It’s winter and it is freezing in the UK right now! Those of us who live on this side of the world are currently experiencing what the news reports describe as an “arctic chill” with temperatures dropping to five degrees Fahrenheit in some places. To get us through these Baltic conditions, let us close our eyes and escape to someplace warm through the sounds of some K-Pop tracks that remind us of warmer times and places.

“Dolphin” - Oh My Girl

OH MY GIRL exudes immense summer vibes in their track “DOLPHIN,” the second single from their 2020 EP, NONSTOP. This track reminisces the surfer music genre encased within a cheerful pop sound. It is the kind of track that can transport listeners to an outside location on a clear and sunny day. The “da da da” ad libs in the chorus add a touch of cuteness and charm to “DOLPHIN,” being a repetitively fun vocal section that fans of the song can easily sing along to. 

“Filter” - BTS

A B-side track from BTS’ 2020 album, MAP OF THE SOUL: 7, “Filter” is the perfect track to listen to when wanting to escape from the cold and enter a place of fire, with “Filter” being a fiery track, exceptionally performed solo by Jimin. “Filter” fuses Latin pop with an old-school R&B beat to combine the sleek sounds of a guitar with bass and beats to create a hypnotic sound. The track makes us wish that we were under a Mediterranean moonlight, dressed in stunning attire, dancing along to the blissful and sensual sounds of Jimin and “Filter.” 

“About Last Night” - MONSTA X

From MONSTA X’s 2021 album The Dreaming, the seventh track “About Last Night” carries a sound that is fitting for a summer road trip across the country with its upbeat feel and EDM-infused instrumentation. The song has a nostalgic vibe to it, feeling like an EDM-pop track that would be heard all over UK radio stations in the mid-noughties. Featuring superb vocals from each member, “About Last Night” is another great example of MONSTA X’s incredible collection of English language tracks.

Edited by Cara Musashi