In today’s world, life can be full of a lot of stress and worry. We are increasingly expected to take on more tasks whilst working harder and longer in order to be successful or to get that wage we need. If you add on top of this the more general and personal difficulties life can throw at you, it can be easy to become completely overwhelmed with stress and anxiety at times.
Whilst it is indeed important it is to deal with your educational, work or personal matters properly, it is equally important that you give yourself the time you wind down and chill out every so often. Everyone needs time to themselves and time to truly escape from the daily grind. Music, once again, is a great tool to help you do this.
So, despite our last few K-Pop playlists being about helping you to pick yourself up and get going, this time around we are focusing on allowing yourself to settle and calm down. So, without further ado, let us begin the chill session!
1. Brown Eyed Girls – ‘One Summer Night’
B.E.G are usually known for their incredibly sexy and fierce image, so it’s nice to see a new side to them with this pretty ballad. The song and MV show a really nice summer love story. It might bring a lot of nostalgia for those of us that have been lucky enough to enjoy sunny holidays in past years. The actor and actress are young and fresh-faced which might also remind you of your favourite drama series. The song itself is ever so slightly jazzy and the girls’ vocals and gentle rap give it a really well-rounded appeal.
2. B1A4 – ‘Lonely’
A song about being lonely, how is that relaxing? Just listen to it if you never have before and you will see. The MV itself is beautiful with its white hues and snowy sets. The song is indeed quite sad, but it still manages to be really infectious and nice to listen to. The video shows the couple floating apart and the guy left behind continuing to float through his days with no sense of purpose after his love is gone, but you might just feel like floating yourself from relaxation as you listen.
3. B.A.P – ‘Coffee Shop’
Another K-Pop song that illustrates the process of getting over a past love. This particular one is quite hopeful in its message though. It talks of someone realising that they are actually well and happy now, despite still going to the same coffee shop that they used to visit with their ex. They admit that they still have difficulty in really forgetting that person, but assert that the consistent visiting of this particular coffee shop is more out of habit than anything else. This song, once again, shows B.A.P’s versatility in that we are shown a much softer side to them. One can really imagine sitting peacefully at a coffee shop on a sunny day whilst this sweet song plays in the background.
4. Sung Si Kyung – ‘To You’
Anyone who has watched the Korean drama ‘Reply 1994’ – the follow up to the hugely successful ‘Reply 1997’ will be familiar with this song. It is a very typical drama soundtrack in that it is full of real emotion. It is about feeling like the one have you have fallen for is fragile and being worried that they might change in the future. You can tell how powerful Si Kyung’s voice is even though this song is so gentle. It will probably be on the music playlist of many a drama fan out there.
5. GD & T.O.P – ‘Baby Good Night’
A very romantic song from the two rappers of BIGBANG here. This one is all about not wanting a night with a loved one to end and to say goodnight/goodbye to them. The lyrics are sweet in that they show the thoughts of someone truly in love with another, closely studying all that they can about them and saying how much they are in love with everything they are. G-Dragon’s fairly high singing voice really compliments the more dulcet tones that T.O.P is known for. As they repeat “Baby good night”, one can sense the love and urge to protect someone that they are communicating.
6. Eunhyuk and Donghae – ‘Still You’
Much like B.A.P’s ‘Coffee Shop’, this song discusses feeling messy and confused when seeing that an ex has moved on. This song is quite a change from these Super Junior members who are usually silly and fun in their music (just look at their latest single!) The two show a more mature side as they sing of an attachment to a past love. Despite the solemn content though, the song has an air of cheeriness about it. It almost seems like they are at a stage of heartbreak where they can accept how they feel and just continue on. The members’ vocals are very soft and the chorus is catchy in a way that is not intrusive and annoying. It is a song that can probably bring a sense of calm to anyone who gives it a listen.
Oh, and did we mention that the MV was filmed in London? What do you mean you already knew that?!
7. Block B – ‘Be the Light’
This was the first single that Block B released after switching from Stardom Entertainment to Seven Seasons and many BBCs took it as a track that was dedicated to the fans that had stood by the group throughout the many difficult times they had faced. The group and have been forced to endure long periods of inactivity and this song sounds like they are letting all their frustration out. It is about someone pleading with another to ‘Be the Light’ in their life, to lift them from the darkness and give them a reason to be happy. The song is full of quite a lot of self-loathing, which might be hard for many to take, however, the heavy beat makes it something that you can dance a little to, whilst the singing is still sweet enough to be really relaxing. Overall, it is a very heartfelt and beautiful song.
8. TRAX – ‘Jagiyah’
This song doesn’t have an MV, but we thought it would be nice to include something from the band TRAX to give a little bit more of a rock flavour to this playlist. Many of you will already know that the Korean word ‘Jagiyah’ is a term of endearment meaning something like ‘sweetheart’. This song is another about a break up, but the love it communicates and its slow and gentle progression makes it almost reassuring in its nature. The vocals are also slightly gravelly in true TRAX style, which gives it a bit of an edgy side.
9. 2NE1 – ‘Missing You’
As the title plainly suggests, this song is about missing someone after a breakup. It shows someone thinking over things in the past and realising how tired they are of playing games and putting up with people who only show their love when it suits them. This song might be more upsetting than it is relaxing for some, but the way it smoothly progresses from the slow verses to the sweet harmonies makes it very mellow. The repetition in the chorus can also have a quite soothing effect.
10. Kim Ye Rim (A.K.A Lim Kim) – ‘All Right’
Another song about the aftermath of a breakup, but this one is about showing your ex that you are well and good. It shows the sense of pride that humans can have in not wanting to show someone that they have been hurt by them. The chorus of this song is so catchy that I defy anyone to not be singing it even after the very first listen. Kim Ye Rim’s voice is quite unusual and has an almost thick quality – it is quite smooth and soulful. There is a strange electro ‘break down’ bridge this track that might catch you by surprise, but after a few listens, it can seem less discordant than it is initially.
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There are a lot of songs here that are quite sad and that cover that old pop song chestnut of breakups and heartbreak, but we do hope this collection of songs will serve to be a lot more relaxing than they are upsetting! So, be sure to give yourself a break, put your feet up and let yourself rest and chill out!
What do you think of this playlist?
Are there any songs you would have included?
Let us know!
