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Top 20 Korean Band/Soloist B-sides of 2022 (Part 2)


Rules
  • 1 song per artist per list
  • No set rankings (order is generally good to best) 

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"Unpainted Canvas" - Wonpil

             

    Wonpil is the keyboardist and one of the main vocalists for Day6, one of the most popular idol bands. They're also Xdinary Heroes' seniors from the same company. I've tried to get into Day6 in the past, but never really vibed with their sound. Surprisingly, I ended up really loving this b-side! Funnily enough, this b-side is the most Day6 sounding song on the entire album. Somehow, I never really noticed Wonpil's beautiful vocal tone in the band's material, but it really shines in "Unpainted Canvas." The lyrics are quite poetic, and his vocals really bring out the mixed emotions of the lyrics beautifully. 

"Unpainted Canvas" English translation


"= (Equal Sign)" - j-hope

             

    "Equal Sign" is such a short but impactful song. J-hope's entire Jack In The Box album is great, but all the songs are 3 minutes or shorter. I definitely wish the songs were longer. What I love most about "Equal Sign" are j-hope's vocals and the heartfelt lyrics. We do get to hear him sing in BTS songs here and there, but I feel like I heard a whole different vocal tone and range from him at the end of this b-side. I also really like how this song contrasts with the singles on this album. I'm sharing the performance at Lollapalooza because I loved how it sounded with the live band, but the studio version is great too!

"= (Equal Sign)" English translation

Other nominee(s): "Safety Zone", "STOP"


"Change pt.2" - RM

             

    "Change pt.2" is another really short song, but this song takes you on an entire journey in less than 2 minutes (no I didn't put the BTS members next to each other on purpose, it just happened this way lol). I think eAeon created such a cool and unique instrumental. It features multiple mid song change ups, but the song still flows really nicely.

    Apparently, RM recorded the vocals for the "Change pt.2" demo drunk (see source below), and ended up using that take in the finished product. Now his somewhat lethargic performance on the song makes sense, but I think it was a great decision to use the demo. It's also interesting when you look at the lyrics and see how personal and angry they are, especially since this song is entirely in English.

         

Other nominee(s): "Yun (with Erykah Badu)", "Lonely"


"Good Night My Princess" - CHUNG HA

   
    Prior to 2022, I liked a few of Chungha's hit singles but beyond that, I never really delved into her music. I actually got to see her live at KCON LA in 2018 (she performed the same night as Dreamcatcher), but it was before I was a fan, sadly. However, the Bare&Rare, Pt. 1 album really impressed me! The entire album is good and I really loved the range of genres and concepts she tackled. It was really difficult to pick just one song from this album, but I chose the ballad on the album, "Good Night My Princess."

    Chungha co-wrote the lyrics for all the songs on this album, and ADORA, a brilliant producer and k-pop soloist that I really admire, co-composed this b-side. Chungha's vocals are gorgeous throughout, and she delivers the touching lyrics dedicated to her mother beautifully. Songs about parents make me emotional pretty easily (especially when it's a daughter talking about her mother), so I'm probably a little biased when it comes to this b-side.

"Good Night My Princess" English Translation
    
Other nominee(s): "XXXX", "Crazy Like You (feat. BIBI)", "California Dream"


"Ghost" - Xdinary Heroes
   

    Speaking of Xdinary Heroes, here they are on my b-sides list! Most of you already know I've been a pretty big fan of this idol band since they debuted in late 2021. I have to admit, I wasn't as big of a fan of their title tracks in 2022, but they had a number of amazing b-sides!

    It was tough, but I eventually chose "Ghost" due to its mysterious/slightly creepy atmosphere (though most of the Overload album has a similar vibe) and well-written lyrics. I love the vocals on this track and I think the rap on this b-side is some of the best on the album. Also, it's only really noticeable with headphones, but during the chorus there's a seemingly random clicking noise. It seems to match with the lyrics "I am broken to the sound that bothers me," which I think is a smart little detail. Only downside is that this song is the shortest track on the album (unbelievable how often this happens to me 😓).

"Ghost" English Translation

Other nominee(s): "Crack in the mirror", "Strawberry Cake", "LUNATIC", "Zzz.."

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