B-Side Tracks: KCON LA Artist Special Pt. 1
KCON LA boasted quite the loaded line-up this year, with 11 popular Hallyu artists joining the cast of groups set to fly across the Pacific in order to perform for their Western fans. Today’s B-sides will take a look at some of the best tracks these artists have to offer.
SF9 - “Jungle Game”
Rookie group SF9 has not been on the K-Pop scene for very long, but they have already built up a reputation for releasing high energy songs with jaw-dropping choreography to complement them. “Jungle Game” falls within this realm, much like the title, “Roar,” from its origin mini-album Breaking Sensation. SF9 has the ability to provide a truly captivating performance.
WJSN - “Catch Me”
WJSN have proven themselves to be masters of the cute concept, showcased in most recent title track “Happy,” but “Catch Me” is the antithesis of that concept. Originally released on their debut mini-album, Would You Like, alongside title “MoMoMo,” “Catch Me” had a completely different sound that showcased the duality of the girls with its heavy beat and fierce aesthetic. As showcased at KCON LA, there is no doubt that these girls own the stage!
Girl’s Day - “Thirsty”
Vocal powerhouse Girl’s Day brought a more veteran presence to the KCON LA stage, stunning the audience with flawless performances of popular titles like “Ring My Bell” and “Something.” Much like their title tracks, other songs on their albums showcase just as much talent. “Thirsty” is off of the most recent mini-album, Girl’s Day Everyday #5, and is a relaxing pop track that especially showcases the sweet voices of members Sojin and Minah.
Super Junior D&E - “I Wanna Dance”
Fresh off completing their military enlistments, Super Junior’s Donghae and Eunhyuk surprised fans with the announcement of their appearance at this year’s KCON LA. Veteran K-Pop fans went crazy for the duo, who never disappoints with their energy. “I Wanna Dance” is the perfect manifestation of this idea, with the duo dropping a quintessential dance track complemented by their unique flavor. It’s no wonder these two had fans enthusiastically shouting “oppa, oppa!”
VIXX - “Black Out”
Kings of concepts VIXX took the KCON stage by force with their powerful performance of “Shangri-La.” But potentially the most brilliant track off of mini-album Shangri-La is the third song “Black Out,” which the group also performed. Accompanying the funk-influenced beat is an unexpectedly sexy concept, with Hongbin, Leo, and Ken repeating the phrase “I’m thinking your body” at the end of each chorus. If you were once unfamiliar with death by VIXX, well, you shouldn’t be anymore. This article is written from beyond the grave, because I did not survive this live performance.
SEVENTEEN - “If I”
Arguably the stars of night one, SEVENTEEN blessed the crowd not only with a group performance but also with separate performances by each unit. As is my MO, I’ve chosen the hip-hop unit track “If I” off the most recent album as one of the group’s highlights. As expected of SEVENTEEN, the melody is fresh and addicting, and it is complemented not just by the raps of members S Coups, Mingyu, Wonwoo, and Vernon, but also, surprisingly, by their singing.