[Bonus] 2016 Kpop Awards: Part II

Best Vocalist: Sandeul

Enough with the inequality. Boy group members deserve some love, too. Otherwise I'd have dropped Taeyeon here and called it a day. Anyway, I don't think there's a boy group vocalist that's as incredible as Sandeul. He and B1A4 are sort of mired in mediocrity as far as I know but he has deservedly gained attention for his talents over the years. Appearances on singing shows increased his popularity and his OST offers grew. And in 2016 we finally saw him get a solo debut with "Stay As You Are," which further illustrated his vocal abilities.

Best Rapper: Zico

Speaking of gender equality on my blog... I don't think I'll ever write Rapper Power Rankings for boy group members, but if I did, there's one name that would be the undisputed champion: Zico. His style and charisma flow deep in Block B's music, not to mention the individual contributions he makes to the composition and lyrics of songs. He's also one of the most prolific group soloists, too. This year was another excellent harvest for the young man, with songs like "I Am You, You Are Me" and "Bermuda Triangle" giving him solace whenever Block B ends, he will be extremely comfortable pursuing the solo path.

[Bonus] 2016 Kpop Awards: Part I

Welcome to the 2016 Kpop Awards! The exciting and prestigious event that dates all the way back to 2015. Most of the ideas have previously been used during the awards from last year, but I made sure to throw in a few new ones, too. The various categories will be related to group popularity and success, but I'm also invested in their consistency and potential heading into the new year. There are roughly 15 awards to look at so let's not waste anymore time. I originally didn't want to split the post into two parts but I'd rather have more manageable sections than one giant wall of text.

Best Girl Group: Twice

No more games, no more denial. Twice towered above the competition this year. Whether you're looking for the insanely popular "Cheer Up," or the Halloween-themed "TT," Twice did a perfect job solidifying their status at the top of the girl group ladder in 2016. Both songs were a massive upgrade to the disjointed feel of "Like Ooh-Ahh," and they have established staples between their catchy choreography and beautiful bridges. With such a large roster, they have personalities and appearances of a wide variety, which helps attract fans of all kinds. If anything, they should work on getting more variety starts in 2017. Other groups certainly were successful this year, but none of them have exploded quite like Twice did this year.

Best Boy Group: BTS

Hmm, what a familiar feeling. BTS won this award last year, and it may not come as a surprise to see them take it again. There's simply no other group with the efficiency and work ethic of BTS. They debuted in 2013, and have averaged 3.5 title tracks a year. That number only includes Korean releases, by the way. That is insane. Anyway, 2016 saw songs like "Fire," "Save Me," and "Blood, Sweat, & Tears" enjoy considerable success. Along with the "Wings" album, Suga also had solo work (despite the unfortunate usage of a stage name for his stage name). With Big Bang departing for military service, the difference between BTS and rival boy groups seem worlds apart.

[Bonus] Best Of 2016 (#8-#1)

#8. Big Bang - Last Dance
Big Bang's final hurrah came in the form of "Last Dance" and "Fxxk It." The latter was briefly mentioned in the recap piece, but the former is really the song worth talking about. Somber vocals from each member really set the tone for the song (and the year, to be honest). And then T.O.P started singing and it was beautiful. If nothing else, 2016 has proven that rappers deserve singing lines too! T.O.P and Yubin have made a statement with their voices. Also live performances of "Last Dance" are...interesting. Big Bang will leave us for military service on a good note in an illustrious career.

#7. Twice - Cheer Up
Only one girl group can claim to be the hottest in 2016. Twice dominated Youtube, hearts, and charts with "Cheer Up" and even their most stout critics were silenced by the success of "Cheer Up." This was a group finding their form: between the vocal leadership of Nayeon and Jihyo, the shared rap between Chaeyoung and Dahyun, and pretty bridges and aesthetics, this song (combined with "TT" later) cemented Twice's position as the best girl group of the year (oops, spoilers for the Kpop Awards). Throw in a fun choreography and dance break and this was Twice firing on all cylinders.

[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] Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings III: Winter 2016 (#10-#1)

#10. Nada (+9)
Nada experiences a massive jump up the standings thanks to her berth and success on Unpretty Rapstar. The exposure was a much-needed jolt of life considering how inactive Wa$$up have been. Throw in her mixtape and she has plenty to add to her otherwise boring resume. Nada's definitely got a swagger and ferociousness that is uncommon in other rappers, and her rare lower voice makes her stand out even more. If Wa$$up could start gaining traction, she'll be the centerpiece of it, much like Yezi was with FIESTAR.

#9. Hyeran (--)
I'm not entirely confident placing Hyeran here as a newcomer to the rankings. At the same time, who else is truly deserving of being in the top 10 besides her? After Nada, she has the next fewest amount of great material, but conversely has impressed me in older variants of Brave Girls (like "Nowadays You"). With her group's revival came "Deepened" and 2016's best girl group rap break. Since then however, her parts in "High Heels" and "Yoohoo" haven't been as good, plus her and her group's future is once again in question.

[Bonus] Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings III: Winter 2016 (#20-#11)

#20. Sihyun (+2)
Here's where I consider the rappers to be serviceable at worst. Not a knock on Sihyun, because she has it tough in particular, being in a vocal powerhouse group like SPICA. More unfortunately, while their latest comeback "Secret Time" was awesome, there was no rapping to be had. Still, her past works speak for themselves. I would consider her the reverse Moonbyul (sort of): a great singer that happens to be alright on the mic.

#19. Exy (--)
If Dahyun gives me Hyelim vibes, then Exy gives me Yubin vibes, but not to the same extent. She sounds like a younger, more nasally Yubin, which at the end of the day is still a relatively pleasing voice to listen to. Even though she is in a gigantic group, she gets plenty of opportunities in the spotlight. Her rap in "Secret" was one of the best of this year, although it agonizes all Bora fans because if Exy can get a 15 second rap in a group of 13, how is it that Bora gets half of that in a group of four? But I digress.

[Bonus] Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings III: Winter 2016 (#32-#21)

With this, all the Power Ranking series will have been released / updated at least once for the 7th season of the blog. This will be the most arduous task yet, because in this revisiting of the girl group rappers, I'll include more than 30 rappers. Of course, due to the changes of the girl group landscape, there are a handful of departures, including but not limited to: 4minute's Hyuna, miss A's Jia, and Rainbow's Woori. With those drops and the large influx of new entries, the rankings are going to be jumbled heavily. For the most part, the changes of returning rappers won't mean too much in comparison with each other. Thanks to my procrastination and being busy with other things, this piece may not be as pretty or polished as I'd like, but I wanted to get this done before the new year, and before even more groups fall apart.

So what's the criteria? Here's a rough outline of what I (tried to) focus on. First, the ability: the individual's talents, and that includes voice, speed, etc. This is definitely the most important aspect. Second, the quality: if the raps themselves are actually good. There are certainly good rappers with bad raps, and bad rappers with good raps. Third, the progress: this involves both whether or not we've seen improvement in either of the first two categories, and consistency in their performance throughout the years. In the interest of fairness, I'm only looking at title tracks or material like released singles, etc. With that said though, I'm afraid most non-newcomer writing is going to be talking about what they've done (or not done) since last fall.

#32. Junyeol (--)
Welcome to the series, Junyeol. You're going to have to be seated here though. Stellar's songs tend to have brief rap segments, which isn't the best opportunity to show us what Junyeol can do. Furthermore, most of her raps have been more of the rap-singing mix, and as far as I can tell there isn't a single time where she's been average even doing that. Stellar as a group is hanging on by a thread, and it won't be the rapping that gets them extra attention anytime soon.

#31. Dahye (-8)
Looking back, I'm not exactly sure who or why I placed Dahye above a handful of other rappers last time. She's got a pretty good voice for rapping, sure, but when it comes down to it most of her material is very brief and unimpressive overall. She isn't blowing you away, and hardly gets the opportunity to in the first place. Compounding this is the fact that BESTie has been quiet since "Excuse Me," with only Uji getting any exposure (that I know of) elsewhere.

[Recap] 2016 September-December: Slowdown

Well, this has to be done before I get into other year-concluding pieces like "Best Of 2016" anyway, so might as well write it all out now. The last few months of this year didn't hesitate to punch us in the mouth, with various news from all angles: 2NE1 disbanding, Heejun getting married, Running Man shenanigans, etc. etc. Definitely got everyone spinning, and to think there's still over 15 days left before January. The possibilities seem dangerously endless.

[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?

[Misc] Dream Collaborations: Part I

With Zico's recent "Bermuda Triangle," and the trinity motif in the MV, it got me thinking. The collaboration possibilities in Kpop are practically infinite (not the group). Today I'm going to highlight some collabs I'd love to see. Like the post about girl groups and subunits, these options range from totally plausible under the right circumstances to impossible but would be fun or random. I know I haven't done many reviews at all since school started (one per month sadly), but I will get back to them starting with Baek Ahyeon's new release coming up something... Anyway, onto the collaborations I wish would happen!

Eric Nam and Henry
It never really struck me until recently, but these two are cut from practically the same cloth. Both are born in North America and (as a result) speak multiple languages. Both are great in the variety world and have similar voices. They could easily team up and bring their talents together, sporting an R&B or ballad song.
This team effort doesn't even have to be for in the studio! Bring them both on Running Man or something, I'm sure fun times would ensue. Disclaimer: I don't watch enough variety to know if they've already been on a show together.

Solji, Uji, LE, Yezi
Here we have two top 10 girl groups vocalists joined by two top 5 girl group rappers. You can't tell me that doesn't sound appealing! They would be dangerous on both sides of the ball. Give them some upbeat dance track and let the rappers run the verses with Solji and Uji belting high notes left and right. Dance-wise they would't be spectacular but life wouldn't be fair if they could be killer dancers too. I know Yezi and LE would be a stellar combo because we've seen plenty of good double raps in the past (with less capable rappers no less).

[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 Debuts

To my surprise, outside of the Best Of 20XX series this is only the 2nd Best Of writing I've done since May. I suppose that is understandable considering the mass number of song reviews I've gotten done. But now since there have been practically no reviews since September, non-review writing has reigned supreme over the last few months. Anyway, here are my picks for the best debuts and debut songs in Kpop.

Honorable Mention: The Ark - The Light
As The Ark no longer exists, I can't push them any higher than a shoutout. "The Light" was an uplifting dance track that pushed your negative emotions to the side. Yuna spearheaded the effort and her presence in the song can't be understated. They didn't forget the performance aspect either, as "The Light" had an active (yet lighthearted) dance, too. The strength of the debut is further felt when thinking of their demise, as we'll never know what lied beyond this spectacular debut.

Honorable Mention: CLC - Pepe
CLC and the group at #10 battled it out, but at the end of the day, "Pepe" will take the second honorable mention spot. This song packed enough punch to gain my interest in what was only known as 4minute's successors at the time. Of course, we know that CLC are nothing like 4minute and "Pepe" showed why. It had a blend of flavors, but not to the point where the song was dysfunctional. Yeeun also had a flighty rap which still stands out for impressive debut raps to this day.

[Misc] Kpop Things I'm Thankful For

As Thanksgiving gets underway in the United States, and we stuff our stomachs with food, it's an opportunity to count our blessings. People we've met, places we've been, things we've accomplished. So here are just a few things I'm thankful for...Kpop edition!

5. Dank Memes
Admittedly, I'm not the biggest memer but I enjoy a priceless meme from time to time. I used to have macros and gifs saved up back in my intense fanboy days but that phase has been long gone. Still, some reaction gifs are timeless and awesome. Some classic memes from this year include CLC's "PPAP" rendition and the existence of High4's subunit that is High420.

4. Idol Variety
I never was big on variety shows. Hell, I wasn't an avid watcher of TV, either. But credit given where credit is due: shows like Running Man and Weekly Idol gave me a breath of fresh air outside the systematic march of watching live performances and mere music videos. Idol appearances on these shows have been impressive to downright hilarious, and have quickly become my go-to distraction.

3. r/kpop
Another thing I wasn't active in was the reddit business. But eventually the desire to have a hub where I could keep up with the frantic pace of the industry and a non-toxic forum environment pushed me out of my comfort zone and into the crazy world of reddit. I've not really integrated myself into the subreddit like I have in forums past (when I had infinitely more free time) but it's definitely become a habit to check it and the other subreddits I follow many times daily.

2. Technology
Not limited to just the world of Kpop, but it's always incredible to see how far we've progressed in technology over the last 5, 10, 15 years. Just look at the MVs produced back in 2008, and then look at a few from this year. The quality and value have grown exponentially and only increases the advertising power of Kpop as a product. Modern fancams have higher quality than MVs from like 2010. And with virtual reality being heavily invested in, who knows what the future holds.

1. Fantastic Music
Kpop has been super strong this year. 2016 has seen brilliant releases across many different genres, promising debuts, and plenty of fun non-music material. Girl groups like Mamamoo, Red Velvet, and GFriend have continues to push themselves higher and higher, while boy groups maintain extreme levels of popularity. Of course there's plenty of controversy to go along with, but at the end of the day I love Kpop for the music - and 2016 has more than delivered.

Thank you, dear readers. For being a part of my (blogging) world. It's always fun to sit down and write up a piece for you guys, and I hope to continue to get better and be more productive. Next up is a little article of the best debut songs, and maybe some retro reviews to make up for the lack of current releases. Before you know it, it'll be Christmas. Be thankful for what you have, and Happy Thanksgiving!

[Bonus] Girl Group Subunit Theory

I'm finally on Thanksgiving break - which for some reason is an entire week this semester - but hey that means I have more time to kick back, relax, and do pointless writing. Today I'm going to list my five most desired subunits I'd like to see. The possibilities of these actually happening range from possible to ridiculous, but it's all for the fun thinking. I'm not going to come up with names for these theoretical subunits, because quite frankly name creativity is not my strongest suit, but I'll talk about each one and what I think they'd bring to the table.

Sistar: Hyorin and Soyu
Alright so it's not like Hyorin needs any more proof that she carries Sistar. But since Sistar19 seems to be buried under 200 feet of concrete, a new subunit could be sweet if nobody else from the group is to go solo. They are contrasting singers that could tackle almost any genre together, simply due to the greatness of Hyorin. Alternatively, you could ruin the lives of all Bora fans by making Soyu the main vocalist and Hyorin as the rapper. That would be awesome and disheartening at the same time.

[Review] Mamamoo - Decalcomanie

Mamamoo might not have exploded into popularity like Twice or been around as long as Sistar, but they have been consistently expanding the radish farm and gaining new fans all over the world. With "You're The Best" already making waves earlier this year, we're treated to more Mamamoo goodness with the curiously titled "Decalcomanie," which is simply a mouthful. Personally, I'm hoping for some deviation from the standard formula - we've seen enough of their vocal prowess (even though it's addicting). Also, there aren't many good teaser images for this comeback so I had to resort to a random assortment of pictures.

Am I the only one who thinks that this instrumental is too loud? Mamamoo certainly have enough loudness in their voices to just power through it but for the most part it makes for a messy combination. The instrumental itself is good, but could've been toned down a bit. Either removing some layers or lowering the volume would've helped tremendously. Anyway, this is probably the first release since "Piano Man" where all three of Solar, Wheein, and Hwasa seem like they're on equal footing. Well, Solar will always have an advantage because she's that good, but line distribution and opportunity seemed quite balanced across the board. If only Moonbyul got any singing time...

[Review] Black Pink - Playing With Fire

In unprecedented fashion, Black Pink will be returning to the stage again, after already dropping double MVs with their debut. We're once again treated to two more new MVs, "Playing With Fire" and "Stay." I'll be taking a look at "Playing With Fire," not only because it's the more interesting piece, but because the whole 2NE1 narrative can be spun again - especially with "fire" in the title. "Whistle" and "Boombayah" were both pretty good songs dotted with poor moments (the chorus of "Whistle," the "oppa" and hollering in "Boombayah"). We'll see if they can right those wrongs for the quick comeback.

This is the most complete song of Black Pink's four releases. Everyone sounds really good. They have a stable quartet of voices, and they're all distinct enough to stand out. Jisoo has a lilt to her voice, making it naturally appealing. Rose is the most interesting singer of the group, her nasality and voice type are certainly reminiscent of Park Bom - hopefully that similarity doesn't include live performances. Lisa is stable
Jennie continues to make a compelling argument that she is one of the most exciting new members in Kpop, coupling her already prevalent rapping and dancing abilities with a solid vocal performance. She definitely is the new Minzy, as her lower register is lovely. I'm more comfortable than the average person constantly drawing parallels to 2NE1 so it doesn't faze me at all.

[Bonus] Kpop Free Agency: End Of The Rainbow

Another group bites the dust. Rainbow is the next act to say goodbye, and with that it is time to debut a new series called "Kpop Free Agency." It will explore the landscape of Kpop groups and member changes, if only to appease my desire to make the industry more like a game. Though technically, this isn't the first time I've ever written a piece like this (though it is ancient). Also, these will be much easier to write than reviews. But rest assured, those are still coming! There are a handful of November comebacks on the way and I'll try my best to not miss many. Anyways, I'm going to pick a few names from disbanded groups and try and place them into new groups. Mostly for fun, but some decisions will be more serious than others. Let's start!

Youngji to April
Look, by now DSP is a relic of the past. KARA is finished, and Rainbow has now joined them. Youngji made her way to stardom by becoming a member of KARA, so joining April - the last surviving DSP girl group - makes sense logically. Sure, there'd be a pretty significant age gap between her and the youngest member, but that isn't something foreign to groups anyway. Plus, Youngji is certainly capable of turning to the bubblegum pop side. I'd never like it if that actually happened, but hey this is all theorycrafting anyway.

[Review] TWICE - TT

You can argue all you want, but Twice is the hottest girl group in Kpop right now (whether or not they're literally on fire is debatable). Maybe you don't have to argue that, considering their popularity, variety appearances, etc. Either way, this is Twice's third title track and their momentum continues to climb higher and higher. Perhaps the most hype surrounding this comeback is the idea that they'll be going up against Black Pink later in the month. After getting me invested in this group after "Cheer Up," we'll see if they can keep it up with "TT."

For this comeback, I did something I don't usually do. I listened to the teaser, so as a result I was mentally prepared for the inflections "TT" brought to the table. It seems that the inflection virus from "Cheer Up" has spread to this comeback, too. Sidenote: Twice is not the only culprit, as GOT7's newest track "Hard Carry" also has their fair share of inflections. Anyway, this song illustrates the Twice formula that we'll see for years to come. Nayeon starts us off, Tzuyu and J-Trinity lead into the chorus of Jihyo and Nayeon, Dahyun and Chaeyoung paired together, etc. Unlike last time, I think Nayeon has a better showing than Jungyeon in "TT," though that may just be biased towards how much more lines Nayeon has.

[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 9MUSES

Instead of posting my 3rd blog series on the 9MUSES career train, I'd rather go the memorial route and follow what I did with 2NE1. Here are 9MUSES' best songs, from "worst" to best. At this point, Hyuna's departure is nowhere near a surprise, and the future of Sungah (and the rest of the group) move ever closer to the recycle bin. That being said, I'm also stretched for writing material that is light so here we go.

7. Hurt Locker

"Drama" was their official return in 2015 but "Hurt Locker" was the song that showed 9MUSES was really back. The upbeat tempo of this dance number drives the song and a combination of vivid outfits and their usual model appearances delivers the usual 9MUSES' eye candy. Kyungri might have been overbearing with her parts, but key decisions to give Hyuna more lines and keep Erin as the only rapper were good improvements on the faults of "Drama."

6. Just A Girl

The only non-title track entry is "Just A Girl," which is much less graceful than its Korean or Chinese title counterparts (which has more to do with angels). Anyway, this is slow 9MUSES at their finest. In a time where Sera was still in the lineup, their vocal ability was nicely spread across the roster. Sera's graceful voice leads the members through the song, gliding through the choruses. And even though Erin had to share raps with Eunji, it's one of Kpop's better dual-rap showings (that didn't already belong to 9M).

[Misc] Bias Power Rankings VI: Fall 2016

Welp, I was planning to delay this piece until towards the end of the year, but to say I've not been productive is an understatement. So, here is the final edition of my Bias List for the year 2016. In this edition, we'll see some new faces rise and familiar faces fall. Like last time, we'll have some notable mentions who didn't quite make the list.

Honorable Mentions: Suzy / Choa / Victoria / Irene

Suzy's rumored solo debut is certainly enough to maintain her position, and acts as the preview to her future off the sinking ship that is miss A. Choa's stock plummets mainly due to other AOA stars rising. Yuna and Chanmi have been fierce on the Instagram game, and Choa's recent bangs don't help (what a disaster). The duo of Victoria and Irene remain just outside the rest, the former suffering from a lack of a comeback and the latter because her comeback wasn't anything special. Still, their visuals continue to destroy everything in their path.

[Misc] New-ish Girl Group Member Spotlight

As usual, production takes a dive as school gets into full swing. I'd like to review Jieun and A-Pink's newest songs if time allows, but meanwhile, here's a quick piece to satiate my writing desires until October. With my 7th year in Kpop in full swing, it's time to take a look at the new generation of groups and members. This is basically a Bias Power Ranking but only for the relatively recent wave of (girl) groups. Anyone that debuted during or after 2014 is fair game. To avoid seeing too many familiar names from the true Power Rankings, I've restricted one appearance per group. This serves as a reminder to names I'm invested in as their music develops.

Wheein / Seulgi / Momo / Jennie

It's no surprise to find Wheein here. She's quickly gained traction in the group with her adorable personality and soothing vocals. Wheein was the first member I was truly smitten by when watching "Mr. Ambiguous" and that trend easily carried over across subsequent releases. Irene may be Red Velvet's star visual but Seulgi is not far behind (excluding her orange appearance in "Russian Roulette"). She's a fierce dancer and an underrated vocalist in a group gaining momentum. Speaking of, perhaps there is no single member who is hotter right now than Momo of Twice. She leads the J-Trinity and is an incredible dancer - watching her dance is a treat. Jennie makes headlines for being a long-time trainee, but she possesses talent, too. She could easily become the next Minzy for YG, as her rapping, singing, and dancing are all solid and will only get better as time passes.

Yuna / Chungha / Elkie / Yuju

I never said the members here had to be from active groups, heh. Yuna got shafted by the collapse of The Ark, but her rapping is no joke and if there was any girl I wanted to get a second chance with a group, it would be her (I've given up on the Jucy train). I still don't fully understand I.O.I, but what I do understand is that Chungha is so charismatic and intense it hurts. She's got a killer gaze and killer moves, easily the main member of the group in my eyes. Elkie is from Hong Kong, so I have a natural instinct to be curious about her, as we both speak the same languages. She also has potential to rise as a singer if CLC ever branches out into different genres. Lastly, leaving out Yuju would be so disrespectful, so here she is. Yuju is the premiere (female) vocalist of the new generation of Kpop, with enough power for a small country, probably.

And there you have it. There are plenty of other noteworthy individuals, including but not limited to Mina of Twice, Mimi of Oh My Girl, and all of Purfles. There is no lack of talent in these new generation girl groups, and it should be an exciting time to observe them all, or try to anyway. As long as they all avoid extreme bubblegum pop songs...

[Review] Red Velvet - Russian Roulette

I wonder how long it'll take before the title track names get oversaturated and easily noticeable. Anyways, Red Velvet are back after the incredibly beautiful "One Of These Nights," and if their promotion cycles are any indication, they'll be going back to some funky dance tunes this time around. Teaser images certainly pointed us in that general direction, but I can't say I was too pleased with some of those results. Also, it goes without saying that the infamous Red Velvet sacrifice theory reared its head with the Tiffany fiasco. Anyway, let's dive in to "Russian Roulette."

Ever since the magical wonder that was "One Of These Nights," I don't think you could convince me that any member is a distinct loser in terms of their voice. Irene is probably the weakest of the bunch, but her support work with Joy and Yeri get the job done, while Seulgi and Wendy take charge. That being said, I don't think this song is the type that really frames any particular voice nicely. "Russian Roulette" is very much generic pop and as a consequence I can't really see any voice being spectacular, much less anyone from Red Velvet. I've talked about this before, but it's easy to sound average or boring in a pop song, and more difficult to be different.

[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.

[Misc] Girl Group Member Hall Of Fame

What would a Kpop Hall Of Fame look like? This was a fun thought I had been toying around with over the last few days as I was shamelessly delaying reviewing WJSN's "Secret," as well as reading too much NFL-related material. If we had to construct a Kpop Hall Of Fame or a Mount Rushmore, who would belong in it? Let me first list some points of order regarding my thought process. For starters, this will be a group member HOF, so no soloists. That will unfortunately leave out legends such as BoA, Hyori, etc. whose careers are extensive. Conversely, I'd be looking at the industry as if it stopped existing after today (like a meteor was about to destroy the planet or something). This means it's unlikely to include members from newer groups, which is unfair but we're looking at the complete body of work which will naturally favor veterans. Without further ado, here is my suggested list of 12 members (because formatting), presented in alphabetical order.

CL (2NE1)

CL is perhaps in many ways a no-brainer for a list of this kind. Upon debut, she separated herself from the crowd of girl group rappers with her fiery energy (pun most definitely intended). Her stage presence is insane and is (was?) the driving force behind 2NE1. She had strong raps throughout her career, and is gifted in the vocals department, too. In Kpop's heyday she made a name for herself as both a rapper and as the iconic fearless leader of one of Kpop's most badass girl groups.

Erin (9MUSES)

It's without a doubt that a cornerstone of success for 9MUSES during the 2013 era was Erin's rapping. Her rap breaks displayed all her talents: flow, speed, charisma, etc. "Wild" was the best song in all of 2013 and Erin's rap is a top 3 girl group rap of all time. The consistency she showed with 9MUSES is nearly unmatched by any other girl group rapper, and only now do they get a chance with her no longer being active in the industry. She'll always be in the discussion for best girl group rapper of all-time.

[Misc] An Introduction

Hello there! Over the last few days, it seems my blog has been hitting significantly more traffic. If this is a result of bots, I would be sad and a little disappointed. If this is a result of mysterious alien activity, hooray? Please know I come in peace. But hopefully this is a result of people - yay people! Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to read my ramblings about Kpop! Regardless, I figured it would be a good idea to make a small introductory post about myself and the blog. Given the start of the new semester, it's also pretty timely with introductions in classes and whatnot. When I first moved here from my Tumblr, I only made pseudo-introductory pieces with the start of my Bias Power Rankings, but here's a short blurb about me, and what you can expect to find on my blog.

My name is Tery, and I've been following Kpop since late 2009. I began writing and posting reviews on my Tumblr around the summer of 2012, and about two years ago decided to move my stuff over to Blogger. My favorite three artists all-time are Younha, Big Bang, and Sistar. Song reviews are the most common type of writing you'll find here, along with the very rare mini album review. Maybe even a full album review in the near future? My favorite series are the Power Ranking ones, which range from simple bias lists to (attempted) super serious rankings of the singers and rappers of girl groups. There's also plenty of off-topic material, like a Hall Of Fame post which should be coming out shortly. I try to do a little of everything. Outside of Kpop and blogging I dabble in a variety of other things, like dancing and gaming. I have plenty of social media and other places you can find me over on the right.

I'd love for some more interaction. I've cross-posted a few of my material over on reddit and I really enjoy hearing the opinions of others as well as generating discussion. I'm also always open to critiques and other ways to improve my writing - something much easier to spot via outside eyes as opposed to self-review. Anyways, thank you and welcome to my blog. Please do enjoy your stay~

[Bonus] Best Of 2011

We now embark on a trip down memory lane, for the years of 2010 and 2011 still house some wonderful songs to talk about. Continuing tradition, I'll list my top 12 picks of the songs of the year. This was by far one of the easiest to compile, and subsequently also one of the easiest to rank. There's a distinct hierarchy between the top and bottom half, and regardless of their position all these songs are definitely nostalgic delights.

#12. TVXQ - Before U Go
If you want to look at one of the most important comebacks in Kpop history, the revival of 2VXQ after the JYJ lawsuit is definitely a nomination few would argue against. While "Keep Your Head Down" was the official comeback song, the repackaged album featuring "Before U Go" turned out to be one of three ballads on this list. The X factor was the surprisingly formidable Yunho vocals, which matched pace with Changmin in both power and skill.

#11. Secret - Love Is Move
This song was quietly a top-notch dance number that I felt many people slept on. It had many qualities that combined together for a great performance piece. Relatively catchy hook, frantic (but still clean) choreography moves, and a smooth vocal attack by Jieun. Sure, the Zinger rap is forgettable (hey she didn't change her name yet) but then again so are half of her raps. Like Yunho establishing himself in "Before U Go," Hyosung started to gain traction as a secondary vocalist behind Jieun in this song.

[Recap] 2016 May-August: Explosion

I've figured out how to do spoiler / dropdown buttons so that's where I'll shove the list of songs reviewed in the period, which will help clean up the appearance of this section at least. Additionally, more ghetto banners will make their kickoff across each section, which should help break up the monotone appearance of blocks of text. All for fun artistic imagery that tricks me into thinking I can make stuff look nice, haha.

[Review] Cosmic Girls - Secret

Allow me to start off on a tangent: I don't consider junior groups (of the same company) to be "successors" of their seniors if the member count is mismatched. Twice isn't the successor to Wonder Girls, and neither are Cosmic Girls the successors to Sistar. The member difference is too extreme a factor - so for this argument, you can look at Black Pink as the successors to 2NE1, as well as EXO to Super Junior. Anyways, speaking of SuJu, Cosmic Girls (or WJSN) is Starship's newest group which is more a 3rd generation female remake of Super Junior than the next Sistar. Though outside of the 13 members to the Korean and Chinese nationalities on the team, the similarities stop there.

"Secret" is a song with a delicate aura. The instrumental definitely sounds like one from a fairytale or anime opening of sorts, which isn't really straying from the group's debut releases. It's still the group's best instrumental thus far, and there's something very peppy about the audio that makes you bob your head to the beat, and I for one always welcome something like that. The members of Cosmic Girls don't really impress in terms of their voices themselves, but I think they make a great unit collectively. There isn't a particular member that sounds ahead of the rest (even if the line distribution suggests otherwise) and having a unified sound is awesome with a group as big as they are. At the same time though, it's more difficult for anyone that isn't Exy to stand out.

[Review] I.O.I - Whatta Man

I've been rooted in comfort lately, so let's change that. As someone who didn't watch Produce 101, I literally have no idea what's going on with this group. From what I understand, the trainees are part of a project group but other members have joined other groups like DIA, CLC, etc.? It's like Kpop's equivalent of the NFL Draft or something. Anyway, the subunit (which is also called I.O.I?) came out with a new song and so it's time to try and observe some new talent.

This may be some of the strongest harmonization we've heard that isn't from Mamamoo. They sound really really good, and I can always appreciate some vocal splendor. "Whatta Man" is not a cute song and therefore is free from splashes of aegyo or generally uninteresting stuff. What I like most about the chorus is that it's deceptively not repetitive, and that's more than likely due to the harmony work between the girls. Some of the reaches by Jeiqong do hurt, but overall there's very little about the music quality that I can complain about. The members all seem to be on par with each other in terms of their voice, and this song doesn't really distinguish any one member from the rest. Part of that is because of the line distribution, which is fairly well done and an underrated aspect of the song. The roster receives relatively balanced opportunities (outside of Sohye) but the diversity of one-liners in the chorus is a nice touch.

[Bonus] Best Of 2015 Revisited

The finale to the Best 201X Revisited is probably premature, considering we're only barely halfway through 2016, but I committed to it and wanted this one written before anything like a Best Of 2011 so here's another look. Unlike other installments, I'm pretty satisfied with my 2015 set (and part of that is certainly due to the shorter time between revisions) so there are relatively few changes across the board. With the said, it'll likely prove difficult to write anything substantial about the songs that I didn't already say before in December. Still, we'll give it a go and wrap up this series today.

#12. Big Bang - Loser (-2)
Original: 9MUSES - Hurt Locker
Simplicity is key, and Big Bang capitalize on that statement with the quiet and calming track that is very much the successor to "Blue." However, while no one can question the quality, it simply loses out to other songs based on their general noise and energy. When you need some relaxing tunes, or want to emo out for a bit, "Loser" has your back. "Loser" falls to 12th not because it's a loser - it is very much a winner, but because it's the most boring song on the list.

#11. Mad Clown - Fire (NEW)
Original: IU - Twenty Three
Honestly, Mad Clown has some transcendent stuff. He has a pretty unique flow and his voice can sometimes be grating, but it's never really turned me away from his music. With "Stupid In Love" having placed him on the radar, Mad Clown joined forces this time with the less known Jinsil for "Fire." Jinsil has a sultry seductive voice, which is a pleasant counter to Mad Clown's explosive rapping. By all means this song should've catapulted both into stardom but that hasn't happened quite yet.

[Review] Black Pink - Whistle

After being teased about for god knows how long, YG Entertainment has finally debuted their new girl group. And if there was any convenient time to debut them, now would be the time. 2NE1's status is still very much uncertain after Minzy's exit from the group, so a new group is their entry into the next generation of competition and to hopefully distract people from 2NE1's continued hiatus. Black Pink is certainly an interesting name, and it doesn't roll off the tongue easily, but they are from YG, and would be debuting with two different songs - "Whistle" is the one we'll be taking a look at today.

Let's start with the negatives: this song's chorus is awful. The whistle hook is insanely catchy, but that's all the chorus has going for it. Jennie and Lisa's blurbs are not exciting in the slightest and would have been better off with just the whistle and instrumental. As a result, the song does get some of those disjointed vibes, but not to the extreme of the other songs that share this attribute (4minute's "What's Your Name," Girls' Generation's "I Got A Boy," etc.). What really surprised me is how much I liked the bridge, despite it not really being connected to the song in any way. The buildup drops dramatically into the whole "whistle like a missile" shenanigans which aren't that great to begin with. I'll never enjoy random blurbs like the ones in the chorus and those in Mamamoo's "Piano Man.." They more often than not just ruin the flow of the song for me.

[Review] AMUSE - Lip 2 Lip

I'm going to be sensible and use "AMUSE" as the name because what an awkward name 9MUSES A is for a subunit. The idea is that 9MUSES A stands for 9MUSES Amuse, but if that's the case why not just use AMUSE? It's a clever name, but could've been better with how they actually presented it. Anyways! After losing Minha and Erin (I'll stop crying whenever I type this eventually), they wouldn't be denied activity in 2016 with this new subunit. The quartet would comprise of the remaining muses minus Hyuna and Sungah. At a glance this seems like a push in the vocals direction, with Kyungri, Hyemi, and Keumjo fronting the bulk of the attack. Will their track deliver and help the group rebound?

For starters, "Lip 2 Lip" is a pretty standard dance track. The girls sing lightly but also with purpose, while the instrumental provides a bounce on their step. Hyemi and Kyungri take center stage, charming us with their voices from start to finish, but when has Kyungri ever been away from the spotlight? I'm pleased to see Hyemi get a fair share of the singing, because frankly she doesn't normally get these kinds of opportunities. In that vein though, I once again find myself lamenting the lines that Sojin was unable to acquire. Even though I didn't predict she'd have a rap, I still expected her to get some form of singing because we've seen her do it in releases past, even if only briefly.

[Review] Hyuna - How's This?

We have a Hyuna sighting. I repeat, we have a Hyuna sighting. But is that really a surprise? This is her first release since the disbandment of 4minute, which also doubles as her first as an official solo artist. She has never been shy in any of her songs since the days of "Change" and if the teasers were any indication, there's to be zero changes from the standard Hyuna formula. We're likely in for some electrifying beats, some snappy rapping, and plenty of explicit material. Korea hasn't been able to handle Hyuna videos for a long time now and 2016 should be no different.

This song is indeed a spiritual successor to "Roll Deep" AKA "Because I'm The Best" AKA "Ilhoon's Rap and Nothing Else." It's extremely repetitive and simplistic in nature, and I don't think has worked for either release. A bright spot here is that Hyuna's voice is not as nasally (for the most part) which does work in her favor. She sounds more comfortable and outside of the "eoddae?" screeches is tolerable to listen to. On the other hand, the instrumental touches base on both extremes: during the chorus it's very grating and almost hurts my ears, but is pleasant during the verses justifying "How's This?" as a dance-happy anthem. Even though the verses are the best-sounding part of the song, "How's This?" will almost certainly be defined by the snazzy prechorus sections where Hyuna and the instrumental climb together to reach the chorus. It's embarrassing that I don't have more to say, there's simply a verse, prechorus, and chorus repeated ad nauseam so if anyone can figure out how to write more about this song, please let me know.

[Bonus] Wild Kpop Episode I: Wonder Girls Edition

"What if Hyuna stayed with the Wonder Girls?"

Welcome to a new series I've decided to call "Wild Kpop." This post is inspired by the Reckless Speculation posts over on the NFL subreddit, which in turn was inspired by the "N-if-L" series by Dave Dameshek. The "wild" is a reference to the wild format of Hearthstone where any and all cards are available. In short, it theorizes how a single decision or event being altered would create a series of domino effects and change the future. Granted, the world of Kpop is more rigid than the world of football (there's no free agency, different contracts, etc.), but it's all for fun speculation and puts my imagination to the test, and that's precisely why I decided to take a crack at it. In today's pilot episode, we explore the status of three girl groups if one member decided to stay with her original group.

[Review] Fei - Fantasy

I've ranted about titles before but this one is just plain weird. "Fantasy" is the English title but "It's Okay Fantasy" is the Korean title. I dunno. Anyways, Fei having a solo debut was an important process because not only is she the least thought-of member in terms of solo ability in her group, this release would at least hold down the fort in a world after Jia's departure put miss A's future in the uncertain air. Unfortunately, it came at a problematic time, what with all the Chinese politics everywhere. Regardless, I only care about the music. So let's dive in.

"Fantasy" plays out like a song from a fantasy alright. The instrumental is smooth and gives off R&B vibes, which assist in Fei's breathy vocals. Wait, hold up a second. Fei sounds like this? It's a serious surprise that Fei is capable of delivering such a vocal performance. You don't really get to hear much out of Fei in miss A's pop-oriented music, so that's neat. You'll note that I didn't say "pleasant surprise" because honestly, you can't convince me to say that she sounds great in "Fantasy." In terms of difficulty Fei gets high marks because I doubt she ever has to sing like this, but she's an average vocalist at best so she ain't making me swoon or anything.

[Blog] Kpop in Seoul-ish

If you, dear reader, are like me, then you are probably curious about Kpop in Korea. After all, most of us are international fans. I had the opportunity to be in Seoul (more specifically, the Myeongdong and Hongdae area) for a week. While I was enjoying my time buying and eating everything in Seoul, I paid attention to the songs that Korea (or rather, Korean shops I suppose) were listening to. A few notes before moving forward:

- I recorded songs that were within hearing range. I wasn't about to bulldoze my way through a crowd to figure out a song because that's unnecessary. And like mentioned earlier, these were primarily in the streets of Hongdae and Myeongdong.

- My library is not all-encompassing. There were certainly songs that I didn't recognize, and I tried to account for them as best I could whenever I had the time (because an international plan only gets you so much data).

- Girl groups and soloists only. I didn't pay attention for boy groups, but even then I could easily tell you that the three dominating parties were: ballads, hip-hop and rap (plenty of San E), and Big Planet (Big Bang and EXO). I also heard more Psy than I would have thought.

[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.

[Misc] 4th Anniversary Post

On July 21st, 2012, I posted my first ever Kpop review of Wonder Girls' "Like This" on my Tumblr. At that point, I was about 3 years into my discovery of Kpop. Fast forward four more years, countless different "generations" of writing, and now we're in 2016 and the 7th iteration of reviews. It's always been an intriguing affair and I doubt I'll stop anytime soon. This blog has helped arch me away from the super fanboy phase (2011 to early 2013) and into a more standard consumer of Korean music, and that's pretty important. I can't keep hoping Taeyeon or Younha will marry me, heh.

I appreciate each and every one of you who take time to read my reviews, power rankings, etc. Writing about Kpop has and will continue to be a fun and awesome experience and I look forward to what the future holds, for both myself and Kpop. You the reader, the audience are part of the process, too. So thanks! Four years have passed, let's see how the next four years go! I've not got anything fancy so here's Taeyeon. :3

[Blog] The Soloist J-Trinity

Today is a short and light blog post that sort of doubles as a spotlight-esque article. We'll see how I feel about it and go from there if I have similar ideas in the future. We all know the J-Trinity that is Twice's Mina, Momo, and Sana. But there's another trio of J's who are nowhere near as popular or discovered, and that's a damn shame. These three are all underrated soloists that don't get anywhere near as much love as they deserve, for reasons (mostly) beyond my understanding.

[Review] Wonder Girls - Why So Lonely EP

It's been a long time since I reviewed an album. Or rather, a mini album / EP because the previous three installments (Taeyeon, IU, 9MUSES) have all been mini albums haha. Anyway those classification and syntax things aside, let's take a brief look at Wonder Girls' return with the "Why So Lonely" EP. Their comeback last year with a new lineup and band concept was well-received and their legend continues to grow.

1. Why So Lonely

"Why So Lonely" is a wonderful thing. Retro swag and reggae swag combined into one masterpiece. These vocals are fun but sultry at the same time, and that includes Yubin. Wait what. Holy shit! Yubin got to sing?! My hype and appreciation for this can't be expressed enough. I'm hoping that this will magically pioneer a shift where rappers get at least some singing lines. Moonbyul, Bora, Woori, etc. Anyway Sunmi and Yeeun continue to deliver and the more you look, the more valuable 1-2 vocal punches seem to be really damn good. The entire song is full of reggae feel, so I know a certain Running Man cast member is probably really happy about this one.