A comeback of a group who has been promoting mostly in Japan, and a lot of members of K-pop groups venturing on their solo endeavours, this week has a nice mix of summer songs, ballads and a few thought-provoking music videos. Our Weekly K-music Review posts are here to give you a helping hand and a quick look back to the notable releases from Korean artists in a weekly format. This article looks at releases and comebacks from 24 – 27 May 2018.

Jacob (VAV) – Love Night
Released: 24 May

Jacob is a member of the boy group VAV and although he gets a lot of love within the group, it’s really great to see him taking a solo venture to showcase his skills as an artist to the next level. Although technically not K-pop as he is singing in Chinese, we thought our readers would enjoy the song. The has an upbeat dance backing with an EDM drum beat, perfect for those of you looking for a song with a difference for a gym workout. Vocally we don’t feel he challenged himself as much as he could have, but it was certainly nice to actually hear his voice alone.

Moon Byul – In My Room
Released: 24 May

Keeping things smooth yet showing a powerful presence within the Korean R&B/ hip-hop scene, Moon Byul brings some amazing vocals to a repetitive backing beat. Although there is nothing that makes the song unique in terms of its presentation, her controlled voice and meaningful lyrics certainly paint a picture. There is certainly that Korean artist essence behind the song, a certain vibe that is relevant throughout the Korean music industry, The video is very arty, and uses a lot of video editing to create a trippy and unapologetic feeling.

Gangnoon – White
Released: 24 May

Taking things to a new area of the Korean entertainment industry, Gangnoon a webtoon animator has taken to the microphone to sing an opening for her very own creation and we feel she has absolutely smashed it! Keeping with the same opening feeling that we are used to hearing from anime and other animated webtoons, there is a simple yet powerfully catchy chorus along with a simple set of drums, guitars and keyboard, creating the perfect sound to get the viewer excited. We certainly want to see more from Gangnoon, and love how she is fully hands-on with her own project.

Jjangyou – Calm The Warn (Jflow Remix)
Released: 25 May

Although vocals make a song, how they are used can certainly change the perception of a song. WIth Jjangyou’s latest release there is a lot of background noise created with sound clips, but the remix creates an electrical sound system that sends the listener into a false sense of calmness. As the song progresses the sound becomes more erratic, louder, and more distorted leaving the listener with a sense of confusion. This is one of those releases we simply had to share as it is completely different to everything else being released at the moment. For the added mind-frazzling experience, we recommend having your headphones on and turning the volume up to just bearable. Close your eyes, sit back, and let your imagination go wild.

Boyfriend – Sunshower
Released: 25 May

After spending most of their time out in Japan where their popularity has skyrocketed, Boyfriend has returned to the K-pop scene with their latest release to celebrate their debut anniversary with their fans. In a nostalgia-filled, heartfelt, tear-jerking ballad full of memories for both fans and the group, we see just how much each member has grown physically, vocally and as a group. Showing their bond is just as strong as ever before, the music video features the members reliving a youthful past in school, whereas the lyrics recall memories with their fans. It’s so great to see them back on the charts once again, and we dearly hope they are here to stay. They are a truly underrated group and deserve a lot more love than they receive.

24K – Bonnie & Clyde
Released: 25 May

24K are yet another underrated K-pop boy group in the music industry, but sadly this time around there is a sense that they have lost their unique flair and tried to go for something more popular and in with the times. The vocals get lost within the loud trap music and we had a hard time trying to hear what they were singing. This isn’t on their behalf but more a gripe towards post-editing of the music video and song. Vocally they still have that same sound and the equal distribution throughout the members, but sadly, this time around the song is extremely noisy. We know the group has talent, and we would like to see more from them, but we hope they go back to being as unique as they were in their earlier days rather than trying to keep up with what’s on trend. They had their own feeling and sadly it’s lost with this release.

Bang Yong Guk (B.A.P) – Drunkenness
Released: 25 May

Taking a break from group activities, Bang Yong Guk is known for pouring his heart, soul and deepest thoughts and feelings into his solo releases. This time around is no different. There is a rawness to Drunkenness that isn’t like his previous solo releases, as if he himself is acting on the “drunk feeling”. There’s no doubt that his rapping has grown tremendously over the years, and it’s evident not only in his solo work but in his group promotions that he is highly talented. However, the emotion behind this track certainly took us by surprise. This is an open book to Bang Yong Guk’s thoughts and feelings, a doorway to his published mental barriers and problems, and it speaks absolute volumes.

Jackson (GOT7) – Fendiman
Released: 25 May

If you liked the song Gucci Gang then you’re going to love this release by Jackson Wang. Being left to his own devices, Jackson has really shown his own musical path which is a huge step darker to his usual persona when with his group GOT7. In fact they are polar opposites. Through his solo work, Jackson seems to have a darker more American hip-hop vibe. He seems to try and push away the K-pop boy band stigma as far as possible, but tries to elaborate what inspires him as an entertainer. Although this isn’t something we would rate as the most amazing solo release, we at least acknowledge that Jackson is exploring all of his options, and we hope he finds his own vibe that resembles him as an artist.

Kei (Lovelyz) – Let’s Play
Released: 26 May

Showing her skills as a solo singer, Kei from the girl group Lovelyz has provided her vocals for the soundtrack to the drama Rich Man, Poor Woman. The music video features the main stars from the drama and some key moments throughout the first couple of episodes, which stars EXO member Sehun as the main leading actor. The song is sweet, upbeat, and soft, a perfect one for those heartwarming and funny moments that show up within the drama. It’s great to hear Kei’s vocals as, like many other group members who go solo, you don’t really get a chance to hear the full potential of their voice.

C.A.P (Teen Top) – For
Released: 26 May

Teen Top is a welcome name with those K-pop fans who have been around for a while. Most of the members from the group have had their solo activities, but C.A.P has been pretty silent and now we can see he has been working on perfecting his own rapping style and putting together his own solo release. Keeping true to his own style and creating his own vibe, C.A.P has completely smashed it in terms of originality. The music video is once again very artistic in its approach, but something that reflects C.A.P as a person and the song’s lyrics fit really well with the chilled backing track. Both with the lyrics or without them and just as an acoustic track, the song has a standalone relaxing feel to it. We like it!

As there have been a lot of releases this week, be sure to check back for the second instalment of  K-music week in review, which will look at releases from 27 – 30 May 2018.

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