Think of Red Velvet’s “Red Flavor” or Sistar’s “Touch My Body.” This year, several big names are taking a completely different approach—which speaks volumes about the industry’s current direction.

The old formula

Powerful synths, catchy beats, explosive choruses: summer songs designed solely to deliver thrills and let loose, not to set the mood.

Who's doing it differently

Red Velvet sparked this shift with “Surfin’ Boy,” a track from their first summer EP in eight years, “Velvet Summer”, trading their usual, dazzling “red” energy for bossa nova guitar and reggae rhythms.

Hearts2Hearts followed suit with “Babysteps,” layering bossa nova chord progressions over contemporary pop. NCT Wish blended hip-hop with laid-back bossa nova guitar on “Sticky,” while (G)I-DLE’s “Gimme Dat Love” trades its typically high-energy summer sound (as heard on “Klaxon” or “Dumdi Dumdi”) for warmer, more laid-back textures.

Jennie’s solo track, “Less Than a Lover,” leans toward lo-fi, built around vintage keyboard sounds.

Why now?

According to music critic Lim Hee-yun, it’s not so much a matter of genre as it is of restraint: softer guitar sounds and jazz-inspired harmonies have replaced the synths and “drops” that once characterized this season.

As he explains, today’s listeners are drawn not only to the excitement but also to the calmer, more atmospheric side of summer.

Is this a genuine shift in what K-pop fans want from a summer song, or just a temporary lull before the next big festival anthem?

Let us know what you think in the comments.