May Favorites

May has brought another round of amazing musical releases that have been coming out so often it’s been difficult to keep up. With so many groups returning to the forefront of the music scene, it was hard to choose just a few favorites for the month.

Music

Favorite Song: “Me” - CLC

These days I’ve been very excited for anything CLC has come up with, so it’s safe to say that I was incredibly hyped for the release of their digital single, “Me.” The release did not disappoint, with a smooth, summery beat and intense chorus melody that is reminiscent of 4Minute—not to mention Yeeun’s rap verse absolutely goes off. CLC has really solidified their sound and message in recent days, and “Me” definitely follows the formula of female empowerment that is getting the group the recognition they deserve.

Favorite Album: RAISE US - ONEUS

One thing that I’ve come to observe about ONEUS is that their music doesn’t usually follow the typical formula that we expect. Most K-Pop songs start with a verse that builds up to a drop, but this group plays around with that expectation in most of their songs. For that reason, RAISE US is very intriguing, which also features different genres that the group plays around with. From reggae vibes to traditional EDM influences, RAISE US shows the full musical diversity the group has to offer.

Favorite Music Video: “Under Cover” - A.C.E

By far my favorite release this month, I’ve been totally blown away by A.C.E’s “Under Cover” on all fronts. It was hard to choose which category was my favorite, especially with such a stellar track and performance to choose from. But ultimately, “Under Cover” made it to the favorite music video because of all these elements brought together, along with some fantastic fashion choices that made the visual experience even richer. It was risky to put Byeongkwan in pigtails and a crop top, but it somehow works so perfectly. The overall aesthetics of the video is a perfect fit for the choreography and track itself, creating what could be A.C.E’s strongest comeback to date. It’s a mystery how the video only has 1.5 million views at this point.

Favorite Music Show Performance: “Eclipse” - GOT7 on Music Bank

GOT7 really stepped up their game with the “Eclipse” comeback. While it’s known that GOT7 has some very skilled dancers in their group, many of their previous comebacks haven’t focused heavily on challenging choreography like this one. “Eclipse” offers a surprising, and frankly mesmerizing, choreography from start to finish, which is the true strength behind this comeback.

Entertainment

Favorite Drama: Her Private Life

A drama that’s been all the rage since first coming out, Her Private Life has kept me roped into its storyline from day one. Starring Park Minyoung and Kim Jaewook, the story follows Sung Deokmi, an art gallery curator who has a secret private life as a fansite master. She meets her counterpart Ryan Gold at an art auction, and later learns that he is to become the new director at her gallery, the two initially butting heads with their strong personalities. What really makes this drama so charming is how relatable Deokmi’s character is for many viewers. Since a lot of us are also fans of idols, it’s easy to sympathize and understand Deokmi’s character in a way that we don’t always get to in classic K-Dramas. Plus, the dose of romance is super cute and will leave you squealing!