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korean boy band

K-pop Round-up-Review: U-KISS, A-Pink and Trouble Maker

By Mithun Divakaran
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Dec 01, 2011
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Korean Pop, Music/Videos, Round-up-Review

I didn’t want to dedicate one post to each one of these songs, and thus, one post for all. First up, a boyband that made me shut up and take them seriously this year.

U-KISS – “Tick Tack”

U-Kiss Japan single Tick Tack mv members screencap — U-Kiss deliver another smashing single to appease their fans

I know, this is their Japanese single. So technically it’s J-pop, and not K-pop. But aside from the Japanese lyrics, everything else about this song and video just reeks ‘K-pop’. From the standard ‘wiping lips with finger’ actions to the song itself. Produced by the same geniuses behind much of U-KISS’s stellar Korean album ‘Neverland,’ this song could have easily began as a Korean track that was then changed to Japanese. But for once, Japanese really works for this song — it sounds natural.

It’s a heavy dance track, yes, but the vocals are still given a chance to shine (although the ‘non-singers’ in the group, Eli and Dong Ho just mouth their allotted lines). The choreography isn’t bad and I particularly love the part at 1:40, how they spread apart with that leg dance.

U-kiss Japan pv Tick Tack screencap — Finger swiping lips. Yup, this is still K-pop alright.

I felt sorry for U-KISS after they failed to win a single award despite appearing on just about every Korean music show for nearly two months promoting “Neverland” and then “Someday”. Here’s hoping the boys do really well in Japan with “Tick Tack”.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Very Good)

Update: U-KISS’s Kevin tweeted this:

U-kiss Kevin Woo tweet — Thanks Kevin, this clarifies both my doubts!

A-Pink – “My My”

One of the more hyped girl groups of 2011… but yet another that I cared a damp squib about with their first single. A-Pink, from Cube Entertainment’s sister company, were just another one of those cutesy angelic young idol groups that found a fanbase among the tween crowd and the older “oppa” crowd. I wasn’t either of them.

Their comeback song though…

… is pretty good! Sure, they still haven’t strayed away from their formula and the girls look innocent as ever. My only gripe is — man, they all look alike! Usually for such reviews, I would make a screen cap photo of each member but after figuring out four of the members, I just couldn’t figured out who the other three individuals were!

Anyway, the song. A lot of people have said it’s a throwback to the first generation of K-pop girls groups, like Fin.K.L and S.E.S. But since I never grew up listening to them, the reason this song still resonated with me is because of it’s very 90s vibe. I was instantly taken back to the days of Mariah Carey’s “Dreamlover” and Shanice’s “I Love Your Smile,” and “My My” has the same retro pop vibe many such pop hits had in the 1990s. Even the dance choreography in “My My” is very 90s-inspired.

A-Pink have really good vocals, so in many ways, I feel this group will eventually grow the SNSD-way and shed their cutesy image in a year or two (and turn ‘sexy’ eventually). If not that, I hope the girls at least get different hair cuts!

A-pink My My mv screencap mithunonthenet — Yes…erm, whichever one you are… I’ll anticipate A-Pink’s next release

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (Good)

Trouble Maker – “Trouble Maker”

Another Cube Entertainment offering and a rather surprising project. 4Minute’s HyunA and B2ST’s Jang Hyunseung form the duo Trouble Maker, something quite different and not an expected idol pairing. HyunA’s hot off her “Bubble Pop” viral hit and B2ST has had a great year with “Fiction“.

After a steamy performance at MAMA 2011, expectations were sky high and with the song officially out, Trouble Maker doesn’t disappoint!

The instant I heard the whistle, I wondered if the people behind this track were influenced by Maroon 5’s “Moves Like Jagger”. The other song that came to my mind upon hearing the whistle part was the hook from Perfume’s “Love Beam”. Influences aside, “Trouble Maker” still stands on its own as a funky pop song with a catchy chorus.

Troublemaker JS Hyuna video sexy screencap k-pop — What HyunaA gets in ‘sexy’ screen time, Hyunseung makes up for with more lines to sing

Cube gets a lot of criticism for promoting HyunA way too much. For good reason. I mean she already had her solo success with “Bubble Pop” and became a sex symbol overnight. From cute to sexy, Hyuna is surely one of the prettiest k-pop idols out there and Cube really have a ‘star’ on their roster. Her sexy demeanor works for Trouble Maker, but it does seem a bit unfair when an artist whose singing capabilities are lacking gets way too much attention than say, her fellow 4Minute members. Oh well, if Britney Spears can last 10 years…

Even though the song is essentially ‘Hyunseung featuring HyunA,’ for the sake of the visuals, the pairing makes sense. The MV is alright: sassy, sexy and… erm, actually I don’t know what the video was about. Two spies/agents spying on each other? Get caught, make out? Somebody gets shot in the end? Who knows, maybe there will be a continuation.

Which I hope there is. Judging by the song alone, “Trouble Maker” will be a hit and should do very well on the charts. I’m sure 2011 is not the last we have seen of these two ‘trouble makers’.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Very Good)

AA – ‘Because I’m Crazy’ review: Another rookie boyband, but a good one!

The fact that I waited until November of 2011 to dedicate a post for a rookie k-pop group is indicative of how little I liked any of the new idol groups that debuted this year. And boy, were there many that debuted in 2011!

The first half of the year mostly belonged to new girl groups. Of the top of my head, I remember Dal Shabet, CHI CHI, A-Pink, Raina, the stupidly named Piggy Dolls, the flop that was Coin Jackson… and there were 20 or more other girl groups who made their debut with lousy names, similar cutesy concepts and dull music. I haven’t heard from most of them since their debut.

Not be left out, boy bands were churned out by the dozens as well. From the much hyped Block B, HITT, X-5 to recent debuts like MYNAME, Taken (oh the jokes!), and the rest whom I can’t even remember because they too left a zero impression on me.

The only rookie idol group that felt ‘fresh’ was B1A4. An unconventional name but a group who debuted with a good song, which again, was atypical of what else was out there in K-pop.

And now, we have AA.

Double AA k-pop boyband members Because I'm Crazy — L-R: I don't even know their names

Promoted by a small company named Wellmade STAR M (eesh), I read about AA just today on Allkpop and rolled my eyes when I glanced over this description:

“The group is a bit different from other rookie groups because they’re average age is 22. The number 22 is somewhat significant to their name if you make 22 with your fingers (holding up 2 fingers on each hand), and flip them upside down, it becomes AA (Double A). Additionally, each of the group members are also between the heights of 5’11″ to 6’1″.”

At least they didn’t choose AA because “they’re like batteries full of energy!” or something stupid like that.

Okay, so they don’t look any different from the other rookie groups (fashion-wise), but at the end of the day, any group’s success eventually comes down to their music. In that department, AA surely don’t disappoint.

Though their debut EP release only consists of three tracks, it’s still a better debut release compared to all the other rookie efforts. Here’s how I rate their songs:

1. Intro (0:47) – A cool, laidback vibe which gives you the impression that this is the attitude AA wants to go by

2. “Because I’m Crazy” (3:39) – The debut single follows the usual K-pop formula with its raving keyboards and swooping electronic sound, but despite that, it’s still a good uptempo song with great vocals. The rap falls a bit flat, mostly because the (English) lyrics don’t really make much sense. It didn’t win me over instantly but after two or three listens, I couldn’t stop replaying the song.- 3.5 out of 5

Edit: The MV is out!

All I can say is that the choreography is the weakest link in the video. It’s too feminine and just lacking energy. Otherwise, the light set looks quite good.

3. “Call Me” (3:13) – I actually like this song more than the above track. Mostly because it does away with the dance beats and really showcases the group’s vocals. It’s got a great, catchy chorus and you can’t help but mime the “na na na na na-na” and “do do do do-do” bits. I hope AA get a chance to perform this song live as it’s perfect for an acoustic performance, and it isn’t the kind of song one often hears from an idol group. – 4 out of 5

I’m not going to put a ‘final rating’ like I normally do with my usual k-pop reviews, but unless you really suck at math, you know the above scores average out pretty well.

For a lot of the new groups, it usually takes a year or so to really make an impact on the k-pop scene with a good song. Sometimes it’s because the smaller entertainment companies can’t often afford to buy rights to the “sure-fire hits” from top producers, until they make some money first. I don’t know who the musical talent behind AA are, but they surely have some confidence in these boys to get them off to a great start. Edit: Turns out member Aoora himself writes and composes the songs!

With just two songs, AA are now on my k-pop radar and I wish them much success. I just hope they keep getting better going into 2012!

JYJ – ‘In Heaven’ Album Review: Talk about emotions…

September is a busy month for Korean pop, and for good reason. The slew of comebacks from K-pop’s finest means a lot of new music, and for me, reviews of said music.

JYJ – Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu, the trio formerly of five-piece TVXQ, have just released their first Korean album. The three of them have had quite a dramatic struggle the last two years. Their fallout with SM Entertainment over “slave contract” allegations, the resulting reluctance of the major TV networks to allow JYJ to appear on their music shows and the many other irritating situations the group have faced recently. It’s hasn’t been smooth sailing for JYJ.

JYJ In Heaven album Junsu Jaejoong Yoochun kpop — I didn't like the offical album cover for 'In Heaven'... so I made this instead

But despite all the circumstances, it’s not like JYJ fans haven’t gotten glimpses of what the three of them have been up to. Two of them, Yoochun and Jaejoong, are popular actors appearing on dramas; the three of them have enough endorsements on hand to rake in the moolah, and JYJ have released three albums already — two EPs and one studio album. Unfortunately, their studio album was an English album for the global market. I say ‘unfortunately’ because it was very hard for me to listen to the songs keeping in mind how much they were struggling in stressing their accents. On top of that, the first single they released, “Ayy Girl” was… just… terrible! Kanye West made no difference to that song.

I hope JYJ learnt a valuable lesson with “The Beginning,” that just because you manage to bag big names from the American pop industry, doesn’t always mean you’ll get the best songs from them. And why turn to the West? Listening to ‘In Heaven,’ its apparent the three members are very capable of writing hit songs by themselves!

Here’s a track-by-track review of the album ‘In Heaven’:

1. “Get Out” – An angst-filled track written by Jaejoong and Yoochun expressing the frustrations of a girl toying around with their emotions. The English isn’t perfect: “…but tonight I don’t need a damn explain” … but who cares, the song is catchy! With the “hey!” and “ho!,” this song will be a crowd favourite at JYJ concerts. My only gripe with “Get Out”? The “You will never find true love. Fuck you!” line. Really JYJ? Was the “Fuck you” really necessary? 🙂 Stay classy guys. – 4/5

Edit: The MV is out!

2. “In Heaven” – The title track, written by ‘man god’ Jaejoong, is undoubtedly the best track on the album!

In fact, it’s not just the best track on this album, it’s one of the best songs I’ve heard this year! I just can’t stop listening to this powerful ballad. Junsu’s and Yoochun’s vocals… man, one can truly feel the emotions cut through the skin when they sing! The above MV is poignant and melodramatic, but the song can stand well above all on it’s own. – 5/5

3. “Fallen Leaves” (낙엽) – This track was already in the EP Their Rooms “Our Story”. A slow, classic sounding ballad. Junsu wails through this song. After all, it is his song. He wrote and arranged it himself. – 3/5

4. “Boy’s Letter” (소년의 편지) – Another ballad written by ‘with-new-haircut-looks-like-Robert-Pattinson-from-Twilight’ Jaejoong. Soaring vocals and an epic score, this is a beautiful song about a boy professing his love for that special girl, but just can’t seem to gather up the courage to tell her sooner, and in person. – 4.5/5

5. “Mission” – After 4 stellar tracks comes this song — and what a change for the worse. I could barely make it past the first chorus. The song has a good violin hook, but it’s so repetitive, you get sick of it. Worst of all, and what really killed the song for me, were the lyrics for the chorus which are entirely in English:

“Mission make it mission, let’s go Mission, make it make it go,

I must go make it mission, let’s go mission, make it go,

I want u screaming,

JYJ verse 2”

Sorry, but those lines make absolutely no sense what-so-ever! When you are top class act, why is it so hard to consult a lyricist or producer – or just about anybody who is proficient in the English language? Especially when the writer (Junsu in this case) isn’t very fluent in English himself. It’s one of the things that really distracts me about a K-pop song — English lines that make no sense. Totally ruined the song for me. – 1/5

6. “I.D.S” (I Deal Scenario) – The production in this song just feels so amateur, and dated. Considering this track and “Mission” are from their last EP, it’s a valid remark. Written by ‘perfect jawline’ Jaejoong, this track is just pure album filler material. – 2/5

7. “Pierrot” (삐에로) – Written from the point of a pantomime character, ‘can he be anymore good looking’ Jaejoong writes about what it’s like to be a puppet under someone else’s control, and how he longs for his freedom. Hmm, I wonder what inspired him to write such a song 🙂 Another track from their Korean music book. – 3/5

8. “You’re” -Written by Junsu, the second last track on the album could have used a bit more punch in the beginning. But as the song progresses, the rap part (which I was surprised to know it was Yoochun), could have been longer, because he sounded awesome! – 3/5

9. “Nine” – The final track on the album, and yet another one from their EP. On the EP it was track number 2, and on this album it’s track number 9. Looks like they just dumped this track in to round it up. Nothing special. – 2/5

——–

To me, ‘In Heaven’ the album comes in two halves: one half, sounds more recent and has the production values you would expect in 2011. The other half, sounds like a collection of tracks that have been lying around for sometime and surely required some more work before they could have been deemed worthy to befit this album. Mostly the three from the EP Their Rooms “Our Story” – “Mission,” “I.D.S” and “Nine”. If they were going to re-use material, I would have instead liked a Korean version of better songs like “Empty” (from The Beginning). That song deserved to have been released as a single! (Ugh, “Ayy Girl”!)

All said and done, the three men that make JYJ worked on this album themselves. And like mentioned in my Jay Park ‘Take a Deeper Look’ album review, it’s something K-pop listeners really need to appreciate. From writing the lyrics to the music, Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu have pulled off something you won’t find many idol groups do — make their own music. And tracks like “Get Out,” “Boy’s Letter” and especially “In Heaven” are stellar, emotionally-wringed songs worthy of serious recognition.

But that’s the sad part. With the on-going reluctance to let JYJ perform on KBS, MBC and SBS, I wonder if the members will get the recognition — or more importantly, the year-end awards — “In Heaven” deserves.

The album will sell well, there’s no doubt about that. Heck, if JYJ put out a collection of nursery rhyme covers, their fanatical and extremely supportive fanbase will pre-order them in the tens of thousands. That’s how loyal they are!

Because half of ‘In Heaven’ is filled with songs from their last EP, the scores average to a 3 out of 5. But stressing the fact the newer songs are far superior and showcase the writing talents of ‘man crush’ Jaejoong, Yoochun and Junsu, ‘In Heaven’ gets a final rating of 4 out of 5 from me.

I hope “In Heaven” does so well, the major networks have no choice but to give in and shower JYJ with the mainstream attention the group have been missing, because I seriously believe the more crap the industry throws at JYJ, their fanbase will only grow stronger and even more supportive.

The boys themselves are surely not going to give up! Their fight to the top is not over yet.