[K-pop Report Card] Bops, flops, way too much tropical pop
As hot as the season itself, July and August saw a relentless stream of K-pop releases all fighting for their own moment. Some delivered, but quite a few were just lukewarm. One question kept coming to mind: How much longer is K-pop going to see something work and immediately decide everyone needs to do the same thing? Taste in music is subjective, and one person's skip might be another's song of…
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July and August brought a flurry of K-pop releases, each vying for attention. Some songs resonated, while others failed to make an impact. The question arose: how long will K-pop keep repeating successful formulas without innovation? Music preference is personal, and what one person dismisses another might champion as the song of the year. These opinions are mine, not definitive judgments.
On July 6, i-dle released "We Made EP" featuring the track "Gimme Dat Love." This song marked a shift, blending electronic beats with Latin, tropical, and Afrobeats influences. While the genre-hopping was exciting, the song's production lacked the necessary edge, and the vocals seemed overly polished. The beat had potential, but the vocals felt underdeveloped.
Later, on July 10, Yeonjun dropped "NO LABELS: PART 02 EP" with the track "Ice Cream." This song was deemed worthy of multiple listens.
Written by urgent.news from The Korea Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- [K-pop Report Card] Bops, flops, way too much tropical pop koreatimes.co.kr
