K-pop (2016)

Solid OMG write up there soyrev, great to hear from some of the less exposed members of the creative team

Taekwondo athletes turned Crayon Pop-like

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9evdOqOQPQ

Single off Up10tion's new mini:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGzFv3g3luA

None of the other tracks on the album are all that interesting, but man these guys can sing. They sound kinda like if EXO was only made up of Baekhyun, Chen, Chanyeol and Suho.

New Lovelyz album is great (and v. cohesive) from start to finish:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWjz03e-h9w

Here's the single:

https://youtu.be/S_IBk0RCsOo

Expecting good things from Seventeen's debut album (to be released later today) too!

Lovelyz have released a few great albums now, really trustworthy production.

The chorus on the new Twice single is so big - love it.

Really? Cause Cheer Up sounds so simple to me... then again Ooh Ahh grew on me, so maybe this will too

MrJ agrees with me on Lovelyz vs. Twice BTW:

https://youtu.be/mp9DGwzD2SM
https://youtu.be/9JXfrxoyyXE

Also here's his Seventeen analysis:

https://youtu.be/80om8TiEFg0

Playlist updated through April.

ILM's Rolling K-Pop Thread Spotify Playlist

Regardless of your favorite it's a new golden age for girl groups commercially - three rookie groups going top tier in Gfriend, Twice and Mamamoo, Lovelyz establishing themselves as a 2nd tier group, mid-arch groups like AOA, A Pink, Exid and others chugging along, wildly successful new era experiment in IOI (leading to Japanese brand iDOLM@STER doing a Korean reality-style thing).

I think quality control is a big part of the reason.

The I.O.I lead single sounds a bit crap though https://youtu.be/1BVV9UqELbA

Amazing crowd singing along for Gfriend

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDBd0nS4ONk

The Lovelyz track is p killer, I hadn't heard it. What is so successful abut IOI? I'm underwhelmed by "Dream Girls" but thought "Crush" was p good. If every K-pop group's video was just them rocking out in the studio I'd be fine with that.

What is so successful abut IOI?

Produce 101 is surely the most talked about tv show in Korea this year, everyone had their favorites, everyone voted, several of the girls are already mainstream names, Pick Me was a big hit when the show was running.

Yeah it was surprisingly successful, and even though the management must be a total nightmare with *everyone* being signed to different labels, they've been getting a surprising amount of work, CF deals, a mini-tour, going to K-con in Paris, etc...

I knew VIXX had a LOT of musicality but I was still surprised by how good they are live here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mjYfFQDbXOM

You can't fake this kind of musical chemistry... They're one of those pop groups that's really a *group*, you know?

(I like the song, too.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBfkgifuoAI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtjxZoa_LHM

Really positive reviews for Jessica's solo album from netizens (it's #1 on melon), but the only track I kinda like is this one:

https://youtu.be/X6BYwilwqI4

She has a great voice, the songs are kinda simple tho.

Other self-composed or co-composed solos of note:

Tiffany (SNSD): https://youtu.be/9ZELOYRQfj0

Subin (Dal Shabet): https://youtu.be/TkxSc1VlrmA

Really liking the Monsta X mini right now... minus the title track, which sounds like one long teaser.

https://youtu.be/wUgiCua_N3o

AOA "Good Luck" is a snoozefest at regular speed (decent vocals but nothing going on the backing track), but more fun at double time:

https://youtu.be/ARvqija65WM

Original, for comparison:

https://youtu.be/sno_genwMz8

Subin better at composing for herself than dal shabet.

My hopes pinned on this to be the girl group album of the year

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Ci3lUAAUYAAny4t.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3o_jC6sObE

Makes me miss the Yonsei uni days ;\

Lee Hi did the same event, it was epic...

I didn't know you went to Yonsei, abcfsk! When were you there?

Jonghyun's solo album is legit, guys.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqrhD_a6gaw

I was there from 2012 through 2013. Good times.

quite like the new Oh My Girl

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJqhKWo89FQ

That songs rocks, it's got those Jpop chords and I love how it goes hard on the chorus... their debut stage was really cool too, the choreography at the chorus really emphasizes the change of pace:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xCTzLUR8xOk

Good lyrics, too!

UKISS continuing to put out solid albums no one but their fanbase will listen to:

https://youtu.be/3pN7REpLn3I (Staker - single)
https://youtu.be/dwgrCPgxZdU (Heartless - NSync-ish throwback jam)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GnBsjwuTcg (Even when I close my eyes - ballad w/ 90s alternative rock harmonies)

didn't mean to embed the last link, sorry guys :( Should check out the single if you check out any of these

Like. this is the one I should have embedded:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pN7REpLn3I

Younha ft Hartfelt and Cheetah!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeo_nWsu5cs

I'm feeling the girlpower right now, guys.

Wonder Girls are coming back and put out a pre-release on vinyl penned by Sunmi https://soundcloud.com/150818/oppaback

Aesthetics are on point, looking forward to that!

SISTAR sounding good as usual:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJVUjmNMF8c

Also EXO:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73QzQYN8FtE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSH-FVVtTf0

Songwriters were obviously told to aim for Daft Punk with "Lucky One" but the song rocks so... and I like their slow trap jam too.

playlist updated from top of the thread; lots added over the last few months.

ILM's Rolling K-Pop Thread Spotify Playlist

i like how jong hyun "she is" comes off in the hook as if he's saying "oh shiz" like an expletive

also this:
http://www.dailydot.com/geek/kpop-fans-over-30-kcon-panel/?curator=MusicREDEF

I hope Wonder Girls spend the next ten years being an awesome mainstream pop rock band (to further prove they didn't just do it as a one-time concept this time the recording features the members instrument playing, unlike last time)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYGODWJgR-c

the concept of that song seems to be "what if 'rude' were good"

i love it ofc

The only other bright spot in an otherwise pretty disappointing July:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-wFp43XOrA

Been a pretty good July imo with Wonder Girls surprising total domination.

BLACKPINK is live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dISNgvVpWlo

Boombayah https://youtu.be/bwmSjveL3Lc

Nice visuals but a disappointing debut imo, songs are kinda boring and their charisma is totally contrived.

I like Whistle, Red Velvet meets 4Minute

I do like the prechorus on Whistle quite a bit... a bit of a that fusion country sound Bae Bae had (and awesome production like YG always has too). The verses are a little too sparse for me tho, and I don't like the chorus until the very last go round.

I guess it's a stylistic thing but I'm really not into these super sparse trap tracks.... though the snare drum and high hat hits do add a bit of interest to this one.

I'm into this though, or maybe just happy BAP are being allowed to be weird again:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLLBk6fb5Zw

BYG has writing credits on half the songs on the single, which bodes well for them, I hope...