The retro trend is in full swing right now within the Korean music industry and if there was one man to continue that trend, it has to be the man himself, Park Jinyoung. When We Disco, his disco inspired collaboration with Sunmi remains one of 2020’s most enjoyable tracks and he’s once again chosen to turn back the clock with new single Switch To Me. This time to the new jackswing days of the 90’s. And the end result is just as enjoyable and comedic as you would expect.
JYP continues to strike gold when it comes to collaborations, this time with Korean pop icon Rain whose career has been going through a kind of resurgence over the past year. Kind of like a Phoenix rising out of the ashes. First his nearly 3 year old single gang goes onto achieve official meme status, launching it to the very top of the charts. Then he became one third of super successful throwback group SSAK3, further giving popularity to a star who was quickly becoming known as a “has been” within Korean circles. Switch With Me acts as a brilliant cap to both him and JYP’s activities within the year, gliding along on an instantly nostalgic yet addictive groove that brings the very best out of both their exuberant personalities.
I mean of course it does. This is the kind of music they were both putting out in their peaks. When they were the young and fresh. The new faces on the block. And that is the best part about knowing your strengths. Much of Switch to me works due to the sheer magnetism exuded by the performance. It’s got a great melody but without the effortless and timeless polish that Rain and JYP provide, it would be nowhere near as enjoyable. The funky, percussive instrumental is a treat and something I rarely would tire from. The backing vocals are even better, providing a nice sense of depth towards the entire package and helping that ear worm of a hook become more and more addicting. If I had one gripe, it would be that wavering post chorus refrain comes dangerously close to grating for me. It’s by no means a dealbreaker but it comes close to upending the mindless fun that the rest of the track accomplishes so well.
I also want to give a quick mention to the music video, which is absolutely hilarious and is the perfect match to the track. Just great, fun stuff all around and a great way to end a year that’s been anything but fun.
Verses: 8
Chorus: 8
Production: 9
Performance: 9
Final Rating: 8.5 / 10
KBopped 