Favourite K-pop Singles of 2022

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안녕하세요

(Annyeonghaseyo)

こんにちは

(Konnichiwa)

你好

(Ni Hao)

For the first time, I'm going to share with you my favourite K-pop singles released in 2022, which were mainly digitally released.

This is in no particular order, they're just the songs I loved the most.

Kino - Pose

Google Images

Obviously paying more attention to PENTAGON, meant I had to check out Kino's official solo debut, this song also got a physical release, and for me it gives me Taemin vibes, which gives me high hopes for his solo music in the future.

The song is extremely catchy and from the first listen I was singling along.

Owned by Cube Entertainment

PENTAGON 펜타곤 (Official YouTube Channel)

Woozi - Ruby

Google Images

I was obsessed with this song when it was released, it was till my 2nd listen that I realised it was sung completely in English.

It's still a song that I sing along to from start to finish.

Owned by Pledis Entertainment

HYBE LABELS

BIGBANG - Still Life

Google Images

While I don't own any BIGBANG albums, I still like and listen to some of their tracks, especially title tracks, so seeing them return with a new song after their military enlistment, made me happy and excited.

What I was not ready for, was how emotional it made me, this song had me in tears, it's such a beautiful and emotional song, if this was to be their swan song, I think it would be the perfect song to say farewell with.

Owned by YG Entertainment

BIGBANG

APR Project - 11시59분 (11:59)

Google Images

Back when they debuted TRCNG were one of my favourite rookies, so seeing them eventually disband was heartbreaking because they truly were an underrated group.

Saying I was ecstatic was an understatement when I saw that Jihun, Hyunwoo, Siwoo and Kangmin (now under the stage name Hamin) were going to be redebuting together, part of me hopes the rest of TRCNG will join them but I read that while the 4-members wanted to all redebut together, they understood that the others wanted to branch out and do other things. I still have hope that we will see some familiar TRCNG faces when APR Project make their official debut.

As soon as I heard their voices in this track, it hit home just how much I've missed TRCNG, this song is just stunning and I can't wait to see what their future holds.

Owned by APR Entertainment

APR PROJECT

Hyunjun Hur - Let Me Drown

Google Images

I've loved every track that Hyunjun has released, I feel that if he had remained with THE BOYZ then his talents would have gone remaining hidden and he wouldn't really be able to grow musically and creatively.

I love the melody for this song and his voice is perfect, I think his voice would be perfect with a rock style song, I hope that we one day get a mini album or even a full album of songs, as he's clearly talented.

Owned by Hyunjun Hur

Hyunjun Hur

DKZ - Uh-Heung

Hyunjun Hur

Google Images

I've actually known of DKZ (Formelly Dongkiz) since 2019, when they were promoting Blockbuster, as I remember their Simply K-pop stages, but I've never really payed much attention to them till member Jaechan starred in the BL drama Semantic Error based on the webtoon of the same name (which I read), and my respect for him shot up when I read that he ignored his companies suggestion of not being in the drama.

I absolutely loved this song and it really stood out for me and has made me want to keep and eye on the group and their future releases.

Owned by Dongyo Entertainment

DKZ

Wanna One - Beautiful (Part.3)

Google Images

We saw Wanna One return this year with a special song and expected it's stunning with the melody and vocals being perfect. It's nice to hear their voices as one again, especially for the fans that have been their since they were formed.

Owned by CJ&M

Wanna One 워너원

So there you have it, they were my favourite singles of 2022.

I look forward to hear the singles we will get in 2023.

What were your favourite singles of 2022?

Let me know in the comments below.

See you soon!

안녕

(Annyeong)

さようなら

(Sayonara)

再见

(ZaiJian)

Bye

PENTAGON 펜타곤 (Official YouTube Channe

Korean Drama - Color Rush

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(Annyeonghaseyo)

こんにちは

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你好

(Ni Hao)

Google Images

Color Rush is a South Korean BL mystery romance web drama, written and directed by Park Sun Jae.

The series is adapted from the web novel of the same name by Se Sang.

It aired 8 episodes, starting on the 30th of December 2020 and concluding on the 21st of January 2021.

Main Cast:

Yoo Jun as Choi Yeon Woo

Google Images

Hur Hyun Jun as Go Yoo Han

Google Images

Supporting Cast:

Lee Min Ji as Yoo Yi Rang (Yeon Woo's Aunt)

Google Images

Baek Seo Hoo as Jung Joo Haeng

Google Images

Min Hyo Gi as Kim Min Jae

Google Images

As with many Korean dramas, the soundtrack first perfectly with the series, check out the songs below, along with the Color Rush trailer.

Ryu Su Jeong - Color Rush

GENIE MUSIC

Kwon Soon Il - Finding You

GENIE MUSIC

Color Rush Trailer

Viu Philippines

Living with neurological blindness that limits his ability to see color, Yeon Woo has grown up in a world that looks very different from the one most people are accustomed to seeing. Only able to decipher varying tones of gray, Yeon Woo know the world is full of color but he has never seen them for himself. At least not until the day Yoo Han comes crashing into his world.

As if brought together by fate, Yeon Woo's life is forever changed, the day he meets Yoo Han falling for the boy's many charms, Yeon Woo is overwhelmed by the unexpected rush of emotions he feels, every time Yoo Han is near. What's even more surprising is the sudden rush of color that washes over the world, every time Yoo Han walks into the room. Could this be a sign that Yoo Han is his destiny?

While Yeon Woo ponders his fate, his aunt Yi Rang searches desperately for the sister who went missing years ago. Joining his aunt on her quest, Yeon Woo recruits Yoo Han's help and together they search for his mother. As they dig deeper into the mystery surrounding her disappearance, an unexpected story begins to unfold.

Will the fated boys be able to solve the mystery of a missing mother while simultaneously unravelling the mysteries of their own hearts?

Google Images

I've said this many times, but I'm a sucker when it comes to BL dramas, and I mainly wanted to watch this drama because it's Hyunjun aka Hwall's acting debut, as you may have guessed I'm already familiar with Hyunjun as I've listened to The Boyz for a while, but it wasn't till their Bloom Bloom era that I really started to follow them and not long after Hyunjun left the group, so I was extremely excited when I saw that not only was he making his acting debut, but his first starring role was a BL drama. It's sad that in Asian countries same-sex relationships are still not really accepted, so I was insanely proud of him for the fact that as an idol, your image is everything, one wrong move and your hard work could be all over, so for him to take on a roll that could change peoples perception of him, I applaud.

Now back to the drama itself, I was hooked from the very first episode, I loved the cast, plot and the script, my only disappointment is that the series itself is just not long enough. I think this drama could have done extremely well if it had had more than just 8 episodes as the story was really interesting to me, especially as it finished and we got to know even more of the characters, I honestly believe that if this was a normal male-female romance the series would have been a lot longer.

I loved Yoo Jun as Yeon Woo, he really brought a naivety to the role, he really made me believe that he was seeing colours for the first time. I absolutely loved his character, his story is really heartbreaking and he told it well, making the viewers really care for him as well, feel all the emotions he was feeling, my heart broke, that the more his feelings grew for not only colours but also for Yoo Han, he saw himself as a threat for the things he loved and adored.

Whoever's idea it was for Hyunjun to wear a mask a mjaority of the drama, I thank them, as while he's an extremely good looking guy, he has eyes that make this noona swoon. I must say at the start I did dislike how Yoo Han seemed to force Yeon Woo into seeing colours when he was asking not to be shown them as he knew how bad it could become, but towards the end we got to know more about why Yoo Han was forward and forceful.

Yoo Yi Rang really gave me loveable aunt vibes, you could tell that she really loved and cared for Yeon Woo, she never wanted to give him false hope as she was looking for her missing sister, his mother. You can tell that even though she wants him to be happy, she will do anything to help keep him safe, I really loved how Lee Min Ji brought her to life and I just wished there was more of her journey shown in looking for her sister.

Even though we didn't see much of Baek Seo Hoo and Min Hyo Gi in their roles, they did extremely well. I love that as friends they pretended not to know about Yeon Woo and Yoo Han's secrets, so they would both feel at ease with them and always be by their sides when they needed them to turn to, and so that their classmates wouldn't treat them any differently just because they were also different.

I really wish this drama was a longer series, there's so much left unfinished and I would love there to be a 2nd season that explores more into Yeon Woo's mothers disappearance and how Yeon Woo and Yoo Han's relationship grows.

I'd highly recommend this series as it's really interesting and visits a story and plot I've not witnessed before, it really does tug at the heartstrings and makes you think about things that we possibly take for granted each day.

Have you watched Color Rush?

Were you a fan of the cast?

Did you enjoy the plot and script?

Let me know in the comments below.

See you soon!

안녕

(Annyeong)

さようなら

(Sayonara)

再见

(ZaiJian)

Bye