[Misc] Thought Corner: Secret's Out

There's finally some fucking closure because Jieun has announced her departure from Secret. More importantly, this also means she is leaving TS Entertainment. They've been on hiatus since 2014 with the linked "I'm In Love" (which was a good release, hell I reviewed this song way back then) after Sunhwa got out of dodge quick, and as a group did absolutely nothing until the news today. What a waste and shame on TS, honestly. We were supposed to have a group comeback "sometime" last year but that never came to fruition for whatever reasons.

[Review] CLC - Black Dress

With my new computer and 144 Hz monitor, my first HD review (this doesn't actually mean anything) will be on CLC and their newest hit "Black Dress." Not to be confused with Super Junior's "Black Suit," but why would it be? Anyway CLC struck gold early last year with their transformation in "Hobgoblin" but followed it up with an extremely lackluster "Where Are You?" Teaser images for this comeback showed they'd likely be returning to the "Hobgoblin" style, or Cube are terrible jerks (save this discussion for another time ha) and did us all dirty.

"Black Dress" is definitely right up the alley of "Hobgoblin" and I welcome this without hesitation. CLC are simply stronger in this element - and so are most girl groups in general - so it's not surprising to see / hear this song do well. I dig that the chorus is heavily zeroed in on the instrumental which while not as strong as the one in "Hobgoblin," it's still lit and gets the job done selling this harder-hitting track. Plus that last chorus has some vocals sprinkled in for that extra punch. As with most of their titles, they're not too focused on the vocal prowess of Elkie, Seunghee, and Sorn but rather the uniformity across all members. Yujin and Eunbin don't sound far off from CLC's primary vocalists and that's probably what they were aiming for. That bridge is also gorgeous and leads back to the chorus with a sizeable assist from Yeeun. It's actually incredibly well done, so props.

[Review] NCT U - Boss

NCT has too many members to keep up with. I thought the point of having so many members was that subunits would the same names for some sort of consistency but I guess not. In this comeback, everyone except Ten from the debut lineup returns. Stepping into his place are three new members which I absolutely can't memorize their names or faces. There's a dude named Winwin though, that's hilarious. Anyway this is their first comeback since the subunit's debut. It'll be interesting to see if the countless other NCT releases have shaped their sound or if they'll stick with something like "The 7th Sense."

Immediately, I'm getting "The 7th Sense" vibes. That deep instrumental is certainly reminiscent of their debut track, as well as Taeyong being the song starter. But then "Boss" seemingly incorporates parts of their other debut song "Without You" too. Doyoung and Jungwoo's prechorus is certainly more in line with the uplifting tunes of "Without You." Of course the chorus doesn't give a fuck and hits you with their hook, one that was definitely inspired by the chanting from "Cherry Bomb." This time around their voices are deeper and almost sound demonic at times. If I wasn't watching the MV with the audio, I'd probably be creeped out. I do think this works in the song's favor, because being "the boss" isn't something to be taken lightly. The ending is also similar to that in "The 7th Sense," where they let the instrumental run free.

[Bonus] Boy Group Rapper Power Rankings: Top 10

Time to tackle some boy group rappers. This is but another effort as I strive for more balance between genders in Kpop. But I'm not going too deep: this post will only have my picks for the ten best active boy group rappers. My main criteria that I've evaluated each rapper are their individual talents, group / solo material, and consistency. More credit will always be given towards rappers with a longer history and those with more additions to their discography. The world of an idol is fleeting and it's difficult to remain at the top of the spotlight for so long. Most if not all of these guys write their own material, so if I really wanted to judge that I've have to be fluent in Korean to really understand their wordplay, nuances, etc. Alas I'm not so we'll have to put that aside. With all that said, here is the debut Boy Group Power Rankings. Maybe more installments in the future?

#10. Junhyung (Highlight)
Kicking this list off is the third longest tenured rapper (officially speaking). Junhyung debuted in 2009 and has been a staple rapper since. His nasal delivery is tough to swallow at first, but like other nasal rappers and singers it takes time to get used to them and once you do, it's hardly anything bad. He does tend to have high highs and low lows, though that's mostly due to his raps being a byproduct of his group's music rather than the main attraction. Junhyung has experimented with different styles over the years and the constant mixture between pure rapping and rap-singing has added another element of variety. Personal favorite moments include his performances in "12:30," "Ribbon," and "Fiction." His solo collection, while small, has gems like "After This Moment," too.

#9. Mino (Winner)
Mino of Winner might not have the biggest collection compared to other rappers on this list, but the quality of his appearances stands out. From Winner's debut with "Empty," to the most recent songs of "Island" and "Love Me Love Me," he does really well rap-singing due to his decent singing voice. Thankfully, he has more orthodox rapping in other work. Between collaborating with YG labelmates, such as featuring in some Epik High and Lee Hi songs and his own solo material like "Body," Mino is a strong rapper and does well living up to the YG rapper standard.

[Bonus] Best Of AOA

AOA have been quiet on the front ever since Choa's departure from the group. Personally I've kept any hopes about their return at a minimum, because Choa was literally carrying this group on her back with her voice (and I guess Jimin and her army of "hey"). Some comeback will probably happen but the writing is on the wall. With their end nearing, it's time to take a look at their discography and pick the best of their best.

#7. Elvis

Kicking us off is the song that kicked AOA off. While "Elvis" has not aged particularly well the song accomplished what it needed to: give us an early taste of what this group had to offer. Back in these days there was still legitimacy points in AOA going after that band concept. The band rocks (heh) and despite the raw sound of every member - even Choa - you could see the potential in her, Jimin, and Yuna.

#6. Moya

A year later, AOA Black (rest in peace for this subunit) would make their debut, flaunting the core trio of Choa, Jimin, and Yuna. Mina made a support appearance as did Youkyung (shoutouts to this girl for putting up with all the bullshit over the years) but really the former three were the star of the show. "Moya" is laid-back and that element lets the band instrumentals shine through. It also lends to Jimin's performance in the rapping department, which to this day is still one of her best showings. Ultimately "Moya" was a treat but the failure of FNC to follow on this concept is a crime.