This week we’re taking it back to 2006; Big Bang was debuting, Super Junior’s “U” was blasting from the stereos and Harisu released her fifth studio album Summer. It’s no wonder that looking at not just the song “Summer Summer”, but also the album artwork that it feels outdated and cheesy. But when comparing it to other releases at the time, it fits in well.
Arguably it is Micky Jung’s rapping sandwiched between Harisu’s melodic pining for the blazing sun and enjoyable parties that stands the biggest test of time. It is not that his skill is something to take note of, but more so that it draws similarities to that of future acts such as AOA; due to the theme, the track that immediately comes to mind is “Good Luck”.
Unfortunately, there is not much known about Harisu and her work online. Her fan page, while previously archived, has since been removed and she has not appeared in the public eye with the exception of her announcement of her divorce to Micky Jung in 2017 and a few performances on shows. Her attempt to revive her music career with 2012’s electro dance single “Shopping Girl” failed as the public turned a blind eye to the awkwardly-shot, low budget music video and settled for the softer girl group image such as SISTAR and the more shocking Hyuna.
But, that is not to say that Harisu is entirely forgotten about. The star has paved her way into history by being the second person to legally change their gender in 2002. While transexual rights is still an ongoing issue, Harisu’s open attitude makes her remarkable; it is highly interesting that she was able to land so many album deals and acting gigs at the time too. There is also something to be said about the singer’s decision to simply make catchy tracks without constantly drawing attention upon herself; she is an individual and her gender is not her key selling point.
Watch an archived version of the music video below:
