McFlyThe Best and Worst of KPOP 2009!
So here’s my totally subjective list of what I liked and didn’t like this year in Kpop. Expect a heavy bias towards the girl groups, because well, I love Korean girl groups.
Feel free to comment; tell me I am out of my mind or summin xD, and if my choices are correct or wack~
5 Top Songs
◙ At the start of this year, the number of Kpop artists I knew could be counted on one hand, and then the only one I was truly a fan of was 이효리. Gee by 소녀시대 was one of the first songs I got hooked on, I still love it even now!
◙ I don’t really care about the G-Dragon plagiarism (or non-existent) issues. This song has such a cool vibe, and is definitely my favourite from the album!
◙ Just amazing. Super fast rapping aside, this has some really touching lyrics. Too bad the majority of the rest of his album wasn’t a similar mood to this and constantly fell back onto generic rap clichés instead :/
◙ Hot Issue was pretty cool. A bit more of a slow grower as I only came to fully love it after 4minute’s EP had already dropped. This song was instantly amazing, and I love the MV version because we get some of For Muzik at the start (which really should have been a full song!)
◙ I’ve listened to this song currently 441 times. There’s no way this isn’t going to be my number one song of the year! I love everything about it, but especially Jessica ;D
Runner ups:
Lots and lots of really great songs this year! Runner ups include; Brown Eyed Girls - Sign, After School - When I fall, 비스트 - Bad Girl, f(x) - 라차타 (LA chA TA)
5 Top Releases
◙ This year has been a great year for Brown Eyed Girls. Everyone loved Sound-G. Personally I thought it was quite filler heavy, and I wasn't as crazy about Abracadabra as everyone else (I still loved the dance though). The sign re-package album only had 2 new songs really, but it was pretty much a perfect release for me! Sign just has so much finesse and coolness, I love everything from the tracks, to the neo-urban cyber punk outfits, to the Live Performances that ooze style, to the MV that doesn't make all that much sense but hints at so much epicness! >_<
◙ Although this year has been all about Girls' Generation for me, I'll admit that neither of the EPs were 100% solid releases. 소원을 말해봐, for me, is the better of the two despite it still tailing off a bit towards the end. But the first two tracks, and also Boyfriend, are strong enough to carry it as one of my favourite releases still ^^;
◙ I was reluctant and held out at first, but when I gave in and gave it a listen, I found it just packed to the brim with awesome! The only weak tracks for me are Butterfly and The Leaders~
◙ This EP was everything I wanted from 4minute, and made me realise just how much a disappointment 2NE1's EP was in comparison. Sometimes the members who aren't Hyuna and Jiyoon grate on me a little (like when they're singing instead of Hyuna or Jiyoon for example), but luckily those two hog the spotlight enough to keep me happy.
◙ Hm, maybe it's not KPOP, but I really wanted to select this release as my favourite of the year. Although I love tacky pop music, sometimes it leaves me unsatisfied if I'm longing for something more touching and deeper. This EP is some how tinged in equal portions of sorrow and hope, I can't explain it, so you'll have to listen. 7 of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard.
5 Most Cringy Songs
5 songs I really can't stand~
5 songs I really can't stand~
◙ I can accept a small amount of cheese. Especially at Christmas. (Who doesn't like cheese at christmas!?). What I can't accept is the promise of a new 4minute digital single to turn out to be some crappy Mario single with 4minute barely making an appearance anywhere save the chorus. How dare they... >:/
◙ Ahhhh appa! It feels like nails scrapping the inside of my skull. Her Marshmellow song is just as bad! I know listening to a track is usually optional, but since I've moved to korea, that freedom has been denied T.T
◙ On some small level I actually like this song. But in a "it's so bad it's almost good" kinda way xD also one of the girls is quite cute (the one with the pink trousers)... but yeah, just wtf
◙ I don't care if he's a cultural icon, an amazing songwriter/ manager. I didn't grow up listening to him or anything, so this solely based on watching him recently. The guy can't dance. I get more second hand embarrassment watching him than I do watching my dad strut his stuff at weddings.
◙ OMG just what is this song!? I usually crack up when I hear the "Yo.... amigos!" intro. After that it's the combination of their terrible outfits, that they have a French Bohemian/Molester in the band (G.O), and that the ridiculous chorus gets looped in my head everytime I hear it, which results in my deep deep loathing for this song!
Runners Up:
I guess runner ups could include; SHINee – Ring Ding Dong, f(x) – Chu~♡ , 레인보우 – Gossip Girl. But all three songs are actually guilty pleasures of mine, and so even if many of you hate them, they have all found a special place in my heart somehow xD
5 Hottest Girls
Korea definitely has the best girls
Korea definitely has the best girls
◙ Probably the cutest girl in existence, Gu Hara really won my heart this Choosuk, the variety show between the other girl group members, where she was so so competitive through-out, and was winning the final race by miles, only to trip before the finish line~ ah it was so cute.
◙ I don't know if I've just had my eyes closed all this time, but it seems these past few months Yuri has become ridiculously hot! Just like... seriously, when did this happen!?
◙ Gain has such a unique face she should be a high-fashion supermodel or something. She's absolutely stunning, and has a really cute personality too.
◙ Sometimes I forget how young Hyuna actually is (She's only 17!), she just has so much charisma and presence. Despite CL's constant claims to being the baddest female, it's obviously Hyuna with the queen crown. Her solo album is going to be the best thing ever.
◙ just.. omg Jessica. How can someone be so cute but sexy, so cold but hot? I love the way she seems so bored half the time, or gives clueless answers to questions on TV. Her irrational fear of cucumbers and her dolphin pitch scream, she's just the best.
5 Biggest Nosebleed-inducing Moments
These aren't in any particular order, next year I'll record the amounts of bloodless caused so I can make a more accurate list!
These aren't in any particular order, next year I'll record the amounts of bloodless caused so I can make a more accurate list!
◙ One of the reasons I've been wowing at her so much recently, omg.
◙ obviously not including Minji here. I thought Nicole's was the hottest actually (and maybe inspired the Bo Peep Bo Peep dance?), in terms of just dancing Minji's was amazing until those weird squat thrusts came in.... :/
◙ It's a horrible screen shot, it's times like this I wish I could make gifs quickly. Go watch it on youtube!
◙ Without a doubt my favourite Lip Balm advert of all time! The dance is possibly better than the abracadabra dance too...
◙ So many boys wanna give it to me, but I want you boy give it to me, cuz I'm so ready boy give it to me...
(ZOOOOMG `ㅠ` nosebleeeeeed/ coma *slump* ( `ㅍ`)/ die¬)
Random Awards
incase you were interested~
incase you were interested~
The 'My favourite Boy Band of this year' award:
비스트/B2ST
◙ I'm obviously much more into the Girl Groups than the Guy Groups, but my favourite Boy Band release this year has been Beast - Beast Is The B2ST.
The 'Most boring Scandal' award:
동방신기 (DBSK)/ SM scandal.
◙ So both sides made mistakes, and continue to do so, and China hates them? Ah omg, this is just so boring, fill me in when it's over.
The 'Album that got oldest, fastest' award:
2NE1 - THE FIRST MINI ALBUM
◙ It racked up 500 plays, but now it utterly utterly bores me. Their solo songs aren't doing much for me either. I think there's something about Teddy's writing that just gets really dull really quickly.
The 'Song much more deserving of plagiarism accusations than Heartbreaker' award:
F.T Island - Bing Bing Bing
◙ Compare it to McFly's '5 colours in her hair'. In Heartbreaker we have 10 seconds of similarities in the first verse. The melody is simple, the amount small. We'll never know if it was intentional, subconscious, or fluke, so we might as well give G-D the benefit of the doubt rather then going so overboard with the reaction as to discredit him entirely as a song writer based on this. (As the Korean media seems to be doing)
Personally I also think The Leaders is much more ripped from 'Drop it like it's hot' than Heartbreaker is from 'Right Round', (and Teddy composed that one :/ ),
But anyway, there is no way F.T Island's track isn't a rip of McFly's track, everything from the surf-pop intro, to the 'Do-do-dooos', to the verse rhythm and structure to the chorus melody is almost exactly the same. I would say it's a remake, but that it's slightly changed through-out leads to believe it's not. If McFly are credited as the writers, then I will take this back.
There we go, that's it folks :D
Hope you enjoyed it, thanks for reading! If you have a similar list, post a link in the comments and I'll add a link into the journal too ^^;
- Bottle
