How tf have y’all been?!?

There’s no denying that 2020 is the worst, but the Hallyu world seems to be unbothered at this point? For the lack of a better word? If anything, its influence has grown exponentially this year. From people arguing about K-drama lores more than ever to BTS snagging Grammy nods and more K-Pop groups gaining international footing, Hallyu’s (and SoKor’s) soft power truly manifested and escalated this year, in this economy!

K-Pop groups continued to stage comebacks as the show needs to go on, so this means there’s ton of material out there to explore. In this post, we will be looking at the best b-cuts (IMO) from some of the hottest girl groups out there.

Why girl groups, you ask? OP believes that gg music is far more superior. Arguable, yes, but based from the groups that I have witnessed as a follower of the genre, most of the releases that tend to be more diverse and interesting are from the girls. I’m not gonna go on and rant about it because at the end of the day, music is music blah blah but…

P.S: I listen to boy groups as well and that will be my next post which will be published who-knows-when.

So, let’s get this roasta cooking and listen to some great non-title bops!

Pantomime by WJSN – This is by far the best b-side that all of K-Pop has to offer this year. I can even say it’s waaay better than tons of title tracks out there. It contains everything that I’ve liked about the genre – its whimsy, quirkiness, kitsch, and the unabashed tendency to be all of those at once. This song is such a trip and it deserves all the shine despite being relegated as a b-side.

Dream In A Dream by Lovelyz – This song gives off the same vibe as Pantomime but with a more sinister tone. While it starts off on the same eerie pace, it escalates towards the end with the girls of Lovelyz flexing their pipes for days!

Break the Wall by Dreamcatcher – DC has been doing a great job in switching up their sound especially this year. Scream and Boca may pander to current trends in K-Pop but it still has that Dreamcatcher touch all over it. However, songs like Break the Wall remind us of what really set this group apart from the plethora of groups gracing the scene.

Eye of the Storm by GFriend – Speaking of switch-ups, 2020 really brought us a totally different GFriend, huh? From the sultry Apple to the groovy MAGO (that I’ve been having serious LSS for days), the old GFriend was far from the phone right now. That’s why Eye of the Storm is a breath of fresh air as its sound brings us back to their hustling era (that’s not to say they aren’t now but you get the gist).

Diamond by Red Velvet Irene and Seulgi – I did kinda enjoy Monster as much as the next person out there but the sound in Diamond should’ve been the foundation of I&S. This sub-unit is the best chance to flex their Velvet concept and it’s unfortunate they had to go with a crowd-pleaser like Monster. That’s so not RV (or SM even). And while we’re at it, had it not been Diamond, Naughty deserved the bigger promo!

Tweaks (Heavy Cloud But No Rain) by GWSN – Also trading their signature sound for a more commercially appealing track is GWSN. However, it’s good to know that they still have their goods kept well in the form of their b-sides. Red Velvet would kill for this track, it’s that good!

Say Something by Twice – In all honesty, I wouldn’t even thought of Twice to tackle citypop and I mean that with no shade. But here we are, and I am living for it! My eyes (and ears) are truly wide open.

Untouchable by Everglow – This group gets the award for the biggest glow-up among newer groups this year with Ladida. And they just keep on impressing with this sultry b-side. Imagine Everglow went from serving vanilla EDM tracks to sophisticated newtro queens?

Voice by LOONA – I’m just so relieved that Loona can still deliver this kind of luster because the recent titles that they’ve been promoting are…*Naomi Campbell voice* I’m not gonna comment. *laughs*

Oops I’m Sorry by APRIL – The way DSP timed the follow-up to what Oh My Mistake achieved in 2018 is a crime that remains unforgivable to this day. Especially when you have a song like this which is a perfect to continuation to what OMM was all about.

Like This by STAYC – When you have Black Eyed Pilseung (TWICE, APink, SISTAR) by your side, it’s expected that you’ll have bops to serve. STAYC just did that with this track. There’s so much to look forward to this group, really.

Mulgogi (Fish) by fromis_9 – The girls of fromis_9 remain to be one of those groups that consistently release great tracks (Fun included!) but do not get the recognition they deserve. Take Mulgogi for example, such a groovy tune to accompany a song about finding happiness despite being withheld like a fish in an aquarium. Give them their first win already!

Dolphin by Oh My Girl – We’re not gonna end a feature on b-sides without the most successful one this year. What I like about Dolphin is that it reminds me of their older work – commercially appealing but with a little quirk here and there. OMG used to be really great with this mix but I guess the charts wanted them to go Nonstop. Oh well, still really happy for them!

I feel like I’ve swam to the depths of the ocean with this b-sides (because fish and dolphin, get it?) but I’d love to hear what you think about this prime selection of b-sides from South Korea’s pop girls. Check out the playlist I made as well below for your optimum listening pleasure.

Before we end though, lemme add this one track because this song and artist deserves the world. PEOPLE SLEEP ON BEDS, NOT ON YUKIKA SO DO YOUR PART AND STREAM SOUL LADY!