#7. Jimin
Jimin will forever be in the shadow of Jimin of BTS. Nowhere near as popular, and doesn't rank as highly within her own group. She's the leader, but that position has held less and less weight over the years. Definitely a solid rapper (ranked #5 on the latest Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings), but her voice is too high-pitched for my liking. She tends to be super energetic in AOA songs and I prefer the more relaxed rapping from her. That and the recent plastic surgery are huge negatives in my book.
#6. Yuna
It is troubling to see the two likely primary forces of the new AOA at the bottom spots, but it is what it is. I know I said earlier that Yuna is gonna have to carry AOA, but it's pretty obvious that isn't gonna be possible. Realistically speaking, Yuna is an average vocalist at best and was only the secondary singer behind Choa because everyone else on the group is forgettable. Put her on groups like Girl's Day, GFriend, 9MUSES, and she would disappear down the depth chart. Pretty consistent visual though.
#5. Mina
Let the march of the MINABOYS (◕‿◕✿) continue haha. She's a fan favorite and it's easy to see why. She's a consistent member of the team despite her uninspiring skillset. Mina has gotten better over the years and was on good pace before the lengthy hiatus. Where she shines is in the variety world because she's a character and has a good sense of humor compared to the rest of the group. This comeback could be really good or really bad for her.
#4. Chanmi
Truthfully, I can't explain why Chanmi gets a free pass. I really can't. However, I do know that maknaes rank reasonably well across many girl groups so that could explain some part of it. She's miserable in the vocals department, way outclassed by Jimin in rapping, and is only marginally better at dancing than the others. But her eyes are dazzling, and I could argue they're the second best on the team after Hyejeong. Maknae protection instincts must have kicked in.
#3. Seolhyun
My first two AOA videos were "Confused" and "Elvis." Both times, Seolhyun stood out with her looks. This was before they struck gold in 2014, so I'm clearly a savant of some sort. Seolhyun is still a dominant force in Korea despite her group's inactivity, and has reached a status that matches the likes of Suzy and IU. She's hot, and this could be her redemption journey after vanishing from the public eye. No bonus points for her voice or variety though, she's very disappointing in both respects.
#2. Choa
AOA without Choa is not an AOA I would like to see, but one that I will see. Choa guided this team with her voice since debut. It didn't matter if it was old AOA, popular AOA, or AOA Black. Her departure doesn't leave this group with a hole at main vocalist, but a gaping canyon. Despite having a short hairstyle for nearly her whole career, she always rocked it and her blonde short cut is iconic. One of the best to ever wear it short. God, even if this new song is really good I'm gonna miss Choa so much.
#1. Hyejeong
Once "Miniskirt" happened, Hyejeong rose to #1 and never relinquished that spot. She might be one of the most consistently attractive girls in Kpop period. That makes her dancing more appealing and AOA has had plenty of eye candy choreography. I wouldn't classify her voice as underrated but it's serviceable, and if anyone is gonna be the new lead vocalist in a Choa-less world it's gonna be her. Everyone else on the roster is just that mediocre. We're truly in Hyejeong's world now.
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