The Highschool K-Pop Write-up

This week I am going to do something a little different from my usual Broadway-inspired blogs. As many of you (if not all), of you know, I have an avid obsession with Korean Pop bands. And, as many of you probably don’t know, one of my favorite K-pop groups released a new album not too long ago. So I thought that this blogspace was the perfect place to completely fan girl and make everyone listen.

The band I am going to be ranting about today is my beloved Stray Kids. Stray Kids is an 8 member band consisting of singers, rappers, dancers and all of the above. Their newest album titled ‘NOEASY’ is their second studio album, and it contains so many gems that I haven’t shut up about it for weeks. Picking my three favorite songs was honestly so frustrating, because I am truly obsessed with every song they put on the album. At one point I even considered just scrapping the whole “Top Three” idea because I really just wanted to talk about all of them. Anyways, enough rambling.

THIRD INSTALLMENT: STRAY KIDS-NOEASY

3. Silent Cry

I knew before that I even started this blog that I was going to have Silent Cry in my top three of the album. The beat and flow of the song just works so well, especially for the K-pop genre. But at the same time, it is also different from songs they have produced before. The lines are also equally dispersed in the song which is always the best feeling for a fan of a K-pop group.

The song perfectly highlights each member, and the lyrics are so well written. In the song, the lyrics talk about holding emotions behind a wall and never showing when you are hurt. Although the lyrics are quite heavy, the upbeat tempo keeps the song from being too serious. The lyrics are written by three of the members themselves: Han, Changbin, and Bang Chan, aka 3racha. The members are well known for their incredibly well written songs and their fast paced raps. In particular, Changbin really shined in Silent Cry, with his rapid fire rap and distinct voice. His voice really made the song so unforgettable, and the lyrics are written so well. 

2. Secret Secret (말할 수 없는 비밀)

This song has been my comfort song for the past few weeks. The melody is just so calming. As someone who thoroughly enjoys melodic K-pop songs, this song is my favorite type of song to listen to. It is just so calming, not to mention the amazing vocals that accompany the melody. 

The lyrics for this song aren’t something I can just skip over. As much as I rave about how a song sounds, I am primarily a fan of picking apart lyrics. Especially in K-pop songs, in which I have to search the translations for. Something about having to search a little more than just simply comprehending by listening makes me really look  deeper into the lyricism of the songs. The lyrics in this song in particular are about having a secret about how you truly feel. One of my favorite lyrics (translated) is “Pretending to be okay makes me even lonelier.” The lyrics are just so relatable and well written. 

1.  DOMINO 

I. LOVE. RAPID. FIRE. RAP.

Changbin’s rapid fire at the beginning of DOMINO is absolutely the reason this has to be number one. I’ve always been a fan of Stray Kids rapid fire rappers, but this song just really highlighted the rap as the opening line of a song. I am also a big sucker for techno/mechanic sounding backing tracks which Stray Kids always does especially well.

The main and backing vocals of all the backing vocals really are just amazing. Each and every one of the members is really utilized in this song. Especially Lee Know, who is known to have little to few lines in songs. (BTW thanks JYP entertainment for the crumbs.)

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Overall this album is so so amazing, and even if you aren’t an avid K-pop fan I would suggest giving it a listen. With ballads, upbeat music, rap, and singing, Stray Kids really does cater to all tastes. I could probably rant about how you should be a fan of Stray Kids for weeks, but I know nobody will listen to a whole blog about K-pop fan going crazing on blogspace.

ANYWAYS GO STREAM NOEASY STRAY KIDS SECOND STUDIO ALBUM!!!!!

Author: Adele Bryant

K-pop, Jane Austen, food, and writing enthusiast. Strong believer in pineapple on pizza.

3 thoughts on “The Highschool K-Pop Write-up”

  1. adele, i love the way you write about everything really, but it’s especially stunning when you write about things you’re passionate about. keep it up!!

  2. Another K-pop Stan?? I really like how you described each song so well. I don’t know too much about Stray Kids, but please write more.

  3. The description of each song is very well put together and thought through. Stray Kids was an old friend of mine’s favorite group, so I know a bit about them. This is an excellent piece of writing for people to be introduced into the genre. Keep writing about things you’re passionate about 😀

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