Asian Addicts Anonymous

The first edition for September’s Asian music recommendations was the Japanese edition. Part 2 is focusing on Korean releases. Since is really the 2nd half of one huge playlist, that is why the numbers start out in the hundreds.

Korean Music

#101 Just like girugamesh was at the top of the playlist of Japanese releases, BTS [Bangtan Sonyeondan] is at the top because their mini album (which has a track list count of a full album, mind you) is my favorite Korean release. Check out their entire album, it’s worth a listen. I really do love them.

Dreams disappeared, there was no time to rest. It’s a cycle of school, home, or an internet café. Everyone lives the same life. Students who are pressured to be number one live between dreams and reality.

#102 Just like I can’t recommend only 1 song off of BTS’s mini album, I can’t recommend just one song off of LUNCHSONG Project’s album Power of Album which is, I think, an entirely acoustic album. I like acoustic. The sound doesn’t always work, but it works for this album.

#103/#112 G-Dragon is a talented person. I just don’t like everything he or his group does. With this new album, I actually like the majority of the songs. Even if the MVs freak me out a bit. Though, I think “Crooked” might be my favorite song on the album.

#104 Song G’s “Damn I Miss” brings a soft, emotional rap with plaintive female vocals about missing a person.

#105 EverySingleDay’s song “Echo” was featured previously and I have been happily following them since finding them through I Can Hear Your Voice. This time they are releasing a fun song fitting for the end of summer and beginning of fall with “Yes I’m In Love.”

#106 I don’t think there’s a song from Yoon Jong Shin’s Monthly Repair project that I don’t like and “Goodbye” with Park Ji Yun is no exception. It’s a beautiful duet.

#107 I’m not sure if I have heard of Seol Min Gyu before, but I fell in love with his song “Narang Sagwillae” [Be My Girl].

#108 The Nameless comes out with “Untitled…” which features some fast and fierce rapping about heartbreak after breaking up.

#110 NOM (I had to look at their name in Korean to realize they go by the letters not by the word). Anywho, they have a cute song and cute MV with “Pretty Noona” [Nuna Yeoppeo]. I won’t lie, I’m a sucker for MVs that feature children, they are sooo cute.

#111 Kdrama Two Weeks has a really amazing soundtrack. Yep, yep. Kim Bo Kyung’s “Heart Hit” [gaseumeul chyeobwado] is an amazingly emotional ballad.

#113 Besweet’s “Neoui Keompyuteo Sok Yagu Dongyeongsang” is a really sweet sounding song befitting the vocals…but the beginning of that MV…LOL.

#114 And just what is going on in the kpop world this year? We’ve had vampires, wolves, Jekyll & Hyde, and now zombies? I think it would actually have been more fitting for BTOB to release “Thriller” during October instead. That aside, really love the song. I don’t really think I’ve been disappointed in any of BTOB’s releases. And did you see Minhyuk’s crazy eyes? He does that so well.

#115/#118 Chae Su In releases a beautiful ode with “My Baby” – the chorus really makes the song 🙂 And if you watch the MV, the pictures are so precious. And then there is hi song “Wedding Day.”

#119 도시락밴드 [Dosirag Band/Lunch Band] releases a beautiful song for the Soseol Pyojeogja OST “Nunmulkkoch” [Tear Flower] which is apparently the character Won Yong Cheol’s theme song.

#121 Melody Day “All About” is a good song from Master’s Sun. Another kdrama with an awesome soundtrack. While there’s been more ballads with the initial OST singles, this song is definitely upbeat and makes you want to sing along. This song is also smattered with random English words.

#122 Chamggaewa Somsatang [Sesame and Cotton Candy] released their single Rainy Dance back in July apparently, but I’m just discovering them now, so though I’d share. “Rainy Dance” is a good song, but “Haeeojin Sai” is my favorite from the single.

#123 Bulldog Mansion released a revamped track of theirs for the drama Puberty Medley and are back this month with “Going to You.” Love this band.

#124 T-ARA has done a lot more retro songs and when F-VE Dolls made their comeback, their song was very retro and definitely sounded like their labelmate’s. I like their “Saranghandaanhanda” better. It’s so weird watching their videos as they have more members now and some members I knew before are gone.

#126 Can comes back with a track that is a far cry from the ballads I’m used to. It’s an awesome and addicting song with “Banmal Haji Maleo” which is saying don’t talk using “banmal” which is informal speech. The MV is quite fun, too.

#127 Zia’s and Lee Hae Ri’s collaboration on “If You Loved Me” is excellent. And if their amazing vocal skills aren’t enough, you can watch the MV just for Hoya.

If you loved me, if you really loved me please think about me a little—those times when we were the world to each other.

#128 Ailee featuring Yiruma “Higher” – a nice combo of Ailee’s amazing voice and Yiruma’s amazing piano.

#129 I like that some indie bands are being featured more on OSTs. Toxic is featured on an OST and now DICKPUNKS, too. They contribute to the Two Weeks OST with “i saramida” [something akin to “This is a Person”]. It’s a beautiful ballad. DICKPUNKS have such a great range.

#130 Good Doctor is another drama with an amazing OST (and amazing acting on Joo Won’s part). Kim Jong Kook contributes “How Come You Don’t know” which is a sorrowful ballad asking why the person they love don’t understand how they are feeling. His voice is really suitable to such a plaintive song.

#131 This group have such a great name—What Women Want. Seriously. Their group name is enough to make me laugh, no offense to them, but it does make me wonder how they came up with that name. They have released their debut single “Curious” which is an easy to listen to track and it features an adorable MV.

#132 I’ve been a fan of hip hop trio Electroboyz from their debut. They are really talented. Check out their latest “Let it Rain” (fitting as this week we had a lot of rain where I live).

#135 Seo In Guk contributes a ballad to his drama Master’s Sun called “No Matter What.” It really does suit his character well.

My difficult love that runs away when I get close is smiling at me brightly without thinking about how I feel. I change my mind numerous times a day, but my love is getting bigger no matter what.

#136 After what seems like a very long time, FT Island has come back. It seems like with each album, they grow up more and more. I really do love “Memory” from their 6th anniversary album.

#137 Band Romantic Punch comes out with a dance-enfused track TGIF (Thank Girl It’s Friday). I’ve loved them since Top Band season 2. I’m happy we are getting to hear more from them.

#138 Im Chang Jeong [Lim Chang Jung] “A guy Like Me” [Narannom-iran] – a very beautiful and plaintive ballad. Ballads reign supreme in the fall season while dance music reigns supreme during summer.

#139 Insooni comes back with a dance track “Beautiful Girl” which is a very addictive song. It’s cute to see the train full of excited passengers in her MV.

#140 G.IAM “I’ll Be There” [Nigyeoteseo] – I seriously thought that the boy lifeguard in the MV was a girl at first…But that has nothing to do with the song. It’s a cute little song that’s easy to sing along to with the very repetitious chorus “I’ll be there. I’ll be there. I’ll be there.”

#141 Busker Busker has comeback with their 2nd album. Every song is a great listen! I like their acoustic sound, yep, yep, I do. So do check out their entire album. It’s filled with great songs like “Love, at first.”

#142 H-Eugene comes out with the song “Trash” [sseuraegi]. It’s a masterful mix of his rap with the beautiful voice of the female vocalist.

#145 My-B starts off “Hold Me” with a beautiful Korean ballad that then moves into a kind of English rap before going back to the beautiful ballad. It’s a great song.

#147 DEMION “Ask Her Out” – another boy group? They are exploding this year, aren’t they? It’s a fun song. Nothing amazing to really stand out among the other hordes of male idols group, but they are good.

#148 INFINITE “Request” – a song which promotes Samsung Galaxy. It’s a good song from one of my favorite kpop groups. The watch/phone combo is…interesting. It does make it look really cool 😛 I think I’ll stick with my flip phone that does nothing because I’m cheap. Well…you can put music on it…but that’s about it.

#149 Kye Bum Zu “Hello, I’m Bum Zu” – I actually like this song better than the song he’s promoting 😛

#150 Joy O’Clock (such a happy name) comes out with a heartwrenching ballad “Illusion.”

Like always, your traces are sadly gone. Can I live without you? I’m looking around, wondering if you’re looking at me. In the end I realized it was an illusion. I used to beg, like a fool.

#151 Piggy Dolls are back after a long absence and they are trimmer than ever. I can’t even recognize them any more. But, besides that, their amazing vocals are still in place. I really love their song “Butterflies.”

#153 Hong Dae Kwang contributes to the Yeonghwa Kkangcheol-i OST with “Goodbye with Smile” – a very sad ballad. It seem to really suit the movie from the clips we are shown.

#155 Roo “In My World” is a beautiful song. I’m not familiar with her, but she does have a pretty voice.

#159 Joo Young “Popstar” – He’s got a good voice. Looking forward to more by him.

#160 Youme’s contribution to the Master’s Sun “Last One” is really fitting for the ending of the drama (which I finally finished this weekend). It’s a beautiful ballad and Joosuc’s rap fits well.

#161 Startline “Now We Go On” – liking this band. Will not start musically stalking them. They remind me of some of the alternative bands I like in the US.

#163 Postman made a comeback this month. They have awesome skills, but I couldn’t find a better version of their latest release than this radio program. They didn’t do bad, but the quality isn’t as good as it could be. They are really good with ballads.

#166 Shin Cho-I with Go! Dandy Boys “By Your Side” – It’s a great collaboration. I really love the band. The male and female vocals go well together, which doesn’t always happen with duets. It’s a great rock song.

#167 I know that Secret’s Song Ji Eun made her solo comeback, but I actually preferred Soyou’s solo debut and collaboration with Mad Clown “Stupid In Love”

#168 Yellow Monsters “Red Flag” – it’s a borderline song for me. It’s almost too hard of rock for me, but it doesn’t quite cross that line. I really like the chorus and if you watch the MV, I like the setup as it almost seems like the two guitarists/vocalists are battling it out with the drummer in the middle.

#169 MFBTY comes back on Drunken Tiger’s new album. I really like this trio’s collaboration and just like I liked their last release, I love “The Cure.”

It’s a cold, cold world out there. Sometimes I feel as if no one cares. I’m down, down, down, can’t somebody save me now?

#172 Lee Na Rae – “Raining in Amsterdam” is a nice song. It’s very soothing and laid back and pretty.

#173 Cho PD “Made in Itaewon” – it’s a masterful rap song with a highly addictive chorus. I’ve heard of Cho PD, but don’t think I’ve actually listened to any of his music until now.

#174 BPPOP “Never Ever Let Me Go” – it’s a very beautiful song by a girl group, who I don’t follow, but I’ll have to check out some more songs by them as I really do love this ballad.

#175 Lee Jung is a very talented artist. He can sing a variety of genres, he can play various instruments, he can dance…what can’t he do? You should really listen to his rendition of Michael Jackson’s “We Are Not Alone.” I really love his song “I’m Sorry.”

#176 LOVE Standing Egg. This month they did a collaboration with actress Park Se Young and it’s a really good combination. Check out “Shall We Dance.”

#177 Barely making it in the month of September, is Jomungeun Band with “Mal Jom Haebwa” [Say Something]. It sounds like it would be more of an easy listening piece, and then the vocalist breaks out into a harder sound for the chorus that really adds to the piece. I love this song.

#178 Boohwal vocalist Jung dong Ha has been very active in the OST realm of late. He contributed a track to…Shark…I think, and he has contributed a song for the Master’s Sun OST. “Mystery” is a very addictive song. I love it.

#180 Navi’s comeback with “I Ain’t Going Home Tonight” was awesome. I fell in love with that song. I, however, did not fall for that feather nail accessory she wears during performances…

#181 lazybone’s “pierrot” is a fun song that I at first I didn’t think I would like, but it drew me in until I was addicted to the fun melody.