[NEW RELEASES] Kong Tan

So many Korean pop acts are short-lived - coming and going quickly in Korea’s capricious music industry.

Singer Kong Tan, a relative newcomer, has just released his debut “300.” His fate in the industry remains to be seen, but one thing’s for certain: His album is certainly hard to forget.

The title track, “300,” sits somewhere between pop and trot, a Korean genre influenced by Japanese enka. So why is it called 300? This is the memorable part. In the song, a guy sings about his girlfriend getting plastic surgery, but says he adores everything about her nonetheless. The title apparently stands for the 3 million won ($2,490) - or 300 man won, man being Korean for 10,000 - she spent on getting her eyes and nose done. One wouldn’t call the song a classic, but it will most likely make you laugh - at least, I did.

The second and the last track, “Hard Confession,” is a delightful love song reminiscent of Korea’s long-running pop group Cool. As Kong croons the lyrics, he does a fine job of showcasing his sweet and somewhat more serious side.

Kong Tan

“300”

Label: M.root

Genre: Pop

By Kim Hyung-eun