Roundtable: Create Your Dream K-pop Collaboration!

Collaborations and featuring are a staple part of K-pop. Whether it be for a single release — like we’ve seen with Elsie‘s solo debut featuring K. Will and Jimin and J. Don‘s collab track — or for a special stage for a concert or award show — like the recent Cheetah, Jackson, and Kangnam extravaganza.

Sometimes, though, the collaborations we most want to see never happen. We all know how much BTS loves Big Bang, so why haven’t they gotten together on stage yet? There’s no denying that Taeyang and Jimin on the same stage would be jaw-droppingly good.

So continuing on with our theme from the week before (before we were rudely interrupted by TMZ), this week’s question is: What would be your dream K-pop collaboration? 

Cjontai: Despite all the drama over who did what during music show winner announcements, I still want a joint stage between BTS and Big Bang more than ever. It would probably be more appropriate now to do it just to lay all of this trumped up fan war animosity to rest. ARMYs are well aware that BTS are VIPs too, but I don’t know if VIPs are aware of that fact. That’s why I think putting these groups together would squash some of the tension that antis are attempting to create over some ridiculous drama. Neither group has beef with the other, but it seems fans need to see physical proof before they’ll chill out.

I’ve always welcomed a Jimin and Taeyang collaboration of those two performing “Ringa Linga.” Of course, it will be shirtless because we all know those two can’t keep their clothes on during performances, so that’s a given anyway.

Hell, since we’re going in the direction of brotherly love, let’s have JYJ perform with TVXQ again (after Jaejoong is discharged from the military). This must be broadcast to the entire planet in the name of world peace. Don’t laugh; their reunion could mean the end to many wars.

Camiele: Firstly, I have to say I agree to a point about JYJ and TVXQ doing a collaboration. Though most would name it a “reunion,” unless TVXQ leaves SM and they can all sit down and have a Super Smash Bros throwdown to get out any bad feelings that still remain, a reunion ain’t realistic. And I honestly think a return as five, even for a nostalgic one-time concert tour thing or maybe even a final collaborative album (let’s be real, the writing and composing of all these men together again would be amazing), would definitely cause an earthquake in K-pop. Just as when G.Soul finally debuted, every idol in the industry would probably lose their shit.

You know what I’d like to see? A straight-up girl power bad bitch collaboration with Tasha, Cheetah, Miryo, Gilme, and LE (maybe a spot thrown in there for Kasper because I just love her so much). I mean, can we talk about ultimate Queen Bs coming together to have the boys running for the hills? I don’t even know if the world would be able to handle something like that.

Think of it as a ladies anthem like “Ladies Night” by L’il Kim, Miss Elliot, Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes, Da Brat and Angie Martinez, or even “Freedom” with Left Eye, Queen Latifah, Salt ‘n’ Pepa, MC Lyte, Yo Yo, Patra, Nefertiti and Meshell Ndegeocello (which means Tasha could pull double duty as vocalist and MC, or we could get someone like Ali or Esna or both laying down the vocals). I think we need more female-fronted collabos to show just how much of a force ladies are the industry, who deserve respect and to be given the same status as many of their male counterparts.

Morgan: I completely agree on the JYJ and TVXQ collab!

Personally, I have a need for all female ballad singers to come together and create the awesomest ballad of all time. So I think Baek Ji-young, Gummy and Bada could completely slay everyone into crying their eyes out if they worked together. That is if they don’t end up competing for the spot light.

I would love to see Eddy Kim and b do a duet together. IU’s soft and warm vocals on “Peach” are what first won me over and I think they would go great with the light heartedness of Eddy Kim. If you needed more proof just watch Eddy Kim’s cover of “Peach”. I see a summer duet success coming from these two easily. (That is if they haven’t collaborated already cause there is a mashup on YouTube that is confusing me.)

Hania: I also need to see Big Bang and BTS together on stage before I die. This sunbae + hoobae combination is guaranteed to be mind blowing and will hopefully help to calm the fandom war currently brewing.

I also want to see some powerful girl group collaborations, like Sistar and Mamamoo ripping up the stage. Adding Ailee to the mix would ensure a fiery performance.

The amount of international artists that CL has been rubbing shoulders with also has me dreaming of more international collaborations. Somehow I want to mash together Ed Sheeran, who’s been known to dabble in hip hop, with someone like Tablo, and see what magic ensues

Lo: I am a sucker for a good hip-hop ballad, and there’s one collab I would kill to see: Soyou X G-Dragon. Soyou’s soprano was made for duets, and both “Stupid in Love” and “Some” are amazing, but her partners usually fail to match Soyou in terms of raw passion. GD also has a long history of excellent duets– “R.O.D.”, “Black”, “Without You”– but never with a partner whose voice is so delicate. His driven mania and her soft, almost fragile voice would slay.

I second the need for some bitchin’ girl power collabs. I’d love to see Secret— my favorite older girl group– working with Mamamoo or possibly Spica. The sheer amount of sass could end the world.

In that vein, I need for Hyosung and Jay Park to do a special stage at this years gayos. Jay is a very powerful performer, but Hyosung can match him in terms of stage presence. They’re both so dynamic, but they usually don’t have anyone to play off. Give them someone on their level, and I can’t think of anything better.

Andy: I’m jumping on the BTS – Big Bang bandwagon. I’m not putting much stock in the supposed fanwar (I think it’s just antis and children stirring the pot), but I want to see the collaboration for the fun of it. Taeyang and Jimin can be shirtless, the rap-lines will be trying to figure out who is better, V will make T.O.P seem normal, and there’s a strong likelihood of some good lyrics. I’m also sure the behind-the-scenes video will feature some epic fanboying on BTS’ side.

For non-idols, can we get a Park Hyo-shin and Gummy collaboration? They’ve been around for over a decade and have yet to collaborate. Gummy even covered a song of his for her latest album. These two have such distinct and spectacular vocals that it would likely be heaven for the ears.

Willis: I’d be interested in seeing a B1A4 and Orange Caramel collaboration. Both groups infuse their works with quirkiness and humor. I can’t fathom what kind of creativeness would spur from putting those groups on the same stage.

​Another combination I would love to see is Crush and Baek Ye-rin. She did a cover of his song “Sometimes,” and a fan remixed the original with her cover to replicate a duet. It’s beautiful, and if they performed a live version of that or did a song together, it would be amazing.

(YouTube[1][2][3]. Images via: JamJam, L’Officiel Hommes, FNC Entertainment, Grazia, BSX, CeCi)