The charts are where fan power and popular tastes battle each other. On one hand, you have the power of passionate fangirls who constantly stream a song into first place; while on the other hand, you have the masses pooling for ballads or hip-hop songs. In this third week of August, it's a 50:50 chance on who takes first place or who remains in the Top 10.

Never Too Late

Last week, we saw the sudden climb of Yoon Jongshin’s track into the Top 10, but did you know that this track was actually released two months ago? In an interesting turn of events, “Like It” is now the reigning track on MelOn, Bugs!, and Mnet. What’s the cause for this rapid ascension? We can look to the noraebangs for answers. It is no secret that Koreans love to belt out angst and love sickness in karaoke rooms, and “Like It” is yet another number added to the repertoire. Gaon karaoke chart reports that “Like It” is currently the second most selected song in karaoke rooms! Why is this song so popular to sing? Yoon Jongshin has always been known as a man of musical sensibility and for lyrics that resonate with the audience. Not relying on fancy musical flairs, the song is simplistic and straight-forward, allowing the listener to really focus on the vocal tone and lyrics. The lyrics speak of a man who asks if he is the only one still stuck with the aftermath of a break-up. The lyrics aren’t too poetic nor are they too childish. It is the perfect amount of lyrical sensibility that makes it a winner on the charts. Take a listen for yourself and see if you don’t find yourself singing along!

For yet another week, HEIZE’s “You, Clouds, Rain” is still running strong in the Top 10 on all charts, placing first, second, fourth, and eighth. By now, it isn’t a surprise how well the song has done, but it is worth a mention that the song has beaten songs with heavy fan support like EXO’s “Ko Ko Bop” (2nd place), Red Velvet’s “Red Flavor” (9th place), and even resisted for a while Wanna One’s eventual #1 take-over. With the mellow nature of the song, listeners can definitely continue to stream this song well into pumpkin spice latte season!

As Expected…

Wanna One fever is now a national epidemic! Despite having only debuted two weeks ago, the rookie group can now proudly say they have three songs in the Top 10. This week saw the debut of Wanna One’s remake of an original song from Produce 101 Season 2, “Always,” at tenth place on Gaon streaming chart. The song now joins the group’s two other title tracks “Energetic” and “Burn It Up” on listeners’ playlists. “Energetic” sits at a comfortable position within the Top 5, while “Burn It Up” is starting to pick up steam and has risen from outside of the Top 10 to claim fifth place.

This week also saw the comeback of industry heavyweight Taeyang, and his track “WAKE ME UP” has already claimed fifth place on Bugs! chart. In a style unlike his previous tracks, “WAKE ME UP” is a melancholic blend of EDM to mirror the dreamlike state of love. Ambient yet still emotionally-stirring, the song showcases Taeyang’s signature crystal clear, pure vocals. With Min Hyorin as his muse, Taeyang is at his most sentimental and vulnerable with both dual title tracks, including “DARLING.” Even if you’re not a fan of EDM, “WAKE ME UP” veers well enough into the pop-synth genre to suit popular tastes.

Yet another song from popular show Show Me the Money 6 has made it into the Top 10. Now that the show is nearing its end, each song now features quarter-finalists. The song making the cut at third place on Bugs! chart is Killagramz’s “Where (feat DEAN, ZICO).” In current trendy, future-RnB style, the song is quite an easy listen and catchy enough, although it offers neither originality nor freshness. In fact, you’ll find the song quite similar to others by artists like Sik-K or DPR Live. Despite similarities, the song benefits from DEAN’s smooth vocals and stylistic flairs à la ZICO.

Are you jamming to Taeyang’s latest album? Caught Wanna One fever? Belted a ballad in the karaoke room last weekend? Let us know how you’re handling the newest releases Korea has to offer in the comments below!