K-Pop Covers - Part One
For this week’s B-sides article, I thought it would be fun to start a little series that looks at cover songs and remakes that have been done by K-Pop artists. With so much music in the world, covers are bound to happen from time to time. Some songs are given a little twist or change-up that represents the cover artist’s style, sometimes resulting in the song sounding better than the original, while others are kept the same as the original track, with the same beats and tempo, etc. So with this in mind, part one of my K-Pop covers series will look at international tracks that have been covered by K-Pop groups.
“白日” - N.Flying (King Gnu Cover)
N.Flying are a Korean band who are capable of doing most, if not all, styles of music, from rock to pop to rap to hip-hop to ballads. Outside of their own colorful discography, N.Flying is also known for covering a variation of musical styles by artists in and outside of Korea. It is thanks to N.Flying that I have been able to discover new music from artists I probably would never have heard before, with this cover of “白日'' being a track that piqued my interest in Japanese music.
The original track by King Gnu already carries a unique vibe, displayed through the distinctive vocals of frontman Daiki Tsuneta and keyboardist Satoru Iguchi. The track is performed in a style that's unheard of in Western music, but one that quickly captivates the listener from the first listen, beginning your journey into exploring more of King Gnu's music. While keeping the composition and melody the same as King Gnu, N.Flying vocalists, Lee Seunghyub and Yoo Hweseung, perfectly add their own N.Flying twist to the song while simultaneously keeping “白日'' to its original sound. It’s an incredible cover that also highlights the N.Flying members’ multilingual skills as they sing the track in its original language of Japanese. I recommend checking out both versions!
“Versace on the floor” - MONSTA X (Bruno Mars Cover)
In 2019, MONSTA X appeared on the popular Korean music talk show, Yu Heeyeol’s Sketchbook, where they performed a stunning cover of Bruno Mars’ “Versace on the Floor.” Known for having some of the most talented artists within the industry, it was main rapper JOOHONEY that shocked fans, breaking stereotypes surrounding K-Pop rappers as he showcased his powerhouse vocals.
Leaving behind his fast, gritty, rap tone, JOOHONEY takes to his “Versace on the Floor” verse with smoothness and ease, matching the vocal energy provided by the members who take on the group’s vocal positions. He demonstrates his terrific ability to hold long notes and pull off impressive and stable vocal runs, showing his position as an allrounder. The other members of MONSTA X also display great vocal chemistry and unison dance movements, showing why they are a top idol group in the industry. It’s hard to believe that this cover was done four years ago!
“At My Worst” - P1Harmony (Pink Sweat$ Cover)
In 2022, P1Harmony covered the song “At My Worst,” originally performed by American singer Pink Sweat$. This cover came just three months before P1Harmony would go on to collaborate with Pink Sweat$ on his track “Gotta Get Back,” showing each artist's great respect and appreciation for one another.
P1Harmony’s cover of “At My Worst” gives this R&B track a touch of K-Pop. The vocal line lends their soft vocals to the song, singing in a similar way to the original, while the rap line adds their own respective rap flavor, making the song more fitting to P1Harmony’s K-Pop sound. This cover comes complete with a P1Harmony music video that pays homage to the original, with P1Harmony seen in a laundrette location dressed in pink similar to Pink Sweat$ who can also be seen dressed in his own namesake color and working in a dry cleaners location. The splendid blend of the group’s visuals in the music video, and the audio of their vocals, showcase P1Harmony’s exceptional talents as a K-Pop group, revealing R&B and pop to be a style of music that is perfect for them and one that P1Harmony has become known and loved for in their music today.