[Misc] Red Velvet & Black Pink Power Ranking

Since I haven't done Power Rankings for Red Velvet or Black Pink, why not combine the two? Originally I had two separate ranks for each group, but thought it'd be more interesting to see them mashed together. With Twice's Power Ranking already out there, maybe there'll be another installment with all three groups.

#9. Yeri
It's a shame I almost always start these lists from the bottom because I knew who would be dead last right away. Yeri's inclusion to Red Velvet was met with neutral reactions from yours truly so it's not that. She just doesn't strike me as interesting in any facet of Red Velvet's music. And while I do appreciate her savagery, that's a gem for the variety world. Plus lately she started stealing Irene's rapping lines. Not that Irene would've been amazing with those lines but still.

#8. Rose
Yeah I'm not gonna add the accent on her letter, sue me. Usually the primary vocalist draws me to a group but that wasn't the case for Rose and Black Pink. She immediately reminded me of her senior Park Bom which carries both positive and negative connotations. Personality-wise, she's my least favorite of the Black Pink members. Oh well. The good thing about any list is that there's opportunities to turn it around.

[Recap] 2018 May-August: Shenanigans

Fashionably late again to the Recap post. You'll see some developments in that area later on in the read. There's been a mixture of good and bad music through the summer, including hyped pieces that didn't live up to expectations and underrated sleeper picks. Maybe you'll see some of those in the highlights section. If you think I'm slowing down, you're probably right...but that doesn't mean I won't fight it!

[Review] Oh My Girl - Remember Me (Blitz)

As we hit full stride in September, Oh My Girl returns adding "Remember Me" to their 2018 campaign. I am immediately captivated by that instrumental because good GOD that bass hits hard. But the singing is soft and elegant, which creates a beautiful contrast. I appreciated the MV where the lyrics "when I close my eyes" is matched in the video. There have been plenty of inconsistencies from other artists so I appreciated that. The lack of a true chorus isn't missed too badly by my ears and honestly after two listens I'm definitely okay with it. However, things would've taken an even better turn if not for the non-singing parts of the song. In the surprise move of the year, Mimi's return to rapping has results that are less than satisfactory. She gets two verses but both are very out of place compared to how smooth the vocals are elsewhere, and don't sound great. Then half the squad has an awkward chant break right before the bridge which is equally as awkward. This is some Twice rapping straight up. Mimi is absolutely capable of better raps and it's a damn shame because I really like the rest of the track. Keep everyone else off her turf, seriously. Thankfully we get to end on a positive note because that bridge plus finale help soothe the pain - Seunghee and Yooa really shine in this type of music. "Remember Me" will be remembered for both the good and bad.

Word Count: 247

[Misc] Thought Corner: Cube's Conundrum

Should probably have had some more of these throughout the years - they're simple, easy to write, and have basically no restrictions on what or how I want to write. Anyway, Kpop has had an...interesting week. All kinds of news and most of it is not the good kind. The main headline is of course that Hyuna and E'Dawn would be leaving Cube Entertainment. This comes a month after their revealed relationship which has been a thing for over two years. Buckle up because this is quite the doozy.

[Review] Sunmi - Siren (Blitz)

Here's a big moment. Sunmi could do something rare: have five consecutive standout releases. "24 Hours," "Full Moon," "Gashina," and "Heroine" were all high-quality songs and this could be a historic addition. "Siren" brings another top instrumental and Sunmi's comforting voice to the stage, and these two elements drive the track much like how they have in past hits. The chorus provides an English hook fans can sing along to and serves as a contrast to her huskier tones in the verses. An underrated section of the song is that flawless transition from the verse to prechorus. It's so seamless that you might've thought "Siren" jumped directly to chorus from verse. In an era where songs have predictable changes and shifts, this is definitely something less common. The part that completely kills hype for the song - and the flow of the song itself - is the "lalala" part following the chorus. It's so awkward and serves no purpose. While I understand it's a dance break, the instrumental alone would suffice. The MV is whatever, though we do get to see some goofy Sunmi which was nice. Also, Sunmi is really skinny. Like, freakishly so. I know most Kpop girls are super thin but this is another level - it's uncomfortable. I like "Siren" more than "Heroine" early, but the latter was a grower and the former has little replay value. Despite her best efforts, "Siren" ultimately falls short of joining the club that its predecessors enjoyed being in.

Word Count: 246