By Hannah Park

Sarah Kang, a Korean-American singer and songwriter based in New York City, released her new album, “Hopeless Romantic, Pt. 1,” on July 7, 2023. Famous for her eclectic style, Kang blends pop, jazz and rhythm and blues (R&B) in this five-song collection.

“We live in a world now where genres are all mixing together,” Kang said in her interview with Keepsake House. 

The 31-year-old was born in Seoul, South Korea, but grew up in Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas. As a result, her music features a splendid mix of scat singing, French horn playing and a dash of unique flair in every song. Listeners describe her music as “cozy and warm.”

Although Kang didn’t begin songwriting until her senior year of college, she soon bloomed into a mature, relatable and insanely-skilled musician. Her most-streamed song, “Fall For You,” racked up 13.4 million streams on Spotify, and 1.4 million people listen to her monthly. Her YouTube channel has 129,000+ subscribers (as of September 2023).

Let’s get into her newest album! Released just two months ago, “Hopeless Romantic, Pt. 1” accumulated over 186,000 YouTube views across its five songs (Spotify statistics unknown: most likely far more).

Judging by the title, I expected sappy love songs—and don’t get me wrong, there’s a few in there! But I was pleasantly surprised by the diversity of themes and subjects Kang covered in each of her songs, from mundane-turned-exciting daily chores and the pains of growing up, to the messiness of lingering feelings and thoughts about life (and death). Overall, I was impressed by both the music’s quality (so many instruments!) and her sensitive, heart-tugging lyrics.

Adventure With You (feat. Cy Leo)

The first song jumps in with a light, bouncy tune that is nothing short of cute! The strumming of a ukulele (it could also be a mellow-stringed acoustic guitar) gives way to Kang’s sweet voice. What’s more, Cy Leo’s master harmonica skills add a unique “flavor” all throughout this fun tune.

Turns out, the “adventure” isn’t climbing mountain peaks or going on safari: Kang explains that everyday aspects of life, such as doing the laundry and washing the dishes, can turn into exciting adventures when you’re doing them with your loved ones!

“When you take an inconvenience / And you put a little spin on it / Somehow life becomes more adventurous,” Kang sang in the chorus.

Near the end of the song, Kang’s tone softens. She contemplates inevitable partings (that come with estrangement or passing away). But Kang remains faithful and views it with an attitude of hope:

“It won’t be long …I’ll see you very soon,” Kang sang.

Overall, Kang seems to be drawing from her own experience of married life and the bliss that comes with being newlyweds. 

Corner Cafe

Immediately, listeners are drawn into the mellow, slow mood of this song. Starting with a doleful description of a breakup, Kang describes how she can’t seem to get her mind off “him” when she wanders around her small town. 

“Your ghost … follows everywhere, even onto the train,” Kang sang. “Everywhere I look, I still see your face / I think I might have to move away.”

And, of course, the “corner cafe” holds the most memories. She explores the irony, or the “Catch-22,” of how trying to forget only strengthens her recollections.

She takes an instrumental break partway through, and I felt chills when her French horn soared into the foreground. The orchestral backing made her solo absolutely magical. Kang hadn’t played the horn in almost a decade, but she came back to the instrument (which had helped her fall in love with music in the first place) for “Corner Cafe.”

“It was a challenge but also took me straight back to childhood [band],” Kang said on her Instagram. “It feels such a full circle moment that I got to play on this song about moving on from the past to embrace new things.”

Speaking of moving on, Kang ends the song on a positive note. She finds herself falling in love with someone new. Then, as the orchestra builds to a climax, she sings:

“Do you know the way to the corner cafe?”

Hopeless Romantic

The album’s eponymous song starts off strong with a jazzy riff: one of Kang’s specialties. This soft song talks about growing up, and how Kang’s grown jaded despite her childish plans to stay a “hopeless romantic.”

Although we have a plethora of media centered around bildungsroman, her song was relatable and fresh in a way that made me quite emotional. The wistful and melancholy motifs, placed in a minor key, is something you won’t hear anywhere else. 

The song is exactly the opposite of what I expected: I thought it would be about falling head-over-heels in love, but this is even more sentimental. The entrance of stringed instruments (which sound like violas or cellos) brings the emotion home. 

“I wish I could be a hopeless romantic again,” Kang sang. “I wish I could live like I don’t even have to pretend / That I didn’t already picture the end before it even began.”

Nevertheless, close to the end, Kang’s tone shifts. Just like in “Corner Cafe”, she talks about the transformative power of love. Moreover, she realizes that it’s not immature to be hopeful. 

“Even the greatest of cynics would admit / They hold onto hope just a tiny bit,” Kang sang.

When she met her true love, Kang realized that she could be vulnerable again. Although she’s been hurt, unlike her younger self, the singer is willing to trust him. Because, with him, she feels like a “hopeless romantic again.”

We’re All Gonna Die Anyway (feat. Jackson Lundy)

The title of this song made me flabbergasted: the soft, peaceful and romantic Sarah Kang … singing this?!

However, when I pressed play, the soft pop drew me in. I realized that the title wasn’t meant to be harsh or depressing. Whenever she sings the word “die,” she doesn’t enunciate it the way some angry people do: Kang sings it softly, like she knows she’s dealing with a sensitive topic. 

Kang talks about bad days, and wonders, “What’s the point?” if we’re only going to pass away in the future. But she doesn’t believe death is the end. In her Keepsake House interview, she shared her faith-based worldview, and how singing helps her stay strong.

“Maybe everything that’s sad / Will come untrue someday,” she sang. 

Jackson Lundy, a male singer-songwriter, blessed us with his soft voice in the second half. He also added some humor and self-awareness with his lyrics:

“This isn’t just another song that tells you only to live for today,” Lundy sang.

They’re aware of the media that fails to address the very real issue of death, and the fact that most of them essentially repress thinking about the future—in other words, simply ignoring what’s to come. 

These two singers acknowledge human mortality, but aren’t paralyzed with fear as a result. I resonated with their message, and came out of this song feeling stronger.

“Death won’t have the final say,” Lundy sang.

It’s You I Like (feat. Takahiro Izumikawa)

This cover of Mister Rogers’s song (of the same name) is spiced up with Takahiro Izumikawa’s awesome, jazzy piano skills. It provides the only accompaniment, a rare occurrence in Kang’s instrument-rich melodies.

I loved the soft, romantic simplicity of this song. It reminds listeners that people who truly love them will love them, not the things they wear … or the way they do their hair!

I watched a vintage video concerning natural beauty yesterday, and I’d like to share one of its analogies: it’s the cake that’s important, not the fillings. Things like make-up, clothes or hairstyles (the icing) aren’t important if the cake itself isn’t good! YOU’RE the most important part.

Additionally, the fact that this sweet song comes after the last one suggests that Kang values love very much. Loving others is worth it! The fact that we’ll die someday doesn’t mean that we should reject everything that’s dear to us.

Conclusion (Overall Review)

Out of all the songs, I love “Corner Cafe” and “Hopeless Romantic.” They’re so beautiful, and both songs tell a wonderful story. I also heard the pre-release of “Corner Cafe”: it already occupied a piece of my heart before the album came out!

I didn’t dislike any part of the album, although I was disgruntled by the unexpected discussion of death. That being said, a lot of my favorite artists have been focusing on this subject recently, and I myself have been contemplating it more often than not. It’s an important issue that we shouldn’t be afraid to have conversations about, and I applaud Kang for tackling this difficult topic.

All in all, I’d recommend Kang’s songs to everyone, especially lovers of instrumental music and jazz. I rate this album five out of five stars!

Find “Hopeless Romantic, Pt. 1” on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music.