by JAMES S. KIM and STEVE HAN
Tomorrow marks the beginning of summer, and to celebrate, we’ve put together a jam-packed playlist of the best summer-themed K-pop songs ever.
The first wave of hits is a mix of old and new, celebrating a few of our favorite things: the ocean, sand and sunblock.
Whether or not you live near the beach, these songs will take you there.
Cool – “Woman of Beach”’
“It’s summertime!” We jump right in with a blast to the past from Cool.
SISTAR – “Loving U”
SISTAR in Hawaii? Yes, please.
Big Bang – “Sunset Glow”
Beach party with Big Bang? Of course!
Jinusean – “How Deep Is Your Love”
How deep is my love? As deep as the big, blue sea … and as cheesy as late ’90s fashion.
Fly to the Sky – “Sea of Love”
Anyone ready to bust out the karaoke machine yet?
Dynamic Duo – “Summer Time”
The latest single off their new album, which released this past week!
DJ DOC – “Summer Story”
Another summer classic.
UP – “Sea”
UP was a short-lived group, but they did churn out some great tunes, including this one.
Clon – “꿍따리샤바라” (Kung Ddari Sha Bah Rah)
Are you somehow feeling down? Then turn this song up! There’s no proper translation for this song’s title, but the closest might be “hakuna matata.”
IU feat. Clon – “꿍따리샤바라” (Kung Ddari Sha Bah Rah)
IU brings a much more mellow feel to her remake, which also features the original artists.
Jessica (Girls Generation) & Park Myung-soo – “Cold Noodles”
We know how the Spurs won the NBA championship this year. Korean naengmyun is the perfect dish to beat the heat!
MC Mong – “Ice Cream”
Ice cream is a no-brainer. But love can be like ice cream, too. We won’t delve any further.
Yoon Jong-shin – “Pat Bing Soo” (Red Bean Shaved Ice)
The original song about our favorite summer dessert item.
Akdong Musician – “Red Bean Shaved Ice”
These two can sing about cutting down a tree and we’d still listen.
IU & FIESTAR – “Sea of Moonlight”
What if IU were part of a girl group? This is what it may look like, but it’s a short-lived vision as the other girls leave her behind on an island. Seriously, this is what happens in the video. Apparently, they didn’t want to take her on.
Busker Busker – “Yeosu Night Sea”
If you’re walking along a beach a night, perhaps with someone you care about, this is the song for you. Let lead vocalist Jang Beom-jun’s soothing voice wash over you like the crashing waves.
1TYM – “Hot”
Of course, if cooling off isn’t your thing and you always keep it hot, 1TYM understands. (Bonus: Can you spot the future Big Bang members?)
UPDATE: We don’t know how we overlooked these.
Deux – “In The Summer”
Shinhwa – “Eusha Eusha”
Uhm Jung-hwa – “Festival”
What other gems are we still missing?
