YouTube Music gave me a little scare. Recap release dates have never been set in stone, but they’re clearly connected to the beginning of the seasons. Therefore, I had been expecting the latest recap to drop sometime around March 19, the first day of spring. When the entire month of March and nearly two weeks of April passed with nary a sign, I began to panic. Was the service going to stop providing recaps for the winter too? Was it going to discontinue the recaps altogether? Thankfully, the Winter 2024 Recap, which is now called the “December-February Recap,” finally appeared on April 12. Crisis averted!
Before I get to the recap, there are two things that I should mention.
First, I usually like to compare my newest stats to those from the previous season. I can’t do that as accurately as I’d like to this time. The most recent recap before now covers all of last year, which isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison. My Fall 2023 Recap isn’t helpful either because it only contains my top tracks. That leaves my Summer 2023 Recap, the last regular season with full stats. So, I’ll use the summer as my baseline and mix in info from the other seasons as appropriate.
Second, I’ll be diving into the English translations of the Korean lyrics here. Unless I specify otherwise, the translations come from the subtitles from the artists’ official music videos. I italicize the lyrics when a line has been translated from the Korean one.
Now let’s go!
Overview
From December 2023 to February 2024, YTM reports that I used the service for 4,696 minutes (~78 hours) overall. Knowing that my total listening time for 2023 was 20,462 minutes, I subtracted the times for the winter (4,797 minutes), spring (6,125 minutes), and summer (4,467 minutes) seasons to determine that I must have listened for 5,073 minutes in the fall. That’s a difference of 377 minutes (or a little over six hours).
Here are some other points of interest:
- Top Genre – K-Pop (66%)
- Top Mood – Dramatic (33%)
- Top Playlist – ATEEZ (KQ’s playlist for all of the group’s MVs)
Top Winter Artists
My Top Winter Artist is…THE BOYZ! THE BOYZ rose from #5 during the Summer 2023 Recap to #4 at the end of last year to number one. That’s quite a jump! I’ve really been enjoying them, though. I have mini marathons of their music videos quite often, which is probably why they made it to the top.
ATEEZ comes in at #2. If I’m not mistaken, this is the first time they’ve ranked on one of my YTM lists. I don’t stream their music much because I usually get their (Korean) albums from Freegal. Things are different this time because I’ve been working through their lore. Or trying to. The story is extremely intricate and complicated. After I read some theories online about what it all might mean, I started rewatching their teasers and music videos from the beginning to see what I had missed. I have a better overall understanding of things, but I’m still confused. Oh well.
The rest of the artists are the usual suspects. NCT 127, my Top Artist of 2023 and my #3 Summer 2024 Artist, drops back down to #3. WayV moves from #2 last year to #4. OnlyOneOf, who haven’t ranked since they were #3 in my Spring 2023 Recap, round out the list at #5.
Top Winter Tracks
#1 – “Watch It” (THE BOYZ)
THE BOYZ also have my Top Winter Track with “Watch It,” the lead single from the second part of their album PHANTASY. To be honest, I wasn’t that crazy about the song at first. My opinion changed after their 1theKILLPO performance came out. Watching THE BOYZ perform is always an Experience—they’re insanely talented—so I kept watching the video. I guess the song grew on me through those repeated viewings. Now I love it.
The pre-chorus line “The riskier, the deeper you fall/You better/WATCH IT” pretty much sums up the song. It’s a bad boy’s warning to his love interest. He tells her up front that it’s highly likely that he’ll break her heart. Even still, the chemistry and attraction between them is so strong that neither one of them wants to break things off.
One of the most memorable moments for me in “Watch It” is the part in the bridge where New belts out, “Where you go, I’ll go/I’ll ruin you to the end.” Whoa! He was using his usual silky whisper earlier in the song, and then all of a sudden he bursts onto the scene with a vengeance. I wasn’t expecting it, and I was shook.
As for their 1theKILLPO performance, I like the unexpected costume changes, which is a signature of these 1theK videos. Even though I know exactly when the flip will happen, it’s always exciting. I also love the “go stupid” part (as I call it) right before the second chorus. The music briefly cuts out. Then they rock their bodies back and forth, faster and faster, until they’re full on moshing. Eric, Q, and Juyeon in particular put so much energy into it. It looks like fun!
#2 – “On My Youth” (WayV)
“On My Youth” is the lead single from WayV’s first full album of the same name (aka my #2 Top Album of 2023). There are two versions of this song—one in Chinese, which is used for the cinematic official music video, and one in English, which is used for the stripped down performance video. It’s fantastic in both languages, but I listen to the English version more often.
This song is deep. A guy is explaining to his soon-to-be ex that his crappy behavior during their relationship (“All of those lies I told to you/All of those highs I stole from you”) was caused by his immaturity (“Blame it on my youth!”). He now understands the impact of his actions and regrets how badly he treated her (“Maybe I had to lose you/To know how good I had it”), especially given the fact she was a good girlfriend to him (“And I know you never would bat an eye/When another guy steps to you to try”).
Peaks and valleys for days! The chorus has such a great beat for such a heavy theme. I bob my head the whole time. I love the “ay-ay” and “uhm-um” adlibs too. The rest of the song is quieter yet merciless in its mission to turn me into a complete mess. Yangyang, Hendery, and Winwin’s bars are poetic and poignant. Then there’s Kun and Xiaojun’s killer pre-chorus that always leaves me damn near in tears. And of course, Ten is in full Ten-mode.
#3 – “Roar” (THE BOYZ)
A year later, and “Roar” still has a death grip on me. I fear I’ll never get over this top tier track, let alone stop watching their Studio Choom performance of it.
#4 – “Fact Check” (NCT 127)
“Fact Check,” my top song for my Fall 2023 Recap, fell to the fourth slot this season. I still watch the performance music video a lot, just not as much as I used to.
#5 – “IT’s You” (ATEEZ)
An important trait of ATEEZ’s second full album, THE WORLD EP.FIN: WILL, is that the members split into subunits for some of the songs. Hongjoong and Seonghwa have the hip-hop banger “MATZ,” Mingi and Yunho have the sentimental pop tune “Youth,” and Jongho has his beautiful solo ballad “Everything.” While each of those songs are great in their own way, the clear winner in my opinion is Yeosang, San, and Wooyoung’s seductive R&B-tinged track “IT’s You.”
Given the members involved and the title, I had a pretty good idea of what I was walking into beforehand. And I was right! On one hand, it’s a romantic song: “This song for you is once again headed towards eternity.” The man is basically proclaiming his feelings for his lady, likening his passion for dancing to his love for her. Then you look closer and realize that it’s also a smutty song: “Oh, my body/I don’t wanna stop until the break of dawn/My performance for you/Is still going on without an end.” The double meaning is not subtle. I fell in love with it immediately.
The music video is insane (and likely the biggest reason why the song ranks so high). They have a large team of male back-up dancers and several sets, including a stormy soundstage, an empty nighttime street lined with small businesses and vendor stands, a windy room full of empty desks with papers blowing everywhere, and a person-sized birdcage. Wooyoung and Yeosang both look gorgeous as they show off their sickest moves. Yet, San completely steals the show. The way he dances, the way he stares into the camera…I couldn’t tear my eyes away from him.
Top Winter Albums
#1 – Things I Can’t Say LOve (OnlyOneOf)
So, OnlyOneOf released their latest mini album in January. While five tracks is normal for an EP, Things I Can’t Say LOve felt a little short. The opening track is instrumental, which doesn’t count as a “real” song to me, and I don’t care for the track “give me the lOve, bitxx.” That essentially leaves only three new songs: “O” (my absolute fave), “gravity,” and “dOpamine,” the single. However, I’m very happy with this excellent trio. They perfectly fit OOO’s brand of sweet, sexy, and heart-rending anthems.
The bubbly “dOpamine” is a tale about the effects of the hormone of the same name. In a nutshell, dopamine is released when the body experiences pleasure (“You’re my dopamine, dopamine/Spreading and spreading throughout my entire body“). The guy is so hooked on the way his lover makes him feel when they’re together that he wants to be with them as much as possible to repeat the experience (“Touching, just our reaction/Feel it, ecstatic emotion/I want a stimulating moment/More intense, Endless thirst“). It’s less aggressive than their previous, rock-influenced single “seOul drift,” and flirtier than the darkly sexual theme that the teaser suggested. Plus, all of them are serving sultry vocals—I was especially impressed with Junji’s high note at the end of the bridge—and the alluring music kicks.
The “dOpamine” music video is straight out of OOO’s playbook as well. One minute, they’re all fully dressed in elegant white shirts with black accents; the next, they’re dressed in rugged denim outfits, with five of the six opting for a jean jacket or vest sans shirt to show off their ripped abs. In fact, each member gets a moment or two in a literal spotlight made of crisscrossing lasers to pose in between scenes of them performing the lively choreography.
What’s next for OOO? I think they’re ready for a full album. They’ve earned it. They’ve definitely proven that they’re good at weaving individual songs together to create an intriguing narrative. Imagine what they could do with a tight run of ten tracks. In lieu of that, I would take more undergrOund idOl singles. If they’ve really switched “partners” like the rumors say, we’re in for a fresh batch of interesting stories.
#2 – TEN – The 1st Mini Album (Ten)
I’ve known in my heart of hearts for some time that Ten is one of my top NCT biases. What’s not to like? Beaut I steadfastly ignored this little crush because I try not to play favorites. I was finally forced to admit the truth to myself when his solo album came out. The extremely hyped and slightly obsessed person that I became during the promotion period was…kinda embarrassing. To be fair, though, his EP is freaking gold! Every single song is fire.
The songs on TEN bounce all over the place in terms of moods and genres. “Nightwalker” is an epic showstopper about a vampire-type lover who inspires a desire that’s addictive yet dangerous. “On Ten” is a talk-your-ish track where he brags about his accomplishments and awesomeness. “Dangerous” and “Water” are spicy dance tracks, with the former focusing on maintaining trust in a relationship amid adversity and the latter painting a picture of someone whose lover is as important to him as H20. Lastly, “Lie With You” and “Shadow” are breakup songs that deal with a relationship’s impending end and aftermath respectively.
Of all the songs, “Lie With You,” the pre-release single, is the most interesting. It’s not my favorite song on the album—that would be “Dangerous”—but the wordplay and mature subject matter stay on my mind for some reason. The “plot” centers on a doomed relationship. It seems like they’ve been hooking up for a bit (“Met you/Midnight in my bedroom”), but it’s become obvious that things aren’t going to work out for them (“I know we won’t last/And you know it too”). He feels guilty about stringing her along (“If you love me/Don’t say you love me”), but he’s willing to keep things up for the moment because it beats the alternative (“You’d be/Perfect for somebody else/Let’s pretend it’s me for now”). It makes me sad, like the lyrics stabbed me in the heart.
I need another album just like this ASAP.
#3 – Last Winter (Heize)
This is the first time Heize (or any female artist) has ranked on one of my YTM recaps, though she has graced my personal music library lists several times since I discovered her in 2020. I usually get Heize’s albums from Freegal, but that arrangement apparently ended after her last album, Undo, came out a couple of years ago. Therefore, I had to listen to her latest album through YTM.
One thing about Heize: she is an auto-buy. I never have to wonder if her new music is good. Last Winter is no exception. I don’t really have a clear favorite song. There isn’t one song that sticks out above the rest for me. And that’s not a bad thing. However, her remake of BEAST’s “Midnight” pleasantly surprised me. I used to listen to that song all the time back in my early K-Pop days. Heize’s version retains the essence of the original without sacrificing her unique musical style. The song is still instantly recognizable in this new acoustic, slowed down. It’s remarkable.
#4 – TAP – The 2nd Mini Album (Taeyong)
Taeyong, the Head Neo, released his second EP, TAP, in February. It’s a strong album. I feel like Tae really put a lot of work into it. The songs are never bad or boring. He raps a bit, he sings a bit. It’s heavenly. I loved the promoted B-sides “Moon Tour” and “Ape,” as well as the catchy title track “TAP.”
“TAP” is a wonderful and worthy successor to his previous single “SHALALA.” In fact, I often play the two back to back. They have similar energy—playful, danceable, and clever with plenty of genuine emotions bubbling beneath the surface. I can think of several lyrical interpretations for the song based on Genius’s English translation.
My first theory is that it’s an ode to obsessed fans (“Know too well ’bout your type/Only you are my hype girl”). They follow his every move online—“tap” is likely a reference to the women constantly tapping on his IG pictures and other accounts. When they actually meet him, they’re disappointed that he doesn’t play into the fake relationships they’ve built up in their heads (“Awkward stare, and then/Slinkin’ away/Looks different now, you got that right”) . He makes it clear that there’s a hard limit to what they can expect from him (“I grin and say ‘cheese’/Make a peace/Bit of a letdown for ya”).
Another possible interpretation is that his “hype girl” is a husband hunter. She’s attractive (“Yeah, I’m saucing on you”) and they’re having fun together (“We like to dance while sweating on the floor, you know”), but she is looking for a serious relationship or marriage. He knows what she’s hinting at, but he’s not able or willing to go there because of his career (“I’m driving too fast to stop/So all these signs, never mind/Too many things I’ve yet to try”).
In any case, I’m going to miss Tae until he completes his enlistment. Things won’t be quite the same in NCity without him.
#5 – TRUST ME (Yugyeom)
As much as I’ve enjoyed the solo releases from each of GOT7’s members, Yugyeom’s songs have been my favorite. Not only have I’ve always been partial to his ethereal voice, but I totally vibe with his chill yet sensual R&B music style. I’ve been snatching up his EPs and singles for years, so I was over the moon when he finally released a full album.
My favorite song on Trust Me is his pre-release single with Lee Hi, “Say Nothing.” I was not prepared for this epic pairing. I’ve liked Lee Hi since I heard her song “Special” years ago on Pandora. She has one of the most soulful voices in K-Pop. I can’t think of a better vocal match for Yugyeom. And they sell the hell outta this song! Peep this line from the chorus: “You don’t have to say nothing/Just let your body out of control.” Yeah, you read that right.
So, that’s it for the winter months. I guess I’ll see you again sometime in June.
Header Photo: “Audio Book Concept. Headphones and Notepad on White Background” @ towfiqu barbhuiya via Canva.com.