June Favorites

Favorite Song: “Poison” - PinkFantasy

No one is surprised to see this on the list, knowing yours truly. PinkFantasy is a group that has struggled to gain viewership, despite exploring the darker sound that many are fond of. They took it to an even greater level in the release of “Poison,” which goes darker than any group has gone before. The song takes inspiration from heavy metal, going as far as to add a screamo portion into the post-chorus. For those of us that love the darker concepts and came from a metal or rock background, this is a comeback not to miss, and hopefully we’ll see even more from PinkFantasy soon. 

Favorite Album: Point of View: U - Yugyeom

When it was announced that Yugyeom would be signing with AOMG, it felt like the stars aligned. Many fans of GOT7 knew that he had the potential for greatness in a more R&B and hip-hop focused label, a genre that JYP Entertainment had kind of limited him from participating in. In his debut mini-album, a lot of his strengths are highlighted, and one of the most noticeable differences is his vocal tone when singing. In GOT7’s discography, he tends to sing in a higher vocal tone, more in a tenor range, while on his debut album he seems to stick more in the baritone range, which seems more natural and fits him very well. His vocal color really shines all through his album, and it is a very impressive debut for his solo career; a great example of how talented he truly is when allowed to express his true strengths.

Favorite Music Video: “PTT (Paint The Town)” - LOONA

LOONA’s music videos have always been known to set a standard, and that definitely continues to reign true in their latest title “PTT (Paint The Town).” Digipedi has always been in charge of the music videos for LOONA, and their particular brand of artistry does an amazing job of highlighting all of LOONA’s strongest points. For a title that takes inspiration from Bollywood, it’s nice to see a matching concept that shows equal intensity in a darker concept and emphasis on strong choreography. The outfits in the large scale choreography shots are particularly mesmerizing and make for an amazing visual aide to the song. 

Favorite Performance: “My House” - 2PM

There’s nothing quite as refreshing as seeing second generation idols return to the spotlight, but something specifically about 2PM’s return hits differently. Not long ago, their 2015 track “My House” shot up on the charts and gained popularity, and as a result they have performed the song once again in anticipation of their first comeback in four years this month. It’s hard to properly articulate the aura that the group radiates in this performance, but it’s the type of mature energy that is both alluring and quietly confident. In an industry that places so much emphasis on young idols, it’s nice to see the older generation group return to the spotlight. 

Favorite K-Drama: Imitation

Yes it’s true, there are mixed reviews out on Imitation these days, but if you’re in need of more ATEEZ or SF9 after Kingdom has ended, then you’ll be interested in checking this drama out. Imitation is a K-Drama adaptation of a webtoon of the same name, and centers around the idol industry struggles, especially in personal life. The three main fictional groups SHAX, TEA PARTY, and Sparkling have blurred the lines of the fictional universe by performing on real music shows together while the drama is airing, which also gives viewers a chance to see a mashup of group members, as both SHAX and Sparkling have ATEEZ and SF9 members in the lineup, among others. Female lead Lee Maha (Jung Jiso) starts off the series as a hardworking trainee, struggling to debut amongst a large group of other trainees. She is transferred from a large agency to a smaller one, where tragedy befalls as soon as her group OMEGA 3 debuts. Her close friend Lee Yujin (ATEEZ’s Yunho) is a trainee alongside her at the large company and becomes a member of Sparkling in the future, but remains present in her life as she switches agencies and struggles to find work. Our main hero Kwon Ryok (U-KISS’s Jun) also has past connections with Maha, though not as strong, and is the most popular member of SHAX. This is a particularly exciting drama for ATEEZ fans, as not only does the majority of the group have a role, but Yunho has his first main actor role as well. You will see other idols in the lineup as well, so if you’re interested in a story about the K-Pop industry or just want to see some of your new favorite idols act, be sure to check out Imitation!