[Bonus] The Late Report: October 2019

With this, a full year of Late Reports have been filed. I can safely say that I like this series' inclusion on the blog: it helps take any pressure off having to write multiple reviews frequently, is clean and easy to format and write, and is super resourceful when it comes to Best Of 20XX and any compilation posts. Very glad I decided to do something like this. Here's what caught my eyes and ears during the month of October.

Tiffany - Run For Your Life

It's been a hot minute since I paid attention to what the non-Taeyeon girls of SNSD are up to. Tiffany strikes fear into the hearts of fans with this freaky MV. Halloween came early with these music video because she's got some curious outfits and styling present in "Run For Your Life." Those distorted leg shots are unsettling to say the least. Everything visual appears inspired by the works of a young Lady Gaga, and so does some of the sound. In particular, the way the autotune (or whatever mixing is involved) and her pronunciation of "glitter" is what reminds of Gaga's older material.

[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 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.

[Bonus] Best Of B-Sides: Part I

Sometimes, the title track is poorly chosen, or is simply a bad song. Thankfully, there are other songs around to help it out. These posts will highlight some of my favorite songs off albums that weren't title tracks. B-sides are often difficult to compile if only because nobody has all the time in the world to scour every album and every tracklist. However I have my fair share of albums in my library, so this should be an easy task. The songs themselves won't be ranked, mostly because these posts will be recurring - as they essentially give me an outlet to write on any given day even if I'm stuck on a review or can't get ideas flowing.

BTS - Butterfly

Perhaps the hottest boy group right now is BTS. And while they're often known for their insane choreography and in-your-face energy, they have some really great stuff on the slower side of the spectrum. "Butterfly" is a classic example and both the singers and rappers restrain themselves wonderfully. Despite the mass amount of falsetto, it's a rare instance where it works given the pace of the song. BTS shows that you don't need excellent vocalists to have excellent ballads.

Younha - Realize After Breakup (feat. Kim Bumsoo)

As mentioned previously, Younha has seen her fair share of strong collaborations. This was a top-end ballad of 2009, and the names alone reveal why. Contrasting Kim Bumsoo's sharp voice is Younha's more clear and rounded one. They combine for wonderful harmonies throughout the song and easily make this piece a karaoke classic. Neither singer overpowers the other, which is a quality I really love seeing in duets (even if it's rather uncommon). Impressive singing from start to finish, what more could you ask for?

[Bonus] Best Of 2013 (#12-#9)

I would characterize the 2013 year as a year ripe with drama. Dating exposure was crazy, and relationships were discovered everywhere. This year also saw and might mark the “end” of some veteran staple groups potentially losing members like KARA, inactivity from TVXQ, and future army enlistment in Big Bang. However, there was some damn good music this year from January to December, so we’ll be covering my top 12 best of this year.
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12. Davichi - Be Warmed (feat. Verbal Jint)

Davichi has been steadily progressing throughout the years, and “Be Warmed” is something moving that I haven’t seen since the likes of “Don’t Say Goodbye”. The instrumental at the opening is pretty, leading into the strong vocals. The chorus has had me hooked since the release, and it’s rare a ballad has the quality of making me sing along every time. Verbal Jint is a solid rapper and his appearance is more than welcome, but his lines seemed lackluster compared to the power vocals from Minkyung and Haeri. Nonetheless, Davichi’s powerful and emotional vocals push past the mediocrity from Verbal Jint into 12th place.

11. JeA - Days & Nights (feat. Eric Benet)

Funnily enough, the other song that was competing with JeA for this placing was M&N’s “Tonight”. Nonetheless, some variant of Brown Eyed Girls earns a spot on the list. The emotional and soulful sound from JeA and Eric Benet work wonders throughout the song, and the pronunciation was excellent all around from JeA’s English to Eric’s Korean. Both of the exchanges were really surprising and impressive. The chorus gets caught in a loop for a while, with a good bridge in crescendo, and the harmonization work between the two can be equally addicting.

10. Younha - The Reason We Broke Up

Younha at first glance, took a fall from her spot last year at #2 with her placing here at #10 with “The Reason We Broke Up” but don’t worry. “The Reason We Broke Up” is much softer and less complex, but the beauty lies in the simplicity and beauty of Younha’s vocals. There’s plenty of variance and a delightful mixture of emotions, consistency, and power. It’s friendly, moving, and met with a artistically crafted music video.

9. Davichi - Because I’m Missing You Today

Oh hi Davichi, I didn’t expect to see you so soon. But here we are. “Because I’m Missing You Today” is full of bright and lively emotion as long as the song’s title (in both English and Korean). Compared to the darker more intense sounds of “Be Warmed”, “Because I’m Missing You Today” keeps the same tempo and paces very strongly (since there is no awkward rap break) and is matched by Minkyung and Haeri’s serious tones that carry a tint of cheer in them. My only complaint is that the belts during the second chorus and on are so quiet and restricted, and I do love me some Davichi belts.

[Review] M&N - Tonight

Vocals: 10 / 10

During this past January when I talked about some of the best vocalists, I mentioned Narsha in the “Wild Card” category because of her sweet and innocent voice, something that sort of betrays her age. This song is no exception. Narsha’s bright and lively vocals last throughout from start to finish, which make “Tonight” a very enjoyable listen. There’s nothing extraordinary, but everything is certainly above average (good!). The English in the Korean version is solid, but what’s truly impressive is the English version. I didn’t know what to expect since Narsha isn’t known for being fluent in pronunciation, but holy this blew all expectations out of the water. Soothing, sweet, appropriate vocals earn Narsha a perfect score.

Rap: 10 / 10

It’s hard to put down Miryo’s talent, and this is a pretty good reason why. Miryos tame ferocity compliments Narsha’s sweet vocals and since the distribution is about half and half (or possibly 60 / 40 in Narsha’s favor), there’s good balance and a back and forth exchange between the two voices. Just like Narsha and her vocals, Miryo’s rap in both versions are splendid, but again, the English work is what really surprises me and is what I enjoy the most about “Tonight”.

Music Video: 5 / 10

I know the MV was essentially a teaser or preview of this new subunit, but man this was disappointing. Yeah there’s plenty of eye candy, but that’s literally the point of this MV. Oh well. Say, is that the same lollipop from Miss A’s “Hush”? Guess those are popular or something, now. I knew this was gonna hurt the overall score, so let’s see how badly.

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Overall: 83 / 100

Alright, so the MV didn’t murk the score the way I thought possible (given past songs with outstanding scores outside of the MV). But that’s great news, since “Tonight” is a clam refresher that was executed superbly between Miryo and Narsha. Good work, and I’m anticipating future releases from M&N and other possible BEG subunits.

[Bonus] Best Of Rappers: Part II

Jaebeom - 10 Points Out Of 10

Listing someone of 2PM background here is laughable but this was a different place, a different era so bear with me. 2PM’s debut had flashes of brilliance, from the various choreography to the hilariously crafted music video. Hell, even Chansung’s stuff wasn’t that bad. The attention was of course on Jaebeom and I think Jaebeom did the best job out of everyone (save Nichkhun’s all English line) with his light but energetic rap. It’s a shame the 2PM controversy happened and Jay branched into more vocal-oriented work since I think his rapping highly overplays his singing.

Eunhyuk - Sorry Sorry Answer

Even more ridiculous is the thought of putting Super Junior here, but I have to give credit where credit is due, and Eunhyuk (and Donghae)’s work in “Sorry Sorry Answer”. The R&B rendition of “Sorry Sorry” was really good, powered by Kyuhyun, Yesung, Ryeowook, and Yoo Young Jin. Donghae and Eunhyuk’s casual rap was smooth and complimented the remix very well. I can’t say the same for the English pronunciation, though. A lack of presentation from the other members was disappointing, and it’s really just a remix but the rap certainly brought something extra.

Miryo - Sixth Sense

Don’t worry, CL is not alone. Miryo rings up the other slot with her work in “Sixth Sense”. Throw in a few foreign words and she sounds awesome. The rap is absolutely badass, aggressive, feisty, and right in line with the nature of the song. The triage of wonderful explosive vocals from JeA, Gain, and Narsha, with Miryo’s aggressive rapping and the artful music video certainly made “Sixth Sense” one of the more memorable Brown Eyed Girls releases.

Zelo - Warrior

I’m aware B.A.P has released a year’s worth of content already, but “Warrior” is a standout because it’s a debut, ridiculously catchy, and impressive for his age. It’s so good and infamous now that Zelo paid homage to it in later release “Power”. Yongguk’s rap was harsh and forceful, but Zelo’s was youthful and quick which provided solid complimentary pieces for each other. As I mentioned in the song’s review, the highlights of the song were easily the rapping and dancing.

[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.