the whole mini is great too. so good to have them back in form
― ufo, Monday, 21 March 2022 22:06 (two years ago) link
new debut i think
XG - TIPPY TOES
i really like one of the sounds in this but not completely sold on the track
SOLAR - HONEY
and a swerve away
YULEUM - HERO'S DISEASE
― oscar bravo, Thursday, 24 March 2022 17:19 (two years ago) link
technically he’s no longer kpop but I don’t know where else to put this. Jackson Wang’s solo career just keeps getting better and better:
“Blow”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCZHarOQvc4
― Roz, Thursday, 31 March 2022 16:44 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enSvdtEutuw
kwon eun bi - "glitch"
― ufo, Monday, 4 April 2022 12:03 (two years ago) link
That’s a good track, but like so many other kpop songs this year, i feel like it’s missing… something. Same with the red velvet track - I admire it but don’t love it. I don’t know if I’m just cranky but I haven’t liked a lot of kpop this year at all, everything either sounds stale or trying too hard and no one seems to be having any actual fun.
meanwhile Big Bang coming back after four years with a boring rock ballad is disappointing, but not a surprise - feels like a calculated move to get them back in the good graces of the S. Korean public. As one of the rare boy groups that can actually pull off a ballad though, this is just goddamn lazy:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN5mG_yMDiM
― Roz, Monday, 4 April 2022 16:02 (two years ago) link
did enjoy TOP being Donnie Darko on the moon, bless him for staying weird
― Roz, Monday, 4 April 2022 16:12 (two years ago) link
Yeah not really enjoying that track aside from the la la la la bit, but great video - love the pirate ship overgrown with weeds.
― Daniel_Rf, Tuesday, 5 April 2022 10:12 (two years ago) link
It’s a very pretty video.
A lot of fans are speculating that it’s a farewell single which makes me see it in a kinder light, but it’s still a nothing song. Surprised there were no shots of all of them together.
― Roz, Tuesday, 5 April 2022 11:13 (two years ago) link
posted on the 2NE1 thread, but it belongs here too of course:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yn0Bhp7ADy0
I miss them so much.
― Roz, Monday, 18 April 2022 03:49 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dJyRm2jJ-U
IS the pandemic over, I'm not sure -_- Anyway this is fun!!!!
― hurricane weather (forapper), Friday, 6 May 2022 01:31 (one year ago) link
And this is coming late but my take on the Big Bang track is it's an old one they pulled out of storage to make up for cancelling their Coachella set. There's rumors you can hear Seungri in the backing vocals on the second verse. Whether he's there or not it feels like something that wasn't good enough to put out the first time.
― hurricane weather (forapper), Friday, 6 May 2022 01:33 (one year ago) link
Hasn't hurt them on the local charts though - as expected, the Korean public loves the song. And after a month, PSY only managed to bump them off the top spot for an hour heh.
Liking this other PSY track with Hwasa: Now
― Roz, Monday, 9 May 2022 05:13 (one year ago) link
Took me a few secs to locate it but "Now" is a cover of "When The Rain Begins To Fall" by Jermaine Jackson and Pia Zadora, a fine showbiz tradition for Psy to follow in.
― Daniel_Rf, Monday, 9 May 2022 09:31 (one year ago) link
can't fault his taste
― TWELVE Michelob stars?!? (seandalai), Monday, 9 May 2022 12:20 (one year ago) link
Ah nice catch. Apparently it’s a cover of a cover: this 80s Korean remake of the Jackson/Zadora track.
― Roz, Monday, 9 May 2022 17:23 (one year ago) link
"Feel My Rhythm" has really grown on me.
Some other stuff I've liked recently:
RoaD-B - Nonstop - Sweetune! I've missed their sound so much. The melodic arrangements, the sense of build and release, the DRAMA. RoaD-B (who I've never even heard of - apparently a reboot of a prev group) doesn't seem to have the vocal power that previous Sweetune collaborators like Kara or Infinite had, but it's just nice to hear this type of songwriting in kpop again
IVE - Love Dive - narcissistic, my god I love it
Dreamcatcher - MAISON - feels like everything they've done before has been leading up to this - a perfect distillation of their brand of anime soundtrack pop/rock. also finally (and deservedly!) netted them their first ever music show wins.
iKON - But You: nice bit of synthpop even if it really doesn't fit their style at all, should've given it to Winner or Treasure instead heh
― Roz, Thursday, 12 May 2022 06:04 (one year ago) link
oh "nonstop" is very nice, great to hear something new from sweetune. looks like they really haven't had much success of late and have been writing for a lot of no-name groups, that's a shame
― ufo, Thursday, 12 May 2022 06:45 (one year ago) link
I like this CRJ-ish Hyolyn summer jam
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDRlsACohqU
― TWELVE Michelob stars?!? (seandalai), Saturday, 30 July 2022 17:48 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOmIplFAGeg
newjeans - "cookie"
― ufo, Monday, 1 August 2022 22:24 (one year ago) link
really like NewJeans. Their first song "Attention" was good too:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js1CtxSY38I
meanwhile, Girls' Generation are back. The "yay, we are all together" messaging is a tad corny but bless them for having a proper chorus (unlike so many other kpop songs this year):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpf26PtBXgo
― Roz, Saturday, 6 August 2022 10:29 (one year ago) link
speaking of good choruses, i also really like CSR's "Pop? Pop!", which miraculously sounds exactly like that title. didn't realise how much i've missed this kind of ultra-girly, light summer kpop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vbwpEc0EeA
― Roz, Saturday, 6 August 2022 10:39 (one year ago) link
"pop? pop!" is good but i wish it committed more to its weird little deviations from the formula, like the intro which has a ton of movement and the little "pop pop pop pop" etc. bits
― ufo, Saturday, 6 August 2022 10:50 (one year ago) link
Any recomMendations for a playlist ?
― calstars, Saturday, 6 August 2022 14:08 (one year ago) link
like a primer, or a general "what's new in Kpop" kinda playlist? if the latter, tbh spotify's own ongoing kpop playlist is decent if you just want to keep up with new releases - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX9tPFwDMOaN1?si=83e8cc4859a34b33
not a playlist but The Bias List is a specialist K/J-pop blog that's pretty quick at getting reviews up on nearly every new song on the day of release (and has a broader scope than Spotify, which tends to only highlight releases from the major Kpop companies). I don't always agree with their takes but it's generally pretty good at telling you quickly whether a song is worth checking out or no - https://thebiaslist.com/
and it hasn't been updated recently but this playlist is very much relevant to my interests - https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2XRebr6lVF3bmnOwT400dY?si=b37d801548c645df
― Roz, Monday, 8 August 2022 10:27 (one year ago) link
Thanks roz!
― calstars, Monday, 8 August 2022 12:02 (one year ago) link
Top 9 on instiz now is all girl-groups! (including one girl group solo w Nayeon at #9 (#10 is also a female artist, solo singer KyoungSeo)
― abcfsk, Wednesday, 17 August 2022 15:39 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQlMMD8auMs
latest blackpink ("pink venom") is a total mess but not even in an entertaining way
― ufo, Friday, 19 August 2022 05:43 (one year ago) link
It's fine but certainly doesn't sound like anything new and exciting for their long-awaited comeback.
Really enjoying NewJeans style, sort of effortlessly different from other groups. Hype Boy chorus is just great.
― abcfsk, Saturday, 20 August 2022 06:02 (one year ago) link
not gonna be interested in anything Blackpink as long as teddy keeps being in charge of their music. also it’s been like six years since their debut - even though it’s YG, feels like the girls should at least have some say by now in what kind of music they wanna make? Do they really wanna be putting out all attitude, nonsense catchphrase songs out forever? But I guess maybe they don’t care as long as their fanbase keeps eating it up.
― Roz, Sunday, 21 August 2022 05:28 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WyHtSlvHD4
well they are doing generic, weirdly dated EDM now too
thing about "pink venom" is the chorus completely fails at delivering the attitude, it's so goofy
― ufo, Sunday, 21 August 2022 06:09 (one year ago) link
I do KINDA like the chorus. The rest of the song is very Blackpink 101, at least it's doing something.
Also it's now the first Korean song to debut at #1 on Spotify global, so yeah, don't expect them to change too much.
― abcfsk, Sunday, 21 August 2022 07:36 (one year ago) link
IVE - After Like
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0B7HDiY-10
The “I Will Survive” interpolation is hilariously jarring at first, but it just about works, I think. and yes I sound like a broken record on this but… needs a better chorus!
― Roz, Monday, 22 August 2022 15:39 (one year ago) link
agreed
― ufo, Monday, 22 August 2022 22:18 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRilMXZqNhA
NCT 127 - "2 Baddies"
this is a few tweaks away from being excellent & feels fairly inspired in the current kpop landscape
― ufo, Friday, 16 September 2022 05:29 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p1bjnyDqI9k
another baffling kitchen-sink suite from NMIXX
― ufo, Monday, 19 September 2022 12:56 (one year ago) link
I admit to being a big fan of the kitchen sink approach.... but this is just noise, there are no dynamics.
― abcfsk, Monday, 19 September 2022 17:51 (one year ago) link
this is just noise, there are no dynamics.
an apt descriptor for so much kpop released this year :/
don't really like "2 baddies" either, although the group rap chorus does remind me of early EXO
Blackpink's "Shut Down" is slightly better than their other recent singles (mostly because I can't resist a violin loop), but it's still yet another badass pose disguised as a song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POe9SOEKotk
― Roz, Tuesday, 20 September 2022 01:28 (one year ago) link
yeah "dice" isn't at all good but it is fascinating which is why i posted it
the blackpink album was pretty bland and terrible, doesn't have anything going for it at all.
― ufo, Tuesday, 20 September 2022 01:36 (one year ago) link
thanks, was considering giving it a cursory listen even though i knew that was likely going to be the case
not 2022, but just got introduced to The Boyz's "Prism" off their Japanese release last year and it's the best thing I've heard in Kpop in ages - massive SHINee-esque dark pop house with impressively understated vocals (it does build up to a high note on the bridge, but it's completely earned). there is hope!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFtowsG7hiE
― Roz, Tuesday, 20 September 2022 02:39 (one year ago) link
I like most of the songs people call out for that, tbf. It's been a good year for new and new-ish girl groups. Just not this NMIXX attempt.
― abcfsk, Tuesday, 20 September 2022 11:15 (one year ago) link
liking Seulgi - "28 Reasons"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_BYjnopO6U
― Roz, Saturday, 8 October 2022 07:38 (one year ago) link
Is Hype Boy the best song of the year or just the best k-pop song
― abcfsk, Saturday, 8 October 2022 09:08 (one year ago) link
it's neither when "feel my rhythm" exists
― ufo, Saturday, 8 October 2022 19:08 (one year ago) link
I'll agree that feel my rhythm is the best classical music-sampling kpop single of the year, in a year with quite a few high profile ones. but not quite the #1 overall
― abcfsk, Saturday, 8 October 2022 21:40 (one year ago) link
of the NewJeans tracks, i prefer "Attention"
not sure if i have a fave k-pop song this year. Maybe IVE - "Love Dive"
― Roz, Sunday, 9 October 2022 07:19 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyf8cbqyfPs
le sserafim's "antifragile" is pretty good, is a k-reggaeton wave on the way?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zkvIzKwzYNc
kep1er's "we fresh" is the fun sort of kitchen sink song
― ufo, Saturday, 29 October 2022 12:53 (one year ago) link
KARA showing the kids how it’s done. “When I Move” isn’t as good as their classic Sweetune tracks (a very high bar), but boy do they sell the hell out of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwcK-twSXB4
Excellent medley of their greatest hits at MAMA too - these songs sound as massive as ever a decade on:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g3voeqIJpM
― Roz, Wednesday, 30 November 2022 11:46 (one year ago) link
i don't really understand what the point of a kara reunion single is if they didn't get sweetune to produce it. it's fine but what could have been...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ut1OzEVUiM4
new red velvet "birthday" is just fine
― ufo, Thursday, 1 December 2022 01:17 (one year ago) link
― big movers, hot steppers + long shaker intros (breastcrawl), Friday, 2 December 2022 17:39 (one year ago) link
absolutely loving the joyously silly Gershwin refix of "birthday" perhaps in spite of myself, very embarrassing to bounce around to
― “Cheeky cheeky!” she trills, nearly demolishing a roadside post (forksclovetofu), Monday, 5 December 2022 22:43 (one year ago) link
It's cool to see SNSD and KARA be successful with better-than-expected comebacks
― abcfsk, Tuesday, 6 December 2022 10:09 (one year ago) link
from last month but Nature - "Limbo!" is great - feels very classic kpop
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEwIlxtw9w4
― Roz, Tuesday, 13 December 2022 05:58 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V37TaRdVUQY
pretty clearly the best newjeans track yet!
― ufo, Monday, 19 December 2022 09:58 (one year ago) link
Yessssss love that
― Roz, Monday, 19 December 2022 12:46 (one year ago) link
really like the side a/b video concept as well, very beautifully done
― Roz, Monday, 19 December 2022 12:56 (one year ago) link
Very vibe-y track - might have to vote for both that and Hype Boy come year-end
― abcfsk, Monday, 19 December 2022 13:22 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr-325mclek
catching up on various things i missed, kep1er's "up!" is quite cool
idk what will make my eoy list beyond "feel my rhythm" and "ditto" though which are such standouts
― ufo, Friday, 30 December 2022 16:47 (one year ago) link
haven't decided which NewJeans track to vote for, I was going to nominate "Attention" too but didn't want to vote split (though maybe it might encourage people to check them out idk. i did nom the EP as well fwiw)
I'll prob vote for "Love Dive" and "28 Reasons", maybe "Antifragile" too. "Feel My Rhythm" grew on me, but I still don't love it that much ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
― Roz, Saturday, 31 December 2022 13:55 (one year ago) link
NewJeans starting 2023 off right: rolling kpop 2023
― Roz, Monday, 2 January 2023 09:21 (one year ago) link