Music 

Favorite Song: GOT7 “You Calling My Name”

I’ve been a fan of GOT7 for many years, so I’m naturally excited any time they have a comeback. Though I’m not going to lie, their most recent comebacks have felt somewhat bland musically, so it was incredibly refreshing to hear “You Calling My Name.” The song has a slower feel to it and a heavier R&B influence than the group has done recently, and the lack of a heavy drop at the chorus really caught my attention. Jinyoung’s entrance into the song at the chorus gave me goosebumps in a way that GOT7 hasn’t for quite some time. The slow buildup of the song is lovely, and contrasts heavily to what is popular in K-Pop these days, which I think also adds to the impact of this song. It’s different in many ways, and I think that’s what really got me hooked on this track this month. 

Favorite Album: CIX HELLO Chapter 2: Hello, Strange Place 

CIX is a rookie group that kind of hit me out of nowhere. I really enjoyed their debut album, but I was totally blown away by their latest album HELLO Chapter 2: Hello, Strange Place. On top of having an excellent and meaningful title track in “Numb,” the rest of the album features different genres that are executed flawlessly by the group members. Though I am particularly fond of the hip-hop influenced tracks, I can’t deny that the others are up to par as well. I’m particularly fond of “Maybe I,” a slower R&B ballad that will certainly leave your heart feeling warm. CIX continues to prove their talents, and I can’t wait to see what they have in store next!

Favorite Music Video: Lee Jinhyuk “I Like That”

Speaking of being hit out of nowhere, I wasn’t expecting to be totally blown away by Lee Jinhyuk’s solo debut. Though I am a fan of UP10TION, I wasn’t prepared for what I consider to be possibly the best solo debut of the year. In addition to having a killer title track, the music video is incredibly aesthetically pleasing. I’m particularly fond of the use of lighting in this video during the choreography shots, which tends to put more focus on the choreography and performance itself rather than the performers. Along with that, there’s a heavy contrast between dance scenes usually accompanied by bright colors and the softer solo shots of Jinhyuk for aesthetic purposes, which I find to be such a lovely use of contrast.

Favorite Music Show Performance: A.C.E “Savage” on Show Champion 

It’s a well-known fact among my circle that I’ve become kind of obsessed with A.C.E since they released “Under Cover.” Though I was quite certain that their latest comeback wouldn’t top it (that’s truly how much I adored “Under Cover”), I was still excited to see what they had in store, and they definitely didn’t disappoint. If there’s one thing guaranteed from A.C.E, it’s that they will put on an amazing performance every time without fault. That is not only showcased in the title’s choreography, but in the intro as well. Plus, the outfits are so on point!

Entertainment 

Favorite Drama: Extraordinary You

I was initially intrigued by this drama since it would be the first lead role for SF9’s Rowoon, but I’ll admit that when I first saw the synopsis for the show I wasn’t impressed. In addition, I was somewhat put off by Eun Danoh, the main character that starts out with an extremely arrogant attitude and overall annoying demeanor. But this story is so much more than that, and so are the characters within it. 

Eun Danoh (Kim Hyeyoon) is a high school student from a prestigious family known for experiencing a lifelong heart condition and being the fiance of Baek Kyung (Lee Jaewook), a popular yet rude student that holds disdain for her. As the first few episodes progress, Danoh learns that she’s living in the world of a manhwa as she begins to experience loss of memory. Where the character of Danoh really begins to shine is at the point where she learns that she is in fact not the main character of the story, but just simply an extra used to boost up the heroine and face endless abuse from her fiance. 

Upon learning her pre-determined fate, Danoh throws everything into changing her circumstances and creating her own fate. Though she still can’t control her behavior while “on stage” (better explained as the written-out scenes of the manhwa), she does everything in her power to change situations before they happen. At the same time, Haru (Rowoon) begins appearing to save her in different situations. Originally, he was a nameless extra in the manhwa, but was given a name by Danoh after she chased him to get him to help in her quest. The moment I really began to admire Danoh’s character was during a particular scene where she was forced to present a gift to Kyung, who trashes it and makes her cry. As soon as the scene shifts she immediately goes from crying to laughing hysterically, showing the giant gap between the character she’s forced to be during the manhwa and her true self. Although I wasn’t fond of her at the start, I’ve gained a deep respect for Danoh’s character and her determination to change her pre-determined fate. Though I haven’t finished the series yet, I’m very much enjoying the ride along with Danoh and Haru and the way the story is shaping. It’s a shame that the drama isn’t pulling in better numbers, because the story is truly something worthwhile.