Japan Related Video: YOASOBI - Yoru ni Kakeru (夜に駆ける)

 

Racing Into The Night - YOASOBI

For this assignment I chose a video of YOASOBI's song "Racing Into The Night" or (Yoru ni Kakeru / "夜に駆ける") that was performed in 2025 at OVO Arena Wembley in London. This J-pop hit has been my favorite Japanese song since its release in 2019. Even before I understood any of the language, I was immediately drawn to the sounds and different aspects of the song. Growing up, I've always been a Indie/R&B and EDM fan and this song is the perfect blend between the two genres. 

YOASOBI is composed of two members: Ayase, the composer and producer who creates the beats and music and Ikura (real name Lilas Ikuta), who is the lead vocal and singer. Their songs are usually very upbeat and often have a cinematic feel to it which I believe helped them gain masdsive popularity in Japan and across the globe. Another famous song that YOASOBI released was called "Idol" or (アイド ) gained huge traction as it served as the opening theme to the first season of the 2023 Japanese anime series Oshi no Ko (推しの子). 

Although it is still very difficult to listen to and understand many of the phrases and words used in songs, I can still very faintly recognize some of the words and sounds I've learned. Additionally, before and after the song, Ayase and Ikura speaks to eachother and talks to the crowd, and when doing so there are certain greetings and phrases that I could immediately catch and understand. 

Ayase also says "Kiite" a lot, which I know is "listen" so I'm assuming he is saying please have fun listening and enjoy. So, although still extremely lacking, little things like this help reinforce the idea that my ear is slowly adapting to the language, which makes me hopeful and excited to learn more about Japan, the language and culture.

Introduction

 Why I chose to study Japanese:

Growing up in South Korea, I've always been exposed to the Japanese language, culture, food, and media. The first time I visited Japan was back in the winter of 2018, when me and my dad went skiing to Hokkaido. It was my first experience in a country that felt familiar yet so different at the same time. 

I remember being fascinated by the language, noticing how some words had significant overlap to Korean, which made Japenese feel more approachable and interesting. That trip left a lasting impression on me and I've always wanted to go back since. 

I couldn't find the time to do so, just until the summer of last year, when a few friends and I traveled to Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto. Being able to experience Japan again, this time with more independence, I once again was amazed by the culture, people, and overall experience of the trip, which made me realize I wanted to learn Japanese so I can truly appreciate the culture better.