It has become an increasingly difficult time in entertainment, with many male entertainers being implicated in behaviour that may leave K-pop fans trying to find escape in music conflicted. I have been having trouble finding K-pop voiced by men that remains untainted. Hearing lyrics objectifying women or revelling in male power no longer ring as innocuously when suggestions of corruption and abuse fly in the media.

“K-pop is supposed to be an escape,” my friend told me in reference to the unrelenting news cycle revealing yet another disappointment. The only escape I have found has been to limit my playlist to women’s voices that seek to empower.

As March marks the celebration of Women’s Month, it feels appropriate to share a playlist reflecting music from women who subvert societal pressures to be ladylike. Hopefully, this mix will drown out a little of the despair