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"PLUS DAYS" SPECIAL ARTICLE - LOVE SONGS PLAYLIST
Written by: BlueNose, Galaxy, miatheikonic and Nara
With the help of HallyuPlus' users!
Two weeks ago, Press Team asked you to contribute to Hallyu+'s Valentine's Day event by helping us create the perfect Love Songs Playlist for February 14th. Among the thirty suggestions we received, we (BlueNose, Galaxy, miatheikonic and Nara) had the difficult task to pick only a few to feature in this article. From cheesy love confessions and messages of support to sad breakup songs, we tried to include all the feelings that come to mind when one hears the word "love". We hope you will enjoy this selection!
#1: Twice - What Is Love (suggested by: @Kyon & BlueNose)
BlueNose: "What is Love" continues Twice's string of color pop hits. It takes the point of view of someone who has yet to experience love and goes through what their idea of what it's like and the feelings it brings. The girls have only experienced love through mediums such as movies or books, but now this isn't enough to calm their feelings. The girls want the real thing and spend the song imagining what it's like. In the chorus, they say things like "they say it’s sweet like candy", and "they say it feels like flying". I feel that the song captures the idea of Valentine's Day the most. This idea of a perfect love that's only counting down until the day the two parties meet.
#2: Super Junior-D&E - Growing Pains (suggested by: Galaxy)
Galaxy: In March 2015, Super Junior-D&E — a sub-unit comprised of Donghae and Eunhyuk — released their first Korean mini-album called "The Beat Goes On". The title track, "Growing Pains", is a pop-rock ballad written by Donghae and Team One Sound. In this song, the two members take turns at impersonating a heartbroken man who can't forget the love of his life after a horrible break-up. First, he remembers their last moments together and all the anger that came with their separation. Then, he wishes that his ex-partner can cope with the situation better than he does. Eventually, his struggles become so strong that he finds a way to forget everything. In the music video, both men are seen visiting a doctor who can erase their memories... if you aren't in the mood for cheesy feelings, and would rather cry along to a sad love story, "Growing Pains" is definitely the song you need to check out!
#3: Ailee - Good Bye My Love (suggested by: @UMJI MOODS)
miatheikonic: If you watched the drama "You Are My Destiny", you most certainly cried over the unfortunate fate of the two leads, and Ailee perfectly captured that pain in the drama's OST "Good Bye My Love". The song covers a topic that people usually don't talk about on Valentine's Day—loving someone you shouldn't; loving someone you should forget. I don't know which was most heartbreaking: the scenes in the MV, Ailee's nostalgic voice, the lyrics of the song, or the fact that most of us would relate to the latter. The music video shows the sorrowful and tearful story of the two lead characters, while the lyrics describe the plot so you'll be able to understand the emotions even if you didn't watch the drama (don't forget to enable the subtitles). What struck me the most in this OST was the strength Ailee showed. At first, she was unable to say she will be happy, but as the song progressed, she accepts her fate. The important message I hope everyone will remember this Valentine's is that the pain is only temporary. After every rain, there is a rainbow.
#4: IU - Blueming (suggested by: @Bot)
BlueNose: With a modernized take on flirting, "Blueming" shows love through the art of texting. IU serves us an electronic pop-rock hit from 2019. Through texting, IU tries to catch the attention of her love interest. She sends emojis and tries to make any small conversation just to talk to the other person. Their chat is in bloom and full of life as IU says herself. They aren't quite dating yet, but the singer is positive that they are making good progress and will soon cross over into "Act II". This song represents such a positive feeling of being in that in-between state of having a crush and trying to make a move. It feels really great when things begin moving slowly but surely into a relationship.
#5:Kim Sung Kyu - True Love (suggested by: @rosie)
Galaxy: Are you ready for an overly sentimental confession — one that will melt your heart and make you wish it was written just for you? Then it's time to listen to "True Love" by Kim Sung Kyu! This pop-rock ballad served as the title track of his first full solo album, "10 Stories", and its success is another proof of Korea's addiction to love songs. In the music video of "True Love", the leader of Infinite wanders in the streets of Hong Kong and professes his feelings to the one he has fallen for. By reading the lyrics, we can wonder if he'll be successful or remain stuck in the friendzone forever ... but with such a beautiful confession, the love of his life would be a fool to reject him!
#6: MACO - Sweet Memory (suggested by: @demasta)
miatheikonic: Sometimes, love doesn't work the way we want it to. It is sometimes unrequited and leaves the person broken inside. It is not something we want to remember on Valentine's Day. However, love comes in many forms and shapes, and I wanted to show this one because many of us can relate to it. MACO greatly expressed that feeling of loving someone who doesn't feel the same way in her release "Sweet Memory". Maybe the best part of this song is the dramatic story-telling of the music video, which MACO's voice complemented really well. It is centered on her feelings for her best friend—the feelings she can't say out loud, as her friend likes someone else. MACO's voice is soft and honey-like when she spends time with that friend but turns dramatic and powerful as we watch her heart getting broken. The music video ends as MACO unveils the beautiful portrait she painted. It shows the two girls together, she and her friend. Her voice, which carries unimaginable strength and pain, blended well with the heartbreaking scene. This song shows that you are not alone and that many people are also stuck on the feelings of unrequited love.
#7: Monsta X - White Love (suggested by: @BlessMeAchoo)
Nara: ‘White Love’ is a soft rock ballad that depicts a heartwarming confession of love to a person who is pure and sweet. Here, Monsta X sings about their desire to melt one's heart like white snow. They describe pure love in an adorable way, and it is a cozy song for wintertime. Their refreshing and harmonious vocals, as well as the rippling piano sounds in the background, make 'White Love’ a very pleasant listen. The acoustic guitar, as well as the sweet lyrics, can make you feel soft. Watching the music video was also a treat as the boys sing so happily in a relaxed atmosphere.
#8: Uji (featuring Mikey) - Love Letter (suggested by: @Seunghee's Eyebrows)
Nara: This is a song that perfectly captures the love between two people. It is a duet between Bestie’s Uji and Mikey from The Channels who is most known as being part of song writing duo Double Sidekick. 'Love Letter’ can make listeners smile, as Uji’s voice is charming and sweet like chocolate, and the parts where she hits high notes can make listeners shudder. Her voice matches well with Mikey who has smooth vocals. What would be more perfect to listen to on Valentine’s Day than a song between two lovers wherein they talk to each other and describe how they’re in awe of one another? 'Love Letter’ can truly get listeners in a Valentine's mood and can make the audience grin with joy.
#9: Handsign - I'll Be Your Ears (suggested by: miatheikonic)
miatheikonic: Valentine's Day is for showing love to people and reminding them that you care for them. Some people especially need that love; those with various disabilities that make them feel like they're the weakest links of society. Handsign is a Japanese group that makes music with the purpose of including deaf and aphasic people and letting them enjoy the wonders of music. Their song, "I'll Be Your Ears", follows a singer catching feelings for a deaf and aphasic person and his initial struggles of getting closer to her. His loved one struggles to be included in society, but because love is stronger than everything, the boy learns sign language and slowly includes his soulmate in his circle of friends. By the end, I was struck with the sweetness of the story as he takes his date on a concert for deaf people where singers sing and use the sign language at the same time. The singer's voice beautifully transitions along with the story-line, being as sweet as the music video is. It is the perfect song to remind us of how powerful love is. And the best part is that the song is based on real events, as the music video shows the real couple's pictures by the end.
#10:Song Ji Eun - Don’t Look At Me Like That (suggested by: @lira)
Galaxy: In 2014, Song Ji Eun—who was still a member of Secret at that time—released "Don't Look At Me Like That" along with her first solo mini-album, "25". The description of the song (which is posted under the music video) states that the lyrics are about "love between the same sex, different races, different ages, and other possibly prejudiced and stereotyped relationships." The artist is first held captive by a mysterious man, her hands tied with chains. She later becomes the main focus of a sideshow and gets surrounded by masked people. The place eventually catches on fire, and she is the only one who isn't killed by the flames. With this beautiful mid-tempo ballad, Ji Eun isn't afraid to show that love should know no prejudice, and we can only join her in this fight!
#11: Hebe Tien - Forever Love (suggested by: @abra)
BlueNose: Not all love is expressive. "Forever Love", a beautiful acoustic ballad sweetened by Hebe Tien's fitting vocals, shows us a love where both parties have scars from their past relationships, so they're afraid to show their feelings. They found comfort in each other due to sharing similar stories of heartbreak from a previous lover. However, they are still hesitant to love each other because they're afraid of being left behind again. In an effort to avoid this, they move at a careful pace. They're so afraid to jump into this relationship wholeheartedly only to quickly move on as if nothing happened afterward. I think "Forever Love" displays a mature type of love, where instead of going into things quickly after an unfortunate relationship, the two work together to build up what was broken.
#12: BTS - Epiphany (suggested by: Nara)
Nara: Valentine’s Day is indeed a romantic occasion, but it is also a day to practice self-love. 'Epiphany', an uplifting rock solo ballad from BTS’s 2018 album ‘Love Yourself: Answer’, is about coming into a realization of self-love—that we are the ones we should love. His voice is very emotional and angelic, and the lyrics are very touching--telling us that even when we're not so perfect, we're still beautiful. Learning to love one's self in spite of all our imperfections isn’t always easy, but it’s essential in order to learn to love another person. The listeners may feel inspired by the positive message about self-esteem, as well as feel uplifted by the grand piano opening and the acoustic guitar in the verses. It’s a beautiful and melodic song that can make you tear up and make you feel happy and encouraged about yourself. ‘Epiphany’ is an inspiring track that can resonate with singles on Valentine’s Day. Moreover, it can also motivate those in relationships because it’s easier to sustain love with a special someone when one embraces one's self first.
Hallyu+ users, what do you think of this selection? Did you find any gem to add to your music library? If you'd like to listen to all the songs suggested by our users, you can find the whole Love Songs Playlist on Youtube!
Thank you to everyone who filled the form and participated. If your username was mentioned in this article, you win ⨭50,000PC! They will be sent on Saturday, February 15th. But it's not the end... just like we did for Christmas, we've organised a special lottery for our readers.
Thank you for reading this article, and we'll see you very soon. In the meantime, we hope you're enjoying the games organised by our Events' Team. Happy Valentine's Day!
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