We’ve only reached the mid-point of summer 2021, but mine has needed saving from the get-go (not only because of the persistent spectre of Covid, but here in Western Canada we’ve been dealing with record-breaking heatwaves and out-of-control wildfires). But I can gladly say that it has already been saved, once again, by K-Pop. This is because not one, not two, but THREE K-Pop acts have seen fit to double up on the goodness and each provide two summer bops to help take me to my happy place. So, basically, just these acts alone have already given me a summer’s worth of content, and in just half the time (as per my rusty K-Pop/seasonal releases math calculations).
So let’s dig into who released what saved, is saving, and will continue to save, my summer!
BTS
Of course, I had to start with BTS, since in the U.S. alone they’ve had a lock on the Billboard Hot 100’s top slot since before summer officially began, when “Butter” debuted at #1 back in May. Sleek, smooth, and undeniably catchy, “Butter” delivered. And as it turned out, it neatly laid out the groundwork for their follow-up single to take off.
And take off it did. With “Permission to Dance” charging in at #1, BTS joined an elite club of artists who have replaced themselves at the top of the Hot 100 (and then a week later, became the ONLY act to replace themselves at #1 twice in a row when “Butter” rebounded to the peak position). And to have done so with such an uplifting and euphoric track was just the icing on the cake. Honestly, “Permission” could have saved my summer all by itself.
But it didn’t have to, because before it was released, my summer had already officially been saved thanks to…
Brave Girls
The underdog sensation of the year, Brave Girls followed up their delayed (but much-deserved) success of “Rollin’” with a new mini album, appropriately titled Summer Queen. And as a comeback single, “Chi Mat Ba Ram” is a banger, and instantly proved that “Rollin’” wasn’t just a fluke. Throw in a beach-based music video, every available backup dancer in South Korea, and the undeniable charm of Brave Girls, and you’ve got a summer smash.
And yet they didn’t stop there! The B-release “Pool Party” dropped just a few weeks later. And while it’s obvious that Brave Entertainment blew all their MV budget on “Chi Mat Ba Ram”, I do have to fault them for not managing to include even a single shot of a swimming pool in the MV for a song called “Pool Party”. But regardless, the track itself is still a fun and frothy treat.
Also a treat was the two latest releases, from (naturally)…
Twice
Twice kicked off summer 2021 right, when they dropped their most summery, easy-breezy-lounging-by-the-pool track ever, “Alcohol-Free”. Backed with strumming ukuleles, the MV follows the girls of Twice as hypnotically float (sometimes on water, sometimes through the air) their way through a beautifully surreal tropical resort. (I’m just realizing now that maybe the reason why Brave Girls didn’t have any pools in their video is because Twice already had all the pools).
The vibe of “Alcohol-Free” practically compels the listener to kick back and relax. It’s a soothing summer smoothie of a song. But just the opposite could be said when Twice shortly followed it’s release with that of their Japanese comeback single “Perfect World” (side note – while Twice does record Japanese versions of their Korean-language hits, they also regularly record and release videos for original Japanese-language material as well).
“Perfect World” is a dark, seductive track that builds into a banger with a chorus of “Get out! Get lost!”. It was an unexpected direction for Twice to go, but they’ve pulled it off. And in doing so, they also gave this season’s great K-Pop offerings just the right kind of balance it needed to keep things fresh (for me, at least) as we kick into summer’s second half.
Summer saved!
PS – I’d be remiss if I didn’t give an honourable mention to a track that’s also been living on my frequently-played list recently. So here’s a shout-out to Tri.be and their catchy, quirky, middle-eastern-tinged “Rub-a-Dum“!
Pop Culture Problems 