Throwback Thursday: Staff Picks Part 1
Throwback Thursday is back once again to bring another wave of nostalgia with a list filled with classic favorites. This week, the staff at The Kraze are bringing some of their picks that they want to highlight for Throwback Thursday. Get ready for a blast from the past as we look at some of The Kraze staff picks and see why they picked that song!
“HERO” - MONSTA X
Aleena, Writer & Editor
Starting off this week’s Throwback Thursday is MONSTA X with their music video for “HERO.” Recently celebrating their first music show win, MONSTA X has been in the K-Pop scene since May of 2015. “HERO” was released later that year in conjunction with their first comeback album, Rush. The idol group is currently promoting their latest song, “DRAMARAMA” and have spent the past year touring around the world, greeting fans. In the two years that they have been active, they have surely come a long way and can only continue to rise as one of the hottest K-Pop idol groups to date.
Aleena: “This is the song that introduced me to MONSTA X. The vocals, rap, arrangement, visuals, and choreography, all shot on a rooftop, make this a catchy song to play on repeat on YouTube. It's truly the anthem of the year.”
“Heartbeat” - 2PM
Melissa, Promoter
Known as the “beastly idols” of K-Pop, 2PM makes the list with their 2009 hit “Heartbeat.” This particular comeback came after the departure of former leader, Jay Park, which also introduced the group to its darker-concept era of promotions. Filled with angst, energy, and passion, “Heartbeat” is a song that will get you going. Let’s also not forget that this put 2PM on the map as one of the hottest boy groups.
Melissa: “I definitely consider "Heartbeat" to be an iconic song, especially since it got me into K-Pop! I love everything about this song: the production, the vocals, the raps, the music video, and especially the choreography. It also holds so many memories of my early K-Pop fan days. I remember my friend telling me about different K-Pop groups after I discovered my first Korean drama, Dream High, and how excited I was that two of my favorite characters from that drama, Taecyeon and Wooyoung, were in a K-Pop group together! (I also remember knowing Nichkhun's whole rap and saying it out loud every single time I heard this song...okay I still do that.) Since this all happened my freshman year of high school, and I'm now in my final year of university, it's so weird that so much time has passed.“
“Love Like This” - SS501
Courtney, Editor-in-Chief
Closing out the list for this week’s Throwback Thursday is another 2009 classic, “Love Like This” by SS501. SS501 (now formally known as SS301 after the departure of two members) is a veteran idol group that made its debut in 2005. As of right now, all members of the group have been pursuing their solo careers, but “Love Like This” is a song that brings back a lot of memories of the beginning stages of the Hallyu Wave. For those who are K-Drama fans, this idol group also participated in the OST for the hit drama Boys Over Flowers!
Courtney: “I had this song on repeat for literal years (pretty sure everyone around me got super tired of it). It's shorter than the average K-Pop song, but it's catchy and gets you hooked really quickly. I remember being a young fangirl when this video came out, and I downloaded every live performance of it. I've calmed down since then, but this song still comes on my shuffle, and it feels like just yesterday. I can't believe it's been eight years.”
And that’s a wrap on this week’s Throwback Thursday! Tune back in next week as we bring another list of throwbacks from the staff at The Kraze! Who knows? You may even see your favorite make the list!