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Remakes and covers are having a moment in K-pop thanks to Joy of Red Velvet, Aespa, MSG Wannabe and ‘Kingdom’ TV band contest
- South Korean listeners are into old songs at the moment, and K-pop groups and artists are catering to them with remakes of hits from the 1990s and ’00s
- Satirical group MSG Wannabe, girl group Aespa and Joy of Red Velvet have all recently issued remakes
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Some new K-pop songs, including recent releases from girl group Aespa and Joy of Red Velvet, are remakes of old tunes.
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Aespa’s single Next Level, issued in May, is a remake of a 2019 song from a Fast and Furious film soundtrack, and Joy’s first mini album, “Hello” – released on May 31 – sees the vocalist recreating some of South Korea’s biggest hits from the 1990s and ’00s. In February, Aespa also released Forever, a remake of a song from the ’00s.
Both Joy and Aespa are under media company SM Entertainment, which has a penchant for remaking songs and re-releasing them. They are two among the many K-pop artists and groups who take tracks by other singers and put their own spin on them.
Satirical group MSG Wannabe – formed on popular variety show Hangout with Yoo – are another music act doing the same. The group is made up of eight celebrities who have existing careers as hip-hop artists, actors and singers.
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The songs released by MSG Wannabe – a pun on the name of vocal pop band SG Wannabe – have become big hits. They’ve released remakes of Journey to Atlantis by Laboum, Big Mama’s 2005 hit Resignation and the 2008 song If by Taeyeon.
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