At this point, almost everyone knows about the K-pop group BTS. But not everyone may know the individual artists that make up this bunch. Like the youngest, Jung Kook.
This 26-year-old superstar started making music in South Korea when he was but 15 years old and, over the past few years, he and BTS have been making a name for themselves in the United States.
Now, Jung Kook is out on his own, producing music, dancing and seamlessly blending Korean and English to make his own sound. His latest track, “Standing Next to You,” has been remixed to include Grammy award-winner Usher.
It’s a smooth, funk-filled song that finds Kook and Usher declaring their love and electric bond for their lovers, with some innuendo mixed in.
Kook is calling out to a lover here, letting her know that they will “survive the test of time” and that no one can deny their bond (“they can’t deny our love”).
He promises this woman that he will stand next to her no matter what may come their way (“Standin’ in the fire next to you”). Their relationship is so meaningful to him, it’s as if it’s a part of him (“You know it’s deeper than the rain/It’s deeper than the pain/When it’s deep like DNA/Something they can’t take away”).
Often when I get to the music video portion of the review it’s more problematic than the song. For this accompanying video, that’s not the case. The entire video features Jung Kook and Usher, along with backup dancers, dancing around an abandoned warehouse. A few of their moves are slightly provocative, but everyone is fully clothed.
However, the song itself includes some suggestive lyrics as a man is calling out to his lover and praising the way she moves:
“Play me slow/Push up on this funk and give me miracles/You know that all night long we rock to this/Screamin’ I’ll testify to this lovin’”.
This is one of those “in-between” songs. It’s not super high on the “problematic list.” And that’s rare.
Yes, it does include some sexual innuendo that leaves the listener free to guess about what’s being implied between two lovers. But there’s no profanity. No mention of alcohol or drugs or violence.
This song, a groovy jam with a Jonas Brothers flair, is certainly something you can dance to. And while there are references to the sexual tension between two people, there’s also a declaration of love and commitment–something that’s also rare these days.
Kristin Smith joined the Plugged In team in 2017. Formerly a Spanish and English teacher, Kristin loves reading literature and eating authentic Mexican tacos. She and her husband, Eddy, love raising their children Judah and Selah. Kristin also has a deep affection for coffee, music, her dog (Cali) and cat (Aslan).
