Don’t even pretend: I’m sure 80% of all readers have dreamt of their lives being like a musical at least at one point in time. Being able to convey (or alternatively figure out) your feelings by suddenly breaking out in song and complicated dance numbers and the possibility of even your smallest worries being elevated to a dramatically important status can sound quite tempting. I know I cannot be the only one who’s thought of this while walking through the city with my headphones on.
Therefore, since many of us listen to a considerable amount of K-pop anyway, it seemed like a fun idea to try and come up with a list of existing songs that would work well in such a scenario. Since the storyline of this musical is just a normal day in the life, no extraordinary incidents will take place. But even mundane tasks can be turned into a more worthwhile experience if you bestow importance on them by singing about them.
Jessica feat. Dok2 — “My Lifestyle”
My first choice is this little song, which originally was part of the whole SM Entertainment–Hyundai collaboration that took place back in 2012. Our main character (you?) has just managed to roll out of bed and is doing their morning routine. Instead of going for a more grumpy mood, which many would surely be able to sympathize with as well, it would be much more entertaining to go for this upbeat, hopeful, assertive song. The lead character will be able to cheer themselves up while getting ready for the day ahead.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bs1vtsWI0Jg]Super Junior — “Good Friends”
Once the lead is prepared for the day, they go to school/uni/work/etc. Conveniently, best friends in musicals often seem to spend a significant portion of the day together. So let’s just assume that the lead’s best friend will be there as well. On far too many days, school/work are a rather tedious thing to get through; the two of them try to get their mood up again by celebrating their friendship during a coffee break.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53jO2D7ikVA]Akdong Musician — “On The Subway”
When finally leaving for home, our lead is a bit tired from the day. Sitting in a moderately-filled vehicle of public transportation, they can reflect on their day or calm down by studying the other passengers that ride with them.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5llZ8lTkf0]IU — “Friday”
As people before me have noticed, IU’s music is perfectly compatible with the musical genre. The choice here is one of her newer releases, “Friday.” After having arrived at their apartment, our lead character still has a lot to do, and it’s a weekday anyway. But they do crave to meet their significant other soon. So they call them and agree on a date which shall take place the next Friday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiVmQZwJhsA]Lee Hi — “Dream”
Finally, the day comes to a close. The main character swiftly falls asleep and has vivid dreams. This little musical would not do K-pop justice if love was only dealt with in one song, so here is another one. These dreams are probably influenced by the call earlier in the evening and reflect an earnest desire to see a beloved person again and become even closer with them.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX3rqyp32og] (The lyrics to the song can be found here.)I hope you enjoyed this little “musical” I’ve put together. Some of the song lyrics would have to be adjusted a little bit to fit the specific situation but overall they seem quite fitting.
What do you think, dear readers? Are these songs that you could see your imaginary musical self belting out loud? What would your day look like if you turned it into a musical?
(YouTube [1][2][3][4][5]; translation from kpoplyrics; image via YG Entertainment)
