K-pop (2016)

the whole Ladies Code mini is quite nice, and Galaxy is especially great. I really love all the syncopation in the last chorus with the jazzy bass/percussion

Playlist updated with several additions from earlier in the year that just got onto the spotify catalogue.

ILM's Rolling K-Pop Thread Spotify Playlist

forks <3

Gorgeous new IU song further establishing her folk pop-leanings http://iu-jjang.tumblr.com/private/142065669317/tumblr_o4yg08qzwq1qz9dac

It's not hard to see why Produce 101 is such a hit, just like it's not hard to see why AKB48 has stuck with yearly general elections vote-a-thons. Very compelling TV, compelling personalities. The hype for the 11 girls selected right now is REAL. Bitter aftertaste when you realize they're just a temporary group. The format is better than the details of the show - ideally you'd have a show like this for free agents to make it a real group selection. And of course the AKB fan in me would like to see a big group of girls staying and the competition being about who gets to participate in singles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvHD5B99rhQ

who is this? this cool

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4vFviZ4qw0

i'd like to hear young thug freestyle on this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJe8Def403Q

a+ queen slay

Haven't been following Produce 101, but was really happy when they brought Jinyoung (B1A4) in to produce some of the original music... plus it also gave us this moment of cute crushing hahaha.

T-ara were on some interview show recently and someone let it slip that Hyomin funded a lot of her solo release herself... she's not the best singer but I admire her commitment to releasing music. Sketch is pretty good too.

I don't really like the GOT7 single, but it's doing really well - they have a couple music show #1s and I think they broke the record for best opening week sales on iTunes by a Kpop group.

I do like their 2nd single, which was co-written by JB.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npxqg9p1Q94

I like this male vocalist + female rapper duet trend S. Korea has going on lately, plus Chen and (pressurized) RnB is always good :D

Punch x Silento single is out and it's competent & in English:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r3-mR9okYYQ

Punch is boring and the song has boring lyrics but it's interesting to hear a recognizable voice from the radio doing the "Brave Brother... and your boy Silento" shtick.

Fav songs from Jan - March:

Brave Girls - Deepened
Hyomin - Sketch
Gfriend - Rough
Stellar - Sting
Fiestar - Mirror
B.A.P. - Feel So Good
Cosmic Girls - Catch Me
Ladies' Code - Galaxy
Teen Top - Warning Sign
Jun Hyo Seong - Find Me
NU'EST - Overcome
4Minute - Hate
Yezi - Cider
Red Velvet - One Of These Nights
Dalshabet - Someone Like U
AOA (Cream) - Baby
Taemin - Press Your Number

incl. exclusive interviews with the creative director, songwriters, choreographer, stylist, and MV director

http://www.k-pendium.com/007

Nice!!!

More major labels getting in on the indie game:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUYUXopFqq0

Happy for BYG considering BAP's is tamer than ever now.

^BAP's music

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.