K-Pop Legend J.Y. Park Brings the Funk Throughout the World for New Single ‘Groove Back’: Watch

While artists like TWICE, Stray Kids and ITZY under J.Y. Park‘s namesake JYP Entertainment label have been conquering the Billboard charts, the K-pop producer and exec makes his musical return with his retro-dance single “Groove Back” and a globally focused dance challenge.

His first new single after a pair of duets in 2020 with “When We Disco” alongside Sunmi and “Switch to Me” with Rain, Park’s newly released “Groove Back” features rapper Gaeko and Mr. JYP returning to his first love of performing that he once described to Billboard as “a fever” in a rare interview. Park’s showmanship is on full display as he moves through punchy and smooth vocal deliveries inside the synth-laden, dance-pop pastiche boasting ’60s, ’70s and ’80s influences. The track eventually takes a sonic shift to a minimal hip-hop production once the beat drops for Gaeko’s rap section before slowly returning to its vintage sound and one final key change and epic chorus.

The accompanying music video sees J.Y. taking his “Groove Back” worldwide as he dances with locals in Los Angeles, São Paulo, Barcelona, Bangkok, LA, and his home city in Seoul. Fans first got excited about “Groove Back” and its accompanying dance via a tutorial video starring Park and Super Junior member Shindong in ’80s-tastic workout gear.

While Shindong appears in the “Groove Back” video, J.Y. has wasted no time connecting with other top acts for his “Groove Back” challenge. So far, he’s enlisted solo star Jo Yuri, Jang Wonyoung of IVE, YooA of Oh My Girl, girl group LE SSERAFIM and JYP Entertainment’s Japanese girl group NiziU to perform alongside.

Beyond his artist, exec and producer work, Park has spent 2022 holding auditions and developing a new North American girl group using his K-pop expertise for the A2K series that was announced from JYP Entertainment, Republic Records and Federal Films this past summer.