Author: Mac Turija

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LATEST STORIES VARIETY

Some Iconic K-pop Idol Moments on TV to Remember

TWICE's Dahyun with JYP in Knowing Bros. Photo: JTBC Entertainment/YouTube

You have to remember that our beloved K-pop idols train for years, not just to be the amazing performers that we watch on stage. Yes, they spend countless days undergoing voice training, rap training (for the rappers), dance training, and composition and music production for some. All of them go through personality development and “variety” training. Variety training, you may wonder. As we have seen through the years, K-pop idols, especially groups, have appearances in just about any kind of TV program to promote their new releases and keep their group visible to the public, strengthening their “brand reputation”. It’s also a way of introducing each member to the viewers. A lot of idols have their own variety shows, but most of those are only available online, so they still somehow prefer to make televised appearances to reach a wider audience.

And not just anyone can hack a TV show guest appearance. You need to develop skills like spontaneity, dealing with sometimes difficult hosts, winging through awkward interactions, and having to do tasks and “challenges” that you may not be in the mood to be doing and be seen on national TV. But in the spirit of fun and “fan service”, even idols who may not initially have the personality for these public appearances develop this “sense” and, surprisingly, become good in them.

Here are a number of legendary appearances on TV shows and specials that have stood the test of time, showing that some of these idols have really excelled in “variety training,” and endearing them more to us. As if we need more reasons to love them!

Endless laughs from whispers?

The whisper challenge is one of those portions in the variety show Knowing Bros that have produced iconic moments for idols. The game pairs two idols, where they sit facing each other with one saying a word or phrase and the other trying to guess what that word or phrase is, while wearing a headset with loud music so the guesser can’t hear what his/her partner is saying. This game has also been played on other variety programs, but the two most memorable are those played in JTBC’s reality-variety show classroom.

The Epic Dahyun vs. JYP Whisper-Turned-Shouting Match

Among today’s crop of JYP idols, TWICE’s Dahyun is one of those armed with natural “variety sense.” She is also known to be quite close with her entertainment label’s founder—who also happens to have quite a music career himself—the JYP, also known as:

  • Park Jin Young
  • J.Y. Park
  • The Asiansoul

And aka the guy whose trademark is whispering “JYP” at the start of every song he produces. As the owner of that iconic whisper, one would expect JYP to be good in a whisper challenge, but alas, he only frustrated his partner Dahyun. And the depth of Dahyun’s disappointment knew no bounds as her face turned red only 20 seconds into the first round (the mystery word was “plastic pants”, a JYP iconic fashion statement), kept yelling at her boss, called him by his first name, and asked him why he was so bad in this game. The situation was so funny yet anxiety-inducingly bad that host Heechul had to restrain Dahyun a bit, because even for a casual viewer, it looked like Dahyun was going to blow her fuse. In the end, JYP guessed 2 out of 7 words correctly.

 

EXO, Especially Kai

When six EXO members visited the Knowing Bros classroom, they were the first to admit that they were really bad at playing the whisper challenge. To encourage them to improve their game, they were challenged by Kang Hodong and the group that if they did well in the whisper challenge, they would be able to perform their latest release that time, Obsession. The first pair of Chen and Chanyeol did okay, but when it came to Baekhyun and Kai, and Suho and Sehun, hell broke loose as EXO’s main dancer kept on interpreting Baekhyun’s clue of “when you’re cold” (the mystery word was “warming pads”) to “dead people” while the maknae kept on complaining that he can’t hear his leader-partner when it was exactly the point of the game. Things went a bit naughty when Baekhyun’s clues of “in your underpants” and “two words” were misinterpreted by Kai, making him wonder if his answer can be said on air without the strict Korean censors bleeping him, consequently sending the members rolling in laughter on the floor. 

Award Shows

And I’m not talking about MAMAs, MMAs, and end of the year concerts from TV stations. I’m talking about TV and movie awards where actors and actresses attend. These events are super awkward for idols to perform in because usually, the actors, actresses, and other attendees of these ceremonies are, to put it kindly, stoic when reacting to musical performances. But a couple of idols brought their A game and at the very least, sent tongues wagging and K-netz on a search frenzy as soon as they were done. 

Mamamoo Kills Awards Nights

If there’s a group that can leave people open-mouthed and breathless in their performances, that has to be vocal powerhouse Mamamoo. That they can make even the most stern-faced actors dance with them (Cho Jinwoong in 2016’s AAA) and have them react to their witty adlibs. For the 2017 and 2018 Blue Dragon Film Awards, Moonbyul, Solar, Wheein, and Hwasa changed some of the lyrics to Decalcomanie and Yes I Am to pay tribute to the nominees and their memorable dialogues. From Sol Kyunggu in The Merciless, Song Kangho in Taxi Driver, Na Moon Hee in I Can Speak, Lee Byunghun in Inside Men, and yearly subject Jo Insung, the girls didn’t leave any stone unturned, making these awards show less stiff than they usually are. 

Hyolyn Doesn’t Dilly Dally

Hyolyn is no stranger to television, having starred in KBS2’s Dream High Season 2 and contributing to several drama OSTs. So, it may not have been a total shock that she was invited to perform in the 2018 edition of the KBS Drama Awards. The performance started off beautifully, with the SISTAR main vocal singing Spring Watch from the soundtrack of 2017 TV drama Black Knight: The Man Who Guards Me. Then, out of the blue, Hyolyn asks Cha Taehyun who was in the audience if he wanted to go to the sea with her. Trench coat off, Hyolyn segued to See Sea wearing a sparkling silver one piece costume. Then came her performance of Dally, her single known for very… physical choreography. Actors and actresses in the audience froze as body rolls, hip thrusts, and twerks came in rapid succession. Suffice to say every single jaw dropped as Hyolyn’s performance ended. Criticism of the performance, particularly the outfit, ensued the next day, but for KBS, a TV station usually known to be conservative, their event was the talk of the town, so it was a win-win situation. 

Weekly Idol

From 2011, one of the first things that any K-pop fan would think of when “variety show” was mentioned is Weekly Idol, initially hosted by Jang Hyungdon and Deffconn. Every week, idol groups would join in the fun as they, with the two hosts, would engage in a variety of games and activities that somehow gave the fans a glimpse of their personalities outside the stage. Some appearances were a bit controversial, with the hosts sometimes getting called out for asking questions that sound a tad out of line and awkward, which may have led the two to step down as hosts in 2018. Donni and Conni eventually hosted a similarly-themed show on JTBC, Idol Room, while Weekly Idol had a number of host changes before finally settling with ZE:A’s Kwanghee and SuJu’s Eunhyuk. 

The B2ST Credit Card Game

The 2nd generation group B2ST, now known as Highlight, is not popularly known as the “variety kings” for nothing, Their perfect comedic timing, the balance or energies among the members, easy rapport with the hosts of any show they visit, and their lack of reluctance to do anything for a laugh is a testament to how great they are in the variety department. In their first Weekly Idol appearance since the departure of member Hyunseung, they did not disappoint even if they had to establish instant rapport with co-hosts EXID’s Hani and SuJu’s Heechul who filled in for Conni who was on extended medical leave. In the segment where they are supposed to perfect challenges to receive gifts to be bought by the credit card of their agency’s CEO, the program introduced a new twist: The show was apparently going to use THEIR credit cards instead of the CEO’s. It was a riot to see the usually cool and brooding Junhyung egged on by his friend Heechul to do aegyo and for the group’s leader Doojoon to fake cry in embarrassment as the members went all-out to win items on their wishlist. Gikwang won a new gaming PC, Dongwoon won a Hulk action figure, Junghyun won two vacuum cleaners, Doojoon won a tablet, and main vocal Yeoseob, who wished for a gold bar, wasn’t chosen by his members to win. 

Fortunately, it was later revealed that they were going to use the CUBE Entertainment CEO’s card, provided they win a whisper relay (a variation of the whisper challenge where members relay the mystery word to the next person wearing a headset until the last person guesses the word correctly. They did win the relay and Junhyung gave his extra vacuum cleaner to poor Yoseobie. 

GFriend, Double Speed Dance: Legends

Weekly Idol was the show that introduced the Random Play dance to the public, where group guests had 3 seconds to remember the choreography and formation to a random song in their discography and actually dance it. Very few groups succeed in this mission, with one of them being the legendary GFriend, known then for their sharp synchronized choreography to even their sweet teenybopper songs. Thus, Weekly Idol took the challenge a step further the next time the Navillera group guested on the show by playing their iconic songs at twice the speed. The girls took the challenge in stride, perfecting the choreography to their songs at double the cadence. They passed the challenge with flying colors on all three occasions: they did Rough one time, Fingertip another time, and finally, Glass Bead, Me Gustas Tu, and Navillera one after another. 

I’m sure you have other iconic moments with your favorite idol groups on other TV shows and webcasts. Here’s hoping we continue to get more memorable episodes from them in the future, especially these days when a lot of idol activity happens online!

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FEATURES LATEST STORIES

Take a Random Girls’ Generation Quiz. You Know You Want To.

Girls' Generation 소녀시대 "I GOT A BOY" music video/SMTOWN/YouTube

August 5 came and went, which means The Nation’s Girl Group, Girls’ Generation, (sorry, ONCE), celebrated yet another anniversary. Reports surfaced that the girls have been planning for a reunion event on National MC Yoo Jaesuk’s talk show, Yoo Quiz on the Block, which unfortunately did not push through as one of the show’s staff tested positive for COVID-19. YouTube sensation Jaejae has also aggressively campaigned for all eight members to guest on her program MMTG once restrictions are relaxed and schedules are fixed. 

So, while Ms. Rona continues to ravage the world, why don’t you answer this Girls’ Generation trivia quiz? Score 1 point for every correct answer in the Easy category, 2 points for correct average answers, and 3 points for correct challenging answers. There are also opportunities to earn bonus points. Don’t tell me we haven’t awakened the competitive Sone in you.  Open your Notepad, indulge in some SNSD nostalgia, and see you in the answer key!

Trigger warning: OT8 purists may object to a number of questions as they reference OT9. 

Easy

In the 2020 Mnet Asia Music Awards, who did K-netz dub as the “lady in the red dress?”

  1. Tiffany
  2. Yoona
  3. Sooyoung
  4. Nobody among the members attended the 2020 MAMA.

Which of these English lines in SNSD songs are Yoona’s?

  1. “I like to party” in All Night
  2. “Check this out” in The Boys
  3. “Hey, turn it up” in Party
  4. All of these are The Eternal Center’s lines.

At which part of the song does Tiffany want to bring the song to in I Got a Boy? 

  1. From the beginning
  2. To 1:30
  3. To 1:40
  4. This is a trick question. 

Who was subject to a “bullying” hidden camera prank in an episode of Girls’ Generation’s Hello Baby, on her birthday?

  1. Sunny
  2. Seohyun
  3. Yuri
  4. I don’t remember anything of that sort.

Speaking of Hello Baby, during the first new episodes, Kyungsan cried every time he saw his mommy…

  1. Tiffany
  2. Sooyoung
  3. Jessica
  4. Baby Kyungsan was terrified of everyone. 

Average

Taeyeon has sung in OSTs of two dramas starring this actress.

  1. Park Shinhye
  2. Son Yejin
  3. IU
  4. Suzy 

What sport has Hyoyeon won a competition in?

  1. Dancesport
  2. Ski Racing
  3. Marathon
  4. Hyoyeon is the queen of all sports. 

In the music video for All Night, who was watching Sooyoung singing on stage?

  1. Yuri
  2. Yoona
  3. Sunny
  4. All 7 members.

Among these members, who was NOT born in California?

  1. Sunny
  2. Jessica
  3. Tiffany
  4. All of them were born in the USA. 

Jessica, recorded with Park Myeungsoo, a summer song about this classic summer staple:

  1. Patbingsoo
  2. Pina Colada
  3. Naengmyeon
  4. You’re talking about another member. 

Challenging

During the promotion for which single did the group have a car accident on their way to a music show?

  1. Kissing You
  2. Baby Baby
  3. Lionheart. 
  4. SNSD has never been in a car accident. 

On the first part of the music video for Catch Me If You Can, name the only member who wasn’t wearing a dog tag.

  1. Tiffany
  2. Taeyeon
  3. Yuri
  4. All of them wore dog tags.   

In the iconic Tokyo Dome performance of Into the New World in 2016, who covered Jessica’s first two lines, “teukbyeolhan gijeogeul gidariji ma, nunapeseon uriye geochin gireun”?

  1. Yoona
  2. Yuri
  3. Tiffany
  4. The group opted to be silent during that part. 

In the MV,  choreography and live stages of Mr Mr, who were directly at the back of Yuri as she sings the iconic line, “My-Mi-Mi Mister rock this world (echo world world world)”

  1. Sunny to her left, Sooyeon to her right
  2. Hyoyeon to her left,  Taeyeon to the right
  3. Jessica to the left, Yoona to the right
  4. Her two male dance partners. 

Arrange the members according to the numbers they wore on their jerseys for the Oh! music video, from lowest to highest. Give yourself an extra point if you can name all their numbers. That is, if their jerseys did have numbers.  

  1. Ti, Yoon, Tae, Sun, Yu, Sica, Soo, Hyo
  2. Tae, Yoon, Ti, Hyo, Sica, Yu, Sun, Soo
  3. There were no numbers on their jerseys, right?
  4. All of them wore no. 9.

Answer Key:

Easy 

  1. C. SNSD’s tallest, who by then also just finished her two-year service as a police officer, made an appearance as a presenter at the 2020 MAMAs, where she broke K-Internet as netizens wanted to make sure of who they were watching on TV. 
  2. D. All of the lines are Yoona’s 
  3. D. It was Jessica who sang, “Let’s bring it back to 1:40,” not Fany. 
  4. B. Maknae was made to feel bad for accidentally hitting Taeyeon with a camera and forgetting to buy rice for baby food. Of course, the girls succeeded in making the soft-hearted maknae cry once her surprise birthday party was unveiled.  
  5. A. For the first couple of episodes of Hello Baby, Tiffany had this habit of taking away things that the teething baby Kyungsan was biting. The luckiest baby on earth didn’t know better than his mommy Tiffany just being cautious as she thought that the things he was putting into his mouth were dirty, and so he kept crying everytime she approached him.      

Average

  1. C. The OST Queen has contributed to Scarlet Heart Ryeo and Hotel del Luna, starring Korea’s Little Sister.
  2. B. The Dancing Queen won a medal at the 13th National Association of Sports Ski Competition in 2014. 
  3. A. Yuri was in the crowd watching Sooyoung sing, and after a couple of scenes, she actually joins her on stage. 
  4. D. Tiffany and Jessica were both born in San Francisco, while Sunny was born in OC.  
  5. C. Jessica cemented her place in the Korean summer playlist as she recorded Naengmyon with variety show star Park Myungsoo in 2009. 

Challenging

  1. A. The girls struggled to get to Music Bank on time as their car clashed with another vehicle; so the girls in their teenybopper outfits and lollipop props had to walk all the way from the location of the accident to the KBS Public Hall, where MuBank was being filmed.
  2. B. Yuri, who also had the first line of the song, didn’t wear a dog tag. 
  3. A. Yoona covered Sica’s first lines when the group performed the ballad version of their debut song in Tokyo Dome, the first time they performed ITNW as OT8. 
  4. A. Sunny and Sooyoung were the ones directly behind Yuri. Look for Seventeen’s Seungkwan and Jaejae reenacting this iconic moment in a couple of MMTG episodes. 
  5. A.Tiffany: 0, Yoona: 7, Taeyeon: 9, Seohyun: 11, Sunny: 12,Yuri: 21, Jessica: 22, Sooyoung: 24, Hyoyeon: 32. The girls were asked for their favorite numbers. 

So, how did you fare? One thing’s for sure: Walking down memory lane with SNSD is one nostalgia trip everyone can surely enjoy.

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KPOP NEWS LATEST STORIES

The Return of Seven K-pop Idols From Military Service in 2022

JINU - '또또또 (Feat.MINO)' M/V. Photo: WINNER/YouTube

We know the drill: Fandoms cry, fandoms take to social media to express their undying deviation for their oppas, and alas, we see our beautiful men going bald or in crew cuts to fulfill their patriotic duty to the Republic of Korea by enlisting in the military. 

And for some of us, the wait will be over soon, the first half of 2022, to be exact. Here are some idols who are scheduled to return to idol life in the first six months of next year:

Jinwoo (WINNER)
Discharge: Jan. 1, 2022

Winner’s oldest member enlisted on April 2, 2020, seven days before the group’s last album with all four members, Remember, was released. In August the previous year, Jinu made his solo debut with Jinu’s Heyday, a single album with the lead single Call Anytime, which topped various music charts, including the iTunes charts in 13 countries. The second placer on the 2015 list of male idols with perfect facial ratios is seen to continue solo activities upon his discharge, carrying on with his appearances on web series, variety shows, and even stage productions which he successfully conducted until his enlistment. Unfortunately, Mino and Yoon have yet to start their military service, so Inseos may have to wait until 2024 for WINNER to return as a complete foursome.

Ken (VIXX)
Discharge: Jan. 15, 2022

As the main vocalist of the group known as the Concept Kings, Ken has had a busy career both as a member of VIXX and as a solo artist before enlisting. He has acted on musical theater and television and successfully released an EP entitled Greeting in May 2020, two months before starting his military training. STARLIGHTS have zero doubts that their husky-voiced vocalist will have an abundance of work offers once he finishes his military duties as an active-duty soldier with the army’s music corps in a little over five months. 

Zico (Block B)
Discharge: February 8, 2022

Block B leader, soloist rapper, and KOZ Music CEO Zico left us with a lot of songs to tide us through his absence before beginning his military conscription on July 30, 2020. He started that year with a bang, releasing the viral Any Song and its accompanying #AnySongChallenge on social media, which propelled it to the top of the charts. Weeks before he started serving as a public service worker, he released Random Box, an EP that included Summer Hate, featuring Rain, which peaked at #2 in Gaon charts. It is expected that he will release new music in February, still under his own label, which was acquired by HYBE Corporation (formerly BigHit Entertainment of BTS fame) late last year.  

Chunji (Teen Top)
Discharge: February 9, 2022

Teen Top holds the distinction as the only band in K-pop history to have celebrated its 10th anniversary as a group last year without any of its members starting their military enlistment yet. That’s because all of the members were still in their teens (as their group’s name implies) when they debuted in 2010. Chunji was the first to enlist on August 8 last year and is set to end his military service in February next year. A return to musicals may be in store for the group’s visual in February, or maybe a sub-unit with Neil and Changjo, his group mates who have yet to enlist. Besides—with Chunji’s looks and charisma—an acting career shouldn’t be a long shot.   

Suho and Chen (EXO)
Discharge: February 13, 2022 and late April to early May 2022

Suho and Chen are set to finish their military service in the first half of 2022: Suho is set to give EXOLs a Valentine’s treat as he is scheduled to be released on either February 12 or 13, while Chen is serving as an active-duty soldier until late April next year. Both missed their group’s Can’t Fight the Feeling comeback in 2020 and will surely make their presence felt in EXO’s 2022 releases. Both have debuted as solo artists, so they might have more solo releases next year. The group’s leader is also expected to accept more acting work while expecting the main vocal to do more OST work and, hopefully, introduce his family to the universe next year.   

Seph (KARD)
Discharge: April 16, 2022

Seph is the only member of the co-ed group KARD who has to enlist in the military, considering groupmate BM is an American citizen. With the group’s international success, having already staged a US tour after their Korean debut in 2017, J. Seph and his three members are expected to continue with international promotions while simultaneously strengthening their activities locally to dispel criticism against the group involving them allegedly favoring their international audience more than their Korean public.

And that’s only for the first months of the year! We’ll surely update you of more idols slated to return to us from July to the -ber months of 2022, so stay tuned!

Feature image: JINU – ‘또또또 (Feat.MINO)’ M/V. Photo: WINNER/YouTube
Categories
K-DRAMA LATEST STORIES

Ten Memorable K-Drama OST Songs from 2017 Up to Now

The first question you may probably think of just from reading the title is, “Why from 2017 only?” The answer to that would be :

  1. Making a list of memorable K-drama themes of all time is simply painful. How can you choose only ten songs from a selection as rich and diverse as k-dramas from the 1990s up until now? 
  2. The year 2016 is just too much. There’s 2016 and there’s the rest of k-drama music history. For a year that has Descendants of the Sun, Goblin, Hwarang, Another Miss Oh, and Scarlet Heart Ryeo on its list (and that’s not exhaustive at all), 2016 deserves its own list, end of discussion.

So, here are ten songs to serve as your gateway anthems should you wish to explore the last five years of k-dramas. 

It’s You by Henry in While You Were Sleeping (2017)

The first of the two songs of the same title, this one was played in the Lee Jongsuk– Bae Suzy starrer, While You Were Sleeping. One of a few OST tracks that contain solely English lyrics, the former Super Junior-M’s soaring vocals enhance this drama, which like the song, was quite polarizing at the start, with images of violence and suicide during its initial episodes turning off audiences. Like the song though, the drama also eventually became a hit and has endured the test of time, as it is still being remembered fondly, particularly by Lee Jongsuk-stans, who are eagerly waiting for the release of his new work after his discharge from the military this year.  

Double Trouble Couple by MAMAMOO in Strong Woman Do Bong Soon (2017)

Vocal powerhouse group MAMAMOO‘s contribution to the  Strong Woman Do Bong Soon‘s soundtrack Double Trouble Couple, is the pitch-perfect embodiment of the show’s primary pairing – the superstrong So Bong Soon (Park Boyoung) and the rich but sensitive heir Ahn Minhyuk (Park Hyungsik). While Bongsoon was painfully in crush with her childhood friend turned policeman Gukdoo (Ji Soo) as she also performs her duties as Mr. Ahn’s bodyguard, the latter appears to have slowly but surely fallen for her diminutive employee. The song is as quirky as the interactions between the two while also being a tad applicable to the show’s “bromance” of the rich kid and the idealistic detective. It also strikes a good balance with the show’s out-and-out love theme song, You’re My Garden sang by Apink‘s Jung Eunji.  

When I Saw You by Bumkey in Hwayungi: A Korean Odyssey (2017-2018)

Bumkey‘s When I Saw You was strategically played in scenes when Seonmi (Oh Yeonseo) almost remembers meeting the immortal Son Ohgong (Lee Seunggi) as a kid while the latter distinctly remembering the same moments. And there’s us in our houses shouting at the TV or our laptops, willing everyone to remember  so that everyone will already fall in love with each other and live happily ever after in diety heaven. 

It’s You by Jeong Sewoon in What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim (2018)

As Produce 101 Season 2 alumni Jeong Sewoon starts singing It’s You while the camera focuses on Lee Young-jun’s (Park Seojoon) face, it was at that moment when he, along with the rest of the drama-watching public realizes that he has been putting a lot of effort not only into letting his ever-reliable secretary Kim Miso (Park Minyoung) stay because he has become comfortable with his assistant for nine years, but because he has fallen in love with her.   

All About You by Taeyeon in Hotel del Luna (2019)

Just when you thought that IU would sing the love theme for the OST of her massive hit show Hotel del Luna, the show’s producers had other things on their minds. Enter the unofficial-yet-somehow-official queen of k-drama OSTs, Girl’s Generation leader and main vocalist Taeyeon, to sing about thinking of your loved one as a poem. Far from being cheesy, the song does sound poetic and balances the sternness of IU‘s character, the often high-strung 1,000-year old ghost hotel owner Jang Manwol.  

Here I Am Again by Baek Yerin in Crash Landing on You (2019-2020)

The CLOY OST has some real heart-wrenching tracks, but Baek Yerin‘s contribution takes the cake as one of the most, if not the most memorable one, as this was the song that played during THAT scene – when South Korean businesswoman Seri (Son Yejin) got a bit lost in a North Korean market and Capt. Ri (Hyun Bin) was in a panic, looking for her. When the captain finally saw the light from the candle Seri lit and Baek Yerin’s lilting voice kicked in, I guarantee, loads of tear ducts were instantly activated. 

Start Over by Gaho in Itaewon Class (2020)

From the get-go, Gaho’s contribution to the Itaewon Class OST gives a rousing feel to any listening to forge on despite any difficulty being faced. The song is a perfect fit for the drama’s protagonist Saeroyi (Park Seojoon), who needed to build a new life after being released from jail for an injustice. Also perfect for the rest of us who have to get up every morning and face a world that’s still debilitated by the Coronavirus and its seemingly endless variants.      

I Knew I Love by Jeon Mido in Hospital Playlist (2020)

The various parts of the Hospital Playlist OST spoiled us with a huge selection of music. After all, the drama’s all about a group of doctors whose stress reliever is a band they are a part of. All of the band members have a highlight song, with Lee Ikjun’s (Jo Jungsuk) revival of the 2001 hit Aloha proving to be the OST’s most popular release. But then, a song the group sang in a noraebang session, I Knew I Love, was added to Part 11 of the show’s OST. The song was sung byJeon Mido who plays tone-deaf Dr. Songhwa in the drama. But then, we fans do know, thanks to our “research” skills that Mido‘s singing skills are way better than her doctor character; after all, she is actually a musical theatre actress before accepting the part in Hospital Playlist, her first TV acting job.   

In Your Time by AKMU’s Lee Suhyun in It’s Okay to Not Be Okay (2020)

For a show that presented how all of its characters are struggling through life with their own issues, Suhyun‘s song offers just the right consolation, as well as a fitting reminder for all of us: that we’re never alone and there’s always someone who will find us even during times when we feel the loneliest.   

Running by Gaho in Start-Up (2020)

Look, a repeat offender! Gaho, purveyor of songs that ooze inspiration and positivity, was part of  another OST of a show that narrates the struggles of people who can’t seem to get a break in life. Full disclosure: Gaho has been a major contributor to my personal pandemic soundtrack. You want to get out of a rut? You want something to pick you up from a mood? You want someone to take your hand as you get through the darkness like the show’s Dalmi (Bae Suzy) and Dosan (Nam Joohyuk)? You just want to think of the show’s perfect second lead Han Jipyeong (played by the equally perfect Kim Seonho)? In Gaho we trust.

Categories
FEATURES LATEST STORIES

Red Velvet’s Queendom: A Reveluv’s Honest Review

Red Velvet 레드벨벳 'Queendom' MV. Photo: SMTOWN/YouTube

Red Velvet, current queens of the K-pop world—SM Entertainment Chapter at least—has been dormant for 602 days. That’s more than a year and 7 months, which is equivalent to an eternity in the K-idolverse. During what seemed like forever, even non-Reveluvs have to admit that the group’s absence has left a noticeable hole in the K-pop release calendar, with their bids to succeed SISTAR as the queens of summer experiencing considerable success and their velvet releases in December or January also topping various charts.

But like the rest of the world who had plans before the pandemic struck, Red Velvet’s supposed 2020 return came to a ground halt when two days after the release of Psycho, their December 23 comeback, Wendy had an accident while rehearsing for their SBS Gayo Daejun performance. Imagine falling from a 2-meter platform, fracturing your pelvis and wrist on CHRISTMAS DAY! Months later, leader Irene figured in an “attitude” scandal where a make-up artist complained about her alleged primadonna attitude. So, it felt for a time that RV may go the f(x) route of French exits. 

That was, until August 16, when Red Velvet came back to our lives with Queendom. Expectations were high and they were met—in a qualified fashion. To be honest, I, along with the rest of the ReVe Festival attendees, expected a more aggressive track, as it is the trend. However, we have been presented with something more melodic and lighter. The title track, Queendom, does feel like a cross between a women’s empowerment theme and a bright summer track. Not that I’m complaining; in fact, I think it’s a welcome shift of pace for the ladies.

However, there is a part of me that feels like there’s something amiss. I had to listen to the b-tracks, as I have in the past Red Velvet releases, to check if what I am feeling as something missing can be found on them. Alas, compared to b-tracks in previous releases, the ones included in Queendom can be best described as “conservative”. No sensual perfection like Rookie’s Body Talk, no balancing Red Flavor with Zoo, no Wendy in a green fringe dress as seen in the Zimzalabim music video. What we get with all the songs are all solid, all safe, but no out-of-the-box quirkiness as heard in Rookie, Power Up, and even Umpah Umpah.  But make no mistake: The Ladida-do Ba-badida hook is still quite effective for everyone, whether you’re a fan or not.

Red Velvet is one group whose discography never fails because it just ages so well. During the times when the group goes on hiatus, and especially during their 20-month absence, their songs have great sustaining power. For the Queendom EP, there aren’t a lot of songs that sound like they’ll age well or have staying power. Some tracks like Hello, Sunset almost feel like fillers just to add to the track count. Sounds harsh, but I feel like as a while, Queendom is definitely a welcome move for the loyal Reveluv fandom, but unfortunately, it doesn’t substantially contribute to the group’s already strong musical catalog.

Out of the highest possible 5 stars, I’ll give Queendom a very enjoyable 3.5 stars.

Feature image: Red Velvet 레드벨벳 ‘Queendom’ MV. Photo: SMTOWN/YouTube
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5 Scene Stealing Gentlemen in K-Dramas to Look For

Kim Soo Hyun cameo in Hotel del Luna. Photo: tvN D ENT/YouTube

Admit it: You may be patiently waiting for a drama with your bias actor playing the lead, but the level of anticipation grows millionfold when you receive news that another actor will be making a cameo appearance in the same drama. But then, there’s nothing worse than your friends talking about so-and-so’s cameo in a show and all you can think of is, “Really? Why don’t I remember that?” So, here are some high-profile cameos so you can look for them and confidently add to the conversation the next time.   

1. Lee Jong Suk in Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bokjoo

With his heart-fluttering performances in dramas such as Pinocchio, W, and While You Were Sleeping, Lee Jong Suk has captured the hearts of k-drama fans everywhere who won’t pass the chance at every opportunity to see him. Thus, it was a beautiful surprise when the Nation’s Boyfriend was seen in the second episode of Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok Joo. This was a chance for fans to see LJS reunite with W castmate Kang Ki Young, who played the uncle of the titular character in Weightlifting. As the show was also Lee Sung Kyung’s first leading role, Lee Jong Suk also decided to lend his support to his friend who he has known since their modeling days in 2010. 

2. Lee Kwang Soo in Descendants of the Sun

Not only is Lee Kwang Soo a constant mainstay in so many of Korean TV’s most popular reality shows, he is also a popular friend to so many Korean celebrities. Thus, when Song Joong Ki cast him to appear in a cameo for his 2015 drama Descendants of the Sun, the all-around entertainer said yes at a drop of a hat. Appearing in the first episode of the Song-Song drama, Running Man’s forever cast member and resident Giraffe played a gaming arcade worker dressed as a soldier who lectures the Special Forces captain and sergeant on military knowledge after the two used the shop’s toy guns to catch a motorcycle thief. 

3. Kim Soo Hyun in Crash Landing on You and Hotel del Luna 

From king to alien, what can Kim Soo Hyun not do?

Even before he was Moon Gang Tae taking care of Moon Sang Tae in 2020’s It’s Okay to Not Be Okay, Kim Soo Hyun has been one heck of a scene-stealer. For a time, after his military service ended in 2019, he was absent from the small screen save for two brief but quite memorable appearances in two hit shows: Crash Landing on You and Hotel del Luna. In CLOY, he played a much-fabled North Korean soldier who apparently has taken a cover as a restaurant delivery rider, while he appeared to be the new owner of the hotel for ghosts after Jang Manwol (played by his Dream High co-star IU) has given up ownership of the hotel. The HdL was a short but sweet reunion shippers of Samdong and Pilsook appreciated. 

4. Yeo Jin Goo in Start-Up

Fresh from the heels of the success of Hotel del Luna, Yeo Jin Goo was set to headline a JTBC show Beyond Evil. But not before appearing as a voice talent who sort of came to life in late 2020’s Start-Up. In the show, angel tech investor Han Jip Yeong (Good Boy, played by Kim Seon Ho in a breakout performance) has this pet project that is, however, buggy—a Siri of sorts, with the virtual assistant’s voice named Jang Young Sil. Jipyeong later had to meet this start-up business owner Hong Ji Seok, who he planned on seeing just for formality and will have to decline. However, when Mr. Hong started speaking, Jipyeong somehow instantly recognized the voice as he remembered his Young Sil, so he personally offered to invest in Hong Jiseok’s venture. 

5. Park Seo Joon in Record of Youth

Another actor who has made a killing on both cameo appearances and lead roles is Park Seo Joon. The Itaewon Class star previously made a cameo in the Oscar-winning Parasite before appearing in the Park Bogum-headlined Record of Youth. In the drama, PSJ essayed the role of Park Min Su, an actor who handed an award to Sa Hye Joon (Bogum), with the two knowing each other for years as they both started off as fashion models.

With so many dramas yet to be released this year, we can all look forward to more appearances by familiar faces, hopefully as soon as possible.

Feature image: Kim Soo Hyun cameo in Hotel del Luna. Photo: tvN D ENT/YouTube

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Six Third Gen Korean Idol-Actresses For Your Viewing Pleasure

Red Velvet's Joy in The Liar and His Lover. Photo: Stone Music Entertainment/YouTube

After listing the gentlemen, it’s time to list down the ladies from third generation groups who have displayed some serious acting chops. But before we start, a few points on who are not included on the list:

  1. Idols who have fully transitioned into acting and haven’t released new music for two years. Since this category is mostly applicable to the members of the iconic group IOI, it may be best to have a separate article for the IOI fandom, yes? Yes, I love it!
  2. Idols who have only acted on one feature (movie, TV series, or web series) in a leading or supporting role (cameos not counted) or are slated to debut in a feature that has yet to be released. These include:
    • Oh My Girl’s Arin, who appeared only on tvN D’s The World of My 17 last year, although she is set to star in tvN’s Return later this year and the Netflix film Ghost Story, which doesn’t have a release date yet. 
    • Lovelyz’s Mijoo, who although has been establishing herself as a variety ace, has only appeared in Naver TV’s I‘m a Job Seeker five years ago.
    • Blackpink’s Jisoo, who has had numerous cameo appearances in television series and is set to be the main female lead in the controversial JTBC drama Snowdrop.

So, get your Netflix, Dramafever, Viki, OnDemandKorea, or KACAWA accounts ready and prepare for hours and hours of great performances from these third generation idol-actresses:

Red Velvet’s Joy

From a cameo in Descendants in the Sun, actress Park Soo-young‘s acting career has been on a steady rise with lead roles on The Liar and His Lover in 2017 and The Tempted (the reason Joy wasn’t able to join Red Velvet in a historic concert in North Korea – scheduling conflicts) in 2018. Next stop for Joy is Only One Person on JTBC with Ahn Eunjin of Hospital Playlist fame, scheduled for release before the year ends. 

AOA’s Seolhyun

AOA’s main visual has been on TV shows since 2012, but her film appearances are the stuff that can make anyone go wow. She has shared the big screen with some acting heavyweights, e.g., Lee Minho (in 2015’s Gangnam Blues), Sol Kyunggu and Oh Dalsu (in 2017’s Memoir of a Murderer), and Jo Insung and Nam Joohyuk (in 2018’s The Great Battle). Her involvement in ex-groupmate Mina’s bullying revelations may hurt both her singing and acting careers, and that would be such a shame considering she has had a solid run on both so far. 

Laboum’s Solbin

Thanks to national MC Yoo Jaesuk and his summer 2021 project group MSG Wannabe, the song Journey to Atlantis has returned to public consciousness, which has also reaped benefits for the song’s original artists, the much-underrated group Laboum. For the group’s face and visual Soblin, popularity has been easier though, thanks to her appearances in various movies and TV series since 2016. Best remembered for playing Kim Yoojung’s sister who wanted to be an… drumroll… girl group member in the romcom Backstreet Rookie and Last seen in a cameo appearance in MBC’s Oh! Master, Solbin is due to appear in Idol: the Coop later this year with the next idol-actress on this list.

EXID’s Hani 

Out of the iconic group EXID’s five members, two have made a comfortable transition into acting – Hani and Jeonghwa. While the group is still officially active in Japan and has not officially disbanded in Korea, the two visuals have also managed to slowly but surely establish their acting portfolio. For her part, Hani has proven to be a triple, if not quadruple threat: singer – reality show genius (remember the controversial Hani crying outbursts in Crime Scene 2 that divided the country?) – MC (with an unabashed bias for Oh My Girl’s maknae, Arin as declared in Weekly Idol where she displayed perfect chemistry with SuJu’s Heechul) – and finally, actress, with appearances in an episode of SF8 (Korea’s answer to Black Mirror), three web series (XX, How to be Thirty, and You Raise Me Up), and is set to star in the show mentioned above, Idol: The Coop on JTBC.

CLC’s Eunbin 

The Produce 101 alumna and late addition to Cube Entertainment’s second girl group CLC has been slowly but surely building her acting credentials with supporting and guest roles in drama series since 2018. Last seen in the first episode of the contemporary historical drama Youth of May and teen period drama At a Distance, Spring is Green, Eubin will be next seen in yet another teen drama Dear.M.

Cosmic Girls’ Bona 

Bona is one of those idols-turned-actresses who didn’t need to wait for years to snatch a leading role in a TV series. After playing a secondary role in the 2017 KBS drama Hit the Top, she went on to play Lee Junghee, the lead character in the coming-of-age drama Girls’ Generation 1979 released months after. She has since then been part of two other KBS dramas, Your House Helper with Ha Seokjin and Homemade Love Story with an ensemble cast. Next up for WJN’s visual is tvN’s Twenty-Five Twenty-One, where she will be sharing the spotlight with Nam Joohyuk and Kim Taeri.

This is, by no means, an exhaustive list, although the most accessible titles and idols have been listed for your reference. For the meantime, the only thing to do aside from searching for all those dramas would be to join the world’s Blinks in prayer for the immediate release of the Jisoo-Jung Haein drama.

Feature image: Red Velvet’s Joy in The Liar and His Lover. Photo: Stone Music Entertainment/YouTube
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Six Third Gen Idol-Actors For Your Viewing Pleasure

EXO’s D.O. Photo: D.O. EXO Argentina/Creative Commons/CC PDM 1.0

These days, a lot of members of third generation boy groups (groups that debuted from 2012 to 2016) have either started or about to start their military enlistment. This means that for the idols of this generation who moonlight as actors, their filmographies are currently on hold, and for those who still have a few years before they turn the big 3-0, Korean age, there’s still some time left for them to work on more entries to add to their portfolio. 

In the meantime, here are six third-generation idols who have established quite a filmography; one already finished with his enlistment, two currently serving their time, and three still having a few more years to go before the military beckons:  

ASTRO’s Cha Eun-woo

For someone known as the “Face Genius” (IKR? Who knew a face can be a genius?),” it is inevitable for Cha Eun-woo to be an actor-idol. True, many critics rushed to ask that necessary question, “But can he act,” and for a time, Eun-woo had his birthing pains (read: awkward performances) at the start of his acting career. That he has been conveniently typecasted in pretty boy roles (in dramas entitled True Beauty and My ID is Gangnam Beauty at that) may not really help him establish his acting cred, but it is great to note that since his acting debut in the 2015 web series To Be Continued, netizens and the general public have agreed that there has been a remarkable improvement in the thespian skills of the generally accepted owner of the “most symmetrical face in Korea.”   

Acting debut: a cameo in the movie My Brilliant Life in 2014

Latest release: tvN’s True Beauty, which ended earlier this year

Where to catch him next: Decibel, a military action thriller that will mark his first major role in a film. No release date for the film yet.

EXO’s Doh Kyung-soo

A list of idol-actors will not be complete without EXO’s D.O. The thing about D.O is that, unlike most idols who have ventured into acting, any doubt of his acting skills were immediately quashed in his TV drama debut as Jo In-sung’s high school-aged fan in It’s Okay, That’s Love and his first major movie role in Cart, both released on the same year. From the get-go, actor Doh Kyung-soo has displayed versatility, sensitivity, and depth in his varied performances. He is such a great actor that he actually has some acting awards to show for his solid talents.    

Latest release: 2018’s Swing Kids, released while he was already in military service 

Where to watch him next: The Moon, a sci-fi thriller directed by Kim Young-hwa, who D.O has also worked with in the two Along With the Gods movies.

Got7’s Park Jin-young

By the time Jinyoung debuted as a vocalist in JYP Entertainment’s Got7 in January 2014, he already had two acting credits under his belt. As Ui-bong in Dream High 2 and Ddol-yi in When a Man Falls in Love (where he appeared with his fellow JYP trainee and future groupmate JB), he has a penchant for portraying characters that viewers can’t help but fall for. Since then, he has proven his acting chops with a film and numerous TV roles. 

Where else you can watch him: A Stray Goat, his film debut and He Is Psychometric, When My Love Blooms, The Legend of the Blue Sea, My Love Eun Dong, The Devil Judge, and Yumi’s Cells.

Future releases: Jin-young is set to star in two movies, Yaksha and High Five. 

SF9’s Rowoon (Kim Seok-woo)

In the group SF9, Chani may be the more established actor, having appeared in numerous TV series as a child actor. But this hasn’t stopped bandmate Rowoon from also establishing himself as another member with serious acting chops. Since debuting in MBC Every1’s Click Your Heart, RonVely has consistently delivered with “good boy” performances in series such as School 2017, About Time, and Where Stars Land. Here’s hoping we can see all 190.5 cm of him on the big screen soon. 

Where else you can watch him: Extraordinary You, She Would Never Know, and Yeonmo.

EXO’s Suho (Kim Jun-myeon)

Suho is one of those idols whose acting credentials, unlike D.O, have unfortunately been questioned from the start. From speculations of his getting roles solely because of his looks and his established fanbase to mediocre reviews of his performance, Kim Jun-myeon’s acting trajectory has been uneven. But then, with his two most recent roles as as haughty CEO in Rich Man, Poor Woman and as a pastry chef in the magic-infused How Are You Bread, Suho has found a niche in playing dazzlingly handsome characters. Exo’s leader is currently completing his military enlistment, so let’s see what the future holds for his acting career!

Where else you can watch him: the movies One Way Trip and Middle School Girl and 2017’s The Universe’s Star. 

BtoB’s Yook Sung-jae

BtoB’s maknae brings the quirkiness and excellence his group is renowned for in his acting performances. To hold your own against acting giants Gong Yoo and Lee Dongwook in the legendary Goblin is quite an achievement. He continued his pitch-perfect delivery in Mystic Pop-up Bar, where he played the innocent and simply adorable Han Kang-bae. The thing with Sung-jae is that his performances are so precise for the roles – any other actor with lesser skills can render the characters flat. 

Where else can you watch him: Reply 1994 and Who Are You: School 2015.

We know, you may be looking for some idols excluded from this list (read: V, Joshua, Jun), but then V and Joshua have acted in only one TV show so far and Jun has only been acting in Chinese projects. The good news is V still has a few years before his mandatory enlistment, which means he still has time to add some film and TV credits, while Chinese Jun and American Joshua won’t have to enlist at all. Besides, I’m still waiting for the day Mr. Kim Seok-jin gets bitten by the acting bug. Until then, we have a lot of catching up to do with all those movies and series listed above.

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Red Velvet in Seven Songs

Red Velvet. Photo: 봄이왔서현/Wikimedia Commons/CC4.0

Is this the end of the road for Red Velvet? 

The group’s lack of activities for close to two years now has caused huge amounts of anxiety for the Reveluv fandom. Yes, Queendom, the group’s first comeback since December 2019’s The ReVe Festival: Finale will be out on August 16, but many can’t help but wonder if Queendom will be Red Velvet’s version of 4 Walls, f(x)’s last proper release before they disappeared into SM obscurity. Besides, aespa has finally had their breakout hit with Next Level. Really quite reminiscent of f(x)’s 4 Walls coming out months after Red Velvet’s breakout hit, Ice Cream Cake. So, the question is, will RV be shoved aside to make way for aespa? 

Let’s not dwell on such scary thoughts and instead name seven of the strongest Red Velvet title tracks. The list is arranged chronologically, for the purposes of fairness. 

2015: Automatic

Smooth, sensual, and elegant, Automatic is the perfect representative of the group’s “velvet” concept that counters the “red” side reflected in Ice Cream Cake, the title track that shares its title with the EP. Up until Automatic, Be Natural was the group’s leading “velvet” track, but with the inclusion of Yeri in the Ice Cream Cake EP, the group’s sound somehow became even richer, making Automatic a notch more refined than Be Natural. The stylish choreography displayed in the music video further cemented Red Velvet as a group perfect for those with a preference for more sophisticated sounds. It should also be noted that the Automatic music video was the first time the public saw Yeri with the group, as it was released two days before Ice Cream Cake. 

2015: Ice Cream Cake

If Automatic is polished and refined, Ice Cream Cake is unapologetically quirky, bright, and bubbly. The tinny beats and the airy “la-la-la” at the start of the song, coupled with the soft pastel filter used in the music video would eventually be a trademark of the group’s “red” tracks. Considering that the “purist” public was iffy with the inclusion of a new member starting with this EP, it is interesting to note that Ice Cream Cake eventually became the group’s breakout hit. Not bad for a group that, until that song’s release, had been considered SM Entertainment’s first failure. 

2015: Dumb Dumb

If you’re going to search for the term “earworm” in a K-pop dictionary, chances are you’ll find a screencap of the music video of Red Velvet’s Dumb Dumb. After all, the song starts off with the girls singing the line “Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb” eight times, which means the word “dumb” is drilled to the listener’s head 48 times, all in the song’s first 13 seconds. And the song just doesn’t let up. The lines keep coming one after another, the ladies managing to sneak a couple more “Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumb Dumbs” throughout the rest of song, and a rap portion with Michael Jackson references are all bound to overwhelm. I still remember watching the Dumb Dumb’s music video for the first time and wondering what hit me when I was done. 

2016: Russian Roulette

Here’s Red Velvet in full irony: The song boasts of such lines as “Aiming for your heart now, this place is the color of a dark night” and “I’m your sweet Russian Roulette.” Now, how are you supposed to aim for someone’s heart when you’re somewhere dark as night? And how can Russian roulette be sweet? Then, there’s this video in standard bright and pastel Red Velvet fashion with the girls on full deadpan, executing plots of killing each other a la Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner. It is Red Velvet in full effect, the effect being it always makes the listener wonder, “What on earth did I just listen to?”

2017: Rookie

By 2017, Red Velvet had cemented a reputation for producing…confusing, if not altogether polarizing music. If you don’t understand the songs and their accompanying videos, chances are you’re going to be on the “not into it” spectrum of the Red Velvet world. Prior to the 2019 track Zimzalabim, Rookie took the cake as the ultimate “love it or hate it, no in-betweens” Red Velvet title track. The song is just so out there, so wild, almost like a cheering chant of a girl for a guy to pursue her. The video is an explosion of color, featuring the girls and some colorful creature that looks like Monsters Inc’s Sully covered in flowers. It’s incomprehensible, which may be the reason Koreans initially dismissed it, though die-hard Reveluvs pushed the song back to the charts.  The Korea Herald puts it perfectly when they opined that the song, like most eccentric Red Velvet “red” releases, is “weird at first, but addictive later”. 

2017: Red Flavor

With queens of summer SISTAR releasing their final song in the first weeks of summer in 2017,  girl groups were in a mad dash, releasing their own sun-inspired anthems with the aim of taking over the vacancy Hyolyn and company will be leaving. Red Velvet threw their hats in the race with Red Flavor, and with great success. The song eventually topped Korea’s Gaon chart and eventually became the group’s signature song. The song was so successful, it was one of the two songs the group performed in North Korea. That there were some smiles seen despite the generally stoic Pyongyang audience is a testament to this song’s power.

2018: Bad Boy

Red Velvet was not playing when they released Bad Boy in 2018. Coming at the heels of Peek-a-Boo, the group reminded everyone how masterful they are not just in their sugary pop “red” summer releases, but they are equally good, if not better, when displaying their “velvet” side. The moment Irene sang, “Who dat who dat who dat boy,” there was no doubt we would be listening to an iconic song in Red Velvet’s discography. 

2019: Psycho

The release of Psycho was perhaps one of the scarier moments of a Reveluv’s life. The group’s three previous releases, RBB out of the RBB EP and Zimzalabim and Umpah Umpah out of the first two parts of The ReVe Festival EPs, tanked, for lack of a better term. The last Red Velvet title track that charted in double digits was 2010’s One of These Nights, which was iconic anyway since it is believed to be a lovely tribute to the victims of the Sewol Ferry incident. By late 2019, the group seriously needed a hit. Prayers were answered with Psycho, as it brought the five to one of their strongest suits – mid-tempo R&B. Dark and sinister and haunting and elegant all at once, Psycho was a highlight to the group’s career before inauspicious events happened.

So, a few days after the welcome success of Psycho, Wendy fell from a platform into a shaft a few centimeters shy of 2 meters while rehearsing for SBS’s Gayo Daejun on CHRISTMAS DAY. Ten months later, Irene figured in a bullying scandal where she allegedly exhibited poor behavior with stylists and staff. The issue has since slowly died, with other makeup and fashion professionals vouching for Irene. Thus, the comeback on August 16. 

In the aftermath of these unfortunate events, Reveluvs can only hope for two things: That the girl’s close to two-year absence has made the public’s hearts grow fonder of Red Velvet, translating to success for the comeback and that Irene, Joy, Wendy, Seulgi, and Yeri will renew their contracts with SM Entertainment for the group’s continuation.

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SEVENTEEN in Six Songs

SEVENTEEN. Photo: seventeen/Wikimedia Commons/CC4.0

It has been six years since Pledis Entertainment debuted the group SEVENTEEN, but their discography can rival groups that have been in the business longer. It may be because of their unique configuration of vocal, hip-hop, and performance units within the larger group that has provided them with more opportunities to release more songs, or it may be because the group is essentially a self-producing unit – most, if not all of their songs have been composed and produced by the members themselves. Finally, the group has released really solid songs originally in Japanese, which adds to their already-established catalog. Not bad at all for a 6-year old group. 

But whatever the reason is for their substantial musical output, we Carats are surely spoiled for choices, especially when it comes to picking out favorites. But then, it’s also a bit challenging when you are handed out one banger after another, so much so that Carats are often in a dilemma as to whether they should stay loyal to the group’s last release or move on to the latest track. Obviously, it also doesn’t help that the accompanying music videos of the title tracks are also works of art. A personal example: This writer easily dismissed Don’t Wanna Cry as one of those typical songs that heavily rely on the beat drop. Ten, I watched the music video. Those overhead shots of the group dancing in what looked like the middle of a desert silenced me. I was converted in 3 minutes, 26 seconds later (Disclosure: It helped that the first line was sung by my bias breaker Wonwoo.)

So, for their 6th anniversary this year, here are six essential SEVENTEEN title tracks. The temptation to do a list of 17 songs is strong, but I don’t intend to be overwhelmed, so six it is. This is in no particular order, because trimming them down to six has already broken me and I do not wish to further shatter my Carat heart into a million pieces by ranking my chosen six. 

1. Home 

AT the start, the title track of the band‘s sixth mini-album, “You Make My Dawn” may sound like this warm and cozy song about declaring that you are home to the person you’re singing the song to, vice versa. But after listening to the entire song, one couldn’t help but notice an overwhelming helplessness in the verses. With lines (translated) such as “What do I do? Without you, my heart has no home” and “You’ll struggle just as much, so what can we do?”, you can’t help but wonder if the repeated assurances of “Cause I’m your home home home home” in the chorus answers the uncertainties in the verses. The open-endedness of the song is quintessential Woozi, which means it is quintessentially heartbreaking.  

2. Very Nice

“Very Nice” is a high-energy track and therefore is textbook SEVENTEEN. From Vernon’s multilingual countdown at the start to Mr. Boo’s stratospheric high notes, this song is a sure mood improver guaranteed to perk you up when you’re in a sluggish mood. This song unfortunately did not win any number 1’s in music shows. That’s okay, because Wonwoo wasn’t able to join the promotions anyway due to acute gastric problems. A curiosity in the music video: The featured girl moves closer to only one member – Mingyu, on the swing. The other members either get ignored (poor Jeonghan even had to spin her around in a shopping cart) or get stared at as almost all of them burst into confetti, including Mingyu.      

3. Pretty U

Pretty U is one of those songs that maximized Carat’s anticipation for the group’s live stages because the music video did not feature any choreography and only showed the group goofing around in the video’s entirety. Of course, the 13 did not disappoint come music show promotions, as the choreography showed the group in their quirky and entertaining best. From Jun introducing his members sitting on a couch, some book from Wonwoo being passed around, The8 air typing in the aforementioned couch, to Seungkwan delivering a 4-note, 8-second explosion, the live stages were an absolute treat.

As for the mysterious book, it was last seen with Woozi at the second repetition of the chorus, who passed it to its seeming owner, Wonwoo. 

4. Don’t Wanna Cry

As mentioned earlier, I was not a fan of this song when I first heard it. That was until I saw the music video. That Hoshi had to study contemporary dance to choreograph this masterpiece is mind-boggling. Basically, the choreography sold me to the song, which otherwise I had dismissed as just another Chainsmokers sound-alike. We can’t really blame Woozi and the boys for taking this direction that time; those heavily “drop the beat”-reliant songs were all the rage in 2017. But those drone shots of the boys in perfect synchrony on the music video coupled with the balletic movements make this song a thoroughly satisfying experience.

5. Adore U

As SEVENTEEN’s debut song, Adore U is a testament to the huge potential the group had. After all, not just any group can boast of such a strong debut single. Come to think of it, Adore U didn’t (and still doesn’t) sound like a debut song at all. That Wozzi, Vernon, and S.Coups wrote the lyrics to their first song also set a precedent to the group’s future as self-producing idols. Quite memorable as well during this era were Jeonghan’s long hair and a lot of members getting carried or lifted in their live stage choreo – Dino fainting and carried by Joshua; Jeonghan, The8, and Seungkwan carrying Vernon off to the side; and DK getting lifted by the leader while singing “Baby you’re my angel.” As the song that would preempt a lot of things about the group, this also presented maknae Dino as the group’s multiple threat – dancer, vocalist, and rapper. 

6. Thanks

The lead track off of the special album, “Director’s Cut,” is special and memorable indeed. The song is also a first of sorts for SEVENTEEN – Thanks is their first melancholic-sounding track, a departure from their usual bright and upbeat songs. The message of thanks to people who showed them love and helped them grow may sound uplifting at first, but since the recipient of the song’s gratitude appears to be no longer around, both the song and the music video take a darker turn. Referring to the choreography as intense may also be an understatement. 

One thing Carats can take comfort with: All 13 members have re-signed their contracts with Pledis Entertainment a full year before their expiration. This means the group has already officially avoided the 7-year disbandment curse that has afflicted even the most iconic of k-pop groups in the past. Therefore, we are assured of at least a couple more title tracks from SEVENTEEN in the coming years.

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