There are few things I enjoy more than a great summertime song. They’re bright, they’re exciting, and they remind me of my favorite time of the year.

There’s no telling what this summer in K-pop will bring, but over the next few weeks I’ll be flashing back each day, showcasing a highlight from past summers. The rules are simple: I fire up my carefully compiled “K-pop summer” playlist, hit ‘shuffle,’ and if the song that pops up hasn’t already been featured on the site, it gets a post and mini-review of its own.

So, get ready for a summer of K-pop on The Bias List!

(View all the Summer of K-pop songs here)

<< Song 28 >>

Uhm Jung Hwa – Festival (1999)

We’re going WAY back in time for one of K-pop’s original summer tracks. Uhm Jung Hwa was more widely known for an edgier dance pop style, but Festival (페스티벌) catches her at her hands-in-the-air brightest. It’s an infectious (if silly) track that has led to covers by multiple artists and remains one of the more iconic releases from 1999. It has a cheesy charm, especially when the instrumental transforms into a disco pastiche for the breakdown. And although I’ll admit I can only take Festival’s relentless chorus in small doses, it’s absolutely perfect for certain moods and situations.