Bunni Pop's February faves: Featuring IU, BIBI, P1Harmony, CRAVITY and TWICE
Not too shabby for a month I've dubbed the "Tuesday of the year"
This month felt slow and fast at the same time, thanks to wild schedule changes in my day-to-day. But during this time, I also got to work on some exciting features that I’ll hopefully get to share with you soon. So without further ado, here’s what I’ve been digging into in February.
TWICE - ‘I Got You’
I can always trust the girls of TWICE to deliver a hit. From dance bops to bubblegum pop, I don’t think the group has ever failed to hit the mark for me when it comes to singles. ‘I Got You’ is no exception. The English language song is a love letter to fans, with the band travelling by ship and frolicking by the waves. The synth-wave instrumental paired with sentimental lyrics feel like a warm embrace assuring fans (known as ONCE) that they’ll always be by their side.
BIBI - ‘Bam Yang Gang’
Whimsical, adorable and quirky, BIBI’s ‘Bam Yang Gang’ reminds me of a song I’d listen to while watching a French romantic comedy. Many people were surprised to see BIBI release such a track after delivering (very 88rising-like) dance bangers and R&B songs like ‘The Weekend’ and ‘BIBI Vengeance’.
“I didn’t know BIBI could do aeygo (cute ) like that!” said one TikTok commenter I read. But to be frank, I’ve always known BIBI to have that versatility in her.
I only discovered BIBI because she is the creator of some of my favourite OSTs from dramas like Our Beloved Summer and Twenty-Five Twenty One. BIBI knows how to perform for every mood, which makes ‘Bam Yang Gang’ such a winner. ‘Bam Yang Gang’ also marked her 1st Perfect All-Kill, sweeping the Korean music charts in February.
P1Harmony - Killin’ It (studio album)
I like to think of P1Harmony as my dorky and hilarious Gen Z little brothers, and a group that continuously makes me want to root hard for them. At a time when singles and mini-albums are becoming more and more the norm in the K-pop industry, P1Harmony finally delivered their first studio album four years after their debut. Jongseob, Keeho, Jiung and Intak all played a role in co-writing tracks on the 10-song album, which the band has described their most “personal” project yet.
P1Harmony has honestly come so far from its days performing in museums and theatres. The members look more confident and comfortable in their skin these days. Not to mention, they all seem to be having a lot of fun during this comeback.
CRAVITY - EVERSHINE (mini album)
CRAVITY is a group that has slowly crept up on me, mostly because of their whacky and impressive dance challenge videos. (Can any of us really forget Taeyoung and Hyeongjun’s “Let me sit this…”? The athleticism!)
But EVERSHINE is the first comeback in which I started paying attention to the group, mostly because they somewhat remind me of a younger version of Seventeen. ‘Love or Die’ is like the baby sibling of Seventeen’s ‘Ready To Love.’ While ‘Mr.’ reminds me of a song you might hear on Seventeen’s earlier albums. I obviously don’t want to compare the two groups too much as they each have their unique and special qualities. But to me, CRAVITY has a charm that makes me want to learn more about them.
If I’m being honest, it took me months to enter the diamond life with Seventeen. I think I might be headed down the same path with CRAVITY.
IU - The Winning (EP)
Like the title of this EP, IU totally won me over with her first release in three years. Now in her 30s, the album features songs and themes on how she wants to approach this new phase in her life. She dreams big. She encourages her fans to follow their own journeys. And while forging your own path isn’t always easy, she reminds us that love is always there to save us. The Winning is a stunning body of work that follows a cohesive theme of growing older, and IU utilizes her acting chops, songwriting talents and vocal prowess to tell that story.
This is a reason why she remains South Korea’s top female soloist, and why demand for her first North American tour recently was OVERWHELMING. (I would know, I was in the ticketing queue…) IU deserves her flowers and more.
A Killer Paradox
This isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea. Violent, dark and at times gratuitous, A Killer Paradox follows a college student (played by Choi Woo-shik) who finds himself accidentally killing someone, only to find out the person he murdered is a serial killer. Meanwhile, Son Suk-ku is the dogged detective who will stop at nothing to capture him.
While Choi Woo-shik plays dorky so well, I actually love it when he goes dark and creepy in his roles. This is a bit like his role in The Witch: Part 1 - The Subversion. I personally love an actor who keeps me on my toes.
Shōgun
This show is a bit like Game of Thrones, except it’s set in ancient Japan. Based on the novel of the same name by James Clavell, Shōgun follows Lord Yoshii Toranaga (Hiroyuki Sanada) as he fights for his life against his enemies on the Council of Regents who unite against him. However, he has a secret weapon to aid him in his war: a British pilot (played by a very charming Cosmo Jarvis) who finds himself and his crew captive under Toranaga. This is an epic series that features heart-racing fight scenes, smart scheming and beautiful cinematography. Add this to your list ASAP.
Gangnam Project
An Asian-Canadian gal like me is just so proud a show like Gangnam Project exists. As creator Sarah Haasz told me in an interview recently, something like this would have probably never been greenlit five to six years ago.
Gangnam Project follows a spirited biracial Korean-Canadian teen who accepts a job as an English tutor at a Korean entertainment company, only to find herself as a K-pop trainee. While the show was filmed primarily in Canada, it makes a big effort in creating an authentic experience for the audience. From the catchy songs to the lives of young teens hoping to make their dreams come true, Gangnam Project is a cute show that achieves a lot in the span of ten 30-minute episodes. Learn more about the series by reading my interview with showrunners Sarah Haasz and Romeo Candido.
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