There’s a strange feeling at the beginning of the year, once everyone has returned to their routines but the drudgery of the grind has not set in yet. The sparkle of the holidays is still twinkling somewhere in the periphery of your day. For people in the Southern Hemisphere, we are in the middle of summer and all I want to do is go to the beach and forget gainful employment. It is just before getting into the swing of things.

The characteristic groove of a smooth bossa nova beat embodies this mood of a soft beginning. K-pop songs influenced by the “new wave” of Brazilian samba are usually b-sides or album tracks and finding them feels like a lovely surprise.

In Korea, it’s very cold but Seollal (Korean Lunar New Year) is just around the corner. Hopefully, some warm songs will ring in the year on a positive note.

What are your favourite jazzy soft K-pop tunes? Let us know in the comments.