JIHYO – Killin’ Me Good (Single Review)

At this time in history, we’re pretty used to the ‘Korean Wave’, that is, a cultural phenomenon documenting the rise of Korean culture and entertainment being exported, celebrated, and held to the same (or even, greater) standard compared to the rest of the Western-dominant entertainment world, dictated by the end of World War 2. Whether we approve of it or not, it has had a subconscious effect on every single ‘ethnic’ subgenre in this world, be it Afrobeats, Ghanaian pop, or as this review will touch on, K-Pop itself.

The history of K-Pop is tangled and as much as it is very direct, it is also very subtle in its American influences. One of the trailblazers of K-Pop, ‘Seo Taiji & Boys’, cemented their name in history with the song ‘난 알아요’/’Nan Arayo’, translated to ‘I Know’. The song took influences mainly from popular American music trends at that time- especially with the heavy New Jack Swing style as well as the fusion of rap with traditional Korean ballad harmonies.

If you took a gander at the song, you’d understand what I mean when it comes to being direct as well as subtle. Over time, as time itself unwinded, a common theme unraveled within the sphere of K-Pop itself- a fusion of Korean vocals, visuals, and valor, combined with predominantly African-American music trends as well as dance styles.

In my humble opinion, ‘Killin’ Me Good’ by JIHYO shows this classic method of constructing a K-Pop methodology, song and soundscape playing out as well as this period’s technological advances in music and mastering enriching the method itself, making it age like fine wine. 

The song starts with a melange of chords, reminiscent of early 90s R&B, as well as setting the tone with ad-libs and a beautiful, tender tone with sparkles. It is slightly dreamy, juxtaposed with hard-hitting pads. 

It then goes on almost in a devious manner, which I liken to the style of new jack swing akin to Bobby Brown in ‘It’s My Prerogative’. As I’d mentioned before, advances in technology and music production give all re-hashed ideas new life and a new feel. The synthesizers in this particular song build onto the ‘devious, new jack swing’ soundscape with a completely new technological feel, akin to the infamous ‘Kahoot’ soundtrack. The synthesized bass delivers the typical ‘punchy’ new jack swing sound, while also blending with the rest of the song, since it is void of orchestral hits that are more common in older new jack swing songs but sound dated at this point.

The song continues in a very soulful manner, chord-wise and melody-wise, with descending notes. Jihyo’s vocal delivery shines in this track as well, as her steadfast and dominant tone is displayed throughout the song, contrasted with softer and daintier backing-ad libs. The muffling of her voice throughout the song also gives it a ‘cool antique’ feel, going in line with the entertainment industry’s trend of turning nostalgia into something new.

The bridge delivers a classy, dreamy, and girly K-Pop style break from how intense the ‘punchiness’ of the rest of the song feels, with extra ‘shimmering’ sound effects. To me, this bridge is very strategic as it gives the listener a break from ear fatigue as well as an introduction to the surprise desert-like ad-libs Jihyo does towards the end of the song, which gives the song more character in terms of seductiveness instead of stereotyping it as merely a dance number. 

Rating/Excellent – “Killin’ Me Good” is an excellent song in displaying K-Pop’s traditional formula of referencing American music trends as well as rehashing it to suit current technological needs, as well as adding their own character to it. It is nostalgic, new, danceable as well and reflective, all at the same time. Good songs keep on giving, and as the title implies, kill you good.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]