[Misc] Merry Holidays

Help. I've been sick since last Thursday. Of course the one time I get sick in the year 2018 is during Christmas. Needless to say I haven't been writing much at all. I just want to be 100% by next week so we can get started on the right foot. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas or Boxing Day or whatever you celebrate. Stay safe, stay healthy, stay beautiful.

[Bonus] Best Of 2018

Hey I had to work on Christmas Eve haha! Who needs an introduction? These are my picks for the top songs in 2018. Let's fucking get it.

#10. Pristin V - Get It

Apparently people slept on "Get It" but it's the best ever released by Pristin (even though this is a subunit). It's kinda sad, but this is what optimal Pristin looks like. The song matches the instrumental in the hard-hitting nature, while everyone serves up that femme fatale look. From Eunwoo's vocals to Rena's rapping, each member puts in a solid performance for a well-rounded track. Without any aegyo bullshit or unnecessary moments, it's easy to see why "Get It" earned a spot on this list. Hopefully the rest of Pristin can get on this level for the future.

#9. Stray Kids - I Am You

Stray Kids are the new kids on the block, and they've amassed quite the early portfolio. "I Am You" is a refreshing take on the typical energetic dance track mixed with some powerful rapping. Like SM, JYP finally has some solid rappers with this generation of groups. As far as first impressions go, they remind me of GOT7 if GOT7 had actual rappers. Changbin, Han, and Felix make the highlight reel (though the latter is mostly on voice alone) and the singers aren't bad either. I imagine they will pan out nicely thanks to their rapping and composition abilities.

[Bonus] Best Of 2018: Honorable Mentions

Here come the Best Of 2018! Well, the ones that didn't make the final cut anyway. With five selections, they serve as a teaser to the final Best Of 2018 list. But unlike that list coming later this week, these will remain unranked. They may not necessarily even be the best outside choices (when are they ever?) but they certainly made a strong case throughout the year. May they wet your palette before the official best drops on Friday or something.

LOONA - Favorite

Not enough BRRRRA in Kpop honestly so thank goodness for Loona. The styling of group names is something I've struggled to get consistently in writing and tagging posts, and still haven't found a working ground for. Anyway "Favorite" is like EXO's "Mama:" a debut track that isn't really a debut track. Still there's a lot to like here. The choreography is strong, the instrumental is bangin', and the energy is through the roof. With this and "Hi High" as their official "debut," Loona is giving us plenty to look forward to.

[Bonus] Best Of TWICE

Should this be a Best Of Twice or Worst Of Twice? Pessimism is strong with me but for the sake of holiday cheer and good spirits we'll take a positive spin. Then again, given that I only use title tracks for these posts every Best Of is mostly a reverse Worst Of. That's why the first Worst Of post wasn't about a single artist. Anyway here is Twice. They've got yet another comeback - which I haven't listened to yet because thus far they have exactly ten tracks - and have made rigorous progress over the years. How do their title tracks fare against each other?

#10. Signal

I can't even start with this shit. You know why this song isn't good. Won't even stomach another listen. That dance has its moments though. Next!

#9. Knock Knock

This was the first song where Twice found their rhythm or groove so to speak. The pop dance style became their bread and butter after "Knock Knock" and they really took off. Both this and "Signal" don't have many redeeming qualities (if any) in my eyes but at least there was the funny JYP cameo troll moment.

[Bonus] The Late Report: November 2018

New series before the end of the year? Sure why not. Short or long, these posts will highlight something amazing, terrible, or simply interesting in Kpop of the previous month. Though they will primarily be focused on music, there may be a clip or two from a concert or a variety show (been a while since I've watched those). Starting from November is weird but (a) I'll have some October inserts and (b) who cares let's go.

gugudan - Not That Type

Briefly alluded to in Girl Group Power Rankings IX, gugudan's "Not That Type" was a strong dance number that seemed like a breath of fresh air from the Sejeong and her backup dancers motif that plagues the group. Even if the statistics show that Sejeong still dominates the line distribution, the song is setup in a way that masks that issue. So despite "The Boots" being a more well-rounded song, I like "Not That Type" more and have new faith in this young group.

[Misc] BTS Power Ranking

There's a first time for everything. Member ranks have always been on girl groups since I follow them more, but like I said in Thought Corner gender equality is happening. I nearly started the boy group series with Super Junior, one of the earliest groups in my Kpop discoveries but I'll save that for another time.

#7. Jin
Jin is so awkward. So fucking awkward. And it's not like one specific thing about him either. His voice, facial expressions, character...all of it is weird. I'm not even hating. The common trope is that there's always a member that's the outlier or odd one out. In the case of BTS that's been Jin more often than not. Sorry brother, maybe next time.

#6. Jimin
BTS aren't exactly known for their vocals, no matter how delusional you might be. Jimin is the lead vocalist after Jungkook but both are average on their best day. On almost any other boy group they'd be relegated to nothing in terms of lines. His voice isn't bad but the strain he exerts is not too flattering. Or maybe I simply dislike his higher tones. Take your pick, but I'll leave mine here.