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It’s that time of year again when we are inundated with messages from the media to show our respective boyfriend/girlfriend how much we love them through gifts, cards, flowers and general romantic behaviour. Yes! Valentine’s Day!
Many see this day as an opportunity to show their other halves just how much they appreciate them, something that is often forgotten during our busy day-to-day lives. Whereas others see it as another way for business corporations to empty our pockets as we are pressurised to consume more material goods to illustrate our emotions on a single day as opposed than showing it all year round through actions.
Whatever your opinion of the day, as the majority of pop songs are about love in some shape or form, we thought it would be interesting to share a playlist with songs that are completely Anti-Valentine’s! (I am not a bitter singleton, I promise. *shifty eyes*).
1. Ailee – ‘I Will Show You’
This MV actually features G.O from MBLAQ as the boyfriend who left Ailee for another woman (G.O~! *shakes fist*). Ailee sings that he must be wearing the clothes and cologne she bought him as he meets up with the other woman and continues on with his life happily. This shows the how gifts exchanged between two lovers can still hold the memory of their relationship after it’s over. Ailee acknowledges that she is in pain and cries a lot now after what has happened, but vows to show her ex a new version of herself. Someone that is more confident and happy than her ex could ever be, someone who looks good, gets a lot of male attention and has everything working for her.
Ailee’s signature powerful vocals resonate as she walks with real confidence, busting continuously through swing doors and showing her ex what she has become. An interesting twist at the end though shows her embrace G.O, which could show that the healing process is difficult and the lingering feelings for another can be strong. It could also show that, occasionally, forgiving and giving a second chance is the best thing you can do.
2. 2NE1 – ‘Hate You’
The title here makes the song quite self-explanatory. It is about hating an ex after enduring a long time of being mistreated by them. The song shows a very vulnerable side as the persona admits that they threw away their pride and stayed with this person for so long because the were hoping they would change their ways eventually. However, the song also has that typical 2NE1 girl-power punch as the lyrics assert that they have erased every memory they had with their ex. They chant that they will be fine living on their own after telling their ex repeatedly that “they suck”.
3. G.Na – ‘Supa Solo (feat. Swings)’
This song doesn’t actually have an MV, but the message is still relevant here, so like in the last playlist - I’m going to include one live performance!
G.Na tells us that it is okay to be single, she asks every single person that has ever had to endure past heartbreak to come and join in with her and celebrate the fact that they are not in a relationship now. She asserts that she is happy and that she has a lot of time to concentrate on herself and do things her way when she is not with someone. Put “Supa” in front of “Solo” and being single becomes something to be proud of. Enjoy the time you have with yourself and your friends, have a good time and enjoy life.
4. Miss A – ‘I Don’t Need a Man’
Again, a very self-explanatory title here. This song is all about girls having pride in themselves and being able to live independently, without relying on a man. They buy their own things with the money they have earned and emphasise that things will always be that way. The old-fashioned sentiment of a man being the bread-winner of the household is completely smashed to pieces with this song. It also has a very bouncy and reggae-type flavour which gives you a very uplifting, summer vibe. The members show both their more feminine and masculine sides with their fashion choices and manage to pull it all off with great ease.
5. TVXQ – ‘Keep Your Head Down’
This track was the first MV release of TVXQ after they split. There was arguably a lot on the line to show that Yunho and Changmin could exist as a duo and without JYJ’s presence. This release shows amazing choreography and unity between them and can be said to have been a symbol of solidarity after the break-up.
The song itself is about a relationship that has broken down and a trust that has been betrayed, the persona feels completely incredulous about what has happened and is frightened of being seen as the ‘bad guy’ despite only loving and giving in the relationship. They resolve to “Keep [their] Head Down” and concentrate on healing and giving themselves the time they need to move on. This song might be seen as a subtle message to TVXO’s fans in that it can show that Yunho and Changmin were still strong and solid even after the big TVXQ/JYJ split, however, it could also be simply taken as a good bit of advice for anyone that has gone through a bad break-up. It is often important to give yourself some time to heal and have some time by yourself before embarking on a new relationship.
Make sure you take a look at our recent ‘Weekly Idol’ article on TVXQ if you haven’t already!
6. SNSD/Girls’ Generation – ‘Run Devil Run’
Another song about being mistreated by a former boyfriend here, and a warning to him that he better run away if he wants to be safe. This is actually a Korean version of a demo Ke$ha sang with the same name, but many Sones will probably argue that this version is superior. The song is an electro-pop feast and really helps you get pumped and feel like you mean business. It’s another song with a message that everyone deserves someone who will be committed to them and treat them well.
7. Lee Hi – ‘It’s Over’
Despite Lee Hi’s very young age, she has a voice full of soul. Here, she gives us a sincere song about feeling relieved and confident after a break up with someone that she now realises was bad for her and it still manages to be a very infectious track!
She tells her ex “Was I baggage to you?, then just put me down” showing her that she no longer cares about being attached to this person. She then says: “You will regret it, you will pound the ground, You will realize your mistakes soon, I never wanna ever see you again.” and talks in an almost patronising tone as she chants “Can you hear my voice? It’s over, it’s over so baby goodbye, Can you hear these words?, It’s over, it’s over so baby goodbye”
As with the majority of YG productions, the MV is really unique. A giant teddy bear adopts the persona of Lee Hi’s ex and we are shown a very cute concept with a strangely serious underside. Lee Hi’s fashion is also typically cool and cute.
8. 2PM – ‘Without U’
After the end of a relationship, you might feel like the pain will never go away and that you will never feel okay again. This song is all about taking the knowledge that you gave a relationship your all and using your ex’s mistreatment as proof that you should not be feeling so down. If you acted well and right, you can always feel alright no matter what happens. However, of course, this doesn’t always mean that the road to recovery is sn easy one. The upbeat chorus that repeats “I’m gonna be okay!” is great to make you feel empowered and feel like you can beat whatever problems you are facing. Many of 2PM’s songs usually take some very emotional issues, but manage to communicate them in a fairly energetic way, which is a quality that is sometimes very helpful when you are feel particularly down.
9. BIG BANG – ‘Love Song’
You know when a song can end up reminding you of a time in the past that has now changed, so it becomes too painful to listen to in the present? This is the sort of message that this song conveys. The members sing of being unable to even think through a recent break up and wanting to ignore a love song that reminds them of their ex. They vow never to sing it again, and wish to discard all that was the relationship. This song eloquently describes the feelings of fresh wounds inflicted by recent heartbreak and the knee-jerk reaction that many people experience of wanting to run away and escape it all. Sometimes, discarding all that reminds you of your ex initially can help with the healing process, and often as time passes, the reminders can become less painful to confront.
10. U-KISS – ‘Man Man Ha Ni (I’m Not Easy)’
The phrase “I’m not easy” is taken in this context to mean that you are not easily fooled or taken advantage of. The members address a woman that lies consistently and expects the world from their other half, but gives nothing in return. It seems that this woman is very full of herself and very inconsiderate of others. U-KISS show the anger that the boyfriend would feel in this situation, the lyrics and the way they are expressed is very aggressive and shows the feeling of being fed up of being mistreated. It is also a really catchy song that will definitely get you pumped up!
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We hope this playlist shows all the single people out there that you can appreciate yourself a be happy, strong and confident without a relationship!
For everyone who does have an other half, however, we sincerely hope you have a great Valentine’s Day together and simply look at this playlist as a collection of great songs in their own right!
Special thanks to Lisa Griggs for the image banner!
[Lyric Translation Source: kpoplyrics.net].
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