Every year we collectively, as a people, declare one song to be ~the~ song of the summer. This year, the heavy hitters are noticeably absent and the few hits so far ("Pretty Girls" I'm looking at you) leave us wanting.
But while our English language pop stars are getting it together, our friends across the Pacific have been cranking out summer jam after summer jam. Here are your nominations for Song of the Summer 2015: Korean Edition. Take a listen, then vote in the poll to crown this year's song.
SHINee - View
SHINee have been around for a while, and while their early career easily sat in the generic bubble-gum pop mode, their last few albums have perfectly blended retro styles with the future-thinking pop we expect from Korea.
View is a chill, summer song that evokes the vibes of the beach, riding in your car with friends, and day drinking. Instead of hitting you over the head with "IT'S SUMMER PARTY HARD," the repetitive chorus and instrumental breaks snake their way into your soul until you're somehow both relaxed and dancing to the beat.
EXO - Love Me Right
Despite Kris and Luhan leaving the group in the past year over contract disputes, and another member, Tao, seemingly on his way out as well, EXO has managed to have a successful comeback with their album "Exodus" (perhaps, not the best title for an album when you're members are all leaving).
Ignoring all the drama, "Love Me Right" is a joyous occasion. Baekhyun's soulful vocals are a standout, along with the chorus that will not let you sit still. This is a song that will be playing out of every store in Seoul this summer - and you would be dumb to not stop and dance every single time.
Jay Park - Mommae
Hailing from the suburbs of Seattle, Jay Park has truly left his mark on the Korean music industry. After being kicked out of his boyband, he returned to the states and immediately began working on music. Now, years later, he is a key figure in the growing hip hop and R&B scene in Korea.
Mommae (Korean for "Body") is the dirty, club song every summer needs. With suggestive lyrics, a tight beat, and a repetitive chorus that will be stuck in your head all day, Mommae will be the song that keeps your ass shaking until 4 am all summer.
EXID - Ah Yeah
Earlier this year, EXID was plucked from the sidelines of K-Pop by their attention grabbing Up & Down video. An amazing song in its own right, the suggestive video seemed to dominate the conversation.
Now, EXID has returned with Ah Yeah with lyrics discussing the male gaze and being bothered by incessant come-ons by guys (the song opens with a man whispering "Where do you live? Do you live alone?"). The video addresses the hypocrisy of censorship in music videos in Korea with a playful use of blurring. All of this from a song that could easily have just been a summer jam.
BIGBANG - Bang Bang Bang
After a three year hiatus, BIGBANG returned a month ago with two mellow songs that broke the K-Pop-Interested-Internet. They promised a more upbeat track this month and they delivered. A BIGBANG song can never really be divorced from its visual representation and the video for "Bang Bang Bang" is not lacking. Reminiscent of past BIGBANG hit, "Fantastic Baby," this video is an all-out assault on your senses. Before their three year break to work on solo projects, BIGBANG always claimed the song of the summer. "Bang Bang Bang" is a solid effort for them to reclaim that crown.
If we missed your favorite K-Pop song for the summer, share it below!
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