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 48 >>

Deux – In Summer (1994)

You might have heard this song covered recently by the variety-spawned SSAK3 (or the more under-the-radar boy group Great Guys). It will undoubtedly be the oldest track in this Summer of K-pop feature, but there’s a reason it’s remained relevant for twenty-six years. A foundation of its sub-genre, In Summer (여름안에서) takes Deux’s New Jack Swing foundations, adds a generous amount of ocean sound effects, and throws an easy, breezy pop melody on top. The result is a song that sneaks up on you. It’s unlikely to wow from the very first listen, but its languid, hazy appeal has real staying power. The song is both groovy and laid-back, perfectly suited to a variety of seasonal activities. And of course, we can’t ignore that blazing 90’s sax!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Om8uhJ9rOJ4