Korean – touki REVIEWS

mini-album review: fromis_9 “from our Memento Box”

Summer has arrived, and the girl groups are not holding back with their summer concepts this year! Summer queens galore!

One of the many few releases for the summer comes from nine-member unit fromis_9, who have had their fair share of summer jams and bops throughout their tenure that started out with Idol School. The girls have continued to elevate their sound and concepts, this time opting for a ‘run-away-from-real-life’ concept that will have you telling your boss it’s high-time you go to the beach.

“from our Memento Box” is fromis_9’s next mini-album, and they opt to take you through their box of memories that’s filled with the warm air, sunny skies, and sandy beaches of summertime. Will this memento box be worth opening and exploring, or is it empty of that summer feel we’re all craving this season?

compilation review: Queendom 2 “FINAL”

I’m back!

After some false promises, and a bout with the COVID herself, I am back to give the children what they want! And I bet you have been waiting patiently for what I’ve been thinking about what’s going on in the South Korean pop music scene, with its insane amount of debuts and comebacks in the first half of 2022. There’s a lot to unpack!

So, speaking of comebacks, remember Queendom? You know, that Mnet program that had esteemed girl groups pit it out in a comeback war that had them pumping out amazing fan content all while trying to prove which one of them was worthy of being the “queen of all queens”? Well, if you were under a rock, Queendom had finally wrapped up its follow-up season, officially declaring a final winner – and let me tell you, it was a surprise, and one that I personally didn’t want, but it’s an Mnet program so… *cue shady backtrack*

With that said, I present to you my take on the final six tracks from the six girl groups of the program: “FINAL“. Perhaps there’s a slight ~*~bias~*~ but I’ll be as objective as possible; each group has brought a level worthy of the crown, but which of these six songs can Run the World?

mini-album review: Brave Girls “THANK YOU”

Well, Fearless, we’re back at another comeback from the girls!

Brave Girls returns to the K-pop scene with a new mini-album, and this time, the girls take on a retro disco concept that will have you screaming ‘2nd-generation vibes’. Titled “THANK YOU“, Brave Girls aims this comeback right to the heart of their success, the fans, otherwise known as Fearless.

Continuing in a release series (starting with “We Ride”) that will probably have you getting sentimental, Brave Girls wants to thank you (and me, and us) for everything; but will the fans respond back positively? Or will we be thankful we don’t have to listen to this mini-album after its first try? Let’s take a look…

single review: NMIXX “AD MARE”

I am back, and I’ve finally gotten things together to put full focus on reviewing! And, frankly, what a better way to get back into it than reviewing one of the most controversial debuts ever to hit the K-pop scene?

Introduced as a ‘blind package’ concept back sometime in early 2021 (probably even earlier, if I can recall), JYP girl group NMIXX became one of the most anticipated groups to enter into 2022, and each member was no joke – you’ve got your visuals, your charismatic performers, and perhaps some of the best vocalists of the generation. So, when their debut single “AD MARE” hit center stage, no one expected it to be received as negatively as it should.

I guess that’s what you sort of get for promoting it ‘blindly’, but can you blame JYP? He’s got your attention, whether it’s bad or not.

That said, what do I really think of this situation? Well, you’re just gonna have to read on…

mini-album review: Kep1er “FIRST IMPACT”

Where are all my Girls Planet 999 fans at?

If you recall previously at the tail end of 2021, Mnet unleashed a new survival reality TV series known as Girls Planet 999, which is just a Produce 101 program with a fresh coat of paint (to hide all the drama of 2019). After several episodes, the girl group Kep1er was formed, with a lineup that had everyone talking.

After a bump in the release schedule thanks to COVID’s evolving forms, Kep1er finally makes their debut in the new year with “FIRST IMPACT“, a mini-album that might have you wa-da-da-ing with your mvsk off… but is the mini-album going to make you see the light on Kep1er? Let’s take a look…

the best of kpop 2021

Lo and behold! We are here!

Let’s put it short and simple: this is MY list of the best Korean pop songs of the year. What a year, though! While we are still on uncertain times, 2021 proved to be a period of refresh, with South Korean acts pumping out comebacks that were unique and fresh, debuts coming in left and right (with many more to come in 2022), and BTS continuing to dominate the world as we know it.

We’re going to take a look back at the fifteen of the year’s efforts, and yes, they are ranked. So, without further ado…

Here is my list of the best K-pop songs from 2021!

the best of kpop 2021 thus far

We’re so close to the end of the year… 2022 is only one month away!

As such, I’ve brought it upon myself to bring the sequel to my ‘best of kpop 2021 so far‘ list and add fifteen new songs as contenders for the overall ranking of the ‘best kpop 2021 songs’.

It really has been a journey in K-pop! A lot of debuts, some surprise comebacks, different tie-ins, and title tracks up the wazoo. 2021 has, thus far, been a very good year in K-pop, so it was really hard to find 15 songs that I thought deserved the title… there were just too many!

So, without further ado, here are the fifteen songs I’ve thought were the best in K-pop during the year!

mini-album review: Billlie “the Billage of perception : chapter one”

New girl group alert!

Billlie is one of the new girls groups formed in 2021, formed under entertainment company Mystic Story. I recall that there was some hype with the group, having been previously known as Mystic Rookies, with anticipated members Moon Sua (well known for being part of ‘Future 2NE1’), Takeuchi Miyu (of both AKB48 and Produce 48 fame), and Produce 101/MIXNINE participants Lee Soo Min and Kim Su Hyeon. Finally, in 2021, its members were revealed, minus Miyu and Soo Min.

Billlie, despite its odd spelling, introduces themselves with a very creepy, almost horror-like concept that could very well be treading into Dreamcatcher territory. One has to wonder if they’ve executed it well with their first mini “the Billage of perception : chapter one“. Is this Billage one with great perception, or are we closing the book on this group at their first attempt? Let’s see!

single review: Jessi “Cold Blooded”

There were two things in Korean media in the year 2021 that really made a name for themselves: the first was the fiery competition of Street Woman Fighter, the Mnet program that pinned professional female dance groups against each other to determine the fiercest of all-women dance troupes; the second was Korean rapper Jessi, famous for being an Unpretty Rapstar, entering the variety market and turning herself into the queen of South Korean variety.

So, it was only fair that we would see the two influential figures meet in the middle for a red-hot collaboration to promote Street Woman Fighter and Jessi all at the same time. The top crews of SWF would go on to gain a slot within the music video for the collaboration, known as “Cold Blooded“, and serves as a platform to display the crews’ extraordinary talents.

As for the track itself, is it cold-blooded? Or are we just listening to something that’s only just lukewarm? Was this a meant-to-be collaboration? Let’s take a listen.