Song of the Week: BTS’ Jung Kook Drops One of the Sexiest Songs in K-Pop History with “Seven” feat. Latto

Mary Siroky and Consequence Staff
·7 min read
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The post Song of the Week: BTS’ Jung Kook Drops One of the Sexiest Songs in K-Pop History with “Seven” feat. Latto appeared first on Consequence.

Song of the Week delves into the fresh songs we just can’t get out of our heads. Find these tracks and more on our Spotify Top Songs playlist, and for our favorite new songs from emerging artists, check out our Spotify New Sounds playlist. This week, Jung Kook of BTS makes a splash with his official solo debut, “Seven.”

There’s a concept in K-pop called duality that Jung Kook of BTS encapsulates absurdly well — this idea of being able to slide back and forth between the cuter side of a personality and a more alluring one; an artist’s edgy onstage persona and offstage sweetness.

With his official global solo debut, Jung Kook takes duality to its limits: “Seven,” featuring rapper Latto, is one of the most explicit tracks to ever be released by an artist who originated in the K-pop world. It also arrives with a terribly funny and charming music video that takes a comedic approach to the song. There’s both a clean version and uncensored version on streaming services. On Good Morning America today, Jung Kook performed the track with some sharp, confident choreography, and also joined the host for a sweet, bubbly conversation that made the viewer want to pinch his cheeks. If you’re somewhat new to the BTS game, be prepared to embrace the whiplash — this bounce between extremes is Jung Kook, encapsulated.

Since BTS announced their second chapter just over a year ago, confirming that they intend to remain active as a group but also take time to embrace solo endeavors in the midst of completing mandatory military service, Jung Kook’s bandmates have explored a range of themes through their individual projects — formally leaving youth behind, working through anger and grief, processing self-image and scrutiny, and similarly heavy, deeply personal subjects that haven’t always felt right for music from all seven members. On “Seven,” Jung Kook takes the chance to remind the listener that BTS have never been afraid of breaking the rules.

When BTS debuted, Jung Kook was just 15 years old. From the jump, the band existed on a bit of an island — in a recently released book, the members reflect on the difficulties they faced domestically as a group that wasn’t exactly a full-on hip-hop crew, but also didn’t function as a more traditional South Korean idol group. BTS are no strangers to explicit language in their music, and also spent their early years digging into topics around mental health and belonging that were still quite taboo for K-pop acts a decade ago. Since their 2013 debut, they’ve re-written the rules as they went and, in doing so, have carved their own corner of the global industry.

So, while the lyrics in “Seven” from Jung Kook and Latto wouldn’t raise any eyebrows coming from a high-profile star out of the US, there’s an unspoken defiance from BTS’s youngest in releasing this as his global single. For a long time, most K-pop stars have been encouraged to avoid breaking the sense of fantasy typically conjured in this niche of the music industry, allowing fans to always imagine they might be the one being sung about. It’s especially rare to see someone like Jung Kook not just allude to, but outright confirm, his wishes and desires for time with a lover and partner.

But BTS aren’t just any K-pop idols. They haven’t played by the rules their entire story so far; why should Jung Kook bother to start now? Like his six bandmates, he’s an artist that has transcended the expectations of how a K-pop star has to look, sound, or behave, and we get to enjoy a summery bop along the way.

Jung Kook isn’t 15 years old anymore. He’s ready to have fun — all seven days a week.

— Mary Siroky
Associate Editor

Honorable Mentions:

SWIMM – “Be Easy”

Los Angeles psych-pop group SWIMM may be lamenting the frustrations of a bad relationship on “Be Easy,” but the track is as laid back as ever. Instead of turning the emotional dial higher, the band lets a slinky bassline and blooming guitars do the talking, creating a hazy distance between pleasure and pain. Vocalist Chris Hess flexes his soulful falsetto throughout, letting the song’s comforting aura propel him forward. With just two oscillating chords, SWIMM can create an entire landscape of mood, and it’s a prime example of why the LA group is so hyped in their hometown and beyond. — Paolo Ragusa

Jessy Lanza – “Limbo”

The latest single off Jessy Lanza’s upcoming album Love Hallucination is the effortlessly groovy “Limbo,” full of throbbing bass, featherlight vocals, and evocative synth stabs. You can practically see the choreography playing out as Lanza chants “L-I-M-B-OHH!” in the chorus, adding a playful spirit to an otherwise moody cut. Despite the title’s suggestion of feeling stuck, it’s certainly a dancefloor-friendly track, with synths so nostalgic that it’s easy to imagine “Limbo” commanding a roller rink. Even in “Limbo,” Jessy Lanza always finds a way to keep moving. — P. Ragusa

JayWood – “Dirk Gently (Know Yourself)”

JayWood’s statement on his new song “Dirk Gently (Know Yourself)” just about sums up the whole experience: “This shit nasty af. If you hear this and you’re not shaking ya ass, wtf are we even doing here?” The Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer keeps the tempo quick on “Dirk Gently (Know Yourself),” flexing his production prowess and leaning into the more progressive elements of his multi-hyphenate sound. It strikes the balance between Thundercat’s falsetto-laden funk and the groovier side of indie rock, landing in a sweet spot with JayWood’s name written all over it. — P. Ragusa

Genesis Owusu – Tied Up!

Ghanaian-Australian artist Genesis Owusu makes fighting demons sound fun. Ahead of his sophomore album, titled STRUGGLER, the rising artist digs into the struggle to retain an original and authentic identity in an increasingly chaotic world with “Tied Up!,” hooking the listener with a stomping drum beat. If sonic or thematic similarities to Queen Bey herself arise throughout the listen, it would make sense; the track was produced by Sol Was, one of the names behind RENAISSANCE. — M. Siroky

 

Fiddlehead – “Sleepyhead”

After introducing us to “Sullenboy,” Fiddlehead are back with another anthropomorphic, post-hardcore anthem, “Sleepyhead.” At just two minutes and change, the track doesn’t wallow in the emotionally distressed tone it establishes. Instead, it barrels forward, building in intensity before cooling off with a cathartic refrain in the outro. As the second taste of the band’s upcoming album Death is Nothing to Us, Fiddlehead seems to be setting up yet another project full of songs that are begging to be scream-sung next time you’re driving alone. — Jonah Krueger

Shamir – “Our Song”

Over the course of four minutes, “Our Song,” the second single from Shamir’s Homo Anxietatem, unfolds into an indie rock epic. The tune weaves and wanders, playing with dynamics and giving the songwriter ample space to spin a story of a crumbling identity in the wake of a lost love. Ultimately, the song culminates in a final, pained cry from Shamir: “Cause I lived above the record store/ And when they play our song I want to die.” — J.K.

Yard Act – “The Trench Coat Museum”

In comparison to the angular post-punk of their previous album, The Overload, Yard Act’s latest single considerably ups the level of sleaze. Built on a bass line that would make James Murphy drool, the tune — that, yes, is about trench coats — is a mammoth piece of dance punk, full of riffs, snarky vocal deliveries, and auxiliary percussion. Though the soul of the band remains, “The Trench Coat Museum” is a new look for the British band, and like a fine trench coat, it makes them look pretty damn good. — J.K.

Maddie Zahm – Where Do All the Good Kids Go?

“I thought so much about death I couldn’t live my life,” singer-songwriter Maddie Zahm sings on the quietly anthemic “Where Do All the Good Kids Go?” There’s a cinematic build to the personal, confessional track that intentionally recalls and unpacks the kind of sound deployed in worship music; Zahm plays with the extremes she oscillated between throughout her youth and adolescence. It’ll be relatable to many, but for anyone just now learning about her as an artist, it’s a great place to start ahead of her forthcoming October album, Now That I’ve Been Honest. — M. Siroky

Song of the Week Single Artwork:

Jung Kook's "Seven" feat. Latto artwork

Jessy Lanza's "Limbo" artwork

Jay Wood's Grow On album artwork

SWIMM's Be Easy artwork

Shamir's "Our Song" artwork

Fiddlehead's Death Is Nothing to Us artwork

Yard Act's The Trench Coat Museum artwork

Gensis Owusu's "Tied Up!" artwork

Maddie Zahm's "Where Do All the Good Kids Go?" artwork

Top Songs Playlist:

Song of the Week: BTS’ Jung Kook Drops One of the Sexiest Songs in K-Pop History with “Seven” feat. Latto
Mary Siroky and Consequence Staff

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