To: The friend who is but isn’t in a relationship – You and Me by Kisum ft JooYoung
To the friend who is but isn’t in a relationship (we all have one), I’m gifting macarons in the form of “You and Me” by Kisum. Macarons take a lot of practice and time to make because it’s a very temperamental cookie. Unlike love songs that are cute and high in energy, “You and Me” is a much more laid back and chill because of the maturity from the people themselves and from their expectations and experience in relationships. “You and Me” is a sweet and soft K-hip hop song from 2015 about liking someone that you think you’re dating but not sure about. Though the English title is “You and Me”, the direct translation of the Korean title is “it’s suspicious,” a nod to the ‘are we, are we not’ kind of relationships. If Kisum’s rapping is the joy one gets from being with the person, JooYoung’s vocals express the mild anxiousness of not knowing whether to be with that person. Put together, it forms a mellow song that can be listened to any time of the year.
To: The friend in a long distance relationship – Across the Universe by Baek Ye Rin
To the friend in a long distance relationship, I’m gifting creme brulees in the form of Baek Ye Rin’s “Across the Universe.” Baek Ye Rin’s voice has a quality to it that also reminds me of the magical chime you get when you crack the sugar top of a creme brulee; it’s light and airy, making you feel like you’re drifting through her music. In “Across the Universe”, she asks her lover to cross the universe between them and come over to her because the days feel dreary without them. It’s about the anticipation of waiting for a response. In the bridge, the instrumental is very minimal and then almost comes to halt in the chorus so that the voice is centered.
To: The friend ready to take a step forward into a relationship – It’s You by Sam Kim ft Zico
To the friend ready to take a step forward in their relationship, I’m gifting a white chocolate bar decorated with different things in each square. One of my many favorite things about this song is the ever changing instrumental: the instrumental is in constant development and has added elements that differ throughout the song, just like how our thoughts and feelings change the longer we linger on them. Another song about the iffy relationships that lack an official title but “It’s You” is softer and more youthful as Sam Kim muses and deliberates about what their relationship status is. I think both the lyrics and music capture the anticipation, agitation, giddiness and softness that comes with love while perfectly molding them into a song.
To: the friend feeling ambivalent towards being in a relationship and staying single – So-So by Baek A Yeon
To the friend ambivalent towards both staying single and being in a relationship, I’m gifting a 97% dark chocolate bar in the form of “So-So” by Baek A Yeon. Baek A Yeon’s voice is soft and lovely, a definitive contrast to the bitter feeling of being so-so and meh about everything. In “So-So” she sings about how it would be nice to be in a relationship, but meeting people and being single just is so-so. It’s been so long since she’s been in love that she can’t even remember what being in love or how to be in love. Although it talks about feeling bland, the song is anything but. It’s a sad song, but the pockets of hope sprinkled throughout the song keep it from being a ballad or melancholy.
To: The friend “not” in a relationship – And July by Heize ft Dean
To the friend in a relationship in which everyone knows they’re a thing but the two people involved because they’re too busy claiming they don’t like each other, I’m gifting a box of chocolate assortments because each bite provides something different. Both Heize and Dean have very distinct and unique vocal colors that make you want to keep listening to them. Their voices pair well together, as do their personalities on screen. Their chemistry works to their advantage in “And July,” where they’re not in a relationship, but everyone knows they’re going to end up together. They both like each other but neither one wants to come off as too eager and they keep pushing off telling each other. The music video also complements the song well as Dean and Heize cover up their feelings by pranking each other and try to one-up the other person. It has a fun, slightly immature vibe to it that can be enjoyed any time.