May's Remake Albums Set to Heat Up Karaoke Charts: IU, Lucy, and More

The month of May is seeing a surge in remake albums, with four notable releases either already out or set to drop soon. As popular tracks get a fresh twist, the early summer karaoke charts are expected to be fiercely competitive.

IU's third installment of her remake album series, 'Kkot-Galpi 3,' will be released on May 27 at 6 PM. The title track is 'Never Ending Story,' originally by the band Boohwal in 2002 when Lee Seung-chul was the vocalist. Among the tracks IU covers, the oldest is 'Beautiful Woman (Feat. Balming Tiger),' originally released in 1974 by Shin Joong-hyun and the Yup Juns.

The album also includes Park Hye-kyung's 'Red Shoes,' Seo Taiji's 2004 release 'October 4th,' Roller Coaster's 2002 track 'Last Scene (Feat. Wonstein),' and Yoo Young-seok's self-composed 'Dream of a Square,' totaling six tracks.

Notably, the original album 'Bird, Wall,' which includes 'Never Ending Story,' sold approximately 250,000 copies, a significant achievement considering the decline in physical album sales due to the rise of MP3 players and the timing with the 2002 World Cup. The song was also the top karaoke hit of 2002 and remains a signature track for Boohwal.

In addition to IU's 'Kkot-Galpi 3,' three other remake albums are either released or set to release before June. Lucy's Choi Sang-yeop released a remake of 'First Love,' originally by the band Butterfly Effect in 2003, on May 21. On May 25, singer Nam Gyu-ri released a version of the 1980s ballad 'Heartache' (originally by Hanmaeum). The group Brave Girls will release a remake of Byun Jin-sub's 1989 hit 'Hopeful Wish' on May 28.

Among the flood of remakes in May, a standout is singer Jo Jae-joo's 'Do You Know.' Jo Jae-joo rose to fame by remaking the 2013 OST 'Do You Know' from the KBS2 drama 'Iris 2,' originally by the duo Davichi. The song's powerful high notes have inspired karaoke challenges among fans, and it topped various karaoke charts in March.

Remaking a song that is already well-known and popular enough to climb back up the karaoke charts is no easy feat. It requires negotiation with the original creators, who consider the artist's talent, image, and the intent behind the remake. Given these challenges, artists like IU, Lucy's Choi Sang-yeop, and Nam Gyu-ri have added their unique interpretations to these classics, bringing new life to the originals. This creative approach is why these remakes are expected to make a splash in summer karaoke sessions.

Reported by Min-kyung Lee, TenAsia