In the vast landscape of Korean entertainment, sometimes it’s the little things that bring us joy (or disappointment) and make our fan girl/boy/folk hearts beat a little faster.
Each month, we ask our writers to share: Among the many Hallyu things vying for your attention, what’s caught your eye, is on your mind, or has made your heart skip a beat?
&Team Blows Me Away (Again) with “Deer Hunter,” Plus an Ode to Twice’s Short-Lived Sportswear Era (It was One Stage)
— Siena
Last year, I stumbled upon &Team‘s 2023 song “Firework.” It would go on to be my (checks notes/Apple Music wrapped statistics) third most-played song of the entire year. I’ve since learned that “Firework” is something of an underground classic among K-pop listeners, and it’s easy to see why: It’s a stunner, bursting with earnest sentimentality, drama, and gorgeous hooks. Perhaps because &Team promote primarily in Japan, and frankly have gotten the short stick in terms of Hybe‘s attention and resources, “Firework” never lived up to its smash-hit potential in terms of sales and streams. Given my love of “Firework,” however, I of course checked out the rest of the group’s discography, but nothing especially resonated with me. Still, when an &Team Music Bank performance popped up on my recommended videos, I happily clicked…and was (metaphorically) punched in the face by their newest release, “Deer Hunter.”
While “Firework” is a youthful, dreamy song that would fit right into a film soundtrack, “Deer Hunter” is a sultry dance track built for the club. What they have in common is that they are both bangers, and that’s what counts! “Deer Hunter” is at its strongest in-performance; The MV is by no means terrible, but its impact is far less than watching &Team absolutely kill it on stage. The song’s choreography is one of my favorites I’ve seen in quite a while thanks to its intense stylishness, the way it fantastically suits and accentuates the track’s musicality, and &Team’s phenomenal execution. Their teamwork, and the crisp yet fluid quality of their dancing is downright sickening (positive, extremely positive). “Deer Hunter” isn’t just one of my favorite releases from this winter so-far, but it’s happily revived my interest in &Team, and made me very excited for their next moves.
Switching gears, I welcome you to the one millionth edition of Siena’s random musings on stage outfits, this time featuring Twice! Their year-end comeback “Strategy” was pretty delightful all-around, but my favorite moment came from a Music Core performance that featured an array of super cute red tracksuits. Not only was every individual outfit perfectly tailored to each member’s style, but I was struck by how fun and relatively novel it felt to see Twice in sportswear-inspired styling. I honestly wish that JYP Entertainment had committed to the gimmick for the whole of the “Strategy” promotions; It’s an aesthetic that particularly suited the song and its choreography, and the rest of the styling that did happen was pretty predictable and uneven in quality. Do I think we’re likely to ever have an era of Twice that completely escapes their reliance on ultra-girly and somewhat old-fashioned styling? No…but a girl can dream!
January’s Unexpected Collaborations Had Me “Top of the Hill, Top of the Moon, Top of the World”
— Lucia
When Enhypen’s collaboration with Flo Rida and Paul Russell was first announced, I honestly didn’t have very high expectations. I mean, Flo Rida hasn’t had a hit in over a decade! After hearing the song, though, I’m happy to report that his dry spell is finally over. I caught myself humming it for days after just one listen. Flo Rida is truly doing what Flo Rida is known for doing best; “Confessions” is a natural pop hit, and not in the annoying way in which certain songs worm their way into my head just from overplay. It’s the bass-boosted, sultry song that I need to experience in surround sound over a party montage, and I mean this in the best possible way. Heeseung and Jake’s harmonies in the final chorus add depth that has me stopping whatever I’m doing to fully appreciate it every time, and their verses flow so naturally that it truly feels like they are a key part of the song, not just an add on or an afterthought.
Speaking of legendary collaborations… I need a framed print of Junji Ito’s cover illustration for Zerobaseone’s “Doctor! Doctor!” on my desk immediately. I’m a huge fan of Ito and his extremely distinct style, and I was excited to see my interests collide in ways I never expected. Though Ito’s own works are characterized by faces adorned with terror or devilish mischief, the boy featured in Zerobaseone’s cover art wears yearning on his face like a toddler wears spaghetti. These incongruous touches to Ito’s typical macabre work—including the giant hearts decorating the album text—elevate the work’s camp, and to say I am obsessed is an understatement. Now, if only the music video concept connected with the vibe of the cover illustration. Ito is a staple name in the horror genre for a reason, and it would have suited the song and the MV if his art was matched with even just a tinge more blood or body horror. Romance can destroy us, so why not show as much, even in a humorous light? Still, like the cover, the song is a work of art that far surpasses the music video.
(YouTube[1][2][3][4][5][6]. Images via HYBE, Hybe Labels Japan, WakeOne.)
