’s sweet vocals perfectly compliment each other and give off the feeling of warmth and love for the season. Even with the slight hiccup in their seemingly perfect relationship, the two are brought back together in the beautiful nighttime snow fall, so romantic.
— Tara
In SoCal, there’s no such thing as snow in winter, unless you travel to a mountain town. Despite this, snow is one of the default things one associates with winter, and that’s why I picked Super Junior’s First Snow. At first, the piano and bell sounds create a Christmas jingle feeling, but as the song progresses, we hear a signature Super Junior chorus in the likes of Miracle or Dancing Out, with its cheerful and cheesy sounds. Not that that’s a bad thing! The cheesiness and uplifting feeling of the song is what makes this a warm and cute song about young love.
–Alexis
Yes, we all have heard thousands of covers of the movie Frozen’s famous song Let It Go. But in YG Entertainment’s Mix & Match survival program, a new and fresh version was showcased. B.I, Donghyuk, Hongseok, and Lee Hi adapted the Oscar winning song into a new genre. B.I. made the song into trap, and it just makes you want to go up and dance. The song gives you a very fun and exciting new perspective of the song. Their version makes the song perfect for a winter party or a kick back.
–Alejandro
If we’ve learned anything from watching variety shows is that K-Pop idols love eating. And while Korean food ranks among the healthiest, it doesn’t make for great pop songs. That’s why while picking a theme for this week’s <b>playlist</b> we took the wrong turn in terms of nutritional value and went for <b>junk food</b>. Because no matter how good kimchi is, it will never taste as comforting as a milkshake.
Woolim rookies Lovelyz burst onto the scene with the candy themed Candy Jelly Love. As always, it is not explicitly about candy but a metaphor for love or something a little bit more racy, if that’s how you interpret it. Anyway, it’s the production of this song what makes it truly candy-like. The twinkly J-Pop influenced sound reminiscent of early Kara is instantly satisfying and sweet combined with the dreamy, innocent vocals make this worthy of the food Lovelyz are singing about.
–Joe
f(x)’s Lollipop is a fun, flirty, and addictive song. The beat, the vocals, and the featuring artist, SHINee, all make this a timeless song. The sugary sweet song is fun to listen to with the volume turned up, especially in the summer. I wish there was a music video for the song; it would be fun to see both f(x) and SHINee do a video for Lollipop. I can’t even imagine what their outfits and sets would look like. The song has everything, female vocals, male vocals, harmonies, catchy hooks, what more could we need (beside a music video)?
— Tara
BIGBANG and 2NE1 released a song together on 2009 called Lollipop. At first, the song starts with the girls of 2NE1 singing in a very cute voice, which get’s the listeners confused because none of these bands are known for being cute. But then G-Dragon comes in and says “Nah, that’s not how we do it,” and the song changes to their signature YG Entertainment hip-hop swag. Both 2NE1 and BIGBANG are styled with very fun ensembles and crazy hair, specially Dara. This collaboration makes me want to see them release a song together.
–Alejandro
Even though we already picked a f(x) song for this week’s playlist, they make a second appearance because, among girl groups, they always come up with the most interesting albums music wise. This time pick is Milk, a confusing song about healing a broken heart with cold milk, but with great Middle Eastern beats, which blend effortlessly with the girls’ vocals and harmonies. Milk is a flawless production of pop music; every aspect of it is perfect. The track, just as milk itself, is a tall glass of freshness.
–Alexis
What are some of your favorite junk food-themed K-Pop songs? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.
Every day in K-Pop brings new comebacks, new music videos, new everything, and that includes rookie groups that debut in hopes of making lasting impressions on fans and being successful. Countless new groups debuted in 2014, so for this week’s Playlist Sunday, we all picked a particular group that stood out from the rest to us.
The R&B-Hip-Hop duo 2000 Won may not be so popular among international K-Pop fans, but their debut song I Hate Seoul is a wistful soul-filled song that highlights the duo’s strength. 2000 Won gained popularity in K-Pop Star 2, but only debuted in 2014. Singer Hyobin, with his flower boy looks, stars in the music video with Hello Venus’ Nara, as a man who has to leave Seoul because every place he visits reminds him of his ex-girlfriend. Ildo, 2000 Won’s rapper, acts as the narrator and Hyobin’s conscious, and breaks up Hyobin’s melody with his powerful raps. Not an idol group, but this song is one of my favorite of 2014.
–Tamar
While Wonder Girls’ Ye Eun is not new to K-Pop , her alter-ego HA:TFELT is. Her song Ain’t Nobody, as well as her full solo album, really impressed me. Her debut solo track it’s an exceptional piece, a mixture of a ballad, dub step, and trap. The mixture of different genres creates a very unique musical experience that makes the listeners empathize with what HA:TFELT is feeling in the song.
–Alejandro
Mamamoo is one of the best rookie groups of 2014, in my opinion. These four ladies exude sultry sexiness. Their songs are jazz and swing based, but relevant and catchy. The ladies’ vocals are all exceptional, which is a feat in K-Pop. It’s rare to have more than one or two great vocalists. Even their rapper, Moonbyul, is quite good. Her rapping somehow fits seamlessly into Mamamoo’s jazz sound. Each girl shines in their songs and their music videos are fun and entertaining. Piano Man is Mamamoo’s comeback single, and it further proves that they have the voices and attitudes to go far in the business.
–Tara
I was not entirely impressed by this year’s rookies, but Nega Network’s LABOUM immediately stood out as the highlight for me. That does not, however, make them merely the best of a bad bunch. Their second single of the year, What About You? is an excellent entry into the quirky cute category similar to Hello Venus. With elements of ‘80s pop, an assured interesting rap, ticking 8-bit beats, and a member who looks like Girl’s Day’s Hyeri, where can you go wrong?
–Joe
Big things were expected of JYP Entertainment’s newest boy group, especially since SM’s rookie group was doing exceedingly well. And while GOT7 has not yet taken K-Pop by storm like EXO or even WINNER, their debut and two subsequent comebacks have brought catchy, well-produced singles with top notch performances. Their latest, Stop Stop It, is heavy on the autotune, but instead of this being a crutch for the young group, it was actually used on the two best vocalists in order to create a futuristic sound on par with the music video. Good luck trying to get the chorus out of your head or not to do the choreography after watching the music video since Stop Stop It is highly infectious. What’s more, each of the members got at least a decent part in the song and they were all allowed to shine, making this song even more enjoyable.
–Alexis
Who’s your rookie 2014 favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.