[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings XI: Summer 2020

So it's been a long time since the previous installment of Girl Group Power Rankings. As such, this probably won't be as polished as I'd like. Plus, my waning interest in the girl group landscape (especially for newer groups) makes it difficult to rank groups, even with subjective opinions. Regardless I will do my best because that's what this blog is all about. The next ranking will be out before 2020 ends at least so there's some continuity available.

Honorable Mention: Black Pink
* New Releases: How You Like That
God it pains me to keep putting Black Pink here. Not only because they keep putting out shitty music, but because none of the young blood has piqued my interest enough to justify putting them here in BP's place. That and my status as a Jennie and Jisoo fan are keeping enemy groups at bay. "How You Like That" was completely disappointing at best and absolutely atrocious at worst. Their first ever studio album (literally called "The Album") has been delayed to October in traditional YG fashion so we'll see what comes of that later.

[Bonus] The Late Report: April 2020

Ah, shit. I forgot that there are only 30 days in April. Oh well, we own our mistakes here. If you thought I didn't keep up much with Kpop before the pandemic, then boy this edition is gonna be shorter than Sunny. Let's see what I manage to scrounge up this time around.

Apink - Dumhdurum

One of the oldest surviving groups returned with yet another twist on their more mature sound. Gotta say that I am definitely loving their shift and the songs themselves are pretty solid. Unfortunately, they decided to ruin a completely viable song with the cursed rap line. In three seconds they committed three fouls: had a bad rap, had someone unfit to do said rap, and used the lame rising inflection at the end. The bridge is also pretty mediocre as far as Apink songs go. My sisters asked if I think Naeun had some surgery done, to which I responded "that's pretty much every idol though" and I stand by that. Although if anyone from Apink did something lately, I have a feeling it's Hayoung.

[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings X: Fall 2019

This is blog post #500(!) and I finally have another edition of Girl Group Power Rankings. I'd love to say this was all part of my grand scheme for delaying this for so damn long but we all know that's bullshit haha. It's been a while so this will serve as a refresher course for the Power Ranking posts. Group Power Rankings are all about what a team has done lately, what talents they bring to the table, and how consistent they are / could be. They're all subjective lists anyway but I like showing the criteria I use, if only to keep my own rankings consistent over time.

Even though it's been a while, I still reference the previous list which was nearly one year ago (yikes), but also treat 2019 almost like a brand new year. Older groups that previously were on the list due to legacy but have since disbanded or "gone on hiatus" will not be making an appearance, so you won't see names like Girls' Generation, EXID, or Girls' Day on here. Though it should be mentioned that Brown Eyed Girls is having a comeback soon but their veteran status is so lofty it wouldn't feel right putting them here with these youngsters. In a similar vein, shoutouts to AOA for their participation in Queendom. They've handled well as a group of five.

Previous installments have included a "new releases" tab where I showcase some of their work between ranking posts and that trend will continue. No auxiliary releases though: only main Korean comebacks and other noteworthy efforts - there will be no OST work or Japanese promotions. Is that enough rambling? Alright, onto the list!

Honorable Mention: Black Pink
* New Releases: Kill This Love
In a company battle reminiscent of the late 2000's, YG's Black Pink barely edges out JYP's Itzy for the last honorable mention. They're contrasts to each other in many ways: BP has better rappers, Itzy has better singers, and both groups are known for their choreography. Itzy is a newcomer with a pair of meh tracks to their name so far, while Black Pink has been around with enough inactivity to kill a cow. Speaking of killing, "Kill This Love" was touted as the worst Black Pink release during my review back in April. While that statement still stands true I have thought better of it upon scarce listens since, plus it eases expectations for their next comeback in the year 2021.

[Review] Apink - %%

Apink grace us as the first song review of 2019. While it's only the third review under the new season, expect some increase in these posts now that I gave myself the freedom to write as much or little as I find appropriate. This comeback is important coming off the heels of "I'm So Sick" which was a revolutionary change of pace for the usually bubblegum pop group. Teasers showed that we'd likely return to the mature concept and that got my hopes up. Usually that sets me up for disappointment so we'll see if "%%" can deliver.

[Misc] Thought Corner: Kpop Hopes In 2019

Welcome to 2019. Kpop Hopes takes over as the first post of the year, and I'll begin to reclassify some of the older blog posts as Thought Corner posts. Kpop Awards are coming, but first let's look at predictions from the past and for the future. It's always hilarious to look back and see exactly how dumb I can be. This is not a drill, I repeat this is not a drill. We're going hard or going home. Before we look ahead, we'll take a look backwards at my 2018 predictions.

[Bonus] Best Of 2018: Honorable Mentions

Here come the Best Of 2018! Well, the ones that didn't make the final cut anyway. With five selections, they serve as a teaser to the final Best Of 2018 list. But unlike that list coming later this week, these will remain unranked. They may not necessarily even be the best outside choices (when are they ever?) but they certainly made a strong case throughout the year. May they wet your palette before the official best drops on Friday or something.

LOONA - Favorite

Not enough BRRRRA in Kpop honestly so thank goodness for Loona. The styling of group names is something I've struggled to get consistently in writing and tagging posts, and still haven't found a working ground for. Anyway "Favorite" is like EXO's "Mama:" a debut track that isn't really a debut track. Still there's a lot to like here. The choreography is strong, the instrumental is bangin', and the energy is through the roof. With this and "Hi High" as their official "debut," Loona is giving us plenty to look forward to.

[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings IX: Winter 2018

The final chapter of the 2018 Group Power Rankings was more difficult than most. I had over 15+ groups that kept bouncing on and off the list before settling down at the 11th hour. Obviously the upper echelons were pretty easy to separate from the rest of the pack but Honorable Mentions and the lower end gave me headaches. Either way, I powered through and here we are.

Honorable Mention: gugudan
* New Releases: Not That Type
Making their debut on the group rankings is gugudan, who narrowly beat out (G)-IDLE for this spot. And thankfully they did because I would have loathed writing that name over and over. Anyways, gugudan have lost a member but gained plenty momentum in 2018. Subunit and full group activities were seen since the summer and while "Not That Type" wasn't perfect, it was a solid dance number that really impressed me. That and "The Boots" give me plenty of hope for the future of gugudan.

Honorable Mention: Black Pink
* New Releases: Solo (Jennie)
Black Pink has not been in our area, but Jennie did drop a solo on us out of nowhere. I'm in the group that thinks a solo debut for a group that has less than ten total songs in their discography is odd if not desperate, but at least the song itself was serviceable. Her rapping was better than her singing, though the choreography was powerful and for a debut piece especially so. I considered dropping them off the list entirely but other groups don't have the luxury of having YG as their label, which theoretically bodes well for their future endeavors.

#10. Lovelyz (-2)
* New Releases: Lost N Found
When it ain't broke, don't fix it. Lovelyz have a formula for innocence and continue to display it with "Lost N Found." That chorus is magnificent while the rest of the song is competing for that coveted ethereal sound that Cosmic Girls mostly hogs to themselves. Kei, Yein, and Mijoo lead this team with all sorts of success, and the visual combo of Mijoo and Jisoo is devastating. With Infinite members enlisting left and right, Woollim will focus their efforts on Lovelyz as their main attraction - I don't exactly know how popular Golden Child is but Lovelyz is the only girl group regardless.

[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings VIII: Summer 2018

It's time for another round of Girl Group Power Rankings! There's only been four months since the last episode but the summer has been bountiful and thus more shuffling of the girl group ladder had to commence. Minor switches more often is better than major switches less often, especially on a list that only has ten ranked groups. Here's who's hotest during the summer of 2018.

Honorable Mention: Girl's Day
* New Releases: N/A
Like I said, inactivity will have to be a more serious offence. Girl's Day have done nothing since late March 2017 and have been focusing on individual non-music activities. Therefore they'll drop out into Honorable Mentions, but not entirely off the chart. Despite the lack of promotions, they are still one of the best groups in recent years. While you could say the same for Girls' Generation, the fractured group structure prevents them from getting to the same level as Girl's Day.

Honorable Mention: Loona (NEW)
* New Releases: Egoist (Olivia), love4eva (yyxy)
Man, Loona has got things going. There's plenty of hype surrounding this group. Their official debut will either be one of the greatest in the current era of Kpop or completely underwhelm and bust. Given their extensive track record of solid "predebut" songs though, they should at least do admirably. My favorites so far have been Jinsoul's "Singing In The Rain," Kim Lip's "Eclipse," and Olivia Hye's "Egoist." With so many different styles showcased by their members, who knows what genre they'll debut with.

#10. Black Pink (--)
* New Releases: Ddu-du Ddu-du
Given how much I disliked their comeback, Loona ranking above Black Pink was a real possibility. But their performance numbers-wise is very impressive. I suppose that's what happens when a fandom is so starved. Being the fastest group MV to reach 200 million views counts for something. Jennie was hilarious on Running Man and their Instagram have been popping off. Regardless, I'm going to keep ranking them low until they either get out of the dungeon more or comeback with a bomb track.

[Review] Apink - I'm So Sick

This is the make-or-break point for Apink for me. It's been four years since "Mr. Chu" - which I consider their best hit - was released, and they've yet to recapture that magic since. It's actually concerning how many mediocre songs they've had during that time. Not that they had terrible songs per se, just nothing that really stuck. However, teasers for "I'm So Sick" showed plenty of promise, and actually got me excited about Apink for once. Would that hold?

With "I'm So Sick," Apink have (for the first time in a long while) abandoned the cutesy dance pop theme and instead shifted to a more mature sound. This is clearly a win in my book because I've always liked that style more across all girl groups. They also have the vocal ability to not make it sound terrible, which is a plus. Honestly the prechorus and chorus are gorgeous, while the instrumental and background vocals during the dance breaks are splendid as well. However, the structure of an Apink song has gotten so incredibly stale: Chorong gets an early part, Eunji and Bomi sing the chorus while everyone else mops up the rest. It really wouldn't hurt to mix things up during each comeback...

[Misc] Apink Power Ranking

I too enjoy some simple writing full of flavorful text. After Twice's Power Ranking was finished I immediately thought of fixing up another one. For some reason Apink was the group that came to mind. They have a good number of members and besides an obvious #1 pick the rest of the lineup could take some disassembling. I'll probably do more of these for shits and giggles, combining multiple groups with smaller numbers to make thing easier. For now, here's the Apink crew from worst to first.

#6. Namjoo
Every group seems to have one member that I just can't get behind. For Apink, that's poor Namjoo. I don't really know what it is about her. As far as within the group is concerned, she's not standout in any aspect. She doesn't possess a special voice (might be bottom of the entire team actually), and whenever I watch her on variety I get annoyed. I might think she's being really fake or something. At least visually she's not far behind the team, but her short hairstyles were not a favorite of mine.

[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings VII: Spring 2018

This was actually a difficult piece to write. Outside of an obvious top 3-4 groups, the rest of the rankings were murky for a long time. I tried using some "sophisticated algorithms" to help look at each group from a music and activity perspective but even then I still changed the final list like five times at least. In any case, these are the best girl groups right now based on their lineup, recent showings, and where they're headed, with some legacy points tacked on. Also a reminder that "new releases" covers anything that was released since the last ranking, and that even goes for groups that are appearing on the list for the first time.

Honorable Mention: Sonamoo
* New Releases: I (Knew It)
After flailing around in concept inconsistency Sonamoo have appeared to settle down in a zone. "Friday Night" and "I (Knew It)" are solid tracks that deviated from the much less enjoyable bubblegum dance pop they had throughout 2016 and early 2017. Currently the group is watching Euijin take center stage with UNI.T which could be a turning point in their group's career path. This will either give them a jolt of life or be the beginning of the end. Considering their label is TS Entertainment, I'm keeping them on my radar but not trusting their label until they prove otherwise.

Honorable Mention: CLC
* New Releases: Black Dress
Similar to Sonamoo, I can't trust CLC because of Cube. They're already planning another girl group despite CLC not yet having a stable foothold in the industry yet. "Black Dress" was a great track but last time we were treated to a tougher, girl crush concept they immediately heel turned into "Where Are You?" which was the exact opposite. With both label and genre uncertainty, I'll place them in the Honorable Mentions for now. Fun fact: three out of five groups that started in Honorable Mentions went on to join the official list so maybe there's hope for them yet (and Sonamoo).

#10. Black Pink (-6)
* New Releases: N/A
Live footage of Yang Hyunsuk working on Black Pink. Seriously, what a joke. They are the least active high-profile girl group and it's not even close. Even 2NE1 out the gate was not this pathetic discography-wise. What's that? Black Pink has an album coming up soon? Nice! Oh, it's merely their prior five songs in Japanese. Fuck off outta here YG, this is some bullshit. The only reason they're not in Honorable Mentions (or off the list entirely) is that their worst song is still better than CLC and Sonamoo's best song.

[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings VI: Fall 2017

Originally, I was going to have a late November installment of the Girl Group Power Rankings. However with the SNSD news and my desire to put out rankings on a more regular basis (somewhat) means we'll have a new edition a few weeks early. I think having at least three or four installments per year for girl groups can show how the landscape changes every few months. Let's look at the girl group ladder for what may be Girls' Generation's last ride. Remember: this is my list, not yours! Music, roster, and consistency are my go-to attributes when determining rankings.

Honorable Mention: Lovelyz
* New Releases: N/A
As much as I dislike the idea of putting three bubblegum pop groups on the list, Lovelyz is probably the next best group to join the Honorable Mentions section. They've been pretty consistent since their debut, and "Goodnight Like Yesterday" is still an elite ballad. This year they've had a handful of releases (which unfortunately don't get included since the last writeup was in late June) and are looking to wrap up a solid year with an upcoming November comeback. I'm hoping for something more experimental rather than a traditional pop dance track but I'd be open to another high quality ballad, too.

Honorable Mention: 9MUSES
* New Releases: Love City
9MUSES remains on the outside looking in. While they haven't lost any more members since the last time we checked them out, their successor to a fantastic "Remember" comeback was the mediocre "Love City." The song was a little too all over the place and particularly disappointing was Sojin. Her encore performance to the spectacular rap from "Remember" was boring and repetitive. It's doubtful we'll see any new action from them in 2017, but I'd say this was a good rebound year for them, "resetting" the subunit as the full team and all that. Now if only Sungah could come back from hiatus...

#10. Dreamcatcher (--)
* New Releases: Fly High
They're not technically new as they made an appearance under Honorable Mentions but now they've moved into the top 10. Fusing rock and dance, they really give off Jpop vibes and their trio of releases this year reflects that. Even though it lacked a true rap segment, "Fly High" might actually be my favorite of the set. The high tempo of the song is awesome and makes for an exhilarating listen. Now that they've sort of settled into their niche, it'll be interesting to see what direction they try and tackle in 2018. Other groups might have had bigger numbers and more production, but Dreamcatcher's turnaround story is the best of the year.

[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings V: Summer 2017

With summer in full swing it's time to once again look at the state of the girl group ladder. There's been plenty of activity to go around, and that includes positive and negative moves. Sistar and Wonder Girls depart from the rankings, and T-ARA will soon follow, even though the latter has not made an appearance on this list in a long time. The younger groups have been promoting with fervor (hopefully I updated new releases as accurately as possible) and you can see the new generation of girl groups staking their claim in the industry. As always, we're looking at their main releases, the roster and talent, along with consistency (less of the past, more of the present). Since many of these comebacks have been recent it'll be fun to see what my early impressions are and how they influence placements.

Honorable Mention: Dreamcatcher (NEW)
* New Releases: Chase Me / Good Night
The rebranded Minx made a name for themselves early on in 2017, with "Chase Me" bringing a powerful sound uncommon for girl groups (and arguably boy groups, too). Both "Chase Me" and "Good Night" have Jpop influences and they're definitely darker than your typical girl group (reddit sure loves their MVs). Powerful instrumentals and choreography drive their music and they've rightfully been getting praised for that. I'd only heard of Minx by name before the rebranding so it really was like finding a new group for the first time. Having music with heavy rock elements that remind of Younha's early days is absolutely keeping this group on my radar. As long as they keep releasing quality content and sweet dance clips consistently, Dreamcatcher will enjoy new success to go with their new name.

Honorable Mention: 9MUSES
* New Releases: Talk About You (Kyungri), Remember
Frankly, "Remember" is one of the best songs this year thus far, and arguably 9MUSES' best song since the days of "Wild" and "Glue." Man how I miss those days... The dark concept and electric instrumental pair excellently and the balanced vocal attack continue to do work. Hyemi has never sounded better and the same could be said for Kyungri and Keumjo. Sojin's rap is also extremely impressive considering it's many steps above what she showed us in "Lip 2 Lip." "Remember" was everything I could've hoped for. Of course this is all fun and good, but 9MUSES - or rather Star Empire - can't be trusted. They've risen up so many times only to fall apart an equal number of times. The inconsistency with this group will continue to plague them as they move forward so they'll stay just outside the top 10.

#10. Red Velvet (--)
* New Releases: Rookie / Would U, Darling U / Our Story (Seulgi)
Red Velvet officially makes their appearance within the top 10. After sitting in the Honorable Mentions section for the last two times, a flurry of activity and departure of Sistar leads them to the 10th spot. "Rookie" really wasn't my cup of tea, and so I'll await their next slower song comeback ("Would U" sort of counts but sort of doesn't since it was through Station). What has also helped RV is Joy's collection of OST work for her drama which is bordering an entire library of its own. As you've noticed I've omitted them from the new releases line because that would take up unnecessary amounts of space. They are one of the few girl groups on the list that possess average vocalists at the worst, something their music generally utilizes well.

[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings IV: Early 2017

Quick, before AOA makes their comeback! Too late? Okay, quick! Before I review their comeback! Here are my Girl Group Power Rankings going into the start of 2017. As per usual(?), the main components of each group I'll be look at are the quality of their music, consistency (both music-wise and promotion-wise), potential and talent. Stuff like chart placings, show winnings, variety appearances, and general popularity aren't as important to me, because if they don't have good music I don't really care how popular they are. But they do still play a factor, of course. The music factor will only be accounted for the period between the previous Power Ranking. So for this series, only content from around July was considered, but will also include anything I may have missed. Alright no more introductions, let's get cracking.

Honorable Mention: Girl's Day
* New Releases: N/A
Enough is enough. Girl's Day is the only group on this list that has not released anything in over a year. They can only go by on their legacy for so long. Thankfully they haven't reached After School-levels of a disappearing act, with members still being productive through acting adventures and variety show appearances. Hyeri is still making it rain and their ever-elusive comeback should help bring them back into the spotlight. They have plummeted from the #1 spot in September of 2015, but with a comeback in January, they'll look to go on a revenge tour for all the ranks they've dropped.

Honorable Mention: Red Velvet
* New Releases: Russian Roulette, Always In My Heart (Joy)
Red Velvet retain their Honorable Mention placing from the summer. This is mostly due to the ineffectiveness of "Russian Roulette," which in my eyes is their worst showing since their dreadful debut. It's still a solid C- song but that ain't quite good enough to push themselves into the top 10. Joy also had an opportunity with Station that she took full advantage of, which highlights one thing about Red Velvet that often goes underappreciated: they have solid voices from top to bottom. The duet with Seulong proves it. Better news / hype is that we should be slated for a Velvet comeback, which will have more soft tunes in store.

#10. Wonder Girls (--)
* New Releases: Why So Lonely
Wonder Girls aren't new to the #10 spot, which was their previous location back in fall of 2015. They had inhabited one of the Honorable Mention placings for most of last year but thanks to the wonderful "Why So Lonely" EP, they've managed to get back to this spot. Wonder Girls are extremely well-balanced. They have Yubin who is one of the best girl group rappers, Sunmi and Yeeun who are solid vocalists (with established material as individuals to boot), and a retro band theme that they own (when was the last time you saw a girl group band in Kpop). Dance is no longer their emphasis as it was back in the day but that's to be expected when everyone is playing instruments now.

[Bonus] Best Of 2016 (#16-#9)

It's that time of the year again. I'll be breaking down my personal list of the best songs of 2016. Because I've run this theme before, there will be 16 songs if only to match the year. I don't have much time to waste - Best Of 2016 and the annual Kpop Awards need to be complete before the end of the year because January is already booked with comebacks. This year my list will be split between the top and bottom halves. Remember, this is my set, not yours! But definitely share which songs you think I missed out on.

#16. Brave Girls - Deepened
This song is the best slow dance track of 2016. Everything about it is sensual, which is reflected in both the singing and dancing. The vocals are soft and almost graceful, which is matched by the choreography. Hyeran's rap break was the best sequence of its kind this year, though unfortunately for her made her later appearances disappointing. Nonetheless this was a very complete song that helped bring Brave Girls back into relevancy. It almost made you forget that they had been inactive for three years before coming back.

#15. DAY6 - Letting Go
Nostalgia speaks to me strongly, and a group like Day6 is exactly what I'd have been obsessed about in my high school years. Rock is an old sweetheart of mine and these guys put their Kpop spin to it quite nicely. "Letting Go" is aptly named as the band had lost a member prior to release, and you can almost hear the emotional rift in their voices. I've yet to be sold on Younghyun's rapping, but perhaps that needs some time. After all, I've come to really enjoy rappers like Verbal Jint and Mad Clown and their unorthodox flow. Maybe Younghyun is next.

[Bonus] Best Of 2014 Revisited

Continuing the revisited series, we stop at a shy two years back in 2014. This was one of the more diverse years and I expect a handful of new entries to join the fun. Writing these redos have been fun and I may go in reverse after doing the 2015 set, although I'll probably only write 2011 and 2010 because my memory doesn't go much further back. At some point, I even plan for a "Best Of 2010-2015" and basically pit the top 5 of each year against each other to see which songs come out on top.

#12. INFINITE - Back (--)
Original: INFINITE - Back
Zero changes here. Infinite's "Back" was a reliable release with all the trademarks of the group in tow. Solid vocal showing from Sunggyu and Woohyun, and a dance performance that lives up to the Infinite name. In terms of the individual categories they all did well and came together well, too. There were some boy group songs competing for this spot (namely Block B's "Her") but at the end of the day the consistency of Infinite's track record proved stronger.

#11. Lovelyz - Goodnight Like Yesterday (NEW)
Original: Wheesung - Night & Day
Lovelyz kicks off five consecutive new entries to the 2014 list. Most of the songs that were replaced were ones that didn't have staying power, whether through the songs not being as good as initially interpreted, novelty wearing off, or a combination of those and other factors. "Goodnight Like Yesterday" is a premier ballad and helps out Jieun in that genre's representation. Soft soothing voices led by Kei make this a lullaby for the ages. The best part? "Destiny" showed that this wasn't a one-trick-wonder either, this style could be their bread and butter if they wanted.

[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings III: Summer 2016

Welcome to the latest edition of the Girl Group Power Rankings. Being the first installment of the 7th season, I'm going to write down a little of my thought process regarding how the rankings are worked out. The primary criteria for my evaluation are as follows (in order of importance / weight): quality of music (with emphasis on title track material), consistency (past history and legacy), individual and team performance / talent, miscellaneous data (variety shows, etc.). The music factor will only be accounted for the period between the previous Power Ranking. So for this series, only content from around mid-March was considered, but will also include anything I may have missed.

Honorable Mention: Wonder Girls

* New Releases: To The Beautiful You (upcoming)
Wonder Girls make a return to the Power Rankings, though this time as a Honorable Mention. They've been rather quiet since the revival as a band, and their comeback didn't get enough praise as I thought it would. Still, they're veterans with serious experience now, and their lineup boasts plenty of talent from Yubin's glorious rapping to the equally strong vocal tandem of Sunmi and Yeeun. By the by, Yeeun did join Younha and Cheetah for "Get It?" but it's not her work, even though she did participate heavily. Anyway, with a comeback happening very soon, they'll put on their best effort to fight among the rookies that are everywhere.

Honorable Mention: Red Velvet
* New Releases: One Of These Nights

The female maknaes of S.M. have come on strong lately. They own 2016's best ballad in "One Of These Nights," and their resume is further backed by addicting dance numbers in "Dumb Dumb" and "Ice Cream Cake." Ignoring their debut, RV have shown mastery of both elements, touting both versatility and consistency in two different concepts. I consider this group one that is more than the sum of its parts. Individually, the talent on he roster isn't that noteworthy, but they always make their songs work, which is a testament to good music production. With rumors of another comeback coming later in the year, Red Velvet is only going to climb higher.

#10. 9MUSES (-2)
* New Releases: N/A
Truth be told, the only reason 9MUSES is here at this stage in their careers is for legacy reasons. If not for their 2013 and 2015 runs (which were amazing and good, respectively), I'd have given this spot to Red Velvet, who are more deserving of the spot given their recent additions. Even though this will likely be the last time we see 9MUSES here, there is still a little bit of hope for them. Some form of a comeback or promotion cycle will come later this summer, and whether it's a "full" group or a subunit, it'll help ease the pain of losing yet more members. Even a Nasty Nasty-esque collaboration would suffice. We'll just have to wait and see.

[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings Revisited: Spring 2016

It's been 6 months since we last looked at the state of the girl group ladder. It's time to revisit them as April draws near. Again, rankings are mainly off music releases, but I acknowledge everything else like popularity, variety presence, etc. etc. I figured now is a good of a time as ever to take evaluations, since the more spring and summer-oriented songs are going to come into bloom soon, not to mention that if I waited until April, a 7 month difference is more awkward on the eyes than 6. Anyway here we go, no honorable mentions this time, straightaway we go.

10. f(x) (NEW)
The resurgence of f(x) is almost solely off the return album. "4 Walls" album was one of the best in the fall quarter, not to mention that the success itself was a good sign for the now-quartet. Not many groups can release an album with a solid tracklist, much less for one as important as it was for f(x). Luna gets more opportunity to showcase her immense vocal talent, and everyone in general seems upgraded without Sulli's presence. "4 Walls" the song seemed to be an awakening piece for me, because Krystal's voice sounds all the more sweeter in her other appearances, like in some older f(x) songs or S.M. The Ballad material.

9. Twice (NEW)
It may seem silly now, but calling Twice a powerhouse girl group may not be that far off. These rookies are basically killing it everywhere they go. Despite my opinions on the lackluster debut song (which I still hold), there's no denying the vocal talent (Jihyo), dance talent (Momo), and visual talent (Tzuyu) that they have. In the variety world they're making a name for themselves, too. Throw in Dahyun's hilarious facial expressions, etc. and there's appeal for everyone, usually a given when the roster features so many members. A shame that the crazy shenanigans regarding Tzuyu and Taiwan had to surface, as it's the only dark spot on an otherwise bright start for the group.

8. 9MUSES (+1)
9MUSES haven't really done anything to justify this small move up, but I wasn't comfortable with giving Twice anything higher than #9, so here we are. This isn't to say the "Lost" EP wasn't nice, as both "Secret" and "Sleepless Night" still have plenty of replay value, but compared to the content other groups are dropping, a 4 track mini album seems quite underwhelming. Still, Erin is a superstar and their visual game remains the best Kpop has to offer, especially impressive for a group of this magnitude. Also in that regard, with Minha making strides in her singing, and there aren't any weak links on the roster either. I'd like to see the girls expand into some top tier variety shows before a full studio album.

7. EXID
Like with Twice's "Like Ooh-Ahh," my feelings on EXID's "Hot Pink" remain the same. It's a song that lacks the needed punch to break through the group's better, more complete titles. All in all it was disappointing to see the efforts of LE and Solji get squandered by a mediocre piece. When you consider they're both at the top of their class (in rapping and singing, respectively, of course), you hope to see their music play to their (monstrous) strengths. There's not much else to say, other than Hani needs more Running Man appearances because she's an unstoppable force, and by the way we're still waiting on that Dasoni comeback!

6. Apink (-1)
The only exciting news surrounding Apink lately is the mere rumor of an Eunji solo. That alone is of course all that's needed to generate hype, but so long as it's just a rumor all we can do is speculate. Like 9MUSES, they haven't really deserved to be moved around, Mamamoo is on the rise and so overtakes them at present. Of all the groups on this list, they are probably the most stable. They have strung together a great series of hits since 2013 and their next release should be a game-changer. Also, it's not worth talking about any acting roles they have because every group has someone involved in acting. If they aren't, that's probably more rare.

5. Mamamoo (+1)
I say, Mama-mama-moo~ These ladies are the perfect combination of charisma and talent and have shown us that since debut. Whether it's through the studio or Immortal Song, they are blowing people away with their voices and pulling people in with their beagle charm. Mamamoo is an extremely balanced group, only lacking perhaps in the choreography department, but only a select few girl groups really have an advantage in that aspect anyway, everyone else is generally on par. I have not fully experienced the "Melting" album yet but rest assured it's high priority. "I Miss You" adds another excellent ballad to the list, while "Pride Of 1cm" is just the zany fun Mamamoo everyone loves. The groups in the top 4 better watch out, Mamamoo is on the march.

4. Sistar
Like Apink, Sistar have not released anything (as a group) since we last saw them with "Shake It." This may be a blessing in disguise. While they don't get a chance to climb up the ladder, they also didn't release anything bad which could've possibly given Mamamoo the opening to grab the #4 spot. Hyorin did join the delicious "Love Line" collab, and they've all been working hard in the variety fields, but we crave for more Sistar. Even though a Hyorin solo comeback or Soyu solo debut would be awesome, Sistar will need to make their next comeback a good one, otherwise they will fall prey to the groups just below them. Hopefully it's a spring or fall (not summer) comeback, we don't need any more of the summer jams.

3. Girl's Day (-2)
Music-wise, Girl's Day has been the most quiet out of all these groups. Regardless, the reason they drop has more to do with AOA and SNSD's activity than nothing else. Heck, if Sistar was but the tiniest bit active before now I'd have considered putting them here instead. Despite the mediocrity that was "Ring My Bell," they are still very much worth of being in the top 3. They've had the best set of title tracks in most recent memory, and all the members are quite well-rounded. Minah is a vocal delight, Yura and Sojin are visual wonders, and Hyeri was (still is?) in the ranks of Suzy and IU as far as the hot topics go. Girl's Day's spot boils down to: if Sistar are #4 after the last 2 years of only decent songs, then Girl's Day shouldn't have to worry after only faltering in 2015.

2. AOA
Seolhyun still has the crown for girl group members, and while there are plenty formidable challengers (Hani, Tzuyu, to name a few), she continues to hold that prestige going into April. AOA have been distributing their progress across the roster since they sang of heart attacks in the summer. Choa dropped some solo activity with "Flame" and "Don't Be Shy." The former was a pleasant ballad and the latter a standout piece. Jimin also added some to her resume, advancing AOA's individual efforts. Lastly there was the debut of the new subunit AOA Cream. While they had an unorthodox song, it's respectable for the effort in giving Yuna, Hyejeong, and Chanmi more time to shine, even if the MV was a little too much Sailor Moon. AOA is the next group with a chance to start a good few years together, and for now will happily occupy the silver spot in consecutive rankings.

1. Girls' Generation (+2)
While they fell in the fall, Girls' Generation recovered quickly and returned to the #1 spot (I say "returned" even though there was only one previous official ranking, but it's not hard to believe that they were the #1 girl group for extended periods of time prior to Jessica leaving). The centerpiece for the resurgence was of course, Taeyeon's nearly flawless solo debut. "I" was splendid and certainly a main attraction of fall 2015. Further aided by the TTS subunit releasing Christmas music, and the few new songs that have arrived with the Station project, including a Yoona(!) song and the smooth sounds of Taeyeon again in "Rain," and Girls' Generation are bringing back the quality in their music. With more solo debuts in the mix, they will keep try to maintain their #1 position.

Final Glance
10. f(x) (NEW)
9. Twice (NEW)
8. 9MUSES (+1)
7. EXID
6. Apink (-1)
5. Mamamoo (+1)
4. Sistar
3. Girl's Day (-2)
2. AOA
1. Girls' Generation (+2)
Previous Ranking (Fall 2015) (Part 1) (Part 2)

[Bonus] Girl Group Power Rankings (#5-#1)

5. Apink
Alright, top 5 time. Initially, I was hesitant to put Apink so high on this list, but if Wonder Girls deserve #10 out of legacy, Apink surely requires a top 5 placement. Like I mentioned earlier, very pop-focused songs aren't my style. I enjoy them every once in a while, but that's about it. Luckily for Apink, the "every once in a while" pop song is more often than not one of their tracks. "Mr. Chu" and "Luv" are different styles of pop but they cater to the same audience. Outside of Mamamoo, Apink competes for the best / balanced vocal lineup, as everyone from Eunji to Naeun ranges excellent to passable. Naeun in particular has been making strides of improvement, and the support singers like Chorong and Namjoo really impress. "Remember" wasn't quite able to compete with some other summer songs but rest assured this group will carry on for a long, long time. What could really help Apink this fall would be an Eunji solo debut. Please make it happen!

4. Sistar
This was a heavily contested slot, but Hyorin can only carry so far. Sistar has been on the rise since as early as 2012. Sistar has Hyorin, the incredible juggernaut of an idol that makes being in the same group substantially more difficult (heck, she snagged a spot on a rapping show). Soyu has an impeccably clear voice that shines in some of their songs, but is most obvious in the various collaborations she's been a part of. Bora and Dasom are often overlooked for being an inferior rapper and essentially group filler, but the former certainly is capable and the latter has (like Naeun) been making improvement in her voice. While "Don't Be Such A Baby" was a delightful B-side to "Shake It," most of the past year of content has unfortunately paled in comparison to what Sistar was releasing back pre-2014 with "Alone" and "Give It To Me." The fact that consecutive summer songs "Touch My Body" and "Shake It" haven't been able to stand up to "Loving U" and were generally disappointing says a lot of Sistar lately. In the end, a slightly weaker series of releases places Sistar at #4.

3. Girls' Generation
The once unshakable queens of girl groups have (finally?) been dethroned. And in reality all it took was an average album followed by losing Jessica. Jessicagate shook the fandom to the core, given that the group used to be heralded as the pinnacle of member stability. Taeyeon and Tiffany are still 2 of the nation's best girl group vocalists, and the departure of Jessica has given the support vocalists in Sunny, Yuri, and Sooyoung more lines. Although the first release as 8 wasn't very appealing with "Catch Me If You Can," Girls' Generation are getting back into motion. "Lion Heart" was a versatile studio album that redeems the previously mediocre albums of "Mr. Mr." (and even "I Got A Boy" to an extent), no doubt thanks to having triple title tracks. Combined with the upcoming long-awaited solo debut of Taeyeon, as well as solo efforts from Tiffany and a TTS subunit comeback, Girls' Generation will be fighting back hard for their spot at #1.

2. AOA
Ace of Angels are everywhere. They're dominating the charts, from "Miniskirt" to "Heart Attack," the girls have been promoting vigorously with good success. While "Miniskirt" remains their strongest song to date, "Heart Attack" was one of the best tracks this summer and the album as a whole was very good. AOA is plenty active elsewhere, having a plethora of variety show appearances and acting in dramas. Seolhyun remains one of the nation's femme fatales, while MINABOYS dominate le reddit. Choa isn't necessarily top tier, but her voice carries the rest of the group on her back (though Yuna is commendable), and Jimin, much as I dislike her voice, has serious technical ability that cannot be ignored in her rapping. The visual game is almost unrivaled, having the quadruple threat of Seolhyun, Hyejeong, Choa, and Yuna.  AOA is responsible for eye contact dance practice videos, which receive just hype for the all the right fanservice-y reasons  I do feel sorry for Youkyung though. she and AOA Black haven't been around since 2013. Nonetheless, AOA has brought their A-game for the past year plus, and continue to reap the fruits of their labor.

1. Girl's Day
If there's anything the other groups on this ranking have shown, it's that a strong promotion cycle works wonders, and Girl's Day are the uncontested winners of having the best series of comebacks. "Expectation," "Female President," "Something," and "Darling" were an incredible sequence of title tracks that rivaled 9MUSES' run in 2013. If you include "I Miss You," then there was something for just about everyone. Following that, Minah made a pleasant solo debut with "I Am A Woman Too," showcasing her crystal clear voice with R&B ballads. Afterwards was "Ring My Bell," a good-enough track spearheading a better album. Hyeri is the 3rd and final member of the current "lead girls" in Kpop right now, along with Hani and Seolhyun. Her personality is a bit eccentric but perhaps that's simply more of her charm. While Yura is often glanced over, she doesn't suffer from rapper syndrome and gets a charitable amount of singing lines, not to mention her recent raps have shown some growth. This group's music can be considered safe, with Sojin and Minah doing the singing, but there isn't another group with such fair line distribution and they have covered plenty of genres, including going from cute to sexy then back to cute. 2015 may not have been as strong for Girl's Day as 2014, but the record still shows that they are the current girl group to beat.

Final Glance
10. Wonder Girls
9. 9MUSES
8. T-ARA
7. EXID
6. Mamamoo
5. Apink
4. Sistar
3. Girls' Generation
2. AOA
1. Girl's Day

[Review] Apink - Remember

Now that our quick boy group interlude is over we can return to the wonderful world of girl groups and god. Damn. This summer is getting really crazy cramped. A-Pink join the fun with "Remember," which is more than likely going to be another (summer) pop track. After all, this is A-Pink we're talking about. These girls follow their formula to a T. It hasn't slowed them down since.

"Remember" is certainly a summer track through and through. Everything from the beats, the singing, the outfits, and the MV are all very much infused with the spirit of summer. The song is upbeat and the classic A-Pink sound we're all familiar with reigns strong. Naeun deserves much credit for improving on her vocals once more. She was previously the clear weak link in their vocal lineup, but now she more than holds her own. Naeun and INFINITE's L should be staples for other weaker vocalists to look up to and follow. The rest of the song isn't that much different from the usual. Give Eunji and Bomi the chorus and split the rest between the remaining members. The key change right in the middle of each chorus is an odd choice to say the least. It's not that it disrupts the flow of the song per se, it's just...weird. Going through the song for the first time is very confusing because this is such a rare occurrence in Kpop, I almost thought I somehow accidentally skipped to the end of the song. I'm disappointed in the lack of anything interesting at the final chorus, despite yet another key change leading in. Eunji's talent is honestly wasted in a group like A-Pink who are so pop-oriented, which is a big shame given she is very gifted and needs more opportunities to establish herself as a top vocalist. "Remember" has made me realize that I really like Chorong's voice. Maybe it's the summer theme or whatever, but she sounds so much more attractive here than in past hits.

The choreography is pretty simple yet refreshing. The scooping ordeal during the chorus looks extremely weird and doesn't really fit the rest of the choreography. The touches made to the dance like the squatting down, drawing on the "sand," and jumprope are well done. A-Pink are the queens of the innocent and pure look so the dance is pretty in line with their image. I actually thought the break after the bridge wasn't intentional for the audio, but after watching some lives I see that it was actually used for another dance break. I'm not sure how I feel about that, since the dance isn't particularly inspiring. In the MV, it's used to showcase more summer fun with the girls but I feel it could have been done without. Speaking of, the video is your standard summer video. The girls are dressed in summer wear, and party on a yacht. All aboard the S.S. A-Pink I guess!

Truth be told, everything about "Remember" is quite simple. The MV is the stereotypical summer video, the choreography is cute and uninspiring, and the vocals aren't that exciting (outside of substantial growth from Naeun). It's a solid score without question, but "Remember" certainly lacks the punch that some other girl groups have been able to bring in this comeback frenzy.

[ Overall: 80 / 100 ]