Favorite K-pop of the Year - Solos and Sub Units 2014

I always like to put something in front of the actual post, but I am seriously drawing a blank here. I could say something corny about soloists being brave and unique to be their own person instead of hanging out in a group, but I am not really feeling that right now. I guess the only thing that I can think of is that the artists in this list are all over the place. There's folk pop, K-pop, a fake group, and some in between things. So after that awkward intro, on to the post!

Fall K-pop Favorites

The fall. The time of year where there are a lot less comebacks and many of the songs that do come out are ballads. As we have gotten closer and closer to winter and Christmas it has been rather quite in the K-pop world (song wise anyways) but I still have a nice little list here. At least I think it is nice, someone could think it was stupid but we are all entitled to our own opinion even if it wrong. There's going to be quite a few posts in the next few days - if I can get my act together - so without further ado, let's get to the post!

K-pop Half Time Show 2013 Solos and Subunits

I think that it takes a special person to promote singly, especially when you are in a presently promoting group. I can see going from a group where you can feed off other people's energy to being solo could be both exhilarating and terrifying. One of my favorite things about people who are putting out solo albums for the first time outside of a group is you get to see a completely different side of them. You are so used to seeing them one way but then they completely 180 when they are on their own. Here are those people that we felt really shined through the masses of large groups as a singular star.
   

 Comebacks     Debuts

Solos

Girls 

Lee Hyori "Bad Girls"

Lee Hyori has been killing it this year with all the songs and videos that she has put out. I love the pop art concept that is going on in this video and the back track sounds like something that you might hear in an old cartoon during a corny chase scene. I am also a fan of her newest video "Crazy". She is just furthering the fact that she is one of the queens of K-pop.

~ Alora

Lee Hi

This song is so pretty and it has a really different sound from a lot of other K-pop videos. It is a ballad, and while I don't usually go for ballads, I actually really like this one. I also like how the song is sung predominantly in her chest voice, it just gives the song a whole different feel from the popular sounds that K-pop is putting out right now.

~ Alora

I wish I had your voice award - Becca

Boys 

Heo Young Saeng "The Art of Seduction

I love this song so much. I haven't been listening to K-pop for too awfully long so I missed SS501, even though they don't really do it for me anyways, sorry. This song has a great funky kind of disco sound and it is also rocking the synths. This is one of the songs that makes me wish that I really could sing along with it and not just make up nonsensical words and sounds that sound similar. That being said I've been singing "I'm burning up yeah" during the chorus, apparently it's "Oppa neun eottae", who knew? Last note, I totally want crazy-stalker-kidnapper girls pink sweater. 

~ Alora

Roy Kim "Bom Bom Bom"

This was the first time that I had ever heard a Roy Kim song even though I had seen his name before on K-pop news sites. When I listened to this song, the first thing that came to mind when he started singing was "Oh my gosh it's the Korean John Denver" and I still stand by that. He has such a wonderfully smooth voice and can hit higher notes as well as deeper notes with ease. He can come and sing me to sleep any time. 

~ Alora

 Jae Joong "Mine"

I got into K-pop long after the whole DBSK fiasco, so I don't suffer from DBSK withdraws like so many others, even though I am quite fond of "Mirotic", but then again who isn't? I loved this song the second the first chord was played because this is the type of American music I listen to. This song is just so gritty and different from the super sexy electric feel that normally comes with K-pop. This song is definitely toeing the line between K-pop and J-rock and I absolutely love it. Keep doing this JaeJoong, because it's freaking awesome. 

~ Alora 

G-Dragon "Michi Go"

Oh G-Dragon, what would we do without your cracked out solo videos? Also, that pink elephant? Totally not subtle, is all. 

~ Alora

Why do all my friends say you look like a girl in this music video? award - Becca 

K.Will "Love Blossom"

I had heard K.Will songs before because he is the king of OSTs, but I had never actually sat down and really listened to a song or watched a video. This song was awesome though, it is one of those songs you listen to and think, "Yeah! Sometime it will stop snowing and being cold. The sun will come out and everything will be okay!" It is too bad that K.Will took a head shot from L though, even though it was a clever way to use an otherwise "unusable" singer in a video. Put K.Will in his own videos, dang it!  

~ Alora

Cleverest use of the artist in a music video award - Becca 

Jay Park "Joah" 

I don't listen to Jay Park because he tends to be a angry gangster rapper and I am not an angry gangster rap type of person. I was pleasantly surprised to hear this song though. It's so cute and, well, cute. Who knew right? I know that Jay Park is a phenomenal rapper, but I would not be sad to hear more songs like this because his voice is like butter. 

~ Alora 

Where did this soft side come from and how can I see it more often award - Becca  

 

 Sub Units 

I think that subunits are very similar to solo artists in the sense that you get to see something different that the usual concept that you are used to from a specific group. It showcases the talents of certain people that may be overshadowed in large vocal groups.There weren't a lot to pick from in this category, but from those few, these are who we really liked.

Boys 

 Infinite H "Special Girl"

I don't really listen to Infinite, the only thing I really knew about them was that L was in Shut Up! Flower Boys Band, but I really liked this song when it came out. I like the mix between the sung chorus and the rapped verses. I also decided that I really like Dongwoo because he had pink hair and, not to sound super weird or anything, he has really nice lips. 

~ Alora

Best dancing and swagger in a Sub Group music video award - Becca 

U-Beat "Should Have Treated You Better"

I have recently come to love U-Kiss so I was excited to hear the a sub group was going to be created. I liked that AJ and Eli were the main players in this sun group because rappers don't get a lot of stage time in a group. They usually come out for the bridge or do basic background rapping. Not this time though! AJ and Eli are getting their chance to shine in their very own sub group with a special appearance by Kevin.

~ Alora

Most upbeat sad song award - Becca

Girls 

 No love for female sub groups here, sorry.

Roy Kim Love Love Love

How's the song?

My first Roy Kim song was "Bom Bom Bom" and I thought that that was fantastic. My initial thoughts about him when he began to sing was that he was like a Korean John Denver. When I heard that he was going to release another video I was really excited because I wanted to hear more of the beautiful sounds that came from his throat.

While it's not my favorite type of music, I like listening to folk and blu grass sometimes. It just has this really clean feeling that isn't heard a lot right now. Especially in K-pop, electric and dubstep is really popular, so being able to listen to a song that is about one person's vocals and their guitar is cool. Last week I wrote about Sunny Hill's "Darling of all Hearts" and I think that if songs were friends with other songs, these two would be hanging out a lot. 

How's the video? 

This video was so chill it was awesome. It's just Roy Kim walking around the city, playing in a park, and on the back of a truck while is fans adore him. It had a really natural feel, it's like he just popped up out of the ground and people started to fan girl all over the place. It is fun to see celebrities around their (non crazy) fans. You can also tell that Roy Kim is happy to be around them as he says hello and takes pictures.

Speaking of pictures, the amount of smart phones in this video was ridiculous! Everyone was just pulling them out and taking videos and photos of Roy Kim. They seemed to be predominantly Samsung phones too which I guess would make sense since I am pretty sure that Korea makes that model. I think.

On of my favorite places that Roy Kim was in, is when he is hanging out on the back of a truck, playing his guitar, and waving to people. He just seems so at ease with everything and I am in love with that pink chair.

How's the styling?

There wasn't really any styling in this video because all the extras were real people in their real clothes. I liked that Roy Kim was dressed like anyone else his age. I fell like these clothes could have come out of his own closet. They were age appropriate and fit with the sound of the song.

There is a hanging out at the park look

Slightly fancier park wear

And an evening concert outfit

Was the dance super amazing?  

No dance to speak of in this video, unless you count walking as a dance, and I don't, so there. 

Who owned it? 

Since Roy Kim is a solo artist I would hope that he would own his own video. Seriously, how cute is this boy?

There was a random girl that almost stole his thunder though.

The girl that was holding the 'L' kept showing up so I decided to count how many time she was in the separate shots. Only counting times that her whole face was in the shot, I figured about 32 times. Then in those 32 shots, she got two full face shots and one shot with Roy Kim, but she was the focal point of the picture. Is she suppose to be someone that I know or is she just super cute?


Did the English make your ears bleed?

The only English in this song is "Love love love" and Roy Kim, from what I have gathered, went to high school in America and was accepted into Georgetown University so that means that his English is probably pretty good. 

What else is happening? 

Sweet Sorrow "Just Get Away" - The video was BTS footage of something else they are doing, I'm assuming. The song made me think of a musical and I love musicals, so this song is okay with me. They also look like a bunch of dorks, which I also love.

4Minute "Is it Poppin?" - With the exception of the club scenes I think that this video is a good example of girls being sexy without being so sexy that I fell super uncomfortable. Is it weird that I'm saying that about 4Minute?

100% "Only U" - I love BTS videos so much. This song was also upbeat and  happy which matched with the informal style of the video. I also loved that black man who looked like he was going to pee himself at 3:12, K-pop knows no boundaries

Dynamic Duo "BAAAM" - This isn't really my stye of music but it definitely had me bobbing and grooving in my seat.

ICON "Rockstar" - That video was one giant acid trip and the music is a mix of rock and techno. I like rock and I have a soft spot for techno, so I'm pretty much in love with this song.

Xia "11AM" - So I'm confused if this is the actual video or not because it is the whole song, but it says "special clip" in the title. Either way, this was beautiful and raw and freaking fantastic.

John Park "Baby" - John Park's voice is awesome, combined with this cute video, it makes for a pretty good pairing. 

MR.MR "Waiting for U" - The song was almost there for me. I just needed more harmonies and I didn't like the falsetto singing that they did.

~ Alora