(photo credit: CJ Entertainment)

It’s only been a few days since the conclusion of 2018’s KCON New York, and we’re still reeling from the amazing lineup. Most of the artists who performed this year had the opportunity to perform not only title tracks, but their B-side specials as well. This week we take a look at what groups chose to perform (or alternatively, some of their best if they didn’t).

“Hellevator” - Stray Kids

The first ever release from this newbie boy group and a pre-debut track, “Hellevator” skyrocketed Stray Kids into the spotlight with its intense sound and intricate choreography. The track is a fan favorite among both the newer fans and pre-debut followers. There’s no doubt that these rookies stole the show when they closed their set with this powerful track. Many of the attendees had only positive things to say about these boys because of their performance, so they’re sure to be the next big thing in K-Pop.

“내가 더 나빠 (Didn’t Know Me)” - HEIZE

HEIZE has certainly made a name for herself as the queen of K-R&B, dazzling the New York stage with her stunning and warm vocals. Her set opened with track “내가 더 나빠 Didn’t Know Me),” a soft, slow ballad that has a nice twist in the chorus when she switches keys by a half step with each sentence. HEIZE has an amazing ability to provide a powerful performance wrapped up in a softer melody.

“예쁨 (Pretty Pretty)” - PENTAGON

PENTAGON lit up the stage with their cute, lovable concept in “Shine,” and took us back through time with their debut track and first comeback. The set ended with the upbeat and playful “예쁨 (Pretty Pretty),” once again showcasing the adorable side of the boys. The funk-influenced track is a perfect light summer jam that was the group’s first cute attempt before “Shine,” and it’s sad that the track was mostly overlooked.

“Zoo” - Red Velvet

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the entire crowd was majorly anticipating the performances from monster girl group Red Velvet. From the mini-album The Red Summer, “Zoo” is one of the most popular tracks off the mini among fans. It’s a very fun and unique sound, adding to the stellar line-up of B-sides that Red Velvet is becoming known for. Though they didn’t perform this track on stage, I’m sure no one would have been disappointed if they had. On an unrelated note, my dog Lucy loves this song; she gets really excited hearing all the animal sounds. If that doesn’t convince you that this track is worth your time, nothing will.

“Monster” - Super Junior

KCON closed out the show with seasoned veteran group Super Junior. Though Heechul was absent, the group still managed to light up the stage with fan favorites (yes, “Sorry, Sorry” was performed… more than once. Would it be KCON if it wasn’t?) Bouncing back to the Sorry Sorry album for the best B-side pick, we have “Monster.” While the song maintains the much more EDM-influenced sound that is associated with Super Junior, it also has an awesome R&B groove that is very sensual and addictive.