Throwback Thursday: Dream World
As an art form, music has an innate quality to transport a listener to another realm. Pair this with K-Pop’s intricately-woven concepts and extravagant visuals, and fans of a song can feel like they’re escaping to another world entirely. This week’s Throwback Thursday brings you some of the dreamiest tracks to help keep your head in the clouds.
“夢中夢 (몽중몽; Dream In A Dream)” - TEN
Released as an SM Station track in 2017, “夢中夢 (몽중몽; Dream In A Dream)” by TEN from NCT is about as dreamlike as it gets. With minimal lyrics, hypnotizing East Asian-inspired instrumentals, and its languid, lilting beat, “Dream In A Dream” feels more like an experience than a song. The accompanying music video takes things one step further with TEN’s modern choreography set against ethereal visuals.
“Butterfly (Prologue Mix)” - BTS
Though not the official version of the song, the Prologue Mix of BTS’s “Butterfly” might actually be better than its studio counterpart. Originally released in 2015 as the background music for the group’s 화양연화 on stage concert trailer and later released on 2016’s 화양연화 Young Forever, this track compares a lover to a fleeting dream and features a languorous piano line that’s almost haunting in quality. Boasting some of the group’s best cinematography to date, the corresponding video is nothing short of breathtaking and sticks with you long after the song has finished.
“Dream Girl” - SHINee
Coming from the 2013 album of the same name, SHINee’s “Dream Girl” may not have quite the same hypnotic sound as the previously mentioned tracks, but there’s no denying this song is just as dazzling. “Dream Girl” is funk-pop at its best, with strong electronic beats and driving, futuristic guitars; it’s a song that is incredibly hard not to dance to. While the five boys sing of meeting their dream girl, we’ll be over here dreaming of SHINee.
“Dream” - Suzy and Baekhyun
In 2016, Suzy and Baekhyun teamed up to release “Dream,” a jazzy, acoustic song that compares longing to be with your loved one with waking up from a good dream. Suzy’s light, slightly raspy voice fits the concept flawlessly, with Baekhyun’s deep voice offering her the perfect duet partner. It’s a very gentle song, fit with velvety piano and soft percussion that sounds just like waking up from a pleasant dream, and makes you wish the two artists would collaborate more often.