~ OCTOBER 2021 ~

Hello everyone and welcome to our monthly rendez-vous! Today I'm going to rank my favourite kmusic releases for the month of October 2021. I know this one is VERY late (November is almost over), but I managed my time and myself to put it out asap. By the way if you still didn't cast your votes for the Swans Awards, you can click right here. YOU HAVE UNTIL NOVEMBER 30TH! I'll close the votes after that, and let me tell you that results are really tight, so now's the time to show your love and support for your faves!

Before we start the ranking, here's the usual disclaimer: All the pictures included in this article are screenshots taken by me from official music videos. If there is copyright infringement, I apologize in advance and will remove any problematic picture upon the owner's request. You can also find the link to the YouTube playlist at the end of the article. Enjoy!

#26 Jo Yuri (former IZ*One) - Glassy (solo debut) - October 7 

There's only one thing I want to talk about for this song: THE "LALALA" PART IN THAT CHORUS! They really know how to make a song get stuck in our heads huh? Watch the official MV for "Glassy" right here.

#25 BugAboo - Bugaboo (debut) - October 25

What's up with all these labels making addictive songs? That one wasn't able to get off my head for one whole week! Seriously speaking, the song is very upbead and the "I don't need nananananana" and the "bugaboo" part in the chorus are super catchy. Watch the official MV for "BugAboo" right here.

#24 Luminous - Home Alone - October 18

I honestly don't know this group but one thing I can say with confidence is that they are solid vocalists. You don't need a lot of money to make a good comeback, you just need passionate people with great vocals and that's enough (for me at least). Watch the official MV right here.

#23 Eric Nam - I don't know you anymore (solo comeback) - October 15 [ENGLISH]

Eric Nam is an artist I wish I could see in concert, because his songs would get a thousand times better if sang live (but his songs are great anyway). This man is really talented and is not appreciated as he should be, so take this opportunity to check out this song. Watch the official MV for "I don't know you anymore" right here.

#22 Huh! - MBT - October 20

This guy is my discovery of the month! He apparently was a contestant on Show Me The Money 9, and is a rapper under Amoeba culture. Well, he gives off a strong vibe, and raps with such a great flow! I just wished the song was longer. Watch the official MV for "MBT" right here.

#21 Paul Kim - Gloomy Sunday (solo comeback) - October 8

I could recognize his voice from a thousand miles away because I'ts so unique. You need a song to relax or to calm yourself? Well, congratulations, you've finally found it! Watch the official MV for "Gloomy Sunday" right here.

#20 Woodz (former X1) - Waiting (solo comeback) - October 5

There's a huge paradox between the song and the lyrics. The lyrics are sad, this song talks about a toxic relationship to the extent that he's going crazy, but the rhythm is pretty upbeat with these guitar riffs kicking in the chorus and the electric guitar at the end of the chorus. And I really like it. Watch the official MV for "Waiting" right here.

#19 EPEX - Do 4 Me (comeback) - October 26

I love how energetic this song sounds like and this MV looks like. I liked the vibe of their debut track "Lockdown" but honestly thought that it lacked a bit of dynamism. But with "Do 4 me" they really pumped up the energy bar! Plus they look so cute uwu. At this point in their career a refreshing concept suits them better than a bad boy concept. Also, I'm sorry, I usually use group pictures but this time I had to take a picture of him. I don't know his name, but he's so gorgeous and cute at the same time, this hair looks perfect on him (and I know he's a rapper)! Watch the official MV for "Do 4 me" right here.

#18 Tri.Be - Would you run (comeback) - October 12

I absolutely loved their song Doom Doom Ta, it was so addictive and I'm going tell you a secret: I vibe to this song whenever I clean up my room ^^' Anyways, regarding "Would you run", I absolutely LOVE it, except for the verses. I think it's the intro that threw me off, the melody feels too weird for me to grasp. But then you have the pre-choruses and chorus that are totally awesome and addictive, especially that first part before the first chorus drop (they do that only for the first and third chorus). Watch the official MV for "Would you run" right here.

#17 Bol4 - Butterfly Effect - October 26

I am not a big fan of BOL4 but holy moly, I was about to fall sound asleep thanks to these heavenly vocals. The MV is also beautyful and sober at the same time. Watch the official MV for "Butterfly Effect" right here.

#16 N.flying - Sober (repackage comeback) - October 6

Sober is on a whole other register compared to Moonshot. Sober is definitely a slower song, with some blues chords and smooth vocals. I really like this song, but I guess Moonshot is still the number one in my N.Fia heart. Watch the official MV for "Sober" right here.

#15 CNBlue - Love Cut (comeback) - October 20

I'm usually not a fan of the western/cowboy concept, but they totally nailed it. Plus, it's very addictive. Whenever there's a whistling melody you know that the song will get stuck in your head x) Watch the official MV for "Love Cut" right here.

#14 NCT 127 - Favourite (Vampire) (comeback) - October 25

Just like every other NCT song, I had that "WTF" moment when I heard this for the first time. I still am not grasping the verses, but the chorus definitely stole my heart. And y'all know the whistle got me addicted. Watch the official MV for "Favourite (Vampire)" right here.

#13 IU - Strawberry Moon (comeback) - October 18

I love how soothing and calming this MV is, and IU's vocals are so powerful but delicate at the same time, which is why I enjoy it so much. Watch the official MV for "Strawberry Moon" right here.

#12 Youngjae (former GOT7) - Vibin - October 5

This song is such a great song to vibe with in your car! It's just an amazing "feel good" song. Listen to it and it'll brighten up your mood. Youngjae has very soothing and powerful vocals at the same time, and he's killing these notes that are fairly high for a male singer. Also, you HAVE to watch the MV just to see his precious smile. Watch the official MV for "Vibin" right here.

#11 CL - Tie a cherry (comeback) - October 20

Alpha is, for me, CL's best solo album. This album is simply fantastic, the queen is giving us attitude and strenght, and I honestly feel proud. I don't have anything else to say. Watch "Tie a cherry" right here.

#10 Luna (of f(x)) - Madonna - October 6

I guess she really wanted to pay tribute to madonna, and I can totally picture madonna singing this song when she was younger. I really like the rhythm of the song, and Luna's outfits are simply stunning. Watch the official MV for "Madonna" right here.

#9 Ateez - Eternal Sunshine (comeback) - October 3

There's nothing wrong in releasing a summer song in October right? I lowkey like this song more than déjà vu. I'm not saying déjà vu is not a great song, it is, but I prefer the vibe of Eternal Sunshine, and I kinda missed the ciolorful and joyful vibes they previously showed with Wave and Illusion (which was kind of a long time ago). Shoutout to my boy Jongho who's killing those high notes and to my boy Seonghwa for rocking his outfits. Watch the official MV for "Eternal Sunshine" right here.

#8 Ailee - Don't teach me (comeback) - October 27

I can't say anything else than "SHE FREAKIN' KILLED IT"! The musical concept suits her voice SO MUCH, and she was so gorgeous in all her outfits and the choreography was matching the vibe, wery classy with so much attitude, ugh I'm living for it. Watch the official MV for "Don't teach me" right here.

#7 Twice - The feels (single) - October 1 [ENGLISH]

The queens are back with a … prom concept! I don't think any group had that concept before, or at least not a lot thought about it. I have to say that I love the choreography, especially the chorus part. The only thing I'm not fond of in this song is the pre-chorus. As soon as the auto-tune becomes too obvious, it throws me off. But this song is still amazing and VERY CATCHY (as it should from Twice haha). Watch the official MV for "The Feels" right here.

#6 Somi - Xoxo (comeback) - October 29

I've always liked Somi, especially her song "Birthday", but I was waiting for something to happen, I don't know what but something. And that thing happened when "XOXO" came out. For some reason, I kept listening to that song all day long when it came out and it's now on my playlist, and I listen to it at least twice a day. Watch the official MV for "XOXO" right here.

#5 Raiden ft. Taeil, Illiboi - Love right back - October 11

Taeil is one of SM's best vocalists, and I believe that he'd be able to showcase more of his talent if he starts doing solo stuff. I'm not saying he should leave NCT, not at all. But I'd be very happy to see him releasing a single or a solo album before he enlists. Watch the official MV for "Love right back" right here.

#4 Kingdom - Black Crown (comeback) - October 21

These guys have the coolest concept I've ever seen in Kpop. Seriously, calling your group Kingdom and telling the story of different kings that marked history is too cool. Plus, they have killer vocals, and their MVs cannot be even called music videos because they're like movies. And not any group could be able to pull of such concept, so they're really worth checking out if you still don't know them! Watch the official MV for "Black Crown" right here.

Time for honorable mentions!

• Blitzers - Make a mistake - October 6 - Official MV
• Cravity - Veni Vidi Vici - October 7 - Official MV
• Golden Chil - Ddara - October 5 - Official MV
• Pixy - Addicted - October 6 - Official MV
• Blackswan - Close to me - October 14 - Official MV
• Secret Number - Fire Saturday - October 27 - Official MV

 

#3 CL - Let it (comeback) - October 27

The lyrics to that song are so powerful: "I will never change myself to follow the crowd, Just living to be me", "what matters is your dreams, hope plus your spirit". It really made me feel good listening to that song, and CL singing it is even better. Watch the official MV for "Let It" right here.

#2 Enhypen - Tamed-Dashed (comeback) - October 12

I'm absolutely loving the rock vibe every Hybe artist has been going for lately. TXT, Enhypen and Seventeen, it's totally my jam! The chorus is upbeat, and you really want to bop your head to it. I just wished the song was less repetitive towards the end and to have a different, more crazy last chorus, but the song is still amazing! And oh my god, Niki has grown so much! Watch the official MV for "Tamed-Dashed" right here.

#1 Seventeen - Rock with you (comeback) - October 22

This song is so close to become my favourite Seventeen title track. It has everything, the rock vibe, the vocals, the choreo, the MV, the attitude, EVERYTHING! Objectively, this song is perfect. Subjectively, this song is the best that was out in October. Watch the official MV for "Rock With You" right here.

That's it guys! I hope you enjoyed it, and let me know your own favourite releases of October 2021 in the comments down below. Here's the link to the YouTube playlist: Top Kmusic October 2021. 

Take care and I'll see you soon!

Love, Swan

~ Kpop slang 101 ~

Hello everyone, and welcome to "Kpop slang 101"! If you're new to the Kpop world and struggle to understand the "Kpop language", you're in the right place :) This article is like a dictionary for the words we often use within the Kpop community, words that usually don't make sense but that will after you read this. I mentioned the word dictionary, and that's because this article will act like one. All the words will be listed by alphabetical order, with a small definition (and if possible an example). The list will regularly be updated as I might think of other words later on. You can also suggest new words through the comment section, don't be shy!

A

Aegyo: Adopting a cute behaviour (through gestures, face expressions and voice) in order to appear as charming in front of others. Typical cute gestures are finger hearts and poking your cheeks. There are even songs that were created for this sole purpose. However, some idols are forced to do Aegyo when they appear on variety shows to please the fans. Key from Shinee doesn't like Aegyo but was forced to do it when Shinee appeared on Weekly Idol. 

Aigoo: Equivalent of "geez". 

Ahjumma: Word used to designate middle-aged married women (don't call a woman in her 30s ahjumma).

Ahjussi: Word used to designate middle-aged married men. 

B

Bias: Your bias is basically your favourite member of a certain group. Ex: My bias (favourite member) in TXT is Yeonjun. 

Bias Wrecker: The bias wrecker is basically another member of a group who's in a constant "battle" against your bias from the same group. Ex: My bias wrecker in TXT is Hueningkai, meaning that Hueningkai is a close second to Yeonjun. 

Big 3: The big 3 are the 3 biggest entertainment agencies on the market: JYP Entertainment (also referred as JYPE, founded by Park Jin Young), SM entertainment (also referred as SME, founded by Lee Soo Man), and YG entertainment (also referred as YGE, founded by Yang Hyun-Suk). However, with the incredible rise of Hybe Labels (previously known as Big Hit entertainment founded by Bang Si-Hyuk and home to BTS), we can talk about the big 4 instead of the big 3. 

B-side track: In a Kpop album, you have two types of tracks; the title track(s) (usually there's only one title track but sometimes there can be two or even three title tracks), and the b-side tracks, the rest of the songs that are on the album. They don't get promoted as much as title tracks on TV shows and musical shows, and they don't always get an MV. 

C

Comeback: When a group or an artist releases a new song, mini-album, or full album after some time of absence. 

D

Daebak: Translates to "Wow", "Amazing". You can use it to express a situation in which you are amazed, or even surprisingly shocked. 

Daesang: Grand prize rewarded to Kpop artists who sold the highest amount of digital and physical albums. 

Debut: When a group or a solo artist releases their first song or album and start promoting on music shows for the first time. 

Disband: When a group terminates all their activities. Either the contracts are not renewed (usually idol contracts last for 7 years), or one of the parties decides to end the contract (either the company or the members themselves).

Drama: It's the Korean equivalent of series, whenever we say drama we can replace this word by series. 

Dongsaeng: Can mean both little brother and little sister. You can add "Yeo" for girls and "nam" for boy.

E

Eonnie (or noona): Older sister

End-of-year award shows: At the end of the year, mostly towards December, award shows take place in Korea (and sometimes in other countries like Japan, Hong Kong, and Thailand) to reward Kpop groups and artists with prizes. Among the most popular shows are MAMA (Mnet asian music awards), MMA (melon music awards), AAA (asian artist awards), TMA (the fact music awards), the Golden Disc awards, and SBS Gayo Daejeon. 

F

Fanbase/Fandom: The fan community of a certain group/artist. Fandoms have specific names according to the group/artist they follow. The Seventeen fandom is called "Carats", the Stray Kids fandom is called "Stays" and the SHINee fandom is called "Shawols". 

Fanchant: Chants that are made for fans to cheer their favourite idols. They are tailored for specific songs, and sometimes groups would make fan chant guides right after the release of their new song so their fans could cheer them up during music shows, award shows and concerts.

Fingerheart: A gesture proper to the Kpop culture where you make the shape of a heart with your index and your thumb (psst...there's one right at the top of the blog page!)

G

Greeting: Every group who debuts has a sentence and sign they use when presenting themselves to the public during variety shows, interviews, etc. Some groups just casually say "Hello we are (name of group)", but most groups have a greeting that is proper to them. Example: "One dream, hello we are TXT", "Say the name Seventeen! Hello we are Seventeen", "Bang-Tan! Hello we are BTS!", "Connect! Hello we are Enhypen".

H

Hallyu: That's how we call the "Korean wave" (the spread of the Korean culture all around the world). 

Hyung (or Oppa): Older brother. 

Hwaiting: A word of encouragement. Synonym of "fighting", "break a leg". 

I

Idol: When someone officially debuts, they pass from the status of "trainee" to the status of "idol". That's how Kpop stars are called. 

K

Kpop band: The difference between a Kpop group and Kpop band is the instruments. Groups dance, bands play their instruments.

L

Lightstick: A stick that lights up during concerts and performances. What's special about it is that every group has their own stick designed to suit their universe (example: army bomb is the lightstick of BTS, making reference to their fandom). During concerts, they can be of different colours and can be synced together via bluetooth. 

M

Maknae: The youngest member of a group. 

Multi-fandom (or multi): When someone supports more than one artist or one group at once. 

Music Show: After making a debut or a comeback, groups and artists promote their songs on music shows that are broadcasted on Korean TV. Some of the most popular ones are MCountdown, Inkigayo and Music Bank. At the end of the show, fans will vote for their favourite group and performance, and the winner gets a trophy. The first music show win is a memorable milestone in the life of a Kpop group. 

O

OST: Translates to Original Soundtrack, which are soundtracks of movies or dramas (usually dramas). A lot of Idols and Groups of idols record soundtracks to help the promotion of movies and dramas. For example, the OST for the drama "Itaewon Class" was sung by Woosung of the Korean Band "The Rose". 

R

Rookie: When an idol or a group debuts, they are not immediately called "idols" but "rookies". It is the status of groups and artists who have just started their careers, the "newbies". 

S

Sasaeng: Crazy fans to the point of obsession. They are capable of everything just to touch an idol, get an object from them or get a picture with them. Idols suffer from the behaviour of these fans, which cannot be called fans. 

Sub-unit: A sub-group within a group, example: NCT 127 is a sub-unit within the group NCT. 

Sunbae: Senior (in the academic field and professional field)

T

Trainee: Before debuting, Kpop starts go through a "training" period that can vary from one person to another (for the same group, one person could've trained for 1 year, and another person could've trained for 5 years). During this period, they are trained to sing, dance, rap and compose. The training period is known to be very harsh, and it is what makes Kpop idols so performant starting from their debut. 

U

Ultimate Bias: The King or Queen of your bias list. You might have multiple biases across all Kpop groups, but you shall have only one Ultimate Bias. 

V

Variety shows: Popular shows in Korea like "Weekly Idol", "Running man", "Idol Room" and many others, where idols appear to play games and do all sorts of activities to promote their latest release. Some groups have their own Variety/Reality shows like Seventeen with "Going Seventeen", BTS with "Run BTS", and TXT with "TalkXToday". 

V Live: A type of social media used by Kpop idols to communicate with fans. They stream on it, give juicy information, sing live, or just chat with their fans. 

~ September 2021 ~

Hello everyone and welcome to the top Kmusic of September 2021! This month was full of amazing comebacks which made it very hard for me to rank all of them. The top 3 kept changing to be honest but I had to make up my mind. I just want to remind you that this ranking is purely subjective and based on my own personal preferences. Your favourite releases might be on a low ranking, others might not even be there, and that's because we all don't have similar tastes.

Now, before we start, here's the usual disclaimer: All the pictures included in this article are screenshots taken by me from official music videos. If there is copyright infringement, I apologize in advance and will remove any problematic picture upon the owner's request. The link of the YouTube playlist can be found at the end of the article. I decided to make YouTube playlists instead of Spotify or Apple Music playlists to make it available for everyone. 

#23 Hyuna & Dawn - Ping Pong (duo debut) - September 9

These two are so unique. I love how everyday they show the world they're a beautiful couple and that they don't care about what others say about them. This song is as crazy as they are, and I love how they assume their musical signature that is, let's admit it, very special and unique. I want to praise the creativity and the professionalism behind the MV. This release could've easily been a mess but it wasn't, thanks to the team behind it. The reason why this song is in last place this month is because it is so special that I cannot listen to it very often. Watch the official MV for "Ping Pong" right here.

#22 Seori ft. eaJ (Jae of Day6) - Dive with you - September 16

VOCALS!!! VOCALS VOCALS VOCALS! Seori starting the song, and then Jae coming in in the second verse is a perfect combination. Also, I don't know where they shot the MV but the location is stunning. I could picture myself running on the beach.  The song in itself is very refreshing and nice to listen to. Watch the official MV for "Dive with you" right here.

#21 Lisa (of Blackpink) - Lalisa (solo debut) - September 10

The choreography for this song is DOPE, the outfits are badass and cool as hell, and the MV is very well shot. Lisa smells confidence and talent. However, I'm going to be honest, I'm not a fan of the song. There's too much electronic sounds and I don't like the instrumental and melody. Hence why I couldn't rank this higher. Watch the official MV for "Lalisa" right here.

#20 Stray Kids - Surfin' (unit release) - September 15

This song suits the personality of Changbin, Lee Know and Felix. It is a very summery, lighthearted song, with a very catchy hook. I wish it was released during summer though. The MV is very bright and the choreography is RELATIVELY easy to replicate (I say relatively because I wouldn't be able to do a single move). Watch the official MV for "Surfin'" right here.

#19 Kim Woojin (former Stray Kids) - In my space (comeback) - September 29

This song is proof that you don't need a lot of money to make a great song and a great MV. The song is impactful because of its simplicity. What really touched my heart is Woojin's vocals. Woojin is an incredible singer, and his vocals were already showcased in the previous songs he made. But this one is different because the song sounds nostalgic and melancholic. I love it when he goes in the deeper tones. The MV is pretty simple as well, but it definitely does the job. Watch the official MV for "In my space" right here.

#18 Ateez - Deja Vu (comeback) - September 13

I remember listening to Pirate King and Treasure (Ateez's debut songs), and thinking "wow, this group is going to be big". Then, I was embarked on an amazing journey with Ateez as pilots and Atinys as passengers. This ride was made of ups and downs, my best moment being when they released Inception. Inception has to be my favourite Ateez title track. I won't say that Déjà vu is a bad song because it's not, it's a very sensual song with a very sexy choreography. I loved the sets and the outfits (especially at the rain scene, oh my god they all looked so fine) abd I liked how they tried to step out of their comfort zone (and did it pretty well). But I still wished this song was a tiny bit different. I don't know, something is still missing for me to rank it higher. Watch the official MV for "Deja Vu" right here.

#17 NCT 127 - Sticker (comeback) - September 17

Had this song been released at the end of the month it would've ranked lower, because I always have a hard time processing a new NCT song. Every time they release a new song, especially the 127 unit, I first go like "what the hell is that". And then, the song grows on me. Although I still don't get the concept behind the MV, I totally love how vocal-centric this song is. My favourite part has to be the chorus, although they sometimes abused of the autotune. The choreography is also eye-catchy. This is not my favourite NCT 127 title track, but this song is definitely something. Watch the official MV for "Sticker" right here.

#16 Young K (of Day6) - Guard You (solo debut) - September 6

I'm sick of watching all my favourite artists going to the military. I know we can't do anything, but it still hurts to think that we won't hear any new music or see any new projects for quite a long time. Young K left us at least an amazing goodbye gift with his first solo album. It does take the pop route more than the rock route, but I really like this song. The part that quickly got stuck in my head was the "I, will never let you cry" right before the chorus drops. I really love how the "cry" goes into minor out of nowhere. That's something day6 does a lot: playing with major/minor chords and with the rythmic progression of songs, and I LOVE it. Watch the official MV for "Guard you" right here.

#15 JayB (of Got7) ft. Junny - Fame - September 27

Although I'm not a fan of the RnB genre, this song is different. When I heard it for the first time, I was like "this song is great, but I just don't like RnB so it's not my type of music". But then on the second listen, the chorus hit me hard. Jay B's vocals are shining through this song, especially through the chorus. Junny is a great addition to the song, I didn't know him before but he still adds a small touch. Watch the official MV for "Fame" right here.

#14 Itzy - Loco (comeback) - September 24

As much as I love Itzy, I didn't really like mafia in the morning. But Loco is a whole different story. First, the song is very upbeat, and I love the energy this song conveys. Second, the MV is very colorful and full of attitude. I love when Yuna is "walking" on a billboard like she's the queen of the red carpet, and how Lia & Chaeryeong are rocking this choreography. Last but not least, this song is very catchy and easy to sing along and dance to. I'm definitely a fan of this concept, and the other songs on this album are as good as the title track if not better. Watch the official MV for "Loco" right here.

#13 E'last - Dark dream (comeback) - September 29

This group has been on my radar since their debut. Their identity is very unique, and they give off a very 2nd gen vibe which I absolutely dig. We can find this same epic/melancholic vibe in all the title tracks they've released so far, and I absolutely love it. They really showcased their vocals on that one, and the MV is gorgeous. Their outfits and face expressions are on point. I also love how the choreography is strong but fluid at the same time. Watch the official MV for "Dark dream" right here.

#12 CL - Lover like me (pre-release) - September 29 

I think it's safe to say that we're all excited for the Queen's return. CL is back, and I'm so happy. Talking about this song, it's surprisingly "american", in a good way. Because Kpop is becoming popular in the US, a lot of groups and artists are trying to "modify their style" to fit the needs of the american market, and, well... it usually flops in my humble opinion. But here, CL is just being herself. She doesn't need to modify anything, and that's what's great about her. Watch the official MV for "Lover like me" right here.

#11 Monsta X - One Day (single) - September 10 [ENGLISH]

Oh gosh how I wished this song was longer! I hope with this song everyone realised how good Jooheon's vocals are (they all had amazing vocals in this song). I really can't wait to be at a Monsta X concert to hear that song performed live. Watch the official MV for "One Day" right here.

#10 Dowoon (of Day6) ft. Seong Heejin - Out of the blue (digital single) - September 27 

I was so excited when I heard that Dowoon was going to release a solo track (although I would've wanted a whole album but a single is already good). Dowoon's voice goes so well with Seong Heejin's. The mix of both voices sounds cute, adding to that the MV with all the nice and cute drawings, you get a comfy song to listen to. I'm sure I'll hear this song whenever I need comfort. Watch the official MV for "Out of the blue" right here.

#9 Stray Kids - Gone Away (unit release) - September 17

I'll always be amazed by how good Han is at rapping and singing. I'm so proud of I.N and Seungmin, they've gotten so much better, it shows that they worked hard to reach this level. Out of all the unit songs that are on the "Noeasy" album, this one's my favourite. Watch the official MV for "Gone Away" right here.

#8 Woosung (of The Rose) - Dimples (solo comeback) - September 23

I'm really proud of Woosung's positive attitude regarding what happened with The Rose's company. I don't know where things are regarding that matter, but what I'm happy to see is that Woosung keeps making music, and everyone should know how amazing of an artist he is. Woosung has this thing in his voice that you can't miss even if you're a thousand miles away. That's his vocal signature, and he does it so well. The song is very energetic and makes you want to dance, and the chorus is really catchy and makes you want to sing along (even though you'll end up talking in 'yogurt' like they do in animal crossing but we don't care right). Watch the official MV for "Dimples" right here.

#7 Stray Kids - Cheese - September 10

This song is so funny and clever at the same time. The bridge talks about blue cheese, cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese (Felix's line), but then they address their haters by telling them "You find 'du du du du' funny? (reference to god's menu) What's so funny about A-class?" There's only Stray Kids to make this type of songs out there and I love it. Oh, and lastly, "HANA, DEUL, SET, CHEESE!" Watch the official MV for "Cheese" right here.

#6 Stray Kids - The View - September 3

If you guys want to stan a versatile group, go stan stray kids. These guys have everything from electronic to pop to ballad to summer vibes to cringey to intense rap to whatever else remains. I have to admit that I find it easier to listen to their summery songs, and Blueprint was my favourite in that category. But The View definitely joined the chat right now. I really appreciated that they got the chance to perform it on a live stage, it gave the opportunity for the choreography to shine. As for the song, my favourite part has to be the one right before the last chorus drops, that part where Changbin and Lee Know go crazy with their vocals (oh my god Lee Know, he improved so much lately and I'm so proud of him). Watch the official MV for "The View" right here.

#5 Oneus - Life is beautiful - September 2

It felt so good to have a fresh concept from them. It's been long since they've done a song like this and I'm not going to complain. As much as I love their deeper stuff, this song is a good refresher and came in time. The song is very chill and I love the instrumental, although I don't know what that instrument is... maybe a flute? I'm not sure. It just gives a nice and cool "tropical" vibe to the song and I absolutely love it. Watch the official MV for "Life is beautiful" right here.

#4 Coldplay ft. BTS - My Universe - September 24

I always loved Coldplay's music and the positive messages they conveyed in their songs. I had the chance to see them in concert in 2017, which is still one of the best concerts I've ever attended. I remember singing my heart out to every single song and to jump around until I was out of breath. The same thing happened when I went to see BTS in concert in 2019, and to think that my favourite non kpop group was going to collaborate with BTS was crazy. I think that deep down I was hoping for this to happen, but like Chris Martin said in the behind the scenes video, I never thought it was actually possible. But it happened, and thank god it did. Even though they come from very different worlds, they still wanted to convey the same message of love and acceptance, and this is what allowed them to come together around 1 song. And what a song! First, I'm so happy it includes korean lyrics. Second, the fact that Chris Martin actually flew to South Korea to record the song with BTS is proof that this collaboration is genuine. Third, the lyrics are so beautiful and communicative. Fourth, all the harmonies in that song sounds like heaven to my ears. And, last but not least, CHRIS MARTIN SANG THE KOREAN LYRICS DURING THE GLOBAL CITIZEN LIVE PERFORMANCE!!! You guys, this was awesome, and I can't wait for them to perform together on an actual stage (although the BTS holograms were cool). Watch the official MV for "My universe" right here.

Honorable mentions:

• Cravity - Divin' (comeback) - September 15 - Official MV
• Ciipher - Blind (comeback) - September 28 - Official MV
• AB6IX - Cherry (comeback) - September 27 - Official MV
• Wonho - Blue (solo comeback) - September 14 - Official MV
• Mamamoo - Mumumumuch (comeback) - September 15 - Official MV
• StayC - Stereotype (comeback) - September 6 - Official MV

 

#3 Ha Hyunsang (of Hoppipolla) - Burning sunset - August 28

I know this song was released in August but I discovered it not long ago and couldn't not mention it. So, here's the perfect recipe to kill me: You put someone who has amazing and powerful vocals with a nostalgic vibe to it, you add instruments (especially bass and electric guitars) and there it is, you have me dead. Seriously, songs made by kpop bands or soloists who come from bands are so underrated and I have trouble understanding why. They are as talented, they trained as well, they just play instruments instead of dancing. And if they don't come from one of the Big 3 chances are that the majority of the community don't even know they exist. And this is so unfair. This is why I'm doing these rankings, for you to discover such amazing people. Ladies and gentlemen, this is Ha Hyunsang from the band Hoppipolla (winners of the contest "superband") and his fourth digital single Burning sunset, a song that will hit you in the feels. Watch the live clip for "Burning Sunset" right here.

#2 A.C.E - Changer - September 2

You guys know that I fell in love with A.C.E recently (and I regret it not getting into them before because now they're enlisting in the military and I just hate myself for this), and if you still are unfamiliar with them you can check out the presentation I made about them right here. This song… made me cry. I know it's an upbeat song and they all look happy in the MV, but I couldn't help but feel sad watching this. I love the second part of the chorus where they go "Changer, Changer, Love is like a danger". I also love the choreography at that part. This song will always hold a special place to my heart, because it hit me in the feels even though I can't really explain why. Watch the official MV for "Changer" right here.

#1 Key (of SHINee) - Bad Love (solo comeback) - September 27

This song had to be number one. I have so many things to say about this song and I don't know what to start with ^^' Well, first, the retro vibe has been overused for the past two years, but it's Key, so it's fine. What I mean by that is Key has his own way of doing things, this is why this song doesn't sound like any other retro song. Then, the MV is really well produced. The outfits, the sets, the choreography sections, everything looks perfect. Special mention to the backup dancers who really make Key shine in the center. I just have to say that I fell in love with that red and black trakcsuit. It looks so good on him. Last but not least, HIS VOCALS! I knew Key was a great vocalist, and I always thought that he had a unique timber. He finally had the chance to showcase the whole scope of his vocals. I really like how he switches from soft to powerful vocals, he has such great control over his voice which is achievable only with hard work. Watch the official MV for "Bad Love" right here.

That's it! These were my favourite kmusic releases of the month of September 2021! Feel free to comment down below your own favourites, and which release are you looking forward to in the next months. Don't forget that the end of the year is coming and that the form for the "Swans awards" first edition will be available  starting November 1st (let's pretend last year's edition didn't happen ok?). 

If you want to listen to all the songs on this ranking back-to-back, here's the YouTube playlist link: Top Kmusic September 2021.

Take care and I'll see you all soon!

Love, Swan

 

Sources: YouTube.