KISS OF LIFE is soaring with house music.
Amidst a chart-dominated scene including WOODZ, Hanlolo, Hwasa, All Day Project, LE SSERAFIM, and the Netflix series ‘K-pop Demon Hunters’ OST, KISS OF LIFE’s new song ‘404 (New Era)’ climbed to 9th place on Melon’s TOP100 as of 3 PM today and topped various real-time and daily charts on Bugs and YouTube’s trending music. On the 4th, the song also secured a first-place trophy on a music broadcast, continuing a strong upward trend.
Released on the 26th of last month, KISS OF LIFE’s ‘404 (New Era)’ is a track with addictive beats based on UK house and garage sounds, featuring unique vocals and rap from the members. Its lyrics creatively reinterpret the web error code ‘404 Not Found’ as ‘existence without coordinates,’ gaining a positive reception from listeners both domestically and internationally.
Following the success of their debut song ‘I DO ME,’ this track arrives at a crucial moment, poised for another impactful hit.
KISS OF LIFE’s musical adaptability stands out, but it’s noteworthy that house music is receiving great enthusiasm even during the winter season. This trend shows how house music is becoming a sure-fire formula in K-pop.
(G)I-DLE, who made a comeback on the 27th of last month, also pursued a new musical transformation with their song ‘mono,’ temporarily setting aside their intense style for a dreamy house genre. With reviews describing it as “inviting,” the song quickly climbed major music charts both domestically and internationally, marking a promising start to the year for (G)I-DLE.
Last year, HATS TO HATS showcased the house genre’s cool and chic charms with their first mini-album title track ‘FOCUS,’ proving an expanded musical spectrum.
The track achieved the top spot on domestic music charts as well as the Oricon Daily Album Chart, marking a significant achievement as HATS TO HATS’ first No.1 on the Oricon Chart.
There’s growing sentiment that house music is establishing itself as a ‘winning formula’ in the K-pop market. Its expanding sound defies seasonal limitations and is driving K-pop’s trend evolution.
In South Korea, SM Entertainment has showcased diverse house music. SHINee’s ‘View’ and f(x)’s ‘4 Walls’ remain known as ‘K-pop masterpieces’ even 10 years after their release. Other tracks like Luna’s ‘Free Somebody,’ Irene & Seulgi’s ‘Naughty,’ and RIIZE’s ‘Impossible’ are also included in the house music lineage.
Image source: Xportsnews, SM Entertainment
