I don't give a shit if it's the middle of summer, there were way too many good comebacks in the spring. I can't NOT talk about them.
Seriously, I don't know who was in charge of the scheduling for this comeback season, but good LORD they were out to kill me. Every other day it seemed like we had a major comeback, or at least a comeback I personally was interesting. And while that's great, because it gives me a lot of material to talk about here... it also gives me a LOT of material to talk about here. It's one of the main reasons why this is so late; there were almost TOO many damn comebacks and reviews. This review nearly ended up being three parts long. That's how intense it got.
But in the end, I've narrowed it down to 20 songs I wanted to talk about. (I say that as if 20 is a small number...) Now, keep in mind, I have already done some reviews of spring comebacks; namingly, Dreamcatcher, MAMAMOO, TWICE, BLACKPINK and (G)I-DLE. They won't be mentioned here (because that would be overkill at this point), but if you want to read my reviews and find out what I thought of each comeback, they're all on this blog!
Anyway, that's enough rambling. I'll be here for another two months at this rate. Spring comebacks, let's go!
EVERGLOW (에버글로우) - BON BON CHOCOLAT (봉봉쇼콜랏)
Like. Wow. This sounds like a song that a pre-established artist would release mid-way through their career, only to be received with critical acclaim and everyone calling it "their best song". BUT IT'S JUST THEIR DEBUT SONG. WHAT. There are very few debuts that leave me speechless - (G)I-DLE impressed me, yes, but they didn't drop my jaw or anything. Everglow DID. If you've been seeing a lot of hype around this song, then trust me when I say it's for a fucking good reason.
"Bon Bon Chocolat" is one of the most intense and powerful girl group songs I've heard in the past year or so. I had no clue what to expect going in, admittedly, but man this was a fantastic surprise. The instrumental, for starters, is fucking nuts. It's got this phenomenal 808 bass line that permeates the entire song, along with some really interesting bass drum beats and some gorgeous, vibrant synths to help boost the melody. It's a tour de force of momentum that just does not fucking stop, and I for one am in for the ride. The vocal samples are another standout, as well; the minute you hear those fast-paced adlibs at the beginning, that's when you know that this is going to be something special.
Speaking of vocals, that's probably my only gripe with this song. Each of the members' performances are layered with quite a bit of autotune, which I'm not the biggest fan of. But the more I listen to it, the more I feel like it works in the song's favor. Sure, it does make their voices less distinct and makes it harder for you to get a feel for the members' charms (which is important for a debut, in my opinion), but the song is so damn good that it actually ends up working. In a weird way. The fact that the girls are able to pull of this sound and concept without sounding like they're trying to be the next BLACKPINK is... amazing in my eyes. It's a trap so many rookie groups can fall into, trying to sound like a hugely popular and successful artist. But Everglow have their own charm, and it shines from start to finish.
Lyrically, this song is certainly invocative of a debut. It's got that sort of "you can do anything if you believe in yourself" message to it, but it's a very confident and fresh take. The charm and personality of the lyrics actually works, and is boosted by, the girls' performances and that amazing instrumental. They honestly elevate what would normally be some pretty standard lyrics into something more interesting and worth your time.
You, straighten up your shoulders and get up
Look at the world outside the window
That's been trapping and hiding you
Oh, and guess what? The choreo is phenomenal as well. WHO WOULD'VE GUESSED, HUH.
And that brilliance makes a lot of sense when you realise that that was choreographed by Lia Kim. Yeah. Lia Kim from 1MILLION. Only one of the most successful and celebrated dance companies out there right now. She is really fucking good at what she does, and that mastery comes across in spades here. This routine ebbs and flows in all the right places, and you can really tell how considerate she was when choreographing it; you can tell she wanted it to match the song perfectly, and she really fucking nailed it in that regard. It also helps that the girls of Everglow themselves are all great dancers, too; they've got so much power and finesse to their moves that helps them flow excellently from one move to the next.
Overall, this was fucking fantastic. I absolutely cannot wait to see where these girls go next, because if it's anywhere near as good as "Bon Bon Chocolat", these girls are going to go far.
STAN TALENT, STAN EVERGLOW.
DAEHYUN (대현) - YOU'RE MY (너는 내게)
Alright, I'll admit that this is a very indulgent pick for me. But shhhhh let me have my moment okay.
For those of you who haven't been keeping up with the latest bullshit going on over at TS Entertainment, you might not know that B.A.P ended up basically disbanding a few months ago. All of the members gradually left the label - thank FUCK - and now they've all gone their own separate ways to follow new paths. Although, as a BABY since debut, I really do think they'll come back at some point. The boys are all incredibly close, and I don't feel like they'd just want to stop being B.A.P just because they're not under TS anymore.
But the first thing a lot of the members have been doing is pursuing solo projects, a lot of which actually dropped in springtime. Yongguk released "Hikikomori (히키코모리)", Youngjae released "Another Night", and Daehyun released "You're My (너는 내게)". And while all three songs are fantastic - you should seriously go check them out if you get the chance, they're hidden gems that more people should know about - I decided to review Daehyun's for this comeback review. I'd love to do all three, but I've got enough songs to review as it is.
And that's mainly because... well, Daehyun's my ultimate bias. (Well, at least my ultimate male bias; Hyosung from Secret is my ultimate female bias). He was my first ever proper bias in K-Pop, and he's been my favourite in B.A.P since day one. So it was inevitable that I was going to be interested in whatever he releases. And it turns out that he really decided to play to his strengths here, because "You're My (너는 내게)" is a mid-tempo ballad that really gives his amazing vocals room to breathe. Now, whilst ballads are not generally something I seek out, I'll make certain exceptions if I really like the artists. And yeah, I was always going to make an exception for Daehyun.
This actually reminds me a lot of one of Kyuhyun's solo songs, "At Gwanghwamun (광화문에서)", and considering that that's another ballad I really like, that's a great thing! Both songs are relatively chill, relaxed and pleasant to listen to, with their own instrumental swells where it's deemed necessarily. But I do honestly prefer "You're My (너는 내게)" a little more in the end - mainly since I feel like it has a bit more impact. The instrumental really suits Daehyun here, and the strings and piano lines are perfect for his vocal tone. They're very warm and welcoming, which is one of my favourite qualities about his voice. Whereas Kyuhyun always goes for a slightly breathier tone, Daehyun is very well able to lean into full-on belts every now and again, and... yeah. I do prefer this overall. Daehyun's voice is just killer for me.
And yeah, as is to be expected from a ballad like this, the lyrics are quite sweet and emotional. They're even a little bit pensive in places. But with Daehyun, I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that some of these lyrics are aimed at BABYs as a whole. He's always been very clear about how much he loves and supports the fandom as a whole; seriously, go look at his Twitter and you'll see what I mean. He's a very grateful, very kind person, and that's reflected in a lot of these lyrics. Yes, they can be about romance, too, but considering this is his first time really venturing out on his own outside of B.A.P... it makes a lot of sense. It's very heartwarming. 😊
When things were hard, you were always by my side
That's the reason I was able to live
I won't forget, I'll always remember
While "You're My (너는 내게)" is probably going to feel like just another ballad to some people, to me - and probably a lot of other BABYs as well - it'll stand out as a big moment for Dae. Wherever he decides to take his solo career from here, you can bet it'll be good. He's a genuinely great guy with some real talent, and I hope both he and the other members of B.A.P do well in their solo careers. They honestly deserve it. 😊
ITZY (있지) - DALLA DALLA (달라달라)
...where... the fuck... do I start with this.
Okay, so JYP. One of the big three. Of course, going into the next gen of K-Pop, they'll have TWICE and GOT7. But they're mainly 3rd generation groups. Stray Kids are going to need a sister group of sorts to go with them into the next generation, right? So they debuted Itzy! And adorable name aside, these girls had a lot, and I mean a LOT of hype around them coming up to debut. Need I remind you that Shin Ryujin won MIXNINE? Yeah, that's just the start of it.
But... as we all know, this was originally supposed to be a six-member group. Of course, Somi was originally going to be a part of Itzy. But she left, and recently started her own solo career (which will be in the summer comeback review). So that leaves the remaining five members of Itzy to push forward as a beacon of what K-Pop can be, of how different and unique and memorable it can be, right? They might end up being the face of the next generation!
...with a song like this? God, I... kinda hope not...
Yeah, this is going to sound harsh. But JYP, this is NOT how you debut a promising girl group. I'm sorry, but it needs to be said - if you like the song, good for you, I'm glad you can find things you find enjoyable here. But I cannot listen to "Dalla Dalla (달라달라)" and think of it as anything else other than a raging dumpster fire. The only way this song is even listenable for me is if it's rearranged. Which, yes, that's the version I've been listening to since the day it came out. The original version is just... awful. AND THAT'S SUCH A GODDAMN SHAME.
Say what you will about me hating on Itzy for doing something different, but I really do love the image and concept that they're going for here. They're not trying to blend in; they're their own thing, and they make that clear from moment one. But... jeez, "Dalla Dalla (달라달라)" rams that message into your face so hard that it already feels stale. What the fuck happened, JYP? You have five of the most talented trainees out there in K-Pop right now, and you give them this as their debut song?! Don't get me wrong, it has its merits - the verses and choruses are nice. They're fun, upbeat and are great examples of bouncy bubblegum pop. They sound lovely! And the "don't care what people say" bridge is gorgeous as well.
But... the rest of this song... it doesn't even sound like music. It sounds dissonant. It sounds messy. It sounds downright atonal. It's like a rollercoaster that's going way too fast because of a fault in its engineering. It's got this awful mess of synths and blaring samples that just... doesn't mesh. At all. and it ruins the song's ending ENTIRELY. It's so bad. Seriously. I can't imagine a world where I listen to it and find it entertaining. Who let Skrillex lose in JYP's studio?
And the lyrics... yeah, they're fine, I guess. For a concept that was trying to be so different and distinctive, you could've had your songwriters come up with some more interesting lyrics, JYP. They're nothing we haven't heard before. They're spunky, yes, and they suit the girls' age, but... are they really all that different?
Just pretty but not attractive at all
I'm different from the kids, I'm different
Don't measure me by your standards alone
I love being myself, I'm nobody else
Thankfully, there are two good things about this song in the end: number one is the girls themselves. The hype around the members was certainly justified if you ask me. Every single one of them has their own charm and personality, and they seem like they're going to develop into amazing performers; if they're this good now, then I can't wait to see where they are in five years' time. But the second good thing about "Dalla Dalla (달라달라)" is THAT. MOTHERFUCKING. DANCE.
Now THIS is how you debut a rookie girl group like Itzy. This is one of those routines where I watch it and can't help but wonder how the fuck they're even alive after such an energetic routine. It by no means negates the fact that the song is a mess - I don't think anything could at this point - but damn, this is about the best choreo we could've gotten here. It also helps that all five girls are excellent performers, and they pull off each move with so much finesse and clarity that it's awe-inspiring. And yes, the hairflips are equally as amazing. ESPECIALLY Yeji. Like... goddamn girl, Ariana Grande called, she heard how much her ponytail suits you and wanted to say you can keep it.
So while the routine is possibly one of the best this year, the song... couldn't be further from that. Yeah, if I make a worst list this year, this'll be on it. I sure as hell hope JYP actually give Itzy a song that shows them some respect next time, because this goes down as one of the worst debut songs in my memory. Yeah. I dislike it that much. These girls deserve better, full stop.
TAEMIN (태민) - WANT
Debuts aside, someone who's had my attention from day one of their solo career is Taemin. I remember hearing "Danger" for the first time and being blown away at just how well he handled himself outside of SHINee. And he's never really let up that momentum; "Press Your Number" was fantastic, "Move" was one of the biggest songs of last year, and now he's released his follow up to that, "Want". And even though I liked "Move" for what it was, I think "Want" might just be its slightly better cousin.
Taemin's established an image for himself that is frought with sex appeal. I mean, seriously, just go watch this man dance if you haven't already. You'll see what I mean. It suits his vocal tone, too, since he's got this very breathy yet charismatic whisper of sorts that just sounds really damn unique. That image was pretty much perfected with "Move", but "Want" evolves on it in a few interesting ways. The instrumental takes advantage of this strange, distorted sample that sounds super different and mysterious; it's not something you can describe easily. But then there's also a thumping bassline and some really interesting, deep synths that work beautifully alongside it. Everything in the instrumental is masterfully crafted, and it all plays into that main image Taemin is going for - this song is dirty, and it's not afraid to show that.
That says a lot about Taemin as a performer, too. He uses his aforementioned breathy tone in some places, but then dips into his lower range and full-on belts in others. It's a really damn clever mix of the two, and it only serves to further the song's tone. The vocal distortion effects used here and there are goddamn great, too! This sort of sexy image is not something Taemin's ever shyed away from; he's embraced it, and "Want" makes that message loud and clear. It's so damn well put together, and carries out its concept with such elegance and poise (and a hell of a lot of charisma to boot).
Don't even get me started on the lyrics - you thought the song was sexy? Hooo man, that's nothing. These are straight up FILTHY. They really play into the Adam and Eve concept shown in the video, too. It's very reminiscent of Gain's "Paradise Lost" in that sense, and I really, REALLY like it.
You'll want it more, you'll burn up more
I'm your eyes, I'll make you open up new eyes
I'm your toy to make you innocent
But, of course, it's Taemin. He doesn't just have a reputation for being sexy. He has a reputation as one of the best goddamn dancers to come out of K-Pop, period. And yeah, watching the choreography for this song shows exactly what I mean by that.
I feel bad for anyone who attempts a dance cover of this song. Damn, I even feel bad for the fucking backup dancers here. Taemin is just THAT good. He's got such a fine sense of poise and finesse to every movement he has, and you can really tell he doesn't just dance for the sake of it. Taemin is one of those rare people that really feels whatever routine he's dancing to; this is a masterclass in that. And yet, it's as if he's holding back; he knows we're going to want to see him go nuts and blow us all away, but the choreography is restrained... which links perfectly back into the theming of the lyrics and music video. Honestly, the dance makes this song a near masterpiece in my eyes; it's flawlessly executed and masterfully put together.
To think I was nearly going to leave this song off this list because of having so much to cover... I'm glad I didn't. Taemin's one of the strongest solo artists in K-Pop at the minute, and he delights with each and every single comeback. He can step on me and I'd say thank you, and that just about sums up how phenomenal "Want" is as a song.
HWASA (화사) - TWIT (멍청이)
When I found out that Hwasa was going to get a full-on solo, I can't begin to tell you how happy I was. She's been my bias in MAMAMOO since day one, and her solo projects on past albums have been great. So to see her get a promoted solo was awesome! Yes, it was cut short to actually let the girls breathe between promotions for this and Gogobebe (as well as preparation for their concert), but that's completely understandable. And yet, the song doesn't feel rushed or undercooked at all - it's a full-on solo effort from Hwasa, and a very successful effort if you ask me!
Outside of the debacle with the girls' schedules, I feel like RBW are doing a good job managing MAMAMOO, and that's clearly evident here with Hwasa. They noticed how popular she's becoming, especially after her viral MAMAs performance last year, and decided to capitalize on that by giving her a solo. And not gonna lie, "Twit (멍청이)" is just about the perfect song for Hwasa. It is LITERALLY her strengths and personality condensed into a song. She gets to show off her sultry, confident side that she's known for, whilst also showing a lot of vulnerability and tenderness in the lyrics; she's got a charm that's so damn hard to place, but this song does it perfectly. I couldn't imagine anyone else singing this - it just wouldn't suit them like it suits Hyejin.
The song itself is certainly memorable, too. The instrumental is more reminiscent of standard pop, with some interesting flute elements that make the melody incredibly catchy. The trumpet synths in the second half work really well in contrast with the more natural guitar tones in the verses, too; "Twit (멍청이)" is very good at building and maintaining its momentum as a song. None of it feels forced or shoe-horned in at the last minute, and I really like that! It feels very complete and distinctive.
Like I mentioned, though, the lyrics are much more emotional than you'd expect. Yes, the song itself is confident and in your face (and Hwasa's voice is powerful as all hell, let's be real), but the lyrics are... certainly surprising. Hell, there's even a goddamn reference to Korean folklore, and the story of Simcheong. There's more to the relationship here than you'd initially think, that's for sure. Hwasa admits that because she's so confident and independent, she's often the driving force in this relationship. And yes, she can bring out the best bits of her partner, but at the same time, they're very reliant on her, and she tends to resent them and push them away because of that. They're... surprisingly complex. I seriously didn't expect that sort of emotional gutpunch from a solo project by Hwasa of all people, but damn, I love it! It's super effective.
You're a twit, a man who knows only me
Like delicate Simcheong*
Look around once in a while
You don't realise how hurt you are
* = this is the folklore story I was talking about; DKDKTV did a great explanation of it here.
Following on from that, if there's anyone who knows how to have fun in a dance, it's Hwasa. And damn, does she have fun with the routine for "Twit (멍청이)".
Not only can you tell that she's really getting into the choreography itself through her facial expressions and movements, but the relationship she has with her backup dancers is nothing short of amazing. It adds so much electricity to the routine, no lie. Every single person here shines, Hwasa or not, and the routine itself is pretty great to boot! The position changes are really fun and interesting to watch, and they certainly do a great job of keeping your attention. They do a great job of letting Hwasa shine, too; you really get the sense she's the star here. Regardless, it's a surprisingly solid routine that suits her perfectly.
That's how I'd describe this entire debut, to be honest: it suits Hwasa perfectly. RBW made a great decision in giving her this opportunity, and it's something I hope she keeps up with in the future. Hell, this was successful enough to warrant a solo comeback in the future, right? I even heard it in H&M one day. That was very surprising, but... also absolutely amazing. Just like the song!
ATEEZ (에이티즈) - SAY MY NAME
WELL IF SOMEONE HAD TOLD ME THEY WERE A MODERN B.A.P I WOULD'VE JUMPED ONTO THE HYPE TRAIN WAY FUCKING SOONER.
Seriously, I've been discussing this with a friend of mine, and this sounds pretty much exactly like something B.A.P would've released back in late 2012, during the "No Mercy" era. I can literally imagine what member would sing what part. But don't think that that's a bad thing - "No Mercy" is still a fucking phenomenal song, and "Say My Name" is just as good. Dare I say, a little bit better in some ways?
Like I said, I hadn't listened to ATEEZ before this - but damn, the hype is real. The potential these guys have is astounding. The instrumental here is big, it's bombastic, it's what you'd expect from a boy group. The trap snares and blaring trumpet synths are nothing new. But it's the little touches here that make it truly special, like the whistle melody, or the natural acoustic guitar line. On top of that, ATEEZ are some of the strongest rookie performers I've heard in a looooooong time. They impressed me about as much as Everglow did, and that's saying something. A killer vocal line plus a really fucking great rap line is just the perfect recipe for a boy group in my head, and ATEEZ are the definition of it. They have so much effortless charisma that a lot of boy groups will strive to achieve, but will never quite get. These guys just have it ingrained in them from the word go, and that's hard to find.
I picked this song to review over "HALA HALA" in the end, mainly because I did find "HALA HALA" a liiiiiiittle cringey. That's mainly because of the lyrics - the whole Suicide Squad thing kinda pulled me out of the song. (Jongho's vocals didn't though, good LORD.) But as for "Say My Name", the lyrics are actually VERY different than what I was expecting! I was expecting some sort of uplifting message about how we're going to overthrow society's self-inflicted patriarchy (although Stray Kids did deliver on that front with the MV for "Miroh"). But it's more about how they gain strength from their fans and their success, and how it encourages them to keep pushing and moving forward. They're surprisingly sweet, actually! There are some nice little details here and there that make them really heartwarming.
Another thing I'd heard a lot about ATEEZ is that their choreographies are top-class; these guys are apparently fantastic dancers.
And, uh... do... do they even have a main dancer? Or is that just something that's applied to the group universally? I'm... pretty convinced they don't have one at this point...
Like I said, I hadn't listened to ATEEZ before this - but damn, the hype is real. The potential these guys have is astounding. The instrumental here is big, it's bombastic, it's what you'd expect from a boy group. The trap snares and blaring trumpet synths are nothing new. But it's the little touches here that make it truly special, like the whistle melody, or the natural acoustic guitar line. On top of that, ATEEZ are some of the strongest rookie performers I've heard in a looooooong time. They impressed me about as much as Everglow did, and that's saying something. A killer vocal line plus a really fucking great rap line is just the perfect recipe for a boy group in my head, and ATEEZ are the definition of it. They have so much effortless charisma that a lot of boy groups will strive to achieve, but will never quite get. These guys just have it ingrained in them from the word go, and that's hard to find.
I picked this song to review over "HALA HALA" in the end, mainly because I did find "HALA HALA" a liiiiiiittle cringey. That's mainly because of the lyrics - the whole Suicide Squad thing kinda pulled me out of the song. (Jongho's vocals didn't though, good LORD.) But as for "Say My Name", the lyrics are actually VERY different than what I was expecting! I was expecting some sort of uplifting message about how we're going to overthrow society's self-inflicted patriarchy (although Stray Kids did deliver on that front with the MV for "Miroh"). But it's more about how they gain strength from their fans and their success, and how it encourages them to keep pushing and moving forward. They're surprisingly sweet, actually! There are some nice little details here and there that make them really heartwarming.
Say my name, my name is in the search results
I have my name tag that I wanted so badly
I have friends all around me
Another thing I'd heard a lot about ATEEZ is that their choreographies are top-class; these guys are apparently fantastic dancers.
And, uh... do... do they even have a main dancer? Or is that just something that's applied to the group universally? I'm... pretty convinced they don't have one at this point...
These guys... these guys are scarily good. Like... whoa. They don't have a single bad dancer. Every single one of them looks like they're into it, they're feeling the vibe of the song, and they just... proceed to murder every move given to them. Like... I only get this kind of vibe amongst groups that are KNOWN for their dance skills, like BTS or SHINee. But even then, they admittedly have their flaws... I'm not seeing one with this routine. It's... freakishly perfect. So much so that I'm kind of disturbed by it a little? I honestly didn't know who to watch during this dance practice. It's the definition of captivating. I would fucking KILL to see this done live, good lord...
(Also Jongho looks fancy as fuck, I love it.)
Yeah, so, um, bear with me while I go buy this album. These guys are going to be huge. I can feel it. Not to be THAT person, but I felt it with BTS when they debuted, and look where they are now... I haven't had this kind of gut feeling about a boy group for a hot fucking minute. You bet your ass I'm following ATEEZ from now on. Every single ounce of hype around them is real.
SUNMI (선미) - NOIR (누아르)
I remember mentioning on this blog before that "Heroine" was my favourite Sunmi song. It was just the song that stood out to me the most, since I liked "Gashina" but admittedly got a teeeeeensy bit tired of it after how much it blew up, and also since I... really didn't like "Siren" that much. So as far as solo Sunmi songs go, "Heroine" was the standard as far as I was concerned. But I couldn't be any happier to say that "Noir" IS that new standard, and it's by far my favourite song Sunmi's put out yet.
The song itself is actually quite interesting; it's got a very dark tone overall, with its deep synth line, echoed backing vocals, and the striking minor chord progressions. And yet, it's all anchored with what I can only describe as an 80s drum line, full of snappy bass beats and really memorable rhythms. It's a very interesting song musically, but where "Noir" REALLY shines is the messaging. The lyrics, the music video, even the live performance she did on M!Countdown - all of it ties back into the overarching theme.
That overarching theme is one that's very goddamn relevant, actually. In an age where social media is so prevalent, a lot of people get hung up on the attention. A little bit of popularity is never enough. That's what Sunmi thinks "Noir" is, as she described in an interview; we're in an age where people are so addicted to attention that they disregard their own safety in order to get it. It's a trap far too many people fall into, and Sunmi touches on it in a way that's simultaneously candid and very haunting. She even gave us an example of it in real life, too - remember that picture she posted leading up to this comeback? A picture of a hand full of what seemed to be Advil?
Everyone immediately started to panic, and freak out over her well being... but that was the point. We gave her the attention because she implied she was going to do something dangerous. It's a fucking ingenious way of promotion, that's for sure, but it really does show that the themes "Noir" touches on are still alive and well. (KPOP Junkee did a fantastic explanation of this on their YouTube channel.)
In terms of the lyrics, though, they seem to be a bit more cryptic; at first glance, they seem to be about a tumultuous relationship of some kind. BUT that's not the only way you should look at this. DKDKTV made a fucking great video explaning "Noir", alongside an interesting theory - what if we're meant to be looking at these lyrics from more of a Jekyll and Hyde point of view? Sunmi's trying to convince herself to embrace the dangerous lifestyle "Noir" describes, i.e. putting yourself in dangerous situations to get other peoples' attention.
I've already seen this before, I feel so high
Everything goes blurry, 1, 2, 3
Now I'm blind, I don't know why
I know what it is even if I don't see it, a bad ending
So while there technically isn't a dance for this song (I mean, there will be soon, since EAST2WEST won the #NoirChallenge & that's going to become the official routine - which they deserve, they're amazing!), there's still a hell of a lot to look at here. And overall, this is a serious contender for one of my favourite songs of the year as a whole. Sunmi knocked it out of the goddamn park with "Noir", and I would LOVE to see her try a concept like this again some time. It really shows how much of a professional she can be, and "Noir" is straight-up my favourite thing she's done. I love it. 👏👏👏
MOMOLAND (모모랜드) - I'M SO HOT
I find it very ironic that we're going from a song that's pretty serious to one that's... not serious at all. Not even in the slightest.
I won't hide the fact that I liked "Bboom Bboom" quite a bit last year, and I found "BAAM" to be even better. (No, I don't think they sound the same.) So going into MOMOLAND's comeback, I was curious to see if all the hate they had been getting would affect their sound; would they change it up from what they'd found success with to appease the haters, or would they stick with something more light-hearted and fun?
I won't hide the fact that I liked "Bboom Bboom" quite a bit last year, and I found "BAAM" to be even better. (No, I don't think they sound the same.) So going into MOMOLAND's comeback, I was curious to see if all the hate they had been getting would affect their sound; would they change it up from what they'd found success with to appease the haters, or would they stick with something more light-hearted and fun?
They ended up doing the latter, and I'm very much happy with what we got! Honestly, "I'm So Hot" might be tied with "BAAM" for my favourite MOMOLAND song yet. It's incredibly reminiscent of some of what T-ARA released back in their prime; a simple yet fun song with some interesting elements to make it memorable. The trumpet sample in particular is something I really like; I've seen some people say it's fairly grating, but I can't help but love it. The ragtime pianos and old-school vibes here and there really sell it for me, too! It's just an upbeat, fun pop song that you can really just enjoy yourself with.
But what I DON'T get is why people hate on this song simply because they find it "boring" or "nothing new", or even just because it's MOMOLAND. (Yes, rant incoming.)
Since when have songs like this lost their place in K-Pop? To bring back T-ARA as an example, everyone adored "Roly Poly", "Bo Peep Bo Peep" and "Lovey Dovey" when they came out because of how fun they were. Those songs didn't try to take themselves seriously; MBK just wanted to give T-ARA fun, bouncy songs that would stick in everyone's minds. And they did. So why are MOMOLAND getting hate for doing the same thing? These sorts of songs deserve to be here just as much as anything else does. People need to get over their goddamn hate boner for MOMOLAND and just move on. If you don't like the song, that's completely fine! If you hate on the girls for "copying themselves", "never doing anything original", and saying that "they're just trying to repeat the success of Bboom Bboom", fuck you. You're part of the problem. K-Pop isn't a contest, in contrast to what some Twitter stans might believe. Grow up, stop wasting your energy sending needless hate to artists, and move on. Rant over.
In terms of "I'm So Hot" though, it's nothing too insane lyrically - which is what you'd expect going in. Or at least you should. The title alone tells you that this is going to be pretty face-level and superficial. But hey, you need something to turn your brain off to every once in a while, and when the song's as fun as this, I can't really complain!
Why I'm pretty, why I'm cute
Why am I not tired of hearing that over and over?
People say that I'm pretty, that I'm cute
There's not a lot to go through here in terms of the dance, either - but again, I don't really mind it that much.
To be honest, yeah, this routine is quite basic. But a major upside to routines like this is that the idols get time to breathe properly when they're performing. And considering how fucking balls-to-the-wall energetic "Bboom Bboom"'s choreography was, yeah, I'm okay with this. (I still have NO clue how they kept their energy during those stages, that dance is exhausting.) Of course, people are going to hate and say that this dance was designed purely to go viral. How, may I ask, is that a bad thing? How is having a dance that's simple, fun and easy to pick up bad? Not everything has to be mind-blowingly hard. Sometimes it just needs to be accessible, and that's probably how I'd describe this routine overall. It's got some nice elements to it (particularly in the position switches), and it's very easy for anyone to look at and join in with. It's also a hell of an arm workout. 💪
In the end, I really like "I'm So Hot"! It's fun, it's funky, and it's one of my favourite MOMOLAND songs so far. I'll admit that I do miss Daisy and Taeha, though - hopefully they come back soon so we can see an OT9 performance of this!
IZ*ONE (아이즈원) - VIOLETA (비올레타)
Alright, I've wanted to talk about this song since it came out so let me just get this out of the way:
THIS IS HOW YOU HAVE A NON-REPETITIVE STRUCTURE AS AN ARTIST.
THIS IS HOW YOU HAVE A NON-REPETITIVE STRUCTURE AS AN ARTIST.
"Violeta" has pretty much the exact same structure as "La Vie En Rose" - a relatively quiet intro, nice verse, chorus, rap and second verse, next chorus, final bridge with adlibs, final chorus and final drop to really add emphasis. Their layout is exactly the same. But to say that those two songs are the same is SO goddamn wrong that I might just punch you. Yes, they have the exact same structure. But that works in "Violeta"'s favour, because it's a structure that works. It's a way for IZ*ONE to keep a style and sound whilst still having the freedom to change it up a bit. It's really fucking clever.
In terms of the song itself though, it... actually really surprised me! I certainly didn't expect IZ*ONE to lean into deep house, but here we are. That flute melody is really damn effective, since it's often layered over some interesting percussion snaps and some goddamn angelic synths and melodies. And yeah, the deep house aspects really work here - it all builds up to an explosive conclusion that left me very impressed. I wasn't sure about it on the first listen, if I'm being honest, but it really grew on me!
Lyrically, this song is kind of what you'd expect from a girl group like IZ*ONE. It's one of those really sweet lovey-dovey love songs, full of wonder and charm. That sort of stuff just doesn't appeal to me, but I don't mind it when the song is so distinctive.
Your smile that's drawn in the sky is shining so bright
The beautiful flower in your heart
You're my Violeta
But, of course, what I was looking forward to the most here was the choreography. And considering "La Vie en Rose" had my favourite routine of last year - and one of my favourite K-Pop routines I've ever seen - my expectations were admittedly very, VERY high.
Buuuuuuuut yeah, they fucking killed it. AGAIN.
Okay, admittedly, I don't like this as much as "La Vie en Rose" in the end. But that's perfectly fine by me - routines as good as "La Vie en Rose" are a real fucking rarity. "Violeta" is still fantastic routine, and one that's just a goddamn spectacle. It's a lot more graceful and monumental in a few places, which makes sense considering how powerful the instrumental can be here and there. It's beautifully put together, and expertly performed by all 12 members - Chaeyoung in particular really stands out here. Her skills are NO JOKE. Overall, the transitions are gorgeous, the moves are diverse and delightful to watch, and this routine is still fucking amazing. IZ*ONE are probably one of the best girl groups out there right now in terms of choreography. Yeah, I mean that.
So "Violeta" ended up being a pretty great comeback! I did see a lot of people saying that maybe this should've been the debut song instead of "La Vie en Rose", but I disagree - I feel like this is the perfect follow-up. It keeps IZ*ONE's momentum going steadily, and I really hope they keep up this standard, because I might just end up stanning them if they do. I'm THAT close to becoming a WIZ*ONE. I just don't want to have my heart broken when they inevitably end promotion. ;-;
KARD - BOMB BOMB (밤밤)
...y'all mind if I just fangirl for the next 5 minutes? I hope so, because that's inevitably what's going to happen here.
I mean have you SEEN this motherfucking video. KARD just... decided to do That. Like they fucking WENT there. (BM and Somin in particular. Hoooooooooooly fuck.)
But let's be honest, this is the song KARD have been destined to make since they first came about. For those of you who were complaining that all of their songs sounded the same, and that you were sick of that California junkee vibe they had going on, then HERE YA FUCKING GO. They didn't come to mess around this time.
If I'm being honest, I'm a huge Hidden KARD, and this is straight-up one of my new favourite songs of theirs. It sits up there for me alongside "Rumor" and "You In Me". It's big, it's bombastic, it's in your face, and it's the kind of song that pulls you in from the get-go. Yes, I'm not the biggest fan of the slightly wet percussion that's used here and there in the verses - I think it sounds a little off - but everything else is just gorgeous. The pre-choruses have this echoey, atmospheric build-up to them thanks to the percussion and harmonies, but then the choruses themselves have this... almost wiry synth that's very reminiscent of something like Yezi's "Anck Su Namun." It fits that sort of Middle-Eastern vibe beautifully. And yet, while that's the sort of instrument that I'd normally despise, it really works here - and I think that's in large part to how much pure charisma the members have.
I'm not going to mince words here, BM absolutely runs the fuck away with this song. He's made for stuff like this, where his energy is naturally called for, and he can do what he does best - being hype as fuck. But that doesn't mean the other members fall short; J.Seph singing is always something I'm happy to hear more of, since I like his singing just as much as his rapping. Jiwoo's lower, slightly rough vocal tone sounds fantastic no matter what she sings, and Somin? Somin BODIES this song. It's stuff like this that make me happy she left April - just think what would've happened if she didn't. Her vocals are absolutely killer here, and from how confident she appears in the live stages, she knows it.
And yeah, with a song like this that's meant to be hype and fit for a party, the lyrics aren't going to be all that special. But since that's not the focus, I'm more than willing to let that slide here. They're fun and catchy, and that's all a song like this really needs if you ask me. (I also like how BM straight-up knows how thirsty everyone is over him. Can he BE any more self-aware?)
Don't try to sober up
Just get drunk with the vibes
[...]
I'm dizzy, why are you messing with my heart?
Of course, one of my favourite things about any KARD comeback is seeing the choreography, since there aren't that many male/female groups out there right now. I always love seeing how the routines work around having both male and female performers, and I've got to say, "Bomb Bomb" might have one of KARD's best choreographies to date. You thought their vocal performances were charismatic? HOOO BOI.
This shit right here is why I stan KARD the way I do. The thing I said before about creating a routine for both male and female performers is done excellently. There isn't a move that feels out of place in this routine, and every single member gets their chance to show off - well, apart from J.Seph, who's stuck behind 6 foot tall BM for most of the choreo. Which is a crying shame, he's really fucking good! But aside from that, Somin and Jiwoo are probably at their best with this sort of concept; you can tell that they're not only looking good, but they're really getting involved with the choreography, too. They're into it, and it shows. And then there's BM, who I don't even think I need to explain at this point. He's a fucking dancing machine, and if you've seen KARD before, you know exactly what I'm talking about. But all in all, no member (for the most part) overshadows or outshines another here, and this gives a routine that's both very well balanced and REALLY fucking fun to watch.
Basically, a great song and great choreography makes for a happy me. KARD fucking killed it with this comeback, and I'm so glad to see them shut down the hate they've been getting with something like "Bomb Bomb". I get the funny feeling this is going to be one of my songs of the summer this year - I've certainly had it on repeat enough to warrant that. 😅
•••••
...and that's only part one of this comeback review. This one took long enough to get out as it is, so no promises as to when part two will be up. I'm going to try my best to get it up soon-ish, but I'm also working on two album reviews right now, sooooooooooo God knows when that will be. Someone kill me pls. K-Pop has been too good this year so far... 💀
SOURCES FOR THE ENGLISH LYRICS I USED IN THIS REVIEW:
With my favourite side tracks and dances out of the way, that means there's only one more list left for me to post - my favourite songs of the year. Considering how hard the list of dances was to make, this was a little bit easier! Although, not gonna lie, I did go through this list a little more thoroughly than the others. As in rating each song individually kind of thorough. I wanted to be sure that my favourites were legitimately my favourites, and not just because I like what's new or current.
So, with all that said, I finally have a list of my 10 favourites. The one song per artist rule still applies, and the only songs I'm taking into account for this list are title tracks. But other than that, it's free reign! 😊
However, before I start the actual list, I want to give a list of my honourable mentions. These are all songs I do still love, but they just didn't make it onto the list compared to everything else.
HONOURABLE MENTIONS:
- EXID (이엑스아이디) - I Love You (알러뷰)
- CLC (씨엘씨) - BLACK DRESS
- Taeyeon (태연) [Girls' Generation (소녀시대)] - Something New
- K/DA - POP/STARS
- Ashley (애슐리) [Ladies' Code (레이디스 코드)] - Here We Are
- Soyu (소유) ft. Sik-K (식케이) - All Night (까만밤)
- Dua Lipa ft. BLACKPINK (블랙핑크) - Kiss and Make Up [I decided not to include this in my list because it's not a K-Pop song; the only relevance it has to K-Pop is the featured artist and some of the lyrics, so I didn't think it was eligible!]
10. JIMIN (지민) [AOA (에이오에이)] - HEY
I've never had a chance to talk about AOA very much on this blog; their 2018 comeback with "Bingle Bangle" came out before I started writing on here, and even then, it wasn't anything spectacular. It was alright, but not great if you ask me. But Jimin has always been my bias because of her stage presence as a rapper in general; say what you will about her voice, but I think she's got a very commanding presence to her. So when it came out that she was releasing another solo single, I was... excited? Well, not really. "Hallelujah" was good for what it was, but it was ultimately forgettable for me.
"Hey", though... this sort of song is right up my alley. Yeah, it's a little messy in some places, but it shows that charisma that Jimin has as a performer. I also adore EDM, synth-heavy songs, so the minute I heard those opening notes I was hooked. And yeah, this delivers! People always joke about Jimin's 'hey's in AOA songs, so I guess they decided to make an entire song out of it. 😉 But yeah, this is a really solid track overall for me - it's loud, it's in-your-face, it's got a MONSTER of a chorus that really catches your attention, and it even features a little callback to Jimin and J.Don's "God"! Which, that song is still a bop regardless of its silliness, so I'm all good with that.
"Hey" is a song that knows it's not very complicated, so it takes that as a compliment and runs with it. It's a really fun song that's also catchy as hell, and it managed to stick around for me and be one of my favourite songs of the year! (I actually thought it was released in 2017, but whaddaya know, it came out in January!) I really hope Jimin comes back with another solo song like this - she's got massive potential here, and I'd love to see what else she can do.
9. RED VELVET (레드벨벳) - BAD BOY
Red Velvet are another group that had a fantastic year in 2018 - three comebacks, three absolute bops, and three completely different concepts! And even though I loved "Power Up"'s catchiness, and "RBB"'s general sassiness, neither of them ended up being good enough to beat "Bad Boy".
This is STILL my favourite Red Velvet song - not gonna lie, "Sassy Me" did give it some competition, but when I relistened to this and took the video, dance and lyrics into account as well, I remembered how much I actually love it. It's pretty simplistic for Red Velvet, but it's also the sexiest concept they've done, by far. It's very mature and eye-catching, and even though a lot of people said the girls couldn't pull it off, I couldn't disagree more. They all look great and sound even greater!
It also helps that we got the fantastic English version of this song about halfway through the year, which I also still adore. It's one of the smoothest English versions of a K-Pop song I've heard, if not THE smoothest. It doesn't take away from the song like translated/English lyrics can often do; Red Velvet manage to nail the vibe even when singing it in a different language. Their pronunciation is great, too!
I really, REALLY hope that Red Velvet have another comeback like "Bad Boy" in future, 'cause this is too damn good to leave sitting on its own. Yeah, "RBB" was similar in terms of the styling, but I'm talking more about the song here. Either way, I don't think Red Velvet will disappoint me regardless of what they release - but if they released another song like this, I think I'd be particularly happy! Just saying, SM. 😉
8. BLACKPINK (블랙핑크) - DDU DU DDU DU (뚜두뚜두)
Man, 2018 really managed to subvert my expectations in its second half. First Weki Meki ended up not having my dance of the year, and now BLACKPINK aren't even in my top five songs?! That should tell you how busy the second half of the year was in general...
Regardless, I still really, REALLY like "DDU DU DDU DU". It's probably the strongest title track the girls have had, possibly tied with "Playing With Fire" for me. It's the kind of concept I want them to follow into the future, though! And hey, seeing as this song did so well - what with charting on the Billboard Hot 100 and all that - I'm pretty sure they will. A lot of people, BLINKs included, said that this was very generic and samey to them, but I actually disagree entirely!
"DDU DU DDU DU" has this little whistly melody the entire way through that gives this a very exotic vibe, something I love hearing - hell, it made Yezi's "Anck Su Namun" my song of the year in 2017 from the concept alone. (That song STILL SLAPS by the way.) It's also incredibly catchy to boot, and that's without even mentioning the girls themselves. Their vocals are gorgeous, the raps are on point, and even the dance breaks work great here. The choreography is really fun to watch, too - easy enough to pick up the choruses on your own, but hard and intricate enough to keep it interesting.
Here's hoping BLACKPINK even have a comeback in 2019, because god only knows what YG is planning. We'll probably get all of the members' solo projects first, but if we could get a comeback too... that would be perfect. Even though I know it's probably not going to happen. 😓 But I'm alright with listening to "DDU DU DDU DU" until we do get a comeback, because it's still great!
7. IZ*ONE (이아즈원) - LA VIE EN ROSE (라비앙로즈)
2018 was not just a year of subverting expectations, but it was also a year of surprises. (Whether or not you consider those to be the same thing is up to you.) But in terms of surprises, IZ*ONE were probably one of the biggest for me. As I've mentioned, I don't give two shits about idol survival shows; I think they're ridiculously annoying if I'm being honest. But that never stops me from liking the groups that come out of these shows - I liked IOI quite a lot, but I really didn't care about Wanna One (especially because of the preferential treatment there). And, as such, when IZ*ONE debuted I didn't initially care either.
But I'm SO glad I started caring! "La Vie En Rose" is a fantastic song, with an almost magical mood from start to finish. Yet it's also a very hopeful song, perfect for a new rookie girl group in K-Pop; it's very bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, but it never gets annoying or grating. This is a song that really takes you on a journey of sorts as it develops. It goes from strength to strength, high point to high point, and this all just leads to a conclusion that legit made me tear up. The song just... explodes in that final chorus, and it's really something special.
That's without even mentioning the dance, which... yeah, if you've seen my favourite dances list, you'll know what I think of that. (Spoilers: it's a masterpiece.)
So yeah, if IZ*ONE can carry this momentum forward into their future comebacks, the next two years with them are going to be pretty fantastic! My fingers are crossed, anyway. 🤞
6. (G)I-DLE ((여자)이아들) - HANN (한) [ALONE]
I brought up "LATATA" on my list of best dances this year, and I do like that song quite a bit - it's absurdly catchy. But "Hann (Alone)" is by FAR the better song (G)I-DLE have released this year. This is why these girls have got so much promise and potential to me - they've already shown fantastic versability in their songs and concepts.
"Hann (Alone)" is an awful lot darker than "LATATA", that's for sure - the lyrics here are some of the deepest-cutting lines I've heard in a breakup song period. Seriously, whoever wrote these was pissed. They're absolutely brutal, and I love it. It really adds to the song as a whole, since when you listen to it for the first time, it might sound a bit melancholic. But it's not - it's comprised of a lot of frustration and anger at the breakup that the girls are going through. They've got a great sense of tempo to them as well - they're ridiculously catchy and have a really nice, steady rhythm.
All of the girls sound amazing here, too - but by far, the song's highlight for me is Soyeon's rap. This girl KILLS it. Honestly, she's at the top of the game for idol rappers right now - she's phenomenal. And hey, the dance isn't half bad either! It's not as great as "LATATA" in my opinion, but it's certainly passable. Any comeback where Shuhua gets more lines AND a dance solo is perfectly okay by me.
I, for one, hope that (G)I-DLE continue with this concept for their next comeback, because I feel like it just suits them so damn perfectly. They're a group with a lot of confidence and sass, which works perfectly for a concept like this. It means we might get another amazing song like this one too!
5. NCT U (엔시티 유) - BABY DON'T STOP
Fun fact: this was nearly an honourable mention.
...then I relistened to it and realised I was dancing in my chair like this.
Yyyyyeah, there was no way this ultimately wouldn't be on this list. IT'S JUST TOO DAMN CATCHY.
I was legitimately surprised by "Baby Don't Stop" the first time I heard it - I didn't expect it to be this sexy. Like, they don't even TRY to hide it. It's "Whiplash" all over again! But this time with Ten's dancing skills added to the mix! Which, yeah, the dance to this song is absolutely incredible. That's no surprise. It might not be one of my personal favourites, but I can still appreciate it nonetheless!
The vocals are really interesting here too; a lot of the time they're either whispered or layered over each other in a way that gives the song a really nice sense of texture (if you know what I mean). I mean yeah, the lyrics are the definition of the Lenny face, but at least the vocal delivery matches it! As well as that, the final chorus builds up to a super satisfying conclusion. The way the percussion gets louder and there's extra vocal adlibs is honestly the perfect way to end it. It wraps everything up so nicely, and immediately made me want to listen to it again.
Also, singing Taeyong. Y e s.
4. HYO (효) [HYOYEON (효연)] FT. UMMET OZCAN - SOBER (ENGLISH VER.)
Hyoyeon has always been a member that stood out to me in Girls' Generation. She's got so much natural charisma and energy that she managed to be a particular favourite of mine, even if she wasn't my bias. So when she started releasing solo projects, I was really damn happy for her! As for those solo projects, "Mystery" was amazing, and "Wannabe" was... an absolute letdown. Especially now in retrospect, since it features San E. Which, if you saw what happened with him at the end of 2018... yeah, he's a bona fide asshole. How ironic that his rap on that song included the line "You know I'm (a) feminist"...
But anyway, we're not talking about "Wannabe" here. We're talking about "Sober"! And thankfully, "Sober" is in a class of its own. And thankfully, it's excellent! But you might've noticed I picked the English version over the original Korean version - that's because it just works SO much better to me. Hyoyeon's English is beautiful, and really adds to the song's overall mood. It's really nice to see how far she's come.
"Sober" is one of those songs that just hit me as special the first time I heard it. The lyrics are really damn melancholy in places, but the blocky piano chords and EDM style make them strangely appropriate. It's also got a great sense of progression - there's always an extra instrument or two added in to make things feel like they're moving along nicely, without feeling forced or shoved into the song. And hey, considering the song isn't even 3 minutes long, it doesn't feel unfinished at all! It feels like a complete, well-produced song, regardless of its length. That, to me, is a huge sign of quality.
Thankfully, Hyoyeon seems to be leaning fully into the DJ angle now that she's released "Punk Right Now". And that song is a bucketload of fun, so more power to her! This is an image that absolutely suits her, and I'm so damn excited to see where it takes her in 2019.
...I just realised whilst writing this that there are quite a few songs on my year-end lists that I haven't fully covered yet.
BUT I'M NOT LEAVING THIS ONE OUT, BECAUSE OH MY GOD IT'S WAY BETTER THAN IT HAS ANY RIGHT TO BE.
3. GUGUDAN (구구단) - NOT THAT TYPE
I was sooooooo nervous for this comeback. Gugudan very much delivered earlier on in 2018 with "The Boots", but after losing a member, I was worried about how they'd recover. I was also worried about what type of song they'd release, because they're known for being very versatile when it comes to concepts.
...but what they DID end up releasing is an absolute monster of a song.
"Not That Type" made my jaw hit the floor and gave me legitimate chills the first time I heard it. Like, can we PLEASE just talk about the pre-choruses. THOSE DAMN PRE-CHORUSES. WOW. They've got an immense sense of power to them, and if you weren't paying attention by that point in the song, BY GOD, SEJEONG WILL GET YOUR ATTENTION WHEN THAT PRE-CHORUS KICKS IN. Don't even get me started on the mixture of brass and synths. It's just... ugh. 👌 Combined with the rapid-fire lyrics, it's pretty damn close to musical perfection to me. I really wish the entire song was like that, because it would've been my #1 if it was - and I say that with utmost confidence! The best part is, that same momentum never. Lets. Up. This song just keeps thundering on, with more and more extra components to keep it interesting without feeling overcrowded. The harmonies in that final bridge are stunning, too.
Moombahton isn't the most common thing in K-Pop, so to hear Gugudan put such a refreshing and commanding spin on it is amazing! However, the lyrics are pretty standard girl crush fare, and the dance is good but not great, so that's why it's only #3. But goddamn, if those two aspects had been any better... this could've been higher. But for the sheer power of this song alone, it gets to #3. THESE are the kinds of songs I love when it comes to girl crush concepts. They don't hold back in any way, shape or form. They're just... raw energy. And it's a sight to behold when they explode the way "Not My Type" does. Fucking bravo, Gugudan.
(Also, IF THEY DID A REPACKAGE ALBUM WITH THIS SAME CONCEPT I'D BE SO HAPPY. PLZ JELLYFISH. 🙏🙏🙏)
...but what they DID end up releasing is an absolute monster of a song.
"Not That Type" made my jaw hit the floor and gave me legitimate chills the first time I heard it. Like, can we PLEASE just talk about the pre-choruses. THOSE DAMN PRE-CHORUSES. WOW. They've got an immense sense of power to them, and if you weren't paying attention by that point in the song, BY GOD, SEJEONG WILL GET YOUR ATTENTION WHEN THAT PRE-CHORUS KICKS IN. Don't even get me started on the mixture of brass and synths. It's just... ugh. 👌 Combined with the rapid-fire lyrics, it's pretty damn close to musical perfection to me. I really wish the entire song was like that, because it would've been my #1 if it was - and I say that with utmost confidence! The best part is, that same momentum never. Lets. Up. This song just keeps thundering on, with more and more extra components to keep it interesting without feeling overcrowded. The harmonies in that final bridge are stunning, too.
Moombahton isn't the most common thing in K-Pop, so to hear Gugudan put such a refreshing and commanding spin on it is amazing! However, the lyrics are pretty standard girl crush fare, and the dance is good but not great, so that's why it's only #3. But goddamn, if those two aspects had been any better... this could've been higher. But for the sheer power of this song alone, it gets to #3. THESE are the kinds of songs I love when it comes to girl crush concepts. They don't hold back in any way, shape or form. They're just... raw energy. And it's a sight to behold when they explode the way "Not My Type" does. Fucking bravo, Gugudan.
(Also, IF THEY DID A REPACKAGE ALBUM WITH THIS SAME CONCEPT I'D BE SO HAPPY. PLZ JELLYFISH. 🙏🙏🙏)
2. MAMAMOO (마마무) - EGOTISTIC (너나 해)
...I really do love it when lightning strikes twice.
Back when MAMAMOO released "Décalcomanie" in 2016, I thought 'that's it. They've officially peaked. They can't get any better than this.'
OH MAN, WAS I WRONG.
"Egotistic" is... essentially my dream MAMAMOO song. It's fiery, it's brash, it's supremely confident and sexy, but... it's still MAMAMOO. It's still got gorgeous vocals, a strong melody, some superb lyrics and A-grade rap sections. If you ask me, this is MAMAMOO's evolution (as cheesy as that sounds). This is the concept that really shows their musical maturity, and just how far they've come since they released "Mr. Ambiguous" all the way back in 2014.
Breakup songs can certainly start to blend together when it comes to their subject material, but honestly, "Egotistic" is so good that it doesn't even matter. It's got so much raw energy to it that any sense of being boring immediately flies out of the goddamn window. The lyrics aren't quite as hard-hitting as something like "Hann (Alone)", but the girls' performances and pure charisma certainly make up for it. The venom isn't quite in the lyrics themselves - it's in the vocal delivery.
Oh, there's also the fact that the video made me forget how to breathe. Every single member looks fucking glorious here. I don't know who thought it was a good idea to 1) let Hwasa have a fucking pet tiger and 2) have Solar learn how to pole dance. But whoever you are:
I LOVE YOU.
BUT I ALSO HATE YOU.
BECAUSE I FORGOT HOW TO FUNCTION FOR THREE AND HALF MINUTES UPON WATCHING THIS VIDEO FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO THANKS, I GUESS.
But that begs the question: what the hell can beat lion tamer Hwasa and pole dancing Solar?
Oh, only the song that made me cry like an absolute baby when I heard it for the first time.
Back when MAMAMOO released "Décalcomanie" in 2016, I thought 'that's it. They've officially peaked. They can't get any better than this.'
OH MAN, WAS I WRONG.
"Egotistic" is... essentially my dream MAMAMOO song. It's fiery, it's brash, it's supremely confident and sexy, but... it's still MAMAMOO. It's still got gorgeous vocals, a strong melody, some superb lyrics and A-grade rap sections. If you ask me, this is MAMAMOO's evolution (as cheesy as that sounds). This is the concept that really shows their musical maturity, and just how far they've come since they released "Mr. Ambiguous" all the way back in 2014.
Breakup songs can certainly start to blend together when it comes to their subject material, but honestly, "Egotistic" is so good that it doesn't even matter. It's got so much raw energy to it that any sense of being boring immediately flies out of the goddamn window. The lyrics aren't quite as hard-hitting as something like "Hann (Alone)", but the girls' performances and pure charisma certainly make up for it. The venom isn't quite in the lyrics themselves - it's in the vocal delivery.
Oh, there's also the fact that the video made me forget how to breathe. Every single member looks fucking glorious here. I don't know who thought it was a good idea to 1) let Hwasa have a fucking pet tiger and 2) have Solar learn how to pole dance. But whoever you are:
I LOVE YOU.
BUT I ALSO HATE YOU.
BECAUSE I FORGOT HOW TO FUNCTION FOR THREE AND HALF MINUTES UPON WATCHING THIS VIDEO FOR THE FIRST TIME.
SO THANKS, I GUESS.
But that begs the question: what the hell can beat lion tamer Hwasa and pole dancing Solar?
Oh, only the song that made me cry like an absolute baby when I heard it for the first time.
1. DREAMCATCHER (드림캐쳐) - WHAT
I SAID IT IN MY OTHER LIST THAT I WASN'T DONE SINGING THIS SONG'S PRAISES.
AND I ABSOLUTELY FUCKING MEANT IT.
Gugudan's "Not That Type" was great. MAMAMOO's "Egotistic" was amazing. And both of them were CLOSE to perfection for me. But d'you wanna know what defines musical perfection to me?
This. Song.
I've never cried so many happy tears upon listening to a song for the first time. "What" is just... anything and everything I could want from a song in general, not just a K-Pop song! It's emotional, it's melancholic, it's tragic... yet at the same time, it's thunderingly energetic, it's horror-inspired, it's grandiose, it's epic... It's absolute perfection.
IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING RIPPED STRAIGHT FROM A XENOBLADE CHRONICLES SOUNDTRACK AND I'M FUCKING LIVING FOR IT.
Although I will admit, this has made me really damn scared for what Dreamcatcher will do in the future. Because... let's be real. They can't top this. Ever. Nobody can in my eyes, Dreamcatcher or not. And y'know what? I'm fine with that. We have this. We have "What" to return to as our benchmark. And "What" is just THAT good. Dreamcatcher as a whole are THAT good.
This may seem like a bit of a grand, sweeping statement to make, but... I really do mean it when I say "What" isn't just my favourite song of this year. It's my favourite song period. That goes for both K-Pop AND non K-Pop songs. I've never found a song that made (and continues to make) me as happy as this song does. But... now I have, I guess. And I'm absolutely buying a physical copy of this album as soon as I can. This song alone warrants it.
•••••
Well, that's... everything! That's all the year-end lists I had planned for 2018! I was kinda scared about how I was going to approach these, but I think they turned out pretty well. I do still have more content and articles I want to write for the rest of January though, so I'll try and work on those whenever I can! 😊
But I think it's safe to say... if 2019 is as good as 2018 was for K-Pop, we're in for one hell of a year. 🎉
Time for my second year-end list! And this was undoubtedly the hardest one to put together. Hell, I was literally making changes to it AS I WAS TYPING THIS ARTICLE. But it's done; I've found an order than I'm happy with. So let's talk about them!
The same rule applies, by the way - no more than one dance/song by any artist. 😊
10. K/DA (MADISON BEER, JAIRA BURNS, (G)I-DLE'S SOYEON & MIYEON) - POP/STARS
But damn, Riot certainly hired the right people for the choreography here. Ellen Kim's routine is sharp, tight and effortless in all the right ways, and suits "POP/STARS" perfectly. Not to mention that Ahri's part here is covered by one of my absolute favourite dancers, Bailey Sok! (Seriously, follow her on Instagram if you like her performance here - the girl's only 14 and she's fucking phenomenal.) But that's not to leave out Stevie Doré and Eileen Harman, as they're both fantastic here too. All four girls pull off this routine excellently, and they make it look gorgeous.
K/DA certainly blew up a lot more than anyone expected, and even though the video was great, I feel like the choreography really made it what it is. It gave it a very distinct feel that you only get with K-Pop, if you ask me. So yeah, this is excellent, and I certainly hope that K/DA aren't just a one-time thing - bring these girls back and make them a staple!
9. TIFFANY YOUNG - OVER MY SKIN
I follow a lot of different choreographers and dancers on YouTube - Kyle Hanagami, Tim Milgram, Jojo Gomez, Jake Kodish, Haley Fitzgerald, and so on. But Yanis Marshall is not somebody I'd ever heard of before he choreographed "Over My Skin". But I've certainly started paying more attention to him after this! This routine is fiery, sassy, and confident in every way. Plus, it benefits Tiffany greatly as a performer - even though her dancing isn't the best here, it lets her be effortlessly sexy while the backup dancers do the heavy lifting. And it works! It makes the entire thing look really smooth, without feeling jarring or lacking in effort.
It certainly wasn't what I was expecting from this song, both in terms of the dance and the song itself. And yet it ended up being a lovely surprise! I'm just really sad Tiffany didn't stick to this style as she continues to release music - I liked this more than any of her solo efforts so far. I don't know if I like the dance quite as much as "I Just Wanna Dance", but it's a very close second for sure. Good job Tiff!
8. KARD (카드) - KNOCKIN' ON MY HEAVEN'S DOOR
I FINALLY GET TO TALK ABOUT THIS BOP OF A SONG AGAIN. YAY. 🎉🎊🎉
Let me make it clear - I still don't like the raindrops and distorted chipmunk vocals in the choruses. But goddamn, this song is still great regardless. And the best part is, KARD decided to bless us with a beautiful routine to match it!
A lot of Hidden KARDs mentioned that this is very much a return to KARD's "old" style. And being honest, I never really got what they meant - until I saw this routine. It's got the fantastic chemistry they showed in their early/debut days, the sharp and controlled movements, the popular dance moves that they somehow manage to pull of without looking cheesy or forced, and the bucketloads of confidence to go along with it all. THIS is the kinda dance KARD were meant to do. They're so in sync with one another; this is clearly where they're in their comfort zone, and I'm living for it.
The dance itself is honestly really damn solid! It manages to hit a lot of the song's little beats, and it's constantly interesting and engaging to watch. (Well, when you're not watching Jiwoo's hat disappear and reappear throughout the video, that is.) If KARD decide to go with a song like this for their next comeback, I'm pretty sure nobody would be upset - I especially wouldn't if it means we get another choreo like this! This just cements KARD's status for me as one of my favourite groups choroegraphy-wise, and yeah, "Ride on the Wind" was great too, but I feel like this just beats it for me. 😁
7. (G)I-DLE ((여자)아이들) - LATATA (라타타)
I think we can mark (G)I-DLE down for having one of the best debut years yet for a rookie group. Both of their releases this year were absolutely fantastic, and while "LATATA" ends up here, we'll be seeing their other single very soon as well. 😉
I really didn't expect much from this routine when I started watching it for the first time, but I think that just ended up making it an even nicer surprise! These girls know their way around a clean choreo, because they all absolutely nail it here. The formations are excellent, and each one of them has a very distinct style that makes it hard to pick someone to focus on. "LATATA"'s dance is very elegant in some parts, and yet it's powerful and confident in others. It's got this really mysterious look to it, too, and I think that's because there's so many little hand movements that make it so much more charming.
This was just another tentpole in (G)I-DLE's remarkably strong debut year, if I'm being honest; if they keep showing this much potential in the future, we might have another one of the BIG girl groups on our hands. And from CUBE, nonetheless! That's just... weird, considering how shitty they can be. But let's hope they don't fuck it up here too, because these girls have too much raw talent to go to waste.
So uh yeah remember in my mid-year lists when I said Weki Meki were probably going to have my favourite dance of the year?
Oh, how the times have changed...
I really didn't expect much from this routine when I started watching it for the first time, but I think that just ended up making it an even nicer surprise! These girls know their way around a clean choreo, because they all absolutely nail it here. The formations are excellent, and each one of them has a very distinct style that makes it hard to pick someone to focus on. "LATATA"'s dance is very elegant in some parts, and yet it's powerful and confident in others. It's got this really mysterious look to it, too, and I think that's because there's so many little hand movements that make it so much more charming.
This was just another tentpole in (G)I-DLE's remarkably strong debut year, if I'm being honest; if they keep showing this much potential in the future, we might have another one of the BIG girl groups on our hands. And from CUBE, nonetheless! That's just... weird, considering how shitty they can be. But let's hope they don't fuck it up here too, because these girls have too much raw talent to go to waste.
6. APINK (에이핑크) - I'M SO SICK
Speaking of surprises, I was absolutely delighted with Apink's comeback this year. They FINALLY decided to go with a more mature style, which I've been wanting them to try for literal years at this point. And being completely honest, I did have my reservations going into this comeback - I was scared the song wouldn't be what I was expecting, and that it wouldn't live up to my hype.
But nope! We got a fantastic song, a great concept change and some killer choreography to match. While I do feel it loses its initial momentum as it reaches its conclusion, the dance to "I'm So Sick" is still phenomenal. It's incredibly graceful, yet strong and distinctive at the same time (as well as being surprisingly sexy for Apink), and the girls pull it off quite well! I wasn't sure about how they'd transition between concepts, but at the end of the day, they're a veteran group at this point - they pull it off effortlessly.
Both the routine and the general styling of this comeback have me so damn excited for "Percent" to release soon. I hope its choreography is as good as this, because if it is? Apink might end up on my year-end list next year too! These girls deserve concepts that show off their strengths, and this was certainly one of them. 😊
So uh yeah remember in my mid-year lists when I said Weki Meki were probably going to have my favourite dance of the year?
Oh, how the times have changed...
5. WEKI MEKI (위키미키) - LA LA LA
That's not to say this dance isn't still absolutely fantastic - it is! It wouldn't be on this list if it wasn't. It just turns out that there were THAT many good dances this year. Who could've known?
I've gotta admit, we're starting to get to the point on this list where the dances just made my jaw hit the floor. Which, "La La La"'s dance STILL does that for me. The floor section in the second verse AND the sharp turns in the choruses are still phenomenal, and the girls' synchronisation is some of the best in the industry. There's so many tiny little aspects to this dance that just make it so much better as a whole. As well as this, it's actually a fantastic example of a lackluster song being boosted by its dance - "La La La" as a song kinda disappointed me when I first heard it, since it wasn't as in-your-face as I was expecting. But the minute I saw the dance for the first time, I immediately loved the song so much more!
I'll readily admit that "Crush" had a great routine too, but it still didn't manage to beat this for me. Regardless of its place on this list, it's a choreography that made a huge impact on me, and it's absolutely one of my favourites!
...you know I love a dance when we don't even have the full routine and I put it on a year-end list anyway.
Yeah. This dance blew me away THAT much.
...you know I love a dance when we don't even have the full routine and I put it on a year-end list anyway.
Yeah. This dance blew me away THAT much.
4. GIRLS' GENERATION OH!GG (소녀시대 OH!GG) - LIL' TOUCH (몰랐니)
I tried. I tried SO HARD to find another dance that I could put in this position, because I initially felt bad about putting it here. Like I said, we haven't seen the full routine; we only have the small little snippets from the MV. But I legitimately couldn't find anything else I liked as much as this without breaking my "one song per artist" rule. And y'know what? Fuck it. It's my blog, after all! (As egotistical as that sounds... 😂)
I said it in my review of this song and I'll say it again here - it is a CRIME that we don't have the full dance practice for "Lil' Touch". Because the snippets that we do have are some of the best things I've seen all year - this dance has got such a sense of power to it that I adore. It's just as powerful as the lyrics and overall vibe of the song itself! As well as this, all five girls make it look effortless and stunning - they've got such confidence that it's hard to look away.
There were rumours going around a while back about a performance of "Lil' Touch" allegedly happening at year-end music shows - that didn't happen, unfortunately. 😕 But I wish it did. Because dAMMIT I WANT THIS FULL DANCE, SM. GIMME.
3. DREAMCATCHER (드림캐쳐) - WHAT
...do I even have to say anything about this song and dance at this point? It's the best thing Dreamcatcher have EVER released, hands-down. And originally, I was going to put "You & I" on this list for the pure surprise involved with that routine, but... goddammit, "What"'s choreo is just too damn good to ignore.
The synchronicity Dreamcatcher have here is insane. This is by no means an easy dance, neither is it one that's short on energy. And yet these girls make it look like they could do this in their sleep! It's exactly the sort of power and hard-hitting choreos that Dreamcatcher are known for at this point. They've finally gotten to a point where they know their concept inside and out; they're the masters of it. NOBODY can do a horror/nightmare concept better than they can. But even though their dances are all powerful, and they're all hard... no two ever feel the same. They're all so distinct from one another. And "What" continues that trend with pure and utter style.
Mark my words: this won't be the last time you see this song on my year-end lists this year. I'm not done praising it quite yet.
2. TWICE (트와이스) - YES OR YES
...talk about a turnaround from the start of this year, jeez.
I hated "What is Love?" as a song, but loved the dance. "Dance The Night Away" was, in my opinion, completely forgettable. The song was annoying, and the dance was good, but not as amazing as everyone made it out to be. But "Yes or Yes" is LITERALLY THE SONG I'VE WANTED TWICE TO DO SINCE FOR FOREVER. It's a confident love song instead of an overly-cutesy one. And that concept of confidence is cemented even further in what is - essentially - a perfect routine in my eyes.
Like. GODDAMN. This routine just looks exhausting. I don't know how they sing while doing this. Between the little individual hand movements, the changes in formation and positioning, the staggered movements and wave effects... this is top-tier stuff. I don't know who TWICE's choreographer is at this point, or how they're coming up with this stuff, but they really deserve so much more credit for creating a routine like this. The members themselves do, too! They all perform this excellently, let alone with the energy and vigor the song itself demands. It's upbeat and cheery, and the girls certainly carry that in their performances.
This was a comeback that really surprised me overall, and I can't wait to talk about it in the winter comeback review. But at least know you know what I think of the dance - it's superb, and one of the best things TWICE has done!
But if it's not my #1... what is?
I know I talked about (G)I-DLE blowing me away when it comes to debuts this year, but... they never quite reached the level that these girls did. Just... hoo boi, excuse me while I rant about this dance again for a hot minute.
I hated "What is Love?" as a song, but loved the dance. "Dance The Night Away" was, in my opinion, completely forgettable. The song was annoying, and the dance was good, but not as amazing as everyone made it out to be. But "Yes or Yes" is LITERALLY THE SONG I'VE WANTED TWICE TO DO SINCE FOR FOREVER. It's a confident love song instead of an overly-cutesy one. And that concept of confidence is cemented even further in what is - essentially - a perfect routine in my eyes.
Like. GODDAMN. This routine just looks exhausting. I don't know how they sing while doing this. Between the little individual hand movements, the changes in formation and positioning, the staggered movements and wave effects... this is top-tier stuff. I don't know who TWICE's choreographer is at this point, or how they're coming up with this stuff, but they really deserve so much more credit for creating a routine like this. The members themselves do, too! They all perform this excellently, let alone with the energy and vigor the song itself demands. It's upbeat and cheery, and the girls certainly carry that in their performances.
This was a comeback that really surprised me overall, and I can't wait to talk about it in the winter comeback review. But at least know you know what I think of the dance - it's superb, and one of the best things TWICE has done!
But if it's not my #1... what is?
I know I talked about (G)I-DLE blowing me away when it comes to debuts this year, but... they never quite reached the level that these girls did. Just... hoo boi, excuse me while I rant about this dance again for a hot minute.
1. IZ*ONE (아이즈원) - LA VIE EN ROSE (라비앙로즈)
There have been K-Pop songs that made me cry before. But there has never been a dance that made me cry when I saw it for the first time.
BUT THEN IZ*ONE DEBUTED AND DECIDED TO CHANGE THAT.
Yeah, I'm not joking. I shed literal tears when I saw this dance for the first time. That's how excellent it is. TWICE were top-tier, but THIS. This is god-tier.
This is one of those dances that's so stunning and detailed that I never quite know how to talk about it. You just... HAVE to watch it for yourself to get the full effect. Some of these moves are so damn hard that I don't know how the girls even manage to pull them off. They confuse me by just watching them. But it's a beautiful sense of confusion - I'm always just so damn perplexed whilst watching this routine, because comprehending its intricacy is something I have a hard time doing.
Basically, in non-flowery and incredibly basic language:
THIS DANCE IS FUCKING INCREDIBLE.
It's... honestly one of my favourite dances, not just of this year, but in K-Pop in general. I've gotta say, this year provided some real highs for me in terms of music and choreography. And this was one of those absolute crowning moments - you'll see another one in my final year-end list! 😉 I cannot fucking wait to see what IZ*ONE do next. Yes, I know it's probably not going to be as mind-blowing as this, but goddammit I can hope!
•••••
Only one more list to go now! And I'm hoping to have it up relatively soon, I'm really in the mood to talk about it haha. It's exciting! I love doing these, they're a hell of a lot of fun. 😄
