This was the week for K-pop comebacks! With new releases from EXO, Akdong Musician and more, July is shaping up to be a great month for K-pop. Check out our favorites from this week below!
“Ko Ko Bop” – EXO
Get ready to shimmy shimmy to this K-pop-reggae fusion bop by EXO. Over the years, we’ve come to expect big things from EXO, and for the most part they’ve met and exceeded the hype. “Ko Ko Bop” is the group’s first comeback since “Lotto” and “Monster,” and while it’s not the grand, groundbreaking musical experience EXO usually delivers, the song is perfectly sultry and gets us swaying like no other.
“Dinosaur” – Akdong Musician
Name a more talented family act than Akdong Musician. We’ll wait. The brother-sister duo are famous for making folk music cool again, and we love seeing their sound grow and develop while still staying true to the feel-good folksy sound that propelled them to massive fame. “Dinosaur” is a sensory delight with bright EDM sounds and Suhyun’s signature crystal-clear vocals in a music video filmed on the beautiful island of Jeju.
“That Girl” (ft. LOCO) – Jung Yong-hwa
We’re slightly appalled that some newer K-pop fans have no idea who Jung Yong-hwa is, but that disrespect ends here. Educate yourself on the CNBLUE leader, who is making his solo debut with “That Girl,” a brassy, jazzy tune that stands out among the summer’s brighter group releases. It’s such a treat to hear Jung’s caramel-smooth vocals again.
“Hola Hola” – KARD
KARD is holding onto the age-old adage of, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” With a tropical EDM sound and a simple-yet-catchy hook, “Hola Hola” sounds a lot like every other song that group has released, but the insane international attention that they’ve garnered means that they must be doing something right, musically. In spite of the similarities, he can’t help but groove to “Hola Hola.” Congratulations on finally making your debut, KARD!
“Rain” – KNK
Summer heatwaves getting you down? Let KNK take you back to last year’s unusually wet winter with “Rain.” Over the years, K-pop has nailed prop dances. VIXX brought out the hand fans and After School looked like pros on poles, and now KNK is bringing umbrellas to the K-pop stage with a smooth dance to go with a smooth, angsty mid-tempo song.
What are you shimmying to?
