A sub-unit is a smaller group, usually around two to five members, formed from a larger group. Sub-units usually release music and concepts that have a different vibe from the main group. Forming sub-units also allow idols to experiment with genres and aesthetics not usually embraced by the full group.
Here are some of the amazing idol group sub-units in K-pop:
Super Junior–K.R.Y.
Let’s be real: sub-units won’t exist in K-pop if not for Super Junior—they were the first group to introduce the concept of sub-units in K-pop. The second generation idol group introduced Super Junior–K.R.Y., made up of main vocalists Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, and Yesung, in 2006 with “The One I Love” from the drama Hyena original soundtrack. The trio continually recorded several drama soundtracks, as well as beautiful ballad tracks. In 2020, they released their first EP, When We Were Us.
Listen to Super Junior K.R.Y’s “When We Were Us” from their EP of the same name:
Super Junior–D&E
Super Junior D&E is the fifth sub-unit of the legendary idol group, after Super Junior K.R.Y., Super Junior-T, Super Junior-M, and Super Junior-H. The unit brought together the group’s main dancers, Donghae and Eunhyuk. The duo debuted in 2011 with the catchy single “Oppa, Oppa.”
The talented twosome is celebrating their 10th anniversary as a sub-unit this year. They released their first full album Countdown on November 2, 2021. Watch the fun music video for their latest title track “Zero”:
Girls’ Generation–TTS
Girls’ Generation–TTS is the girl group’s first sub-unit, composed of main vocalists Taeyeon, Tiffany, and Seohyun. The trio has released three EPs: Twinkle, Holler, and Dear Santa. The unit is currently on hiatus, as Tiffany and Seohyun have left SM Entertainment, but SONEs are still holding out for a TTS comeback!
Watch their debut single “Twinkle” (featuring pre-debut Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Kai, and Sehun!) below:
Girls’ Generation–Oh!GG
Girls’ Generation-Oh!GG is the group’s second sub-unit, composed of the members still with SM Entertainment: Taeyeon, Sunny, Hyoyeon, Yuri, and Yoona. The unit released their first single album Lil’ Touch in 2018.
Watch their video Lil’ Touch below:
EXO–CBX
EXO-CBX is the first sub-unit of EXO, made up of members Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin. The trio debuted in 2016 with the high-energy track “Hey Mama!”
The unit is currently on hiatus as Chen and Baekhyun are still completing their military service. Their most recent release is 2018’s “Blooming Day.” Watch the music video below:
EXO–SC
EXO’s rapper line, Sehun and Chanyeol, came together to form the group’s second sub-unit, EXO–SC. They debuted in 2019 with their first EP, What A Life. Just one year later, they released their first full album, 1 Billion Views. Their combined album sales have already exceeded 900,000 copies, making EXO–SC one of the most successful K-pop sub-units!
Like EXO–CBX, EXO–SC is also on hiatus as Chanyeol is currently serving in the military and Sehun is busy with his acting projects. In the meantime, watch Sehun and Chanyeol’s “One Billion Views” below while we wait for the duo to make a comeback:
NCT
NCT is a massive 23-member group split into several sub-units: NCT U, NCT127, NCT Dream, and WayV. NCT U is a rotational unit that is formed from group members that fit a particular comeback concept. NCT127 is the Seoul-based unit that will be primarily active in Korea. NCT Dream was originally the “teenage” sub-unit with an age-based graduation system, but this system has since been abolished. WayV is the group’s China-based unit.
NCT127 is the latest sub-unit to make a comeback with “Sticker.” The song has ten music show wins as of October 8, 2021. Check out NCT127’s “Sticker” music video below:
VIXX LR
VIXX LR is the first sub-unit of concept kings VIXX, composed of main vocalist Leo and main rapper Ravi. The duo’s contrasting yet harmonious vocal colors debuted in 2015 with “Beautiful Liar“. Their last comeback was in 2017 with “Whisper.” Leo is currently busy with preparations for the Frankenstein musical, while Ravi is occupied with releasing solo music, appearing on variety shows and managing his two music labels—but here’s to hoping they make a comeback soon!
Watch VIXX LR’s “Whisper” music video below:
BIGBANG – GD&TOP/ GDxTAEYANG
Bigbang has two official sub-units: GD & TOP and GD x Taeyang.
Rapper duo G-Dragon and T.O.P released their first album as a sub-unit in 2010. That album yielded three singles: “High High,” “Oh Yeah,” and “Knock Out.” Their most recent single, “Zutter,” was released in 2015 as part of Bigbang’s MADE album.
VIPs know that G-Dragon and Taeyang were originally slated to debut as a hip hop duo before Bigbang, so fans were thrilled when they paired up to form a sub-unit in 2014. The K-pop legends have only released the track “Good Boy” so far, but fans will surely keep watch for a comeback!
RED VELVET–IRENE & SEULGI
Red Velvet’s leader Irene and main dancer Seulgi teamed up to form the girl group’s first sub-unit. The pair played up the sultry vibe with their first EP, Monster, released on July 6, 2020.
Be mesmerized by Irene and Seulgi’s tutting in “Naughty” below:
Of course, there are more insanely talented sub-units. There was the quirky Orange Caramel, the co-ed project groups Troublemaker and Triple H, the YG hip-hop duo MOBB, the sexy SISTAR19 and more. All of these sub-units add their own unique colors to the ever-growing K-pop scene.
Which sub-unit is your favorite?
Featured Image: Sehun and Chanyeol of the EXO–SC, sub unit of EXO. Photo: SM Town official website
South Korean Netflix series “Squid Game” has been the hottest thing on TV (rather, OTT [over-the-top] media services, geez this thing about Netflix and streaming platforms has everybody confused on what to call their content) these days. Imagine, a drama that is not in English has been topping Netflix’s most-watched show list. Even the streaming platform’s earlier breakout hits that are not in the English language – Spanish programs “Money Heist” and “Elite,” the French Japanese manga-inspired “Lupin,” and the German Yiddish-language “Unorthodox” cannot claim that distinction!
Just when we thought that South Korean soft power is showing signs of plateauing, our Hallyu content creatives somehow manage to churn out something that has the entire world lapping anything they produce. Like every year, most of us Korean culture otakus who speculate that maybe this year will be the year that the Korean Wave will recede and start to decline in popularity, it is not the case at all. The thing is, I have been anticipating this since 2014, when so many scandals have hit a lot of our well-loved Korean celebrities. Not to mention that the Sewol Ferry tragedy felt like it did a huge number of the collective South Korean national psyche. But year after year, I have been proven wrong.
2015 had K-pop reawakening with a vengeance with JYP and YG debuting Twice, iKon, and Day 6, SM Entertainment finally debuted Girl’s Generation’s Taeyeon as a solo artist, and who can forget the iconic MAMA performance of 2NE1 in December of that year?
In 2016, it was Korean cinema’s turn to keep Hallyu on top with Train to Busan, A Violent Prosecutor, and The Age of Shadows establishing astronomic box office figures and Park Chanwook’s The Handmaiden and Na Hingjin’s The Wailing killing it in international film festivals and giving Korean movies more global recognition.
The age of cinema and drama
And before 2016 ended, ageless Gong Yoo, who already had a banner year starring in two of the three highest-grossing films of the year (#1 Train to Busan and #3 The Age of Shadows) and also starring in A Man and a Woman with Cannes darling Jeon Doeyeon, gifted the world with Goblin – The Lonely Shining God (Guardian: The Lonely and Great God in other countries), a TV show that would further Korean TV already-stellar year. The year was dotted with worldwide hits such as Descendants of the Sun, Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bokjoo, and Love in the Moonlight.
Since 2016 was also a banner year for TV dramas, it was also a great year for its OSTs. OST songs really dominated the Korean charts for most of the year, not just in their separate OST category, but in the main top single streaming and downloading charts as well.
The Song couple-led Descendants of the Sun was everywhere with not one, not two, not three, but FIVE songs charting high when they were released – Gummy’s “You are My Everything“, Davichi’s “This Love“, Chen and Punch’s “Everytime”, K.Will’s “Talk Love“, and Yoo Mirae’s “Always“.
Who could forget Jung Seung Kwan’s addictive ballad “If It is You“, included in the OST of Another Miss Oh which has been used countless times in singing reality competitions? We’re not even counting Goblin’s three impressive songs that were released early the following year – Soyou’s “I Miss You“, Chanyeol’s “Stay With Me“, and of course, Ailee’s modern-day classic “I Will Go to You Like the First Snow“.
One word: BTS
And what can we say about 2017 than to keep it in three letters – BTS. Out of nowhere, the group that has been considered as a nugu group with flash in the pan success internationally proved that they can also sell domestically when they released a repackaged version of Wings entitled You’ll Never Walk Alone that had songs “Spring Day” and “Not Today“. This was followed up by the group getting international exposure for the rest of the year and not looking back since then.
But we simply can’t rely on BTS to raise the flag for Korean pop culture every year, yes? Doing that will only allow people to believe that Korean soft power is a fluke since it only relies on a single entity to keep it afloat.
Once the popularity of our Bangtan Boys will wane (which of course we will never accept but, just for academic discourse, say it might be a possibility), international audiences will quickly revert to asking, “Why are there Chinese shows on TV?” when we watch K-dramas or “Is that Japanese?” when we listen to K-pop.
2018 proved that Korean pop culture is right back at the center of the world’s stage as 2NE1’s CL and EXO performed in the closing ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang. On the TV front, the year cemented the arrival of two actor-dols in Astro’s Cha Eunwoo (My ID is Gangnam Beauty) and EXO’s D.O (100 Days My Prince) and yet another oppa who has shown promise in the past but broke out in 2018 with What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim? – Park Seojun.
In 2019, the world renewed its appreciation for Korean movies when Bong Joonho’s Parasite took every award there was, including American ones, which has had a history of being reluctant when it comes to recognizing films that are not in the English language.
It started with 2018’s Burning, directed by Lee Changdong and starring premiere character actor Yoo Ahin who has also proven his abilities as a lead star, and Steven Yeun, who was at that time most known as Glenn in the US TV show The Walking Dead. Burning was heaped with praises by film critics and award-winning bodies, managing to win the FIPRESCI Prize and Vulcan Award in the 2018 edition of the Cannes Film Festival. However, when it came to the biggest event, the Academy Awards aka the Oscars, the movie only managed to crack the final nine-film shortlist, but was eventually dropped off the final five nominees.
Thus, that Parasite didn’t just win the following year in the Cannes’ Palm d’Or and the Oscars’ Best Foreign Language Film and Best Picture gave the Korean film industry another full year to take the world’s center stage. The movie exposed the class divide between the haves and the have nots, with no clear protagonist or antagonist. It therefore leaves the decision on who are the heroes and villains of the movie to the audience – the poor Kims who have managed to leech off their subsistence from a wealthy family, or the rich Parks, who seem to be distanced from the harsh realities of the world and not really caring for their employees?
As critics opined, the movie solidified the creation of a unique genre by the movie’s director Bong Joonho: not quite a drama, not quite a suspense thriller, not quite a legit black comedy, but a balanced mixture of all three elements.
The year where everyone was home
When 2020 had people thinking, this will be the year that Korean culture’s popularity will finally begin its decline, they were disappointed again. How can movies and dramas possibly be popular this year when people are not allowed to go out and watch movies in a cinema? That’s where Netflix and other online streaming platforms barged in with their promises of binge-watch-worthy content. Thus, everybody got to know the gallant North Korean soldier Captain Ri (Hyun Bin) and self-made tycoon Seri (Son Yejin) in Crash Landing on You, as well as the wronged wife Dr Ji (Kim Heeae), the philandering Lee Taeoh (Park Haejoon) and the blindingly beautiful Dakyung (Han Sohee) in The World of the Married. Both showed broke domestic and international records in terms of viewership and made household names of their actors. Both shows have also been (and still are) available on Netflix.
2020 also brought us another gem in the film world – the Korean-American co-production Minari. Although it can be argued that the movie slants more towards the American sensibilities of its director Lee Isaac Chung, the scenes and emotional tug are distinctly Korean. It even won an Oscar for Korean acting icon Youn Yuhjung, the first for any Korean actor.
This brings us to 2021, when the popularity of Korean TV shows has been further established with Squid Game’s phenomenal run. Before Squid Game, the most popular Korean export is the history zombie thriller Kingdom, which stars Ju Jihoon. With Kingdom only releasing a special episode this July and another one in the works that won’t be released until 2023, it’s safe to say that it was Squid Game that really reinforced South Korean soft power, something we fans can be happy with because this definitely means that we will be having more Korean dramas, k-pop music, and Korean movies for more years to come!
Featured image: Squid Game besties HoYeon Jung (Kang Sae Byeok) and Lee Yoo-mi (Ji Yeong). Photo: Still Watching Netflix/YouTube
In the world of K-pop, it look like groups have dominated for years. For every IU, BoA, Chungha, Ailee, or Sunmi, there’s at least three or five groups you can mention to prove the discrepancy in the number of successful soloists to groups. While it is true that the rate of failure among girl and boy groups is very high, the number of soloists getting their breaks in the first place is smaller.
And then, there are the unicorns of the Korean music industry: The K-pop duos. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a good number of pairs that could rival Simon and Garfunkel, Outkast, Daft Punk, or The Everly Brothers.
So, we’ve gathered them for you. And believe us when we say that knowing them is quite rewarding!
DAVICHI
Early beginnings: Any K-pop fan who has been around the block for years would know Davichi. Those who swear by K-dramas would surely know them. After all, you cannot really get through a season of K-dramas without hearing an OST contribution from this legendary K-pop duo. Having already celebrated their 10th year in the Korean music scene in 2018, Davichi has proven their career’s longevity without resorting to a lot of tactics that most K-pop acts have used to achieve their stardom, from multi-billion-won marketing blitzes to appealing to the younger crowds.
Formed in 2008, Davichi consists of two female vocalists Lee Haeri and Kang Minkyung. The duo’s name in Korean actually means “shining over everything”, and considering the power and longevity of these two, their names feel appropriate.
Davichi’s discography as of 2021 is composed of three studio albums and six extended plays, which for a lot of observers may not be the body of work of an enduring K-pop artist. After all, their output would only mean a release every year, which isn’t really a strong showing for anyone in the Korean music industry. However, what Davichi lacks in EPs and albums, they compensate with participation in countless soundtracks. Once we consider their work in OSTs for television dramas like Big(2012), Iris II (2013), It’s Okay, That’s Love(2014), Descendants of the Sun (2016), Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016), and Now We are Breaking Up(2021), we definitely cannot discount how extensive their career had been.
Their debut single “I Love You Even Though I Hate You” was already a commercial success – Davichi is really no pushover. Since then, they have accumulated seven (yes, 7) number one singles and their OSTs are consistent high rankers as well. So, even if they are not exactly the textbook definition of what a “K-pop act” should be with their distance from pop sounds we’ve associated with K-pop, their unique blend of power ballads and R&B-influenced songs have cemented the duo’s place in the K-pop canon.
Davichi debuted with their studio album, Amaranth, on February 4, 2008. As early as then, they already experienced success with their promotional track “I Love You Even Though I Hate You” getting awarded the “Rookie of the Month” award for February at the Cyworld Digital Music Awards. They promoted “Sad Promise” from the same album as their follow-up track and later released a repackaged edition of their first album titled Vivid Summer Edition, with “Love and War” as the promotional single.
Davichi’s debut year got off to a strong start as they quickly gained vast fan following and critical acclaim. The duo has been in the industry since 2008. Photo credit: Davichi official twitter
To say that Davichi’s debut year was a success sounds about right as they did not only enjoy strong sales and radio play but also quickly accumulated a vast fan following fast and unquestionable critical favor. By the end of the year, they were the recipient of “Best New Artist” awards from the Mnet Asian Music Awards, Golden Disk Awards, and the Seoul Music Awards.
Rise to Fame: After the success of their debut efforts, Davichi was set to prove that they weren’t just the recipients of beginner’s luck. They went to the top of the charts with seven songs – “Time, Please Stop” (which featured T-Ara’s Eunjung on the music video), “Don’t Say Goodbye“, “Turtle“, “Be Warmed” (featuring Verbal Jint), “The Letter” (편지), “We Were in Love” (a collaboration with T-Ara), and “Cry Again“.
They also have a considerable number of singles that peaked at numbers 2 and 3, and their 2021 single “Just Hug Me” reached #8. The first holiday single of their career entitled “Everyday Christmas” has reached #16 in the Korean charts as of the second week of December 2021.
Davichi is also notoriously popular for their heart-wrenching power OST ballads, and with 14 OST appearances, you can argue they have amassed more popularity in them compared to their own releases. Arguably, the most popular among these 14 OSTs is the song “This Love“ from the 2016 K-drama Descendants of the Sun. As with many of their OST contributions, “This Love” became so popular that the duo was invited to music shows for special stages to sing the song live, something they do not commonly do with their songs, particularly their OSTs.
By the way, aside from their duo activities, the two have also dabbled with acting. Minkyung has actually appeared as a lead actress on some K-dramas aside from singing OSTs as a solo artist, while Haeri has also portrayed lead roles in musical theatre and has become a TV personality with her participation in several musical programs.
Must-Listens: The top two Davichi sings are OSTs, of course, with “This Love” and “Forgetting You” from the Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo OST. As for their releases, “Cry Again” and the breathtaking music video filmed in Budapest takes the cake.
AKMU
Early beginnings: We’ve had Donnie and Marie Osmond, the Jonas Brothers, and The Carpenters battling it out for the title of most talented siblings in showbiz, but for K-pop, there can only be one: AKMU. Akdong Musician, composed of the Lee siblings Suhyun and Chanhyuk, has been a staple in the Korean entertainment scene since 2014 and have been regarded since then as the country’s premier brother-sister musical duo. Basically, anyone in Korea who doesn’t know who AKMU is met with disbelief.
Lee Chanhyuk and Lee Suhyun did not spend a lot of their growing up years in Korea though. They lived with their missionary parents in Mongolia for almost five years before returning to South Korea. The siblings were home-schooled by their mother in Mongolia and returned to Korea in 2012 to participate in the preliminary auditions of K-pop Star 2 in Seoul. Chanhyuk was 16 and Suhyun was 13 at that time. In spite of their lack of experience and youth, everybody, especially the judges panel composed of YG Entertainment’s Yang Hyunsuk, JYP’s Park Jinyoung, and SM’s BoA, was nothing short of impressed when the siblings sang a cover of Miss A’s “Breathe” and an original song titled “Don’t Cross Your Legs“.
The two went on to deliver performances throughout the contest that were sometimes outstanding and sometimes a bit inconsistent. In the end, they went on to win the competition. A month after winning, the siblings and the contest’s second placer Bang Yedam (currently with the YG group Treasure) signed an exclusive contract with YG Entertainment.
Rise to Fame: It took a whole year from winning K-Pop Star 2 before AKMU debuted with their first album, Play, with three singles to be released – “200%” chosen by Yang Hyun-suk, “Melted” chosen by Akdong Musician, and “Give Love” determined by the fans. Play took number one spot on the Gaon Charts and number two on Billboard’s US World Albums Chart, while “200%” topped all South Korean charts. Akdong Musician then released the digital single, “Time and Fallen Leaves” in October. Although it was planned as the lead single for Play, it was delayed to suit the season. The song made an “all-kill” two consecutive days after release, but was not given a music video so the listeners would imagine their own stories.
답답터지는 수현과 그저 웃긴 찬혁. 그들은 서로에 대해 얼마나 알고 있을까요? 🤔 하루 중 제일 좋아하는 시간은? 요즘 즐겨듣는 노래는? 현실남매 케미! 악뮤 #추측인터뷰를 지금 바로 유튜브에서 만나보세요! 👫#마리끌레르#악뮤@official_akmu
Suhyun joined labelmate Lee Hi to form Hi Suhyun, which released their debut single, “I’m Different“, which won them music show trophies. After the success of “200%” and “Time and Fallen Leaves“, AKMU has had three more number 1s with “Re-bye” (from the Spring EP) in 2016; “How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You’re the One I Love” from 2019’s Sailing; and “Nakka“, a collaboration with IU from the EP Next Episode, which features AKMU collaborating with various artists.
Through those years, AKMU even snuck in a hiatus as Chanhyuk enlisted for his mandatory military enlistment in 2017 with the Korean Marines. During this time, Suhyun occupied her time with solo activities as a radio DJ at KBS Cool FM’s Volume Up, a permanent cast member on JTBC’s Begin Again, and a soundtrack release for the TV drama Mr. Sunshine, among others. Once Chanhyuk successfully fulfilled his mandatory military service, the EP Sailing and the lead single “How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You’re the One I Love” served as their comeback.
It was a massively successful comeback with the single eventually selling more than 2.5 million copies and cementing the duo’s stardom and status as “digital monsters”. The subsequent releases revealed that the duo has decided to stay officially as “AKMU” to reinforce their more mature image. As of 2021, the duo has re-signed with YG Entertainment for five more years.
Must-Listens: It is definitely not a joke when we say that every single AKMU song is a must. But if we were to choose three, the first would be their debut single, “200%“, which showcased their singer-songwriter prowess at the start of their careers. The second one would be “Time and Fallen Leaves“, which showed their depth and artistry as young as they were, and finally, “How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You’re the One I Love“, which will just guarantee your transforming into an emotional wreck after listening to this song.
TVXQ!
Early beginnings: We all know TVXQ! nowadays as being composed of two members, Changmin and Yunho. Old school K-pop fans from the 2000s, however, would know that this wasn’t the case. Up until 2009, TVXQ was composed of five members, with the two mentioned along with Junsu, Jaejoong, and Yoochun.
You mean, JYJ?
Exactly. Before JYJ and before TVXQ dwindled down to a duo, SM’s premiere second-generation group used to have five members. The group became wildly popular not just in Korea, but also in Japan and China.
The duo, Changmin and Yunho – the current members of TVXQ! Picture credit: TVQX official twitter
Unfortunately, along with massive popularity came issues. In July 2009, members Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu launched an attempt to split with their Korean management S.M. Entertainment.
They claimed that their thirteen-year contract was excessively long, schedules were held out without the permission of the members, and that there was an unfair distribution of the group’s profits from their activities.
The Korean courts sided with them momentarily and granted them a temporary contract injunction, causing the activities of the five-member group in Korea to be canceled. To make things more awkward, Changmin and Yunho released a statement expressing support of their agency and urging their three groupmates to work things out with SM so that they could continue their activities as a group.
There was temporary peace and order among the five members, at least on their Japanese activities as they continued to promote as five members in the country. They even released their 28th and 29th singles before releasing a greatest hits album in February 2010 and releasing their 30th single a month later. In April, Avex, the group’s Japanese agency, announced the formation of a special unit JYJ. This was also launched in Korea later by the three members’ new agency C-JeS. So while JYJ proceeded in launching their new group and battling it out with SM Entertainment in the courts, TVXQ! was (un)ceremoniously converted from a 5-piece group to a duo.
Rise to Fame: With full backing of their entertainment agency, Yunho and Changmin started a new chapter of TVXQ!’s history, this time as a duo in 2011 with the single “Keep Your Head Down”. The single gave the duo seven wins in music shows and won album of the year at the Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards. Its Japanese version also brought the duo back to the top of the country’s charts and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.
Of course, with their first song as a duo, comments from the public arose that “Keep Your Head Down” is throwing shade towards their three former groupmates, telling them to be humble and not embarrass themselves by getting into a legal dispute with their former company. The duo clarified that the song is not a diss track and is actually about what a man wants to say to an ex who has left him.
Since “Keep Your Head Down“, TVXQ! has continuously released music in both Korea and Japan, with the duo releasing ten more Korean singles since 2011 and 21 more Japanese singles (including “Why?”, the Japanese version of Keep Your Head Down).
Aside from the group’s first hiatus when JYJ broke out from them in 2010, TVXQ! had its second hiatus when Yunho began serving his mandatory military service for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces in 2015. Changmin joined the Military Police months after. The duo staged a comeback in 2017 and have been active both in Japan and Korea since, even during the pandemic.
Must-Listens: For TVXQ!’s discography as a duo, their debut single “Keep Your Head Down” is a definite must. Their 2014 track “Something” is another song that has signaled the shift of the duo in terms of their sound from a very hard-hitting hip-hop-rock fusion to a more bluesy R&B one. Finally, there’s 2018’s “The Chance of Love” that has continued the duo’s swing jazzy sound they are now more known for.
BOL4
The duo, Jiyoung and Jiyoon, were classmates who grew up together in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. Picture credit: Bol4 official Twitter
Alas, there’s Bolbbalgan4, or later known as BOL4 – a duo that has unfortunately become a solo act in the pandemic. Jiyoung and Jiyoon, who make up the duo, grew up together in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. They were classmates. Like AKMU, BOL4 also tried their luck in a singing reality competition. They joined the sixth installment of SuperStar K in 2014 with the likes of Kim Feel, Kwak Jineon, 4th Impact, and Song Yuvin. Unfortunately, they were cut off during the elimination rounds.
That did not hinder the pair from realizing their dreams – they went on to sign with Shofar Music. In 2016, they debuted with the name Bolbbalgan4, with the goal of making pure, honest music that is reminiscent of adolescence. In English, their name translates to blushing puberty and between the two, Jiyoon is the “blushing” one because of her shy personality and Jiyoung is in charge of “youth” because she portrays adolescence well. Actually, the complete Korean word for puberty is sachungi, which is the same as number four (sa). This is why the group’s name is shortened to BOL4.
Rise to Fame: For a new group from an unknown company, their debut EP peaked at number 30 in the charts, which isn’t bad at all. However, it was their second single “Galaxy” that propelled them to instant success, as it sold over 2.7 million copies and their first studio album where “Galaxy” is a part of peaking at #15 and selling more than 25,000 copies.
The duo quickly shot to fame and released five successive singles that sold more than 2.5 million copies. With singles such as “Hard to Love“, “Tell Me You Love Me“, “Some“, and “To My Youth“, they immediately earned the reputation as “digimons” – digital monsters who sell singles by the millions, an elite circle occupied by artists such as Zico, IU, Heize, Lee Hi, and one of our duos earlier, AKMU.
“Some”, “Travel“, “Bom“, and “Workaholic” eventually topped the Gaon Digital Charts, and there seemed to be no stopping the duo from achieving continuous success despite a number of odds, including stiff competition, the small company, and persistent rumors of a breakup because of alleged unequal treatment between Jiyoung and Jiyoon. Those rumors were constantly denied by the girls and their agency, much to the relief of the fans.
That was, until April 2020.
After an entire career filled with speculations on the real relationship between the two, Shofar Music announced the one piece of news every BOL4 follower has dreaded – Jiyoon is leaving the duo. The month after, Jiyoung released an EP Puberty Book II, with the lead single Leo featuring EXO’s Baekhyun. Jiyoon later resurfaced in the music scene as soloist ODD CHILD and with a new song entitled “DODO“, which listeners have observed sounded like a direct hit at her former partner.
[Behind]
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2019 BOL4 Tour Concert ‘Two Five’ in Gwangju
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지난 주 크리스마스 한정판(!!)무대로
많은 러볼리의 부러움을 샀던 광주🎄🎁
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어느덧 전국투어의 마지막!
마지막까지 많은 사랑과 응원 부탁드려요💓💓
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📷더 많은 사진은 공식카페에서 확인~!
⠀#BOL4_TOUR#TwoFive#Gwangjupic.twitter.com/IqvjTI2n1X
In August, she issued a lengthy statement on Instagram, claiming that she actually wanted to end her stay with BOL4 properly, like in a concert. However, she was informed that Jiyoung wanted to kick her out of the duo as soon as possible, so she left the group sooner. She also claimed that she wrote the song years ago, so it hurt her that people would think that she was only taking shots at Jiyoung.
Must-listens: The entire BOL4 discography is healing and just a pleasure to listen to, but if you need to choose only three songs, that would be “Some“, “Travel“, and “To My Youth” (which unfortunately doesn’t have a music video).
So, there you have it – three K-pop duos. If you want more, there’s MeloMance and Fly to the Sky. Be sure to have a listen to our recommended tracks so you can appreciate these duos more.
Red Velvet serving Kpop halloween costumes from their Peek-A-Boo music video. Photo: SMTOWN/YouTube
Boo!
If you are looking for Kpop Halloween costumes or songs for your Kpop Halloween playlist for your party, then you’re in the right place. Let’s get into the spirit of things by watching these music videos inspired by the creepiest holiday of the year!
Chilling K-pop music videos for Halloween
Voodoo Doll, VIXX
What even is a list of dark and creepy K-pop music videos without VIXX? Of course, the concept kings must be in this list. The group has an uncanny ability to pull off wildly different concepts—ranging from ethereal to unusual to gruesome—that are not commonly seen in K-pop. In Voodoo Doll, the members are trapped by a woman (maybe a jilted lover?) hell-bent on exacting revenge by using a voodoo doll. The video also cuts into close-up shots of bloody body modification and the female character’s enjoyment in doling out the painful punishment, illustrating her character’s sadistic streak.
Watch the music video in all its haunting glory below (trigger warning: blood, gore):
Boy Meets Evil, BTS
Intense and soulful are the perfect words to describe this trailer video for BTS’s Boy Meets Evil, from the Wings album. RM opens the video by narrating an excerpt from Demian by Hermann Hesse: “My sin was not specifically this or that but consisted of having shaken hands with the devil. The devil held me in his clutches; the enemy was behind me.”
Then, J-Hope appears to perform a routine that was equal parts grim and emotional. The video, lyrics, and choreography give off that feeling that something sinister is lurking unseen. It reminds you that sometimes, the scariest, most unsettling things lie deep inside your own mind.
Watch J-Hope’s emotive performance in the video below:
Chase Me, Dreamcatcher
The dark concept isn’t normally seen in girl group music videos, but Dreamcatcher has made it a point to fully embrace the eerie in their MVs. In Chase Me, a ghost hunter spends the night at a hotel, in an attempt to capture any paranormal activity. The Dreamcatcher members are the spirits that haunt the man at every turn.
Watch their music video for Catch Me below:
Witch, Boyfriend
In the music video, the members are vampires who face off with a female vigilante killer in a red cape—who turned out to be their friend. Their discovery of this betrayal leads to a rooftop battle with the vigilante, a fight which the Boyfriend members lose.
The group also did a darker reinterpretation of Alice in Wonderland with their music video for Bounce. Unfortunately, the group disbanded in 2019. But their music videos, including Witch, are still up on YouTube. Watch it below:
Peek-a-Boo, Red Velvet
Red Velvet is no stranger to creepy yet captivating music videos, and Peek-a-Boo fits perfectly into this category. In the music video, the girls—who turn out to be a murderous bunch obsessed with pizza delivery boys—play various games with an unsuspecting pizza guy. By the time he catches on with the girls’ plan, it’s too late to escape.
Check out their music video, AKA a warning to all pizza delivery guys everywhere:
Don’t Hate Me, Epik High
K-hip-hop legends Epik High did their own spin on the Halloween theme in their music video for Don’t Hate Me. In the music video, Tablo, DJ Tukutz, and Mithra Jin slog through a dreary supermarket shift when kids dressed as movie villains and Halloween characters invade their workplace and trash the whole place. While the video featured kids in spooky costumes and causing mayhem, the song lyrics actually address the group’s fans and anti-fans.
Watch the high-energy music video below:
Full Moon, Sunmi
In Full Moon, Sunmi is a sultry vampire who turns her love interest with a bite and waits for him to transform. The man convulses, seemingly in pain as a result of the bite. As the music video progresses, we see flashbacks from the man’s younger years—he looks at Sunmi walking across a rooftop while he was stuck in a wheelchair. At the end of the video, we see the man completing his transformation into a vampire.
Watch the music video below:
TT, Twice
TT, with its sweet and cheery sound, doesn’t seem to fit the Halloween theme. But in the music video, little trick-or-treaters go somewhere they shouldn’t be and encounter the Twice members who are decked out in costumes. Admittedly, the video is more cute and charming than dark and creepy, but at least you can get Halloween outfit ideas for when the world opens up again!
The girls’ debut song, Ooh Ahh, also put a dash of cute on the Halloween theme, with its zombie apocalypse setting.
Be charmed by Twice in the TT music video below:
Thriller, BTOB
Cemeteries and catacombs automatically give people the creeps, and BTOB ups the scare factor by using these as the setting for their Thriller music video. In the first few seconds of the video, the members appear to rise from their graves as zombies. Their glowing eyes combined with their choreography added to the feel that the BTOB guys are out to take over for the night.
Check out the video below:
Shadow, Highlight (Beast)
Ruined buildings, torch-lit hallways, skulls, creepy crawlies, and people with skeleton body paint all contribute to the gothic atmosphere of the Shadow music video. The group released this track in 2013, back when they were known as Beast. In addition to the dark imagery, the video used light and shadow, as well as a mirroring effect, to evoke the feeling of being taken over by the darkness.
Watch the music video below:
Of course, there are more K-pop videos that use dark imagery—plus, there’s a whole range of other concepts that will simply blow you away! We’ve written about amazing Kpop boy group concepts and top-tier Kpop girl group concepts—make sure to check them out!
Which dark, creepy, or Halloween-inspired music video is your favorite?
Happy Kpop Halloween!
Featured image: Red Velvet serving Kpop halloween costumes from their Peek-A-Boo music video. Photo: SMTOWN/YouTube
Still from behind the scenes of Squid Game. Picture credit: Screengrab from Netflix
As of the moment, it seems that the world has gotten addicted to the Korean Netflix show Squid Game. Not that anyone’s complaining though, because the show is really something. Plagiarism claims aside, the show manages to captivate everyone’s attention, not just those who have gotten bitten by the K-drama bug. And that’s good since the show’s universal appeal means that nobody can argue that its popularity only stems from K-drama fans crazily streaming the show non-stop.
A still from the shoot of Squid Game. Picture credit: Screengrab from Netflix Youtube
Netflix has actually not just shown a lot of K-dramas, but has actually broken through the Korean market in 2013 by being the sole distributor of Kingdom, a show produced by Korean production company AStory, but was solely shown on the streaming platform and not on any Korean TV channel, free-to-air or cable. It then struck a deal with producers NEW (Next Entertainment World) and JTBC to release the Lee Jungjae-headlined Chief of Staff on the same day as its premiere on the cable channel. Since then, Netflix has not only distributed K-dramas and movies but has also dabbled into producing content that would make up the company’s Korean-language original programming.
#SquidGame creator Hwang Dong-hyuk hints at a Season 3:
“I’m in talks with Netflix over season two as well as season three. We will come to a conclusion any time soon.”
But even with the original content they produced, it always felt like Netflix’s Korean original programs catered to a niche audience. True, a good number of the shows they produced and distributed had become famous even internationally, but as mentioned earlier, most of them, even Kingdom, were still confined to an audience with an affinity for Korean-language content.
So, even if there are a lot of people overseas who have watched Kingdom, it was assumed that these viewers were Korean-Americans or those who have already liked Korean dramas in the past. It seemed that the audience the show connected with continued to be limited to Korean drama fans, unlike other foreign Netflix shows like Lupin, Elite, and Money Heist, which have amassed huge followings from countries that aren’t French or Spanish speaking, plus haven’t had any particular loyalty to French or Spanish language content.
That is until Squid Game came along.
The website FlixPatrol, which analyzes streaming figures on the world’s leading online streaming platform, claims that Squid Game topped global charts on Friday, September 27, only a week since its release on September 17. It has since then kept the top position. As of press time,it still holds the top position, keeping other Netflix shows such as Sex Education, Maid, and Lucifer at bay. The fact that it has dislodged English-language shows on top of the charts and is keeping its #1 placement even in countries with very particular audiences such as the USA shows that it has really won over a huge audience, especially those that are not particularly fond of content not in English.
In fact, the show has now gone down #2 in markets that are known to consume a lot of Korean language content such as Indonesia, Thailand, and the Philippines because of the weekly episodes of the Kim Seonho drama Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha (which coincidentally also has Shin Mina, who was also part of the aforementioned Chief of Staff), while maintaining the top position in other countries that are not that keen on following the shows of Hallyu stars.
So, what is it exactly about Squid Game that has audiences from all corners of the planet wanting more? Everyone, from armchair TV critics to cultural researchers, has had their opinions amplified on mainstream and social media, and it seems to boil down to three factors:
The storytelling is unique yet universal.
A lot of concepts of the show’s story may be distinctly Korean but they are exactly the same elements that hit foreign audiences hard in their feels. For one, Squid Game is about people who are psychologically and financially desperate – something so many of us can definitely identify with since the start of the pandemic, with job losses and mental health struggles abound.
Finally finished Squid Game last night.
As a Korean-American, I’m proud that such a popular, well-made (albeit at times disturbing) show is from Korea and became an international success.
While it may not be true that the rest of us outside Korea get hounded by gangsters working for loan sharks when we run away from paying our debt (though according to Koreans themselves, that actually happens, but is not an everyday occurrence), we can relate to the desperation Gihun (Lee Jungjae) and the other 455 players feel when they are willing to risk life and limb to take home some serious money. We can relate to how Gihun’s feelings toward childhood friend Sangwoo (Park Haesoo) turned from idolization to disappointment after the former realized throughout the game how morally iffy some of his hometown hero’s decisions were.
Finally, we can all relate to the sense of nostalgia playing those childhood games brought to the participants, particularly to mastermind player 001 Ilnam (Oh Yeongsu). Although we have resumed a lot of our activities, we have to admit that things have not been the same as they used to be, so it is inevitable that we long to remember simpler and more comfortable times when we did things such as playing just for the fun of it and not because there are consequences to our every move.
The show tapped into people’s psyche.
Speaking of relatability, the show works not only because we can relate to the plight of Gihun and the 454 other players in terms of their desperation and police officer Junho’s (played by Wi Hajoon) urgent attempt to fight his brother, but we can also relate to the foreign VIPs, The Front Man (played by Lee Byunghun) and beloved old man with a twist Ilnam.
Wait, what? Are you saying we have things in common with the game’s disconnected spectators?
Of course, as the audience, we occupy a similar position to the VIPs as spectators of the game, as we satisfy our base instincts of voyeurism in finding out who survives in the rounds and who ultimately wins. It’s like an unfortunate accident happening right before your eyes that you’re telling yourself to look away, but you simply cannot.
Rarely has high-stakes tension looked so delicious – THR’s TV critics pick the honeycomb in #SquidGame as the best supporting snack of 2021
Allowing us to sympathize with the players and yet having a safe distance from them as we watch their activities from the comforts of home has given the show’s producers a perfect formula on how it can get us audiences hooked to the social message of the story while not making us too uncomfortable.
With Squid Game, while we sympathize with the characters, the line between them and us is very clear, as they are the ones playing the games. We have the option to sympathize with them and at the same time be guiltless spectators just like the VIPs. After all, the VIPs are only spectators just like us; they are not the ones running the game – the workers in pink jumpsuits are actually the ones rolling out the games and dealing with all the dirty work.
In horror movies, even those set in a game theme like Battle Royale or the Saw series, there are no spectators, so we cannot help but actually have 100% of our sympathies to the players. And it is only later when the games are through when we start to really consider if we could carve the perfect shape out of the honeycomb cookies or if we can distinguish which glass can hold human weight and which will break. In Squid Game, we are constantly reminded that we can also be detached spectators just like the VIPs. Squid Game is escapist entertainment masterfully done.
The production values are off the charts.
It cannot be denied that the production of Squid Game is just fantastic. From the secluded island where the players were confined to the playground where they played the first couple of games, the sleeping quarters that looked like a storage facility, there was nothing that was spared to make the series believable and exciting. What’s great about the sets they used for the show is that there were some easter eggs hidden in them that keen-eyed viewers may have noticed while watching the episodes.
The fact that most of us have seen something like Squid Games’ premise in Hunger Games and Battle Royale has not deterred us from watching the show because the scenes have been filmed in such an attention-grabbing manner.
For example, while the sequence of games was told in advance to the Doctor (Yoo Sungjoo) the evening before the game as they helped them harvest organs of the players who were killed, there were actually murals on the walls of the players’ sleeping quarters that show the major points of the games. So, players who were more aware of their surroundings should have noticed that. But then, since they were constantly tired and paranoid of their fellow players who may attack them when the lights go out, they may not have the energy to be that sharp.
For most of the past year, we have been confined to our movements and activities, so watching shows and movies from other countries may give us some sort of comfort and pleasure that we can experience the cultures, places, and ways of living of people far away from us. We may be awed at how we have actually a lot of things more in common with people from other countries, but since they have different customs and environments, there are also interesting twists and differences that we should look out for. So for now, we just need to enjoy the show while learning some lessons from it.
In addition to SEVENTEEN's "Attacca" album, Jeonghan also released his new single, "Dream." Photo: SEVENTEEN/YouTube
SEVENTEEN’s official social media accounts surprised fans with Dream, the new solo single from Jeonghan. The simple video features an image of a bed left unmade as a background for Yoon Jeonghan’s sweet vocals.
That’s not the only surprise Jeonghan had in store for CARATs. The SEVENTEEN vocalist also recorded a Japanese version of Dream which was shared on the group’s YouTube channel as well.
Dream is a true solo effort for Jeonghan, who wrote and composed the song. It’s possible that he had also written the Japanese lyrics since he had been studying Japanese for some time now. It’s a mellow tune that’s guaranteed to put CARATs at ease and looking forward to the next SEVENTEEN comeback.
Jeonghan has been finding new ways to reach CARATS and his fans, who are called JJONGJJONGIEs. The second eldest SEVENTEEN member had previously opened his own Instagram account to share never-before-seen photos of himself and his fellow members. It certainly looks like we’ll be seeing more of Yoon Jeonghan as a true artist in the near future.
Blackpink Lisa for Paris Fashion Week 2021. Photo: jc.babin/Twitter
Finally, after days of anticipation, with everybody asking, will she or won’t she, Lisa finally took that flight to Paris and joined (well, sort of) her three BLACKPINK sisters Jisoo, Rosé, and Jennie to revel in Paris Fashion Week celebrations.
As we have reported earlier on Blackpink in Paris Fashion Week 2021, Jisoo and Rosé were first to book their appearances in the shows of the fashion houses they endorse. Jisoo was first to make a splash as she attended the Christian Dior Spring-Summer 2022 Paris Show at 2:30, local time, last Tuesday, September 28. BLACKPINK’s visual wowed everybody as she posed for photos wearing a white mini dress with black embroidered Greek statues and motifs, which according to Vogue, is from the Dior Resort 2022 collection. Talk about effortless chic!
But before the fashion show, Jisoo also explored the House archives of Dior. At Dior Heritage, Jisoo had her picture taken holding the original Lady Dior bag that was carried by Princess Diana. Dior’s social media accounts also posted a photo of Jisoo at the Eiffel Tower, all decked in Dior. “I love you Paris,” the K-pop idol is heard saying in Korean in the video.
Not to be outdone, Miss Rosé who arrived in Paris with Jisoo, also made sure her presence was felt when she stole the show at Saint Laurent Spring-Summer 2022 at 8:00 in the evening on the same day as the Dior event. Wearing a sheer black chiffon minidress with silk trim over a pair of black hot pants, BLACKPINK’s main vocal was again the toast of the fashion scene after making a much-publicized and historic appearance in the Met Gala, where she, along with CL, was the first female K-pop idol to grace the event.
After attending the Saint Laurent show, Rosé did a couple of shoots for YSL Beauty before going back to Seoul and thus, missing the arrival of the next member to arrive in Paris.
Since Solo artist Jennie is known as a brand ambassador for major fashion brand Chanel, fans thought it was inevitable for her to join the two in Paris. And that she did! In the afternoon of the 29th, Jennie arrived in Paris, dressed in Chanel from head to toe. Upon her arrival, she took to Instagram to present her proof of life, as she met her bandmate Jisoo and the two went out for dinner together the same evening. Both idols had cardigans on to warm themselves warm as the autumn weather in the city of lights was in full blast.
As of press time, Jennie has finished attending the Chanel Spring-Summer 2022 Paris that happened at 10:30 AM, local time. She was a vision in red, wearing a red bouclé crop top and mini skirt with pearls, making her look prim but with an edge.
Finally, we have Lisa, With her arrival in France on October 4, Lisa began trending on Twitter as fans started talking about her leaving South Korea and joining the three other members in order to attend Paris Fashion Week. However, having all BLACKPINK members in Paris at the same time was not meant to happen because as mentioned earlier, Rose was already in Seoul on the 29th, while Jisoo left Paris on the 4th, the same day Lisa arrived.
As to why Lisa is in Paris, there is still quite a lot of mystery pertaining to that. Celine, the French fashion brand where she is the global ambassador, does not have any shows for this season, This led to people speculating that Lisa may have accepted an invite from another fashion house, Miu Miu, which will have an event today (October 5) and has been worn by the idol on her recent appearances. Also, reports have surfaced that BVLGARI, the jewelry brand Lisa is also an ambassador of, is staging events, including a showcase at the Paris Opera today, October 5.
But then, YG Entertainment stepped in.
On an Instagram post, Bulgari’s CEO, Jean-Christophe Babin posted Lisa’s picture with the caption:
“Our great ambassador @lalalalisa_m is in Europe. Unfortunately, due to COVID, her agency prefers [that she] not [participate in] events or shows. That’s also the reason why insofar we could not shoot her together with @zendaya, @lilyaldridge and @vittoria for the @bulgari Brand Campaign 2021/22 and [why] we could not run a major event yet together.”
So, the mystery remains: What is Lisa doing in Paris? If YGE has barred her from joining events (which is so weird considering the three have already joined numerous events), why did they fly her there? Let’s hope we get further clarification the soonest.
ENHYPEN’s first full studio album, DIMENSION: DILEMMA, drops October 12, 2021.
ENHYPEN members Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, and Ni-ki have finally recovered from COVID-19, according to their label, Belift Lab. Except for Sunoo who was only advised to stay in self-quarantined, the rest of ENHYPEN tested positive with the corona virus.
“We would like to inform you that ENHYPEN members Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, and Ni-ki have been determined to have fully recovered from COVID-19, have been discharged from their treatment facilities, and are no longer in quarantine as of Thursday, September 16,” the statement read.
It added, “All the members are resting with a clean bill of health. Sunoo also underwent re-testing in order to exit self-quarantine and was found to be negative.”
The label thanked fans for their “deep support” for ENHYPEN and dropped even more good news.
“We would also like to inform you that ENHYPEN’s first studio album will be released in October. We will provide a separate notice with details,” the statement read.
ENHYPEN celebrated their recovery by sharing new photos of the boy group together.
BELIFT LAB has since shared the first teaser for ENHYPEN’s full album DIMENSION: DILEMMA. The label’s official YouTube channel dropped a visualizer for the LP’s first track Intro: Whiteout.
Featured image: ENHYPEN’s first full studio album, DIMENSION: DILEMMA, drops October 12, 2021. Photo: HYBE LABELS/YouTube
BLACKPINK Jennie visits "Squid Game" for friend Hoyeon. Photo: hoooooyeony/Instagram
BLINKs already know that Jennie is one of the coolest people in the world. In addition to being a true all-rounder, the BLACKPINK member knows how to treat her fans right. So it’s no surprise that “Squid Game” star Jung Ho Yeon is saying that her friend is a true angel.
The friendship between Jennie and Hoyeon is truly adorable. The two celebrities have been very supportive of each other’s careers, and Hoyeon admits that she is still surprised by the BLACKPINK member’s generosity.
Jung Ho Yeon was recently interviewed by Herald POP where she spoke about “Squid Game”. At one point, the model also opened up about how her friend Jennie Kim reacted when Hoyeon was cast in the Netflix show.
“Jennie was happy for me ever since I told her I was cast in ‘Squid Game.’ She sent me a coffee truck, and she actively cheered me on by even uploading to her social media,” Hoyeon said.
BLACKPINK Jennie visits “Squid Game” set for Hoyeon
That’s not the only thing that Jennie has done to support her friend. Jung Ho Yeon had previously shared a photo of the two on the set of Squid Game. This confirms that the Solo singer visited Hoyeon while the latter was filming to give her full support for her friend.
The generous act is something that always impresses Jung Ho Yeon to the point that she compares Jennie to a real angel.
“Jennie is always there on the list of people I’m grateful for while acting in ‘Squid Game.’ She congratulated me so happily, as if my joys were also her own, that I wondered how such an angel could exist,” Hoyeon said
It’s great to know that Jennie is truly supportive of her friends despite her busy schedule. There is little doubt that her friendship with Jung Ho Yeon will continue to stay strong
“Squid Game” is currently streaming on Netflix.
Featured image: BLACKPINK Jennie visits “Squid Game” for friend Hoyeon. Photo: hoooooyeony/Instagram
SEVENTEEN's comeback album, Attacca, drops October 22, 2021 at midnight ET. Photo: HYBE LABELS/YouTube
And just like that, SEVENTEEN confirmed their comeback! Imagine that, only four months since the group’s latest release, Your Choice, we will be seeing our beloved thirteen again!
Really, how sure are you?
On September 22, the group’s social media accounts released not one, not two, but three teaser posts a full month before their scheduled comeback. The first post was in black, with the caption,
SEVENTEEN 9th Mini Album ‘Attacca’
2021.10.22 1PM (KST)
2021.10.22 0AM (ET)
#세븐틴 #SEVENTEEN
#Attacca
Followed by a teaser treated in a red filter, featuring all 13 members of the boyband in an empty indoor swimming pool as they walk into the distance, their back against the camera.
The last teaser post was in black again, with the group’s name in a white, italicized font, with the same caption about the group’s 9th mini-album entitled Attacca.
Attacca? What is that supposed to mean?
Attacca does sound like something coming from a Romance language. However, “attack” in Portuguese and Spanish only use one ‘t’ for ataca and the spelling in French includes a “q.” That leaves Italian, which indeed has attacca as a music term. It could be used at the start of the next section (movement) or by a conductor to mean that the musician will have to start playing immediately without any pauses. It is a distinctly Italian term and is used by musicians all over the world in its original form without translating it. After all, it may sound awkward to hear “attack the music” in English.
Otherwise, outside of music, attacca in Italian also means to attack, to stick, to attach, to hang, to affix, to plug, to fasten, or to tie, among other meanings.
It seems. All three teasers look dark and harken back to other more intense releases from the group like Hit, Home, and perhaps their most dramatic release, Fear.
But how about Jun and The8?
Pledis Entertainment had previously shared that SEVENTEEN will be promoting this upcoming release as an 11-member group, and will also do so for the rest of the year. The8 and Jun will be coming home to China to be with family and hold solo activities in their native country. So, does this mean that the two will not be in the album?
No, the album is already finished and the materials have already been furnished. As seen in the teaser post, both Chinese members are present. This means that they are in the album, it’s just that they will not be able to promote the EP with the rest of the group until December.
Stay tuned for further news on this exciting comeback!
SEVENTEEN’s comeback album, Attacca, drops on October 22, 2021 midnight ET.
SEVENTEEN’s comeback album, Attacca, drops October 22, 2021 at midnight ET. Photo: HYBE LABELS/YouTube
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