K-pop (2014)

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).