While the radio hits of 2016 here in the USA have left me feeling bored and underwhelmed (Sorry Drake you know we’re still tight), have no fear! Our friends in South Korea are here to release us from this snooze-fest with some of the most POPPIN’, FIRE single and album releases I’ve heard in years.
If you’re not already familiar with K-pop, let me just throw you into the deep end here so you can rock up to the beach this summer with the sickest jams on the block.
Without further ado, the July 2016 top 10 K-pop jams of the summer!
10) Cheer Up! – Twice
People are going crazy over this song! It’s everywhere, and even major celebs like GD have been rocking out to this on stage and on snapchat. Personally I am not the biggest fan of girl bands, besides my girls at 2NE1 I haven’t heard much coming from girl groups, and definitely not as of late. This is the first song I’ve heard by Twice and this is just a genuinely cute, fun jam. The girls are adorable, I love the video, and Cheer Up has been a morning gym jam of mine the last few weeks.
Photo Cred MNet.
9) Fly – Got7
THIS TUNE I officially call the start of the summer comeback season. Coming out at the end of March it totally set the stage for all the major bangers to come. I love this song. I will never be sick of this song (or my boyfriend Mark). Can we talk about the video for a second though? This is truly a cinematic masterpiece. The videos cutting to the dancing along with the chill tones and power rapping its just good shit all around.
Photo Cred JYP OFFICIAL.
8) Breathless – ASTRO
Oh my god. Do not get me started on ASTRO. These boys will be the death of me. I’ve been following them since before their debut when they dropped their drama “To Be Continued…” about a year ago. Their debut album was fantastic and this single off their second album is nailing home their concept hard. It’s just fucking cute. They’re fucking adorable. I’m only 23 and they’re forcing me into my cougar phase.
Do not even get me started on the video. I think my teeth just melted it was so sugary sweet. The visuals reminded me of another summer jam a few years back a little number called called “Live While We’re Young” by the one and only 1D. I love the youthful summer vibes it makes me hate myself for wasting my summer away at a shitty job and never seeing the sun.
Anyway– ASTRO may be the cutest things on the block, but they’ve got the vocals to back it up. Their concept might be a bit too immature for some people but those people need to lighten up and just enjoy the absolutely disgustingly cuteness which ASTRO brings to the table again and again. I’m so excited to see what these boys keep bringing!
Photo cred Fantiago.
7) Can’t Help Myself – Eric Nam
ERIC. This tune just dropped about a week ago and I’ve been playing it nonstop. We all fell in love with Eric on After School Club but I think I have to marry him now, sorry everyone else I’ve already proposed to since beginning this list. Eric Nam you are so cute why don’t you go be the new leader of ASTRO.
The signature dance move from this single is so dorky and cringey and I just love it even more because of the cringey dancing. He’s the cutest nerd out there and his voice is so, so good. I don’t even have much to say about this it’s just a genuinely adorable song that will put a smile on anyones face.
Photo Cred CJ E&M
6) I Like That – SISTAR
I actually wasn’t sure where to put this massive tune on this list. It feels so timeless I wasn’t even sure if it was a recent hit or something I’d overlooked in the past. The trends in K-pop lately have been sickeningly cute, or powerfully badass, and SISTAR kills it being ALL OF THE ABOVE AND MORE, sexy, cute,cool, and bringing back those old school K-pop vibes!
Photo Cred Starship Entertainment
5) L.I.E – EXID
Officially my guilty pleasure single of the summer. This is my singing along at the top of my lungs while stuck in traffic song. It’s so incredibly catchy, but what really brings it above the rest for me is that bass drop along with the sickest rap line I’ve heard in a while. Keep on slaying EXID I want to see more from you!
4) Call you Bae -Jimin and Xiumin
Is this song old news by now? It came out in March so I’m just going to pretend that still counts as a summer jam because I am STILL LISTENING TO IT ON REPEAT. Jimin is one of my favorite rappers and Xiumin of EXO’s voice compliments hers so well, and not only that but look so fucking cute they are in the video. Oh my god. Relationship goals right here, I just want a handsome man in a sweater to sing for me across the coffee table. Jimin is so precious is this video too, this song is just so all around cute and sweet how can I exclude it from my wrap up.
3) VERY NICE – Seventeen
My absolute favorite song of the moment. That’s all I need to say. This song is too damn catchy it should be illegal.
This song is the reason I had to admit to myself I like SEVENTEEN, when they first debuted I was like… that’s too many boys. I can’t even keep up. I still can’t keep up. Don’t ask me any of their names or who any of them are. All I know is these small classroom keeps putting out fire single after fire single and this is their crowning achievement so far. This is all I’m listening to right now. As soon as it ends I start it again. I need help or the sweet release of death.
2) Monster – EXO
What can I say about this tune that hasn’t already been said. You knew this was going to be here I’m just reaffirming that this song brings the motherfucking FIRE. Since you, your mother, and everyone else on earth already knows everything there is to say about this single and this video let me just drop some personal EXO facts on you.
- I saw EXO at UBC this past winter and it was the most violent concert I have ever been to in my entire life. EXO fans got me fucked up man. I was also significantly older than everyone there and spilled a beer down a 12 year olds back when an overly excited 15 year old nearly tackled me because I was too damn tall for her liking.
- I bought a Chanyeol sweatshirt. I am absolutely ashamed of myself and should be in jail.
- This is the song that was playing when I got in my car accident. I still listen to it while driving almost every day but it always sends a strike of fear into my heart.
And finally…… without further ado…
#1
FIRE – BTS
This is another jam that needs absolutely no introduction, middle, or conclusion. Basically if you haven’t heard this yet I don’t know how to help you. This song changed my life, raised my son, and got him into college.
This song is my everything. This video is the definition of perfect aesthetic (hello Hawaiian shirts and burning shit to the ground aka my vacation aesthetic). The drop, the rap, the beat, this song will never leave me. This challenged my love of Bang Bang Bang as the greatest K-pop song of all time.
Also that little dance move with the finger gun shrug thing holy shit my heart be a fuckin’ flutter.
Bow wow wow.
Photo cred to 1 the K Official.
Alright y’all thats all for now! I hope you enjoyed, do you agree, disagree? Let me know.
Cait
Cait Does Japan 