Five Fantastic B-Sides Throughout GWSN’s Career
GWSN was one of the most magical girl groups to grace the K-Pop scene. In their few active years, they delivered gems within their discography. The septet of Miya, Seokyoung, Seoryoung, Anne, Minju, Soso, and Lena performed diverse, creative tracks across one full album and four EPs.
Though they disbanded this January, they reunited for their fifth anniversary on September 5, 2023. With five years and five music releases under their belt, it seems fitting to delve into five tracks from their career. Whether you identify as part of GWSN’s fandom, Groo, or not, picking just five GWSN tracks is anything but a walk in the park. Hopefully this list provides some direction while discovering the songs that built their unique legacy.
THE PARK IN THE NIGHT part one: “Melting Point”
GWSN released their debut EP THE PARK IN THE NIGHT part one on September 5, 2018. It introduced their mystical image. The group promoted the title track “Puzzle Moon” and the EP’s fifth track, “Melting Point.” While most of the EP credits Stupid Squad producers LLANO and Maynine, “Melting Point” was one of two songs without their participation.
Le’mon wrote the song, who also composed it with duo COACH & SENDO. The term “melting pot” also properly describes “Melting Point,” a song that meshes many different ideas together. The piano paired with other percussive elements gives the verses a gentle feeling. This eventually builds up to the song’s own “melting point,” the shift taken on by the choruses. The song eclipses in energy, and then falls again while transitioning to verses. Like an actual melting point’s transformative properties, this GWSN song is one of many that showcases the fluidity of their music.
THE PARK IN THE NIGHT part two: “Miss Ping Pong”
GWSN’s first comeback arrived with their second EP, THE PARK IN THE NIGHT part two, on March 13, 2019. This second part of THE PARK IN THE NIGHT follows up nicely, using many of the same producers to craft the six new tracks. Like a game of ping pong, “Miss Ping Pong'' feels energetic and bouncy. Alexander Karlsson, Alexej Viktorovitch, and Jackie Tech composed “Miss Ping Pong,” and LLANO wrote the Korean lyrics. The song’s focus differs from the literal game of ping pong: the ping pong element embeds itself through the playful lyrics and xylophone-esque instrumental.
The song’s speaker gives themselves the title of “Miss Ping Pong,” as if they appeared in the Little Miss book series. The song goes back and forth with questions about appearing bad or good natured. They appear neither like a “good girl,”nor a “bad girl.” Though “Miss Ping Pong” sounds undecided about its nature, it’s a positive addition to THE PARK IN THE NIGHT part two.
THE PARK IN THE NIGHT part three: “Night Aviation (The Interpretation of Dreams)”
GWSN released their first full album THE PARK IN THE NIGHT part three on August 1, 2019. It includes eight tracks, beginning with the title track “RED-SUN (021)” and ending with the B-side “Recipe ~ for Simon.” Ask any GWSN fan about standout tracks, and they’re likely to point out the EP’s third track, “Night Aviation (The Interpretation of Dreams).”
The combined efforts of Justin Reinstein, Sophia Pae, and Red Anne created this masterpiece. The three producers composed the track, and Red Anne wrote the Korean lyrics. “Night Aviation (The Interpretation of Dreams)” captures the tone of its title perfectly. GWSN’s strong vocals shine in this dreamy and soothing track, which sounds amazing after long, tiring days. THE PARK IN THE NIGHT trilogy’s strong finish helped drive anticipation for future releases.
the Keys: “Tweaks ~ Heavy cloud but no rain”
GWSN released their fourth EP, the Keys, on April 28, 2020. Debuting as the group’s shortest EP didn’t stop it from delivering some amazing tracks. The title track “BAZOOKA!” starts the EP with bursts of joy, the promoted B-side “the Aerialist (Wonderboy)” delivers smooth, jazzy listening, and the fourth track, “After the bloom (alone),” closes the EP with an emotional track laced with understandable solitude.
The EP’s third track, “Tweaks ~ Heavy cloud but no rain” sits in the middle, ushering in a beat perfect for head bopping, including those beautiful vocals, all with a twinge of sadness. This groovy dance track was composed by Andreas Oberg, Daniel “Obi” Klein, and Charli Taft. LLANO once again stepped in to write the Korean lyrics. the Keys unlocked a new chapter for GWSN, helping evolve the direction of their music.
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOON: “ e i e i o”
GWSN’s last EP, THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOON, released on May 26, 2021. The EP builds on the more mature environments that closed out the Keys. One song in particular deserves a special mention: the fourth track, “e i e i o.”
“e i e i o” was composed by 오늘 (Oneul) and Swin Lee, the latter of which also wrote the song’s lyrics with Seoro. GWSN is on the hunt, but “e i e i o” already captures interest from the moment it starts. It begins with a rhythmic industrial beat that also appears in the chorus. This beat contrasts well with the gentle pre-chorus, which only serves as a misdirection that ends with the line, “Boy, it’s time to hunt you down now.” Though the events following THE OTHER SIDE OF THE MOON prove bittersweet, GWSN finished their careers with an excellent EP full of creativity.
Edited by Kelly Sipko