Covergirl: Throwback Thursday

Lee Junghyun wants go give her cola fountain heart!

This post is urgent. Everyone needs this song in their lives, and these artists, and thankfully I am here to give it to them.

 I was very into the lolita fashion scene and my best friend of the time showed Joollae (Want to Give) by Lee Junghyun, released in 2000, to me knowing I’d love the aesthetic. She was beyond right. Somewhere around 10 years later, I never get tired of it and feel it in my soul. It’s about a girlfriend that’s basically way too overbearing and possessive. Her beloved has his issues too, he’s suspicious of her and seems to be playing it hot and cold but the focus of the song is definitely her passion.

Translation by Yeeun2Grace

Like a fountain of cola  

I want to burst into your heart  

The pre chorus’ lyrics are not only a great summary of the whole song but my favorite part. Her voice here is one of the most important in a good Junghyun impersonation when you cover this song and the imagery is so cute and clear.

Also called Ava, and an actress, Junghyun has been providing with iconic and catchy songs since her debut in 1999. She’s known for bringing techno to the spotlight in South Korea and and how adaptable she is and how strong her concepts are. She never half-asses anything. And with Joollae that shows. Just the one part of the song informs the whole video and promotional concept that made a huge impact on kpop for years to come.

You say that 

If you could 

that you would shrink me 

and carry me around 

in your pocket 

When this song is covered, the artist almost always goes full doll and dons the wig and/or costume, does some level of imitation even if it’s unintentional, and in my opinion, still manages to show her individual charm. Here, finally to the point, I’d like to show off some covers from 2nd and 3rd generation idols that let this song be introduced to more and more people that might be interested in a quirky, hypnotic, very unique-voiced soloist with a huge backlog of music. The covers here vary in commitment, production value, and hairstyle but I just love this song no matter what. Songs with legacy always have power to them.

I'll start with Weki Meki and I.O.I’s Choi Yoojung. I really believe she’s one of the most well rounded idols in the scene and I bet of all time if she keeps working hard. Which she will. This performance in particular might not show how strong her singing, dance, and rap are but it definitely shows how easy it is for her to capture a crowd.

Here’s a couple fancams to get sucked in by her charm and my all time favorite I.O.I performance.

Also performing Hyun Jinyoung - You in my Vague Memories (1993)

AOA is a group with a complicated history despite only having debuted in 2012. I guess that actually is a good chunk of time. Golly! Joollae’s vibe isn’t generally what their music is like so it’s nice to see them switching it up. I would love to see a full cover in matching costumes but the arrangement here is good. Two more energetic and girly AOA songs for you!

2nd gen darlings, Kara! I’m pretty sure this is the first cover I’ve ever seen, it’s what inspired me to make this post. Despite what english speaking kpop fandom will lead you to believe, Kara were extremely successful and super famous. A side quest in this troubled life of mine is to spread Kara awareness to newer fans. Be aware. This song suits them so perfectly as their cuter concepts were what really solidified them as a group and personally made me a fan. The performance is soft and lovely even though they still do the impression everyone does when singing this. Though years later, their bangs are totally distracting. My recommendations!

Wonder Girls is listed on my California State ID as my favorite girl group of all time. This blog is definitely a wonderful family so of COURSE we love this. If you love kpop twitter’s sweetheart Sunmi you can see her here with the signature Joollae wig along with original “nation’s little sister” Sohee and eternally underrated and love of my life Yeeun. They’ve had a lot of different styles and images over the years so here’s a couple most similar to Joollae.

Also performing Festival - Uhm Junghwa 1999

VIVIDIVA! Barely known and gone too soon, here they are performing on the street in Hongdae, a popular idol activity.

Their only music video and the sexy police dance version, true to their cosplay concept.

T-ara’s (pronounced Tiara) Qri (pronounced Kyuri) is the perfect person to cover this song and she shows it. She’s the visual leader who’s basically a barbie princess and T-ara’s music always has techno influence and extreme danceability. If you like Lee Junghyun I recommend T-ara specifically and if you like T-ara I recommend Lee Junghyun. But chances are, if you're reading this, you already love both. I promise they're worth it!

What's your favorite kpop cover, or a song you'd love to see covered? And by who? Let us know!