[Review] 2NE1 - Can't Nobody (Throwback)

2NE1 in 2020? Yessir. For the nostalgic selection of a song I haven't reviewed I decided to journey back a decade ago to one of the earliest hits in my Kpop journey. How has 2NE1's legacy held up after a whopping ten years? Let's take a time machine and find out.

Well, even though this was only their second year in the business, 2NE1 had zero shame in announcing who they were and what they're all about. This was the type of brash, in-your-face type of music that this group would become renowned for, and for good reason. They are pretty good at being loud, crazy, and aggressive. The heavy autotune cements the "I don't give a fuck" attitude that CL even echoes later in her second verse.

[Bonus] Best Of The 2010's

Back in early 2016 I made a post highlighting the best picks of the first five years of the decade. And of course there was the timeline post, too. But now with the 2010's behind us, it's time to see which of the top songs of each year would come out on top in a battle of the best. To make things simple, each year brings one candidate to the table. I contemplated giving some of the runner-ups a chance (because there have been some damn good #2 picks over the years) but that wouldn't be fair to all the songs who claimed the gold medal. This was arguably the hardest song ranking piece I've ever had to write. Let's see how the stars of the 2010's match up against each other.

#10. Ailee - Heaven (2012)

Make no mistake, the fact that "Heaven" is a debut track making a top 10 such as this is impressive. Plus, it's the only debut track to have accomplished such a feat. Some debuts have been good, but never this good. "Heaven" is a sublime power ballad that showcases Ailee's technique, power, and range all in one song. Ailee's powerful vocals have always been the center of attention for obvious reasons and her career started off on quite the introduction.

#9. 2NE1 - Ugly (2011)

The only knock I really have on "Ugly" in the context of the rest of these songs is that it's decidedly safe in most respects. Don't get me wrong it's still an emphatic dance number. I also love the lyrics and message that this song delivers, but some of the traditional YG mannerisms show up - in particular the chant-esque bridge - which by themselves are not bad, but fail to stand out compared to others here.

#8. IU - Blueming (2019)

The trouble with writing a list like this so soon after 2019 ended is there hasn't been enough time for the newest song to simmer in the ol' library you know? Because while "Blueming" is brilliant, it loses out against other tracks simply because it came out the latest. Still, IU's switch of styles provides a relaxing and soothing listen. No doubt after a couple years we will look back upon its legacy like some of the other songs here but for now it'll nestle itself at 8th place.

[Misc] Belated Birthday Blues

My birthday was yesterday...I'm on the wrong side of my 20's now, ugh. I woke up to this video in my subscriptions and was almost crying immediately. 2NE1 will always be one of my favorite girl groups of all time and this is super sweet even though it's only half the roster (kinda like the "Spring" song). Listen to those Dara vocals! Admittedly I need to catch up on her Youtube content. Bom has been on Queendom and has a couple releases to her name now. Minzy has been pretty quiet on the music front last I checked, and CL is still with YG (hopefully not for long). Even if it's informal, there needs to be a reunion on their futures. Please. Blackjacks around the world need it. More content next week, 'cause for now I'm enjoying the long weekend. Hope y'all do too.

[Bonus] Best Of 2009

Now that I'm obsessed with these Timeline posts, I want to make another where I see which groups have made the most appearances in my Best Of 20XX series. But in order to do that, I'll have to go back at least one more year. That way, the compilation will cover 2009 through 2017 (this year's edition will be coming out in early December). Plus, writing this post will refresh me and act as a primer for the Best Of 2017. I've taken the liberty of tagging the Best Of 20XX with an additional "20XX" tag if only for easy organization when looking at all my Best Of posts (since they're not simply restricted to these year-end runs).

#12. After School - Because Of You
This song is great at describing 2009 Kpop. The beat, the dance pop, the haircuts (...) and the MV quality all scream 2009. It might not be the best song from that year but "Because Of You" is one of the most iconic, without a doubt. After School is a group that you can really see the evolution of, mostly thanks to the graduation system (that was somewhat legit then). Bekah Raina, and Kahi were the driving forces of After School in this era and the microscopic amount of lines from Jungah, Jooyeon, and Nana highlight that.

#11. Davichi - 8282
Davichi has been killing it for years. I can't imagine that they have been even more underrated back in the day than they are now. "8282" The switcheroo that occurs going into the first chorus is a hilarious wake-up call because you're sitting there thinking this is another traditional Davichi power ballad but instead you could dance during the first chorus. They even include a pseudo-dance break that cuts immediately back to a slower second verse. It's a classic Davichi track through and through.

[Blog] The Collapse Of YG Entertainment

It figures that after Thanksgiving, we have to get snapped back into reality. YG Entertainment would suffer damage to two groups: Taehyun would be leaving Winner, while 2NE1 would officially disband. The surprise factor of either news is debatable, but one thing is for sure: YG is hurting right now. They no longer have their flagship girl group, and (according to fans) an integral part of a boy group that had potential.

[Bonus] Best Of 2010-2015

Now that we've looked at some of the best songs of each year for the past 6 years, it's time to look at the bigger picture: who will come out on top overall? To find out the best song(s) from 2010-2016, only the top 3 of each year will be candidates. After all, it would be unfair (and also too much work, admittedly) to look at the top 5, or each full list. Anyway, if you want a refresher, here are the candidates.

2010: Taeyang - I Need A Girl, Rainbow - A, IU - Good Day
2011: Big Bang - Love Song, Davichi - Don't Say Goodbye, 2NE1 - Ugly
2012: Girls' Generation-TTS - Twinkle, Big Bang - Blue, Ailee - Heaven
2013: Girl's Day - Expectation, SPICA - Tonight, 9MUSES - Wild
2014: AOA - Miniskirt, Girl's Day - Something, Soyu & Junggigo - Some
2015: INFINITE - Bad, FIESTAR - You're Pitiful, EXO - Call Me Baby

I'll only list the top 10 for simplicity sake, and because I've talked about many of these songs a number of times already, the conversation will revolve around why one song is better (or worse) than another. It's another simple piece of writing as I prepare for another week of midterms and the new Twice review.

[Bonus] Best Of 2010

I may have been looking forward to the nostalgia trips of 2011 and 2010, but it never dawned on me how difficult ranking may have been. Forget that 2010 was a tough year - not only did it seem thin on hits, but of course, my memory isn't as efficient going that far back. Great songs were still found, so the list must be made. Either way, this is the last stop in the Best Of series, at least until December rolls around and I do the list for this year!

#12. G.NA - I'll Back Off So You Can Live
G.NA has been mostly a miss during her career - which is quite awkward to say, given her career is basically over or on indefinite hiatus at this point. However, her debut was what caught my attention for being a really pretty song that framed her voice nicely. This song was probably one of the best debuts for a soloist I didn't know about. Unfortunately, subsequent releases from G.NA failed to live up the expectations she set for herself with "I'll Back Off So You Can Live."

#11. 2AM - I Can't Let You Go Even If I Die
Korea loves ballads, and 2AM is one of the best at delivering them. They were the premier ballad idol group and their long history shows their pedigree. "I Can't Let You Go Even If I Die" is a lengthy title, but who cares? The voices of 2AM are beautiful and each member got to shine in their own way. This was the song that really stood out to me in terms of both their individual talent and working together with each other for harmonies.

[Blog] 2NE1 & Girl Group Roster Changes

I couldn't really come up with a more clever or interesting title. Anyway I wanted to talk about the next "era" of some girl groups. The world of Kpop isn't like the world of esports, where people join different teams every so often, even though that would make Kpop way more interesting. The closest we have to that is just idols signing with different agencies and the like after contracts expire. Over the past year, we've seen the rising stars like f(x) lose members, and other previous titan groups like KARA fall away in disbandment.

[Bonus] Best Of 2NE1

In January we watched KARA come to an end. Now in April, it's 2NE1's turn. Well, not exactly. Minzy has decided not to resign with YG and 2NE1 will continue with Dara, CL, and Bom. I may write a blog post on Minzy's (and 2NE1's) future, since she did (still does, really) have a spot in my heart. For now, I'll take the same path I did for KARA's disbandment, and reminisce on the very best of 2NE1. And no, "I Am The Best" will not be making an appearance on this list, sorry.

7. Go Away

2NE1 dropped a monstrous triple title track thread for the "To Anyone" album, before everyone else started joining the multiple title track bandwagon. At the forefront was "Go Away," the best out of the set and the rest of the album. There's some serious autotune action, but I never found it too overbearing to the point where the song would be unlistenable. 2NE1 has a few songs with that autotune disorder but this isn't one of them. This was a great example of a song with line parity. Everybody contributed (near) equal amounts, something groups of all sizes continue to struggle with present day. Oh and the video has explosions, and 2NE1 walking away from explosions.

6. You And I

It's been an eternity since we've heard from 2NE1, and even more of an eternity since we've heard Park Bom's unique voice. Considering that this was released in 2009, it's understandable some people forget or never knew about Bom's solo career, which started off with this fantastic track. Bom glides through the verses and overall isn't stretching her voice too much. In the few instances she is, she adds harmony to help distract which is good. The song is catchy, and was easily one of the best solo efforts during the 2009-2010 era of Kpop.

[Bonus] Girl Group Soloist Theory

1. Minzy (2NE1)
Minzy. Needs. A solo debut. This girl is a premier girl in Kpop when it comes to being a jack of all trades, master of none. Minzy possesses a stable lower register, flighty rapping skills, and is a top notch dancer. That's the complete package, and if that isn't worthy of a solo debut I don't know what is. Minzy could easily have a more dance-oriented number as the title track, and have other songs on the album like a slower ballad and more poppy tunes like some 2NE1 stuff. Unfortunately, this will either not be happening soon or at all, with CL's impending march onto the American market, any other 2NE1 related activities will be on hold.

2. Taeyeon (Girls' Generation)
Rumors are this is already going to be happening, but Taeyeon obviously would excel as a solo artist. She's pretty much perfect for ballads (something along the lines with Kyuhyun's "At Gwanghwamun" for example) but has proven she can do pop and other genres, as seen in Girls' Generation's variety of music. Taeyeon is already the #1 of Girls' Generation in so many aspects, giving her a solo debut on top of the subunit might make up for the fact that 2014 was completely disastrous for GG. Oh and while we're at it, let's not have troll teaser concept photos either. Please and thank you.

3. Soyu (Sistar)
Now Soyu had a pretty busy 2014. While a plethora of collaboration projects is nice, that doesn't substitute for a full length solo album release. Soyu has a beautiful stable voice. Her range is far lower than Hyorin's, but she's very consistent and I've never heard her strain for notes (though perhaps that's because Hyorin takes all those). Each release has utilized her graceful vocals so a solo debut would be no exception to this. I think that Soyu's best song this year and a half was "The Space Between" with Urban Zakapa, which really capitalized on her smooth voice. Something similar would do her (and Sistar) a lot of good.

4. Eunjung (T-ARA)
Jiyeon, Hyomin, and Eunjung are perhaps the biggest names in T-ARA, and logically Eunjung should have her chance at a solo debut next year, following the footsteps of Jiyeon and Hyomin. Eunjung is similar to Minzy in that she's a very well-rounded idol. No specific strengths (outside of looks heh) or flaws, and if Jiyeon had a fantastic release that brought out her talents, then Eunjung can surely be just as good if not better. T-ARA had a good year with "Sugar Free" and Jiyeon's "Never Ever" (both songs just missed out being on the Best Of 2014 at #21 and #23, respectively), An Eunjung solo should help wipe the memory of the other T-ARA member solo that we don't like to talk about as having happened. Seriously.

Just Outside: Sera (ex-9MUSES)
I actually want this comeback the most, especially since we've seen Nicole leave her group to return with a produced solo, I'm hoping something like this is in the works for Sera, though I don't think she's signed on with any label. She's been uploading clips to Youtube relatively frequently. If this is the fate she's left with then it's a shame. Sera's got one of the clearest and purest voices in Kpop alongside Secret's Jieun. Would be unfortunate to see that go to waste.

Just Outside: Luna (f(x))
This nomination is also technically a stretch, given how unlikely f(x) activities will occur in the foreseeable future. Still, Luna is amazing and her versatility could also come into play, letting her tackle electronic dance pop, while still having a reliable beautiful voice for slower songs. Luna is the only person keeping f(x) relevant in terms of music, so give this girl a chance at the solo stage, I'm sure she'd kill it.

Honorable Mentions: Bohyung (Spica), Seungyeon (KARA)

[Review] 2NE1 - Come Back Home

Vocals: 8 / 10

Another 2NE1 song, another strong showing of vocals. Obviously led by Bom’s vibrant voice, everyone else continues to support her well throughout the verses and transitions, but what the hell is up with that garbage pseudo-dubstep break at the end of the choruses? It’s awful (Dara’s lines are actually probably worse than the dubstep use) and completely out of place, when you take into account the rhythym of the verses and the softer rap. For this reason, the acoustic / unplugged version of the song is much more enjoyable.

Appearance: 7 / 10

CL is absolutely regal in that blonde. And the hairstyle, too. Easily the best out of the group in this specific MV. It’s a more bleached blonde compared to the “Can’t Nobody” blonde, but again, just looks really good on her. Dara’s tomboy cut seems a little out of place, but the shots with her in blue hair looked pretty nice. Dara is the visual of this group, and continues to show that here. In a rare sighting, Minzy isn’t that good this MV. It’s a combination of the colour scheme and hairstyle, but she doesn’t look at stunning as per her standards. Bom has always flipped between “pretty doll” and “creepy doll” and unfortunately for her, she’s the latter this time around. The hair seems to frame her face awkwardly. As for outfits, it’s just 2NE1 being 2NE1. Wacky, tacky, fabulous?

Rap: 10 / 10

When I was talking about CL in the Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings, I wrote how I really liked the “old CL”, before more of the crazier, wilder stuff, and this rap is just in line with the old stuff that really drew me to CL as a rapper. It (the rap) also fits in really well with the rest of the song, or at least the acoustic version. How the dubstep just suddenly halts into CL’s rap is beyond awful and near “I Got A Boy” level bad. But anyway. CL delivers an excellent rap segment.

Music Video: 9 / 10

There’s a lot going on with this MV, but the most important is that 2NE1 and the producers / editors of this video took the special effects / graphics portion and executed everything way better than a certain other top girl group’s recent comeback video. The effects and distinctions for the whole “virtual world” that Dara’s boyfriend is so immersed in are all fancy. And the bizarre sets and costumes are per 2NE1 standard. This score would’ve been perfect it not for the rather disappointing lipsyncing. Actually, if I recall correctly, I had issues with 2NE1 and their lipsyncing in “I Love You”, as well. Fix this, 2NE1, and you’ll have a perfect MV score next time.

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Overall: 85 / 100

2NE1 is back, and like Girls’ Generation, is taking steps in the right direction after a seemingly lackluster performance last year. “Come Back Home” is a refreshing ballad (I’m not downloading the version in the MV) with a supplementing rap. I wouldn’t qualify this as one of the better 2NE1 ballads, but it’s still a solid title track regardless. By the way, releasing this review on the 21st was most certainly just a coincidence. Yep, definitely a coincidence.

[Review] 2NE1 - Missing You

Vocals: 25 / 25

2NE1 really pulled out all the stops for “Missing You”, which I haven’t really seen since the likes of “Lonely” and “Ugly”. Every member does work, and what I enjoy the most about the song is the balance between line distribution and appropriate parts. The light background further enhances the vocals, which is another plus. Each member seems to embody / put in a different aspect for their voice in this piece, something I really enjoy. CL has the wavering emotion, Dara the serene fragility, Minzy the innocent power, and Bom the vibrant colour. Everything is in place, from the assignment of verses, minimal use of good Englsh, and simple chorus. The ending of the song is very confusing and misleading, though, as I thought we’d be going into a final powerful chorus (especially with the instrumental in crescendo).

Music Video: 17 / 25

This is a tame music video to accompany a serious and emotional song. The video is simple, but refreshing. Is that car the same one from “I Love You”? That would be some incredible consistency if so. Dara looked stunning in the pinned up blonde (the chess set shots), and I think Minzy is due for a different style soon, but she’s rocking the current colours. Bom…is still an enigma between doll-like beauty and doll-like creepiness. I’m choosing not to comment on CL’s scene, but it’s refreshing to see her back in black. By the way, I totally didn’t miss the “21” in Roman numerals on the ground.

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Overall: 84 / 100

2NE1 has been all over the place. They’ve wanted you to “Go Away”, not cared (“I Don’t Care”) and felt “Lonely” and “Ugly”, while toggling between loving and hating (“I Love You”, “Hate You”). Now, they’re “Missing You”, and it’s a quality song having amazing vocals that is supported by the light MV. 2NE1 can certainly do 2NE1, but this impression is just as strong.

[Bonus] Best Of Collabs

I’m a huge fan of collaboration work. Whether it’s within the company, between companies, or even two members of the same group, collabs help bring out sides of singers you may not get to see as often (or at all) when they are part of the group. I tried to have most of these selections have considerate portions, as opposed to short clips by one person and then 80% by the other. So without further ado let’s talk about some of my favourites.

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Super Junior & Girls’ Generation - Seoul Song

If there was a better song to be used to advertise Seoul, I have yet to find it. Take some higher tier vocalists from SNSD and some higher tier vocalists from Super Junior and you have a delightful melody. The spotlight was surprisingly for Sunny and Donghae for each group, both of which sounded incredible with Sunny’s high notes and Donghae’s verses. This is the type of range I’d love to see more of Sunny, but I digress. The music video was artful and is of course, a necessity given this is to attract tourists, and the cute coupling of various members and additional touches (like Leeteuk helping Taeyeon, etc.) made the MV even more enjoyable.

GD&TOP & Park Bom - Oh Yeah

You can’t go talking about collaborations without this glorious party piece. The chorus by Bom is kinda repetitive, but bright and rich thanks to her vocals. Backed by G-Dragon and T.O.P rapping the verses, it’s just the perfect song to emphasize the rapping highlights with Bom’s vocals. The English scattered throughout the song like some kind of condiment for a recipe is also pronounced accurately, given YG has some of the best English speakers / pronounciation in the industry. The ending where GD&TOP took the chorus for a final spin was also pretty nice.

Zhang Liyin & Junsu - Timeless

One of my favourite and earlier ballads during my initial wave of exposure to Kpop, “Timeless” brings two distinct voices together with some more than impressive results. Junsu is incredibly talented but Zhang Liyin more than pulls her weight here, with some lovely high notes, belts, and harmonizations. The music video was also a masterpiece, utilizing the acting skills of buddies Han Geng and Siwon of Super Junior along with Lee Yeonhee. Truly a tearjerker, and the emotional vocals did well to support it (or vice versa).

Jongkook, HaHa & Gary - What I Want To Say To You

I have to rep my Running Man buddies here, this song from Jongkook’s 7th album is a happy mix of ballad, reggae, and hip hop and the three pull it off smoothly. I actually thought the order of transition from Jongkook to HaHa to Gary was really good. You can’t undersell any of their talents, whether it’s Jongkook’s high voice, HaHa’s antics, and Gary’s light paced rapping. If Gary had more similar presence to HaHa I think this would have been even more enjoyable, or maybe utilize his voice, which I consider pretty decent.

[Bonus] Best Of Rappers: Part I

Let’s face the facts. There are not a lot of solid Korean rappers out there. We’re not talking about underground professionals along the likes of Tiger JK, LeeSSang, or Dok2. We’re referring to the lovely idols we’ve all come to know and love. Many are often ridiculed for their talent or lack of (Minho), others are merely used as faux rappers with low voices and rap singing (Bora), some have all the pieces but can’t quite put everything together (Amber), and a select few have enough ability to truly call themselves a rapper. These players know how to utilize their charms to give their music (or anything they show up in) an edge, of which we’ll be talking about here.

For this, I’m not singling out the best rappers in the industry but rather, specific tracks and showcases which really emphasize the user’s talent, whether it’s speed, flow, energy, etc. It’s more a matter of these raps being memorable than anything else.

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CL - Clap Your Hands

Now there certainly is a lack of female presence here, but don’t worry, CL has you covered for both “female” and “presence”. In terms of energy, CL is unrivaled. She brings so much power and stage presence, she controls the crowd and when 2NE1 performs and CL is up, you know all eyes are on her. As far as aggressive rapping goes, you can’t overlook “Clap Your Hands”. Of course, Dara and Minzy also rap but you can’t ignore the main rapper and thus the star of the show. CL is aggressive but not overwhelming, perfectly on the borderline. Live performances of this were absolutely thrilling.

T.O.P - Digital Bounce

Now, T.O.P has got quite the track record with Big Bang, but when Se7en released “Digital Bounce” and performed it for music shows, this skyrocketed future expectations for Mr. Choi Seunghyun. Now the song itself isn’t that appealing, it’s full of autotune, repetitive chorus and a boring dance, all mixed with a truckload of English. But then T.O.P enters for a rap break and it’s like the rest of the song was never there. I think it’s probably one of the fastest iterations to date and T.O.P rapping this live only solidified his skill. His rap took the mediocre “Digital Bounce” and made the performance aspect much more exciting.

Chanyeol - Two Moons

EXO’s debut album was a mixture of songs, and the rapping in “Two Moons” from everyone else (Kai, Sehun, Kris, Tao, Key) was good, but not great. Chanyeol, was great. It’s incredibly addicting should you be able to match the pace of him in the second verse, and I remember seeing a comment like “It’s almost as if Chanyeol is saying ‘Is this the fastest you can do? Seodulleo seodulleo…” and that’s exactly how I feel. Lively, energetic, with glimpses of power, too. Further showings in “DJ Got Us Falling In Love” and http://tinyurl.com/avocyb2 prove that the future is bright for this kid.

Zico - Nillili Mambo

When Block B debuted in 2011, nobody really thought much but Zico (and P.O) caught my eye for their rapping work in “Freeze”. Transition across some media controversy and a few more releases and we’re at “Nillili Mambo”. Zico may have been underrated before but the rapping in “Nillili Mambo” was spot on. Partnered with Kyung, these two made the rap the highlight of the wild and bizarre song. Now with the lawsuit raging on (what’s going on with that, anyway), we’ll have to see when next Zico will enlighten us all.

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Okay this turned out longer than I thought, so I’m going to split this set into two and release the second half next time.

[Bonus] Best Of Vocalists: Wild Cards

I originally made the fourth category a “support” one, referencing vocalists best at transitions, or “gluing” the group so to speak. Afterward I would throw in a few honorable mentions, and this wild card group is a combination. Not only are some of the singers fantastic at transition, I also find a few underrated, or just very unique, they deserve their own group.

Dara is often scoffed at when talking about vocals because she’s not really that standout live or studio, but I think she’s overlooked in terms of her transitional voice. She works the bridges and seams really well in 2NE1’s music, something I don’t see too much of. Dara is the glue voice, holding the explosive Bom, strong CL, and young Minzy’s voices altogether to make 2NE1’s sound.

Narsha reserves a spot for Brown Eyed Girls here. I really like Gain’s voice, but it’s at best a supplement of IU’s voice (most evident in “Bloom”). Narsha has…an innocent voice, which is certainly a curious quality to have for someone who is 31. She has good control and the consistency is appealing, in contrast to the different appealing like say her wacky appearances, outfits, and personality. Overall she adds another pleasant BEG voice to the mix.

It certainly feels a little funny to be putting IU here, but I think it’s where she belongs amongst the other categories. Not quite the powerhouse vocalist or the evident leader, but unique enough to share her voice across ballads and pop alike. IU’s voice has a fluid air around it, instantly transforming anything she sings into a “IU-ified” version, whether it’s her covers of “Sorry Sorry” and “Gee”, it’s a lively thing that definitely sounds IU.

Suzy is the younger successor or equivalent to Dara, At first listen it’s nothing spectacular but she easily grows on you and soon her vocal work in choruses and transition is almost as good as Dara. On a side note, Suzy possesses some of the best English out of all 32 featured vocalists who aren’t fluent speakers. Suzy’s voice is innocent (“Love Alone”) and very lively (“Classic”).

Yoseob’s a member of B2ST which is…a more dance and rap-oriented group than anything. Yoseob is the vocal carry of the group, in similar fashion to Sistar’s Hyorin and Secret’s Ji Eun. His fluid voice moves from one line to another, standing out from the rest of B2ST or in solos like “Caffeine” or backing his member’s voices when they sing.

I consider Junsu (I refuse to call him Jun. K or whatever he changed his name to) the most underrated out of this set. He has this mysterious vibrating quality in his voice. It makes it appear shaky during long notes but it’s really a good “addition” to his voice, so to speak. Like Yoseob, Junsu helps liven up the vocal quality of 2PM, and has stepped up significantly post-Jaebeom.

Onew has a truly distinct voice, and only loses to Jonghyun in the vocals department because his range is lower / smaller, and some awkward sound that arises through certain melodies. It’s weird, because Jonghyun’s voice is similar but with less apparent awkwardness. Now, that sort of thing is mainly subjective but it’s worth noting when talking about SHINee’s lead vocalists. Onew excels in baritone ranges (“One Year Later”) and can sound fairly good in the louder electronic music (“Juliette”), but most certainly out of place in others (“Lucifer”).

Jinwoon’s known for his role in 2AM, where he’s typically a quality support voice while Seulong, Changmin, and Jo Kown do the bulk of work. However, recent solo expeditions and OST work like “Now Or Never” and “You Walking Towards Me” have shown that he is more than capable of providing an explosive yet charming voice. Hopefully, JYP / Big Hit will integrate Jinwoon’s ability into 2AM’s music in the future (and I pray that it not be rap-related).

[Bonus] Best Of Vocalists: Leads

Leads are responsible for helping shape and define the voice of the group. For the most part, anyway. Often, they have unique attributes which easily differentiate them from the crowd, and are powerful that you can hear them amongst a sea of other voices.

Is there another like Bom? Seriously, Park Bom’s voice is so vibrant. It’s colourful, bright, and unique. Okay, her control is a little shaky and live performance leaves quite a bit to be desired to this day, but that does not shake away from just how amazing she sounds when she sings. 2NE1’s music isn’t too strongly motivated by vocals, but various songs like “Follow Me” and of course her solo endeavors, really bring out her skill. Bom is certainly a top tier voice.

JeA is amazing at ballads. However, I think her voice is really strong, and absolutely the strongest out of Brown Eyed Girls. This quality truly defines the voice of Brown Eyed Girls, where the other members’ voices mesh to compliment and support hers. Performances on Immortal Song 2 are solid and I don’t think she gets enough attention or acknowledgment for what she does and how she does it. Hopefully her first solo album changes that.

Sunye is interesting for me. On one hand, she is probably the most emotional singer or at least most capable, but on the other, her higher range makes her sound out of place. Thankfully, Wonder Girls’ music isn’t too vocally focused so the latter isn’t too often an occasion, not a strike on Ye Eun or Sunye but their music typically doesn’t put a huge strain or emphasis when compared to say something like “Twinkle”, but the consistency, control, and balance of emotions make Sunye stand apart and be a leader.

I think Luna is really underappreciated. Partly because she hasn’t had too much time to show off her prowess and partly because S.M. is awful at marketing her ability. None of f(x)’s songs showcase what Luna can do at all (in fact non-f(x) projects like “It’s Me” and “Dear My Family” are more complimentary to her), and that’s a shame because she has a hella strong voice that is only going to keep improving as she gets older.

If Park Bom is the signature standout unique female voice, then Jonghyun is almost certainly the standout male counterpart. It’s practically impossible to listen to a SHINee song and not hear Jonghyun somewhere in the background. That alone is enough to show Jonghyun’s command of the SHINee sound, but it isn’t everything. He has one of the best control over high / power notes, and so the heavy dance electronic robotic supersonic music his group releases is perfect, and the tenure of S.M. The Ballad gave him a chance at softer songs which he sang admirably.

In a similar vein to his labelmate, EXO-M’s Jongdae (Chen is a really boring name, sorry) also has a powerful and unique sound that makes even ordinary lines sound polished and supreme. Highlights are easily from some of the fancy extended notes in “History”, “MAMA”, and “Dear My Family”. Unfortunately, he’s a rookie which means he has not put out a lot of content, so I’m eagerly waiting for more stuff, especially “Baby Don’t Cry”.

Hongki, Hongki, Hongki. What would putting you in a group be like? For sure, you’d still remain a main vocalist. His voice is raspy but soft, aggressive but soothing, like a chameleon, it’s able to adapt as necessary to the song, sort of like alternative to Kyuhyun’s. Additionally, Hongki has this technical quality of being able to fluctuate his voice (crescendos, etc.) really well, like in “I’ll Love Everything”. I think his voice would be really good to try trot, too!

The only solo to make this set, Wheesung is a true veteran in the entertainment world and has been pulling R&B ballads like it’s his job…which it kinda is. Regardless, Wheesung is quite the vocalist, with medium deep range but the striking ability to throw a lot of emotion in his music (“He Is Coming”). On top of that, Wheesung has very nice high notes which aren’t harshly strained (“Insomnia”), too.

[Review] 2NE1 - I Love You

Vocals: 10 / 10

There is a lot going on in this song in terms of vocals. Singing, repetition, rapping singing mixture, rhythm changes, etc. You’d think this mixture would result in a rushed-sounding song but 2NE1 does a really nice job of creating flow between the verses, bridge, and chorus. Besides, it’s hard to go wrong when you have one of the best utility voices in Korea (Dara) who is also a master of the rapping singing mix, second to Big Bang’s G-Dragon. Park Bom’s extremely unique voice continues to shine but I’d like to see more variation in her lines in the future. Minzy and CL are pretty much perfect throughout the whole song, no complaints. I do have problems with the static “Hey” and other assorted noises in the background throughout the song, but it’s not enough to keep me from giving 2NE1 a perfect score for their singing.

Appearance: 9 / 10

Almost no letdowns here. Everyone is rocking the looks and rocking them extremely well. CL has been blonde for such a long time running now that my memory struggles to remember what she looked like before going blonde. I have this conflict of opinions in which I cannot decide whether Bom is just really pretty or that her doll-like face is almost scary. Minzy’s various colours worked nicely (even purple). Dara is the star of the show, shaving half your head has never looked so good, and pink is easily her colour. The hairstyle at the rap / end of the video was also amazing. The one disappointment? Minzy’s Egyptian throwback hairstyle. There are some girls who can pull off that sort of short hair style where their forehead is covered, but Minzy is not one of them.

Dance: 8 / 10

For the short dance to go along with the rap at the end, 2NE1 does a good job. It’s a very frantic, upbeat, and hair-flipping choreography that matches well with the hype and loud / muffled rapping. Rather than merely highlighting Minzy, there is a lot of individual movement but nice group presentation altogether. The idea of using shadows was a little strange since the buildup consisted of lights turning on…

Rap: 8 / 10

Whereas the previous slower ballads of “Lonely” and “Ugly” did not have a rap, this similar styled song, “I Love You” does, and is a welcome addition to the song. This is what I love about YG! They know CL is such a powerful rapper and singer so they find ways to incorporate both into their music. It appears at the rising crescendo at the end, is short, sweet, and to the point. The rap is a little repetitive though, in contrast to the mixture of explosive vocals, and for the majority of it being in English, the last Korean line is just a reword, kinda weird. Dara (another excellent rapper) also provides some background rap during Bom’s vocal version.

Music Video: 8 / 10

This is a tame music video by 2NE1’s standards (think “Lonely”). No extremely bright lights, ridiculous sets or crazy costumes (for the most part). While the members are very frequently in various locations and sets throughout the music video, there is some flow: from the bedroom to the hallways, into the car out onto the streets, inside another building, etc. which smoothens out the quick transitions. Additionally, the sleet-like weather appearing at the beginning of the first chorus is consistent and seems to increase in severity throughout the rest of the music video, something often overlooked in others (Big Bang’s “Bad Boy”). There are some issues though. Awkward lipsyncing is seen (most evident in Minzy and Bom), which is a rare occurrence for 2NE1. Soft singing isn’t necessarily characterized by minimal lip movement but there are times where the lips don’t match the words at all. There are shots of members while they’re clearly singing in the song but they’re not in the music video, which is bizarre in my opinion. Also, did anyone else find the segments where CL and Minzy are dancing by themselves awkward? Minzy’s set I can understand to some extent since she is by herself but CL is doing a suggestive dance…to an empty chair. EXO’s Kai danced with a invisible person in a teaser, and now it seems he was sitting in the chair in front of CL. Stuff will get really suspicious if CL starts playing invisible instruments.

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Overall: 86 / 100

Honestly, I love this song. I feel the score reflects too lowly on the overall song but perhaps that’s just because the rap and dance are very short and shouldn’t be weighed as heavily as the vocals, appearance, and music video (a removal of said sections would result in a 27 / 30 score). Dara is unmistakably the highlight of this song and proves it. All in all it’s another standout song from 2NE1 to add to their collection. “I said yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah~”