[Bonus] Best Of KARA

Well, ladies and gentlemen, it's been a fun ride. But KARA will officially disband as the contracts for everyone except Youngji have expired, and Gyuri, Seungyeon, and Hara will go their separate ways. In memory of their achievements, we'll look back at some of KARA's best pieces of work. Admittedly my KARA library isn't as expansive as it should be, but I believe these are the best either way.

5. Mamma Mia

This wasn't so much a great song as it was a great statement by KARA. They lost Nicole, they lost Jiyoug but they didn't lose their style. They kept the same formula going for "Mamma Mia" and changed very little. Incorporating Youngji into the lineup wasn't flawless in execution but obviously this worked out in the longer term. "Mamma Mia" has exciting vocals backed by explosive choreography. It may actually be the best dance KARA has ever had in terms of technical ability. A lot went into this song and it shows.

4. Guilty

As long we keep talking about KARA's best songs then we'll keep talking about Seungyeon's best songs, too. Even though Hara's the only member that had an official solo debut (and Nicole did after her departure from the group), Seungyeon's "Guilty" was definitely a class above the rest (in KARA). The rock influence is fantastic and Seungyeon does a great job at balancing emotion and power (sort of) through her voice. I can't say much more about this song that hasn't already been said, "Guilty" is good.

3. Mister

KARA's "Mister" is their flagship song and contains the infamous butt dance, too. The pop track was hella catchy while the choreography and visuals were a powerful combination. If this song can be considered competitive if you compare this to other girl group titan's trademark tune at the time, like Girls' Generation's "Gee" and Wonder Girls' "Nobody," then "Mister" got the job done, which is impressive by itself. KARA may not have achieved that level of popularity or craze since, but "Mister" had people going "Lalalalalala~" for many years to come.

2. Lupin

Perhaps the best KARA song during the Golden Age of Kpop was the fast-paced "Lupin." This dance track had a great hook and a great instrumental, backed by seductive vocals in the verses and uplifting ones during the chorus. Visually, Hara again stole the show, while everyone else remained consistent (especially Nicole!). This was likely the 2nd best song in terms of production from all members, as line distribution was pretty balanced, too. Oh yeah and Nicole's opening rap is all kinds of love. Definitely one of the strongest girl group raps during that time.

1. Pandora

"Pandora" is to KARA what "Crazy" was for 4minute, but in a different era. KARA has been lacking in the title track department for a while but "Pandora" came with a force. The MV was bright and even though the box sets were blatant and uninspiring, the girls made everything work (except the awkward eye makeup). The dancing was visually appealing and say what you want about Hara and Jiyoung at the time, but their vocals were absolutely passable. If anything it's a testament to show how far Hara has come in 3 years. Seungyeon and Gyuri continued to put out strong performances while Nicole mastered a similar rap to that of "Lupin." Looking back, I gave this song a score of 90 back in 2012. That's pretty incredible as "Pandora" continues to hold strong to this day.