To commemorate the halfway point to what hopefully will be an even more awesome second half of 2014, here are the staff picks of their favorite songs so far in 2014.
Paul: JungGiGo ft. Beenzino "Want U"
Just listen to it above. The track is smooth and chill, easy to bob your head to and it doesn't hurt that it was produced by the talented Duble Sidekick. JungGigo's smooth voice is a good pair with Beenzino's fast spitting rhymes.
Eric: 2NE1 "Crush"
The South Korean quartet bring their powerful and quirky style to the fore with "Crush," an EDM sonic assault that will leave you floored. This song is ringing in my ears at my desk and at the gym. With lyrics by the band's leader CL, she truly proves once again that she is "the baddest female."
Jenny: B.A.P "1004 (Angel)"
While I prefer their "Warrior" style better, I still love this song. I've a fondness for it because it won B.A.P their first ever music show wins, and I'm really hoping that this was the step up for them. It's true that the boys kind of had to put aside their usual warrior image for a bit, but I think they still managed to show their original image too. Plus, Bang Yong Guk's voice and rap never gets old.
KG & Joy: Soyu & JungGiGo "Some"
KG: I like this song because of the performance. The performance is not showy and there's no point dance. Rather, JungGiGo and Soyu stand on stage without knowing what to do, adding a touch of pureness to the song. It doesn't even appear like they can look each other in the eyes; there's a certain awkwardness when they walk on stage together. However, this adds to the song's feeling of having "something going on," as people like to say these days--they express this perfectly through the performance.
Joy: This song has been one of the hottest songs of 2014, ranking number 1 on music charts for numerous weeks, trumping some of most anticipated comebacks for the first half of the year. And for good reason! The pure vocals of Soyu and JungGiGo perfectly pair with the cute, romantic lyrics of the song. In retrospect, everyone loves that butterfly feeling you get when you have a crush and are wondering whether they like you back or not. The adorable music video with B1A4's Baro and SISTAR's Dasom is really just the cherry on top of this perfect young-love song.
Annie: Hyosung "Good-night Kiss"
It has been a long time since I've discovered such a catchy dance song in K-Pop that I can't get out of my head and put on replay (granted 4minute's "Whacha Doin' Today" is another good one). As soon as this song comes on, I immediately want to sing along and dance along (in my head because no one needs to see that train wreck), which is what makes it a memorable song I can listen to years from now.
James: Yuna Kim "Without You Now"
It's always awesome to see crafty veterans like Tiger JK and Yoon Mi Rae take a rising young star under their wing. Yuna Kim came out with solid debut song "Without You Now." With Tiger JK and Yooni Mi Rae on the hook, the song is catchy and bubbly with a 'Western feel' to it. Play on playa.
Seung: IU "Kung Ddari Sha Bah Rah"
This song has a special meaning to me; "Kung Dari Shabara" was THE dance song to rock out to when I was growing up in Korea in the mid-90s, and rock out I did. IU did a fantastic job with it, putting her own unique spin on a famous song while maintaining its original happy-go-lucky atmosphere. The lyrics go something along the lines of, "When things go wrong, just put down everything and scream." It's hard to find a stanza that can make you smile, but this one does.
Carol: Kiss&Cry "Domino Game"
Unlike some of my fellow staff' picks, the song I chose didn't dominate charts or come from well-known artists. Rather, it's one that I just think deserves more attention and I consider one of the best so far this year, purely based on what I enjoy and what I think we should hear more of. As someone who keeps up with daily releases, it's rare to come across a song these days that immediately strikes me as "Oh, that's different." And that was the reaction I had within a few seconds of opening up the music video of "Domino Game" by Winning Insight's new girl group Kiss&Cry. It's definitely not an unfamiliar sound, but at the same time it's not a completely familiar sound in the K-Pop world, especially in the recent years. The bit of the Latin flavor it has combined with the distinct brass sounds, all complemented with the powerful voices of this new group, make Kiss&Cry a name that I look forward to in the heavily saturated idol market.
Priscilla: Jun.K "Love & Hate"
I know I'm being somewhat of a rebel by choosing a Japanese release, but I am a HOTTEST at heart and I love how groovy this song is! With its eclectic mix of genres, I don't think I can ever get bored of it. Not to mention, Jun.K took part in composing and writing this. His solo album also topped the Oricon Daily Album Chart and more.
Elisa: Boyfriend "Obsession"
"Obsession" didn't get my attention right off the bat, but it's a track that gets more interesting the longer it plays. I like the sprinkling of old-school K-pop here and there as well as the hint of funk. The instrumental especially makes the song stand out for me.
Hyera: Sunmi "Full Moon"
I wasn't a fan of Sunmi or "24 Hours" but this song, man. It's a greatly composed pop song and one of the better releases by JYP of late. The sassy piano pounding in the background alongside a frolicking guitar partnered with Sunmi's breathy vocals makes for one hell of a listen.
Eunice: Akdong Musician "Melted"
The tune is beautiful yet haunting, the singing is emotional, and the lyrics are so touching I feel like I'm getting a verbal kick in the heart every time I take a listen. If you ever feel like being emo over the cruelty of this world (#sosad #qqfordays) then THIS IS THE SONG FOR YOU.
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