The coveted 2019 Kpop Awards are here, and actually in December no less. Just in time I say! The previous two years' awards were posted in January which should have been illegal. But hey we're almost at a new year, so new-ish me. These are always fun to write looking back on the year as a whole, and the narratives from other years makes for a fun clash. Here are the nine magnificent awards and their glorious, resplendent recipients. This may or may not be split into two parts.
Best Girl Group: Red Velvet
This was a competitive year between the usual top three dogs: Twice, Red Velvet, and Mamamoo. Each of them have taken home this title once in the last three years, and now Red Velvet are the first to grab their second award of this name. Mamamoo have been the most active, and Twice likely have the best numbers, but Red Velvet were not far behind in many of these aspects throughout the year. We don't speak of their first showing in 2019 but "Umpah Umpah" was a good summer jam while "Psycho" made plenty of good impressions with such a late release. Ultimately I believe that Red Velvet is most deserving by remaining the most consistent girl group showing marked improvements with each subsequent song.
Best Boy Group: BTS
Death, taxes, and BTS winning the Best Boy Group award. They've fully monopolized this category since the series debut in 2015 and until their military service fractures their production it doesn't seem like they'll stop. Their achievements, statistics, and legacy are overwhelming at this point considering all of the impact they've had (both the good and bad). Compound this with the fact that other groups of this generation simply cannot match BTS' output at an individual or group level and it's easy to see why they've had a iron grip on this award. Also worth noting is that they were unparalleled in the meme department as well. From "Seoul Town Road" to "Chicken Noodle Soup," BTS were firing on all meme cylinders.
As we look onwards to 2020, the final post of this decade will be a retrospective of sorts. It's been eight years since I started writing about Kpop. Lots of reviews, rankings, and lists. Over the years more fluff and less serious-type stuff has also made appearances which I think has helped me sustain the brand. It's been lots of fun because despite not having a huge audience, the writing is what keeps me going with a useful hobby. Either that or smoke crack. So with another year behind us, and potentially more to come in the next decade let's take a look backwards. Here are my picks for my top five posts of all time on this blog. They are simply ordered in how proud I am of each post - whether it's the writing style, presentation, or overall feel. If I had to make a blog-related resume for some writing job, I would place these entries on there (maybe but not actually).
[Bonus] Kpop Free Agency: Soloists (2013)
During my extremely short stint doing some work for Seoulbeats, I churned out this piece regarding where some female solo acts would go if they could join a group. The writing itself wasn't spectacular but I thought the concept was well-done. Plus it was only a year into my blogging "career." This was pretty neat since it was the first time my writing was ever published outside of my blog. Granted that was the only time but still! Gotta take my small victories when I can.
Last year, the Best Of 2018 post was released Christmas Eve on which I worked. This year's Best Of 20XX will be released on Christmas Day. Can you guess if I worked yesterday? Hope you said yes because I'm drowning myself in alcohol over the next few days. These are my picks for the top tracks in 2019. Remember, it's just an opinion bro.
#10. Taeyeon - Blue
Starting off with a B-side? You goddamn right I am. Taeyeon has made more progress to her career this year, but none better than this somber and soothing ballad. Don't get me wrong, "Four Seasons" and "Spark" are both excellent additions and showed yet more of her brilliant versatility. Combined with her Japanese release "Voice," they make for a fine 2019 trilogy. However, the simple beauty of "Blue" rises above the rest. It definitely feels weird to have a B-side on the Best Of 20XX series but hey it's been done before. Hell, I'd argue that it's kinda surprising that none of her title tracks were better, though that may be because of her high standards.
#9. Mamamoo - Gleam
Mamamoo have had a year of ups and downs. Activity and popularity-wise they have been rolling, but between "gogobebe" and "Hip" nothing has really knocked my socks off. Then I remembered that they released "Gleam" which was more a promotional CF of sorts kinda like "Woo Hoo" was for some Samsung phone. The fact that it's an ad for (sun)glasses makes it better. It's the most polished Mamamoo track despite "Hip" being solid thanks to its simplistic nature. Shoutouts to the bowling alley dance floor. First a B-side and then a promotional song, what a weird start to this year's best.
Christmas is almost here and that means the Best Of 2019 are also almost here. But before that, let's check out some of the songs that almost found their spot on that prestigious list. Some of these songs will be very familiar, as will some of the final set that drops on Christmas day. Nonetheless they are all here for a reason: quality tracks with a plethora of positives. Might not necessarily be the best of the remainder (when is it ever) but all are worth mentioning.
I'm actually going to go out of my way and list some of the songs I've previously talked about throughout this year. Since this is not a valid strategy for the actual Best Of 2019 post I'm utilizing it here. The leading lady of this group has to be Twice and "Feel Special." If these were ranked, their best work would surely have been #11. Such a fantastic dance number with many boons and a refined mature sound that they have been working toward all this time. Jihyo is god tier, and the members make solid contributions paired with a blessed instrumental. Had this been any other year it'd have been good enough for a higher placing but the competition in 2019 is super tough.
God Bless Ryu Sera. She's been off the national Kpop grid for a long time and been doing small independent work and uploading to her Youtube channel. There's a little of everything here: new music, covers, reactions, language videos...hell I even saw a mukbang too. I chose to link the above video because as a strong fan of 9MUSES during their glory days, it's nostalgic and bittersweet watching Sera go over her past with her perspective and comments. Also helps that she is hilarious and adorable with her reactions and mannerisms throughout. And she and I are the same in that we both cringe watching videos of our own performances haha. Watching her being so emphatic about "Dolls" and saying it was her favorite after "Last Scene" really proves that it was an underrated legend of a track. If you were a fan of hers during her group days, this is 100% a must-watch. Maybe a 9MUSES retrospective post is in order one of these days because this group really didn't get enough credit during their ridiculous 2013 campaign. Obligatory fuck Star Empire for what they did to these girls both before and after debut. I don't watch much Youtube content for Kpop nowadays, but standouts like Sera and Dara may change that in 2020.
With Sulli and Hara's news I had to delay this quite a bit. Seemed too prickly to post about biases after something like that. Then apparently my spreadsheet with all my Power Ranking information got corrupted? Or at least the Bias Power Ranking section did? I don't know what's going on. So while I'm remaking that page from scratch, there's also gonna be a change in format. Previously the top 12 members were included but now I'm cutting that down to 10. It was originally for the artwork purposes, but ten is a much cleaner number plus I'm getting lazy and less invested in following these members super closely. These lists will likely be made twice a year from now on, and depending on how long this blog goes on maybe even just once a year will suffice.
Taking a huge tumble downward is Jennie, in the same manner that her group and label have done over the course of 2019. Supposedly there's a comeback around the corner from Black Pink but with all things YG (and Kpop in general), I'll believe it when I see the actual music video. For now I will place enough respect with her to keep her on the cut down list. Somin rises mostly due to Jennie's fall, as KARD have failed to impress me with their last couple comebacks. On the other hand AOA's "Come See Me" was a decent but more importantly welcome release showcasing the group as five, explaining Hyejeong's jump. Olivia is the new hotness on the prowl as Loona continues to gain momentum - this next comeback is fucking huge - so she'll blitz up the ladder as a result, though not nearly enough to topple the veteran Eunji's position. She has been a stalwart of the middle ranks and it'll be hard to make that change.
My blog and random breaks, name a more iconic duo. It's been a rough time across the holidays...I won't front, my mental state has been in disarray for a while and even before that. Still, I'm gonna keep fighting and writing, as the latter is one of my most surefire ways to focus and recenter. I have some typical end of the year stuff to wrap up 2019, and we'll start December as we should any month: with the Late Report.
(G)I-DLE - Lion
I dread writing this group name every. Single. Time. Anyway "Lion" is their most complete work in their short careers thus far. The usual contributors are doing their thing: Yuqi and Soojin have their beautiful voices, while Soyeon drops yet another bomb rap break. But then the surprises like Miyeon rocking the chorus and sounding her best since "Pop/Stars," Minnie getting her chances to shine, and Shuhua getting more lines! This is as balanced a performance you'll ever see, and they continue to improve with every subsequent release.
It has been one month. One fucking month. Now Hara is gone. I could hardly process the headlines yesterday. I can hardly still process anything today. Three suicides in two years. All from close friends, all from groups that got me started on my Kpop journey. While at work, my iPod shuffled through Jonghyun, f(x), and KARA songs within ten songs. It's unbelievable how the world works. I almost cried on the spot. KARA was an integral part of Kpop's explosion and she was an integral part of the group. Her visuals were stunning and while her singing was never the big selling point, she made up for it with her presence in the variety world. I still have good memories of Invincible Youth and her shenanigans. Hara, we never deserved you. The media never deserved you. The bullshit you got was appalling. I don't even wanna write anymore. Just gonna watch old KARA music videos and let everything sink in. It's funny how you think you've put some distance and less attachment to Kpop over the last few years, and then shit like this hits you hard.
Damn, November is half over already. What's been happening? Kpop has not been my priority as of late with work (both current and trying to find new), new games (Legend Of Bumbo and Pokemon) and adopting a cat (I'm in love). But this does not mean the end is nigh. In fact, if I don't publish anything else this year it would still be 3rd place in terms of number of posts, and I definitely have more in the tank for the blog in 2019. With that business out of the way, how did Mamamoo fare after giving me a glimmer of hope during the teaser?
Mamamoo is coming back before winter rolls around, and I for one welcome them having a chance to fight Twice for the end of the year stuff. This teaser is a culmination of their plethora of previous teasers, all of which were classic Mamamoo in how quirky and goofy they are. It'll be interesting to see how they incorporate all the teasers into the music video, since there were a lot of teasers. Solar was a weird alien princess and a boxer, Moonbyul was a videographer / director and choreographer, Wheein was a painter and protestor, and Hwasa was a broadway performer(?) and mom. That's...eight personalities to incorporate into a MV, on top of the other dance scenes and outfits we see here. These new visuals are as tacky as the members are, and I definitely don't like Solar's weird hair. The song sounds good at a glance, paired with an interesting-looking choreography. As always I look forward to eating well as a Mamamoo fan. My expectations have been raised slightly. Please do not come back to bite me on this, I'm begging you.
With this, a full year of Late Reports have been filed. I can safely say that I like this series' inclusion on the blog: it helps take any pressure off having to write multiple reviews frequently, is clean and easy to format and write, and is super resourceful when it comes to Best Of 20XX and any compilation posts. Very glad I decided to do something like this. Here's what caught my eyes and ears during the month of October.
Tiffany - Run For Your Life
It's been a hot minute since I paid attention to what the non-Taeyeon girls of SNSD are up to. Tiffany strikes fear into the hearts of fans with this freaky MV. Halloween came early with these music video because she's got some curious outfits and styling present in "Run For Your Life." Those distorted leg shots are unsettling to say the least. Everything visual appears inspired by the works of a young Lady Gaga, and so does some of the sound. In particular, the way the autotune (or whatever mixing is involved) and her pronunciation of "glitter" is what reminds of Gaga's older material.
The queen is back. Taeyeon has returned with a new album "Purpose." If I was a true fan, I'd go and review the entire album but I know myself: I'd try and give up halfway through because I'm a lazy piece of shit. To that end, here we have the title track of this album, "Spark." Because I'm true Taeyeon trash I exposed myself to the music video teasers (and highlights from the album, too) so I was feeling pretty good about another solid Taeyeon release. Here's what I think.
Touted as one of my favorite / best Secret songs back in the day, "Love Is Move" was never reviewed - because my Kpop blogging experience started in 2012. Nonetheless I had fond memories of the upbeat dance track. So much so that when I made a (very) belated Best Of 2011 post three years ago, I had it ranked as the #11 song. Time to take a throwback look at one of Secret's premier title tracks. There's the intricacy of reviewing an old song. Am I going off how I perceived the song then and comparing it to now? Should the current state of the group and or the industry factor in? Nobody knows the answers to these questions and certainly not me.
In honor of Twice's fourth anniversary, let's take a look at "Like Ooh-Ahh" and how the Kpop world was introduced to their newest girl group overlord and my reaction to their first song. Also holy cow it's been four years already since this debut. Help me I'm old.
Before this debut though, my honest opinion is that Twice doesn't have to try very hard. Miss A has yet to establish themselves as a top tier girl group, plus the general inactivity has left a gaping hole in JYP's girl group roster. Anything from a decent to average song will suffice.
Imagine telling 2015 fans that Twice would not only be the best girl group ever seen out of JYPE, but one of the top girl groups of all time in three to four years. Not to mention that both Wonder Girls and miss A would be out of order shortly after this debut. "Like Ooh-Ahh" matches up favorably to "Irony" and "Bad Girl Good Girl" and serves as one of JYP's best debuts to date.
This is truly a cursed year for Kpop. Out of the many headlines, Sulli's death was the last thing I expected. Apparently the authorities have not ruled it a suicide but she was alone when it happened. Either way devastating news. f(x) was one of the earliest groups in my Kpop journey, and Sulli was at the forefront of her group. Her cute smile and bubbly personality drew me to her, and she was my favorite member of f(x) before Luna took center stage. I got to see them perform live twice: once in New York and once in Hong Kong. Really wish I had a smartphone back in those days so I could have had some fancams still around. People talked so much shit about her that was undeserved - as it always is - and I pray that she maintained close relationships with others she could rely on for support. We always take life for granted. Mental issues are no joke. Depression is no joke. Being a keyboard warrior is a joke. They've announced that her funeral will not be open to the public and thank fucking god. The media constantly trashed her both during and after her f(x) days, why should they have access to anything from her death? Praying for her friends and family, and anyone else who knew her. Combine everything happening in Kpop this year and the bullshit in Hong Kong, it's been a rough couple of months on my mental physique. Nonetheless we keep pushing onward. Take care of yourselves, guys. I pray I never have to make one of these posts ever again.
My birthday was yesterday...I'm on the wrong side of my 20's now, ugh. I woke up to this video in my subscriptions and was almost crying immediately. 2NE1 will always be one of my favorite girl groups of all time and this is super sweet even though it's only half the roster (kinda like the "Spring" song). Listen to those Dara vocals! Admittedly I need to catch up on her Youtube content. Bom has been on Queendom and has a couple releases to her name now. Minzy has been pretty quiet on the music front last I checked, and CL is still with YG (hopefully not for long). Even if it's informal, there needs to be a reunion on their futures. Please. Blackjacks around the world need it. More content next week, 'cause for now I'm enjoying the long weekend. Hope y'all do too.
October is already here, yikes. Theoretically I should be able to match post count from last year but with me you're never too sure. Nonetheless, we move into a new month and that means a new edition of The Late Report. Here's what September had to harvest.
Twice - Feel Special
Let's get the obvious one out of the way first. Twice's "Feel Special" is definitely their best song to date. Like I mentioned in the previous post, there's many things to like about this comeback. The vocals, the setup, and upon further review the choreography is super clean too. The evolution of their style over the years has reached its peak with "Feel Special," and it appears all too likely that Twice have made their position on the Best Of 2019 clear: they'll be there in December when it's all said and done.
This is blog post #500(!) and I finally have another edition of Girl Group Power Rankings. I'd love to say this was all part of my grand scheme for delaying this for so damn long but we all know that's bullshit haha. It's been a while so this will serve as a refresher course for the Power Ranking posts. Group Power Rankings are all about what a team has done lately, what talents they bring to the table, and how consistent they are / could be. They're all subjective lists anyway but I like showing the criteria I use, if only to keep my own rankings consistent over time.
Even though it's been a while, I still reference the previous list which was nearly one year ago (yikes), but also treat 2019 almost like a brand new year. Older groups that previously were on the list due to legacy but have since disbanded or "gone on hiatus" will not be making an appearance, so you won't see names like Girls' Generation, EXID, or Girls' Day on here. Though it should be mentioned that Brown Eyed Girls is having a comeback soon but their veteran status is so lofty it wouldn't feel right putting them here with these youngsters. In a similar vein, shoutouts to AOA for their participation in Queendom. They've handled well as a group of five.
Previous installments have included a "new releases" tab where I showcase some of their work between ranking posts and that trend will continue. No auxiliary releases though: only main Korean comebacks and other noteworthy efforts - there will be no OST work or Japanese promotions. Is that enough rambling? Alright, onto the list!
Honorable Mention: Black Pink * New Releases: Kill This Love
In a company battle reminiscent of the late 2000's, YG's Black Pink barely edges out JYP's Itzy for the last honorable mention. They're contrasts to each other in many ways: BP has better rappers, Itzy has better singers, and both groups are known for their choreography. Itzy is a newcomer with a pair of meh tracks to their name so far, while Black Pink has been around with enough inactivity to kill a cow. Speaking of killing, "Kill This Love" was touted as the worst Black Pink release during my review back in April. While that statement still stands true I have thought better of it upon scarce listens since, plus it eases expectations for their next comeback in the year 2021.
Like Seventeen, Dreamcatcher is making their first song review appearance on this blog and came off a Best Of 2018 placing. Unlike Seventeen however, I have always had my eye on Dreamcatcher (since the rebranding anyway). Their style is unique among the sea of copycat girl groups and they've justly picked up a strong following. "Deja Vu" continues their 2019 campaign after "Piri" and some miscellaneous material like "Over The Sky" and a Japanese promotion.
Seventeen have primarily enlightened me through dance, so I have never reviewed any of their songs. Even when I was in school and my crew covered many a Seventeen song, it wasn't until I personally started learning their dances through covers that I took notice. Outside of "Thanks," which ranked as my #3 song in 2018, they've mainly been average on a good day. None of their other title tracks appeal to me and that includes "Getting Closer." Sure they have some decent tracks here and there and almost always deliver with their choreography but the songs by themselves leave much to be desired from a group with so many members. Let's see how their inaugural review appearance with "Fear" goes.
Who let BM name this track? Seriously, "Dumb Litty?" The man is a meme machine...and I love it. After "Bomb Bomb" failed to produce hype for me, this is their chance at redemption. They've certainly proved they are no fluke since debut, but having a shaky sequence of title tracks would not be doing them any favors. Since there's no similar group competition (per se) they have to make every comeback count. They've yet to snag a major win right? The time is nigh my KARD friends.
Teasers for "Dumb Litty" have looked promising, with an inherent god / goddess theme and a hard-hitting sound that we've come to expect from KARD. Jiwoo and Somin look amazing as always, with Jiwoo gaining the post-teaser advantage. Not sure if it's the makeup (or Somin's own being less good) but she is as striking as always. The dance teaser that was released yesterday showed some more audio - and framed awkwardly might I add - so we know more what this track will be like once it's out on the 22nd. If the chorus is anything to go by, then consider me unenthused. It's the standard mixture of repetition and English which aren't that exciting, much less coming from KARD. At least the choreography looks pretty sweet, and as you've all heard me rant before, I'm dying for some good choreo this year. Should the verses and rapping hold up to their standard, it may be enough to salvage the poor chorus.
There hasn't been a lot of time to write, but over the next week I plan on writing my thoughts on the DAY6 concert, with reviews for Dreamcatcher and Seventeen. Then throw in a retro or more realistically, a fluff piece before god forbid I publish an actual power ranking list for the first time in three months.
Heading to my first DAY6 concert tomorrow, it's time for their Best Of edition. Fun fact: you can look back to songs released in 2017 and find Youtube comments stating "this group has no bad songs." These statements still hold true to this day (heh). JYP has never had an artist as consistent as these dudes - if you conveniently ignore the Junhyeok departure,which to be fair happened early on in their career. As a result, I am overly excited for tomorrow's concert despite it being on a Sunday. Here are my picks for DAY6's best.
#10. You Were Beautiful
When I reviewed "Hi Hello," I talked about how I prefer they play more high tempo material. The energy inherent within a band's instruments should always be utilized. That being said I can appreciate the slow jam gem every once in a while. "You Were Beautiful" is a romantic nostalgic ride (for some of us anyway) with a gorgeous chorus that's equally exciting on both the vocal and instrumental fronts. The bridge is juicy and leads well into the final chorus. More importantly, there's no rapping from Brian here. You may expect to find this sentence in many of the songs on this list. Also shoutouts to the English version of this track, as when these are crafted well they're always a treat.
#9. Congratulations
Considering that "Congratulations" only ranks 9th, and coupled with the idea that DAY6 does not have bad songs, and that's mighty impressive. Like "You Were Beautiful" there's also an English version of "Congratulations," and both versions of the latter trump the former. Both songs are about an ex-lover but the energy in "Congratulations" is better and more infectious. This song showed everyone a glimpse of what DAY6 brought to the table with their instrument prowess and exciting voices. In the hall of JYPE debuts this is one of if not the top candidate. Ironically, both the Korean and English versions have Young K's best raps in their discography. So unlike their songs which got better and better, any rapping got worse and worse.
#8. Dance Dance
Honestly I'm gonna end up writing the same shit over and over for a lot of these entries. Oh well, whatever. "Dance Dance" brings high-octane fun for every listener. The harmonies (and to a lesser extent the chanting / audibles) throughout the chorus are DAY6 staples that will never go underappreciated by me. The middle section of the song (and the repetitive nature of the final 30 seconds) is considerably weaker (for rapping-related reasons) but that's more credit to how the rest of the song shapes up. "Dance Dance" does its job at making you want to get up and dance.
#7. Time Of Our Life
DAY6 the band made their latest title track an anime opening. Fans of both have been hella pleased. All the typical ingredients of a DAY6 classic are here: the driving drums and guitar, the uplifting vocals, the harmonies, and especially the lack of rap. By the way the "won" in Wonpil stands for "wonderful" because his voice is really something special. If I ever make an extended version of Boy Group Vocalist Power Rankings he'd be a lock for at least B tier. I've honestly really enjoyed this newest track over the last two months but I cannot give it any higher a placing than 7th. That'd be rude to the other selections at the top end of this list.
#6. I Need Somebody
The only other slow song finds its way onto the ranking, "I Need Somebody" is a masterpiece of an emotional jam. "Why am I alone?" is the question hounding throughout the choruses and the powerful voices of Young K and Sungjin really drive it home. And do you hear that bridge? The feels man, the feels. This is what I classify a "power ballad" with the naturally slow elements of a ballad intertwined with the emphatic backing instrumental and strong vocals. It's a beautiful track that quickly became a staple of my sad_zone playlist.
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#5. Somehow
Back-to-back B-side appearances on here! "Somehow" might actually have the best chorus of the entire list which is a damn bold statement to make. Sungjin and Wonpil did not play around with those high notes at all. The song flows extremely well from the light verses to rising prechorus and finally the magnificent chorus. And speaking of high notes, how about respect for my man Brian with his own during the bridge? I wanted to include the studio version but instead I found something better: fucking look at Dowoon's face during the first chorus. Should I witness something of this caliber tomorrow night I will consider it an absolute victory. Let the memes flow.
#4. Shoot Me
First it was back-to-back B-sides, now back-to-back selections from the same album. This is where things get really interesting. DAY6 and "Shoot Me" landed at #8 on the Best Of 2018 which is the best of their two entries on any Best Of 20XX list. Find out who was able to outshine this placing shortly afterward. To reuse a quote I've said about this song before: "Shoot Me" is full of energy and is exactly what you want out of these instrument-jamming kids. Jae has been as consistent as the band itself, but I consider this one of his best outings to date. It's only fourth here, but I imagine come tomorrow I will have jammed out to this song the hardest.
#2B. How Can I Say
Yep. I'm a mad lad. I couldn't decide between the bronze and silver medals, so I designated them as 2A and 2B. Sort of like the Minnesota Vikings with Adam Thielen and Stefon Diggs: both are really good receives and are WR1A and WR1B as opposed to WR1 and WR2. But anyway enough football what can I say about "How Can I Say?" The high-rise energy is there, the powerful drumming is there, and so is everything else you'd ever want from these guys. When this song could be considered a fucking baseline for their library, you're doing something right. And since this was released in early 2017, they have kept up with the good work.
#2A. I Wait
Everything fell into place rather quickly when drafting this post, but the battle between "How Can I Say" and "I Wait" was legendary. Truth be told I was nearly about to flip a coin to determine who got where before the NFL analogy came into play. "I Wait" is more of an earworm and the instruments are really fucking good - moreso than usual since we're talking about this band. Meanwhile, "How Can I Say" houses a more active chorus and is faster paced overall. You really couldn't go wrong with either song if you were forced to pick at gunpoint (which may or may not be how I felt while writing this).
#1. Letting Go
"Letting Go" is damn good. No more words are necessary to describe the beauty of this song, but alas we must go on. The sentimental value of this song is important as this was released shortly after Junhyeok departed for greener? pastures. Apparently according to Wikipedia, this was also the song that coincided with their first official stage debut. Plenty of historic songs have had their status amplified due to emotional significance whether early or late (think Super Junior's "Sorry Sorry" or Lee Hi's "Breathe"). A question I asked myself was how "Letting Go" compares to "Shoot Me." The former was #15 in 2016 while the latter was #8 in 2018. Considering the level of competition in 2017, the #15 spot is arguably more impressive than "Shoot Me" getting 8th last year. Plus, "Letting Go" was their second release - they had not perfected their craft quite yet back in 2016. Additionally, there's a rebooted version which erases Brian's rap in favor of a traditionally excellent DAY6 bridge, which gives this song even more points. Only putting the rebooted version would be disrespectful to the original, which was near-perfect in the groundwork. If I can only hear one song live at concert, it'd be this one no doubt.
How fitting that we talk about "Devil" on Friday the 13th. CLC have had a very strong 2019, starting out with "No," and following that up with the spectacular "Me." Now "Devil" continues with the single word titles and hopefully, their songs rising in power will be mirrored with a rise in rank among the girl groups of this day and age. ...I really have pushed back Girl Group Power Rankings for way too long, yikes.
The funny thing I realized is that even though I feel post production has been slow this year, I'm still on pace for the second most posts in a year on the history of my blog. Of course now that I've said that, everything will self-destruct during the fall and that won't happen but I digress.
Rocket Punch - Bim Bam Bum
Woollim has a new girl group in town. Rocket Punch's "Bim Bam Bum" is your average summery dance track with blips of English here and there, and a generic music video to boot. Truth be told there isn't anything particularly interesting to glean about Rocket Punch to start, but they are coming out of a respectable label so I figure they were worth mentioning here. They do have a neat logo, which I'll use in future posts that need them. They're obviously going in a different direction from Lovelyz, so it'll be interesting to see how they progress with more comebacks.
Not sure how I wanted to categorize this post since I'll be talking about SuperM and their upcoming debut but also expanding it to some group theory. Ah whatever there's always post-publish editing to utilize. Let's not talk about some other posts that should have been out for months by now...
Red Velvet is having another 2019 comeback before I've published the next iteration of Girl Group Power Rankings. They are getting on my case. But with Shine coming up this weekend (can't wait to immediately exit pools), I won't have the time or energy for a full post. So instead, we'll take a look at their latest project "Umpah Umpah." Besides reminding me of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the title instills fear in me because...let's just say I don't speak of "Zimzalabim." Much like the song itself, I imagine this review to bounce all over the place.
If you've been living under a rock lately, you'll know there's some shit going down in Hong Kong. I'm not the person to best summarize the situation, but there are plenty of places for you to catch up. Basically there's a fuckton of protesting going on in Hong Kong, and as someone with Cantonese blood in my veins and plenty of family living there right now, it's pretty personal.
There's uproar all over the place, but in the Kpop sphere, many of the Chinese idols have been voicing their support with the mainland, and Hong Kong police. You can find plenty of this evidence on social media like Instagram, Weibo, etc. Lay, Victoria, Jackson, etc. Now, an average person jumps to conclusions and claims these guys are pro-China and all that jazz. While that might be (and in some cases probably?) true, it's not a blanket statement that could apply to every single idol that has posted about it. These are Chinese idols with a career and family, the Chinese government isn't exactly gonna let them off easily if they didn't say anything - or dared to support what's going on in Hong Kong.
So while I am definitely disappointed in some of these posts - Victoria especially - it's certainly not a good spot to be in for anyone. It's a fucked up situation through and through. There is always conflict in the world. Who knows how things will play out with this one. Have a nice Sunday.
That makes two consecutive fluff posts about Loona under the Miscellaneous tab haha. They are simply that good. Check out their cover of BTS' "Not Today," a grim reminder that LA's KCON will always be superior to their New York counterpart.
Though I must admit, I don't think this was as impressive a showing compared to their "Fire" or "Cherry Bomb" performances. Their movements did not look as sharp or synchronized, but maybe that's because of the choppy video? Having danced this choreography myself, and seeing others do so with, gives me more perspective to critique compared to their other two covers. Maybe they didn't have as much time to prepare for this special stage? That seems like oversight on the company's part however. Still, they did a good job and I was surprised to hear their vocals instead of simply doing a dance cover. Loona has plenty of stock going into their comeback.
I'm trying to give these lesser girl groups some love, ya feel? Two comebacks in three months will certainly help push me towards that agenda, so here's Weki Meki with another comeback with a tacky name. They've really yet to break out of their current tier and none of their releases have hooked me so we'll see if nth time is the charm for these girls.
"Lip 2 Lip" was first reviewed three years ago. Let's see how time has handled one of 9MUSES' twilight pieces. I wanted to finish this yesterday as the original review was posted on August 7th but of course my lazy and procrastinating ass couldn't get it done in time, so here we are.
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.
"When has Kyungri ever been away from the spotlight?" Never. The answer is never. Once she was added to the group there was no turning back and she was the main girl from then until disbandment. Strangely, she was not like Hyuna who soaked up all the attention and love from media. Perhaps this was due to the larger group, or the way the talent was distributed among them. Either way, she enjoyed her status for sure. Had we known Sojin was about to make her way into the rapping department, this setup would've made much more sense at the time.
Hm. Been busy with work, courses, and gaming but that doesn't make a week+ break acceptable. Welcome to the July edition of The Late Report. This is a grim reminder that I haven't been interested in too much new music lately, so here's hoping the beginning of the fall season brings some good stuff.
GFriend - Fever
There's not been much of note on the main front, but GFriend did drop something summery for us with "Fever." Immediately got TXT "Crown" vibes with the groovy instrumental and that isn't a bad thing. The dance itself isn't noteworthy as it lacks in comparison with their past choreographies. Eunha and Yuju continue to do the heavyweight vocal work, and SinB attempted to audition for Girl Group Rapper Power Rankings with her brief burst. Regarding the MV: why does Sowon need heels? The girl is a giant! Not a great song, but not a bad song either.
This week(end) is all about gaming: Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Hearthstone, and Runescape DXP. As you can see this has been reflected in blog activity. So I'll drop a quick pilot for a new series in Tier Lists. These have been exploding in popularity from all reaches of the Internet so it's only natural I join in. Especially with my obsession of trying to link Kpop to videogames. The inaugural episode will be my EXO Tier List, including the ex-members. Audible gasp!
Like always, the formatting and whatever will change over time so we'll start with this structure. Tier List posts will substitute for Power Ranking posts when I simply can't decide between a specific order, and or when the number of participants is too damn high. The post that immediately comes to mind will be the next Girl Group Vocalist Power Rankings, and also allows for some mega posts too. I'm pretty excited for these prospects. Anyway let's get into the group.
EXO are not very clever with their subunit names. There was EXO-K and EXO-M in the beginning, and after they merged back into one group they had EXO-CBX with initials for each member. Now we've got Sehun and Chanyeol making EXO-SC. Color me surprised because these are the two rappers in the gang, and I can't imagine they'd actually try their hand at serious rapping. That'd be disastrous... Chanyeol could hold his own but Sehun is a different story.
Here we go, I'm actually reviewing a song that I put in a teaser post. DAY6 earning this honor is perhaps fitting seeing their high levels of consistency across their entire discography. And considering how (a) I've enjoyed listening to bands since I was in middle school and (b) my two sisters blast the ever-living shit out of their library, it's hard to not like them. With their coming to a concert near me in September, this new release is what we all need to hold out until then.
It's the late edition of The Late Report haha. Almost two weeks into July and we've got our retrospective into June. From now on, these posts should be out before the first week on the month. Can't wait until August to break this rule immediately. Let's look at the selections.
Sulli - Goblin
June was kind of an average month for music (that interested me). Chungha's "Snapping" was the headliner so I'll use Sulli's unexpected song "Goblin" in its place. How fucking sad is it that Sulli released music before the rest of f(x) did. Probably as shocking as her lack of eyebrows in the music video. The song itself is alright but the message and theme about psychology and dissociative disorder is the more prominent aspect.
Despite nearly ten title tracks across four years, I never once reviewed a SPICA song. So as much as I praised them, I didn't give them the love they needed. Sad sad sad. Thus they are rewarded by being the first retro review in over four years. Hopefully this will suffice. "Russian Roulette" was their essential debut - they released "Doggedly" before, but that was some more "predebut" bullshit. They were the standout vocalist group that set the precedent for Mamamoo, and "Russian Roulette" shows off their talent with a splendid-sounding track.
DAY6 announced they'd be touring in Boston later this year and that's fucking amazing. Not too many artists come through here so I'm glad to participate (though my wallet won't) there instead of all the way in New York. As I've said many times before, I'm much more fond of their faster more intense stuff. You know, music a real band would (should) play. I wasn't particularly fond of "Days Gone By" so definitely color me invested in this comeback. The teased section certainly feels like an anime opening, so it'll be interesting to see how the full track spins it. Exciting music should be exciting. DAY6 HYPE. Well, as long as Brian doesn't rap.
Happy 4th of July or something. 4minute had their debut roughly two weeks ago with "Hot Issue" and became a strong girl group that ultimately found their demise at the hands of Cube and their own superstar monster they created. Let's take a retrospective at their career and single out their best singles from their fiesty beginning to somber end.
#10. 24/7
Kinda unfortunate that one of the tracks here is from the subunit because they have more than enough material to have all title tracks here if they were worthy. Oh well. Gayoon and Jiyoon combined forces to make 2YOON and they delivered something...different. Kpop has likely never infused pop with country before and that's what "24/7" was all about.
#9. Hot Issue
This was their debut song and although it hasn't aged that well, "Hot Issue" was a hot issue back during their day and for the late 2000's era it was very appropriate. Whether it still holds up now is a side bonus at this point considering the group disbanded. Hell, some girl groups today have songs that emulate some of the cringier moments here so if anything it shows how powerful 4minute were throughout their years.
It'll be tradition to post a Best Of the year at the midway point because I loved the idea that some songs would start strong early and then falter off, or new challengers would rise up during the second half. In the 2018 edition four of the nominees would go on to make the final list at the end of the year so let's see if 2019 can do better. Compared to last year, I haven't paid as much attention music-wise because I've been busier (though blog production is the best going into July over the last three years) but I'm pretty comfortable with my list. This time we'll go in alphabetical order by artist, to prevent bias when I reference this at the end of the year for Best Of 2019.
Chungha - Gotta Go
Oh look it's Chungha again, back so soon? "Gotta Go" is the pinnacle of her solo career thus far, showcasing her wide range of vocals, enchanting choreography, and gorgeous visuals. She struts her stuff from start to finish and the fact that it kept improving off her previous releases makes things even better. Extremely consistent, excellent composition, and stellar aesthetics make for a well-rounded track out of this well-rounded artist.
GFriend - Sunrise
This entry is a painful reminder I need to finish the next iteration of Girl Group Power Rankings seeing as GFriend is coming back very soon. Nonetheless their "Sunrise" was a perfect way to start the Kpop year. The main selling point of this song is the chorus, which is once again spearheaded by their two-headed vocal monster in Yuju and Eunha. Said chorus is exhilarating and climbs in both the notes and energy, something which you'll see from another girl group later in this post. Between the strong team performance and beautiful structure of the song, "Sunrise" is yet another addition to GFriend's repertoire.
After the disaster that was Somi's debut, my ears desire cleansing. Chungha has been a hot commodity ever since she embarked on her solo journey. Starting with "Why Don't You Know," I feel she has steadily improved in her discography all the way to "Gotta Go" earlier this year. Considering I label that track as one of the best of the year thus far (more on that later), "Snapping" has some hype to live up to and expectations to surpass. Shoutouts to my boy Thanos.
Oh no. Oh no no no no. I'm not wasting any time here. This song is painful, and I have only stomached two extra listens apart from the first exposure to this...creature. Somi has been on quite the journey to this point. From trainee days, to Produce days, to dungeon days, to betrayal days, Somi's passport is well-traveled. So you'd think that after all this time she'd have something polished for us to see.
I'm back from my weekend of degeneracy. Once I settle back into the routine of life I'll try to round out June by storm. This group - yes, I'm continuing to avoid typing their actual name - is coming back and once again I've baited myself into getting hype for this release. Soyeon as always is the star of the show and the overall vibe of "Uh-Oh" gives the feel of an older generation of Kpop. That with the slower pace and denim outfits tells me we're in for a smooth ride with these girls. And Shuhua fans despair, because y'all already know what your girl's gonna get for lines.
After almost deciding to review a few music video teasers (why), I'm jumpstarting my drive for Vocalist Power Rankings with a brief boy group edition. And by that I mean I'll make this post and then be out of town for four days later this week haha. Only seven selections because I'm lazy, and no linked examples either because I'm fucking lazy. Hmm, what else? The amount of research is loose but based on their history, talent, and versatility. Hard to balance the longevity of some singers since many of the entrants are old school but let's see what happens.
#7. Junsu (JYJ)
Xia Junsu is a storied singer. Between TVXQ, JYJ, and as a solo he has no shortage of material. When he was in a group (what's up with JYJ anyway have they been doing anything? Oh yeah Yoochun does drugs) he tackled many different styles and when he released solo music he tackled many different styles. SME has long had outstanding vocalists in their reserves and Junsu was part of the pioneering class.
#6. Sandeul (B1A4)
To be honest, Sandeul gets by on name alone. He has an extremely versatile and powerful voice, but outside of individual performances on singing shows I've not dived into his discography much. B1A4 was never really on my radar though it's not his fault. Sandeul appears at his best when he sings slower ballads but as I mentioned above, he's not afraid to do different styles and that's been the case with his group.
Since I don't want to write anything about the recent news regarding YG Entertainment (where would I even begin such a post), it's time for another edition of reviewing a review. I'll try doing these more often, but within reason. My initial blueprint is to have at least two new and two revisited reviews a month.
Musically, this song is an intermediate between past releases of "Hush" and "I Don't Need A Man." It's not nearly as intense as "Hush" was in terms of the instrumental and sound but isn't as cute and quirky as "I Don't Need A Man" either. Whether or not this is a nice medium between those songs remains to be seen, I'll have to listen some more before I form an opinion.
After all this time, I still like all three songs mentioned. The question is in what order. "Hush" is definitely first because it's more mature and has that girl crush energy so many newer groups lack. "I Don't Need A Man" is really fun and right up miss A's quirky attitude alley, and if I was in a neutral mood, I'd want to listen to "I Don't Need A Man." more than "Only You" because the former is sassy fun while the latter is more tame and mellow.
I really need to decide how I format group names (and to some extent song titles) on this blog, it's driving me bonkers arghh. The only two things I know about Ateez are that they did an episode with the Fine Brothers / React channel, and my old dance crew taught a part of "Treasure" at their previous auditions. Anyway here's one of their shiny new title tracks in "Wave." Since I didn't know which song to choose, it came down to a coinflip between this and "Illusion." Let's see if RNG picked the better song.
Between work, online courses, and tournaments, it's been tough finding time to write. And LAN is coming up, too. Enjoy this cover I did last summer which was an amazing experience. This was filmed in one continuous take and even though I didn't do my best in this specific final take, the squad looks hella good together. Thanks!
Oh boy, May was quite a doozy. There's a lot I want to mention in this post, and not all of it is music though certainly no shortage of that. Part of the reason is because I didn't really write a lot and another part is because of the sheer amount of STUFF last month. Youtube has been broken for me for the last few days so I'll probably have to edit this after publishing. But let's take a look at the mega May edition of The Late Report.
Lee Hi - No One (feat. B.I)
Praise everything that is holy, Lee Hi is releasing new music again. Of course this is only because YG is fucking sinking faster than the Titanic but whatever, I'll take it. Whatever is going on in the backing audio, I'll have that and then some. It's almost janky but reminds me of like funky reggae, which I dig. B.I shows up with a classic iKON rap and if you only heard his rap you wouldn't be judged if you thought it was a new iKON song. Her "I don't care about shit" is so soft-spoken it's like she's afraid to curse. That bridge is absolutely powerful and Kpop could learn from it. No comment on Lee Hi with cat ears or any of the other feline imagery...
Hot damn. Nothing else needs to be said. Go and watch this dance cover of NCT's "Cherry Bomb." Olivia Hye is a lord and the group synchronization is fucking clean. Stan fucking talent. Stan LOONA.
SHINee recently had their anniversary, so let's check out an old classic of "Dream Girl." Remember that for whatever reasons, they hadn't registered a superstar track yet despite being five years into their career by the time "Dream Girl" released in 2013. Let's see how opinions changed in the six years since.
SHINee’s incredibly high vocal standard only increased with “Dream Girl”. Everyone but Minho had quality lines, which is acceptable. Taemin’s vocal prowess continues to expand, as I felt he had a bigger presence throughout than Key or Onew. / Catchy and explosive vocals from SHINee once again.
Ha! That not-so-subtle burn of Minho. With a roster of Jonghyun, Onew, and Key, SHINee always brought the vocal firepower. I don't know the exact timeline, but this was most likely during Taemin's ascension into a higher plane of existence in the Kpop world. His progress is crazy: the difference between "Replay" and "Dream Girl" is only mirrored by the difference between "Dream Girl" and "Move" or other current material. The catchy tunes of this song still hold strong, and you always want to shout "dream girl" with the boys in each chorus.
To any other group, the intensity of the colours, makeup, and outfits would be too much, but for SHINee, this is also another standard that has become very familiar to Shawols. Some say this was over the top for even SHINee, but I disagree.
Yeah I mean SHINee has never shied away from being flamboyant with their costumes. You can take any music video's outfits and drop them into an older (or newer) video and nothing would really change. Their style is forever, and only the technology around them has changed.
Not sure exactly how the song name is supposed to be stylized but whatever. EXID are here for their final act, as Hani and Junghwa will be leaving Banana Culture. Sure the group might not be officially disbanded, but those two members are gonna be looking for new agencies, so the group will have some time before they reunite for more music. As another group bites the dust, we'll see how "Me & You" fares in the competition of closing performances.
Here comes Weki Meki, fresh graduates from the Momoland school of song titles with "Picky Picky." They have yet to make a huge splash on my radar but their previous title track "Crush" showed promise. As this song starts off, that promise appears to manifest with this cute little English hook, cleverly including the group name as it rhymes with "picky."
May might as well be Power Rankings month but that doesn't mean April didn't have some goodies. With reviews becoming shorter and sparser, here's a look at some highlights from last month.
Baby Soul - A Piece Of The Moon
Lovelyz have underrated vocalists. Baby Soul was one of three members with music before joining the group, and this was her first release since being part of Lovelyz. "A Piece Of The Moon" carries her beautiful voice and sounds like it was taken straight out of a romantic drama's OST list. My inner singer will always be a sucker for pure vocals and Baby Soul delivers here.
Am I posting dance covers to poorly hide the fact that blog production has been down lately? Absolutely, I have no shame. But at the same time I was super excited to be part of this team despite my mediocre ability on full display in the final edit. Post-college I only get to dance when this channel recruits me so I'll have to step up for the next time. Hope you guys enjoy.
It's been a while...I've really got to work on getting large amounts of writing done so these publishing droughts don't exist anymore. Anyways, if Dreamcatcher is the girl group that made the most out of a second chance, then surely NU'EST is the boy group counterpart. After appearances on Produce and a subunit breathed new life into the squad, they're back with "Bet Bet." Considering I know little of them even before the revival, this might as well be a first look at the group as a whole.
Like last year, April brings us the first Bias Power Ranking of 2019. These lists have slowed down since three years ago but perhaps this is the time to kick things back up a notch, with a plethora of promising young girl groups out there. That plus disbandments of the old guard will probably cause ripples across the ladder. Let's see who's hot going into the full swing of spring.
The relative lack of interest in competitors across girl groups means a returning favorite makes the last cut. With her position as my Twice bias, I'll gingerly put Mina here despite her unfortunate "Fancy" styling (as well as the song itself being whatever). If the track grows on me it could be what she needs to climb up convincingly. A pair of newcomers join the fray! KARD's Somin and Loona's Olivia are treats with visual and voice. Plus neither are half-bad dancers to boot. Hyejeong has likely seen her last appearance on this list with AOA on the edge of disbanding. Her fall from grace as a veteran of the top five is mirrored by AOA's departure from the spotlight. At least she has solidified her spot as a top visual threat of all time.
Been busy with overtime at work and a new dance cover (I'm really excited for this one). Twice are coming back as the main act of April, so let's watch some teasers only to be inevitably disappointed with the real product. We've been falsely led to believe Twice would take a turn of concept before albeit with Japanese promotions but this might actually be something. If they are going away from oppa-pop, part of me is concerned how their voices will do but Jihyo should hold down the fort. This video confirms that most members have already surpassed Momo in the visual department, not that this styling does her any favors. Chaeyoung and Sana steal the show along with the usual stalwarts like Tzuyu. And hello? Jungyeon with long hair? Finally, the roster is synced up with the long locks. I can't wait to be let down. Curse you JYP and your strong teasers!
Holy shit Boy Group Power Rankings?! This year truly is a year of surprises. And this case, good ones. As someone that always paid way more attention to the girl group landscape, but hey there are interesting things going on over on this side. I doubt this will become a recurring series - at least not for a while - but it's fun to draft these and y'all know how much I love power rankings of any kind. Speaking of...I'm really slacking on the Girl Group Vocalist Power Ranking that I've had foundation work for since half a year ago. Promise I'll get that out soon.
Let's talk methodology: it's really difficult haha. Because where do I even begin? Roster, talent, discography, statistics, history, legacy, etc. It's all a foggy blend and there's no real marker of when I should begin considering - too recent and the veteran groups lose out, too far back and the nostalgia goggles kick in. It's harder since there's no previous list to reference. I don't even remember how I determined placings for the first iteration of Girl Group Power Rankings. Looks like I'll have to rely on feel and adjust accordingly. Don't expect as detailed descriptions compared to the female counterpart list.
#10. Infinite
Honestly this spot makes you feel like a loser no matter what. With the complicated formula to determine who is "better," I settled with Infinite here over GOT7. Their rosters are actually pretty similar with both housing some unsung heroes in the vocals department. Choreography is their strength while rapping their weakness. But Infinite not only has seniority, but a better resume overall. "Bad" and "Back" are a pair of tracks that best anything in GOT7's library.
Aside from Dreamcatcher, I'd say that Loona is the other young girl group I'm really excited about. "Butterfly" was a masterpiece and their plethora of material is no slouch. Their diversity has plenty of people hyped about them and reminding everyone to stan Loona. Since I don't really know them all too well, these will be brief rankings based on their skills, live performances, and glimpses of interviews. I haven't watched much of them in terms of variety but I'll fix that soon.
With twelve members, it was easy to split them into three tiers. A pair of jins bring up the rear as Yeojin and Hyunjin don't inspire me in any way. Don't despair because with any new group things are bound to change as I get more familiar and invested with the members. Chuu is the classic case of overly cute member that has never been my cup of tea, and honestly Choerry appears to give the same impression at a glance. Out of all the bottom four, I give Choerry the best chance to make moves upward and that's why she sits at 9th.
With a string of reviews, we dive into the March Late Report. The previous month kickstarted what hopes to be a magnificent run into the spring block. Enjoy the delicacies from March.
Sunmi - Noir
Leave it to Sunmi for the quick rebound. "Siren" was a tad weaker than other selections in her glorious run but she's right back into the swing of things with "Noir." Her trademark sound is omnipresent and while it's slower than her usual tracks, the audio is still exciting and impressive. Equally as exciting is the artistic video, in which Sunmi does Sunmi things while looking flawless. The MV itself is full of imagery and mockery on the entertainment industry. That current top Youtube comment says it all: "I don't need subtitltes to understand that Sunmi just roasted the whole Internet and society."
Someone pinch me. Not only is this the third consecutive song review, but Black Pink is doing something too?! In reality this is YG trying to distract everyone from the burning shitshow that Seungri started. Anyway Black Pink has fallen behind the competition as Red Velvet and Twice have dominated in all the realms. This early 2019 comeback could be the start of their climb back into the race. Unlike KARD, I did not listen to or view teasers for "Kill This Love." Praying that this is for good reason.
Kings and queens of the coed realm, KARD are here with "Bomb Bomb," which sounds more like a Momoland song than anything else. Because "Ride On The Wind" was so lackluster, I did peek at the teasers - so I was considerably hyped because they looked and sounded pretty good! Usually I avoid teasers to temper expectations but considering their last comeback was so bad and these upcoming months are gonna be fierce, KARD gets a pass.
Hold up, what universe are we living in? I had to use this performance instead of the MV because (a) when has SM ever promoted concert material? and (b) I simply love watching Taeyeon perform. Yes the music video was artistic and timeless - her bangs look was really taking me back to my early Sone days - but her mannerisms and expressions in the live are too lovely to pass up on.
Recently, Mamamoo held onto the top spot of Girl Group Power Rankings. With another edition looming after the April battlefields, let's see how they'll do with their first group release of 2019. Hwasa dropped her solo debut "Twit" earlier in the year which concluded the first round of Mamamoo's solo efforts. Now with "Gogobebe" they join the fray ahead of the main month (because April looks like it'll be deadly).
It seems that 2019 will be remembered in Kpop (and general Korean) history for a long while. If you're an avid Kpop follower there's no doubt you've heard all the shenanigans regarding Seungri (and others like Jung Joonyoung) that dates back to January when the first reports surfaces out of Burning Sun club. I can't even put a video or image in the header, this is too serious and sinister to even poke fun at. This will be a messy Thought Corner because there's simply so much bullshit to try and sift through. I'll probably go back and edit this a million times over the next couple days.
Taeyeon is still the best Kpop girl. May her reign continue to be prosperous. Hopefully by March's end those patient Girl Group Vocalist Power Rankings will be released so she can maintain her throne at #1.
You know what it is: time for the February edition of The Late Report. Since I only reviewed one song during last month (...I'm not too proud of that) there should be some solid selections for show (fuck yeah alliteration).
Loco - It's Been A While (feat. Zion.T)
Since he's heading to military service, Loco gave us a present to remember him by with a good ol' friend in Zion.T. "It's Been A While" is relaxing and showcases Loco's rap-singing with Zion.T's usual smooth vocals. Many of these artists under AOMG have really consistent discographies and Loco is no different. His previous collab with Hwasa was a similar magical R&B treat.
This may be the greatest cover in the history of Kpop covers. Ryeowook and Yesung are fucking hilarious, and honestly so is the rest of the gang. Here's a Twitter post detailing how accurate to the original content they were, and it makes this video even more magical. I think I know which video will win the 2019 Kpop Awards for best music video.
Red Velvet was one of the remaining groups from SM Entertainment that I haven't seen live, since my first Kpop concert back in 2011 was SM Town. This concert leaves only EXO and NCT on that list, though who knows when I'd have the opportunity for those squads. Anyway, I don't really know how I'm gonna format this post, so it'll mostly be a messy stream of consciousness just going by memory. Plus my past three concerts were of multiple groups so this was gonna be different by default. It's not meant to be lengthy and detailed (but I'm sure I'll ramble), only reactions and the general ilk.
In the grand scheme of girl groups, I consider Red Velvet a top-tier team. They rocketed up my Girl Group Power Rankings throughout 2017 and since 2018 started have been a perennial contender for being the best. Irene and Seulgi headlined my biases, while the rest of the gang made up in the variety aspects. Their addicting dance numbers were sure to get love - though I was dreading a couple of them. I was really hoping we'd get a live "One Of These Nights" because slower Red Velvet songs are my favorite but admittedly I wasn't counting on it.
They say after you see a group live, your opinions change. With Red Velvet, I can confidently say that statement is true. With being there in person, listening to them chat with us, and seeing their mannerisms has shaken up the list. The first edition of Red Velvet's bias ranking was a shared effort with Black Pink so it felt funny rearranging them so despite the position changes it still feels like a fresh ranking sort of.
#5. Yeri (--)
Sorry Yeri but you're unable to escape the last spot. Music-wise she didn't stand out (though she did have some surprising high note moments). And when it came to the choreography my eyes were definitely drawn to the other members but that isn't really her fault? Yeri did continue to do well in the non-music aspects of Red Velvet, and her English was especially strong despite sounding a little stiff at times.
Life has taken some unpleasant turns for me, but that won't put me at a standstill. Red Velvet's concert post is incoming but I'm gonna let this take precedence because the new style of song reviews means more should be written. I know I've been giving all the girl groups love but I promise with the increase of reviews there will be boy group content too. Last year started to get more balanced and I'll look to bring that back for 2019. Anyways, what's been going on with Loona?
#10. Jennie (-4) / #9. Somin (+1) / #8. Hyejeong (+1) / #7. Olivia (+3) / #6. Eunji (+1)
