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flowery-skz · 3 years

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Top 20 Songs of 2020

Okay y’all, here’s my top kpop songs of 2020 list for this year (finally, good lord this year felt like an eternity). These are the 20 songs that I felt really made an impact on me this year and why 💕

Starting from last to first, here we go!

20. Dr. Bebe, Pentagon - this song deserved so much better tbh the music video was everything, their acting was excellent and the vocals were *chefs kiss* i also loved the dark, creepy vixx -reminiscent vibes

19. Back Door, Stray Kids - Ok like objectively i know that God’s Menu was like their piece de resistance this year, but Back Door was just so fun and had a great bass line and the choreo was SO good

18. Cry For Me, Twice - this literally JUST came out like two seconds ago but let me tell you cry for me has legit been stuck in my head from the SECOND i heard it just ask my sister she’s this close to killing me next time i sing the chorus

17. Red Sun, Dreamcatcher - Let’s be real, dreamcatcher’s entire studio album was perfect from start to finish, and red sun was a standout among that perfection for me like from the magical mystical instrumental to dami’s absolutely earth-shattering rap line, just absolute gold my dude

16. Kick It, NCT 127 - This was a very polarizing song for a lot of people i feel, but for me the concept was literally executed to perfection. It had so much potential to be cheesy and gimmicky, but it totally wasn’t and i think it’s because nct 127 committed SO wholeheartedly to the concept

15. So Bad, StayC - THIS song. I actually already had my list all written out when i discovered so bad by stayc and i literally had to reconsider my ENTIRE existence. They are so so good with such a talented production team backing them and they’ve literally just debuted.

14. Dun Dun, Everglow - A lot of people really hated this song, and don’t get me wrong i had my own issues with the line and screen time distribution for sure, but you can’t deny it’s a total banger

13. Nonstop, Oh My Girl - This is the kind of song that i never really expected to fall in love with. It’s bubbly and cute and quite like youthful, but oh my girl honestly pull that concept off so well and they had me immediately hypnotized

12. Be In Love, Itzy - 2020 was the year of bailey eating her own words aka the year of me falling in love with itzy. when itzy debuted i seriously thought if they stuck with their concept i probably wouldn’t ever be into their music but lmao. they showed me. anyway this b side is seriously underrated and it really shows the girls vocal talents off, especially lia and yuna

11. Love Killa, Monsta X - hyungwon. that’s it that’s the post . . . jk but for real, visuals popped off. love killa was exactly what i’ve been wanting from mx for the past year or so. they hit the nail right on the head with the this one.

10. Secret Story of the Swan, izone - my relationship with izone is basically like my relationship with itzy part 2. I always appreciated them for their talents and having a very recognizeable sound but i could never get into their music. then SSOTS happened, and to be honest it STILL gets stuck in my head at random times

9. Phobia, Stray Kids - i LOVE this b side. for a while i thought it might replace Voices as my favourite skz track, but it just didn’t have the longevity that voices does. that said, it’s still such a good song with an important message did i mention that i love stray kids

8. La Di Da, Everglow - i have said it before and i’ll say it again: no one is doing it like everglow. this song came so out of the blue and blindsided so many people with how unexpectedly different it was, all while being a certified banger. the line distribution is aMAZING, you get to hear each member’s unique flavor, the straight 80’s vibe is immaculate, the styling is God-tier, just . . . everything. i LOVE this comeback

7. Eternally, TXT - if you know me, you know i love a good beat switch-up (i mean, my ult group is stray kids for crying out loud) and ladies. this song is the switch up to end all switch ups. txt somehow managed to combine two completely different tracks, each of which would have been A+ songs all on their own, and somehow make something a million times better. listening to eternally is a whole experience in and of itself and i haven’t heard anything that could compare to it to this day

6. Girls, Nature - UGH. WHAT an underappreciated masterpiece. girls by nature does everything that other companies are so afraid to do with their girl groups: a strictly dark, horror concept, a haunting melodic line with no need for a rap breakdown because it stands on its own as is, a visual concept that does not sexualize the girls in any way but instead tells a story of a person at the mercy of the one they love. it’s e v e r y t h i n g. Not to mention the song has one of the best pre choruses i’ve EVER heard.

5. Wannabe, Itzy - Let’s be honest, you knew this was going to be here. Everyone and their grandma was learning ryujins shoulder move. this was literally the summer of itzy’s wannabe. This is actually the comeback that got me onboard the itzy train and now i’m barreling down the mountain going 200mph and can’t find the breaks

4. I Can’t Stop Me, Twice - I think onces really had no idea where this comeback was gonna go. after more and more got such mixed responses from fans, we all weren’t really sure what direction the company was going to take twice in next. personally, i’m SO happy they went for the retro synth 80’s vibe concept. it was current enough to fish in non fans and keep new onces engaged but they also added their own unique twice spice to it, and i’ve been playing it on repeat for weeks also stan risky risky wiggy wiggi

3. Oh My God, G Idle - Ahhhh, yes. another polarizing song from gidle. omg for me was exactly what i needed from gidle. They’d been playing around with the darker concepts but had never fully committed to the potential that i saw in their music, but with omg we finally got the see them go full out with it, and i don’t think ANYONE could have done it better. The drop while empty was somehow so satisfying, the visials in the mv were visceral and witchy and to think that soyeon wrote and produced such a masterpiece. all i can say is bravo

2. Daisy, Pentagon - if this song doesn’t hold a very special place in your universe heart then buddy i think it’s time to throw the whole heart away. daisy, on top of being the first song to earn pentagon a well deserved music show win, was so emotionally moving from the lyrics to the mv to the choreo. you don’t need to know korean to feel exactly what the writer is feeling when hui sings that chorus, and that my friend is true artistry.

1. Answer, Ateez - Bet you were expecting a stray kids song. answer though has had my whole entire heart body and soul from the second it came out all the way back in january. for it to last a whole year as my favourite song of 2020 really speaks volumes as to how incredibly talented ateez and their production team are. Over the course of this absolute shit year, this song really inspired me to push forward, to keep working toward my goals and to keep believing in myself, and i think that’s a pretty amazing feat for one single song.

Anyway y’all sorry for the unnecessarily long post. I’ve just been compiling this list for months and was really excited to share. If any of my followers or just anyone who reads through this wants to share their own list, id love to see what songs impacted you this year! Happy New Years’ yall!

#bailey yodels #bailey yodels for an unnecessarily long time #kpop #top 20 #2020

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wickymicky · 4 years

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2020 Comeback Ranking: April Update

oops im a couple days late lol

here’s a link to my last update: (x)

this is all just my opinion, of course. im not ranking these in terms of what the objective bests are, im just ranking which ones i personally like the most

Dreamcatcher - Scream: it’s been like two and a half months but there’s still nothing else like this song. dreamcatcher are my favorite group, so my expectations were high, but they didnt just live up to my expectations, they fucking shattered them lmao. i hoped the song would be good but how on earth could i have seen this coming? seriously, this is on a whole new level, this is unprecedented. i’m not exactly sure if it’s my favorite dreamcatcher song overall, but i’m in love with and in awe of this direction for them, and it’s without a doubt my favorite song of the year. usually when i listen to a song for the first time, even if it’s a comeback i stayed up all night for, from a group i really like, my first reaction is usually sort of “woah, i need to listen to that again to make sense of it”, but i remember my first reaction to scream was like... i was stunned, lol. every detail of it is exactly right, they nailed every square inch of this shit. i dont expect anything will surpass it for me this year lol, except maybe another dreamcatcher song haha

Cignature - Nun Nu Nan Na: what a fucking debut, lol. this is everything you could possibly ask for from a girl group banger in 2020. this song is way too anthemic for this piece of shit year though haha. i love pretty much every second, every detail, about this song... it’s such a breath of fresh air. it’s so catchy and yet has the dirtiest, gnarliest industrial synths throughout it, which is right up my alley, it’s an easy way to win me over

Elris - Jackpot: speaking of catchy songs with gnarly production.... yeah so i had this on my list when it came out, but i had more than 10 songs on that list and it was number like 12 or something, and then last month i also had it outside my top 10, but it occurred to me that actually i like pretty much every part of this song, and that definitely makes it one of the best of the year lol. like i noticed that i was listening to it way more than a lot of songs that i previously had higher than it, haha. there’s a reason for that.. it’s cause this song is good oh and their bside This Is Me is worth mentioning too. i’m not doing a ranking of bsides this month because im tired rn, but like, if this song was a title track then it would be just as high as jackpot, probably. this song’s got some real momentum, damn... it’s just so satisfying. the dance break in the bridge isnt my favorite, but it doesnt ruin the song for me, and ive gotten pretty used to it. everything else in the rest of the song is perfect though. literally... literally perfect. that’s not hyperbole.

Dreamcatcher - Endless Night: who the fuck else would ever even consider doing a song like this, let alone nail it like they have... this style of metal or jrock is so cheesy but who the fuck cares lmao this song beats ass and that’s all there is to it

Izone - Fiesta: i love izone’s luxury edm, it’s such a cool style. and like, this is probably their strongest example of that style so far. well, it might not be as “luxury” as LVER or Violeta, but it’s their strongest edm so far, i think. and this music video is nuts... and the choreo is one of the most visually satisfying of the year too... just all around one of the best comebacks so far. which is weird, cause this was supposed to come out in 2019 lmao... i wonder where i would have placed it on a 2019 year end list.... hmmm

Cignature - Assa: this song, holy shit... they’re making a goddamn name for themselves and i love it. theyre a force to be reckoned with. i personally prefer Nun Nu Nan Na, but i really had to think about it, lol. i know i put others in between NNNN and Assa here on this list, but these are all fairly even and close together, tbh. i love that this song shows a different side to cignature while using the general sound from NNNN, with some lyrics in common as well... it really is a “debut lead single b” huh?

Loona - So What: i cant think of anything to say right now that hasnt already been said haha. you all know this song and have strong opinions (one way or the other) on this song lol, we’re all orbits here

GFriend - Crossroads: you know, i don’t listen to this song nearly as much as the others here, but every time i do i wonder why i dont listen to it more often. it’s hard to explain, i just really like it. it’s warm. but also sad. but not slow, it’s not a slow sad song... it’s a warm sad song with some momentum to it, and it really hits me sometimes. but seriously every time i go to make one of these lists, i look at my previous list and go “really? crossroads? ive only listened to this like twice in the last month, i’m definitely not including it this time”, but then i listen to it again just to be sure and i go “oh yeah, i forgot, this song is really good”

hmmm... i’m having trouble thinking of two more that definitely deserve to be the remaining spots in my top 10... i can think of a lot of songs i love, but either i dont feel quite *that* strongly about them right now (but might in future months, like how jackpot rose in my ranking just cause i was really feeling it this last month), or it’s something i think deserves to be in my top 10 but i just dont really have anything to say about it right now, you know? like maybe its something i think is great, but i havent been listening to it that much lately, not as much as previous months anyway. either way, there’s just a bunch of songs i feel like could go in the last two spots and there arent any two individual ones that i really feel like i have to put there above the others, so i’ll just list them here as honorable mentions lol

honorable mentions / candidates for 9 and 10 (in alphabetical order)

3YE - Queen Apink - Dumhdurum Cherry Bullet - Hands Up Itzy - Wannabe NCT 127 - Kick It Pentagon - Dr Bebe Sunmi - Gotta Go Weki Meki - Dazzle Dazzle

i love all of those, i highly recommend all of them, but i wouldn’t really know which two belong in the number 9 and 10 spots. my gut would say weki meki, pentagon, itzy, or nct, but obviously it cant be all four... and yeah, i’m just not sure. so i guess i only really have a clear top 8 this time around lol, that happens sometimes

#next time maybe i'll just include bsides in the actual list so that This Is Me and Sahara and Red Sun can get recognition #and like the entire itzy album... maybe i'll even get to make a list that goes past 10 again...#or at least past 8....#oh well #also notice how only one song from april made it on the list.... oops #may also might not have a ton for me #though twice is coming back in june and im excited for that #anyway #long post #writing #2020 comebacks #oh wait my bad... dumhdurum is in my honorable mentions and thats from april too

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atinytokki · 4 years

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Here’s my first impressions (aka this is what 2020 is gonna sound like folks)

Alright so I’m really behind today, as some of you know I literally just got back from vacation and it’s also my first day of classes this semester and it’s just craziness. Yes I’m posting the first chapter of Yeosang’s spin-off today. But people seemed to like my first impressions of the last album so I’m going to do them again. Thankfully (?) this album is a lot shorter so I can pause and talk about stuff.

Warning! a loooong post, squealing, incoherent thoughts smashed together, and crying ahead. A lot of crying. Keysmashes included.

Post-MV thoughts before I listen to it again: There’s way too much to focus on and I’ve watched it many many times to look at the choreo and the storyline stuff that’s happening, but this is my first time listening without the video so I’ll notice more musically this time. But first I wanna say; YEOSANG’S LINES!!!! I’ve been screaming for forever that he has a beautiful deep voice and needs to be given parts that compliment it. And wow it finally happened :’) Anyway here we gooo

건배하자 like a thunder!! Can you believe they literally spoiled the entire hook of their next song in Beginning of the End? *flashbacks to my utter confusion when that happened* San sounds amazing and I like the little echoey thingies. Gives it a real nostalgic feel. Jongho already popping off vocally barely 10 seconds in. Mingi’s rap here and the transition to Hongjoong’s— rap line goals. The attitude in that mm-mm made me smile ngl. This prechorus might be my favourite part of the song. Seonghwa sounds heavenly. An EDM drop bringing back that hook, good decision and again it kinda feels nostalgic?? Especially the oh-oh-ohs which are also giving me a pirate drinking song vibe wow 0.0 Wooyoung with that 불러 불러 lol. Yes the Yeosang part!! I love a good post-chorus switchup and he. handled. it. perfectly. There’s even harmony, yall know how much I love harmony. And SINGING RAPPERS AHAHDJAHAK YESSSSS. Back to that glorious prechorus but it’s Yunho’s turn. This chorus is just such an anthem. I’m bopping rn. San in this bridge— he said I am a VOCALIST listen to my beautiful VOICE. Yay the rappers going back and forth again!! It’s like If Without You. Man I can’t believe I get to replay this song forever. 2020 is gonna be lit. You hit those notes Jongho! I’m always blown away by this kid, and that scoop earlier mmmm. Just nodding very energetically right now. Perfect end to the song. 100/10!!!!

Okay I’m pausing before the next one starts because no I am not prepared. It’s just like last time; I know Hongjoong wrote this and I know it’s gonna ruin me but I have no idea how and when and what it’s even gonna be like but anyway, too bad, let’s just go.

Oh kinda futuristic sounding opening with the synths? Yooo the vocal thingy in the background, sounds like a sample of some kind, that is super cool and I hope we get more of it. Ok I paused just to write that, let me unpause. This is gonna be a long one, I can already tell, sorry guys 😅 And the beat changed right before the vocalists came in. definitely a back and forth thing here in two registers, very sweet. Wow. WOW MINGI WOW. This rap is?? It sounds super mature and idk just full of confidence. I’m shook. Ok the chorus. Holy cow this is LIT lit. Nope nope I need to pause and go back. This is so chaotic, I feel like I’m missing things?? I’m listening to that chorus again because there were so many elements there. I just wanna take this song and break it down second by second to hear every single sound hahahah. I’m only catching an odd word or two here as far as lyrics go. Oml harmonies 💆🏻‍♀️ Alright Hongjoong’s rap. OMG if he sounded sassy in Answer this is a whole new level and I LOVE IT. Flow is 100/10. The “are you gonna take me there” gives me chills. This song needs a dance this chorus is TOO LIT. Am I at a rave rn??? Oh thank God the bridge took it back a level. Ok I’m pausing because I think I caught some of the lyrics this time. If I’m not wrong I heard 난 궁금해 저 끝이 궁금해, 더 가까이 조금 더 가까이 ? Which is something like “I wonder, I wonder about the end. Closer, a little bit closer” if I heard correctly. I need to look up the lyrics in full later because Hongjoong has a big brain and his lyrics are always 🤯🤩 Ok unpause. Final breakdown! Yep this is going on repeat the rest of today. Jongho yussss with the ad libs. No it’s over ㅠㅠ Alright this one is already vying for top spot this album. We shall see. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. HONGJOONG GENIUS.

Um so yeah I saw them perform this live for their anniversary thingy and cried so this should be fun. At least I already know the song so how much can it hurt me? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Smart of whoever put this album together to stick this song right in the middle and make us cry between head banging to the other songs. Mingi in the beginning is just 💖💕💘💝💓 San ballad king. I need more ballads from him. Jongho, of course, with perfect vocal control. Oh Seonghwa too, I need more ballads from him. Wooyoung with T H A T part. A tear is forming, I just love this chorus. People are saying the song should be in a drama and I 100% agree. Everyone together FOREVER YOU ARE MY STARRR. The little drum frills it’s so cute :(( Yay Hongjoong, and his cute little voice I’m UWUWU. Wooyoung with the high note and I’m ascending........... Chorus again and this is the real meaning of crying in the club. It just occurred to me that the second verse seemed really short. Yeosang + Hongjoong + that guitar in the bridge is *chef’s kiss*. This is so emotional, do we really need to do this at 4am?!? I’m just gonna vibe for a sec, it’s the last chorus. The ad libs were so perfect and the way it ended— wow. I need a moment.

From my understanding this is a full version of the Precious Overture they gave us last album. Tempted to go back and see my first impressions about that one, but either way i have a distinct feeling my wig is about to be snatched. Let’s GOOO

So far, it’s starting the same. Creepy humming and all. Okay scratch that, we have a vocal melody. Yunho sounds great ugh I’m so proud. Sorry, San’s voice just takes me to another plane of existence or something, how can it be that smooth and gorgeous, someone please explain. Building to something now... Oo. OO?! Hongjoong’s rapping. This is so cool oh wow, and into this vocal part which I believe is the chorus?? wOW wow it’s amazing to hear this having already heard the bgm, this is like a new level of appreciation. It really all goes well. Ah we have a switch up now with Seonghwa. guys GUYS GUYS you know how I feel about switch ups. Sorry I’m going back to catch something. The tempo changed here and really grabbed my attention. The bass is also super cool, it’s actually the same melody as the treasure opening (and the opening of this song) but much lower, I believe. Uh oh guys this might be vying for top spot too. Let’s continue. Ok Mingi’s rap which I’ve already heard. Um I’m confused now. It’s Hongjoong’s rap again? Is this the chorus?? Woah woah hold on I gotta pause. Because. Wait, what?? This is the chorus??!? Yoooooooo bold move! I have no idea what is going on but I love it. Continuing on. Ah yeah ok the vocal part with Yeosang again, so I guess the rap + vocal part is the chorus? Also I neglected to mention but Yeosang is killing this song. Ooh okay this bridge is building some suspense. Feeeelingggggg.... And now a shouted version of the rap for the final chorus. Okay wow I’m impressed that they took it this direction. And Jongho with the ad libs is PERFECTIONNNN. Oop okay they’ve added the revised-lyric Treasure part to the end here. And the lyrics are the same as in Precious (Overture) so I’m guessing we still didn’t find the treasure, good grief. How long is it gonna take to find this treasure 😅. And it ended like that. Well. WOW. Again, I could listen to this on repeat all day. Again, I am deceased. Instant fave.

I’m pretty sure this is the exact same as I already heard on the trailer thingy but we are gonna react to it anyway.

The orchestra really loosens my tear ducts like nothing else. It’s beautiful, who else is doing it like them?? “Did you find your treasure?” Yes, I found ATEEZ 🥺. The way he says “finally found it” . This is Maddox btw. Also about Maddox, hang on I’m gonna pause for a PSA: guys if you don’t know Maddox please PLEASE check him out. He’s doing the amazing narration on this (and Intro too), he’s a soloist under KQ and one of Ateez’s hyungs who they look up to. In addition to his superior narrating talents, he is also an amazing vocalist. If you like R&B and lo-fi music I would definitely recommend him, he just dropped a single called Color Blind, his insta is xxmaddox, he’s a great guy and YEAH that’s all for my plug but go stan him, he is deserving and proof of the fact that KQ artists are talent through and through. Unpausing! The way the orchestra swells and then goes into a piratey sounding theme is so motivating and familiar :))) “Can you hear those voices?” HNGJRKSNDN WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SCARY. This is the Epilogue, it’s supposed to be like the denouement, the falling action!! The bad guys should be gone now! What’s next?? Treasure Ep: Answer to Question? Because that’s what I have after this album! More questions!!! Anyway, the bass here and the humming 👌🏻 100/10 for the instrumental. And in ATEEZ fashion, they leave me thirsting for more.

So that was my first impression/live reaction to the mini album! I think it’s Horizon and Precious fighting for #1 currently. Maybe I’ll reblog with second and third and fourth impressions... Thanks for reading if you got this far! And tell me what your first impressions were and if I missed something big while I was keysmashing. TTFN~

#ateez #ateez action to answer #ateez answer #ateez reactions #ateez first impressions #first impressions #keysmash #liveblog #tokki.txt

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worlds-shortest-astronaut · 4 years

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Ateez ‘Answer’ Reaction 2/2

Also, shout-out to San for his absolutely STUNNING dancing - the scenes where he’s on the table in That Fit are GORGEOUS. The sets in this video are also beautiful - all the scenes with the billowing flags are so simple but so elegant.

Verse Two

what the FUCK is this transition into Verse 2 i was SHOOKETH

The syncopated percussion is so cool

Also i love how sparse the instrumentation is in contrast with the chorus

THE REPEATED PIANO NOTE IS BACK AND I LOVE IT - the piano + vocal harmonies are really the only MELODIC instrumental in the background, the rest is percussion

Yeosang’s voice is so law so it fits in with the percussion

the vocal harmonies and piano are higher

consequently, there’s this open space between the two parts and it feels way more spacious/open than the chorus

Love how Yeosang’s vocals are almost staccato/dis-jointed. They also align with the piano beat while the percussion part falls in-between which is an interesting effect.

HONGJOONG”S PART IS IN DOUBLE-TIME compared to Yeosang’s part

Ming’s part ends with the whoooo-wheeee from SAY MY NAME!!!

Pre-chorus

Yunho and San’s vocals are beautiful

JONGHO HARMONISES in the second pre-chorus

Chorus - same as before WAIT the lET”S BURN INTO THE BRIDGE GOODBYE WORLD THAT WAS FIRE

Bridge

Tears literally came to my eyes when San’s vocals hit after the ‘let’s burn’ part

The ‘1,2,3 let’s burn’ - you think it’s going to be a shout like the previous chorus but then it fades out suddenly and you LOSE the climax that the previous chorus had

NEW SYNTH for San’s part

The back-and-forth between Mingi and Hongjoong made me wheeze - they do NOT drop the tempo and so the song kEEPS BUILDING

Jongho’s VOCAL SLIDE BYE

OH MY GOD IT’S ANOTHER ICONIC ATEEZ BRIDGE WHERE THEY ADD NEW MELODIC MATERIAL

This time it’s in terms of the VOCAL MELODY - totally new melody OVER the OLD CHORUS INSTRUMENTALS???

my BRAIN their MINDS

Also it’s like a chant and i love a good chant

and then they go back to the FULL CHORUS and it’s MAJESTIC

Lyrics/choreography

NATURE IMAGERY - so much nature imagery: fire/burning, thunder, waves, desert they REALLY popped off with the nature imagery and I love it

the flame imagery is so interesting because it’s about giving off light. Also, a flame will eventually burn out unless you keep fueling - Ateez/their music is the burning flame and but they also have to keep fueling their fire. We also give them the fuel they need

the whole idea of toasting themselves/each other/welcoming US to a toast really speaks to the sense of victory/triumph that is reflected in how anthemic the song is

At the same time, the emptiness of the opening chorus/verse is complemented by Mingi and Hongjoong’s lyrics which are slightly melancholy

They talk about how ‘the end means the beginning’ and how they’ve had to live every day like it’s their last (aka every day must be lived to its fullest) in order to achieve what they have now

i LOVE the idea of ‘let’s fill in everything, as much as it overflows’ - this is probably a clumsy translation but I GET it. it’s like they can see the gaps in the world and they’re trying to fill it but they have so much to give that it will overflow. but they also can’t and shouldn’t stop - they should give as much as they can.

this is emphasised in the ‘call, call, call us right now’ - they WANT to be called on, they WANT to give to the world

The lyrics about the desert and emptiness - that’s where they started and they FILLED it with their music and they did it TOGETHER, as a team

“BRIGHTEN OURSELVES IN THE DARK” - MINGI I LOVE YOU

love how the bridge is a call to other to join them - VERY Ateez

also love how Mingi and Hongjoong talk about leaving fear behind

The choreography for this song seems REALLY different - like strong/powerful but not as aggressive as Say My Name, HALA HALA and Wonderland. I think it’s going to be more flowing and more ‘light-on-their-feet’ choreo if you get what i mean

#ateez #answer #SONG OF THE YEAR and it's ONLY JAN6

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mxnyxxngx · 5 years

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some cool music things i noticed about say my name !!!!

ok right off the bat im gonna preface this with the fact that i am HEAVILY biased bc imo this song right here ?? already one of the bests of 2019 u can quote me on this i dont care but im saying it now ok (im not even gonna go into the choreo/mv/concept OOF)

overall i just think its so well produced and epic sounding and feel-good but still clean and its just. its just done so well but anyways !! lets get into it

immediately it starts off with just this guitar and flute-y thing (??) duo with super minimal percussion, but it sets off the tone of the song perfectly and the guitar does a rlly good job of establishing the groove

something about a high flute always feels rlly pastoral/pirate-y/bandit-y/wild wild west-y so its a smart choice of instrumentation definitely

(imo it was the perfect decision to have hongjoong start off the song, not only bc its symbolic of the group but also bc his voice starts off nice nd soft but then it transitions into a deeper and darker tone and wow he rlly did that)

the percussion starts to kick in a bit after ATEEZ PRESENT which is nice bc its like theyre introducing themselves as a group and then building up the energy of the song. idk i just think its nice nd it makes a lot of sense

having the vocals bounce back and forth between the rap parts after the intro is rlly smart to keep the ear interested

when seonghwa comes in with the “modu yeogiro” part theres a synth in the background that sounds like an emergency siren (?) almost and its super cool bc it builds up both the energy and the mood of the song woWOwooWow its a new element sonically that still fits and reinforces the whole “bandit” thing

jonghos vocals OOOOOF one of the biggest things im impressed with in this song is how well the vocals seem to pull off and also make the song stand out. its not an easy concept at all but theyre all crazy talented and each members vocal color and tone fits and gives it that nice extra oomph that it needs

for example, jonghos tone is bright and rich and full when he sings the “soneul deureora” part and it gives that extra humming push of tension to the song and its just gorgeous ugugughufhgu

the prechorus is ,, amazing. one of the best ive heard from ateez tbh. the vocal layering is gorgeous (one thing ateez does absolutely perfectly always is their harmonies. its just so *clenches fist* harmonic) the mild drone in the background rlly helps out with that too

during wooyoungs “yessir” part the percussion kind of drops out and it comes back in during the drop (say my name say my name) and its a small thing but it rlly helps to reinforce the epic, bombastic, theatrical nature of the chorus

the prechorus as a whole is sort of staccato, choppy sounding, broken up like, and it sets up this great textural difference with the chorus when the smooth and dark “say my name” part comes, and everythings all melodic and cool

another thing that helps the transition rlly well so that it doesnt sound disjointed or out of place is hongjoongs “yessir bureume eungdap” bc its touched with a small bit of autotune and it fits perfectly imo (@ ppl who dont think autotune is a valid effect to use in songs figHT ME) and then the almost morphed, molasses sounding chorus makes a lot of sense

THE CHORUS

the chorus is so deep and powerful and swaggering and dark and its rlly helped along by these random little synths mimicking brass (??) in the background picking out notes from a minor (modal ??? someone smarter than me fact check this pls) scale

whoevers doing most of the singing at that part (minus all the layering ofc) has just got the PERFECT tonal color and texture (i think its mingi or maybe seonghwa ??? not quite sure but its like ,, so deep its nearly demonic ??? but its so so so so good it feels like its pulling at something deep inside you dragging it up to the surface sjdksjdsk) im not sure if theres an effect on it that makes it sound so dark and satisfying

but it works rlly well bc its also not like constantly super dark and monstrous its interpersed with lighter lines and pieces (for example, hongjoongs line that starts w “nareul bulleojwo” bc his naturally higher and more nasally ? rapping tone sets off the contrast rllly well)

mingis tonal color is just perfect for this song esp during his rap verse. his voice is dark and well rounded but unique and stable oof can u tell i love him

same with hongjoongs style its light and quick and agile which is a nice contrast to both mingis rap style and the song as a whole zooM IN HERE CAUSE IM THE CAPTAIN

the bridge is where everything smooths out and theres rlly nothing left in the instrumental except a melodic tinkling piano and its soothing and pretty but it still moves and builds when the vocals start doubling and especially with all of them singing those “woahs” in the background until the last line w jonghos gorgeous vocals and this air horn ?? comes in you know like the ones used in memes except it fits rlly well here

a teensy thing i noticed is that at the start seonghwas vocals cut in a bit louder/more up close in the mix than others ??? and then after his part it goes back to normal which in all honesty i have no clue if that was on purpose but its definitely not something from my end (it plays like that on my phone, laptop, headphones, etc. and its in every single other video out there like reactions or stuff like that) idk if its important but its something that kind of jumped out at me and whatever it is it does a good job of establishing the softer and more intimate sound of the bridge

and then, oh my god

everything, all the instrumental, drops out and then this absolutely godly “say my name say my name say my name” just fills the entire space of the track and listen idk about you guys but this part feels nearly like a spiritual experience theres something about the harmony and the voices layering and ugh its just. its just so good

when the instrumental kicks back in its just grand and masterful and the chord progression is the kind that just feels so epic and satisfying to the soul

anyways thanks for coming to my ted talk i probably missed a bunch of other super cool things and im rlly sorry if there are any technical mistakes ya girls a dumb bitch™ but uh yeah

stan talent stan ateez :’)

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miannedomusings · 5 years

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K-pop favourites from 2018

ALBUMS (in no particular order):

Hope World - j-hope

mono. - RM

Love Yourself ‘Answer’ - BTS

Sun and Moon - SAM KIM

Don’t Mess Up My Tempo - EXO

honourable mentions

Blooming Days - EXO-CBX

Present : You - GOT7

Wish & Wind - HEIZE

SINGLES:

SoulMate - ZICO ft. IU

Young - Baekhyun & Loco

Getting Closer - SEVENTEEN

Ddaeng - BTS rap line

Is Who - MINSEO (not technically a single... but very good)

CHOREOGRAPHY:

THANKS - SEVENTEEN

honourable mentions

FAKE LOVE - BTS

No Air - THE BOYZ

Getting Closer - SEVENTEEN

MUSIC VIDEO:

Singularity - BTS

If you want to read my thoughts on my choices, they’re below the break.

If you want to, share your faves! I’m curious!

ALBUMS

Hope World : This beauty is amazing. One of the the things that makes for a good album is the story it guides it you through. The order of the tracks is almost as important as the songs themselves. Musically speaking, this album totally does that for me. The way the energy changes over the course of the album always surprises me -- the mood the first song puts me in is so different from the feeling this album leaves me with. The upbeat fun of the first few tracks are exactly the flavour I hoped for from a j-hope album even if didn’t quite know it beforehand. They just felt right, they feel like Hobi. The transition that starts with Baseline totally surprised me, and did such a great job of showing his other hip-hop flavours as it takes us into Hangsang and Airplane pt 1. Blue Side is quite possibly my favourite on this album. For me, it’s such a visual song, and I’m completely transported every time. This album blew me away. I didn’t know what I expected but this surpassed anything I had in mind. And I love that I feel like I know Hobi more from having experienced this -- and isn’t that what a mixtape should do? Now when I listen to other and older BTS songs I feel like I’m better able to hear j-hope’s j-hope-ness in his verses.

mono. : I know I said “in no particular order”, but this album, this is probably the best of the year. This album feels like meditation to me. The whole album is so spacious, and the use of repetition makes this album feels like a series of mantras to help you engage with the sadder sides of yourself. I take a lot of deep breaths listening to this album. A lot like Hope World, I love the order of this album. Each song carries a slightly different mood, a different shade of grey, and it pulls you down to different levels of sadness and quietude. I love the brief relief you get in everythingoes -- it’s able to bring you up again and see the sun through the clouds. When I listen to this album I often feel like each song relates to a different time of day -- part of the journey of this album is through the course of a day. I always struggle to put my feelings for this album into sentences -- it so much a collection of feelings that it seems to defy description (at least by me). Cathartic, Melancholic, Meditative, Introspective.

Love Yourself ‘Answer’ : Answer beat out Tear for a few reasons -- and not because it’s longer. Though I adore many of the B-sides on Tear, I think the weak points are weaker than those in Answer, and I think Answer is more successful as an album -- it told its story better than Tear did and I’m a sucker for a good story. The movement through the 4 phases of the album was pulled off so well! All the Trivia’s were spectacular, and these versions of the vocalists’ songs were all better that any versions that came before. This album is a joy to listen to, and when I start listening I’m committed to seeing it through. I hate being pulled away from it part way. It really does succeed in being cohesive (which can be a rarity in k-pop) and whole.

Sun and Moon : Sam Kim showed up out of no where and smacked me over the head with this album. He is a fabulous song-writer and a welcome breath of instrumentation in the largely electronic k-pop scene. His voice is soulful, perfectly suited for his style, and I’m in love with the way he lets it get rough when the songs needs it. This album is so romantic -- I shouldn’t like it as much as I do. But I actually feel the romance and love it. He brings an contagious amount of sincerity to his songs. Even if this album was full of duds, I think it may still have made it on this list thanks to The One, Make Up, and It’s You -- some of my favourite songs of the year!

Don’t Mess Up My Tempo : Unlike most of the others on this list, I don’t think this album is really telling me a story. That being said, I do still like the sometimes surprising transition from track to track. There isn’t a bad song in the batch. This album has some of the best production I have heard this year (I expect nothing less from SM -- the company is in love with weird samples and unexpected sounds). All of the songs are crazy catchy and enjoyable to listen to. And they’re interesting! The vocals are phenomenal, and most importantly, I am happy when I listen to this album! This album feels out of place on this list when I compare it to the others, but I don’t care because I love it!

SINGLES

SoulMate : I’m sure if ZICO had released an album this year it would have made it onto this list. I adore the way he plays with what Korean sounds like, and him and IU complemented each other surprisingly well. “Delightful” is the first word that comes to mind when I think of this track. Right off the bat you get the jingly percussion that I think must have been coins bouncing around in a glass jar and it makes this song feel so bright. ZICO’s rapping brings an awesome contrast after the first verse and chorus, and the instrumental solos give me wings. Love it.

Young : Baekhyun and Loco play off of each other so well in this song. Hearing Baekhyun out of the context of EXO is a treat, his voice is able to deliver more of an edge than I thought it could. Loco has such a unique voice. It isn’t “pretty” and I never want it to be because it’s roughness makes something gorgeous! Each phase of the song sounds so different from the last, but in very small ways. The way that vocals and rapping mix together, and how the backing vocals vary make this song so interesting to listen to. The cyclical musical elements of the song do an amazing job of communicating the lyrics and the laid back vibes of the song suit the two voices and make it so easy to listen to and enjoy.

Getting Closer: Fierce. Seventeen finally tried a dark concept and pulled it off! I really like this song and I hope that there is an album with a similar tone soon to follow. This song really continues with Seventeen’s minimal style. The song uses monotones vocals and synths to create its dark vibe and make the softer moments so much sweeter. One of the highlights in this song is when they use of layering high vocals on low raps -- still keeping everything very bare, but adding just a touch of interest. And also, the choreography. It’s so powerful. It’s gruff. And it will bite your ear off if you get in a scuffle with its dance break. It almost made it into the choreo section of this post.

Ddaeng : I almost forgot to include this song on this list. This song that I had on repeat for weeks. Shame on me! This song is so BTS, I love it deeply. Besides being infectious and a wicked display of rap skills, any translation worth anything has about a page and a half of footnotes to go along with it. Our bulletproof wordsmiths seriously pulled out all the stops on this one, just to throw some shade. And then Suga mixed it with that gorgeous instrumentation and bitchin’ beat. Solid.

Is Who : This is a bit of an oddball on this list, and it isn’t even technically a single, but this song is a hoot and half. If someone with a voice as lovely as Minseo’s is going to serve me up some pop-jazz-swing with fiddle and ragtime piano and SCATTING, I’m going to eat. it. up. This song is fun! It is bright! And it isn’t what I often hear in K-pop.

CHOREO

THANKS : Seventeen, seventeen, seventeen. Sometimes there music is a little too sweet for me, but their dancing melts my brain every time. They use their numbers so well and their dedication to precision when dancing prevents from their complicated dancing from ever looking chaotic or messy. This song in particular - OOF. Wow. If you haven’t watched the performance video for this song, you should. They manage to have so many moving parts, and it reads as intricate, but always clear. They also do a great job of matching the sad vibes of the song. There are so many dances that could have made this list, but Thanks is so far beyond any of them in my books that I couldn’t have it sharing the title.

MUSIC VIDEO

Singularity : Is anyone on this blog surprised by this? I don’t shut up about this m/v. And for good reason -- it is freakin’ amazing! Aesthetically gorgeous, kills it with the visual metaphors, the choreography is beautiful and surprising given the music, and it’s minimal without lacking anything. Lots of K-pop m/vs are either very visually loud, or “minimally aesthetic” at the cost of substance. Singularity manages to find a balance. Taehyung does a stellar job with his acting and I am sucked into this world every time.

#kpop #review 2018 #bts #exo #svt #sam kim #minseo #zico #iu #loco #rm #jhope #ramblings #song ramblings #music rec

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kpoptimeout · 6 years

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Top 10 Most Underrated K-pop Songs of 2017 (Idol Edition)

2017 has come and gone before we knew it.

Continuing with the K-Pop Timeout Tradition (see 2016 Ver) of listing the Top 10 Most Underrated K-Pop Songs because all the other sites are just bothered with the Top 10 that pretty much everyone will have heard of/have fan wars over, below are our top 10 picks of songs that did not rank high but deserves your attention! Like last year we have a section for underrated non-idol tracks too, but this year we will make a separate post for Top 10 underrated non-idol tracks. A separate post will also be made for Top 10 underrated K-Drama OSTs.

Some of the artists have escaped the list in recent years to stardom (this year the escapees are LOONA and NU’EST) so hopefully it happens again!

This is in alphabetic order NOT order of awesomeness because all of them are awesome. Also, all MVs are linked in the song titles because Tumblr won’t let me share that many videos in one post.

APRIL “APRIL STORY”

With the successful debut and management of K.A.R.D, it seems like DSP Media is finally back on track and they have definitely been giving APRIL a lot stronger comebacks in 2017. The most underrated is perhaps their first banger of the year “APRIL STORY”, which should have propelled them to success instead of their slight increase in attention that was still not enough to help later comebacks like “MAYDAY” and “Take My Hand.” An amazing winter track with Disney-esque instrumentals and killer vocal performance, the song is further complemented by the music video, where the girls’ doll-like visuals sign in the magical dollhouse theme. If you love the dramatic sound of GFRIEND, the fantasy-infused tunes of LOVELYZ, and the Disney musical like pieces of early IU, “APRIL STORY” is the perfect combination for you!

B.I.G “1.2.3”

A comeback missing one member, because rapper Minpyo was sick, B.I.G still managed to carry “1.2.3” as four and slayed with this super powerful track. The song is a mix of the typical dance-pop we are familiar with in K-Pop with a lot of funk and RnB influences and highlights how Benji is one of the most underrated power vocals of K-Pop. The choreo and MV are also super fun and retro, complementing the already great track in many ways. If you are a fan of BLOCK B’s dramatic theatrics and MAMAMOO’s fun power vocals and need an energetic jam to get you started on a Monday or run miles in the gym, then B.I.G’s “1.2.3.” is the song for you.

Brave Girls “Rollin’”

Sadly still stuck on the underrated list, Brave Girls return with 5 members in another woefully unappreciated banger with “Rollin’”. Featuring the signature Brave Brother’s sexiness and addictive post-chorus instrumental, the song has everything needed in a classy sexy K-Pop track. The memorable chair choreo also furthers the mystery behind the song’s lack of success in South Korea. If like other Brave Brother’s produced female groups like SISTAR, T-ARA, and 4MINUTE, this song is your dance-pop fix!

ELRIS “Pow Pow”

While they only debuted this year and have time to grow, ELRIS and their song “Pow Pow” definitely deserves more attention, especially considering their 2017 rookie competitors being mainly popular girl groups with I.O.I members. This fun girl group track with a strong rock guitar riff blends in intro and dance break plus a catchy electronic chorus makes it one of the strongest girl group tracks of the year. If you are a fan of cutesy girl groups with an edge like TWICE and Oh My Girl, go check out ELRIS in “Pow Pow”!

N.Flying “The Real”

With a long hiatus and the addition of popular PRODUCE 101 member Yoo Hoesung, fans were uncertain of N.Flying’s comeback but the boys delivered with a super catchy track that will hopefully kick off an amazing Korean career for the boys. “The Real” shows all the best of N.Flying - a colorful blend of vocals and rap that only got amplified by Hoesung’s ridiculous vocal range. If you are a fan of other FNC bands like FT Island and CN Blue but also like the crazy fun pop tracks of BLOCK B and B.A.P, “The Real” is the song for you!

9MUSES “Love City”

With only 4 members left, 9MUSES continue to make us ask the question of “Why are they not super famous yet?” “Love City” continues to showcase the unique 9MUSES dance-pop sound and surpasses it with an addictive chorus that goes up the scales (musically and figuratively) and has that Janet Jackson-esque giggle to top it off. If you want a top class and smooth mature girl group banger like those of After School and SNSD during their prime, you better check this song out!

SNUPER “Back:Hug”

Hopefully “The Unit” will give these boys more attention because “Back:Hug” and pretty much all SNUPER tracks are bops. Produced by Sweetune, the masterminds behind early INFINITE tracks, “Back:Hug” continues with the signature Sweettune 80s synth melodies but with a 2017 twist - tropical house! The distorted tropical house sound adds an interesting layer to the already addictive track makes it insane how underrated this track is. If you like INFINITE and BOYFRIEND’s previous Sweettune produced tracks and like the tropical house stuff from K.A.R.D, you should give this song a listen!

SONAMOO “I (Knew It)”

Sonamoo is one of those groups with a crazy hype debut but through mismanagement, has started being forgotten. While Eujiin is hopefully going to change things as the center on “The Unit”, it would also help if more people listen to their newest track “I (Knew It)”. After TS Entertainment seemed to finally settle on a concept for the girls with “Friday Night”, the sultry and mature image continues with “I (Knew It)”, where the girls flaunt their sharp moves, killer rap and top vocals in this Latin-infused dance masterpiece. If you are a fan of SISTAR’s Latin-infused tracks and some of GAIN’s sexy solo stuff, you need to listen to “I (Knew It)”!

VAV “ABC (Middle of the Night)”

Another group that never stops with bops is VAV, and “ABC (Middle of the Night)” is easily one of the catchiest songs of the year with little to no attention given to it. Not only do the boys have a consistent sound, they also improve on it, with “ABC (Middle of the Night)” being the epitome of it. Addictive beat - check. Playful rap - check. Catchy chorus - check. Honestly, if you are on the cute and smooth boys train of ASTRO and early BOYFRIEND, you should really check out “ABC (Middle of the Night)”!

VICTON “Unbelievable”

Although they come from the same company as popular girl group A PINK, VICTON is still very underrated in South Korea. “Unbelievable” continues with their unique sound from debut - fun, colorful, and laid-back tracks that clearly highlight each member’s unique vocal color. The whistling in the chorus is also super catchy and will keep the song in your mind for days. If you like the feel good and fun sound of groups like SEVENTEEN and recent HIGHLIGHT (B2ST) stuff, “Unbelievable” is the track for you!

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vitaminwaterreviews · 5 months

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Newjeans - Ditto

Alright, that was an experience. I started off kind of indifferent; this song has been hyped to all hell by everyone, so I was expecting something Great. And instead, I got something Good, and that was kind of underwhelming. But maybe being Good is exactly what it’s meant to be, y’know?

The contrast between this song and basically every other title track in kpop is very obvious. Kpop is energetic and loud and bright and exciting, and this song is muted and quiet and sad. The lyrics are kind of necessary to understand what’s going on, and once I had the lyrics, I think I was really able to get it.

I also want to mention how girl-next-door the concept is. Like, they don’t look like idols in the traditional sense; yes they’re absurdly beautiful compared to normal people, but they’re dressed like normal people and in normal people situations and doing normal people things. They could be students from your high school or your college and you wouldn’t be able to tell. Except maybe for the dancing in the middle of the classroom part, you’d be able to tell by that.

This song won daesangs from MAMA and MMA, which places it in that “truly special” tier of kpop song, right up there with songs like Cheer Up and Love Dive. I don’t know if I buy it yet. I liked it a lot, and I’m sure it’ll grow on me. But in the end, it is very different from kpop. But I don’t know if I like that difference; I usually prefer the energetic and excited and bright side of kpop. I’ll go with 8/10. We will see if it grows on me.

Alright, I’m gonna try a new format here. This time, I’ll listen to the song three times. First with the music video and no lyrics, then with just the lyrics, then all three together. We’ll see what I see. I don’t think I’ve heard this song before? Certainly not all the way through, and I’ve definitely never seen the MV. But this just won a MAMA and a Melon (plus it’s just, like, massive) so I’ve been meaning to get around to it.

Also apparently a performance video has the most views so I guess I’ll watch that instead of the MV.

First listen (just video):

Synths and vocals, very sad

Lol the birds there

Why is their choreo so fun when the song is so sad?

It’s Very minimal. Like, you can easily pick out everything that’s going on

I’m not sure I buy the drums on top of the melancholy everything else

The choreo is, unsurprisingly, very NewJeans

Initial reaction: Like a 7 I guess?

Second listen (just lyrics):

Nice, we get a random k, let’s go

Mkay, so it’s a love song

“Summer’s already gone and it’s autumn”

Mmm the lyrics do make this much better

Ohh I see, it’s “I don’t want to stay in the middle, like you a little”, because she wants to like them a lot

So it’s a song about longing for love. And it sure does sound like a longing song

Okay, yeah, better with the lyrics, we’ll go 8 this time

Third listen (both)

I’m actually gonna watch the Side A MV this time bc I’m curious if it adds to the story (I’m sure it will)

Oh look, it’s a home video, but with absurdly beautiful people instead of normal people, isn’t that cute

What, why does the MV get this pretty piano prelude

And what is this song they’re dancing to? We’ve heard like two songs so far and neither of them are the song

Omg it’s a guy

And a camera

Here we go, here’s the song

Oh I forgot to turn the captions on oops, let’s do that

Look at them, they’re normal girls doing normal girl things, isn’t that cute

Omg a rainy day scene, we did need that

Well that picture of a deer in the snow was Lovely

A cast on one hand and a single painted nail on the other

And she’s filming everything

Wow that was an Aesthetic ending

Glad I watched the MV, much better experience than the performance version

#single #kpop #NewJeans

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lovelywaifu · 6 years

Video

youtube

Most people who don’t follow kpop probably don’t know about this but I feel like people should absolutely appreciate it for the pure A E S T H E T I C of it. It has everything you need

lo-fi VCR filter

overbearing dark synth bass

extreme bedroom eyes

rainy, 90s-dystopian-future setting

gender-nonconforming elements (some ambiguous outfits, feminine choreo)*

THAT ONE BACKUP DANCER’S THIGHS

Koharu fucking Sugawara

highly impractical shirts

whatever that fucking sparkly thing Taemin has on his head is

the high kick

Seriously just watch this already. It’s so good. If you like dark, moody 90s music that sounds like you should be making love on a waterbed to, then this will be right up your alley my friends.

This song also has 4 different videos lol. You can also watch:

the solo performance to really appreciate his dancing

duo performance to marvel at Koharu

and the dance practice version to appreciate his backup dancers

(*It’s not SUPER non-conforming but you’re just going to have to trust me that this has made a stir in the kpop world. It’s a big deal. Taemin has consistently been teased about being feminine and having a small build. So he took those things and totally embraced them! This video is a far cry from the image he originally tried for his solo career - tough, hyper-masculine cool dude with motorcycles and guitar gun.)

#taemin #lee taemin #move

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kpoprambles00-blog · 5 years

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Spring comeback review [Part 2]

Alright, time for part two - I've put this off long enough as it is, so let's not waste any more time!

[This is a two-part review - part one can be found here!]

R.TEE X ANDA (안다) - WHAT YOU WAITING FOR (뭘 기다기고 있어)

~ MV link ~

For those of you that don't know, I'm quite a fan of EDM - and that applies to K-Pop, too. R.Tee has done some fantastic stuff in the past; when he's not producing songs for YG (he's done quite a few of BLACKPINK's best title tracks, like "Playing With Fire" and "KILL THIS LOVE", actually), he's doing his own thing and making his own music. (Hell, he's even collaborated with EXID's Hani before - "We Got The World" is a fucking great song, too!) But just like a lot of other celebrities and male idols, he unfortunately had to enlist earlier this year. So, before that, he decided to go out with one last bang and release his collaboration with Anda, "What You Waiting For." Now, if you've never heard of Anda, let me just say that you've been missing out. She's got an incredibly unique voice and an undeniable sense of charisma, and she's definitely one of the better K-Pop soloists out there. She recently was signed to YG after leaving Amoeba Culture, and it looks like this is her first proper song under YG.

Artists aside, as for the song itself... yeah, um, wow. It's fucking phenomenal.

When it comes to EDM in K-Pop, I always have an apprehensive side; I'm always worried it'll veer more into mainstream pop, instead of sounding like an actual EDM, bigroom-inspired song. But when R.Tee was put into the equation, those worries flew RIGHT out the window for me. He's got a fantastic knowledge of the genre, and he certainly uses it to his advantage here. That drop had me reeling the first time I heard it. I wasn't sure what the song was going to build up to, and I wasn't entirely sure if Anda would suit it, but goddamn was I wrong. This song is explosive, to put it lightly - that bouncy melody line and the staccato bass in the drop really work wonders. "What You Waiting For" has a sense of gravitas and power to it, and at no point does it ever feel thin or flimsy - it's powerful, raucous EDM at its best. AND I LOVE IT. What's even more impressive is how it never loses its momentum, either!

Like I mentioned, I wasn't entirely sure if Anda would suit this sort of song, but she quickly changed my mind on that. She carries her usual charisma and energy in every line, and her vocal delivery is nothing less than amazing (as is usually the case for her). Her delivery actually ties in nicely to the lyrics, too, which are very impatient and demanding. She knows what she wants, and she's tired of waiting for the person she likes to turn around and tell her they like her. On the other hand, you could look at them as an encouragement to her crush to take the leap that's needed to start a relationship. They can feel one-sided in places, yes, but overall they're definitely interesting, as well as a little bit different.

How slow are you? You're tiring me out Why are you so hesitant? You and I, we already know all we need to know

Thankfully, we were lucky enough to get a dance video for this song as well - and it's just as good as the song itself.

~ Dance practice link ~

I don't mean that on a choreography level - there's nothing incredibly mind-blowing or amazing about this choreo. It's relatively simple, but effective and hard to pull off. ESPECIALLY with those lifts. (Seriously, dynamic stuff like that should be included in K-Pop routines more often, it looks fantastic. I understand why it's not, but... yeah.) What REALLY blows me away about this routine is Anda herself. No, I'm not talking about that pair of twin backup dancers that everyone is fawning over in the comments. This is ANDA'S routine. She owns it. You can tell that the charisma she has is not just limited to her voice - she's a stellar performer, as well. From start to finish, she exudes stage presence and charm in a way that's very damn rare. Even though the choreography is nothing special, she makes it entertaining either way. She's a delight to watch.

And that is just another reason why this song is so damn amazing to me. It delivered in pretty much every way possible, and I still listen to it incredibly often. Don't be surprised if you see me mention this on my best list at the end of the year - it's looking like it'll be on that list, I'll say that much!

BLOCK B BASTARZ (블락비 바스타즈) - HELP ME

~ MV link ~

When it comes to subunits of popular groups, Block B Bastarz have always been one of my favourites. "Conduct Zero" was downright fucking fantastic, and "Make It Rain" was arguably even better - they're big, bombastic hip-hop fuelled songs that blew me away on first listen. I still listen to them, they're phenomenal. But it was clear from the teasers for their recent comeback that they were going to be trying something new, and a little more subdued. Not going to lie, I was worried, but out of the two songs they released, "Help Me" stands out the most. That's not to say I don't like "From Seoul" - I just wouldn't have a lot to say on it.

Between the two title tracks, "Help Me" has more of a traditional Bastarz sound. But just like the teasers indicated, it's heading in a very different direction sound-wise. It's still got hints of that bombast that we've had in the past with those booming synths and blocky violin chords, but there's something a little darker here than before - the bass guitar gives a great melodic lift (and a LOT of groove), but it's surrounded by very echoey 808 bass and subtle acoustic guitar notes to give a slower, darker vibe. The song very much switches between these two moods, going from bombast back to funky a number of times.

Even if I'm not a fan of that clunky trap section in the middle, the members themselves give great vocal performances that put the song's darker concept on display. Hell, their performances in the music video are great too. Now THAT was certainly fun to watch. If you're not good with blood I wouldn't recommend watching it, but this dark, almost action film-like concept really suits Bastarz well!

And nowhere is that darker concept more evident than in the lyrics, which... yeah, they're certainly weird. Whoever these lyrics are following is certainly a bit of a tormented soul, who's either stuck in a back and forth relationship, or - as the lyrics in the choruses suggest - may be doing some harm to their relationship thanks to alcohol or something of the sort. The back-and-forth in the lyrics certainly comes off as uneasy, but lyrics like this aren't seen in K-Pop all too often. They're certainly unique, and probably the most memorable part of the song when you take the time to find a good translation.

Lend me your body tonight, tonight I'm fucked up I'm gonna sleep holding you [...] Can you come to me tonight? Help me, baby

Even though we didn't get too many music show stages, we did get a dance practice for the song.

~ Dance practice link ~

And to be honest, it's nothing really to write home about. There's certainly some interesting moments - those staggered movements in the second verse look fantastic - but all in all, it's a fairly run of the mill choreography for the boys. It's the sort of thing they could probably do in their sleep at this point. But hey, it definitely suits the slower vibe of the song well! It's just not as complex or eye-catching as some other routines out there.

All in all, I do feel like this will be a comeback I'll end up forgetting about down the line. Yes, the song's got an interesting theme overall, the dance is okay, and the MV is pretty damn great, but it's just not... overly memorable, if you know what I mean. The annoying part is, I can't really figure out why. I am glad to see Bastarz experimenting a bit though, and I'm definitely excited to see what they do in the future.

BTS (방탄소년단) FT. HALSEY - BOY WITH LUV (작은 것들은 위한 시)

~ MV link ~

Welp, I knew I was going to have to talk about BTS on this blog at some point... May as well do it now!

I shouldn't need to explain to you who BTS are at this point. Even if you're not a K-Pop fan, the chances are that you know who they are. And I'm going to be completely honest - I was a big naysayer of BTS for a while. As controversial as it may be for me to say this, their releases from "Boy With Luv" onward just... disappointed me. I adored them when they debuted - "N.O." is one of my favourite K-Pop songs ever for its lyrics alone - and I loved the hard hip-hop sound they were going for. But for a while, it felt like they were making music that just... didn't appeal to me in any way. However, when "Not Today" came out, I had a bit of hope again. And not gonna lie, most of BTS's songs that have been popular in the west have been... iffy, if I'm being honest. I don't feel like "DNA" does anything to stand out, and I ended up hearing "Fake Love" enough that it eventually irritated me. But I admittedly loved "Idol", and was excited to see what they'd do next.

And then they released "Boy With Luv", and... I didn't like it. Yeah, this song is a massive grower. If you don't like it initially, just let it take its time. Don't think about it too much, and just try to enjoy it. That's what songs like this are for! It's very much a laid-back, breezy summer song with TONS of energy and colour. The funky guitar melodies, the cymbal-heavy drum line, the tambourine as part of the pre-choruses... It's one hell of an entertaining song. And it's honestly a breath of fresh air to see BTS having so much fun - it's one of the reasons I ended up liking "Idol" so much. And yeah, Halsey doesn't really contribute much, but I feel like she did all she needed to here. BTS are so big at this point that this was bound to do well regardless of whether or not they had a guest star. The members have enough charisma and versatility to pull this concept off well - it hasn't hit for me in the past, but there's something about "Boy With Luv"'s colour and vivacity that just nails it. Admittedly, I didn't like Suga's rap, but that's the only part of the song I didn't like. The rest of it is upbeat, melodic, and perfect to scream in a car. Trust me, I've done it. It's great.

Admittedly, the lyrics aren't anything too special. They're standard pop song fare, all about being in love and how happy you are whilst in a relationship. RM's rap is admittedly the exception, because that has some downright gorgeous fucking lyrics that might be some of my favourite of the year so far. But yeah, the rest of it is fairly standard, but I'm not too bothered by it. For a song as casual and laid-back as this, the lyrics don't need to be overly complicated - they do their job perfectly fine. 👌

But your pain is my pain - when I realized that I vowed to myself, with the wings of Icarus you gave me Not toward the sun but toward you, let me fly

Of course, we have a dance practice to look at here, too. And since it's BTS we're dealing with, you KNOW it's going to at least be good.

~ Dance practice link ~

And yeah, it is! Considering how laid-back the song is, it's hardly going to be as intense as some of BTS' other choreos - but it's really damn pleasant to watch regardless. There are a few little details in the positioning and movements of the members that really stood out to me, like the gentle little hops that are scarily in sync, or the alternation of members moving up and down. It's a very satisfying choreogaphy, and really lets BTS show off just how much raw charisma they actually have. (And it may be because he's my bias, but goddammit Jimin looked amazing this comeback thank you very much.)

While "Boy With Luv" certainly wasn't my favourite song when I first heard it, it's grown on me an AWFUL lot and I really do appreciate it now. Hell, I even managed to find and buy the album in a shop! A K-Pop album! In a shop! In Ireland! What timeline are we in?!

The best one, clearly. LET'S HAVE THIS BE A THING MORE OFTEN SO I DON'T HAVE TO PAY FOR SHIPPING ALL THE TIME THANK YOU.

TIFFANY YOUNG - LIPS ON LIPS

~ MV link ~

I don't really know what to say about Tiffany's solo career at this point. Time and time again, she'll release a new solo, I'll get my hopes up thinking that she'll finally release something I like, and I immediately have my hopes dashed when I listen to the song. "Lips On Lips" is no different.

I want to like what Tiffany is doing, I really do. She's a great performer. She's got a unique voice, good dancing and a boatload of stage presence. But... goddamn, her music is not showing that. At all. My main problem with "Lips On Lips" is the fact that it's unoriginal. Now, of course songs are going to sound similar every now and again, but who decided it was a good idea to give Tiffany a clunky, autotune-ridden ripoff of Maroon 5's "Girls Like You"?! That is NOT a flattering concept for her. The autotune is so thick at some parts of the choruses that it sounds like she's off-tune. That's nooooot good. Whoever she's working with on her vocal production needs to fix that.

Hell, whoever she's working with on her production needs to fix what they're doing period. To say this song is blocky is an understatement. The melody is repetitive to a point where it starts to tire before the end of the song, and that's not a good thing coming from me. I can normally put up with the most repetitive of songs, whether it be in pop or K-Pop. But "Lips On Lips" just... overdoes it in that regard. It feels rushed, both in melody and production. The filtered, overly condensed violin plucks and completely unneeded trap snares and blaring synths do NOT help either.

Nothing about this song sounds balanced. It's like every element of the song is trying to compete to get your attention by being as loud and irritating as possible. It tries to come off as sweet and melodic, but it ends up being the exact opposite. It's grating. And just like how the melody was repetitive, the lyrics are too. I understand that that's normal for pop songs, but I think it's exacerbated by how repetitive that melody line is. They're pretty inoffensive on their own, but with that melody they become a pain to listen to.

Only one I choose, ride or die with you Trust I speak the truth, darling, I get weak when you Put your lips on my lips, when they're touching like this, no, they don't ever lie

I'm now at the point where I think I'm going to stop reviewing Tiffany's solo releases on this blog. At the time of writing, she's recently released "Magnetic Moon", and it's not much better. I'm sorry, Tiffany. I DESPERATELY want to like what she's doing, but she's just making all the wrong moves with her solo music so far. Unless she drastically improves, I won't be reviewing her music here in the future. Not if it's as bad as "Lips On Lips". Sorry.

KEY (키), SOYEON (소연) - I WANNA BE

~ MV link ~

And now, for a solo effort that is fantastic in just about every way.

People REALLY need to stop sleeping on Key's solo stuff. I feel like people only pay attention to him when he's a part of SHINee, and even then, I feel he gets overlooked. When he released his solo album "Face" last year, I had no clue it came out - so much so that I didn't even know that "I Wanna Be" was the title track from the repackage! I thought it was just a mini album or single!

And that's a crying shame, because this might just be one of my favourite songs of the year so far. If I had to describe "I Wanna Be" in one word, it's anthemic. This song has such a fantastic sense of presence and atmosphere to it, and that atmosphere is one of absolute joy. The instrumental is downright magical in places with those synths chords and snapping percussion beats, and it never clashes against the more dance-influenced choruses - or the drop. The drop in this song may feel a little out of place initially, but when that ending comes around, it is stunning. The way the drop layers over the instrumental and Key's adlibs is enough to give me chills - and that it does! "I Wanna Be" is the kind of song that took me so much by surprise when I first listened to it that I immediately listened to it again. It's THAT good. It's breezy, it's uplifting, and it's a very cheerful and enthusiastic punch to the gut. To say it took me by surprise is an understatement.

That goes without mentioning the performers themselves. As I've mentioned, Key is being slept on, and that applies to his skills as a performer as well as his music. He's got a very magnetic presence behind the microphone, and he really pulls you into what he's singing immediately. Then there's the fact that Soyeon is on this song, which... she doesn't need any explaining at this point. She's one of the best (if not the best) female idol rappers in K-Pop right now, she's got her own precedent. And she unsurprisingly kills it here too. Her rap section may be short, but it's effective and impactful regardless.

The lyrics, too, are a nice surprise. In case you aren't aware, this is the last song Key released before his military enlistment. When you take that into account, the lyrics are probably enough to make any long-term Shawol tear up a little - hell, I got a little misty-eyed reading them once that final drop kicked in! They've got a celebratory mood that's tinged with the sadness of parting from someone you care about - but they're celebratory because you know you'll eventually get to see them again. They're just as genuine as the song itself, and they're a breath of (very welcome) fresh air.

Think of me when you're feeling alone Even before this song ends Always inside your heart, I wanna be

Unfortunately, apart from some edited fancams, we don't really have a proper look into the choreography for this song. I've seen bits of it here and there, but not enough for me to give my full opinion on it. I don't feel like I'd be giving an opinion that's fair, since I kinda like to see the whole picture before commenting. Regardless, "I Wanna Be" is a goddamn fantastic song that deserves way more appreciation than what it got. I can bet right now this is going to be on my favourites list at the end of the year. It's brilliant, and I hope that we get music of this quality once Key returns, too. 😊

CHERRY BULLET (체리블렛) - Q&A

~ MV link ~

Wanna know what one of my favourite things about K-Pop is? DEBUTS. I love seeing a brand new group with a shitton of potential come out of nowhere - it's probably why I like so many rookie groups. And while Everglow may still hold the title for the best rookie this year in my opinion, Cherry Bullet are another girl group who managed to thoroughly impress me with their debut.

When I heard that Cherry Bullet's concept as such was going to be video game-based, I was worried. I wondered if it was going to be stereotypical, or if it was even going to catch my attention at all. I didn't want it to just be superficial - and y'know what, they fucking nailed it. "Q&A" suits this video game concept incredibly well, thanks to the electronic synths scattered throughout the instrumental, as well as some of the phasers and effects that are used throughout. It sounds very retro and gamey, for lack of a better word, and it's as if chiptune and tropical house had a baby. A very pleasing, delightful baby. Weird metaphors or no, the song is good. It's catchy, and WILL get stuck in your head, it's bright, it's uplifting, and it's cute without feeling over-the-top or cheesy. It just feels like a genuinely bright debut, full of potential and excitement.

And that's particularly apt with Cherry Bullet, since some of these girls have pipes. Seriously, they can SING - Bora and Haeyoon are the obvious standouts here. The melody in "Q&A" is very litled and hard to sing in places, and yet these girls sound like they could do in their sleep. Hitting high notes is one thing, but doing it well is a completely different can of worms. And yet, each of the members has a very distinctive sound to her voice that sets everyone apart, and while I feel like some of the rap sections could have been a bit better, the harmonies and vocals really do make up for it in my opinion. I bet these girls would be amazing live - I'd LOVE to see the energy they bring. Speaking of energy, the lyrics are full of the energy you'd expect from a debut like this one. They're very much about love whilst being playful and cheery, and they get the job done just fine.

I act like I'm not interested I keep beating around the bush I'm playing hard to get, it's how I play my love games

So everything's looking pretty damn good so far - what about the dance?

~ Dance practice link ~

Turns out it's pretty great too! The biggest thing about it is how the choreographer obviously took advantage of the number of people on stage at the one time. There are a lot of groups out there with members in the double digits, but very few of them use each member effectively in their choreography. Cherry Bullet are a fantastic example of this. Every member plays a part in the choreography (which unfortunately cannot be said about the song's line distribution... ouch), and the girls are very well in-sync to match. Combined with some of the more intricate elements going on here, it's a very pleasing choreography to watch. The girls each bring their own energy and vibe to the choreo, and even though I have no idea how Bora is dancing in those shoes, they all kill it.

Cherry Bullet have so much potential, it's astounding. If FNC can keep it up and actually give these girls some proper momentum, we might have another big rookie girl group. And I really hope that's the case, because they deserve it! They really could become something great, and I have every faith that they will.

Hopefully they don't become TOO good though, because I stan way too many groups as it is. It's getting ridiculous at this point. Seriously. Cherry Bullet, I love you, and I want you to do well, but if I end up buying all your albums, then we'll have a problem. My wallet can't take much more at this point...

TAEYEON (태연) - FOUR SEASONS (사계)

~ MV link ~

What else can really be said about Taeyeon at this point? Her solos have all done incredibly well, each being more successful than the last. But with "Four Seasons", Taeyeon seemed to knock it out of the park for most people. The song was hugely successful for weeks on end, and to be honest, when you dig a bit deeper into it, you begin to see why.

"Four Seasons" is Taeyeon doing what Taeyeon does best - lyrically complex songs with a tinge of emotion that only she can really add. The instrumental is lavish and very unique, even if I do feel like the percussion line is a little overblown at times. It never overshadows Taeyeon's voice, which is a huge thing. If you overshadow the performer, that's a problem, and it's a problem "Four Seasons" thankfully never has. The muted guitar lines keep the pace steady as well, and the interchanging lyrics in the choruses keep the song feeling fresh and interesting. It's got a very interested, slightly stilted melody - it's paced very uniquely, and it makes the entire song very memorable and strangely catchy. The quality is high, and the memorability is high as a result.

The lyrics themselves are probably my favourite aspect of the song outside of Taeyeon herself, who gives a great performance as always. She's always so emotionally charged when she sings, I love it. But the lyrics here are referencing a breakup, and how tired and stale the now-ended relationship became. I love how they've got the slightest tinge of sarcasm and scorn to them in places, since it helps the song border on the edge of being a flippant kiss-off, and yet stops it before it crosses that border and allows for a bit more reflection and contemplation. They're deep, to put it lightly. And when they do have that scornful tinge to them, they're admittedly really entertaining! I kinda just want to see Taeyeon do a completely savage break-up song some time - I feel like she'd excel at it.

The four seasons come and go I gave you my winter, I gave you my summer You were my whole world, but I'm letting you go Did I really love you?

While I may not like it as much as some of her other solo releases, "Four Seasons" is still a solid solo from Taeyeon that really shows her versatility. She's had a fair amount of success so far this year, and long may it last! She's one of the best in the business, and "Four Seasons" only serves to highlight her strengths.

TXT (투모로우바이투게더) - CROWN (어느날 머리에서 뿔이 자랐다)

~ MV link ~

So, I sung the praises of Cherry Bullet earlier on - what about TXT? Arguably the biggest debut this year in terms of sheer popularity, TXT were kinda destined to be successful from the get go. Say what you will about them being under the same label as BTS, I'm going to review their debut like I would review any other group. (I do kind of feel like they were destined to be successful no matter how good or bad their debut was anyway, but that's a debate for another day.)

At first, I really wasn't sure what to think of "Crown". The bouncy synths are certainly inviting upon a first listen, and the morse code certainly piqued my interest. Which, for the record, it spells out "CROWN" and I find that insanely adorable. Cryptic messages aside, the song's pretty standard fare for a boy group - you've got trap percussion in abundance, you've got the upbeat energy of a debut, and you've got a pretty nice progression with some of those synths and vocal samples. But at times, the song can end up feeling a little overcrowded, especially in the choruses. It's hard to know what to focus on because you've got so many elements overlapping at once. I'd certainly prefer listening to a song that's too busy rather than one that's undercooked, but it's just something I noticed.

But honestly, the song itself has grown on me. What hasn't grown on me is the lyrics. Now, I'm a particular fan of creepier concepts in K-Pop - hell, I'm a massive Insomnia. So to start reading the lyrics and have the hints at a possible tormented love story going on here? I was enthralled. I wanted to know where they were going to take this - would this be the unique little detail that would give TXT's debut a real spark? But nope. As soon as you reach the first chorus, we're back to being lovey dovey and talking about how the other person in the relationship makes having the pain of having a (metaphorical) horn on your head go away. I wasn't massively disappointed or anything, but I couldn't help but think about what could've been. There could've been something really damn unique and creative here, and I feel like the idea was just thrown out when the lyricists didn't want to put the work into fleshing it out. It's sad. But apart from that, the lyrics are fine. They're nothing too special, there's some nice imagery here and there, but they're just fine.

Are you my salvation who found me deserted Are your wings [in] the same pain like me There's a horn rising up on my head, but I love it You become my crown

Dance-wise though, I went into this with VERY high expectations. It's BigHit, they're known for making very hard and complex dances. But "Crown" might have one of my new favourite routines - simply thanks to its creativity.

~ Dance practice link ~

There are moves here which you will probably never see in another group's choreography. They're so goddamn unique and stylish, and one after the other they continued to blow me away. The position, the staggered movements of the members, the playing with levels, the formations... all of it is a fucking feast for the eyes. That's helped by the fact that all 5 members are superb dancers, which, again, is no surprise coming out of BigHit. Regardless, this is one of my favourite choreographies of the year, and I really hope TXT carries this high standard into the future when it comes to dance. This is amazing!

All in all, "Crown" was a good debut. It's certainly not a new favourite for me or anything like that, but it was a strong debut as a whole. Where they go in the future will be interesting, though, and it's something I intend to keep a close eye on. Regardless, hopefully the boys can overcome the myriad of bad luck and health problems they seem to be facing and successfully come back later this year - seeing a rookie group be so heavily affected by health concerns this early on is heartbreaking, whether you like them or not. Fingers crossed!

DIA (다이야) - WOOWA (우와)

~ MV link ~

Okay, so, we immediately go from one of my new favourite dances to one of my new favourite songs.

If you've never listened to "Woowa" before - which I suspect many of you haven't, because this song is criminally underrated - SIT THE FUCK DOWN AND LISTEN UP. DIA are about to show you how to do 90s-inspired dance-pop.

First off, I feel like I need to highlight my favourite (and the best) element in "Woowa" - THAT BOUNCY SYNTH. I honest to God wasn't sure what to expect going into this, because I've never paid DIA much attention. But holy shit, that synth. I nearly fell out of my goddamn chair. It's big, it's brash, and it smacks you across the face with nostalgia in a way not many songs can. When "Woowa" gets going, it's a monster of a song. The choruses are huge, the instrumental and melody are infernally catchy, and that synth keeps on coming back around to bring it all together. I'd be lying if I said I liked that strange flute-driven section right after the first chorus, though; it does feel a little jarring and out of place. But the rest of what's on offer here is an absolute banger, and really deserves a hell of a lot more love than what it got. I mean, JUST LISTEN TO IT. Please. I'm begging you.

I sure as hell wish the lyrics were as interesting as the song, though. They're standard girl group fare in every way possible - being uncontrollably in love with someone, and wanting them to actually say something and possibly kickstart a relationship. It's nothing you haven't heard 20 times before. It's just a shame, since the song itself is so explosive and full of potential. The lyrics very well could have been the same, and they just... aren't. Not to me, anyway. 😔

You don't have to do anything You could just stand there What else do I need? I just want to look at you in front of me

And unfortunately... The dance isn't much better. Not by a long shot.

~ Dance practice link ~

Yeah, this is a disappointment in about every way possible. I was maybe hoping we'd at least get something interesting and retro to match the style of the song - you know, some wacking maybe? That'd be nice. But no - instead, we get a really sluggish, unfitting routine. I don't know who came up with that main point dance, but it is NOT good. It looks uncomfortable to do, the girls are barely moving, and it really just... doesn't work. This is a really boring routine overall, honestly. There were MOUNTAINS of potential here, and not a single bit of it was capitalized upon. And that makes me sad. There are probably fan-made choreographies out there that are better than this, honestly - and that says a lot.

Now I'm possibly starting to see why this song got so overlooked - the lyrics and the dance are just... not very good, or interesting, for that matter. It's a major disappointment, especially when the song is THIS killer. MBK have always had a bit of a... rocky history, so to see such a good song pretty much wasted breaks my heart. Please, if you haven't heard this before, go listen to it. The elements surrounding the song may not be anything special, but the song itself? It's one of my favourites of the year so far. Let's hope MBK steps it up a bit for DIA's next comeback, because if they keep this sound, and improve the dance and lyrics? Pretty sure I'd lose my damn mind.

PARK BOM (박봄), SANDARA PARK (산다라박) - SPRING (봄)

~ MV link ~

Lastly, we have the song I'm probably the most nervous to talk about.

Back in 2013, when I first discovered what K-Pop even was, 2NE1 were one of the first groups who really blew me away. "I Am The Best" was one of those videos that showed me that there was something for me, that there was a group and concept that I legitimately enjoyed and wanted to see more of. So I, like everyone else, cried a LOT when YG fucked them over. I'm still admittedly upset about it to this day, regardless of if BLACKPINK have begun to fill that 2NE1-shaped hole in my heart. It'll never quite be full, not with how 2NE1 ended.

But the members have tried to at least be active after they left YG - Minzy's solos have been... hit and miss, though. So when it was announced that Bom was finally going to be re-debuting solo under her new agency, and Dara was going to feature on the song, I was both elated and terrified. After the hate that Bom had received, and the "controversies" she'd been thrust into, her comeback was one I was worried about. Nobody had a clue how Korea was going to react. But y'know what? It went down really well - she nearly even won on a music show or two. And with a song like "Spring", I'm not necessarily surprised.

This song is an empowerment anthem at its finest - it's pretty simplistic, but in a way that comes across as elegant and beautiful. The tempo is slow, the instruments are organic, and the melodic swells are perfectly timed. It really does give off an essence of grandeur, which - for someone as experienced as Bom - is very well-fitting. But it's the lyrics that REALLY steal the show here. These lyrics hit home, mainly because I feel like they're touching on depression. And they touch on it a LOT. If you've experienced it, you'll know that from reading them straight away. They're incredibly sincere, especially given all the controversy and hot water Bom found herself in back in 2014. And yet, as depressed as these lyrics may be, there's a ray of hope permeating throughout them. And THAT is what makes me emotional. She may have basically been public enemy number one for a number of years in Korea - simply for trying to treat her own mental illness - but "Spring" shows us that she's finally ready to step back into the spotlight and prove everyone wrong. For a comeback song like this, they couldn't be any more fitting.

I feel like I am alone, tied to you I think I'll be forgotten this way The times when I'm awake, I'm suffering, always

Since this is a ballad, there's no real choreography to speak of here - it's more of a Mariah Carey-esque saunter about the stage. Which I'm okay with - a song like this is certainly befitting of that. To say "Spring" is a triumphant return for Bommie would... probably be the understatement of the century, let's be real. She's certainly come back with a bang, and I know for a fact every single Blackjack is right behind her, cheering her on. Long may this last, because getting to hear her voice again was a fucking delight. 😊

•••••

...well that only took about two months to finish.

ALL THE SOURCES FOR THE ENGLISH LYRICS I USED IN THIS REVIEW:

What You Waiting For (뭘 기다리고 있어)

Boy With Luv (작은 것들은 위한 시)

I Wanna Be

Q&A

Four Seasons (사계)

Crown (어느날 머리에서 뿔이 자랐다)

Woowa (우와)

Spring (봄)

Border with pink and white flowers from PNGTree

#kpop #comeback review #BTS #halsey #anda #r.tee #block b #bastarz #tiffany young #taeyeon #girls' generation #key #SHINee #soyeon #(G)I-DLE #cherry bullet #park bom #sandara park #dara #2NE1

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