K-pop (2014)

Previous threads: 2010-2012, 2013

In an exciting and terrifying turn of events, T-ara N4 appear set to storm America once more. No tour dates announced yet, but this seemed like it would be relevant to a few of you.
2NE1 also plan to release an album in conjunction with their upcoming tour.

Younha singing on Yoo Hee Yeol's Sketchbook, where idols and other musicians will sometimes perform with an in-house band rather than the usual backing track. It's nice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mah8LzwDCUw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZemSft9E_c

Reporting to 2014 Kpop thread as promised. Thanks for starting this and starting off with Younha, centurionofprix - I've been like obsessed with her lately. It's like the scales have fallen from my eyes and now I know why "Run" was one of popjustice's top picks of 2012.

From the other thread, the songs I'm really digging right now are "Lonely" (B1A4) and "Big Baby Baby" (Dal Shabet):

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGKeA3xUzxU

They're both really awesome live, you should search 'em up.

I also like Topp Dogg's mini a lot, even though I dun wanna admit that Cho PD could be good at his job after what happened with Block B:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PLpIM3387dghA4lDUDQeZxywAJm-5kF2xs&v=3lN2vzVPuQw

Speaking of T-ara N4's American venture, Dani's half-American BFF/current CCM trainee Shannon is seriously talented, I wonder if she's gonna get roped in? Or would that be a waste of a promising young solo ballad singer?

still listening to AKB48 and Girls' Generation. Don't know about too many others..

SM and YG ent

Those are the big 'uns yeah

I think you're right about Shannon's talents going to waste in T-ara (but to be fair, Shannon also probably wouldn't cut such a dashing figure amid their electropop stonkathon. Therefore it's safe to say CCM will at least try it eventually). She might end up in America supporting N4 rather than as one of the group; the promoter says he's working with "all CCM artists", presumably meaning to bring them over.

Insisting on the American expansion seems kind of a weird move because they apparently have an established market in China waiting for them, and promoting there would probably involve less of the bizarre and degrading pool party action characteristic of the previous US venture. Who knows, maybe it'll go really well this time, but there's a lot of work to be done in gaining any degree of recognition stateside, and of course a lot of work hasn't been enough for many previous k-pop acts that tried it. Perhaps they're counting on it being different in the wake of Psy, though?

Speaking of T-ara, you oughta give them a listen '96, if you want to. And the good stuff posted by forapper above. "Roly Poly" "Cry Cry" "Number Nine" "What Should I Do?".

an idea for when snsd decide to call it a day - what the world needs is for snsd to break away into 9 separate solo careers and release a cover of the same song at the same time (eg. sixpence none the richer's classic hit 'kiss me').

i can only speak for myself but i'd buy all 9 and listen to them simultaneously.

maybe not hyoyeon.

she can release a dance dvd to sunny's version.

Did you guys end up voting for I Got a Boy? Worried it won't chart.

No, was going to vote for it but then you guys went and kept nominating songs I liked more.

I didn't want to split the vote so I only nominated one track myself. K-pop songs that no one nominated that made my overall (not just K-pop) Top 20: Wa$$up "Wa$$up," Tiny-G "Minimanimo," Gaeko & Choiza & Simon D & Primary "난리good!!! (AIR)," Qri "Do We Do We," Baek Ji Young "Remember," Wa$$up "Jingle Bell," After School "First Love," Z.Hera "Peacock."

I didn't nominate and I didn't vote for kpop songs I didn't think would stand a chance at the #77. Played the game here, not my original 2013 list of favorites.

I had "I Got A Boy" and "Had Enough Parties" in my weighted top 5, otherwise voted for lesser acts that probably won't be on the list since I didn't realize only the best 77 would be announced.

I voted for 'I Got a Boy', but my ballot was unweighed.

Sorry you guys for helping to split the vote...

For my fellow Brave Brothers fans:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=754UTw2DvCM

Part of a project wherein Brave Bros is releasing a track a month for the next 10 months to celebrate his 10-year anniversary as a songwriter. I'm predicting collaborations with:

Teen Top
Sistar
Son Dambi
Electroboyz
After School
UKISS
ZE:A
... Bigstar? Jay Park? One Two?

Just kidding about One Two, that's only in my dreams XD

Dancing in a JP single, finally:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWzI1gU__vY

That was BoA's latest

I was just about to post that!

BoA!!!

That rules and BoA looks great in that styling (youtube commenters keep bringing up Lee Hyori and I can see it, kinda... but really BoA is very, very on trend for Tokyo).

Warning, this post is a bit goffic. Prepz keep out.

Puer Kim released a song. Like Park Ji Yoon, she was an indie singer recruited by MYSTIC89; "Manyo Maash" is her debut with them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2sMLUyoNfY
It's way, way cool. The song is not very hooky and there isn't much development, but it comes together in the way the constant groove complements the mood and attitude of the words. The video also does a neat thing in manifesting the lyrical theme in an opposition to idol culture (the dummies have SM and YG barcodes, the rest of the metaphor is easily untwined). I love her voice.

And this is YaYa, Singer-songwriter, Arranger, Producer, Illustrator, Graphic designer, Web designer, Fashion stylist, Photographer, Art director and Columnist.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gZEGHLxbVwI
Musically it is a kind of a spooky-rock-trip-hop thing in a Siouxsie/Switchblade Symphony vein, with tango and fragments of whatever else sewn in (and conversely, she keeps performing Astor Piazolla's "Rinascero" in her own rock arrangement). She also has a youtube channel with live performances and other stuff she does.

oh, and YaYa also has a website with bits in English: http://yayaofficial.com/

Yeah some interesting soloists popping up last 12 months.. and Mystic should give Pure Kim decent push.

Speaking of BoA she did a Japanese mini concert for Music Dragon.. finally got a 'Disturbance' TV live (JP ver., mind)
http://youtu.be/R6UORU8PJ98
http://youtu.be/Otnt71E1_7w

No kpop in the ilx top 77 for the first time in years. We failed, folks, need to rally next time.

Ayo Frank & forapper.

I predict an NS Yoon-G collaboration from Brave Brothers. She's supposed to come back anyway, and, well, it would be fantastic.

Hey dere centurionprix!

I see you 9th from the bottom on the "idiosyncrasy" rating, and me 4th from the bottom, clearly it was our failure to strategize that kept Kpop out of the top 77 , for shame.

Top 200 Kpop are:

I Got a Boy #110
Doom Dada #119
Gone Not Around Any Longer #154
Had Enough Parties #160
Bar Bar Bar #168
Rum Pum Pum Pum #173
Airplane #177

And honorable mention:

The Fox #210

And NS Yoon-G yes good very nice.

No kpop in the ilx top 77 for the first time in years. We failed, folks, need to rally next time.

― abcfsk, Friday, January 24, 2014 4:33 AM (10 hours ago) Bookmark

Haha I think the fact that we *tried* to rally meant that we were doomed to fail

Rushed my ballot, probably should have given DADA a top 10 vote, haven't checked the ballot to see if that would have made a difference

Love the 4MINUTE song but the title makes me uncomfortable :\

i kinda just went for my actual fave songs rather than try to represent k-pop on the 77 :(
that said, bar bar bar bar & smoky girl made my ballot

Closest K-Pop was "I Got a Boy" which would have made it with an additional #6 vote.

I left Doom Dada off too... if we'd both voted it would have made it, 龜.

:(

http://i.imgur.com/HvthNqG.png

Haha.

Winner's cover of Missing You makes me wonder whether KSY (with the guitar) helped write the song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSAVsstaj4E

Oh man, Ga-In, I don't know how to respond to this MV.

I wish the song was better though, starts off kinda promisingly but doesn't quite go anywhere. Might have been better as a solo track.

Wasn't there another BEG member who did a "Fuck You" style song?

I think I'm thinking of Miryo - Dirty, but I'm on a work computer so I can't check.

Yeah, "Dirty" has the phrase, though censored. "Amazinger" has an implied motherfucker. There's also Tymee:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4BHbjpHPvnM

Tymee also had an excellent and moody single late last year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv-e7tM4G1E

Speaking of which, Miryo and Narsha's sub-unit is going to have a hip-hop concept, which is brilliant. Miryo gets to show off on some proper rap tracks, and I can't even begin to imagine what Narsha is going to do.

http://i.imgur.com/3SmvkuN.gif

Aw man just watched the MV and feel bad for posting this GIF

Tough stuff

Yeah, I just got to watch it too. Wooooow.

It's like the anti Do What U Want.

It's a strange topic/collection of feelings to frame in a pop song.

that's as far as I seem to get.

Well, the themes are kind of old, as far as the guy being forceful and the girl being "wait no slow down". I like to think that they are already in a relationship and she's tired of being treated like a sex toy and looking for space to breathe so she can regain interest, but he's hooked and won't back off, because that's an interesting angle to take.

Two cutesy rookie songs in the new year

The really good one from OH!nle http://youtu.be/LQbPzG--WQ4

The really cutesy (and pretty good if a bit tacky) one http://youtu.be/BSIogAdk_is

Going to SK for the LNY :D

Re: Grade Seven Class One, it upsets me that their Oppas are all so much older than them :(

I see OH!nle don't have that problem, though...

BTW this is from last year, but Blady - Type B Girl could use some love: http://youtu.be/J6YicUmV0tE

Also find myself liking BIGSTAR - Standing Alone more as time passes: http://youtu.be/FXJwOqQK_oM

Sorry for being so boring about the sexualization of young girls stuff, normally I would be more chill but I'm teaching in a middle school right now

With "Fxxk U", it's not so much the theme as the sensibility that seems strange for a pop song. Between the clammy and insistent unpleasantness of the words (on both sides) and of the vocal dissonance and the headachily stumbling beat, it purposely repels rather than hooks in order to get the mood across. This could be cool, but the song does not seem to amount to anything very coherent as artistic expression outside of the pop song mode which it refuses, either. Taken in isolation from the video, I'd read the text as being about Gain's lack of interest because her partner isn't passionate enough, until the dynamic flips on its axis for the duration of the bridge ("Can someone tell me when / It's a difficult question / I'm afraid of this person") and returns to normalcy for the last chorus with Gain uninterested/inconvenienced/annoyed with his advances ("there's still not enough / want in your eyes"). Together with the video I've no idea what to make of it except for a general sense of tension and vertigo, and that Gain is kinda confused and scared by the relationship.

Who cares about my opinion though, the song's doing well enough on the charts. Maybe it isn't as unpleasant musically as it seems to me, or it is unpleasant but everyone else aren't such wimps and can dig it.

Louie: "(The Mother Fucking) Twilight"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWB-AoZi37A

There's also a new SPICA song, "You Don't Love Me", composed by Lee Hyori:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hc1RwpRfbT0
I wonder if Hyori is trying to remake them in her image and as her artistic vehicle, only with the vocal prowess she never had. And maybe because she's getting older and married herself. If so, I'm fine with this fate for Spica. The song's good, funny MV too.

The best part about "Twilight" is how he plays it absolutely dead fxxking straight. Also really like the classy "dementia patients" diss.

Fxxk You seems to me like it's getting at a specific kind of dynamic, where the (more experienced) girl doesn't want to have mediocre sex all the time - she wants there to be a bit more tension and build-up. But the guy just wants to do it as often as possible. To me it seems like a quantity vs. quality argument.

Will listen to the other two when I get home, for now though I just want to say that I'm really looking forward to BAP's comeback! All the snippets of the song that're out sound good.

While we wait for GLAM to return, here's Lip Service:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z41qIK7-s4k

The description says it's 90s-hip-hop- and trap- based, with 808 drum beats, about wanting to eat but being on a diet. Their other single off the album is supposed to be social commentary too.

I wonder if they know about the TV show Lip Service, which is 'The L Word' set in Scotland.

You Don't Love Me is nice! It really is Lee Hyorish yeah...

Lip Service is great. Respect for the tonkatsu love.

hahaha, "Yum Yum Yum" is amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iH1V5WLNKc8

Quoting from the description,
"A total of 15 korean artists are in this project :
산이(San E), 타이미(Tymee), 뉴챔프(New Champ)
MC META, 나찰(Naachal), 제리케이(Jerry K)
JJK, 와디(Wadi), 팻두(Fatdoo)
면(Garion), Huckleberry P, Jolly V
사무엘(Samuel), 슬릭(Sleeq), 자라(Zara)".

A clip of Hyori directing Gain's new song. Hyori is become pretty prolific as a composer and the songs are good; besides the above, "YDLM" and her own "Miss Korea", she also wrote the dusky "내가 미친년이야" for Spica's Kim Bohyung last year.

For any Korean speakers among us, Puer Kim has been holding a witch council via webcam, occasionally broadcast live on the Mystic89 channel. I think you can ask her questions via the form in the video description.

Aha! It's every Tuesday and Thursday 22:00 KST. (sorry about the spam guys!!)

Let It Go covers all over the place! So far the best of 'em seems to be - not Hyolyn or Ailee - but Dia (Kiss&Cry) on Show Champion.

Some nonstandard girl group stuff:
GLAM return with mediocre Valentine's Day single
Pungdeng-E go cutesy for official debut
Another very decent single from Lip Service, who are a duo! I didn't realize from Yum Yum Yum that they weren't a group.
Interesting comeback strategy from GPBasic in the vein of N.O.M. and SHinee's military-sexy getups last year. What I want to know is, who's the audience for this?

And some slick-sexy guys to go with the sexy-sexy girls:
Eunhyuk and Donghae (Super Junior) - Motorcycle Speaking of duos. I thought their other Japanese stuff was good but forgettable, but this... is something else, woooow. WHERE IS THE REST OF THE VIDEO AVEX??! I need it!
Lee Minwoo - Taxi This Certified Jam Brought to You by the Color Orange.
Gary (LeSSang) - Shower Later for fans of Benny Bernassi's Satisfaction.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anrh6iSKCNQ

I'm kind of taken by Puer Kim calling her online fanmeets "witch councils", that's awesome XD

the Bbax3 rock cover you didn't know you needed

BAP's latest comes pre-ready for export to Japan (and it's good):

Shttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGolQ9LzbkY

The part after the bridge is weird actually, but it wouldn't be a BAP song without a bizarre change in style/tempo or two, I guess.

The Louie upthread sounds like he listened to 'Same Damn Time' right before making it

Er maybe there are more accurate references but it's very much of the orchestral bombastic rap trend of the last 1-2 years

Also I was in Korea over LNY and unfortunately the closest I got to looking at K-pop stuff was a bookstore at the airport on the way out that seemed to be exclusively SM (filled almost entirely with EXO & SHINee merch on the boy's side, Girl's Gen & some other female group on the girl's side)

Looked longingly at a few SMTown buildings from our tour bus

Favorite heard-in-a-department-store discoveries are these two, one from 2012 and one from 1999 (!):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PehZMcA7duY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YzCd8Z1VPGY

I guess the "Twilight" sound comes from trap, although I'm not very up to fashion in hip hop genres. BTS's "No" had a similar thing going recently.

There's something very adorably badass about Puer Kim.

Spica's skilled Kim Bo Hyung joined in the "Let It Go" madness but, alas, her senior Miryo had already pretty much flayed the song and the competition. Brave effort from our promising young vocalist in the Miryo Queen's aftermath, however.

xpost lol the Koyote track is not actually from 1999 though! It came out last month. :P

Hahaha I was about to say, it sounds really modern

And I love the Spica mania on omonatheydidnt, haha. They were nominated to win for the first time, which was a long time coming, but then the fact probably didn't escape at least our omona regulars.

It's really weird that Koyote are going all retro 90s though, considering they were there the first time around. From 1998 (for real this time):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mg9lGPElNJ4

^^also, supposedly Gangnam Style's horsey dance was taken from that video

This new b-side is one of BoA's better Japanese ballads in recent years http://youtu.be/e6or6_87myE

yesss orange caramel comeback set for the first week of march

Get out

I like 1999 okay, but I really really really liked their recent Xmas song Hug Me - maybe just for the atmosphere at Inkigayo that day but either way (http://youtu.be/YgTmW5ZfccY).

STELLAR returned to kick butt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCQpzHPYRUc

(Sadly seem to be catching a knee-jerk reaction as representative of a degenerate -or whatever, I don't get it either- trend for overtly sexy concepts, but maybe that's just from the i-netizens.)

Yeah, I saw that the post on omona had a ton of comments and was expecting it to be because the song is awesome... was not expecting the backlash at all, though this MV is particularly male gaze-y.

I'm torn because I do think the MV is kinda gross, but I like the song more than their other ones.

Like it's not just about the sexiness being too blatant or whatever, but also the number of times we're looking at their bodies from behind or with their faces cropped out of the shot.

The milk dripping was a bit much

It's fair enough aesthetically -although still unfortunate that Stellar have to deal with everyone not in their target audience trying to tear them down- but I gather there's an element of moral condemnation to the netizen backlash here for which I can't see the justification. But I did find the video very sexy (while I don't usually like these bodypart concepts at all) and perhaps that colours my judgement.

Still. I don't think there's something categorically or inherently wrong about showcasing butts or indulging the male gaze - idols in a certain sense are about various kinds of objectification to begin with, to which they consent (or which they seek out) in becoming idols. I could see the problem, in a contingent utilitarian way, if Stellar's video contributed to an unfair portrayal of the sexes but that doesn't seem to be the case at all given that k-pop hands out the sex appeal quite evenly and objectifies everybody. Boy groups are designed and filmed to appeal to fangirl tastes as well and few people (/i-netizens) object on moral grounds to videos emphasizing their bodies to delight the fangirls/boys, or to the culture of objectification around boy groups.

There's like a slut-shaming implication that this kind of video is more "embarrassing" for Stellar than it would be for male idols, or that Stellar are less capable of deciding for themselves whether they want to engage in it.

I thought it was sexy too... the comments at omona (at least) are objecting to a perceived lack of agency more than anything else, I think. I see what you mean about aesthetic choices but the whole aesthetic of the song is that Stellar are idiots/dolls who can't stop themselves from being played by some guy who doesn't care about them. I like sad (sexy) girls as much as anyone but this song <i>is</I> pretty disempowering.

The song Topp Dogg should have promoted first off their album (and lined up with the Lunar New Year):

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

I was getting kind of tired of the track, but then some kind of traditional saxophonish instrument comes in at 2:46 and saves it.

Stellar's words are about that, anyway, but I saw literally nobody bring it up until now. The criticism seems to be about how it's embarrassing or degrading in general for them to wiggle their butts in a blatantly provocative way on the video (although maybe the theme does contribute to it and the netizens just haven't figured out how to express what it is precisely that makes them uncomfortable).

I meant more that the criticism rather than the song is fair as an aesthetic rather than a moral judgement -that it's tastelessly blatant, that the milk spilling is silly etc.- but you're right that there is kind of a bothersome disconnect between the words and the video.

The words and the video totally line up, it's just that the message is typical (women as objects) and gross (asking you to use them).

I did see some people talking about how "male gaze" the video is... but lots more who couldn't accept the change from "cute concept" to "sexy concept", so yeah. I'm okay making moral judgments here, aesthetically the song is fine, if not very interesting (because one-dimensional and (probably) dictated by management).

The words and the video certainly line up to present the girls in that way but I'm not sure if that was the intent of the words, or the way the words would read on their own. I don't think there's anything wrong with an objectifying depiction of girls and butts (/abs or backs or whatever with boybands), and I don't think there's anything wrong with a song about being vulnerable in a relationship, rather it's the way the two come together in "Marionette" that is unsettling. I'm not communicating very well, but I meant in my previous post that I was coming around to the position that there is a questionable element to the MV, although it is not the one for which netizens at large seem to attack it.

Lines like

"Look at the broken me, a doll in pain from being torn by you
Look, I’m still being dragged around by you
My deep scars are irreversible
I’m still in your hands, I’m that that that that that that that that doll"

aren't exactly asking to be used (and neither is the marionette metaphor about not having feelings, but rather about loss of control and having one's heart "dragged around", which the lyric treats as a deeply hurtful thing). FWIW, to me the problem here is the way the words come together with the video - the fact that the girls are objectified although they are singing about the pain of feeling like they are being treated like objects, without the MV doing this as some sort of ironic maneuver.

Like, there's something off about the video but I'm still at a loss as to how to express it as anything aside from tainting the aesthetic/artistic unity of the thing. I had no problem with the video to "Love Song", for example.

(And this is still contingent on one's taking the promo clip and dance as a whole with the music in a very concrete way, which I don't think one necessarily has to do)

I got you. It's sadistic more than unfeeling.

Lady cube, female rookie duo making electro, 'Just The Way You Are' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPbWKDeB_ug
'I'm Singing For You' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9iQoke3Bpg

Forgot about the embedding thing

I'm digging this

BTOB!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgtaSJ3PSMM

This song/video is perfect for this group.

Speaking as a sort-of fan: This song is simple but SUPER upbeat, the dorky anti-idolness works so well for them, and I'm still laughing at how they combined the BTOB everyone knows from WOW (retro boyband and out-of-control) with the other side of BTOB (RnB harmonizing in suits like the ballad group they secretly are).

A little iffy on the lyrics (do we need *another* boy group to go abusive boyfriend-y after a breakup?), but I'll live. Illhoon's rap part was gr8, as always.

Speaking of Brave Brothers, the title track on Sunmi's new mini is turrible but Who Am I isn't half bad.

And Park Ji Yong's Beep, which also features piano as well as some hopefully-cleared clips from Soul Train.

Surely you mean Seoul Train

If you look verrrrrrry closely, you can tell which clips are new and which are from the 70s television show.

Yeah I like how they pull back on the 70s-broadcast-TV filter as the MV goes on, by the end it becomes pretty clear

Also wish I had a 70s-broadcast-TV-filter in my Final Cut Pro

It's really well done... though the Koreans hamming it up for the camera are another clue...

I'm very indifferent to this song by SPEED but the performance is off the hook, they're like a completely different group: http://youtu.be/IEfE6UyBDXk. Core Contents Media must be patting themselves on the back right now for hopping on board the "seven rappers in one group" train before it was trendy.

I can't remember if we've covered rookie group Kiss&Cry yet in this thread, but they're also killing it live: http://youtu.be/s4-7Lfjrc58

In other music show news, I've been following the live performances of Some (Soyou x Junggigo) diligently because they have so little chemistry it's hilarious... so far they have resorted to singing with their backs to each other, singing from opposite sides of the stage, and taking turns singing and sitting in chairs to try to disguise their anti-chemistry, but no matter what they do it always shines through.

This latest performance isn't any better chemistry-wise but at least Junggigo is v. v. happy with their music show win yesterday (I speculate): http://youtu.be/rhi48uTir90

New soshi has leaked and it's actually fairly decent. SM are in damage control mode but it's already spread like wildfire across the net。http://m.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0aEhimdNRzUwNPF2p2EPqnLf4msBxBSH

I'm gonna listen to the soshi album, but in the meantime:

http://youtu.be/PUMt9JwBO04

Second AlphaBAT single, like a more-listless Nilili Mambo. For a group with no obvious talents (apart from that one rapper guy - he's pretty good), their songs have been surprisingly on point.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncUiI4-Zf1Q

Interesting single from BTS that shows what happens when your aesthetic sense is more highly developed than your emotional maturity.

New 2NE1! Had to admit, my expectations weren't exactly sky-high given their past couple of releases but this is HUGE.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OODTt2kahI0

Such a good album overall, loving this so much more than SNSD's latest. Very well-sequenced too. Full album here: https://soundcloud.com/wxygshowxyz

Nice!

"happy" is wonderful

oh lol and here's "scream," just hanging out in the back of the tracklisting

Holy Shit :)))))))))

Deserves its own thread, obviously 2NE1 - Crush

<3!

I know it's hard to listen anything that's not 2NE1 right now, but these girls are good!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3OoMbhuiHw

I personally welcome the new era of Aegyo Hip Hop.

Also the new TVXQ is supremely enjoyable http://youtu.be/2rU_RZy2XhI

And BESTie! http://youtu.be/pAHVpMid5_Q

Per Teddy, it's probably 'instant' music... but it's really fun.

MR MR return with MR MR (and great timing):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgPeY_Km6h4

What do you guys think of the other MR MR now that the video's out? I appreciated what they were trying to with all the hospital shots and filters but it felt kind of disjointed to me, and the soporific vibe kinda put me to sleep >__>

^^ahahahahahahahaha that is some shameless trolling. But um, for real though, I like this one better than the other MR MR (not sorry).

it's nice, right?

Unfortunate scandals and all, Mr.Mr are a good rookie group - I've enjoyed more or less everything I've heard from them so far.

Has anyone actually heard the entire Lady Cube album?

I previewed it on iTunes but can't decide if I should get it.

Girls Day Minah entering the duet field: http://youtu.be/2pXZG9aYvcw

Song is nice, very relaxing, Minah has a good voice. Rapper dude is nothing special but not offensive either... an enjoyable diversion on this cloudy Sunday morning.

Neon Bunny's back! http://youtu.be/Y-muW8zyaNc

Video's private :( What's the song title?

Here's Gain's 24 Hours: ♥

Also enjoyed B1A4 covering an old g.o.d. song, and CNBlue's Can't Stop (might be my favorite song of theirs).

Also, Simon D is gonna be co-CEO of Jay Park's AOMG label !!!

Here's a different upload of Neon Bunny http://youtu.be/BWbK2DO5xKA

So good

ty ty!

Great song & great video for RnB fans from Navi:

http://youtu.be/xTUmlXhETws

The white turtleneck + pencil skirt combo is making me nostalgic for EXID.

G-Dragon and CL are on a track from the new Skrillex album (Soundcloud track at link).

Damn that's nice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Med2XipHJJM

Nice debut single from WINGS, big chorus of "i'm cutting my hair short" http://youtu.be/X0_1odmqmCM

The small, dancing Catellena
Without knowing,
I’m falling for you
Chic and proud,
Catellena
Jutti meri oye hoi hoi,
I’m bewitched

Oh my, she’s so great I’ve
fallen for her Even as a girl,
I can see she’s so great. She’s
temperamental but I want to
see her I want to know her,
I want to dance with her

Lalala shake, shake it,
wave your hand
Scream until you
lose your voice
(Jutti Meri Oye Hoi Hoi
Paula Mera Oye Hoi Hoi)
Good job, I’ll give
you 100 points

Softly, softly,
melting, melting
Shivering,
shivering, trembling
I want to
follow her

I don’t like her because she’s
so chic But even as a girl, I can
see she’s so attractive I’m angry
but I want to dance for an hour,
two hours I want to play down
to my very last bone

Lalala shake, shake it,
wave your hand
Scream until you
lose your voice
(Jutti Meri Oye Hoi Hoi
Paula Mera Oye Hoi Hoi)
Not good enough,
have some more strength

The small, dancing Catellena
Without knowing,
I’m falling for you
Chic and proud,
Catellena
Jutti meri oye hoi hoi,
I’m bewitched

The hands that brush by
are warm Is she actually nice
once you get to know her?

My temperamental Catallena
Everyone is falling for her
Chic and proud,
Catellena
Jutti meri oye hoi hoi,
I’m bewitched

Softly, softly,
melting, melting
Shivering,
shivering, trembling
I want to
follow her

I was going to just quote one part but man this entir song is soooooooooo suggestive

Between Orange Caramel and the Key/Woohyun Delicious project it looks like March is shaping as an awesome month for sexy food metaphors.

I'm sorry I brought Toheart into this actually, Key+Woohyun aren't touching the out-and-out suggestiveness of Orange Caramel right now <3 <3 <3

From Ytube:

"The title song "Catallena" is an Indian disco song which also inspired by 'Jutti Meri', a Pakistan's ethnic group Punjab's folk song. With a perfect harmony of funky guitar and the string sound combined with the lyrics about weird but somehow attractive character "Catallena", this addictive song truly shows the unique style of ORANGE CARAMEL."

I was all ready to be "meh" about the song but since it's about cunnilingus I'll give it 100 out of 100 points.

Something different: http://youtu.be/7eZ1EpVrTnQ <-- !!!

ha was just about to ask if "oy hoy hoy" is a korean expression but i guess not. dope mv anyway

You know what, I'm going to embed Kream:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7eZ1EpVrTnQ

"Dalla" is his debut song, a lot of it sounds borrowed but it's impressive how easily he switches between the song's different modes. That part at :39 is so familiar, which year-end-best-of-list rapper am I thinking of?

Yeah it's a really ace song

And here's Loco from AOMG (Jay Park's company): http://youtu.be/o7c59YlP2fQ

One more http://youtu.be/nvpxjr34iN4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xLFxfXWDUk

Expected SNSD's Twinkle for a hot second but the new 4minute is okay... catchy at least.

But so much glitter and spandex...

Jiyoon is a better rapper than I thought

@forapper, the reasons why I enjoyed that may not have all been entirely musical.

4Minute song for some reason works a lot better for me t han last year's two singles. Opening verses w Jiyoon and Soyeon are so good.

2 things:

Crayon Pop opening for Gaga US shows is so great, they play with pop and performance like her but in a very different way.

BoA is now a creative director at SM. Her first decision should be to release a BoA album!

https://www.norwegian.com/magazine/features/2014/03/welcome-to-the-machine

Swedish involvement with K-pop article

K-pop is sometimes criticised as music by numbers – Kennel-produced number ones include (f)x’s Rum Pum Pum Pum and Wa$$up’s Nom Nom Nom

Given that those two songs don't sound particularly alike, that is an odd line to take. Also it's always difficult to work out who should take the most credit out of lists of writers/producers and the article does mention the Norwegians of DSign, but I'd say they have a bigger profile than the Swedes. And you can actually draw more of a direct link between them and Stargate, given that one of their main writers sang on Stargate's unsuccessful stuff under their own name.

4minute's new song is very 4minute, even though it's a BraveBros track like the last two. They've been killing it live, too.

Speaking of live, Year 7 Class 1 made it to TV and they are sooooo cute, I take back all the bad stuff I said about them before.

BTOB spotted filming for America's Next Top Model, which is set in Korea this cycle. 4minute probably would have been better, but maybe they were busy.

Lee Michelle!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLl-Xwoos68

She's a former Kpop Star contestant. I think the video is powerful and speaks for itself.

Though the piano at the beginning reminds me of Disney's 'Colors of the Wind'.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ygCm0g85gSU

MBLAQ back with more early-00s R&B realness

"realness" is right, haha

Those ghost "whoos" are pretty funny, MBLAQ's combo of manly and emotional always makes me laugh a little bit

they're so over-dramatic, i love it. this still doesn't top Cry though.

It'd be hard to be more over-dramatic than they were in Cry, yeah XD.

I like to imagine that most of their income comes from royalties on This is War cause I ALWAYS hear it on variety shows during the ~intense competition~ scenes.

SM is rly RLY trying to apply the EXO-Growl success formula to Super Junior M.

Like REALLY really.

Seungyoon and Mino (of Winner) on a Mystic89 single: http://youtu.be/9rutU_b-E2w

For Roz!

:D :D

glad to see those kids keeping busy, since they're prob not debuting anytime soon. i'm looking forward to seeing them in May though (as 2ne1's support act)!

Me too! I hope they're writing some good stuff for their album. Seungyoon's voice is strong enough that the songs don't have to have amazing pop hooks, anything indie-ish will stand out with his voice on it. Although they're a pop, hip hop, boyband with two other vocalists...

(<3 you too Taehyun and Jinwoo)

Can anyone recommend something similar to that Neon Bunny track? She's not on a label, is she?

She's on an indie label, Doggy Rich, I think.

Similar in what way? There's a lot of retro-80s and electro-pop in the Korean indie scene but Neon Bunny sounds like Neon Bunny, she has a really recognizable sound. Chi Chi longer, Litter Breaker, Philtre ft Younha Fade, Mirror Boy Wherever, Humming Urban Stereo Banana Shake are kind of similar, I guess?

And even if they're not that similar I'd still recommend them, lol.

Crayon Pop return after turning into T-ara (paging Koganbot, Koganbot to thread):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocO35G7qhjQ

that's really good. kind of an early ymo sound there.

The choreography is what's impressive to me!

Actually I don't listen to that much K-indie, just enough to know that retro-80s and electro-pop were Things for a while. Maybe someone else can answer your question, ∞.

hah, yeah! also really good! (x-post)

@forapper, cheers. That Chi Chi tune did the trick. That's the general vibe I'm looking for. I'll check out her album.

Had to stop that Litter video because I kind of hate The Killers.

Philtre was cool, as is Mirror Boy, but singing would definitely be nice.

I really need to learn Korean.

Chi Chi are an idol group and they're disbanded, sadly :( Their track <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93Y8B9p6uPc";>Love is Energy</a> is quite good as well.

Whoops >__> Here's the link: http://youtu.be/93Y8B9p6uPc

Sweet, forapper! Love that there is such a strong modulation on that track.

You're my k-pop hook-up, bro!

I'm going to listen to their albums.

Listen to Neon Bunny's first album! (Link)

You might also like Blady - Type B Girl http://youtu.be/BqWAJLEpw8M

Another group that might not survive for much longer...

BTW SPEED-Zombie Party is a lot of fun, in a Why-So-Serious-was-too-serious-and-not-Michael-Jackson-indebted-enough kind of way. It's also good for exercise! (http://youtu.be/_tXdPuQTBls)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyDG3BQRdDY

Crayon Pop MV!

And here's NS Yoon-G looking hottt in her latest:

http://youtu.be/xeKGc00MN48

All of the spandex-booty-shaking of Stellar, none of the blatant-over-the-top objectification.

BoA's US premiere finally last night

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BkHjxdECQAIObz9.jpg

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

BoA dancing all over this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6P9In3mjpP4

this movie looks sooo terrible, but I've also seen every Step Up movie and this can't be any worse than the second one. looking forward to seeing it someday. :D

I've seen it twice already, heh. The plot hardly registers, cutout cardboard characters and all, except for its silliness. Derek and BoA have chemistry together despite the script though and the reason to watch this is scene after scene of BoA dancing around film sets, which is a glorious thing.

lol no one watches dance movies for the plot anyway.

meanwhile, you all know how much I love Infinite/Sweetune and all their maximalist gloriousness, so here's the instrumental version of their 2011 hit "Before the Dawn" - the video is a reedited version of the original MV.

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

I don't know why they decided to release an instrumental album at all, especially since the whole point of Infinite imo is anthemic choruses sung in perfect harmony. But I guess I'm here for all the OTT videos too. XD

@forapper, I've not been ignoring you. You've just given me a lot to work with!

I've been listening to a lot of music :S

That Blady track is really good!

So is Speed, but I don't think it'll suit my exercising regime when I'm lifting over 100 lbs of iron :)

BoA's new anime opening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thOJqPmtiW4

Lotsa intervening life events, but, with the help of David Frazer (as usual), I was on the Crayon Pop's Crayon Trot move as it was happening, here, here, here (where I mistakenly thought they were also the ones in elegant attire rather than just the ones in old aunty attire), and here.

My favorite Neon Bunny track is "First Love" (I haven't heard all of her records, but this was the ending track on her 2012 EP, Happy Ending).

Neon Bunny is a big hole in the singles jukebox review-o-graphy

Speaking as the person who suggests most of the K-Pop covered there, I had't heard of them! I will check them out.

Yeah she's on her own label I think, not a big player in k-pop per se but has received quite a bit of attention on non-kpop sites. Released a single last month, everything else she's done is great as well.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1nck3p_exo-k-overdose-dance-practice_people

Link may disappear soon - it's a leak (or "leak") of EXO's comeback song 'Overdose'

And it's pretty awesome... like "put this song on repeat" awesome.

And here's some old-school RnB from a new group: http://youtu.be/ZLFKMgYNqZw

Jay Park!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrHZ6LUBMsA

If he only comes out with one jam a year, in the spring each year, I'll be happy.

That's nice

Everything old is New again: http://youtu.be/dmKsjhW64bI

You'll wanna skip to 0:53

Block B continues with the Joker/crazy clown theme:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4zvN1Pjzn8

Also, this is accurate: http://blockblicious.tumblr.com/post/82163234541/how-block-b-mvs-are-made

So I went back to Seoul again this past week for vacation, since I didn't get enough the first time

Having had a real chance to walk around for a week, I'd say I heard (playing in retail shops) 70% songs from CRUSH, 20% Mr.Mr. (just the single) and about 10% other

Strangely at all the k-pop merch stores I went to it was really hard to find much of 2NE1 anything

I don't know if I can get behind that Block B single, and I say that as someone with diagnosed ADD. On the other hand, if Zico was helping out with SPEED, it would explain a lot.

I think I played it ten times in a row but can't seem to recall anything about the song after. Great video though.

actually, i don't think I've liked any Block B song since Nilili Mambo - they're a talented and interesting group but they always seem better in concept than execution.

Very Good grew on me live, and I like the songs Zico produced for D-Unit. But yeah, same. They're lucky they came to an agreement with Brand New Stardom so they can still do Nalina at their concerts.

Rumors that scenes from Jiyeon (T-ara)'s solo MV are being scrapped because they show her drowning in a box of water on set, in light of the ferry disaster.

And this is old, but decent: http://youtu.be/QYMpINYh4pk 100% are always putting out singles that are squarely boyband but just that bit above average, maybe because the singing is solid.

Looks like Spring is cancelled in S. Korea this year - the April/May festivals and the lovestruck idol music - but here's a Spring song from the remaining 2/4 of Offroad that's not half bad:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fE6uRMTs-nc

Their group name is lolzy also

Every track on the Instant Downloads Top 10 chart is an EXO track right now... that must be why SM decided to put 5 songs on each of the 2 versions of their (Underdogs produced) mini.

Here's the mini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wbohqf64mNA&list=PLdFtvQzKN-ok6F9mbrplsKbimpEKVy5yz

Besides the single, Moonlight and Thunder are the standout tracks.

Overdose is pretty good. Pre-chorus and chorus packs a punch. Another case of the complex SM in-house/ foreign team co-production

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Bm-92kbCQAAP6nW.jpg

2.7 million views already o_O

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI0DGvqKZTI

great song, just wished it belonged to a less boring group. EXO are so goddamn bland, but it works for them I guess.

EXO aren't bland, but you have to dig a bit - their image is even more tightly controlled/they're under even tighter lockdown than most idols.

The key to what's interesting about EXO is following EXO-M on Chinese TV, and following the Chinese members (especially Kris & Tao) on weibo, because those outlets are less tightly controlled (and Tao can't be tamed).

In general this group spent a bit *too* long in media training, and errs a bit *too* much on the side of not giving offense, but there's some fairly nutty stuff going on if you look a bit closer.

If you have an hour and a half to kill, here's an actually entertaining show with EXO: http://youtu.be/VIB7bMBFfaA

Ask me which member of EXO I think is the "Overdose" (it's Tao - Wolf/Growl is Luhan).

Performance-wise they are bland, though, I agree. The only live performance of theirs I like this this one.

Kiss and Cry's homemade MV is getting hate but I quite like it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yJ3qZYFC8g

Big news for Ga-in!

If the news (that she and her Fxxk U co-star were Really a Thing) had come out before the music video, I'd have figured it was promotion, but since it came out after... it's still promotion, lol, but promotion following reality.

If that's the news you mean, 龜.

New MR MR for Roz: http://youtu.be/UFBi4ToPIwk

http://hollywoodlife.com/2014/05/08/zony-yony-dancing-twins-the-ellen-degeneres-show-video/

So Lady Gaga's fans will know Bar Bar Bar was a thing.

Yeah, Ga-in's relationship status

I know it's big news when even my HK friends are posting about it on facebook xp

lol cheers, forapper.

re EXO: i dunno... i just feel like for a group as huge and as ubiquitous as they are, they're curiously colourless. There's nothing that can be described as an EXO sound, they have mediocre singers and rappers (EXO-M >>> EXO-K, though) and apart from Kai, their dancing isn't all that great either. They're not even good as a collective the way say, Infinite are. They always seem like they stumbled onto their good songs by accident.

Kiss&Cry's live stages were super impressive - I agree that that MV doesn't do them justice.

I think we're in agreement about EXO as performers... there's some individual talent in EXO (Baekhyun and D.O. have good tone and technique, Tao is a decent rapper, Lay can dance, etc) but the group as a whole don't excel at anything and aren't that much fun to watch on stage... the main thing they have going for them is that they can keep their composure when the atmosphere heats up, which is often cause there are like 3-4 hardcore maniacs in this group which might be some kind of Kpop record.

And they get a lot of exposure, and SM invests in their album tracks and not just their singles, and they get a LOT of exposure, and there are a lot of people in China.

Hyosung (from Secret)'s new single is turrible, but the B-sides are fun: http://youtu.be/cP5VT2xRTUs, http://youtu.be/cP5VT2xRTUs

Also I know it's not cool to talk about how much (esp female) celebrities weigh, but I'm glad she's curvy again.

And this one (Junggigo ft Beenzino) I wish I wasn't over my limit so I could embed:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xteny-dgr4I Very spring, much sunglasses

Whoops, here's the second Hyosung track: http://youtu.be/UMV8CnAeQ70

Actually let me take back Junggigo, on second listen it's kind of boring and commercial.

Let me substitute Weesung: Best Man, 돈 벌어야 돼

ok lol EXO drama

o___O

Though if you asked me to pick the one member of EXO most likely to sue for nullification of contract I would have picked Kris, actually. He's tried to leave a couple times before.

Was rumored to have tried to leave, I mean.

Fan speculation is on this is crazy (Baekhyun hid his phone when SM staff were making the rest of EXO unfollow Kris on Instagram & was slapped for doing so; staff wrote Tao's comments on Instagram calling Kris a betrayer), but are they *too* crazy? SM has a reputation as a super-controlling company with an abusive management style, so some of it could be true.

What I'm finding hard to believe are the people saying EXO hasn't made any money yet. I know SM invested a lot in them but they sold over a million albums and won a bunch of industry awards, surely there was *some* profit???

gossip gossip gossip

Album sales don't bring in much profit though - concert tours do and EXO hasn't had the time for any yet. That could be why the other members are so pissed with Kris, because they were just about to go on their first solo tour around Asia this year.

The bulk of SM's profits come from SNSD and TVXQ's extremely lucrative Japanese tours.

I tried following the updates on this on Tumblr but 80 per cent of it was fandom meltdown, and the other 20 per cent was lols from exo non-stans.

Yeah, all the social media drama about follows and unfollows and "secret messages" sent via changing ur background header on weibo seems like a sideshow drawing attention away from the main issue, which is whether the allegations in his lawsuit have merit or not.

Forget the previous MR MR "single" I posted, that was just a throwaway for the fans. The real MR MR single is this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skYHtXxer6k

Think I'm joining Roz on the stan train, all their singles are good.

It makes a big difference when all five members can sing.

Btw this is also means you have to stan their low-budget videos and lolsy choreography.

Sokay, I'm kinda into SPEED lately (or just "Zombie Party") and their videos all look homemade :P

Great Humming Urban Stereo track featuring Narsha, promising well for the album which is out NOT and will make the summer that much brighter http://youtu.be/bdJJ0T-11fs

New Infinite single is a fun Sweetune party http://youtu.be/L7kaScuQ0KM

that humming urban stereo track is fab.

Also, I've only played it once through but man, the first half of that Infinite album is -packed- with jams. They've really come into their own sound - some of these Sweetune arrangements are sooooo corny but this group almost always manages to turn their cheesiness into an asset. They're like a K-pop ELO.

The Infinite album is great, the Phantom album and Jiyeon's solo debut are mediocre, when the podcast I did with J and M for the singles jukebox about Kpop we're anticipating comes out it's already going to be outdated (or just my parts will be outdated).

Have never read more enticing words than "K-pop ELO"

well I'd be surprised if Sweetune weren't ELO fans tbh.

Jesus. 龜 otm. ELO is so awesome. And a K-pop ELO just sounds so amazing.

I'm at work, but I'll get around to listening to it some time today.

Infinite comeback stages: http://youtu.be/s67mgZXio1E

And here's T-ara Jiyeon with the "drowning" theme we were promised, CCM courting controversy as always http://youtu.be/Qy7Pdibbwas

BoA on Aussie X Factor

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G842AK_c8gs

http://maddieloveskpop.tumblr.com/post/86845501756

^ Not sure if she posts anymore but enjoying this rundown

This year's 15& songs are pretty pretty good but Yerin isolated.. best voice in k-pop? http://youtu.be/Fq795T68c_k http://youtu.be/rSnFstSxZb4

http://youtu.be/kyhTPU01Db4

15&'s single Sugar is SO good. I hope someone who can still embed videos will put it in this thread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pjuHcP5hsM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pjuHcP5hsM

Thx 龜!

Listening to 15&'s album and it's pretty ace so far!

"sugar" changing my life rn

okay, this album is officially great

^is it on spotify?

I don't think so... it's on Youtube at http://youtu.be/YwHTn5UTDyI

thanks. it's a pain listening to youtube on my phone at work, but i'll give it a listen in a sec

NP! They're on Naver too if you'd rather listen without video.

Whoops, looks like Naver doesn't work outside of Korea... sorry ∞, hope it's worth it when you finally get to listen

Nice relaxing belated Spring track, from Kim Yeon Woo and Kyung of Block B (who gets all the best features for some reason):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M52hTSrK57w

I really love that video, a bit iffy on the song itself. Park Kyung is underrated though - Zico gets all the attention but I've always liked Kyung's more laidback style.

I like Kim Yeon Woo's tone and my standards for Spring tracks are low to begin with, lol. But it does start off stronger than it finishes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqbXx4pHu-k#t=151

And in a less lolzy video (MAYBE), here's BTOB on Immortal Song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtwqZR8Z_no

the best

If there's one thing you can't accuse Breath of, it's not sounding like a ZE:A single. They really have a recognizable sound.

I mean this is basically The Day We Broke Up, Part 2, no?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0tkGdr0R0g

wa$$up's Brazil world cup song: fun song, funner video. (and considering they were probably made for the South American market, very timely)

TOPP DOGG all over the place as usual, but this single is actually, relatively, more cohesive:

http://youtu.be/kUSIdLEs2hA

I'm kind of looking for to Kidoh (their main composer)'s solo album, there's a lot of talent in this group.

Annnnnd here's the Topp Dogg mini: youtube.com/watch?v=WrnvjS22KPw&list=PLN7JkcVNG8Ikg1gWZgrddAe2wC4n0zVxd

"this might be the last, but it sure as hell ain't gonna be the least"

Mini is a MESS but there's something there... maybe. 'Amadaeus' sounds like a 4minute song tho.

And then there's this unexpectedly good song from Cross Gene http://youtu.be/abcv7Ua1JrU

What's getting me is how much they're posing *exactly* like a girl-group would.

Really dig this song and it was filmed in my city!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUCIzn0mRHc

AKMU!!! They're known for their deeper-than-pop-generally-is lyrics so this fits right in. That kid is a really good actor too.

I'm kind of feeling the girl-group songs out right now, Tahiti 'Oops You're Mine' http://youtu.be/SK3q9C4lAmg (maybe I'm just relieved they're not all scary-thin anymore) and Bob Girls 'No Way' http://youtu.be/Ty8co3ttizQ (paging Osamu Tezuka, Osamu Tezuka come in).

The real news from the week, though, is that Taeyang's set designers deserve a raise:

http://youtu.be/QVk85qm_d9c
http://youtu.be/7kWBgBx_x5w

AKMU!!! They're known for their deeper-than-pop-generally-is lyrics so this fits right in. That kid is a really good actor too.

I'm kind of feeling the girl-group songs out right now, Tahiti 'Oops You're Mine' http://youtu.be/SK3q9C4lAmg (maybe I'm just relieved they're not all scary-thin anymore) and Bob Girls 'No Way' http://youtu.be/Ty8co3ttizQ (paging Osamu Tezuka, Osamu Tezuka come in).

― hurricane weather (forapper), Thursday, June 12, 2014 7:35 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I'm all into the deep/philosophical songs/lyrics if given an option, though

@forapper, by the way, isn't it super late/early in Korea? What are you doing awake?

I'm not in Korea, nor am I Korean, LOL. I live outside NYC!

I'll be in Hong Kong visiting friends in late June/early July, though, and I'm thinking of swinging by Korea or SE Asia... either Seoul or Singapore or MKuala Lumpur, I haven't decided yet.

I'm sorry ∞... Akdong Musician get a lot of coverage on other websites though. I like their OST song I Love You.

^Just pulling your chain, forapper

And oh, sorry. I didn't know why I thought you were Korean and lived there.

don't*

AKMU are a little too twee for me but yeah that's their best song, and the video's beautiful.

Taeyang's stages for "Eyes, Nose, Lips" are gorgeous, and he sounds good too. someone on omona said YGE overhauled their creative department this year which might explain why their recent releases have been on point + barely any delays! way to step up.

btw are we not into Crush around here? What rhymes with...

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

What other people call a teaser, History call a "pre-listening release":

http://youtu.be/1gndhS771A0

I love how Kpop companies assume you'll want to buy an album based on who composed the tracks and their degree of sophistication in genre-borrowing.

J4kob D0r0f is an ilxor, no? Dude, if you're still around... thanks for this sweet interview with Winner!

Anyone else following the drama with EXO and SNSD? Fans are approaching Changmin-in-a-spoon levels of detection... they figured out that EXO Baekhyun posted a photo of himself at Taeyeon's house based on the wallpaper, and that a picture Taeyeon posted of two oreos was a coded message to BH because his name means "white black" and the oreos were stacked the same way as the ones on his birthday cake. Apparently.

Crayon Pop!

http://youtu.be/dlg6DkJF3sE

It's for the soundtrack of a show called "Trot Lovers" and it sounds like an Orange Caramel song <-- everything you need to know

Haven't liked Beast's recent singles but this new one is pretty good. chorus keeps getting stuck in my head.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hs8QGv2VqJA

It's for the soundtrack of a show called "Trot Lovers" and it sounds like an Orange Caramel song <-- everything you need to know

gotta admit, I don't fully grasp what 'trot' music really is but I've really enjoyed the last two crayon pop singles and am curious. I've dug around and the history about how it evolved from enka is really interesting but I haven't found any modern examples that have really done it for me and that's more what I'm after (dance beats, keyboard presets, good stuff like that - basically looking for more songs that sound like "uh-ee").

a little help? recommended comps, mixes, etc. would be greatly appreciated!

f(x) continue to release amazing teasers

https://31.media.tumblr.com/939e40db107cff95a480554044006ad4/tumblr_inline_n7xpvk23iv1qdjb7q.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhrgQdEgL-g

http://www.southflorida.com/music/sf-kpop-korean-culture-south-florida-20140627,0,1290145.story

f(x)! http://youtu.be/iv-8-EgPEY0

They look amazing! Shame about the song though - some great sounds in there, but overall a bit of a mess.

I'm into it. I loved IGAB. I even dug 'Wolf'. Disjointed SM singles get a big 'yes' from me in general.

The other song they've performed, Milk, is also classic f(x) and great https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAo87xaFJAw

lol i hate "IGAB", and can only barely tolerate "Wolf" (the "awwwwoooooooo...."s amuse me).

"Milk" is good though. :D I'm still looking forward to the rest of the album.

f(x) album is out and it delivers for anyone who liked pink tape

Looks like f(x) went ahead and made the indie MV they teased in front of Pink Tape, lol.

Have you guys heard the demo track SM turned into Red Light? It's kind of a better song (http://youtu.be/xJo3DN0Nrzs)

But I also like Milk

Had to double-check to make sure these girls weren't a Jpop group: http://youtu.be/8b9TWbkN0K8

SHINee Jonghyun sharing some self-composed songs on his radio show, of which this is the prettiest

I mean it's clear why SM aren't falling all over themselves to put this out as an album, but they're serviceable... B2ST's Good Luck is growing on me btw.

ummmm B2ST's new mini, Jonghyun's new songs, and all of Red Light fucking kill it. plus the finalized "Red Light" is miles beyond the boring, straightup trap demo.

I can't say which just yet, but I just successfully pitched an article at a HUGE (and hugely influential) publication that stands to be the biggest and most detailed musical discussion of K-pop to date. The idea is to talk about K-pop not as MV countdown, cultural curio, or fashion talking point, but as actual, fantastic music (for once!). I'm substantiating the claim that K-pop has produced some of the most intelligent, adventurous, and challenging pop music in recent times.

I think ILX might have some good perspective here. What are the most MUSICALLY mindblowing K-pop songs you know? Does not have to be a single or have a video, but if it was a commercially successful song then that's a bonus. Examples of what I mean are things like "Rum Pum Pum Pum," "One Minute Back" (SHINee), the "Whatever They Say" a capella by DBSK, etc. "Catallena" stuff. Please rack your brains for me; maybe one of your favorite songs will wind up in a milestone K-pop article!

(didn't want to risk opening a new thread since i'm pretty newb, but do you think this merits it? this is gonna be the most significant k-pop article in yearssss)

I feel like I was just asked to help with someone's dissertation, lol. But OK!

SNSD - I Got a Boy (it's a musical in a single song), MR MR (it has two key changes)

B1A4 - What's Going On (sounds like it's made entirely out of bridges, has five key changes)

2PM - Hands Up (awesome backing instrumental that sounds busy and clean at the same time)

JJ Project - Bounce (shifts from trap to K-hip-hop to rock and back again, v. good and underrated song that was sadly released ahead of its time)

2NE1 - Gotta Be You (can't decide what genre it wants to be but pop-prettified all the way through), Come Back Home (although the genre-switching in this song sounds like a stunt)

EXO - Wolf (harsh-sounding electro-dupstep track promoting madness that's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Mountain-Three-Short-Sleeve/dp/B002HJ377A";>3 Wolves</a> levels of cheesy), also some of the experimental RnB tracks on EXO's first mini like What is Love and Machine

SHINee - Why So Serious (to quote absfk, it's metal/mental, a homegrown version of the crazy tracks SMEnt likes to buy off foreign producers to keep up their rep of being futuristic and modern)

Infinite - The Chaser (has traditional instruments), Destiny (lacks modulation)

TOPDOGG - Arario (has traditional instruments AND lacks modulation!...I think these guys make unintentionally weird songs because they're ambitious while still learning how to write, like Double A and B1A4)

GDragon - CraYon (touched off the many-songs-in-one-song craze)

SISTAR - Alone (pop piano/disco/reggae hybrid)

MFBTY - Sweet Dream (wouldn't sound out of place on US pop radio except it mixes two totally different genres together)

Boyfriend - I'll Be There/Brave Girls - Nowadays You/ZE:A - Aftermath/C Clown - Shaking Heart (dunno if any of these are ground-breaking but Kpop certainly does set its sad/psychotic breakup songs to a faster beat you'd find in most other countries, also the C Clown song and many Shinsadong Tiger tracks surprisingly use traditional instruments for their dance tracks)

Tara - Roly Poly (it secretly speeds up from 126 to 130 beats per minute), Lovey Dovey (ditto but only speeds up during the chorus)

Wa$$up - Jingle Bell (like very few other Xmas songs you've ever heard)

Wonderboyz - Tarzan (I dunno that anyone else is going for the pop-radio-friendly-dancehall-lite sound this song has, for better or worse)

[this list needs more girlgroup songs!]

Overall I'd say it's not that Kpop is more experimental, but that Kpop producers make more of an attempt to incorporate newly popular sounds into songs that are then produced in a crowd-pleasingly approachable pop way, with sticky melodies/traditional instruments/lots of energy.

Not wanting to pigeonhole one group here but I would personally add 'Oh', 'Gee' and 'Boys' by Girls' Generation in there.
When 'Oh' was released I found myself listening to it about 10 times a day, and even now consider it one of my favourite tracks ever - when speaking with friends a lot of common SNSD respect seems to be for 'Gee', a 'mutually loved' track you could say :).
I added 'Boys' too because of that sensational performance on Letterman.

soyrev, will you be covering the hit producers - Brave Brothers, Shinsadong Tiger, Teddy, Sweetune, Primary, Kenzie etc? Most of them have signature sounds which in turn have driven K-pop's big musical trends.

f(x) - Airplane
Someone on here I think described it as sounding like a Max Tundra song, which was a connection I wouldn't have made on my own, but it's quite accurate (Max Tundra never sounded so pretty though). Actually the first time I heard it, I thought of Robyn - the melodies are very Swedish pop.

miss A - Bad Girl Good Girl
I love those gurgling synths

GD&TOP - Knock Out
Diplo samples Cajmere's "Percolator" for a basic af beat, sends it to YG where G-Dragon & TOP, both at peak charisma, turn it into an instant classic party jam. It might still be the best thing produced by everyone involved.

BIGBANG - Sunset Glow
Skittering synths, stunning production on this deceptively joyous breakup track.

BTOB - WOW
New Jack k-pop!

It might have been me calling Airplane Max Tundra. It's that little synth-melody at the end of every chorus (didelide du-diii-du) which sounds so Tundraish to me. And the amazing thing is how the Robyn/Max Tundra sounds are meshed with this blatant edm-drop structure, which is something you would probably never get in Sweden. There is a mix of the sophisticated and the low-brow, which to me underlines how arbitrary those distinctions are in western pop.

Oh I'd also add 'Crayon Pop - Bar Bar Bar' and 'MBLAQ - Smoky Girl' from last year to my list of accomplished tracks.

You could add Duble Sidekick to that list of hitmakers, though some of their songs are misses (Tara N4's Countryside Life and Girls Day Something (which combines are hits, Hyomin's Goodnight Kiss (which is ENTIRELY made up of the chorus and prechorus, no verses) is a miss for me. Hyomin's You Don't Know Women is an excellent recent non-single track though.

Also if you talk about Teddy plz mention his ex-YG cowriting buddy Kush (of S Korea's first reggae group Stony Skunk) as well

here's a list of influential kpop producers that popped up while I was looking for info on History's 'Psycho' (which is dope BTW); http://beyondhallyu.com/k-pop/12-k-pop-producers-composers-know/

History - Psycho (composed by Lee Min Soo and produced by the guy who's done all their releases so far):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJDc5vYw_UE

^yeah that track is so good, even though really not here for yet another k-boyband song about stalking.

Stalking is like History's whole thing though, and they always make it sound creepy and unhinged so I kind of like them for that

in other news, joining the euphemism train with Crush 'Hug Me' and Gary 'Shower Later', there's Beenzino 'Let Me Paint You Like How Jackson Pollack Did' http://youtu.be/Dn0anyrB2mg

Mini is solid and summery, I also like How Do I Look http://youtu.be/oHTQxuMfxaE and I Don't Have to Work http://youtu.be/vz5xwnAiIa8

on the other hand GOT7's smirking 'you know you want me girl' thing irritates me way more, even though it's (supposed to be) more harmless. "A" is musically a nice chill track though http://youtu.be/eISomx-VMow

hahahahaha ok there's nothing euphemistic about that Beenzino track.

guess not, lol.

another producer list http://noonchi.us/article/show/best-kpop-producers

maybe if it was just the jackson pollack reference and didn't also talk about Brazilian waxes and 'in my bed, let me paint you...' etc

It might have been me calling Airplane Max Tundra. It's that little synth-melody at the end of every chorus (didelide du-diii-du) which sounds so Tundraish to me. And the amazing thing is how the Robyn/Max Tundra sounds are meshed with this blatant edm-drop structure, which is something you would probably never get in Sweden. There is a mix of the sophisticated and the low-brow, which to me underlines how arbitrary those distinctions are in western pop.

― Frederik B, Wednesday, July 16, 2014 9:26 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

totally! It ties in with how a lot of K-pop (well Asian pop in general tbh) can come across as cheesy to Westerners - Korean idols aren't really afraid of coming across as campy or OTT, and this extends to the music as well. One of the primary appeals of K-pop, musically, for me, is that (melo)drama is not just embraced but encouraged.

Oh, man, the new INFINITE album! I only just realized it came out. Along with this, which for me is a fine one-song restatement of the greatness of K-Pop:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7kaScuQ0KM

^I really love Last Romeo and it says something about Infinite's run of quality singles that that's actually considered one of their weakest tracks.

Also, they're already on their -next- comeback! The music is a little buried here, but it seems the new single is some kind of unholy alliance between piano ballad, "I Will Survive", and squelchy French electro.

"Back": http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21ox0t_140718-kbs-music-bank-infinite-back_music

And what's more remarkable is that that song was produced by the same guys who did this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZn72SqGljU

(^count as one of the songs that blew my mind musically btw, though not exactly K-pop.)

I can't believe Infinite are ALREADY returning. If we count Woohyun's thing with Key and their instrumental album repackage, did they ever leave? Are they going to be this year's SHINee?

Should be working on something else, but soyrev's question captured me, even if I have time for only minimal answers:

2NE1 "I Am The Best," 2NE1 "I Am The Best," 2NE1 "I Am The Best," 2NE1 "I Am The Best."

CL going beyond effervescent into total incandescence while she and the others prance about in the vicinity of towering, bruising electrodoodles. There's a live version caught on fancam in Singapore that captures the emotional rush.

But I wouldn't say that "mindblowing" is what attaches me to K-pop. I like how disco and Michael Jackson and freestyle and Italopop and Scandopop and Bell Biv DeVoe are living presences, with hip-hop incorporated in ways that seem less forced (or less tough, or something) than in America. Everything in play and seemingly used as easily as fingerpaint. But I can't safely generalize about K-pop any more than I can generalize about American pop. One thing I like about Miss A's "Bad Girl Good Girl" is that you can see the effort, which I find touching and inspiring. And then they followed up their basic R&B with "Breathe," which sounds like half R&B and half comic operetta. Hilarious live performance here (bad transfer, but the best version).

E.via/Tymee, the angriest rapper, is also the most vulnerable and funny. "Shake" and "Pick Up! U!."

My favorite K-pop track is T-ara's slavish (so to speak) Britney rip, "I Go Crazy Because Of You." T-ara are a whole world, one that I don't really understand, but I'm consistently drawn to it. For instance, in the "Roly-Poly" vid, Jiyeon is effervescent without once cracking a smile, an engaging disengagement she kept up in the initial live promotions. And here's a compilation live performance of "Lovey-Dovey" with its poignantly simplified shuffle dance, many outfits, and excited crowd (and maybe T-ara ripping themselves up internally, but you don't see it).

Speaking of Britney, here's BoA doing one of the great dances ever on a Britney discard that fell to her.

My favorite SNSD is a mobile phone commercial for which Bloodshy & Avant simply lifted the chords from their Rachel Stevens song "Sweet Dreams My LA Ex."

Lee Hyori's mobile phone commercial.

UI covers SNSD and Super Junior.

SHINee cover Corbin Bleu and Jay Sean.

Here's Fat Cat going robo-tush on "My Love Bad Boy" (another of my low-fidelity specials).

What's grabbing me now:

Wa$$up "Jingle Bell," which forapper already mentioned.

After School "Shh," funky bottom, smoove top (in Japanese).

Crayon Pop dress like aunties and go Crayon Trot. The young-uns in the audience tap their toes. "Uh-ee."

Badkiz "Ear Attack." Koreans continue to be endlessly inventive on the "Party Rock Anthem" template.

PungDeng-E "잘탕 (잘 시간이 어딨어)." Kiddie-rap being endlessly inventive on the "Party Rock Anthem" template.

(Actually, Jiyeon does giggle along with her mates during the break-free-from-summer-camp bit at the start of the "Roly-Poly" video, but she's absolutely smile-free in the dance.)

A co-ed group! This song has major shades of 'Umbrella' though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qlrFGzvP8Q

I wanna know who did this video, it's pretty great

further adventures in teal & orange.xls

omg thank you for linking to that thread, it's like a whole new world

could probably come up with a long list of t&o kpop mvs, probably none of them would be as outrageous as 'taxi's t&o garbage bags tho

OMG is this why they're called Orange Caramel?

http://youtu.be/0Z9R57maGvc
http://youtu.be/RjXXSsVNncQ
http://youtu.be/jxxoq7uqnbU (think this one is supposed to mirror early two-tone photography as mentioned in the other thread)

Actually this doesn't seem to be a big thing, Kpop MVs in general are more into the desaturated-->pastel-->FULL BLEEDING COLOR spectrum than any particular color palette.

Except for the MVs that are shot like Hollywood movies (Block B Nalina, Nalili Mambo) or in California (B2ST Midnight, Beautiful Night) or like an old two-tone film (5dolls This and That, AKMU 200%)- those are more teal and orangey.

Petition for f(x) to always perform in fatigues http://youtu.be/nir_6Biz4iA

While I'm on Inkigayo performances, Mamamoo were also a lot of fun this week http://youtu.be/u4ZuiTg38LY

Re T&O: "Taxi" really stood out to me because it was so blatant - I mean, LMW has one backup dancer with blue hair and another with orange hair dancing on opposite sides of the screen! It's actually quite an inventive use of teal and orange - less digital manipulation and more an active choice of colour scheme. plus, you know, Shinhwa orange.

btw, the makers of that video, Digital Pedicure, did most of my favourite MVs of the year: "Catallena", Wings' "Hair Short", B1A4's "What's Happening?", and Kim Yeon Woo's "Move".

And many of last year's too: "Dream Girl", "Babay", "Hate You", "Goodbye 20" (Plus History's hilarious debut teasers XD)

I remember being anti those debut teasers at the time... for the same reason I can't watch BTOB's 'Cool Guys' and feel nervous about the upcoming <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qL9XisVv2s";>Block B</a> I think, XD.

Lee Michelle!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD64ri3DL9E

:(

Upcoming block b: http://youtu.be/2qL9XisVv2s

those History teasers are poking fun at rather than endorsing the whole PUA/NiceGuy thing - they're pretty great imo.

Block B though, jesus.

I know, I hope the actual MV will be better :(

Like maybe they're really after the ice cream or something

Infinite 'Back' is good but somehow not Infinite-like

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

Maybe it's all the time L, Sunggong, Hoya and Dongwoo(!) spend singing on it that makes it not sound like Infinite

Song starts at 1:38

And speaking of Infinite... http://youtu.be/Ndlz2S47jAk

I dunno, that sounds pretty Infinite-like to me. Certainly looks Infinite, too.

I like how it drops into a dance break -before- the chorus.

Infinite = Sunggyu to me, I guess

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q33SoblaZbU

No comments on the jam of the summer???

I like it more than Girls Day "Darling", which I have seen compared to a Christmas jingle in various places around the web. I dunno how I feel about the theme, tho, knowing that Hyorin and company have said in interviews that they don't like doing 'the sexy concept' (but maybe they had to say that (and on the third hand they sell it like they're having fun for real)).

But - maybe misplaced - scruples aside, over I think this song is rly rly fun, like if Loving U had some of the pop of Bubble Pop

Sistar mini is good too! http://youtu.be/kQPCAJdhnIE?list=PL5X8SgiTKfg_XVs9OB4DY-M2b-CIPFHqU

REALLY good, even - at this moment it's my favorite thing they've ever put out, and that's including last year's great Sistar19 mini and Hyolyn's solo CD too

like look at this awesome "But I Hate You" take on Loving U http://youtu.be/npge-CWwW2M

Delight LIVE!

http://youtu.be/qCfdLXW7FFw

Four member changes since Mega Yak, apparently :( But it's nice to see they're still around.

Teasers v. misleading, no HER appears in Block B at all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUHRw7g7KuM

I really like this, it's as hyperactive as all their releases but it hangs together a lot better

Here's a live one with no gap in the middle (terrible sound but great performance):

http://youtu.be/KDXEqFzFlsk

the lovechild of Lipstick and Mamamoo: http://youtu.be/WK8zxO2vzaA

that sistar song is great despite being atmospherically dissociated from my entire idea of them

you think? they've always done uncomfortable-looking supposedly sexy stuff, and summer jams though

Not to mention, always been poaching stuff from 2NE1... in this case, their swimsuits from Falling in Love and the party scene w/ Haha from DYLM.

(Or less frivolously, there's OK GO which kinda sounds like Please Don't Go.)

yeah sistar videos will never not give me secondhand embarrassment. They're the reverse of most K-pop groups I love - I always end up liking their songs more when I *don't* watch their MVs.

xpost never noticed the 2ne1 poaching though! really?

they've always done uncomfortable-looking supposedly sexy stuff, and summer jams though

true, just revealing my own shallow engagement with them. the awkwardness is definitely always there yeah

I think it's a legacy opinion, cause when they first came out they were a 4-member group (like 2NE1) produced by Brave Brothers (who is associated with YG like 2NE1) with a strong-female image (like 2NE1). 4minute/HyunA are better known for stealing styling though - Sistar definitely have an image of their own.

Brad, you gotta listen to their mini! Without watching their unintentionally(?) tacky videos, like Roz said.

Are Sistar videos particularly tacky?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WZQ6ooOiWg

Her first music show performance in two years, and two years later this song is still one of my k-pop GOATs.

Sistar have this feeling of a group who are trying to be classy but completely missing the mark. And whoever is in charge of their choreography really REALLY likes look-at-my-butt dances:

http://youtu.be/DQ1hvB_L30o @ 0:25 and a warning of what's to come
http://youtu.be/Pj3q0ZChgFE @ 1:01
http://youtu.be/E0ZHXVp_wUE @ 1:15
http://youtu.be/JtVhwsACgTw @ 0:25 and the first time the choreo might have actually ruined the video

The sexy choreography in Ma Boy, Loving U and Give it to Me is less awkward but is still a bit awkward, imo.

The uploader has not made the BoA video available in my country :(

Two things:

Boys Republic - Dress Up http://youtu.be/40WRiOb80cg
They're a group put together by Universal Music. All of their releases to date have been solid, but/and also had lyrics that made BR (who lack 'star power' anyway) seem like enemies to all women. This one's no exception.

Jolly V - Yes! Yes! Yo! http://youtu.be/-kPaWhuo8EA
Really fun and summery and great :)

Re: Sistar - I mean I guess the butt thing is endemic to Kpop but they throw it into even otherwise 'classy' songs like Alone and Gone Not Around Any Longer, so of course they're gonna throw it into a song called Touch My Body.

The Sistar contradiction is that this is usually a tactic of lesser-known and less well-funded groups, not something an established group with "talent" does. My friend thinks it's because Hyolyn is darker-skinned, therefore automatically considered 'sexy' not 'classy'.

Also... I know I post here too much, but here's Boyfriend B-side described by the group in question as having a "weird mood": http://youtu.be/FMhghKcfE2Q

Also "Alarm" off the same mini: http://youtu.be/bXc5eBw7BiA

HyunA's latest branding exercise is pretty fun, y'all:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTXCgR93zC8

Song and video are based around a Korean nursery that goes Monkeys butts are red/red is apple/apple is delicious/delicious is banana/banana is long, except with "apple" replaced with "HyunA" and the song only going up to "HyunA is..." leaving listeners to fill in the rest

Considering HyunA has always had two images - sex symbol on stage and five y/o in interviews - I think this is a pretty smart way to glue them together. There's also a bit of "There's a Place in France" in RED, marked in the video by a scene werein HyunA is dressed as Cleopatra so you won't miss it. That song (and the dress up) is <i>also</i> super childish and tacky, so of course it fits.

A friend is telling me that this is the same nursery rhyme Teddy quoted in The Leaders (fast are planes/planes fly/fly is Teddy), and also that this is ruining her childhood.

Unfortunately those dumb lyrics make the chorus hard for me to swallow. The song is in some ways similar to f(x) Red Light except the (sing-y parts of the) chorus provide harmony and relief.

I like the full version of her and LE's Blacklist on the mini. They go a bit sweary, in Korean and English http://youtu.be/B0Y_TVmVkgA

I like the lyrics, but it's a good thing HyunA is good at branding because she's sounding more like Fran Drescher every day

BTW new Kpop groups are reaching into the past and going all the way back to the origins of K-idol music (apparently a group Fire Engine - this is a remake of their hit song from the 80s): http://youtu.be/-UtpWl-3o9I

The new Yenny/HA:TFELT (pronounced like a mix between hot and heartfelt) mini is really refreshing. Can't even say I'm a huge fan of it but it feels so nice hearing a relatively diverse album from a major company. I'm assuming JYP waited to release this against Hyuna so I really, really hope that this encourages people to branch out in sound. Ditto for the mv. The album cover is laughably 90s, which I suppose is appropriate considering Iron Girl sounds like it could've been a release from a late 90s alt pop singer-songwriter. I think my favorite track is actually Nothing Lasts Forever, the ballad that closes the mini: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K24ScQn6lF4 // sounds like something that could've been released on Pastel

And here's Yenny + 15& covering That XX (+ a single line from My Boo/Body Party):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzyo6j3qLhI

Yenny's EP is really good in that it sort of defies definition, she doesn't go down any obvious routes, sources of inspiration aren't obvious on first listen, I'm not sure how to label her as an artist. Hope this thing works out for her as she could be one of the more interesting singer songwriter types in kpop.

SM's new girl group reveals debut MV in face of lots of angry fans of other SM groups http://youtu.be/z4I2Ai-nNOw

I dig it. Some say it's f(x) lite but it's not quite that style of manic vocal delivery f(x) does on their singles. More importantly it lives outside of other current kpop girl group trends.

Well looks like Red Velvet won't be debuting in Japan anytime soon.

In other news, apparently SPICA is debuting in the US on August 8th and that's surely going to fail

I remember joking with friends that it was hard to tell the various members of SNSD apart, way back in 2010... but then after getting into Kpop and following the headlines (not even specially about SNSD) for a while it seemed silly to have thought that since they clearly are different. And then Miss Korea lookalike thing turned out to be at least partially make up.

But gotdamn Red Velvet rly do look like almost exactly the same person - especially with the way they are being styled and presented (color-coded by dip-dye???)

They are older, though (mid-20s!), which I appreciate. But then their song kinda sounds and looks like a Coca-Cola commercial. Also it's hard not to be bitter about the fact that they might be a substitution for f(x), whose post-Sulli future is looking kinda uncertain.

Speaking of the future, BANGTAN look to be continuing their possessive-aggressive-stalker theme from Skool Love Affair: http://youtu.be/_3OLpHsAR54

I hear all their trailers are HQ but this was unexpectedly long and intense for a teaser???

Also, I thought Airplane were a fine if kinda generic pop-rock band, but their latest single has some interesting production choices on top of the pop-rock-rap: http://youtu.be/-Si_g0PeCgc

Have also just learned that Bangtan have a song about being unemployed - classic hip hop theme brought into the idol world were it seems weirder than it really is.

Wait there's one more thing - was going through some things I missed and FIESTAR's single is quite good!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9sEjiBew18

How Many of These Korean Pop Songs Released Between January and June of This Year Do You Recognize? http://youtu.be/FvxY8Y5bN60

http://pitchfork.com/features/starter/9475-20-essential-k-pop-songs/

What're the odds that whoever wrote that is reading this thread? Because they seem high to me.

That list is a lot more idiosyncratic than Elite Gymnastics'

Wait... soyrev did you write this???

lol I do believe that it was indeed soyrev.

speaking of K-pop in the states, SPICA's US debut is erm... not great :/

http://youtu.be/j6Mns7IbRFE

Yeah looking back, the rec for SHINee - One Minute Back kind of gives it away lol. I'm not sure he chose tge most logical songs for an uninitiated audience and there's a little too much repetition of artists going on, but the descriptions are well done.

SPICA... why.

Gotta push for f(x) so they won't be canned post-Sulli though.

The Spica song is good, I really don't think the label is pushing for a US breakthrough, just using this as an alternative way of getting publicity with Korean and international k-pop crowd.

it's giving me Wonder Girls and "Nobody" vibes tbh. Not terrible, just boringly predictable and safe.

someone needs to explain to me wth hell is going on with f(x) and Sulli - even after reading all the posts on omona, I still don't get how it all went pear-shaped so fast. #savefx

No one knows #SMentertainment

Krystal saying this on her reality show with her sister doesn't bode too well though

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BuTn5MCCYAEoloo.jpg:large

:(

SNSD only group with skin thick enough to not be split up by SM's ways.

SNSD are rumoured to get gentler treatment because Sunny is Lee Soo Man's niece

f(x) are rumoured to have been on the rocks for a while, especially Sulli who is rumoured to be temperamental. She's a former child actress so she's doing this for a really long time.

If you want to see something really weird and heartbreaking, look up f(x)'s episode of "A Song For You" - only Amber, Victoria and Luna are in it because (the story goes) Krystal was filming and Sulli was resting at home due to illness. But actually Sulli was on site during the recording - in behind the scenes photos she's sitting with the rest of the group staring vacantly into space like a severely depressed person. The other three carried on the filming like everything was normal and Sulli was edited out afterward.

Which seems kind of telling

Listening to all the songs on this Pitchfork listing is reminding me of this one that would fit right in:

https://soundcloud.com/bleachndlp/ill-talk-plainly

But Phantom aren't that popular, sadly :( Their full-length album was also kinda disappointing

New Brown Eyed Girls:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKe0Mq-COvQ

Okay I listened to SPICA and they seem to be trying to reach America before Little Mix does

hey yeah! that p4k list is me. though i've been really into "one minute back" since it came out :) http://www.tinymixtapes.com/music-review/shinee-everybody

thank you all, though, who replied to my earlier inquiry. i'm not sure if any of the ones mentioned here that i didn't already know made the list, but lots of great picks and thoughts! whoever suggested B1A4 "What's Happening?" and 2PM "Hands Up" has really great taste. i'm just happy to be getting such a serious, flattering analysis of k-pop into such an influential publication. hopefully the start of something neat...

Odd 2NE1 choice I have to say.

yeah

:D

I saw you quoting me on reddit, lol yr welcome.

@hurricane weather, yes! never knew about that song before you, and the way you talked about it/them was the perfect bait for me. this would be much awkwarder if it had made the list, huh?

*best* 2NE1 choice, you mean!!! i haven't read what p4k posted so i don't know if they left this in the piece or what, but hopefully it still says something about the climactic whole step modulation in that song (which, considering the song repeats nothing from the prior key in the new one, is perhaps a unique instance of such in a pop song). 2NE1 are known for their bangers, but i will stand by "missing you" being their best (-written and -performed) song 'til they top it.

Are you afraid to read it, soyrev?

I'm not a music major but I tried to outline the structure of What's Going On once, it was something crazy like:

Intro Vocal
Rap Bridge A
Intro Verse w key change to minor
Minor Chorus/Rap Bridge B
Major Chorus 1
Major Chorus 1
Rap Bridge A
Rap Verse
Vocal Bridge A (Middle 8) w key change to minor
Minor Chorus/Rap Bridge B
Chorus 1
Vocal Bridge B (Vocal+Rap+Vocal) w key change one major step up
Chorus 2
Chorus 2
Climax Verse
Rap Bridge A

Or something like that...

Have you heard any other B1A4? I like them because they have the Kpop willingness to use 4-5 different melodies in one song, as if to say there will always be more where those came from, but even more so than most groups. Lonely is the kind of euphoric-depressive thing PF might like, and they have some great album tracks too.

Wrote an exploratory post regarding "Disco Boybands" on my lj; included this tentative list of tracks for an Infinite playlist (not that all of these tracks are disco-y):

The Chaser
Season 2
Lost Romeo
To-Ra-Wa
Victorious Way (Infinite H)
Without U (Infinite H)
Going To You (너에게 간다)
Rosinante (로시난테)
Paradise
In The Summer
Infinitize
Cover Girl
Inconvenient Truth
Breathe (숨 좀 쉬자)
Over The Top
Be Mine
Back
Shower (소나기)
Be Mine (Remix)

Interesting. Sweetune/Infinite are ground zero for this in K-pop I guess, but to me their sound comes from the same strain of disco/dance pop that would eventually lead you back to the Bee Gees via the Pet Shop Boys, rather than the black vocal group lineage you're thinking of.

SHINee, who have always drawn heavily from Michael Jackson, went more overtly disco/funk on their album tracks last year:

Runaway http://youtu.be/10xPF0y4nD8
Like a Fire http://youtu.be/wi7FmfC3ja8
Plus their disco-on-steroids live performances of Dream Girl: http://youtu.be/jw4pUpGNgag?t=2m29s

Meanwhile, Big Bang's presumptive heirs WINNER finally debuts:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEqlF5N8UMs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQIfXg7UukI

Slightly underwhelming tbh - it seems they've elected to skip the usual manic, flashy boyband debut and went straight to the "grown up", second album man-pain.

Both songs are a pretty good showcase of the group's strengths though: distinctive vocalists, harmonies for days, pop rock melodies, a typically YG-esque penchant for drama. They're going to be massive obviously.

Now that Inifinite have gone full Hollywood and stopped working with Sweetune, I'm pulling for Boyfriend a little harder these days. But anyway I think that's a good list, Frank... personally I also really like Nothing's Over (for the video abt helping a friend with depression as much as anything) and their album track Hysterie. Also I'm surprised you didn't include their most gonzo live track Before the Dawn.

Thanks Rox and forapper!

Actually, I never dl'd BTD for myself, so I don't know it that well. The video's a stunner, of course.* Listening to some of the live BTD's I hear how echoing in the live space with the audience excitement coming back at it gives it an extra kick. (Actually, the melody to BTD does sound a bit freestyle, a genre whose only well-known boyband was TKA, as far as I know {and I don't remember if they fit the too-narrow defn. of boyband I was using in my post.)

*Did we ever talk much about video director Hwang Soo Ah on these threads? Mat taught me about her. She directed Brown Eyed Girl's "Abracadabra," Ga-in's "Irreversible," IU's "The Story Only I Didn't Know," Sunny Hill's "Darling Of All Hearts," as well as Infinite's "Be Mine" and "Before The Dawn." That's just a sampling.

I think we talked about her in the Bigbang thread a little bit.

I loved SHINee's various Misconception LP's last year. A special favorite was "Music Box," though its being an ambitious ballad, I don't know what line of descent to put it in (other than "Ambitious Ballad").

(Sorry for mistyping your name, Roz.)

Just listened to WINNER and wow @ Empty, Team A fans who complained about YG playing favorites must be SO mad (Team B's B.I. wrote the song). For that matter, Team B fans can't be too happy at YG taking a very Team-B-ish songs and giving it to the rival group either.

"Color Ring" is a lot more WINNER-like and showcases their strengths as vocalists better, I hope it stomps all over Empty on the charts.

*at YG taking a very Team-B-ish song away from Team B and giving it to the "rival" group to promote as their single, that is.

Just on principle that is, neither song is my thing. "Color Ring" kind of reminds me of Eric Nam's Heaven's Door from last year.

Actually... Empty is the one that sounds like Heaven's Door. They kind of blurred together in my mind due to the similar MVs.

To bring the conversation back to SHINee... I'm kind of looking forward to Taemin's solo debut o_0

They have him going for max visual impact like (say) HyunA or Hyomin, but Taemin also has technical chops as a singer

Empty is kind of a stronger song than Color Ring tho *grudging*

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wt_caHc08GM

the three members of orange caramel can be IDed by their hairstyles and the fact that they are NOT wearing the same orange shirts as everyone else

re Winner: only managed to listen to the album once through but not really feeling it, or either of the title tracks tbh. Kind of a savvy move starting out with the slow jams though - Korea already loves ballads but it feels like they've been especially popular this year post-Sewol.

Main point of interest for me with this group is that they have three active songwriters who lean towards different styles (Mino: hiphop, Taehyun: ballads/EDM/pop, Seungyoon: sad rock/acoustic) but it seems like their individual quirks got watered down on the album as they tried to accommodate each other as well as produce songs with broad appeal.

am also looking forward to Taemin and Orange Caramel!

Yeah, Empty is okay (I can I admit it) but WINNER aren't winning with this.

(Except on the digital singles charts where I believe they are #1 and #2 at the moment.)

Shinsadong Tiger wrote Fiestar's One More! Which is a apparently, and I only know this because Loen put it in the video description box, about wanting a threesome. The song is awesome but Fiestar look sluggish and faint with hunger in their live performances, it makes me sad.

i really dig "Empty." you can definitely hear the Team B in it, but Taehyun and Jinwoo's melodies take it somewhere else. i'll agree with y'all it's not the album i wanted from Winner, but it's nice and a very solid album 1 foundation for their discography.

yeah, their potential is 100% in their three in-band songwriters/producers, plus LSH is a good lyricist/prodigy choreographer, and even Jinwoo is said to have creatively contributed to the new album. i understand that YG wanted to keep them under close watch for their crucial debut, but hopefully as they grow and hone their (already ace) instincts, they'll be able to take greater control of their albums. i generally appreciate k-pop's authenticity-agonistic worldview, but i think it'd be really cool to have a group that really does virtually everything themselves (which would be unique for idol pop around the globe, too).

Highlights from KCON 2014:

B1A4 - What's Going On + Solo Day
CN BLUE - Can't Stop
GDragon - Crooked
Girls Generation - MR MR + Mr. Taxi + Gee
Teen Top - Miss Right

There *must* be another idol group who handle their own songwriting and so on... aren't SPEED pretty much a self-managed group these days, from songwriting to stage image to choreo? And there's also AA (Double A) who you know are going it alone because everyone else in their company is an actor, and Block B.

WINNER having so much of a hang in their product is interesting because the "image" they've decided on (or their label decided on) is this male-model thing and models are the last people you think about when you think about agency.

Cute song from Shorry of Mighty Mouth (ft. K Will) http://youtu.be/lp1Yh2Qtr7c

Great performance of my other favorite B1A4 album track http://youtu.be/GtAr_F56g2Q

i think the thing that marks Winner out from the rest is that their music seems to be genuinely collaborative - whereas e.g. with BigBang, even when TOP or someone else is credited for lyrics, you know that the one calling the shots is ultimately G-Dragon. Same with Block B/Zico and SPEED/Taewoon.

Otherwise yeah, I dunno much about AA but SPEED does their own choreo and Block B have a lot of control over their image and presentation (otoh they're a group who haven't done well with rigid concepts, so it's much better for them to just be their goofy and nutty selves all the time lol).

AA's music is 100% Aora & choreo is 100% Woosang and they have - had? - a shared <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4JmhB65O2I";>Pride parade</a> aesthetic. I dunno if they're still an active group though, they've been MIA since June last year. But that's the thing, there must be other self-made idols groups out there, especially in Japan where there's more of an indie-idol culture.

I think Big Bang are pretty collaborative, but GD ultimate gets the credit for their group efforts. But hard to prove that, lol.

HTML.... >__> Pride parade video is http://youtu.be/J4JmhB65O2I

Taemin!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8m2JIDjKU#t=70

Closer to TVXQ than SHINee. He sounds like Yoo Youngjin here, on the pre-release track he sounded like SHINee's Jonghyun, I wonder what he himself actually sounds like.

Though speaking of WINNER's model image, http://koreabizwire.com/yg-entertainment-stock-hits-15-daily-limit-on-news-of-louis-vuitton-investment/16620

Orange Caramel!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqSF_9Zf0n4

A++ MV. Where's Waldo?, spot-the-difference, and mesmerizing choreography = maximum replay value

I kinda like the repeating sax bit but there's too much manic production on this, it's like too heavy or something

Duble Sidekick coming for all the Sweetune groups: here's their new single for Kara, http://youtu.be/6tK0XUQQ3wA

I can't take "Mama Mia" seriously as a hook but this is pretty good!

Busker Busker's Jang Beom June returns: http://youtu.be/hKFtA1g1CAU really unique vocals, this guy

Both OC and Kara SOUND good but I'm not sure if the songs back the production up. Fun stuff from OC as usual though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sos6Dr3SU24

nice!

BTS are describing their new single as "Boy in Love, grown up" and it's true in the worst possible way: http://youtu.be/43r6lXilbcQ

like YIKES

Yo! It's Brave Double Tiger...
The title of this song is STRESS

Whoops, wrong link. The right one is here http://youtu.be/MHc7goRozlM