EXID Blooms with the End of [Re:flower] Project
EXID is undoubtedly one of South Korea’s most loved girl groups in history. Since the group’s debut in 2012, the five girls became well known for their cheerful personalities, a 180-degree change from their captivating stage presence. Throughout the years, surely no K-Pop fan has never heard of EXID; songs like “위아래,” “Ah Yeah,” “Hot Pink,” “덜덜덜,”and more are legendary tracks that cannot be forgotten due to their catchy beats and viral dances. To reminisce the journey the team has taken with their debut, EXID released a special [Re:flower] project as a recollection of their past; revealing five different projects as a monthly series, the girls shared remastered versions of B-sides from their previous albums.
Project #1: “꿈에”
The first flower bloomed in January with Solji being the first in line to share her solo remastered version of “꿈에.” A track with a modern acoustic vibe, Solji evoked a wave of nostalgia with her comforting voice. Fans waiting for the singer’s return were washed in sentimental emotions and sent messages of gratitude, thanking Solji for her beautiful voice (undoubtedly the best present to give to LEGGOs).
Project #2: “Don’t Want a Drive”
“Don’t Want a Drive” gives off a groovy vibe along with its sentimental mood set by the lyrics. A constant repetition of “Will you take me home / I don’t want a drive” shows how much one wishes to stay with their lover despite the relationship already gone cold. EXID presents a harmonious combination of multiple voices intermixing with the steady beats. Solji, Jeonghwa, Hani, and Hyelin’s tones succeeded in bringing the soft emotions to life with LE’s gentle rapping filling heavy hearts with consolation.
Project #3: “How Why”
“How Why” highlights the serene vocals of the members. The calm but impactful intro to the song definitely draws in the listener. Furthermore, LE’s rap over the distinct rhythm played the role in giving off the modern atmosphere of the song along with instrumental sounds weaved into the base.
Project #4: “A Sul Hae”
In comparison to the other B-sides, “A Sul Hae” is certainly in a different category. From the desperate emotions conveyed to the audience, one can figure out that this track talks about a relationship falling apart. Raps and vocals interchanging helps clear listeners’ mind as they focus on the melody line and lyrics to observe the feelings of the other.
Project #5: “Better Together”
A rhythmic pace set with the mix of acoustic sounds and drums, “Better Together” has a dreamy and groovy feel to it as a result of the varied voices of the vocals. Nevertheless, this track is the perfect match to end [Re:flower] as expressing the idea that EXID is better together as well as the universal application of “two is better than one.”
EXID brought an end to their [Re:flower] Project this July. A brief overlook of their last six years in the K-Pop industry, the group created a chance to indicate their diverse music styles aside from their major hits. The girls being able to reveal their somewhat hidden B-sides to the public proved their substantial roles as figures spreading Korean music throughout the world. With a rediscovery of the group’s five treasures, it is worth anticipating the upcoming comeback, the day when we can finally meet EXID as a whole once again.