I think your niece is very wise for recommending this as a bridge between kpop and your usual music tastes! Kpop isn't really a genre in itself, imo it's really a more accurately a label for the Korean idol music industry as a whole, which has a wide range of genres and influences within it. On the other side, tho rock music is a lot less popular in Korea than in other countries, there are still proper rock bands in Korea, such as The Rose, FTIsland, Kardi, Jannabi, Crying Nut, etc. If you wanna delve into those, my current favs are Kardi and The Rose. There's also a sort of inbetween of the 2 sides of the Korean music world, bands that are under labels that also manage idol groups, are styled and promoted and trained very much like kpop idols, but instead of dancing they play instruments and make band music. Xdinary Heroes fall into that category, along with a handful of others like their labelmates Day6, Onewe, and The Rose used to be more like this but they're independent now. They do music and variety shows, have a fandom name (Villains, cus every hero needs a villain) and light sticks, and live in dorms while training at their company headquarters just like the idol groups your niece loves, and their label Studio J is a sublabel of one of the big 4 major kpop companies, JYPE. But they really are masters of their instruments as a real band should be and by nature of not having to dance they can focus on their vocals a lot more than idol groups usually do. I'd say they're a lot more influenced by kpop than most other korean bands or even other similar idol-esque bands. Especially in their first couple EPs you can really hear the elements of noise music and edm and such that is in so much of kpop these days, and the members all have really different tastes ranging from old school ballads to Greenday to Justin Bieber. Tho in more recent releases they've swung considerably more towards rock, metal, and punk. If you wanna check out more from them, here are a few suggestions: From their title tracks, Freakin Bad and Break The Brake are likely even more up your alley than Happy Death Day was. For b-sides, go for Strawberry Cake, Sucker Punch, Crack In The Mirror, Bicycle, Pluto (look up their live performance for NPOP), Again? Again!, and also Wego Wego which is actually a single they released as an ost for a webtoon. For something a bit softer and to really experience their vocal prowess, check out Good Enough, Dear H, and Paranoid. They've done a bunch of awesome covers too. The best in my opinion are Tomboy (orig by kpop girl group G-idle), Drown (orig by british metalcore band Bring My The Horizon), Impossible (orig by british indie band Nothing But Theives), and Love Me Right (orig by legendary kpop boy group Exo). Some fun facts about XH: - The drummer and leader Gunil moved to the US with his family in middle school, so he's fluent in English and actually went to Berklee College of Music as a drum major. - Gunil used to have a youtube channel where he posted drum covers, which is how he was scouted by Studio J, and one of other members Gaon used be a subscriber and big fan of Gunil's videos so when they met as trainees he felt like he was already meeting a celebrity. - 2 of the members, Jungsu and Ode, originally wanted to be idols. They both joined JYP around the same time and spent a year learning how to dance and sing before being moved to the band project. They are both still big fans of kpop music and occasionally do dance covers on tiktok or instagram. - The only member who never really sings is Junhan, the lead guitarist. But fans like to say that he sings with his guitar, and he does chip in for harmonies and effects-type vocals like whispers and such. - In the behind-the-scenes for the recording of their latest album, the producers they work with said they have the best vocalists in the company. One of the main vocalists Jooyeon has said he really wants to learn how to properly metal scream, and we've gotten to see hints of his progress on that in their last couple albums. Thanks for the reaction, hope you get to see more from them!

@ddperks1131

3 ай бұрын

I’m definitely doing more! Thank you so much for all this info! Followers of this music know so much but wow this was impressive!! I’ll be doing brake the break next! It’s been suggested a few times now so it must be good!! Thanks again

please check out more from them, break the break is probably the heavyest so far

great to hear you enjoyed it! rock bands sadly never find the popularity dance-based groups in the kpop industry do, but are enjoyed by lots of people nonetheless. xdinary heroes is one of my favorite bands ever, their energy, creativity and charm is truly incredible. this song is partially written and composed by guitarist gaon and keyboard player jungsu! they have a lot of creative control over their music which gives them a great signature sound. their latest title track “break the brake” from “livelock” is probably their most rock-heavy song yet, and i think you would really enjoy it. that entire EP is wonderful, it has a nostalgic 2000s punk sound i adore. other favorites of mine from their discography include “man in the box”, “sucker punch” and “x-mas”. they are also coming back with a full album pretty soon! also, fun fact, this band is under a sublabel of the company stray kids belong to, JYP!

@ddperks1131

3 ай бұрын

Ok.. I did some stray kids awhile back.. I love these guys sound!!

Their covers are awesome as well!

@ddperks1131

3 ай бұрын

Yes!! Love these guys!!

They are awesome! So innovative with their sound.

I love Xdinary Heroes! They’re so underrated!!

@ddperks1131

3 ай бұрын

Agreed!!

If you're not a big k-pop fan, you'd like their more heavy songs. Strongly recommend Break The Brake. It's one of my favorite Xdinary Heroes songs.

@ddperks1131

3 ай бұрын

I’ve heard several people say this so I’m def going to check it out!! Thanks!!

i really enjoy to watching his reaction

I am glad you liked it!! Xdinary Heroes is a different band, since their debut (happy death day) they have sought to show a new style and concept. They are within the k-pop industry (because they are from an idol company), but the songs are not like the typical pop, their sound is even considered as "noisy" by some k-pop fans who are not used to listen to Rock. One of the band's goals is to grow in success as a rock band, not just K-rock. All of the members are directly involved in the songwriting and production process and they are always trying new genres. As everyone has said here, I think you'll enjoy listening to break the brake and some covers they did! Checking out live performances is also worth it! Thank you for giving their music a chance! 😊

@ddperks1131

3 ай бұрын

No they are not the typical Kpop sound.. I loved stray kids but these guys are awesome!!! Doing a few of thier songs this week

Thanks for checking them out🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

Loved your reaction!! I definitely recommend break the brake! They also do covers of western bands! They did a cover of my chemical romance “welcome to the black parade”, bring me the horizion “drown”, boys like girls “the great escape”, nothing but thieves “impossible”!

@ddperks1131

3 ай бұрын

Oh seriously??? !!! My chemical romance?!! I must see this!! Thank you!!

@mormel80

3 ай бұрын

Their cover of ‘tomboy’ is also really cool!

I personally like their Again? Again! If you have a chance please check that out