Longtime readers know that I’m a Sweetune aficionado. I hardly shut up about these producers (even/especially when they’re not currently producing). They’ve given us a wealth of K-pop classics over the years, including many of my all-time favorite songs. But being a Sweetune fanboy has its frustrations. They have little-to-no online presence and often disappear from the industry for long periods of time, making both their past history and future activity feel quite murky.
Sweetune’s core members, Han Jaeho and Kim Seungsoo, have been active in the business since 1995, but it wasn’t until the late 2000’s that their work developed its iconic sound – heavily influenced by international synthpop and Japanese dance music from the 90’s.
Recently, as I was skimming through old first-gen K-pop releases, I discovered a 2002 single from blink-and-you’ll-miss’em girl group Dejavu. The moment I heard Run, my mind immediately went to the Sweetune-produced The Chaser (aka my favorite K-pop song of all time). Its driving energy, ebullient brass synths and rock backbone sounds almost like a dry run for the real thing. The song is absolutely blazing and I’m so psyched that I found it.
Me being me, I needed to know who composed this gem. And lo and behold, my instincts were onto something! The internet reveals Run to be written by composer Lee Chang-hyun, who just happens to have worked as part of the Sweetune team! He’s credited on songs like Infinite’s Man In Love and Inconvenient Truth, Kara’s Damaged Lady and Snuper’s Jekyll, Hyde. He wasn’t part of The Chaser, unfortunately. But the musical DNA is there. It’s there!
Run was described as HRD (Hyper Dance Rock), which is a genre I’m claiming allegiance to right here and now. Let’s bring back HRD, people! I’ll even put it on a t-shirt.
The song is a banger, and yet another example of the fascinating, interconnected history of K-pop (with a little bit of J-pop on the side).
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
ngl when i saw the group name my mind immediately went to dave rodgers’ iconic eurobeat masterpiece lol
but this song is epic and i love the chorus, reminds me a bit of something speed might put out
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This is pretty great – thank you!
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I can definitely see the j-pop dna! I liked the song, but I was kinda of transfixed by how good the mv looks? The vocals of the song reminded me of this Japanese song
I’ve waking up everyday looking to see if SES ‘Be Natural’ mv got an HD rebirth!
Also.. Nick, bad news. Guess what was just confirmed to become a second title track *Click Clack*
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Oh this is awesome. Finding earlier works gives an extra frisson of excitement, even better when it is your Favorite Producers Ever.
And a movement to start too BBHRD! Bring Back Hyper Rock Dance!
To me the song sounds so jpop, in a good way. I am hearing early AKB48 style vocal production. Parts of the chorus melody bear a passing resemblance to the old R&B song “Take your time (Do it right)” – these days it might be called an “interpolation”. This oldie is a regular staple of the remix and DJ crowd. My regular Funk Friday radio DJ weaves in at least a line or two of the chorus every single week.
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SOS Band! Such a good group!
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yess i’m hearing the AKB vocal style haha
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hope I can find their album somewhere
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It’s out of print/not on streaming, but you can find it online if you look 😉
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I’m signing that petition to bring back Hyper Dance Rock!
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this song is good, love the production haha. (big Sweetune fan hehe). aw i wish it was on streaming sites though.
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also i wonder if there are any other deep cuts within the individual sweetune members’ discography like this one?
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going back to this, i just realized we have three songs titled “run” that are epic, the others being sexy zone and bts
there might be more
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Some titles just instantly mean a song will be epic. I’m hoping that’s the case with TWS’s upcoming “Overdrive” as well, because that word has yet to disappoint me (except for maybe the VIVIZ song).
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