I love Korean variety shows, and recently, I stumbled across a clip from a variety show on TikTok that caught my interest with how great yet random the cast is; I knew I had to start watching it immediately. The show is called No Math School Trip, starring comedians Yang Sechan and Lee Yongjin alongside K-Hip Hop and R&B musicians ZICO and Crush, K-Pop singer and EXO member D.O., and K-Indie rock band JANNABI’s leader and vocalist Choi Junghoon as they explore and participate in various games and missions in a snowy village in Japan. 

I already know quite a lot of songs from ZICO and Crush, and D.O. is one of my favorite K-Pop soloists, but I am still fairly new to JANNABI, despite knowing a couple of their songs. From watching No Math School Trip, I have immersed myself in more of JANNABI’s music, and I am amazed at how special JANNABI’s music is and how charming Junghoon’s voice is. 

Influenced by British rock bands, particularly The Beatles, and ‘60s and ‘70s pop, JANNABI has a great way of utilizing old-school British rock and retro pop sounds in their work, creating captivating music of different genres that allow the band and their music to stand out as unique and distinctive pieces of the Korean music industry. With this in mind, I want to share some of my favorite JANNABI B-sides for you to check out if you have not already listened to this incredible band. 

“Baby I need you”

JANNABI is somewhat known for soft-rock-ballad type music, so “Baby I need you,” the B-side track from JANNABI’s 2014 single release, Pole Dance, might come as a shock to some listeners. Despite having a heartfelt and emotionally indicative title, “Baby I need you” has an upbeat and catchy nature with a chorus that stays stuck in your head immediately after listening to the song. “Baby I need you” excellently combines Junghoon’s vocals with a piano, guitar, drum, and synth composition with the instrumentation and Junghoon’s vocals giving off slight Arctic Monkeys vibes. So, if you’re a fan of British indie-rock band Arctic Monkeys, give JANNABI’s “Baby I need you” a listen and prepare to fall deep into JANNABI’s discography.

“A Ballad of Non Le Jon”

From JANNABI’s 2021 album The Land of Fantasy, “A Ballad of Non Le Jon” is a unique and quirky song that I was not expecting to hear at all, but I love it! This song has major British rock influences with a composition that instantly makes you think of The Beatles and their era of pop-rock, and that’s without reading or properly indulging in the song's lyrics. “A Ballad of Non Le Jon” is an ode to The Beatles! Junghoon wrote “A Ballad of Non Le Jon” based on what he says was a memorable scene in a Beatles documentary in which John Lennon gives a pep talk to his bandmates Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr. Junghoon incorporated the members’ first names, the band’s name, and a phrase used in this scene—“to the toppermost of the poppermost”—into the song’s lyrics, creating a song that is both charming and fun to listen to.

Check out JANNABI’s live performance of “A Ballad of Non Le Jon” below (where the lyrics and the information above are provided) and fall in love with Junghoon’s amazing stage presence as he performs this enchanting song.

“Step”

There is an instant feeling of warmth and happiness when listening to some of JANNABI’s tracks, and “Step,” from their 2020 EP JANNABI’s Small Pieces I, is one of those songs to provide these feelings of comfort. From the first few guitar chords and Junghoon’s vocal flow, “Step” makes me feel happy and calm. The song has a sweet, nostalgic vibe that immerses you in a dreamy setting, being the perfect song to listen to when you want to relax, when you want to fall asleep, or when you want to be outside on a cool summer's day. 

“Step” is another one of JANNABI’s tracks to carry a ‘60s rock vibe, being quite reminiscent of  The Beatles sound but with JANNABI’s nostalgic yet modern twist. Junghoon has a special way of storytelling and songwriting, with the lyrics of “Step” capturing a poetic story of his memories. Take a look at the lyrics below in JANNABI’s live performance of “Step” for I’m LIVE.

“LADYBIRD”

The opening song to JANNABI’s 2022 EP Jannabi’s small pieces II: GRIPPIN’THEGREEN, “LADYBIRD,” expresses tranquility and peacefulness through the song's composition and melody as well as through Junghoon’s softly delivered vocals. 

“Disregarded old scenery, ragged loved ones, lukewarm raindrops / Mean and contrary sentiment grow above the foot, and become an eternal facial expression / Shall we take a small nap? / The two of us open our books, fight off immense sleep, and fall into a same dream.” These lyrics open the song and demonstrate Junghoon’s exquisite talent as a songwriter and storyteller. There is just something special about the words he writes and the messages he conveys in his songs that I rarely come across in a lot of the music I listen to. “LADYBIRD” is like an audio hug you could just fall asleep to, not because you’re tired but because of how warm and comforting the song is. Check out the lyrics from the beautifully peaceful visualizer for “LADYBIRD” below.

Edited by Asia Moore