On November 8, I attended MyMusicTaste’s Korea On Stage concert held in London, UK, at the city’s famous OVO Wembley Arena building; an event that celebrated the 140-year relations between the UK and Korea. Admittedly, I was attending this concert for my favorite acts: Xdinary Heroes, Jannabi, P1Harmony, and ATEEZ, with the added bonus of getting to see Lee Youngji, STAYC, BOYNEXTDOOR, and xikers perform too. Out of the eight acts of the night, it was just two whom I wasn’t so familiar with and they were BOYNEXTDOOR and xikers, but after watching them perform, I will happily admit that I am now a fan of both of these boy groups and I can’t wait to hear more of them as they grow in the music industry. So, with this, here are some of my favorite B-sides from BOYNEXTDOOR and xikers.

“Crying” - BOYNEXTDOOR

The fourth track from BOYNEXTDOOR's debut EP WHY.., “Crying” is a laidback, pop song that breaks away from BOYNEXTDOOR's signature energetic sound while simultaneously carrying light energetic elements in some of the verses. It’s a sweet track that stands out on the album amongst the other five tracks as well as being a memorable track to see BOYNEXTDOOR perform live. 

“Sunny Side” - xikers

xikers close their second EP, HOUSE OF TRICKY: HOW TO PLAY with the sixth track “Sunny Side.” This song captures a sweet, nostalgic feel, reminiscent of the sounds of past boy groups (particularly the kind of songs many of us would have heard in the Western hemisphere when growing up in the 2000s) through its instrumentation and the members' vocal performance. 

“But I Like You” - BOYNEXTDOOR

While one of their title tracks on their debut single album WHO!, BOYNEXTDOOR's “돌아버리겠다 (But I Like You)” becomes a B-side in their debut EP WHY.. opening the EP with its fun and youthful sound. It’s a refreshing track that radiates a young, playful vibe, perfectly capturing the essence and image of BOYNEXTDOOR's brand. 

“Oh My Gosh” - xikers

The closing song of xikers’s debut EP, HOUSE OF TRICKY: Doorbell Ringing, “Oh My Gosh” is a quintessential K-Pop boy group song. With its hard-hitting beat, flawless vocals, and impressive rap sections, “Oh My Gosh” is an incredible song that contains every element needed for an intense, upbeat, K-Pop boy group track. I particularly love the way in which Hunter sings “Oh My Gosh/ Uh uh/ Oh My Gosh”* and “ooh freaky freaky ooh”* at the end of each chorus.

*lyrics from Genius

Edited by Cara Musashi