Throwback Thursday: Lo-Fi K-Pop
As K-Pop fans, we spend a lot of time on YouTube, and chances are, you’ve stumbled across the famous “lofi hip hop radio - beats to relax/study to” livestream. The term “Lo-Fi” comes from “low fidelity,” a reference to the distortions used in this simplistic style of music, similar to that of a vinyl record or cassette tape. With a mix of mellow hip-hop beats and hints of ASMR smattered throughout, Lo-Fi can be one of the most calming types of music; lucky for us, many Korean artists—especially those in the Korean hip-hop scene—have dipped their toes in the genre.
“rain bird” - CODE KUNST feat. Tablo and Colde
CODE KUNST released his digital single “rain bird” in 2018, featuring the talents of Colde and Tablo. Easygoing beats set the backdrop for the song’s rainy day theme with CODE KUNST and Colde’s vocals adding to the hazy atmosphere of the track. Meanwhile, Tablo’s relaxed rap verses add just the right amount of punch in a way that probably only Tablo could.
“Maybe It’s Not Our Fault” - Yerin Baek
Yerin Baek’s take on the Lo-Fi genre is a luxurious one. Her song “Maybe It’s Not Our Fault” off her 2019 album Our Love is Great is filled with sparkling sound effects and a leisurely electric guitar, layered over quintessential mellow Lo-Fi beats. Yerin’s laidback voice is a perfect fit for the genre, giving the song a dreamlike quality that’s only made all the more comforting by the music video’s journaling theme.
“HANGANG” - Hoody
In the summer of 2017, Hoody released her song “HANGANG.” Sure, the song is on the groovier side (thanks to production help from Cha Cha Malone), but the elements of Lo-Fi are still there: the beats are relaxing in their repetitiveness and the instrumentation and vocals never go over the top. The song is an unbelievably easy listen and one that suits Hoody’s vocal color impeccably.
“Bawling” - Primary, Oh Hyuk
Primary’s 2015 track “Bawling” with Oh Hyuk, leans towards the jazzier side of the Lo-Fi spectrum. The song opens with a somber trombone solo before breaking into a hip-hop beat, with the brass line sprinkling throughout the entire backtrack (and another trombone feature). Oh Hyuk’s voice is a flawless match for both Primary’s production on the song and the Lo-Fi genre as a whole. It’s no wonder they paired together for the entirety of the Lucky You! album, a title we can’t help but think is extremely appropriate, given that yes, we’re lucky to listen to it.
“because I don’t wanna know” - slchld feat. Rheehab
slchld’s entire body of work is a blessing to Lo-Fi lovers everywhere. His 2017 track “because I don’t wanna know,” featuring Rheehab, has got it all: muted piano chords, the crackling effects of a vinyl record, and of course, a classic Lo-Fi beat. It’s the kind of song that instantly puts you at ease; all the more fitting when you consider that slchld’s lyric videos are set to popular anime backdrops, reminiscent of the “lofi hip hop radio” livestream.