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 47 >>

Yunho (TVXQ) – Hit Me Up (ft. Giriboy) (2019)

Yunho’s solo debut album was a varied affair, with multiple songs that could have been promoted as title tracks. I definitely understand why SM went the way they did, but Hit Me Up strikes me as a missed opportunity for a summer single. Despite the inclusion of a few regrettable “skrrt skrrts” and too much autotune during Giriboy’s rap, the track is a bright, synth-powered confection that’s a surprisingly great match for Yunho’s tone. I often use the term “roller rink” to describe music like this, even though I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve actually roller-skated. Still, some concepts are just universal. I’d be willing to strap on some skates and stumble my way through for this track.