Unsung Artists: July 2026

Though summer is far from over, summer comebacks tend to hit their peak in July. The deluge of beach-themed concept photos aside, summer comeback season is one of my favorites in the K-pop cycle for all the interpretations of summer vibes it brings. From poppy electro beats to horror concepts intended to provoke shivers to combat heat waves, summer has always been a time for experimentation and risks. This July certainly delivered in the form of well-thought-out MVs, surprising genre choices, and unexpected remakes of familiar classics. Sunmi, “Forever July” No release this season has captured the agony of Korean summer like Sunmi‘s “Forever July.” July in Korea marks the arrival of jangma, or monsoon season. Water droplets gathering on a leaky ceiling, broken umbrellas and soaked hems, the smoke of a mosquito coil, and sun showers — plus the crippling heat — are quintessential and visceral experiences that make the month both miserable and wonderful. All that is portrayed in the “Forever July” MV alongside lyrics of a tenuous relationship. Reflecting the cyclical musings of the song, a circle motif carries throughout the MV with coils and spirals interspersed between shots of the ...