[October 12, 2012] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

Today's show was literally drowning in idol groups, though majority of them rookies/unknowns. Absent from the broadcast (at least who I'm aware of) were U-Kiss, BTOB, Stephanie (MY QUEEN) and 15&. Although big names like Secret, Ga In, T-Ara, Orange Caramel and DBSK were all in attendance. Like last week, DBSK's "Catch Me" failed to win today's show, losing to "Gangnam Style".

Video credit goes to shu35150510 and lokyan64 @ YT, other videos to follow.

84LY - "Girl Talk"
I have no idea who some of these acts on today are, 84LY included. From the performance alone, which was lip-synched (BOO KBS), they remind me of Rania's "POP POP POP" era without the intensity and slightly more obvious class that Rania have (even if "POP POP POP" was super cheap). It's okay for what it is, but too generic wit nothing

A.cian - "Stuck"
Another act I don't know, who have horrible vocals even if it's lip-synched. Yes, it's that bad. It's one thing to only sound good on a recording, but to sound painful on it? How that happened is beyond me. The instrumental is boring not because it's bare, but because the elements are generic when they need to cover up those horrible vocals more than anything. Horrid song, horrid vocals, sloppy performance. Who are these guys and why were they even let on stage?

BBde Girl - "Messing Around"
Well, at least they're singing live? This string of bad unknown group performances continues though, because these girls sound so tired, making their already non-existent vocals even more painful. You know they're trying at least a bit, but their movements don't translate well on stage, neither do they look convincing.

Mr. Mr. - "Who's That Girl"
This kind of rookie/unknown performance was more along the lines of what I was expecting from the previous acts. I mean it's not spectacular or anything and the song is pretty mediocre, but the vocals are stable where you'd expect them to be (slipping here and there, yeah) and they look convincing enough. It's just okay, but considering what came before, I'll take what I can get.

Be Bop - "offroad"
Well, they look promising. Their vocals could use serious work, especially that guy in the red plaid shirt, but for once they actually look like they enjoy being on stage, which is something that's a lot harder to learn than vocal technique. It's a mediocre song, and their vocals are painful for half the performance, but the melody matches them, and manages to mask a bit of the pain on their voices. Not bad, not bad at all. I'll keep my eye on them.

EXID - "Every Night"
Usually songs like "Every Night" tend to bore me, but surprisingly (even for me!), they managed to catch my attention with their performance. It's lip-synched and they aren't amazing performers, but they have presence. I'll be waiting for a real live performance.

Rania - "Style"
I think it helps that I actually kind of enjoy the song (no matter how YG-generic it is), but this performance was pretty good. The vocals were as on-point as they could get for majority of the song, and the attitude was there. My only complaint though is that this performance lacked emotions in their movements -- they were dancing all the right things and they look enthusiastic, but the emotion wasn't there.

AOA - "Get Out"
I still don't know how to feel about this song, whether I like it or not because it sounds like a DaVichi song-turned-drama OST sung by people from a gazillion other girl groups. And if they really did play the instruments in the recording, because you guys know how much I hate instruments being treated like props. (AND THE FAKE DRUMMER BEING SO FAR FROM EVERYONE AGAIN) It was a pretty boring performance, because no matter how the blonde girl emoted while lip-synching, they just don't have enough presence to just stand there while doing an uptempo and actually pull it off. Try again, AOA.

ChAOS - "Kiss Kiss"
Just because you're smiling/smirking on stage, doesn't mean you're enthusiastic about the performance. The song is extremely generic, and their movements mirror that. NEXT.

100% - "Bad Guy"
I remember listening to their debut release a few weeks ago, but the fact that it's a really vague memory should mean that it was't that good. The performance has put things into perspective for me though, and it's not half bad! They're clearly pretty okay performers, their group dynamic is great for a group this new, and are they singing live? I can't tell (!!). Because if they are, those are some pretty strong vocals.

SPICA - "I'll Be There"
After all the mediocre groups that came before, this is like a breath of fresh air, even if there's really only one girl who can actually sing it decently. The margin of painfulness between the most painful in SPICA and the least painful in at least half of the previous groups is huge, which in itself is a huge achievement. It's an amazing song, done with strong vocals and the right amount of attitude and enthusiasm.

Big Star - "Think of you"
Okay so maybe the dancing at the chorus was a little too enthusiastic -- it just looked like they were flailing their arms in random directions and didn't really look like an organized performance. They were pretty okay for the rest of the song though. Not brilliant, but if they work on their stage deportment, they have potential.

Jewelry - "Rhythm Ha + Look At Me"
Before anything, I'd just like to profess my love for the lead single. It has that funk that old-school Jewelry (as in original line-up) had, but upgraded - it's exactly what I would've imagined Jewelry the group (regardless of members) to do in 2012. And they pull it off. Not as strong as I would've wanted it to be, but strong enough, and ever so classy.

Orange Caramel - "Lipstick"
Words cannot describe how much I despise this song. I mean, it has three of the things I hate the most -- cheaper than cheap synth loops, cuteness, and non-existent vocals. I only started acknowledging the fact that Raina has a voice, but that all went down the drain with this song. I mean they're enthusiastic about this horrible song and all, but the ship has sunk too deep for enthusiasm to save it.

T-Ara - "Sexy Love"
Contrary to popular opinion, I don't entirely dislike "Sexy Love". Today's performance was standard T-Ara, which means they were okay performers but the song carried them so it makes everything seem better than it actually is. Which is okay, because that's what works for T-Ara, and really, the point of a performance is to make people look better than they actually are.

Ga-In - "Bloom"
IU comparisons aside, I love this song! And to make things better, I don't have to complain about bad vocals (even if the choruses are heavily overdubbed BOO) or sloppy performances because Ga-In is a demigoddess and she knows how to not only hold the audience in the palm of her hand, but control them at the same time. A strong performance of a brilliant song.

Secret - "Poison"
"Poison" is basically a rehash of "Madonna" and "Magic", which is a bore, but their live vocals for this are really good. Add that to their always-present grace and intensity, and you have a really strong performance.

DBSK/HoMin - "Catch Me"
This performance was basically a slap in the face to all the mortals who came before them. I mean really, flawless live high notes while lying down on your stomach and being raised up in the air, equally flawless vocals while break-dancing, and overpowering the already overpowering backing track? If that's not outstanding I don't know what is. Conviction, conviction, and more conviction, laced with truckloads of talent and years of experience give us a stunning performance. Best performance of "Catch Me" yet, although the only other live performance was last week's Music Bank. BUT STILL.

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Guess who's back? I've been officially free from school since Tuesday, but after I finished all my requirements I just collapsed and got sick again, which is why I haven't posted anything. A few small "announcements". First, I assume you've all noticed the sparkly new layout! yay! Second, I'm going to try and get as many posts out over the weekend, which means single of the week/weekly rundown, complete music show recaps, and maybe a few full single/album reviews. It's been so long, and I have so much catching up to do! That's all for now, I guess. See you guys tomorrow for Music Core!

[May 25, 2012] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

Lots of acts to cover on this week's recap, with comebacks and debuts to add to the already-packed line-up. I was really surprised at how long this recap turned out to be! New girl group She'z, boy band VIXX, and JYP's JJ Project make their Music Bank debuts, and we see the return of F.Cuz, B1A4 and G.NA, all armed with new material. No more 4Minute, so that means that SISTAR should start wrapping up promo for "Alone" as well. Also in attendance are now-regulars EXO-K, A Pink, B.A.P., TaeTiSeo, Hello Venus, and a host of others. Is it really a surprise who won today?

Video credit goes to shu35151229 and KoreanMusicTVLive.

VIXX - "Super Hero"
Yet another new group I've never heard about. I should really do my homework before writing these recaps, because I literally just added these guys in when they came on with JJ Project. From the performance alone they're pretty average, but being a new group I see potential. The song itself has a beautiful melody if they can sustain singing it right live, and individually, they move very naturally on stage. Group dynamics are a bit off for now, but it's good that none of them move like robots individually. I'm keeping my eye on them out of curiosity.

She'z - "My Way"
While major label girl groups seem to be at a standstill in terms of vocals, it looks like the lesser-labels are starting to understand the concept of a "singer", because these girls are all rather stable live singers. The voices remind me of some members from the ill-fated Black Pearl (who didn't really have a good debut either but yeah), which is an okay thing, but with the right songs these girls could really work. We need to work on the material and the choreography though, and get you girls more flattering costumes. But I'd rather that be the problem than a total lack of vocal ability.

JJ Project - "Bounce"
And that, my friends, is how you pull off a debut stage, complete with literal jumping and prancing around stage. It wasn't a perfect performance, but what makes them so much better as live performers is that the mistakes they made, and the problems I saw, aren't the type that needs continuous practice and drastic changes -- they're little problems that can be easily fixed by telling them where they went wrong, like slips with the words, not looking at the camera, the little details like that. I'm starting to really like JJ Project, with their old-school K-Pop sound and their apparent talent laced with a good group dynamic, which was what I was worried about the most. When I saw the video I couldn't really tell whether the two worked well as a duo, but after today's performance (and yesterday's M!Countdown one as well), I think it's safe to say that I worried for nothing.

Hello Venus - "Venus"
These girls are really growing on me. I hate the poofy skirts today, but everything else about the performance is on-point. Vocals are stable, presence is there but not overpowering, and they're starting to move more and more like a group. I just really hope they don't go down the Girls' Day route, because this is a dangerously few steps up.

EXO-K - "MAMA"
This late in the game and they're still moving around like robots? I understand that it's partially the nature of the choreography, but EXO-M do it perfectly fine. It won't hurt to move with fluidity, and if anything, it'll make it much less of a chore to watch them perform if they show some semblance of delight or joy in their movements. Their vocals are doing a lot better, and they no longer sound like fighting pre-schoolers, which is a relief, but something has to be done about that scream at the beginning. If you can't reach that high, lower it!

B.A.P. - "Power"
Another strong performance from the five-piece today, and I really love how even if I'm not a big fan of the song, they literally peeled my eyes off my computer screen so I could watch the performance. I can't really comment on the rapping, but their vocals were stable today, and very gutsy. Not yet a convert, but I'm working on it.

A Pink - "Hush"
I love the outfits, but that's basically the only thing. Their vocals are getting much more stable, but it's of no help because this song was doomed from the very beginning. Just skipping along now.

Dalmatian - "E.R."
It's good that the whispering has been solved and I can actually hear actual, rather good, singing now, but E.R. is neither fresh, nor is it exceptionally gorgeous enough to catch my ear. And their stage presence isn't any stronger than groups of lesser stature, so they don't win me over with their performances either. Which is why Dalmatian is still meh for me.

B1A4 - "Good Night Good Night "
After last year's disaster of a single, it looks like B1A4 are starting to redeem themselves. "Baby I'm Sorry" was actually a pretty good song, and this new single isn't half bad either. It's a mess, but not as much as their previous releases. The chorus is... interesting, to say the least, anticlimactic if I were to be nice, and the rap middle 8 is a complete mess, but the verses are strong. Their performance is kind of understandable, and they've always had good stage deportment, so it was okay to watch. But that's all it is for now -- okay.

F.Cuz - "No. 1"
Oh wow, I haven't seen F.Cuz in what feels like ages. With one member moving on to musicals alongside my beloved Junsu, and whatever other drama they went though. I didn't particularly like them, but I kind of pity them because some of the other groups who debuted alongside them have already moved up the ladder, while they (and ZE:A) are still pretty nugu. Their vocals are nothing to write home about though, rather rough around the edges, and although this song is a massive step up from the stuff they put out in the past ("Jiggy", anyone?), it's still pretty generic. I'm putting them on probation for now. We'll see.

G.NA - "Summer Star" + "2Hot"
I pity G.NA so much, it's not even funny anymore. Because of all the crap Cube is giving her, she's basically regressed in terms of vocals. I mean she's never really had a stadium ballad-calibre voice, but old G.NA would've slayed "Summer Star", or even just pulled it off well. New G.NA did neither. Her vocals were thinner than usual, she let go at all the wrong places, and her belting wasn't even proper belting. And don't even get me started on "2Hot". The song itself is a disaster of a generic and cheap package (as usual), and it doesn't help that G.NA's vocals have deteriorated this much, so much that she has to sing like a 2 year-old to make up for it. Cheap song, cheap choreography, cheap everything. My only compliment would be that at least she's really cheap and pretentiously cheap like SISTAR.

Infinite - "The Chaser"
Brilliant performance today, and I love how they spiced up the entrance with the paper and all. Their vocals are getting better and better each week, and with the exception of some of the parts after the key change, everything was stable today. Infinite have come to the stage where they literally hold the audience in the palm of their hands, a stage I've been waiting a long time for, because it's a glorious, glorious time. They really move not only fluidly, but also as a group, and that makes it such a joy to watch them perform.

SISTAR - "Alone"
And I see SISTAR are no longer in the running for number one this week. Is this goodbye stage-week? Is it at least coming soon? Please? I mean, their vocals have become really stable and almost strong, and now one of the formerly-useless girls, Soyu I believe, is no longer as useless as she was before, which is one of the few good things to come out of this promo cycle, but "Alone" is just really boring now. Please, end my misery soon.

SNSD (Taeyeon, Tiffany, Seohyun) - "Twinkle"(WINNER)
Not much change from last week's performances, which were not much of a change either, but at least they've been stable since the beginning (when we talk about this song in particular, because the "Baby Steps" performance did the stunning song no justice), and it's a song that really matches majority of them. Seohyun's still lacking that one, valuable component. She has everything else really mastered, but she still lacks the power.

[May 18, 2012] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

Guess who's back! *insert sobbing over Junsu's obvious and predictable absence from music shows* But on the bright side, this week's line-up seems to be a fair mix of good and meh acts+singles, so I'm not complaining! The only problem is, it seems like the KBS sound guy either hates everyone on today, or is just too lazy to do his job, because today's show was a backing track fest! Focus, KBS, focus!

I don't own any of the videos, and I got them from everywhere this week.

Hello Venus - "Venus"

I watched one of their debut performances last week, and just like what happened today, I had a hard time figuring out whether or not they were lip-syncing the performance. However, high notes and ad-libs are always a giveaway, and I've come to the conclusion that KBS turned their backing track too high, but they're singing live during the choruses, and most probably drowned out by the backing track during the chorus. You lied to me -- I thought we'd never have this problem, KBS! Individually the girls are pretty confident, fluid and natural on stage, and considering the new groups we've seen so far this year, they're actually pretty high-up the group dynamics chain. There are still portions where they don't look like a group, and the chorus can be a bit uncomfortable to watch if you don't already like the song, but they're not ridiculously bad. Performane-wise, they're right between meh and okay right now.

B.A.P. - "Power"

"Power" is a very idol performance, and reminds me a lot of late 90's/early 2000's boy band "world domination" singles. This song in particular isn't really my taste, but as performers I'm completely drawn in to these guys. Their average singing today is half their fault, half KBS', but since majority of the song is rapping and semi-screams mixed with growls, it's not that obvious that KBS has totally screwed up the sound today. I'm keeping my eye on you guys.

A Pink - "Hush"

Sometimes, I wonder how Cube can ruin it's acts this well. "Hush" isn't a ridiculously bad song for K-Pop standards, but aside from being average and un-singable, they're a year late in terms of sound! This is the problem when you copy another group who also copied something else -- if you do it right after them, you'll be called a copycat, but if you do it much, much later, you'll be called late. And it's not like this is a big re-arrangement or they're outstanding singers or anything. You were going in the right direction with "MY MY" Cube, but you just had to break that streak! The performance was painful vocally, and so boring.

Dalmatian - "ER"

Wow, okay. I've never seen any Dalmatian performances prior to this, and I haven't heard their new EP yet, but this is pretty bad. Apart from the distracting guy who is literally prettier and thinner than me, when sounds actually come out of their mouths, they come out as whispers. Or wails. Apart from the blondish guy who sings the first line of the middle 8. Apart from that, the vocals are pretty much a disaster. Performance-wise they're okay, but nothing out of the ordinary for a band of their stature.

Girls' Day - "Oh! My God"

Whenever I hear this song I suddenly have the urge to strangle something, or someone. Preferably whoever thought it was a good idea to let humans hear something like this. But even after all the pain, they're a bunch of girls in their late teens/early twenties prancing around, sounding like my 4 month-old nephew. Cute, but ridiculously inappropriate, so much so that it just gets annoying. I'm kind of proud to say that I've never wanted to try and like Girls' Day.

Infinite - "Only Tear" + "The Chaser"

"Only Tear" was okay, a few slips here and there, but I most definitely prefer these guys doing an all-out idol singing and dancing extravaganza. I mean okay, some of them can sing, but the rest are very, very unstable live, what more doing a ballad. Boring around the edges, and not something I particularly enjoyed. "The Chaser" is a completely different story though. I love their outfits, because on other groups they would actually look really cheap, what with the red, yellow and black combination, but they carry it well, just like they carry the performance and literally hold the audience in their hands now. I mean listen to the screams in relation to the noisy instrumental -- they don't stop. They've gotten very comfortable with their music, something a lot of groups never get the chance to do, and it shows in their vocals. Sunggyu and Woohyun sound amazing (yes, I've learned their faces already!), and everyone else is comfortably stable. Best performance of the show.

SISTAR - "Alone"

I know those huge slits on their dresses are the main points of the choreography and whatever, but they also contribute to the reason why everything about this performance looks so cheap. Their vocals are gotten surprisingly stable, which is probably the only good thing with this performance. Otherwise, I'm not sold. At all.

4Minute - "Volume Up"

So I see Hyun A still hasn't learned how to sing. Other than that, their performances of this are beginning to bore me, which means that one, promo is almost over, and two, this song is getting stale. Not that it was that amazing a song to begin with (better than "Alone" though), but you get my point.

U-Kiss - "DORADORA"

Before they came on stage, I completely forgot what "DORADORA" sounded like -- it's so bad, it's not even memorable in the annoying way. This entire song lacks kick, and while U-Kiss are pretty competent performers and they do have stable vocals in the band, as shown by today's performance, it's just not enough to save a song as flat as this.

SNSD (Taeyeon, Tiffany, Seohyun) - "Twinkle"(WINNER)

I have come to the conclusion that that's really all Seohyun can push, which is a pity. She has a voice, a really pretty one for K-Pop standards, but it's just not cut out for this song. The technique is all there, complete with vibratos and sliding notes, but her voice just really doesn't have enough power for these songs. However, I'm glad Tiffany no longer sounds like a three year-old, and that Taeyeon hasn't regressed.

[May 4, 2012] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

As I said yesterday, I've been doing a lot of thinking lately, and I've come to a half-conclusion that I should just keep writing through whatever it is I'm going through right now. And, if I feel like writing, I should. So, here we are! Honestly, today's show had quite a nice line-up, and the right mix of new and old.

(I'll add in the 4Minute video once I find one :D)

EXO-K - "MAMA"
The high notes are still painful, but their vocals are starting to take shape and develop attitudes. The same goes with their performance as a whole -- they're showing the beginnings of a group dynamic, as well as a sense of effortlessness. This is the point where I say I'll keep my eye on them, and hope they get a better second single.

B.A.P. - "POWER"
Apart from that hilarious gif of them with rice bowls for heads, I never really took notice of these guys, but honestly, I get what I was missing. I'm not a big fan of the song, and their over-all direction in general, but I actually enjoyed the performance. The guys who sing, can sing, and most of all, they look like they genuinely enjoy the stage. Even if it's a very rugged song and performance, they move with grace and just the right amount of confidence.

Supernova - "Stupid Love"
Like I said before, I hate the song, and I hate it even more for Supernova, and it doesn't help their cause that they sound horrible singing it. Obviously, I'd take their Japanese material over this, every single time.

U-Kiss - "DORADORA"
Everything about this bores me to death. There's very little dynamics, and the chorus is basically them whispering "DORADORADORADORA", so the song itself is extremely boring, U-Kiss vocals generally need to be carried by the song, so when you have something like this obviously they're going to sound flat, and this performance wasn't exactly jaw-dropping either.

SNSD (Taeyeon, Tiffany, Seohyun) - "Twinkle"
Taeyeon sounds amazing, she really does -- this song, flaws aside, was made for her. Still side-eyeing Tiffany and whoever made the decision for her to sing like a 3 year-old for half the song, and honestly, Seohyun lacks power in her voice, something this song badly needs. Her voice is smooth and she sings the line down to the last note, but her high notes are off at times and incredibly weak -- they lack attitude. Although, today's performance was much better than yesterday's, which is always a good thing.

Shinhwa - "Venus"
I don't know if I just missed it last week or something, but Hyesung's out of his chair and back dancing! A few cracks here and there, which kind of brought the performance down in terms of the Shinhwa side, but the atmosphere was something else. Shinhwa may be next to irrelevant with the international fandom, and new fans who haven't bothered, but watching these music shows and hearing how much louder and wilder their fan chants are, over the likes of SNSD, just goes to show how much they matter. Of course, I got the obligatory goosebumps from the combination of the song, the performance, and the wild, screaming fans. That's one of the main reasons why I don't believe in MR removed videos -- performances were meant to be heard as a whole, and taken as such. *joins the wild screaming fangirls*

SISTAR - "Alone"(WINNER)
Since I assume Hyorin's not sick anymore, she sounds like her normal self, but other than that, there's been little progress since I last did a recap, and Hyorin being sick doesn't really count as a basis either. Everything's still as cheesy and ungraceful as it was, outfits included. Which is why I'm extremely surprised that they're actually winning left and right.

[April 20, 2012] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

Significantly less major comebacks this week, and actually the only idol comebacks were from 5tion, who I'm not going to cover on today's recap, and Girls' Day, who are all lower-profile idol groups. But, it was still a pretty good show, what with 4Minute and SISTAR getting used to stage again, Shinhwa being around, and SHINee and CN Blue leaving with a bang, CN Blue in particular.

Credit for the videos goes to shu35151224@YouTube. (Other videos to follow)

EXO-K - "MAMA"
The good thing is, at least their vocals are that much more bearable this week -- I'm glad they're showing signs of improving, at least in terms of vocals. However, as I was watching the performance today, they're not only stiff and ungraceful, they're also still very all over the place. You can argue that the choreography itself is very edgy, but the way they present themselves and move on stage has no grace whatsoever. They're not yet at the point where they look like they're enjoying the stage.

NU'EST - "FACE"
I like NU'EST, I'm confident enough to admit it. They have emotion, they have grace, and again, they can pull off their material. Heavily choreographed, yes, but this early on, they know how to show that they genuinely enjoy being on stage. Another consistently strong performance today, and an absolute pleasure to watch, for rookie standards.

Spica - "Painkiller"
Strong vocals, good stage presence and delivery, but really, these girls need a much, much more interesting and powerful single to match what they already have in the bag.

Girls' Day - "Oh My God"
It's been a year since they last had something new out, and I still feel like strangling all of them, AND their song. Looks like my "well talk when you get decent" line will never get done, because I doubt they're gonna get decent within the next few years. They don't even sound like they're singing, it's more like they're talking.

SISTAR - "Alone"
And I see we're back to tacky gold dresses to match the cheap choreography this week. Really, the dresses are so distracting because not only is there a huge slit in front, it's also a really awkward length and bad, stiff material, so when the girls dance it makes them look fatter than the sticks they most probably are. That said, considering that Hyomin has been sick for ages now, the vocals were pretty okay, and at least the other girls are singing too.

4Minute - "Volume Up"
Is it just me or was today's performance flat? I mean in terms of vocals everyone, Hyun A maybe a bit, was consistent, and Jiyoon's high notes were pretty much spot-on, but as a whole they lacked intensity, and the leader's middle 8 was of no help to break the lack of intensity. They carried themselves well, but it just lacked that spark.

SHINee - "Sherlock"
Honestly? Today's performance wasn't their best, but it's a lot better than when I first saw them perform this. All-around strong vocals, and the stage presence is just overflowing. It was an enjoyable performance.

Shinhwa - "Venus"
The purple outfits are... interesting, to say the least, but distracting, especially the unlucky members who got purple pants to match. Not as distracting as SISTAR's outfits though. The way they carry themselves on stage is really something else, the song is as choreographed as everyone else, and even without prancing around stage, they hold the audience in the palm of their hands -- the fan chants are so, so loud, and everyone revels in the performance. It's such a joy to watch a Shinhwa performance, it really is.

CN Blue - "In My Head" + "Hey You"(WINNER)
No big breakthroughs in today's performance, just the same old complaints. First off, I know they're not really playing, and that itself is a problem, but really, couldn't you give off some semblance of them being a band like say I don't know, putting them near each other so they can mock-hear each other? In other news, Jonghyun sounds more and more amazing each time I hear him.

[April 13, 2012] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

Why hello there! (^_^) Music show recaps are now in full-swing after re-starting with Inkigayo last Sunday, and today's show was full of comebacks! If you haven't already, acquaint yourself with new offerings from EXO-K, 4Minute and SISTAR before we go on to the show itself.

Today's show was actually pretty good, and I was pleasantly surprised to hear very few extremely painful moments. However, we weren't completely free of them.

Video credit goes to shu35151224@YouTube.

EXO-K - "History" + "MAMA"
YES! They finally sing live! However, like everything else SME does, it's once again a huge disappointment. I thought you guys could sing? You're even worse than DBSK when everyone but Yoochun sounded painful. When they hit the chorus of History, I literally started laughing. What is this? A screaming contest? What are you, a bunch of starving 3 year-olds during lunch time? I admire you all for singing at the choruses, but that was just painful. That high note at the beginning of the second chorus is MAMA was painful beyond words. Whoever did that should be sent back to SME bootcamp. It was even more painful than Changmin's wail during their performance of Mideoyo back in 2004, because at least that had some semblance of a note. The problem is that by themselves they're not exactly brilliant live performers, so when you put them together, it's not enough that you put six new vocals together, they also have little group dynamic, and they don't have a concept of just standing back and letting someone else bask in the spotlight. They have to learn that they're now in a group with five other guys -- they can't go prancing around like the "star trainees" they used to be, because the most important thing now is not standing alone, but helping other guys stand. It's like a human pyramid, if the guys below are shaky, everything else becomes a total disaster.

NU'EST - "FACE"
If there's something Pledis has done right, it's giving NU'EST this song. From the performances you can tell that they're not the world's best singers, and if they sang something from more vocally capable bands they'd probably sound like dying chickens too (I'm looking at you BTOB), but they got the right song for their vocals, so they actually sound pretty good. A few slips here and there, but over-all they've gotten to a point where they can all pull this song off well. I'm keeping my eyes on you, NU'EST.

Spica - "Painkiller"
I should really get to listening to their album. After the show, I will. That said, it's another strong performance today, but I think I know why that's all I ever say about them. The song itself is not really made for performance, even if it's an okay song when you think about it. Therefore, although they do a really confident and consistent job at pulling it off, and they themselves have wow factors of their own, the song is pretty flat when performed in front of a live audience, and goes right through us.

B1A4 - "BABY I'M SORRY"
B1A4, you're slowly inching back into my good books. Today's performance was strong, and even if I was in the middle of writing my EXO comment when they came on, I stopped to watch and I definitely wasn't disappointed. The vocals were consistently strong, and they're beginning to show that attitude of holding the audience in their hands. Good job, B1A4, good job.

Nine Muses - "Ticket"
Everyone sounds pretty okay today, surprise surprise, and it's a solid performance over-all, they have presence and all that, but that's all this will every be -- just okay at best. And that's what bores me, because it's the same thing every week and they're not good enough to draw us in every single time.

Seo In Guk - "Tease Me"
I usually only recap idols, but I was really drawn in with Seo In Guk's performance today. I was aware that he does have a voice, but this song reminds me so much of the Hwanhee songs I adore. It has groove, and despite not hearing the recording before today's show, it drew me in amidst writing comments for Spica -- I had to stop and watch. Well-sung, well-performed, amazing song.

SISTAR - "Lead Me" + "Alone"
I, once, again, predicted the accompanying song. What can I say, it's a talent. Will this get me hired as an A&R person now? (;D) Lead Me was done pretty well, and I liked the cute set design, plus, it's a good thing they didn't make tutu girl (who I see is still wearing frilly skirts) sing live, because that would ruin everything. Let her hide behind her backing track, that would be less painful, thank you. Now, Alone. I love the set, but hate the outfits and the choreography. And, why, may I ask, are you girls lip-synching? You can try hiding it, but you're forgetting that I have ears. Someone turn on their mics or face death! NOW!

CN Blue - "Hey You"
Aaaaand they pushed the drummer back again. Just when we were beginning to get along about this matter, Korea! I'm disappointed. And also, while you're at it, please plug in their instruments. Thanks!

4Minute - "Dream Racer" + "Volume Up"
Guess who predicted their second song? Me! It's a performance song, and even if the verses are kind of meh, I genuinely like the melody of the chorus. Volume Up was how I expected it to be, and while Hyun A sounded whiny and the leader's voice was non-existent, the magnae did a pretty decent job, Gayoon was consistent as always, and Jiyoon hit those notes pretty well considering that they're pretty high to be doing more than one or two times. Not bad at all, 4Minute.

Shinhwa - "Venus"
Now I'm sure we've pretty much acknowledged that Shinhwa are not exactly the most amazing live vocalists, but what they do in spite of that fact is what makes them such amazing performers. No one's perfect, and there were slips with the vocals today, but as a whole it was really a show. And note, they're using the standard-issue KBS handsfree mics that everyone but DBSK seems to sound horrible with. The stage presence they have, the fact that when they all sing together they sound like a whole (take notes, EXO), and how they confidently carry their not really amazing live vocals -- that's what makes the performance a pleasure to watch.

SHINee - "Sherlock"(WINNER)
It's good to know that after last Sunday's meh performance, SHINee haven't entirely lost it. Everyone was much better today, and the intensity of their presence is back with a vengeance. Always a good thing, SHINee, always a good thing.

[November 4, 2011] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

Watching today's show made me realize how long it's been since I've watched more than a few cuts from a music show, let alone write a recap. You'll have to excuse me if I'm REALLY rough around the edges and allow me to slowly ease back into this routine, but hey, this is a start! I hope I make it out of this week alive, for the sake of my year-end countdown!

It's really no surprise who won today, but honestly I'm surprised at all the acts I've never heard of before! Oh well. Since it's been months since my last recap, for new readers, my music show recaps focus on idols and idol groups whose singles I've already heard prior to performance.


Video credit goes to UnknownCarrot180.

Boyfriend - "Don't Touch My GIrl"
It may be a quaint song, but my God, these guys really can't sing this song live, can they? It's like they equate singing well to singing loudly. No. They end up sounding like they're whining and/or sing-song-ing, and I'm sorry but that just doesn't really quality as actual singing. I watched one of their earlier performances of this though, and it was even worse, so I suppose this is the best they can do.

The Boss - "Lady"
Stunning song, gorgeous vocals, but inexperienced vocalists. Don't get me wrong, they are lightyears ahead of their peers, but looking at their vocals alone there is much to be improved. Everything up to the part just before the high note parade is perfectly fine - strong vocals, solid, consistent delivery and stunning harmonies - but the guy who does the high note, no matter how much his voice shone on that live video they released the other day, when left to his own devices he's not as sure as Mika or Karam. First of all, he cut the note in half. On one hand I appreciate that he had the foresight to not push the sustain, but after hearing that disaster of a note that came after that pause, I get the feeling that he stopped to "gain momentum" for a train wreck. My throat hurts after hearing it - you're overdoing the husk(y). Not really something praise-worthy. Try again, DGNA.

Orange Caramel - "Shanghai Romance"
We'll talk when you people stop putting out such cheap songs, coupled with horrid choreography and bad vocals, Orange Caramel.

Secret - "Love is MOVE"
I never thought the day would come when Sunhwa would become the second-best singer in the band. I always thought it would be the other girl. But then again, they've all really improved over the years, and Ji Eun can now sing her own songs with that pretty voice of hers! Strong performance this week, very explosive and consistent, except for that girl who now cannot sing. And I really like how the entire thing is perky and fun, but still melodic. It's one of those songs that does best live.

Brown Eyed Girls - "Cleansing Cream"
I finally understand how BEG challenge the k-pop norm, and it's not just in the song, it's in the entire package of the comeback. The song itself isn't anything groundbreaking, it sounds like several other songs, but the way they pull it off, and of course the fact that they're actually mainstream whether they like it or not, makes the entire idea of this release, somewhat off. In a good way of course. And the performance - of course it has to be different from everyone else who prances around stage or stands there - they're sitting down. Thrones, maybe? Again, the outstanding vocals get perfect marks, but the performance as a whole is really something else.

Kim Hyun Joong - "Lucky"
Whoever says that Hyun Joong can sing live clearly has no ears. He's gotten much more stable since going solo, but it's not like he has a voice to start with, so there's only so much he can do before. And why isn't he singing during the chorus? I don't care if the choreography is hard, you are a singer, you SING, you do not dance and randomly chant English. Oh Hyun Joong, when will you ever realize that singing solo is not for you.

SNSD/Girls' Generation - "The Boys"(WINNER)
The only thing on my mind while watching this was how I could accurately describe my rage over the excessive bass on today's performance. Let's just say that no, I haven't found an English word, but I do have a rather stinging rant in my native tongue, which I put on Twitter. As for the vocals, I don't know, there's always something off about EVERYONE's vocals, and I think that has to do with THAT STUPID BASS LINE DROWNING EVERYONE OUT. If everything was evened out on the recording, I'm afraid studio tricks mean nothing in the real world. Seriously, they all sound like they're being strangled, regardless of whether or not any of them are singing well. I'm sorry, but that really puts me off.

[May 6, 2011] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

Words cannot express how happy I am that A Pink and Girls' Day didn't perform today. Now all we need to do is get rid of Dal Shabet and my life will be complete. Jay Park is back! Yay! I'm used to calling him Jaebeom though, so this Jay Park will take some getting used to. Other than him and 1/2 of SISTAR, it's the usual line-up.


Video credit goes to UnknownCarrot170@YT. Brilliant as always.

X-5 - "The Show Is Over"
Their live vocals remind me a lot of Miss A, actually. You know they're good - they have nice voices and they know how to deliver them - but because of the demands of the performance, they always sound out of breath. Now, I say time and time again that if you're a good singer you will sound good even if you're dancing your ass off, and that should be the case - always. However, doing that requires half talent, and half practice - they need to not only get used to the stage, but its demands, and that's something they haven't done yet. In this case, practice makes perfect. In their defense though, not a lot of idol groups these days debut with such a vocally and physically-demanding song - they got used to the stage with a much easier song. I'll give it to them though - they're pretty damn good.

Rania - "Dr. Feel Good"
This is one of these highly-orchestrated performances - everything about them on stage was planned ahead - and it really is a sight. And the fact that they have the vocals to do justice to the very tight performance just makes everything so much better. Of course there are glitches in the performance, but do you expect them to be robots? Of course not. Regardless, I'll be watching - very closely.

Dal Shabet - "Pink Rocket"
No. Just.. no. NEXT.

SISTAR 19 - "My boy"
I was watching their performance on yesterday's M!Countdown this morning, and my observations on that performance are identical to the ones for this. The song itself if very laid-back, and so when it's performed there should be some kind of gimmick to make people want to watch you. In this case, it's the chair dance and the choreography, and all the winking and acting cute. Not working. At all. They're trying too hard. When MBLAQ tries too hard it looks painful, when SISTAR, or at least half of them, try too hard it lacks grace. Hyorin has a GORGEOUS voice, I have never denied her that - if you remember my complaints about SISTAR it's that only one of them can actually sing, and that's Hyorin. No matter how gorgeous her voice is though, the rest of the performance is an absolute bore. I close my eyes to just listen and it sounds amazing, my ears are in heaven, but I open them and all I want to do is close them again - nothing about what they're doing makes me want to watch them. I might as well listen to the recording at the rate things are going. It's boring, it lacks grace, the chair dancing looked so contrived - the entire performance is dry.

Rainbow - "To Me"
The more I hear this song, the better it gets. And their improving vocals are a big help too. That's more like it Rainbow - you're singing like how a band from the 4th biggest agency in Korea should. And a lot better than Kara too, may I add. Well, some of you.

f(x) - "Danger"
This is an SME performance through and through - the song, the choreography, the vocals, the stage presence - everything about this is contrived in the most contrived way possible, and yet that's what sucks you in. The performance is far from perfect, and the autotune on the recording is still a tad bit annoying for me, partially because it really affects the live performance, but they are at the level that they should be at for an SM group of their stature - using handsfree or handheld mics don't matter anymore because they're practically the same. FINALLY. Luna sounds amazing as usual, Krystal's getting a lot less annoying, Victoria's vocals are getting stronger, and SULLI. THOSE VOCALS. OH MY GOD. GORGEOUS. KILL ME NOW.

4Minute - "Heart to Heart"
Oh, they did this song today. Hyun A annoys me beyond belief, maknae girl too, the leader's fine, Jiyoon goes in and makes everything better, and Gayoon makes the chorus a lot cheaper than it could be. Pretty much the entire performance, and song, explained in one sentence. Yup, that's about right.

After School - "Shampoo"
For After School standards, this was a strong performance - you can actually hear everyone actually singing. And they're getting used to performing the song at a much faster rate than they usually do, which is good. I find it hard to believe that there are 9 of them now, actually - it just hit me when I saw the shot at the beginning with all of them. Can I nominate Jooyeon and UEE for graduation? PLEASE?!?!?

U-Kiss - "0330"
The song's starting to bore me already, but I'm happy that their fanchants are getting louder and louder! And their vocals are now at the beginning stages of being above average. The U-Kiss performance style has always been edgy - they're a fun version of highly-orchestrated performances, and that's something they've perfected with this single. If their vocals don't make you watch, the performance itself will.

Jay Park - "Tonight" + "Abandoned"(WINNER)
He's come a long way, gone through a lot of crap (partly because of indecisive fans), but my god would this have been an incredible talent wasted had he given up on music altogether. How he moves, how he holds the audience in the palm of his hands like it's nothing, how one second he's prancing around stage and the next he's dancing like there's no tomorrow, reminds me a lot of a young Rain. Actually, his story is similar in ways to a condensed version of the Rain story. There are been truckloads of comparisons to Taeyang, and I do see them vocally, but to be honest with you I like Jay a lot better, because unlike Taeyang, who's focused on the nasal-ness of his voice, Jay is focused more on the smoothness, and you all know I like a smooth voice that knows how to deliver. And he delivers. Of course the not singing during the chorus, apart from those adlibs, is something I'm not particularly fond of, but it's not like he can't sing. I like the song, I've liked it since the first time I heard it (when it came out), and the live performance did more than justice to it. Partially because he's a talented performer, and partially because the audience screaming and the fanchants send chills down my spine. Brilliance. And he deserves that win.

[April 22, 2011] KBS Music Bank Highlights + Commentary

Can't believe your eyes? Well, believe them because YES, my music show recaps are back! This is one of numerous attempts to get me back in the zone and writing, so if I do anything crazy or out of the ordinary on this, forgive me - it's been months since I last wrote one of these, and almost a year since my first recap!

A number of things sparked my comeback, but the main thing was MuBank's setlist today. It's their 600th episode (O.O), so everyone promoting was out in full-force. The performances I was holding my breath for all day? 3 members of G.O.D. doing "Lie" after a gazillion years, and HOMIN DOING "RISING SUN", as well as X-5's debut.

You ready? Well, whether or not you are, read on for a recap of today's MuBank episode!


Video credits go to DBSKgirl1994 for the U-Kiss performance, and UnknownCarrot170 for everything else.

X-5 - "Fantasy" & "The Show Is Over"

"Fantasy" is a pretty good song, but they shouldn't have mimed it, for heaven's sake - it's too obvious and it's their debut performance of all things! However, I believe they redeemed themselves with "The Show Is Over". Shaky start, but things just got better from there - for their first performance, that wasn't half bad. The chorus was spot-on, the verses a lot better when I watched it on TV (now I understand what McRoth was telling me the other day about how the amazing will sound stunning, but the bad will sound horrid on amazing headphones), but the entire package well-done and thought of. You can see they made an effort, but you can also see that they're actually really good, so the natural just creeps up on you. I'll be watching them.

A Pink - "Wishlist" & "Don't Know"

These girls don't know how to sing as a group. They're not bad on their own (albeit not really that good), but you can see that individually they want the stage to themselves and it's as if when they have solos the other members don't exist. They want to be noticed when it's not they're time to shine - they're all trying to out sing and out dance each other. It's not a bad thing to try to be noticed, but they have to remember that they're not solo singers right now - they're a group, and a group sings, dances and performs together. They have to have a spark - a dynamic as a group. They have to work together. Their vocals are fine, bar the first 2 girls who sang on "I Don't Know" because they're trying to sound like 6 year-olds when they're all 15 and up (and that pisses me off), the song isn't that bad and individually they can perform, but their lack of group dynamic turns me off.

Block B - "Freeze"

Block B? I don't see the hype - their vocals aren't that hot. I mean they're there and they can sing, but over-all they're weak - there's no power to their vocals, no matter how punchy and edgy the song is. They're performers, it's obvious with how they move on stage, so all they have to do is get a less generic song, and work on making their vocals stronger and more consistent. Will I be watching? Maybe.

Brave Girls - "Do You know"

One of the best new girl groups I've seen in a long time, and my god does this song show that. Long-haired girl in the middle is obviously the one being pushed as the good one, and she's pretty good too, but personally girl in the pony tail (not the bun) is better (even if she doesn't know how to hold a mic). But long-haired girl is definitely consistent, and that counts a lot. Compared to the two, short-haired girl and blonde girl are average, but comparisons aside they're good too. Short-haired girl wasn't that good at the beginning, but she got better towards the end. The performance as a whole was ever to slightly breath-taking - you can see that they know what they're doing. It's one of those performances I'd gladly watch again.

Infinite - "Nothing's Over" & "T.O.P"

Infinite are getting a lot of attention from Cassies lately, because Jaejoong tweeted a few days ago that he likes "Nothing's Over". And why wouldn't he? In all honesty, not just because Jaejoong likes it (I believe I gave them a good review!), it's a well-developed song. It has its flaws, but they can easily be cleaned up in their next release. And the song is catchy without being annoying. Their performance today was a lot better than the last one I saw (a good few weeks ago), and everyone seemed a lot more confident singing the song, especially the guys belting out high notes. Which is good. Their Shinhwa cover? Strong. I didn't think they'd do as good as they have, but they've proven me wrong. See, this is why I liked Infinite from the very beginning - they weren't that good, but the potential was there, and look at them now, pulling off Shinhwa pretty well. And it's not easy to pull Shinhwa off. Live.

Rainbow - "To Me" & "Sweety"

That wasn't half bad (even if they mimed that S#arp cover). I mean a good third of them still can't sing, but I can point out at least 4 good voices now that are actually pretty strong live. And they can perform a lot better now - they may not be 100% in sync with each other, that's extremely hard, but there's unity to the performance. Give me a song with a better hook, Rainbow, then we'll talk. For now, you're on my "to watch" list. We'll see what happens after this.

CN Blue - "Promise" & "Intuition"

They remixed "Intuition" today. Or rather, piled on extra electric guitar lines and this and that then made Yonghwa wear shades. Guitars not plugged in, check. Excessive Yonghwa close-ups, check. The drummer still not close enough to the other 3, check. Yonghwa's vocals strong, check. Jonghyun sounding amazing, check. Just another CN Blue performance, then. Their Jo Sung Mo cover was a bit shaky at the beginning because it seemed like Yonghwa couldn't catch up to the tempo on his first line, but Jonghyun came in and saved it yay.

f(x) - "Gangster Boy" & "Danger"

I liked "Gangster Boy" for a while, but Amber talking just made me cringe. The verses are perfectly fine - everyone's vocals are strong as hell - the chorus is cutesy but not nauseating thank god, Luna's middle 8 was epic, and the hook really hits you over the head without being obvious. It's a strong performance though. And "Danger" was done well, considering that the song isn't really something you can sing live. VICTORIA'S VOICE IS GETTING LOUDERRRR! Krystal sounds like herself, keep it up and Sulli is finally slowly getting over the cutesy phase. But WHO the hell decided that Luna needed to sound like a little girl from majority of the song? SHE DOESN'T. SHE'S BETTER THAN THAT. Krystal isn't the amazing singer in f(x) - LUNA IS. But if I didn't know that and I only heard their verses, I'd say Krystal was the better one, when in reality it's Luna. Just when SME got everyone else right, they just HAD to go and ruin Luna. Her high note, even if it was pretty short (wouldn't have it any other way though), was well-done though. The performance was strong, the vocals worked with that they had, and over-all it was strong. Still not completely sold on the song though.

4Minute - "No. 1" & "Mirror Mirror"

Lesson learned, never let 4 out of 5 of 4Minute sing a BoA song. Ever. Hyun A, Jihyun, Sohyun and even Gayoon, should never be let near a BoA song. Jiyoon can do all the singing for all I care, because she actually sounds decent, just not the other 4. Please. I beg you. That said, 4Minute sound best doing what they really do - and that comes in the form of "Mirror Mirror". I'm not saying that they're suited to inferior songs, I'm saying that they've found what suits them, so they should stick with that - who they really are. Today's performance was strong, and my god Jiyoon those vocals were amazing. Can Jiyoon be lead instead of Gayoon, pretty pretty please? I have a Filipino term for Gayoon's vocals again - "bukaka". If you know what it means in this context yay, but it's hard to explain and it translates to something else literally, so yeah.

U-Kiss - "0330"

Strong performance today, even if the first guy who sang sounded really tired and strained. High note guy sounded strained today too, come to think of it. This is one of the songs that sounds better recorded, and I think it'll stay like that no matter how consistently strong their vocals get, and they're improving at a much faster rate than I expected. We'll see. Prove me otherwise, U-Kiss.

DBSK/HoMin - "Rising Sun" & "Keep Your Head Down"

Let me begin this by saying HOLY MOTHER OF HEAVEN AND HELL AND EARTH AND EVERYTHING ELSE THERE IS, THAT WAS AMAZING I HAVEN'T SEEN RISING SUN PERFORMED IN AGES. AND OH MY GOD MIN PUSHED HO SO HARD THEN HE WAS SMIRKING AFTER I APPROVE OF VOLDEMIN (and I was hung over from the jaw-dropping G.O.D. performance when I watched this so that explains a lot) Okay. Fangirling out of the way.

KYHD was done spot-on, as always. They sound a bit tired, but nothing too obvious. Now, RISING SUN, on the other hand, was amazing. I was expecting them to do the whole song, but to be honest with you I'm thankful they didn't. It's not that HoMin can't sing good enough, it's not that they can't dance good enough - for crap's sake they can sing their heads off while dancing their feet to oblivion without batting an eyelash, they just did with KYHD - it's that the song is so damn tiring to perform, whoever's performing it, with all the jumping through hoops and fire (LITERALLY! YAY! lol). Did you see the SHINee performance? They were sweating by the end of it, and they only did the chorus. Like I said on Twitter this morning, the song is hard enough to do with 5 members, and was a pain to do with 4 (when Jaejoong was injured in 2005, and when Yunho was injured in 2006), what more with 2 or 3? I would like HoMin to survive this performance, thank you very much. That said, the vocals were strong, Yunho changed Yoochun's rap verse a bit (just a rephrasing, nothing big) and sang Jaejoong's lines (YunJaeeeeee!!), Changmin sang Junsu's part but didn't scream, and the performance was over in the blink of an eye. The simple fact that they got through it is worthy of praise, and they did it - they pulled it off, damn well. It made my heart race and flutter and whatnot - it should make yours too.

G.O.D. (3 members) - "Lie"

If you don't know who G.O.D. are I will personally hunt you down and MAKE SURE you die a slow and painful death, because you deserve it. They, along with the likes of H.O.T. and Shinhwa, are the epitome of the word "LEGEND" - you cannot NOT know them because they made the industry the way it is today, and it took much, much more than just a pretty voice or a nice face to do that. Even 1 member short, the performance today was EPIC - the vocals were perfect. Not just stunning, not just amazing - perfect. The timbres of their voices have gone from gorgeous to stunning, and the technique they've learned over the years has given their vocals dimension and emotion. They didn't have to command the audience or hold them in the palms of their hands - the audience willingly let themselves be mesmerized and the sight of it was almost surreal to be honest. The screaming, the chanting, the singing, the performing - perfection. I hope the newer idol groups, and their fans, understand that you have to have more than a catchy hook and a few members who can sing to make your music as immortal as G.O.D.'s.

[December 17, 2010] KBS Music Bank YEAR-END SPECIAL Highlights + Commentary

EVERYONE, I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!

Out of the blue, after writing up all the posts I have to for tomorrow, I stumbled upon Music Bank's year-end special, with everyone performing hits from earlier this year. Then I got the brilliant idea of writing up a recap - this is as much a year-end thing for me as it is for them as I'll be able to trace the improvements, or deteriorations, of the idol groups who were on today.

Needless to say, I'm over my writer's block, and I'm so making the most out of this break.


Today was truly an extravaganza, I couldn't even count the number of performances because there were so many! This recap does not include those specials like the boyband guys doing that Orange Caramel songs, the dance-offs and so on and so forth. ALSO, because of the large number of performances, I'm only recapping selected performances from idol groups + idols only. No FT Island, I'm afraid - bands are just not my turf, except for that CN Blue song that I just have to recap.

YT credits to whoever uploaded the videos. I'm sorry - too many videos, too little time, and my head's starting to ache. Stupid cold.

SISTAR - Push Push + How Dare You
And I see SISTAR still haven't learned a thing about performing with the least bit of grace. It's been what, more than half a year already and 3 rounds of promo? Half of the group have shown me raw talent, but I'm afraid that's not enough for a band of their calibre. I know it's pretty much discrimination, but the truth of it is that unless you have the backing of a major agency with enough money to pour into your road to success, you need to stand out and really be better than every single band out there. SISTAR do not, and are not. On top of not being either, there are times when they're just plain pathetic - How Dare You has got to be one of the cheapest sounding, grace-less songs ever, and their stage presence doesn't help one bit.

Miss A - Bad Girl Good Girl + Breathe
I will say that Miss A neither deserve nor not deserve the truckloads of MAMAs they won a few weeks back - they got them, fine fantastic, DEAL WITH IT. At least they didn't go to SISTAR or Nine Muses for heaven's sake - would you rather those go to them? I think not. I will say that Miss A have the talent and the potential to succeed in the future - will someone just give them a decent song, please? They perform it well, no doubt, but with a good song they will simply soar.

Rainbow - A + Mach
A is still not a song, but the kinda pulled it off decently now. I've always liked Mach, just never admitted it, and to be honest with you all Rainbow have to do is stop trying to sound like KARA and better what they've done with Mach - once they've done that I'm all good. They have the group dynamic and maybe even the presence, so a word of wise to DSP - GET THEM GOOD SONGS!

CN Blue - I'm A Loner
Ahhh yes, CN Blue. I remember writing about them a lot earlier this year, but I will admit that I still don't own a copy of any of their albums or singles, whether virtual or physical. After I write this up I'll scramble for one. Anyway. There's nothing to complain about with these guys, really - they're a band who work together well. I still think Jonghyun has a much better voice than Yonghwa and that their drummer should be given more credit AND PUT CLOSER TO THE REST OF THE BAND GODDAMNIT, but other than that there was nothing they had to work with in the first place. I'm pleased that drummer dude isn't a whole building away from the rhythm section, but I'm still not completely happy - he should be closer for heaven's sake! May I please whack KBS in the head now?

T-Ara - Ya Ya Ya + I Go Crazy Because Of You
What. Was. That. It reminds me of that American-indian inspired thing MC Mong had out sometime ago. I didn't like that. And MC Mong had a bit of talent. T-Ara have the equivalent of none, or at least that's what they're showing on this song. They're decent performers, but they can't sing, and the song is a lost cause. Therefore, we move on. Thankfully.

Secret - Madonna + Magic
I like Secret. Have I said that I like Secret? I like Secret - they have talent, they have stage presence, they have sophistication (even if Madonna got a little too cheap-ish) and they work extremely well as a group. They've improved since the last time I actually seriously watched a performance of theirs, and I'm honestly really excited about their future, albeit a but scared since HoMin are set for a comeback at around the same time and I don't want them overshadowed like every time they release a single because they really do deserve praise. They performed Magic better than Madonna though, if I may say so. And I like Magic better, I can now conclude.

BEAST - Breath
I like BEAST too. But to be honest with you, Breath was the BEAST single I watched over the least this year. I kinda regret it now. Everyone's really improved vocally this year - their live vocals are much more stable and they've starting to all develop their own quirks. Add that to their already-brilliant stage presence and group dynamics and you have genius. Yoseob's high part was shaky at times and he was relying on the backing track for a while, but he pulled it off, and for a band like them, that's a big thing. I now have even more respect and excitement for BEAST. And I had a lot already, mind you.

4Minute - HuH
Wow. Everyone's vocals were spot-on today, and the performance was eye-catching, to say the least - they're one of the proofs that going to Japan will really help Korean idol groups. The girl with the bob-ish hair (don't know her name, sorry) could very well be my favorite voice in 4Minute, and the leader if she shapes up even more than she already has. Definitely one of this year's biggest improvements performance-wise - I like. And the dance at the end was a nice addition, even if I know nothing about dance.

2AM - Even If I Die, I Can't Let You Go Live + You Wouldn't Answer My Calls
Gorgeous voices are great, but gorgeous voices with years of training and practice that gel together perfectly are what happens to every band in a perfect world. Sadly, this is not a perfect world, and so that holds true for only a handful of bands. 2AM is one of them. They may not dance their legs off or prance around stage, but they know that they can get your attention with their vocals, and they do. Extremely well. With songs worthy of their magnificence. I have no words for how well they do it, so just watch the performances and revel in the brilliance. *sits back for a while and watches with you*

2PM - Without U + I'll Be Back
I like the re-arrangement of Without U, but that's about it. Their vocals have gotten a tad bit better and I still like Wooyoung the best, but again, that's about it. They're synchronized and all, yeah, and I'll Be Back is a decent song, but they honestly bore me. I don't know if it's because they're trying too hard or they really are boring - they kinda remind me of an older version of MBLAQ with more money spent on them and more talent. And you know what I think about MBLAQ.

IU - Good Day
I like this song! I also have a lot to say about IU, so I'm saving it for a full-length review, after all the chaos that is my end-of-year extravaganza. Anyway. IU has grown a lot vocally, and it's not really obvious, but I hear faint traces of her voice beginning to sound like a young Hwayobi. WHAT DID I TELL YOU GUYS ABOUT THAT VOICE? She may have started out young and squeaky, but she was what, 15? 15 year-olds singing pop songs are supposed to sound like that. I know, I was once 15. Voices grow for heaven's sake, so just because she sounds her age doesn't mean she isn't a good singer - look at her now, and watch her in the future. As she grows older, her voice will deepen and I know that it will turn out gorgeous. I may not be able to predict hits, but I know if a young singers's voice will turn our fantastic. IU will be more than fine.

SHINee - Lucifer
Oooooooohhh yessss. I would've wanted to see all 5 of them dancing, performing the song how it should be, but the near-perfect vocals clearly make up for that. Jonghyun sounds like himself, reckless at times but when kept in check is nearly brilliant, Key sounds like a deteriorated version of himself last year, and he's probably my biggest regret of them all, he was once my favorite ballad singer in the band. Minho is still not singing and I'm fine with that, Taemin is slowly turning into Jaejoong and I hate to say this but I TOLD YOU SO. AGAIN. Told you guys I know how to spot a good voice when I see it - Taemin is just a year older than me, his voice was still growing when I acknowledged his brilliance and look at him now. Now, Onew. *takes a deep breath* ONEW I STILL WANT TO MARRY YOUR VOICE, LET'S SET A DATE RIGHT NOW - I'M READY. Starring in a musical, no matter how bad his hair was, paid off big time - his already-gorgeous voice learned the value of control, and he executes his lines with a lot more body and conviction. I am convinced. Now, you throw these 4 voices and 5th rapper together, and you get magic. It's a different kind of magic from DBSK's, but special all the same. For all of SME's mistakes and disrespect this year, I won't deny that they know how to put a band together, market them and make them into stars, sometimes, if they like them enough, they even manage to give them the right songs. This year's biggest k-pop yes, I am giving to SHINee. Willingly.

KARA - Jumping + Lupin
I think I've said it enough, but KARA really do have crap live vocals. They've gotten better, I will say, but they're far from good. It's a shame really, they have these fantastic songs with some of the best production I've heard this year and what could be some of the best performances from a girl group as well, and they go ruin everything with their pathetic vocals. Gyuri's gotten decent, Nicole and Seunghyun consistent, but there are 5 girls in KARA, and 3 girls being just near-decent is clearly not enough. KARA could very well be my biggest frustration of 2010. I mean look, they have fantastic songs, you know that already, they can perform well as a group and they have the backing of an almost-big 3 agency, what more could you ask for? Right, BETTER VOCALS.

Son Dambi - Queen + DP Rider
I don't know why, but watching her perform Queen is nostalgic - it reminds me of the time I was doing my music show recaps, maybe because this was one of the songs whose promo I really followed. Her vocals have gotten stable, and that's all she really had to do back then, so I'm pleased. I like the chorus, to be honest with you, and so hearing her do it a lot better than earlier this year is a relief. So she can do it decently. DP Rider is a little odd - it hardly has a solid melody during the verses, then she suddenly can't sing again. It's all style and no substance, but I guess her performance makes up for it, one way or another. If there's one thing to praise Son Dambi on this year, it's that she can command the stage like it's second nature.

Super Junior - Bonamana
This is one of the biggest improvements this year. I don't know if it's because this is the first time I've heard the song again in ages or because they really have improved a hell of a lot. I can actually hear Heechul now, and Yesung sounds epic. I was actually wondering why Yesung wasn't put in SM The Ballad, to be honest with you, but I'm glad SM didn't put Ryeowook in. Anyway. Even with just 10 of them, their group dynamic still overflows. Even if there are times when they're not 100% synchronized, you know they work together well and they're really all performers - I call it the SME touch. Everyone sounds fantastic, if I may say so. And I see they've resurrected the dance break we all know and love. Gosh, this is all really nostalgic for me now - has it really been that long?

SNSD - Oh! + Hoot (WINNER)
I don't know what to say, really. On one hand, Oh! was almost completely mimed and that sucks, but on the other hand, Hoot was pretty decent, for SNSD standards. Taeyeon was great, Seohyun was consistent, and Tiffany was non-existed due to her injury, so I have no one else to compliment tonight. Yuri did a sloppy version of Tiffany's line, Sunny still sounds horrid, and you can hardly hear Yoona, is the girl even singing? Jessica still annoys the hell out of me and it's not funny anymore because you can hardly hear her, and Sooyoung's getting better while Hyoyeon's getting better at sounding like the Yunho of SNSD. Hurrah. There were good points to the performance, namely times when Seohyun and Taeyeon sang, but that's 2 girls and there are 6 others. I will now refrain from saying anything else.