While the landscape of Korean entertainment can be vast and wondrous, it’s often the little things that make us fall in love, inspire awe, evoke secondhand embarrassment, or sometimes… break our hearts.
In this edition of Beats of the Month, we ask our writers: Among the many things vying for your attention this month, what won and made your heart beat?
Love Reset is Not a Rom-Com, It’s a Horror Story
— Chelsea
Generally speaking, I steer pretty clear of Korean rom-coms. But, in honor of February, I decided to give one a chance. Starring Kang Haneul and Jung Somin, Love Reset tells the story of a divorcing couple who both get amnesia and fall in love again. With a wacky premise like that, a promising trailer, and two of my favorite actors starring, I was pretty sure that this would be a rom-com I could get behind. Oh, how wrong I was. Love Reset reminded me of why I struggle with the genre: the characters only have one note, and they turn that note up to eleven.
Jung Somin’s character, Nara, suffered the most from this; she was rude, controlling, loud, and sometimes violent. The only way the film could make her somewhat likable was by giving her amnesiaso severe it wiped away 90% of her personality. Although Jeong-yeol (Kang) loved her again in the end, and the film attempted to show moments of sweetness in their shared past, she never redeemed herself for me. Whereas Nara’s actions stemmed from her privileged upbringing and general unpleasantness, Jeong-yeol’s himbo-turned-suffering-lawyer characterization was less endearing and more frustrating to watch as he too turned cruel towards his wife. Their relationship wasn’t the kind of cute, bickering, and coming from different backgrounds type of love that makes you want to root for them. No, they were two characters I genuinely wanted to go through with the divorce. I’m with the in-laws on this one.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around how Love Reset is considered romantic in any sense—and this is coming from someone who can suspend disbelief for even the most toxic of fictional pairings. It attempted to check a lot of boxes: meet cute, opposites attract, enduring love despite familial opposition, and a quirky batch of friends to help the couple along. In the end though, the over-the-top characterization made both leads unlikable while never really showing why they liked each other to begin with. Maybe Korean rom-coms just aren’t for me—even during the month of love.
Hyunsik Impresses with The Young Man and the Deep Sea
— Qing
It feels like my experience with K-pop this month is the inverse of Chelsea’s: I went in with high expectations, and still managed to be blown away.
I enjoyed BtoB‘s Hyunsik pre-enlistment mini, Rendez-vous tremendously. A long five-year wait later, he’s back with the poetically titled The Young Man and the Deep Sea, which sees his exploration in the rock genre take a moody turn.
The opening trio of slow rock tracks are pensive, shimmering with a sense of depth that the dark blue album cover creates. They’re filled with the odd mix of melancholy and warmth that winter nights bring out in me. The songs also feature something I love about rock: powerful instrumentals that nevertheless centre expressive melodies and singing. They successfully showcase Hyunsik’s rich, emotive timbre that’s evocative of seasoned ballad singers like Park Hyo-shin.
The remaining two new tracks (album closer “Swimming” is a remake of a 2017 release) take a sharp left into a brighter sound. “Navigate” is an especial stand-out. It spotlights a different quality to Hyunsik’s voice; he morphs almost into an operatic baritone in the verses. The transition from the first half of the album is admittedly jarring—the tracks sound more like they belong on Rendez-vous—but they provide a break from the moodier songs, almost like a reminder that spring is near.
Bibi is as Bold and Biting as Ever in “Bam Yang Gang”
— Siena
Bibi first landed on my radar in 2020 with her single “Kazino” and it was love at first look and listen. With a penchant for striking styling and cinematic MVs, lyrics so sharp they could slice you, and enough charisma to power a small city, Bibi was an immediate force to be reckoned with. It’s been really cool to watch her star steadily rise over the last few years, and to see her artistry expand right alongside her notoriety.
Near the end of February, she hit an impressive milestone: having a song achieve a perfect all-kill across Korean music charts. For context on how big a deal this is, the only other song to achieve a perfect all-kill in 2024 so far was IU‘s “Love Wins All.” Interestingly enough, at first glance the song Bibi reached this major milestone with, “Bam Yang Gang,” resembles an IU-style track more than Bibi’s signature moody, audacious work. A sweet melody sways across the song, circling around and around like a children’s rhyme. Bibi’s styling is also noticeably softer than usual in the MV and comeback stages, though she does still throw in some witchcraft and off-kilter visual touches.
However, for me, “Bam Yang Gang” is less a veer-off-course (in that some might see it as a betrayal of her distinctive artistic identity) and more an extreme take on elements which have always been part of Bibi’s toolbox: playfulness, an irony-filled deployment of aegyo, and a devastatingly delicate emotional vulnerability. That last quality is truly what has always set Bibi’s discography apart in my eyes, and the lyrics for “Bam Yang Gang,” which slyly yet definitively pick apart the idea of a ‘needy’ woman, exemplify her lyrical gifts. Plus, if you’re missing brash Bibi, there’s always the other track on her rat-themed (yes, rat-themed!) single album, the deliciously wicked “Sugar Rush,” and its fabulous Studio Choom performance.
Variety Joys from Cleaning Freak and JaeFriends
— Karen
Nothing particularly romantic blew my way in the month of February, but I did develop a love for all things clean after getting hooked on Brian‘s (Fly to the Sky) Cleaning Freak YouTube series. Certainly, I’m not as obsessed with keeping my home squeaky clean, but I picked up many daily cleaning tips from his videos. His visit to Cignature‘s dormitory was a prime one, with many know-hows on hanging clothes—who would ever thought I’d need that! Moreover, this series is bringing Brian to his new heyday as he makes appearances on other YouTube channels and variety shows on television. Many years have passed since the prime of Fly to the Sky, but Brian stands as testament to how an idol’s career waxes and wanes with age. For anyone who is a lover of household chores, I definitely recommend this little (chaotic) love letter of a series to all things clean and pristine.
I’ve also been developing a little fondness for Jaejoong in his ongoing YouTube series, Jaefriends. I loved his nostalgic chats with SNSD‘s Sooyoung and Tablo from Epik High, but his chats with younger groups sparked a realization of how long he has been in the industry. As news of his potential return to television screens, I feel heartened that past tensions are fading away to open room for the return of a legend in the K-pop scene.
Bam’s House is a Sincerity-Filled Variety Gem
— Janine
My beat this month is decidedly unromantic but has a certain cozy charm. I’ve finally arrived at Bam’s House: a YouTube series that I previously missed in sea of internet celebrity drinking shows. Got7 alum and current soloist BamBam interviews celebrities he admires in his home, sharing a signature dish and drink of choice. BamBam’s star power and personality are a huge part of the show, with production highlighting that the guests are decided by his personal invitation. BamBam also reads a handwritten fan letter to his guest during the interview, emphasising his sincerity and admiration for his industry peers. The topics are wide-reaching, with many interviews containing gems about idols’ career ambitions, shared experiences, and working philosophies.
My current favourite episode is with Day6’s Young K, who reminisced about almost being a member of Got7 and discussed writing emotional lyrics in a fascinating way.
He said, “[I used to say] Day6’s lyrics are from direct effect and indirect experience including friend’s stories, stories heard in cafes, etc. but honestly there must be a certain method or else I wouldn’t be able to write this much. You have to change the way you view things. You have to be able to write things down just by looking at rolling fallen leaves.” And went on to demonstrate how romantic concepts can be extrapolated from mundane origins using examples at the table.
Young K sharing that romantic lyrics can be drawn from inspiration as abstract as a bottle cap falling on a table, or the taste of a salad was an incredible interview moment. This kind of insight into the manufacturing process of sentimental art shared between stories of bunk beds and trainee exams makes watching Bam’s House feel like being a very lucky fly on the wall.
(Twitter/X[1][2], YouTube[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Image via BtoB Company.)
