K-Pop Winter Topic 2024

Was still a good step away from being a year old
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/400-current-events/80392310

Around the time that was made:

The weird "Nineties Kitch" by IVE
Jisoo's solo
LOONA members moving to ARTMS
YG still had people signed to them outside of Babymonster
Fifty Fifty was going downhill (and that dragged out for quite a bit)

End of year playlist by @PumpkinCoach
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCMoLL8mA8nzB7oYW5UMNAY6CFjMllfXb&feature=shared

KaZooo posted...

NJ providing grown man background fight music.

Rabbid Bunnies. Rabbids!

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/boards/400-current-events/80392310/978209151

So, some unpopular opinions.

NewJeans just doesn't work for me. "Attention" was a great debut, but most of their stuff sounds the same. It's all catchy but there is no substance. More importantly, their vocals are indistinguishable from each other. This is a big no-no for me since I value a good vocal.

OOOOOOF. jk. It is true that each member is seemingly not too far off each other.
The substance part...I feel like they had more coherent concepts than most others. They do seem to have a narrower focus on a subject, but I think they solidly make of it vs trying to go all over the place with it.

JYP's stuff the last few years has been a complete miss for me. Everything post TWICE has been very disney channel/kidz bop for me (I love "Fancy", though).

Yeah unfortunately I usually don't have much positive to say. Talent is there, product is not.

Stray Kids lost me when their main vocal was kicked from the group.

Could never really get into them. Hate to say it but with JYP being how it is, I always just SK was just a loose attempt at NCT (although the framework is different).

NMIXX can sing, but they don't sound cohesive as a unit at all. Lily is hailed as the best vocalist of her generation but her tone is nails to a chalkboard for me. I do like Sullyoon and Haewon, though. I was surprised to like Jinni's solo stuff way more than anything I've heard from NMIXX.

Lily has a strong voice, but yeah more over time, it seems like there's not much layers to it and it comes off a bit shouty. I don't know if it's just the direction she's positioned to take with how the songs are written, but it's she's just there to make the song louder.

I think the crazy part to go with it was how soon that album dropped after her departure. It was almost as if it was prepared ahead of her signing to ATOC. Stars kinda aligned and she landed with a mini album with all solid tracks which yes, outshine NMIXX's work imo.

ITZY has been plagued by these issues since their debut. I do feel like the more they flop the more interesting their sound gets, though. They definitely chose the wrong title track this time.

My favorite JYP group, and it seems like their talent and individual appeal have outdone the product that they are together. The stuff is usually decent. Only recent things I notably did not like was "Born to Be", "Ringo" and "Sneakers" and to your point that stings more because those were lead singles. Also getting sick of what appears to be fake high notes that don't even get synced in performances. Existing in this generation comes with pretty strong expectations.

LE SERRAFIM suffers the same fate. I did not like Yunjin's voice at all during PD48, I actually think she got worse. On the other hand Chaewon has really came a long way. Unfortunately she can't carry the rest of the group for me. It's too bad about Garam because she has a better tone than the other girls. "Antifragile" and "Eve, Psyche..." are cool but "Fearless" / "Unforgiven" were awful .

I'm bad with following elimination shows. In the case of PD48, I'm only more familiar with the end product in Iz*One. But I much agree with the preference in tracks within Le Serrafim's discography.

I think LSF was climbing through "Antifragile". I'm not so down on "Unforgiven" itself, but rather it panned out in a way that made me think they hit a (temporary) plateau vs continuing to build themselves. The production quality is still really good.

I find Yunjin to kinda serve as the base sound of the group. I still think Chaewon is all that, but when she was out for a bit, Yunjin imo kept the group's volume up.

Apart from the fact it should've been a NewJeans song, "Perfect Night" rubs me a little funny about Sakura's and Kazuha's vocals. Seems like the Today Show performance, it's believable they can hit those notes now. Hopefully writers do more with that.

BABYMONSTER is atrocious.

I don't think "Batter Up" is actually that bad, but it's just the makings and marketing of the group that don't leave a great taste and it seems whatever popularity they have largely rides on that.

KaZooo posted...

OOOOOOF. jk. It is true that each member is seemingly not too far off each other.
The substance part...I feel like they had more coherent concepts than most others. They do seem to have a narrower focus on a subject, but I think they solidly make of it vs trying to go all over the place with it.

Nod. Again I don't like praising NJ too much because I find my intense appreciation, attraction... love towards them somehow irrational. I can't analyze them the same way I do other groups, I do not like them the same way. I already get what they don't give me from my more conventionally favorite groups, and I love that they're not even trying to give me the same thing. To me there is a magic in them but I understand if some people see the illusion for what it is and don't get pulled into it. I find the exquisite, meticulous, almost archetypical way they've been crafted fascinating, a kind of deconstruction of idol pop, but I can see all they do in the end is a deceptively simple bait and switch, the deliverance of nostalgia in ransom for the promise of permanence. It's true, there is no satisfaction in NJ, only sweet, sweet longing. The more hollow, the more fleeting, the better. And one can already see it's only going to get even better. Because there are other groups, producers that do something similar, but none have ever been so committed to it like NJ. It's... monstrous. Anyways like I've said before, I could go on page after page, I'm just too embarrassedly enthralled to do so.

Oof

https://youtu.be/9VFiEGoXywE?si=vKT7FBEWatx-SInM

Continued to check out "Untouchable" performances to see how they go about it vocally.

Looks like they do go Chae actually doing the highnote, though compared to the radio session I think it's getting some help from the backtrack. Can't tell for sure if they skipped the ad-libs though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R_5guZZHU2c

This kinda runs like "Love Me Like This" imo. Had something going but the chorus wears itself out. The first cluster of "dash" mentions wasn't too bad, but double-down and plug it 12 times in the chorus between the 1st and 2nd verse like the writers ran out of ideas on the spot....There are songs that sure, are designed in such a way, but I don't think it was compelling repetition like say "OMG". The same phrase altogether gets milked too much.

Everything in else about the track and M/V was solid imo, and that's the part that kinda stings for me.

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

Otherwise the album comes together pretty well imo and the producers were more properly creative with the vocals they have on tap.
"Boom" (kinda like an older ITZY B-side)
"Passionfruit" (the use of repetitive words/phrasing is way better here than "Dash")

Writing isn't all that compelling, but I think the sound in general has a better direction

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/0/02f47b49.jpg

Also kcon LA is July 26-28

I'm for the comeback, not for what sounds like a play off the Kylie Minogue song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBXhUQcmhT0

I'm kinda ignorant to what Limelight is about...but I hear too much of Fifty Fifty's "Cupid"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ma02AuRSoO4

hmm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8kbjR-eI94

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU8mQMLx0tk

Little bit of an artificial feeling to it. The group doing all their lines together, the resulting sound kinda sounding robotic, and the setting and collab kinda sit funny to me. It's not like awful, but I wouldn't look at this like a real single rather one of those lighter promotional tracks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBoOqS3bGh8
I liked where their sound was going last year, and this sounds like it's building on that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZ0oMvxrKQ8

I favor this over "Good Morning" not that I found that particularly bad or anything. Overall a cool comeback.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00h8oLNjIpk

Soyeon seriously makes me so happy
https://youtu.be/baaNwRAhHBo?si=33ywYsoB5suRmWuq

That was a fun one to watch. I think it did a lot at demonstrating versatility.

I'm not too big on SJ, but it's crazy how much their longevity is stretched and are adding to that tier of...elder artists K-Pop. Track is kinda cool. I like how they went about the second verse.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wUkrDxrcgc

Ah, thought my rant was lost in the previous thread, lol. Interesting points! Didn't expect to see you (or well anyone) agree on any of my perspective.

• All Night is not good. Completely bland and no identity, especially since it's sung in unison the entire time. We needed Ms. Yujin here. They should've just done an english version of Love Dive or Baddie (yeah...even that one makes more sense).
• It's interesting how girl groups can get away with nonsensical noise music but when the boys do it the GP wants none of it, lol. I prefer Idles more melodic songs ( Hwaa , Hann , LATATA ). Wife is a mess . Soyeon really needs to work with a translator or something because some of the shit she whips up...I can't unhear "Want me to wipe a shit ass".
• Sistar19 - No, No, No indeed. Those diaper outfits...Beautiful ladies but the song isn't giving Sistar.
• Run for Roses is pretty decent, I like the chorus. NMIXX is showing a bit of potential here. Haewon/Sullyoon seem so SM to me.
• Yena is adorable, she has such a early 2000s JPop vibe. Probably one of my favorite IZ*ONE members with Eunbi and Yujin.

Have been really liking RIIZE (unsurprisingly, I'm pretty SM-biased). Nice to see the GP embrace them as well. Just need Seunghan back. His "scandal" is such a joke.

I'm a fan of how RIIZE seems to try to stick to more realistic instrumentals, and I think it's a welcome return for a more "traditional" male group formation.

I still think WayV has/had a lot of potential. The members clearly made their presence in the NCT U in the "Make a Wish"/"90s Love" comeback, their few awards shows were pretty good imo.

I'm guessing the international factor to it was what dictated how far it could go, and hashing out their version of "Regular" to start probably wasn't the move. And then of course the Lucas thing added to it. Shame "Jalepeno" is never happening. I think that could've helped them gain traction.

Trying not to hate, but I do think the older SISTAR (and -19) material is a good step over the recent comeback, and it has nothing to do with the performing talent, because that's still there.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJRe3fzZpqk

and here we go again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKVBAwHqyEk
I'm not sure this concept is registering all that well with me, but I think the sound seems promising.

oof those stairs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUQa4qT3IJ4

Anyone here a fan of trot?

I was a little behind on releases until recently, but I wanted to make my own top 100 list for fun. I tried to base it on anything released in 2023 on Spotify which mostly affects Itzy, but that rule did let me put Soar on there. An * means I was lucky enough to see it performed live last year. There are some others I saw the group/singer but not the song and some others I expect to see this year.

1.*(G)I-DLE - Queencard
2.*(G)I-DLE - I Do
3.Weeekly - Good Day (Special Daileee)
4.ADYA - Per
5.*Kep1er - Back to the City
6.Le Sserafim - FEARNOT (Between you, me and the lamppost)
7.Baek A Yeon - Lime (I'm So)
8.NewJeans - Super Shy
9.*Loossemble - Sensitive
10.*Limelight - Honestly
11.Le Sserafim - Perfect Night
12.NewJeans - OMG
13.XG - New Dance
14.Viviz - Pull Up
15.*IVE - Kitsch
16.Jeon Somi - The Way
17.1CHU - Siren
18.*XG - GRL GVNG
19.*Stayc - Bubble
20.*(G)I-DLE - Allergy
21.Swan - Be My Everything
22.XG - Left Right
23.IVE - Off the Record
24.*Craxy - Nugudom
25.Young Posse - Macaroni Cheese
26.Yeeun - Strange Way To Love
27.Le Sserafim - Unforgiven (feat. Nile Rodgers)
28.*Purple Kiss - Sweet Juice
29.*Stayc - Teddy Bear
30.*IVE - I Am
31.NMIXX - Soar (Breaker)
32.Itzy - Bet on Me
33.Kiss of Life - Bad News
34.IVE - Baddie
35.Lightsum - Honey or Spice
36.*Ateez - Bouncy (K-Hot Chilli Peppers)
37.*Itzy - Cake
38.Chuu - Aliens
39.Cherry Bullet - Queen
40.IVE - Either Way
41.*aespa - Better Things
42.XG - Shooting Star
43.Kiss of Life - Shhh
44.*Stray Kids - S-Class
45.*Twice - Set Me Free
46.Rothy - Something Casual
47.Purple Kiss - Autopilot
48.Fifty Fifty - Cupid
49.Jini - Bad Reputation
50.Purple Kiss - Mistake
51.Kiss of Life - Sugarcoat (Natty Solo)
52.Seventeen - Super
53.Swan - Twenty
54.Kim Sejeong - Top or Cliff
55.Queenz Eye - Un-Normal
56.tripleS - The Baddest
57.*aespa - Hold On Tight
58.BSS - Fighting (feat. Lee Young Ji)
59.Taeyeon - Fabulous
60.Le Sserafim - Eve, Psyche & the Bluebeard's Wife
61.NewJeans - ETA
62.Jeon Somi - Gold Gold Gold
63.Kwon Eunbi - The Flash
64.*Kep1er - Giddy
65.*Pixy - Falling
66.fromis_9 - Eye Contact
67.SHINee - Hard
68.Kiss of Life - Countdown (Belle Solo)
69.TVXQ! - Down
70.Taemin - Guilty
71.Jihyo - Killin' Me Good
72.*Pixy - Karma
73.Kwon Eunbi - Like Heaven
74.Dawn - Fallin' (feat. pH-1)
75.Rocking Doll Roa, Rocking Doll Ahri - Star in the Sky
76.Kai - Rover
77.TRI.BE - Papa Noel
78.(G)I-DLE - I Want That
79.*Everglow - Make Me Feel
80.Misamo - Marshmallow
81.tripleS - New Look
82.NMIXX - Love Me Like This
83.Yena - Love War (feat. BE'O)
84.Kiss of Life - Nobody Knows
85.Primrose - Sippin' On
86.Dynamicduo, Lee Young Ji - Smoke
87.ICHILLIN' - Siren
88.Enhypen - Bite Me
89.Jo Yuri - Bitter Taste
90.&Team - Dropkick
91.Yerin - The Dance
92.Agust D - D-Day
93.TXT - Chasing That Feeling
94.*aespa - Don't Blink
95.January - Remember
96.GOT the Beat - Outlaw
97.Forever (Universe Ticket) - Whateva
98.*Lapillus - Who's Next
99.Diawings - We Are
100.Pixy - Truth or Dare

Hard not to have some similarities to PumpkinCoach's list. I even struggled to not include a lot that they did, but I was pleasantly surprised to see some less popular inclusions. I also probably missed a large chunk of boy group songs last year that I'm hoping to not do this year.

nice list, both the parts that overlap and the parts that don't!

French Lisa hits different. Still never liked her solo singles much, but she can put on a performance.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SCqmr8bVE8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f3RzjXPQwA

I think the whole album is pretty nice

But for some reason I expected something different from the sampler.
Overall this might be the most I've enjoyed their work along with "I Do", ever since their early singles.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ct8LPg6GeMw

One of those tracks where a performance does it much more justice imo

I think it's a little late in the season, but cool if they can deliver vocally live. Imo puts them in a better light as a group that has potential ahead, vs being shoved into the cookie-cutterish mold of "Batter Up"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsV1i0QHi-o

The way Soyeon starts it off hits different

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE0r_6RGKTc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhmzKgaoLX0

The clarity of the words get pretty lost in the verses. Generally was a decent sound otherwise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8c2SQ7Fwo4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=trYdczp82ZE

Not sure if it was ever confirmed she can/was playing guitar in "Lxxk 2U"

Maybe that Macaroni track was a little too out there to start with, and I haven't seen the translation to this one yet, but it's kinda....tight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaGsVrnH-5k

Softer lines in the later part of the track is not quite it when live. I think if they start putting out tracks that mix in harder vocals with high notes (assuming they're capable of it), they'll really elevate their presence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOC12GiGwEo

It is Wednesday

The middle of the week
And we are stuck in it
The middle

little lukewarm about the songwriting. Concepts are cool, performance is killer he's still arguably the most talented member of NCT imo but in some places (mainly on the first track) it still has a bit of awkwardness in terms of how the lyrics run against the rhythm, like most attempts at English tracks overseas.

But overall it's sounding like this is up there for me in that realm of English K-Pop.

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

"Perfect Night" isn't like a top favorite for me but it's gotten catchy enough for me that I mockingly start along with it all like "MeAndMyGirliesWeGonPartyTilit'sEarlyGotMeFeelingOtherWorldlyTonight" and let the rest play itself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPE13lKcF5I

I cook cream soup

Taste is coco loco

None of these necessarily make a strong impression, but I'm probably going to be surprised by one of the B-sides.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljx19X1Y7v4

I'm not sure if they'd really hit a vocal cover particularly with this track, but if this is a screen test/feeler for something similar in the future....imo it's a very attractive direction.

I don't think their choreography is lacking in fact I like how it's more realistic to incorporate their stronger vocals but something of a softer tone to compensate, with a more involving dance set to put more spotlight of this half of them, would be nice.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFUjI8uZgas

Back in the middle

Of the week

(G)I-dle has some great MVs
https://youtu.be/KAymeaEyPr8?si=in7h6iwiNVm5OA9K

If those Soojin references are actually Soojin references, to make the video a Soojin reference.

Man that's something else, in a good way imo with the general theme of the song.

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

Easy soon

rewind to the previous times in JYPs career

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

https://youtu.be/bNKXxwOQYB8?si=_qySr1kUwRuQjAz0

I welcome the change in pace on this one, given how the past couple lead singles felt a bit redundant imo.

Looks like Eunchae just got like 1 one line, though

As someone who's big on Chaewon.....seemed like there was a lot of Chaewon in this comeback

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rTFwF9RkaQ

Overall album was nice imo. I don't know if it'll age into a remarkable peak, but a noticeable shift in sound and choreography.