Bunni Pop's January faves: Featuring (G)I-DLE, RIIZE, TWS, IU and GroovyRoom
Welcome to 2024.
Welcome to 2024! One month down…11 more to go? In January, I prioritized rest, taking a one month of vacation after seven years of working through the holidays. So while I haven’t been as clued in on the happenings of the K-pop world, I still took some time to dive into some new releases. So without further ado, here’s what I’ve been enjoying in January.
RIIZE - ‘Love 119’
RIIZE is just one of those groups that has yet to have a miss for me. From ‘Get a Guitar’ to ‘Talk Saxy’, the band have played around with lyrics revolving around instruments that made them very fun to listen to and also watch during live performances. ‘Love 119’ however, is a departure from those songs and takes things much slower in line with the wintery season. While I personally feel chanting in music is very hit and miss, I actually think the way the boys do it sets the song up for me and transitions quite smoothly into a melodic, smooth R&B track. Something about ‘Love 119’ is also very nostalgic to me, taking me back to a lot of coming-of-age school dramas I loved to watch as a teen. Perhaps the music video has a bit to do with that. But this genre is something that’s close to my heart!
TWS - ‘Plot Twist’
Nine years since launching the behemoth that we know as Seventeen, PLEDIS Entertainment has debuted its next boy group: TWS. According to the agency, TWS is a “next generation” group that has a target of establishing a genre they describe as “boyhood pop”, which “captures the daily stories of boys.” The name TWS is derived from the group’s tagline “twenty-four-seven with us.”
TWS’s debut single is ‘Plot Twist’, which is a song that’s sure to make you feel like a kid again. The boys dress in denim overalls and school uniforms, all while dancing around empty school yards and a giant notebook full of study notes. This video is chock full of precious rookie energy, which definitely reminds me of TOMORROW X TOGETHER’s early years when the group debuted with the track ‘Crown.’
While this song was certainly not made for my demographic, I really found TWS’s debut so charming and relatable! I can totally see how an upbeat song like this can brighten up someone’s day. I’m excited to see where TWS goes next.
(G)I-DLE - ‘Wife’
(G)I-DLE’s 'Wife’ has raised eyebrows for its overtly sexual lyrics, and some have even made a comment about the grammatically incorrect delivery of the words. But if you look beneath the surface of ‘Wife’, there is actually a deeper message here. The core of the song plays on the expectation a man has on his wife, and the double standards experienced by women who are looked to only serve their husbands. The grammatically incorrect sentences even plays to the fact that women are often diminished the moment they get married. To me, it’s commentary on how South Korean women are often treated. “Femi” (short for feminist) has long been seen as an derogatory term in South Korean society, with men thinking movements like #MeToo have gone too far. It’s partly also why the country is seeing low birthrates now, with women deciding not to get married and have children. A song like ‘Wife’ is political in these times, and it’s brave for (G)I-DLE to release it. While the members haven’t explicitly addressed such societal topics in interviews, the lyrics here speak for themselves.
GroovyRoom feat. HUH YUNJIN and Crush - ‘Yes or No’
GroovyRoom is a producing/DJ duo who has worked with some of the biggest hitmakers in K-pop and the K-hip hop scene, including (G)I-DLE, PH-1, Jay Park, Dawn and JAY B. ‘Yes or No’ is GroovyRoom’s latest collaboration. This time, bringing along LE SSERAFIM’s HUH YUNJIN and singer Crush for the ride.
‘Yes or No’ samples the 2007 hit ‘Love’ from Brown Eyed Girls, with GroovyRoom transforming it into a more modern and stylish dance hit I can certainly hear at a nightclub. HUH YUNJIN contributed to the lyrics, as did Kim Eana, who was the original lyricist of ‘Love.’
YUNJIN is really having a great start to her year! She will also be collaborating with the American singer Max on the song ‘Stupid in Love’, which will be part of his album LOVE IN STEREO, coming out on Feb 16.
IU - ‘Love wins all’
Talk about fan service! In a long awaited comeback, IU released her new single ‘Love wins all’, part of her upcoming album that will be released later this year.
IU sounds gorgeous and heartbroken in this ballad, which comes out just in time for the wintery season. But really captures the song for me, is the cinematic music video, which portrays IU and BTS’s V as a couple fighting to stay alive in an apocalyptic world as they remember happier times. Watching this music video reminded me a lot of the disaster film Concrete Utopia, which stars Park Seo-joon and Park Bo-young as a young couple struggling to survive after an earthquake ravages Seoul. And go figure, both projects are directed by Um Tae-hwa!
Both ‘Love wins all’ and Concrete Utopia remind us that love and sticking together is what drives us. And it’s a beautiful message given all the world’s distractions today.
Single’s Inferno
*SPOILER ALERT AHEAD*
Single’s Inferno has gained its popularity for letting viewers be a fly on the wall on relatively chaste dates and small talk, forgoing the types of drama we often see in American dating shows.
But now onto its third season, Single’s Inferno have added a new set of cast members and additional twists for eligible singles to get to know one another. One of those changes include starting the show on two separate islands with two groups of singles. The groups are only merged as the season progresses.
The new changes certainly made the show more interesting to watch, but it also meant that cast members were a bit messier and more likely to play emotional games with one another.
One thing that also worked in Single’s Inferno’s favour is adding Kim Jin-young as a panelist and commentator. Fans will remember Kim as one of Season 2’s breakout stars. He’s incredibly funny and provides the first-hand perspective of someone who knows what it’s like to be on the other side of the camera on Single’s Inferno.
So while he did not end up leaving the show with love in Season 2, fame has since found its way to him. From growing his vlogging channel to possibly starring in K-dramas soon, Kim is definitely a name to watch.
Monster - directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda
If we’re going to talk about snubs (I’m looking at all the discourse on Barbie), we should really be talking about Hirokazu Kore-eda’s Monster. While the film has lost out on an Oscar nomination for Best International Film (Japanese selection Perfect Days got the nod instead), Monster is still very much worthy of your attention.
I had a chance to watch this film on a flight back from Hong Kong, and was floored by how beautiful the story was. The film follows the plight of a young boy after he begins to act strangely in school. His single mother demands answers, and his school teacher gets blamed for it. But told in three perspectives, this drama traces a series of events that reveals that the truth is not what we expected.
Known for chosen family dramas like Broker and Shoplifters, Kore-eda masterfully crafts an emotionally gut-punching film in Monster that has you empathizing with each of its characters throughout different parts of the story. Kore-eda expertly does this through flashbacks. This movie’s beauty really thrives on the quiet moments seen between its child actors. So if you’re looking for a slow burn hit, Monster is the film for you.
ITZY announces dates for its second world tour, which includes a stop in Toronto!
At a time when Canadian K-pop fans are fed crumbs in terms of major concerts, ITZY served us a win last week.
The group will be hitting the road on a world tour later this spring and summer that will take place in 18 countries including Asia, Australia, Europe and North America. And guess what? Canada is on the list!
ITZY will be playing a show in Toronto’s The Theatre at Great Canadian Casino Resort on June 28. For those who have never heard of the venue before, it’s actually set to open in May. The Theatre also has a capacity of about 5,000, which seems relatively small compared to the arenas ITZY is set to perform in other cities.
Given the success of TWICE’s Toronto concerts last July, I can say for certainty that Canadian fans should not be underestimated. I won’t be surprised if ITZY ends up adding another show due to demand.
Regardless, for all those trying for tickets…may the odds be in your favour. Tickets go on sale.
Stray Kids to headline BST Hyde Park Festival in London
Following in the steps of Blackpink last year, Stray Kids will be the next K-pop act to headline BST Hyde Park in London.
The eight member act will play the festival on Sunday July 14, with tickets going on sale Monday February 12.
The announcement comes days after Stray Kids spotted hot pink billboards displayed across London with the words “STAY TUNED.” STAYs, being the group’s official fandom name.
South Korean rock band The Rose release unisex fragrance
From playing music festivals to sold out tours, The Rose is now entering the fragrance market.
The band is releasing a unisex fragrance called “Black Rose”, which is described to have notes of jasmine, pear, ambrette and rose. According to a press release by the group, the fragrance is “inspired by the band’s unique connection to the human senses.”
While I’m not always sold on celebrity-made fragrances, I think it actually makes perfect sense for The Rose to delve into the world of scent. The band has spoken about its desire to blend music with different experiences such as visuals. Scent seems like the next logical step.
In other news, The Rose were recently announced as part of the line-up for Coachella. In a livestream, the band’s leader Woosung described the news as a “dream” come true.
Seventeen’s WOOZI releases ‘What Kind of Future’, dedicated to Moonbin
January 26 would have marked Moonbin’s 26th birthday, nearly a year since his tragic death.
Tributes from his friends and fans poured for the late ASTRO singer. But one of the most heartwarming moments came from Seventeen’s WOOZI, who fulfilled a promise to release a song in Moonbin’s honour.
WOOZI initially wrote ‘What Kind of Future’ as a message to himself, and has only performed it once as it encapsulates the pain he felt in his youth.
However, WOOZI changed his mind on releasing the song after Moonbin’s death, as the ASTRO singer had shown deep appreciation for it. WOOZI shared this fact in a letter dedicated to Moonbin after his death.
“‘What Kind of Future' that you always kept asking when I would release it, I'll make sure to release it on your birthday, even if I have to fight with the company. I already finished the Bibimmyeon you got me. You should've given me a chance to give you a birthday gift too, you're so bad!” WOOZI commented on Moonbin’s final Instagram post months prior to the release of ‘What Kind of Future.’
“I'm sorry that this is the only thing I can do for you. I love you, cherish you, and thank you. You will always remain the coolest and most appreciated younger brother in my heart. Let's be happy. I love you, Bin."
ATTENTION K-pop fans in Winnipeg! K-POP CON set to take place June 22
It isn’t always easy to love K-pop in Canada. But one thing that has helped the community grow is the grassroots efforts of passionate music fans to hold events and festivals dedicated to the genre.
The city of Winnipeg will be hosting its first K-POP CON this June, and is currently looking for vendors to take part. Be sure to follow @kpopconwinnipeg for more details.
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