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Playlist Sunday: Provocative Tunes

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

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

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


–Alejandro

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

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

–Tamar

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

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

–Alexis

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

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


–Thuc

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

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

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

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


–Tara

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

Playlist Sunday: Stalker Idols

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

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

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


— Tamar

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

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


— Alexis

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

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

You wish me well, I wish you hell.


— Alejandro

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

Even after time passes, the thickly settled scent remains.

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


— Tara

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

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


— Thuc

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

Playlist Sunday: Get Lucky

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

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

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


–Alexis 

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

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


— Tamar

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


–Alejandro

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


–Thuc

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

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


–Tara

What’s your favorite K-Pop good luck song? Share it with us! And don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: First K-Pop Listens

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

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

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


–Tamar

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

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


–Thuc

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


–Tara

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


—Alejandro

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


–Alexis

What was the first K-Pop song you listened to that got you hooked? Share it with us! Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Best English Covers by K-Pop Artists

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We recently talked about K-Pop Instrumentals, now let’s look at a few of our favorite artists covering some of our favorite English songs. Occasionally, K-Pop songs have a few English words and/or lines throughout them. Unfortunately, the pronunciation and even use of the word(s) are oftentimes not correct or irrelevant. It sometimes makes you wonder whether or not these idols could hold their own with an English song. Well let me tell you, a lot of them definitely can. It takes a lot of practice and confidence to pull off a cover of an English song. Especially when there are so many fans from Western countries.

EXO: Open Arms
First is EXO singing Journey’s Open Arms. Baekhyun, D.O., Chen, and Luhan all demonstrate why they are the vocal line. These four gentlemen showcase their amazing and powerful vocal talents, as well as English pronunciation, in this wonderful song. And can I just say, those harmonies, whoa… Beautiful, absolutely beautiful! These types of performances are nice because fans really get to experience another side to their favorite idols. In a group as big as EXO, and one that is made up of many parts (singers, rappers, etc.), it’s rare to have a song of just great vocals. This is a treat, and I’m so glad fellow writer and KPOPme co-founder, Thuc, suggested it.

Eric Nam & Boa Kim: Say Something
In all honesty, this cover of Say Something, was the first time I actually heard the song (I don’t listen to the radio that often). You may consider this one slightly cheating because as we know, Eric Nam is indeed from Atlanta, Georgia, and therefore he is fluent in English. Either way, his voice is amazing, and I like to hear him sing. But, Boa Kim, a member of SPICA, holds her own and then some in this song. Her vocals perfectly match the mood, tone, and energy of this song. Her pronunciation is flawless, and I could honestly listen to this cover all day. The music video is also done quite well.

TaeTiSeo: DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love
Next is TaeTiSeo singing Usher’s DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love. TaeTiSeo is made up of Taeyeon, Tiffany, and Seohyun. Again, Tiffany can speak fluent English, but that’s not the point. The point is that Taeyeon and Seohyun sing their English lines very well with confidence, which is the key to a great cover; this is a live performance full of energy that keeps the crowd pumped up throughout the song. It also doesn’t hurt that EXO joins the trio during the rap part of the song. Let’s be honest, can one really go wrong with an Usher cover? No, no one cannot. Also the numerous cuts to the middle-aged man dancing adds to this video.

SHINee: Just Dance
We’re throwing it back to 2009 with this little gem. SHINee give Lady Gaga’s debut single, Just Dance, their own Gaga flare. With this cover, Key is the frontman, because his English is the best out of all of the members. The performance may be short, but SHINee’s Gaga-inspired outfits and their dance moves keep the audience interested from beginning to end. I would love to hear another cover by these guys today, since their pronunciation is much better now.

Changmin & Kyuhyun: Just The Way You Are
These SM artists love their English cover songs, and you’ll hear no complaints from me. On their own Changmin and Kyuhyun have amazing voices, but put them together, singing a Bruno Mars cover, it’s magical. I’d like to thank Alexis, co-founder and writer for KPOPme, for suggesting this cover. I couldn’t find a great video of the duo, but you can still feel their passion and talent. I’ll stop talking now and let Changmin and Kyunhyun do the rest.

Minzy: Halo
I have to show some love for the female power vocals in Kpop. First up is Minzy of 2NE1. She took a bold step and covered Queen B’s Halo. I think she did an amazing job. Her pronunciation and vocal range is amazing! I’ve always loved Minzy’s voice, and this cover is reason enough to love her. The song on its own is a hard one to sing, and Minzy gives it her all. She is a true talent.

Ailee: I Will Always Love You
The last cover song I want to talk about is Ailee’s rendition of Whitney Houston’s I Will Always Love You. We all know Ailee has a phenomenal voice. When I first heard that she covered this iconic song, I wasn’t sure if she would be able to live up to its reputation. Don’t get me wrong, I love Ailee’s voice, but I Will Always Love You has so many nuances throughout the song that need to be met in order to be a good cover. Nevertheless, Ailee owned this song; her performance was amazing! With flawless vocals, she was powerful when she needed to be and still had that finesse in her voice that complemented the song.

Although some of these idols may not be fluent in English, they could definitely fool me based on their amazing performances of English covers. This is only the beginning of a long list of great covers, what are some of your favorites? Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

6 Songs Non-K-Pop Fans Can Like

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[Disclaimer: Information is solely based on personal experience]

If you’re anything like me, you have lots of non-K-Pop fan friends who generally don’t support your favorite music genre. However, you still play them song after song in hopes that there will be one they actually like. And although my actions have often been unsuccessful, there have been some instances where it works. Alas, here’s what you should try with your friends if you want them to ride the Hallyu wave with you:

2ne1 1

This is probably the first K-Pop music video I ever saw and liked (although I had no idea who they were, what language they were singing, or what I was getting myself into), so this song was a no-brainer as the first choice for introduction. It may be the visuals, or the clothes, or the dances, or the epic intro, but this song captivates you right from the get-go – everything about I Am the Best is meant to lure you in. And boy does it work!

I can vividly remember fellow KPOPme writer Alejandro requesting it with me at a bar in our hometown and watching everyone dancing to it. And then see it happen again the next week… And the next… And the next! This works for every demographic: my gay and girlfriends love it for the fierceness and (a few of) my guy friends like it for the “hot girl” in spandex (or Bom, really).

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exo growl

Similar to I Am the Best, Growl is well-liked by most of my friends, but more surprisingly, my EDM-groovy-soul loving straight guy friends. Everything I had ever listened to up to this point was “noise,” but this EXO song crossed cultural and gender boundaries. My friends praised the song for its funkiness and groove emulating Jamiroquai. The fact that 12 guys were singing and dancing was not an issue anymore, because the music was genuinely good.

Super Junior Opera

While Opera falls under “noise” to some of my guy friends, it’s the only K-Pop song some of my girlfriends like. Maybe this is due to it being the equivalent of drinking a Monster Energy Drink in one shot – it’s a blast of energy pumped forcefully into you. However, I never showed them the Japanese music video – that would definitely stir them away, and I don’t particularly want that. While I love Super Junior and I support their Phantom of the Opera concept, I wouldn’t shove that down my Westernized friends’ throats. It’s too much… I shall rely on randomly playing it in my car while they sing the chorus.

bigbang bad boy

Back in 2012, Gawker named Bad Boy the perfect pop song, validating what K-Pop fans have known for years: BIGBANG is awesome and crazy talented. Although blending pop and R&B is BIGBANG’s staple, they reached perfection with this song. I mean, who could resist T.O.P’s deep vocals, G-Dragon’s overall demeanor and style, and Taeyang’s soulful verses? Like I Am the Best, Bad Boy itself and its music video are eye and ear-candy (cue Baek Ji Young) – no one could resist this track! Not even a male writer at Gawker! I rest my case…  And even if I can’t really think of any of my friends liking this song, I recommend that you should recommend it because it is flawless.

brown eyed girls abracadabra

Abracadabra is a song about casting a spell on your ex so he’ll get back together with you and leave his current girlfriend. However, this completely escaped my friends, who only focused on the famous hip swinging dance and the chorus. This was perfect, since that is what I focused on too when I first got into K-Pop. Back then, it was all about the visuals, the dances, and the superficial appeal – which may be crucial to luring friends into liking K-Pop, that’s how I got sucked in! It didn’t hurt that this song, like I Am the Best, had the “fierce” factor Beyoncé-loving girls and boys crave.

lee hi 1234

With no conventional visual appeal or fierce factor, Lee Hi won some of my friends over with pure talent. This girl fought her way through K-Pop Star and fought her way through idol-dom as well in order to establish herself as a bright star among those dimly lit. If your friends judge all the girl and boy groups you like by labeling them “talentless,” they sure fall short of an insult with Lee Hi. 1234 is a fun song that could be sung by any Western diva if it were in English – and that’s what resonates with my friends.

If these songs don’t work on you non-K-Pop fan friends, then I don’t know what will. Have you tried to introduce your friends into K-Pop? What songs did you use in your endeavor? Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

K-Pop Standout Instrumentals

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There are plenty of good songs in the world of K-Pop, but only a few stand out for their amazing music. When you are a fan of certain idols or groups, we are sometimes biased about their music. But do we really like the song, or are we playing favorites?

There is nothing wrong with not liking a new song that your favorite group released. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but sometimes we get a little bit blinded by our love for them. Here at KPOPme, we have been guilty of that a few times.

So this time, we are going to forget all about the lyrics and voices. We are only going to focus on the instrumentals. Sometimes the best songs don’t make it into singles, but the music itself is amazing.

A song is constructed by an introduction, verse, and chorus, and sometimes ad libs are added to build the composition’s intensity. After a song is composed, the lyrics give life to the melodic story.

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One of the best examples of an amazing instrumental is f(x)’s Rum Pum Pum Pum (produced by Erik Lewander).  The song is a mixture of organic drums, guitar riffs, and synthesizers. The introduction itself starts with two different guitar riffs. The guitar really has its own voice throughout the whole song. The percussions start to kick in and rise at the chorus, representing the sound of a heartbeat. f(x) has many amazing songs, but this one really stands out for us for its originality.

We talked about how it’s not wrong to not like a song from one of our favorite bands, and this is what happened with EXO. When they realeased Wolf, we really didn’t like that song too much. It was so busy and full of dubstep, although the boys redeemed themselves with the next song, Growl.

Right off the bat, the song starts with the same melody as the chorus. The music changes completely on the bridge before the chorus and brings us down to a very smooth melody. The chorus hits and we hear the same beat starting again, just a little bit faster. The music is very funky and very sexy. This song has already become EXO’s signature. It really reminds us a lot of those great boy band songs from the 1990s, and we love it!

[Editor’s Note: “Growl” is probably the only song my non-K-Pop fan friends genuinely like]

SHINee’s Symptoms is a great example of a great R&B song in K-Pop. The Underdogs produced it, and it’s the perfect mixture of R&B and Soul. It’s very slow, but it builds up on the bridge. The drums give a feeling of explosion in the chorus that really make you feel the emotions conceived in this song. Then it drops again and keeps us on a roller coaster of sounds. The song ends abruptly when the beat just stops, giving us a metaphor of how a relationship could end all of a sudden.

If you were to name a great pop song, it would be BIGBANG’s Blue. It keeps a steady beat that slightly changes on the bridge and flourishes in the chorus. The guitar adds an acoustic feel, while the piano gives life to the piece. The electronic beats synch perfectly with all the instruments and create a very dynamic melody. The song also features different sound effects in the background. Blue has been one of the most successful BIGBANG singles in their career, and that’s because it is pure perfection.

Girls’ Generation’s Mr.Mr is the perfect example of a modern pop song. The beat reminisces the disco era, but somehow feels very modern with the added sound effects. The claps before the chorus even give it a feeling that you are there, hearing the song live. Unlike what they tried to do with I Got A Boy, the song mixed different genres very well and doesn’t seem that there are different songs in one. Why is it that when a song incorporates old music elements, it makes it feel modern?

Talking about old music, IU’s Red Shoes gave us a very creative and new edge in K-Pop. The song incorporates classical swing-jazz melodies that makes us want to stand up and dance. It perfectly captured the feeling of the 1920s and gives it a modern twist, with a few electronic beats at the beginning.

G-Dragon’s Shake The World gives us an example of a song that can speak by itself. If you hear the instrumental, you can really feel how much is going on in GD’s mind. There is a feeling of despair, a lot of screaming, and a lot of hidden emotions.

The song starts with a sound effect of a cash counter, really setting a scene for the ending. It makes us feel that he is running away from a bank they just robbed. The melody is full of personality, and that trap in the end is amazing. It’s really surprising, as it constantly goes up and makes us never want to go down. My favorite part of the song is the saxophone before the exploding chorus, it’s just so unexpected!

2NE1 always loves to mix genres, and, with Come Back Home, they nailed it. The song goes from pop to reggae to trap. This holds the future of K-Pop music, where mixing different styles create a very unique concept. They had done it before with other songs, but this one was perfection. Even if the song doesn’t have a fast beat, it still wants to make us dance.

Do you know any other K-Pop songs that have amazing music? Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: Male Solo Edition

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

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

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


— Tamar

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


–Tara

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

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


–Thuc

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

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


— Alexis

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


— Alejandro

What male soloist were you listening to this week? Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: Mixed Emotions

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

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

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

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


— Alejandro

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

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


— Thuc

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

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

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


— Alexis

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

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


– Tara

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

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

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

–Tamar

What song best describes how you felt this week? Don’t forget to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.

Playlist Sunday: Hard to Forget

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

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

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

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

— Tara

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

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

— Alexis

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

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

— Tamar

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

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

— Alejandro

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

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

— Thuc

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