Brilliance, Disappointment And Reinvention : B.A.P, Got7 & Highlight Release New Music

I just got back from a short vacation in Prague, Czech Republic, so for that reason I haven't posted much the last week but that's all about to change! These coming 10 days I'm off school which means I'll have much more time to write and post and this I am very excited about as there have been a crazy amount of comebacks in K-pop recently. This review below is about comebacks that occured last month and I am aware that I'm late but I'll try to catch up now when I have some more free time.

Anyhow; Girl groups have definitely been the focus of my attention these past months and continues to be as they are amazing, but I don't want to completely neglect the boy groups who've also made comebacks. Over the course of the month of March three very different groups came back with new music, or should I say two have come back and one have made a re-debut. I'm talking about B.A.P, Got7 and Highlight of course, who've delivered three completely different title tracks and MV's.

B.A.P first made their comeback on March 6th with "Wake Me Up" and I would be lying if I said that my expectations weren't high for this release. Since their comeback from their long-time hiatus about one and a half year ago their releases have been either a hit or a miss for me, as they've been varying quite drastically in sound and concept, but I was crazy about "Skydive" last year. It was definitely the B.A.P comeback I've been waiting for since about 2014 or so and thus I was hoping for this release to be something very similar. Instead we get "Wake Me Up", which a song that I never knew I needed to hear but now can't imagine B.A.P's discography without.

While "Skydive" was rockier, more intense and generally louder "Wake Me Up" is more mellow, more electronica-infused and powerful in a subtler way. Both songs are on the darker side of the spectrum which I love but while "Skydive" had more of an aggressive tone this song is more emotional. The lyrics are definitely calling to the listeners emotions as well as it deals with the issue of recognizing yourself and the world around you, thus "waking up"; but all this in better words of course. Read the lyrics yourself and you will understand what I'm trying to say.

The video also seems to deal with this topic as it features people of various ethnic groups and nationalities all dealing with different struggles, that may or may not be as a cause of the society they live in. It is however also about finding a way to fight back and stand up against the oppression as the people all come together to rebel in the end of the MV. The feeling of the video is throughout still very dark and heavy as the there is very little color in any of the scenes and the sets are gritty and lifeless. The focus is definitely on the actors who portray these people and while I do think they do a good job some of the set-ups are somewhat cliche or a bit too expected, but overall it's a nice change as to having the members act instead. There is also no choreography in this MV which again puts the focus on the message of the song which I appreciate, but of course I would be happy to see the members more and see them dance.

Overall I've certainly enjoyed this comeback and I'm really happy about the route the group is currently taking, both musically and stylistically. This type of concept and music truly is what I find they do best and I sincerely hope there won't be a next comeback with pastels, smiley faces and a song about love or something other typical. B.A.P are so much better than that, which is what they've proven with "Wake Me Up".

Song: 4,25/5
MV: 3,7/5

6 days later Got7 came back with the last installment of their "Flight Log" trilogy and title track "Never Ever". It must be said before I start that my expectations for this comeback weren't high and I quite honestly haven't watched almost any of their live performances since this song came out, but there is still something about this group that makes me want to root for them. For about a year now they've been trying to release songs and music videos in a trilogy format which definitely seems to be a thing now in K-pop, but it hasn't been going too great. Coming from the greatness of "If You Do" it was most people's opinion that "Fly" was a downgrade which I agree on, but it still wasn't a bad effort. Of course the trailers that made you think that there was going to be an interesting story were a false promise as the actual MV didn't do much in that aspect, but there was still hope that a story would develop.

Then came "Hard Carry" which was what completely made me want to give up on this group. I still can't stand the song and the MV was not much better as it still didn't make sense of whatever story they were trying to create. There seemed to be something about a car crash and members possibly dying but the attempt of trying to create an actual storyline seemed almost nonexistent. Finally now we've arrived at the end of this project with a song called "Never Ever", which again makes zero sense. The video is not even trying to come to a conclusion in terms of plot as it's again, mostly focused on choreography, but even those scenes look somewhat tacky.


Musically this year-long project has been impressively inconsistent as well, but I guess that goes with Got7's career as a whole. It's fascinating that they've been a group for over three years but still has no signature sound or concept, and I blame their management, songwriters and producers as much as I blame the members themselves. The rapping is still underwhelming and the vocals just don't sound good on record, no matter how talented I know some of the members are. It frustrates me insanely because I want to love this group because I adore them as people and their group chemistry is amazing, but they're making it harder and harder. All I know for sure is that I'm happy that this trilogy is over and that this means that maybe, possibly we can get some good music à la "If You Do" again. However I sadly doubt that is the case.

Song: 2,5/5
MV: 2/5

Last but not least we have Highlight, the free and reinvented version of Beast after they've escaped Cube Entertainment with a new name and set up their own company. While it sucks that they had to change their name I'm very happy that the members managed to leave the company as they clearly are too good for it and are, in my opinion, much better off on their own. I was personally very excited for what music they'd release now after this dramatic break-up, especially since this group has become somewhat experts in releasing serious and melancholic songs about heartbreak, but "Plz Don't Be Sad" is the complete opposite of that.

I suppose with them standing on their own two feet now and with the gain of a new name, which does include a new identity of some sort, they'd want to show a new side and not go down the expected route. I've always liked their sadder, darker and overall more laid-back stuff over upbeat hype songs like "YeY", but I can definitely get behind this new sound as it's not exactly similar to the other dance tracks this group has released as Beast. My first impression is that "Plz Don't Be Sad" has a similar vibe to some of Block B's music, meaning that it's fun and bright without being excessive, but it's certainly a lot more childish than anything we've seen from them before. Most of Beast's material over the years has been very mature and sensible but for the first time we see them let loose their inner kids in a way that is both relieving and troubling.

I mean look at the title for start; are they actually choosing to spell please as "plz"? Fine if they were teenagers but since their youngest member turns 26 this year it feels slightly weird. Of course I do like that they're testing the waters with their new-found freedom and I honestly like the song and it's uplifting message, but it's surprising that they've chose such a youthful and colorful concept. The video is also very joyful and vibrant with strong saturated colors, contrasts and bright lights. It's pretty cute and entertaining, especially the styling choices which include the members dancing in bath robes for example, and the members do look like they're genuinely enjoying themselves. It's certainly a well-made video although some of the sets are not great, but the enthusiasm and playfulness that is portrayed makes it an enjoyable watch.

If this was Beast I probably would've been more skeptical of this comeback but since this is Highlight I feel like I shouldn't have the same expectations. The members are the same, yes, but the circumstances are different and I totally understand why they'd want to reinvent and switch up their sound and image. It's certainly going to be interesting to follow their continuing journey and see what they chose to do next, seeing as they now have the capability of trying whatever they want.

Song: 3,5/5
MV: 3,4/5

15 Favorite B-sides Of 2016

I thought I was finished but then I remembered that I hadn't posted this list yet, so here it is! Not going to lie, this was probably the hardest list to put together out of all of them. There have been a lot of good albums this year with plenty of great b-sides. I initially tried to narrow the ranking down to my top 10 but it was actually impossible, and so I've instead managed to gather my 15 favorites with a big number of honorable mentions. Let's dive into it!

Lovelyz - Dear You

This is one of my absolute most played songs of 2016 without a question, and one of many great tracks on "A New Trilogy". It has that special J-pop-inspired bubblegum sound that Lovelyz does so great and a melody, structure and instrumental that's to die for.

Day6 - First Time

Don't get me wrong here; I do genuinely love every single track on the mini-album "Daydream" but "First Time" definitely stood out to me. Not only is it a fantastic opener to the album but the song itself is quite simply put everything I enjoy about pop-rock music.


Hyomin - Gold

Although I tremendously enjoyed the other b-sides on this album "Gold" is, in my opinion, on another level. This sounds like it could be a western song with the way the music and melody is constructed, and I mean that in the best way possible. It's incredibly beautiful.

Red Velvet - Some Love

Sadly I was quite disappointed by Red Velvet's "Russian Roulette" as a mini-album, but this song was the one and only saving grace. It's light, poppy and sweet but with a slight undertone of maturity to balance the playfulness. Again it's one of my most played songs of 2016.

Luna - Galaxy

Once again I had to choose from a mini-album full of marvelous songs, but there was no hesitation that "Galaxy" was my favorite out of all of them. Apart from the fact that it's a beautifully put-together dance track my favorite part of it is the joy it exudes, much thanks to Luna's vocals.

I.O.I - Hold On

B1A4's Jinyoung participated in writing b-sides for both of I.O.I's mini-albums, but this one must be my favorite one. The young ladies of I.O.I do a great job with the vocal work but it's the song itself that pulls me in the most; the mixture of feminine softness, maturity and emotion is wonderful.

Twice - Next Page

I was completely floored when I heard this song for the first time as it felt to me as a song with a sound that Twice hadn't really tried before. Gone were the high-pitched vocals and sticky sweetness and instead it allowed room for the members larger registers and a rockier, edgier sound.

SHINee - Don't Let Me Go

This track really is a standard SHINee-esque mid-tempo ballad and they've done quite a few songs similar to this one throughout the years, but I still can't get enough of it. The vocals are spot on as usual (I especially enjoy Key's part) and I love the emotion of the melody and chord structure.

Oh My Girl - Step By Step

Another song composed by Jinyoung, this time for his label-mates for their mini-album "Pink Ocean". It has many of the great characteristics that have made his songs so popular, but it's truly brought to life by the ladies flawless vocal performances.

Winner - Pricked

A duo by Mino and Taehyun (the later no longer being in the group and yes I am still upset about this), it's a emotional guitar-based ballad with painful lyrics heartfelt vocal performances from both of them. It pains me that now we might never see this song sung live.

Astro - Innocent Love

I was actually surprised when I heard this song since Astro's regular sound, the one they're now associated with, is always so upbeat and lively. Although this ballad is about being young and experiencing first love it's actually very mature-sounding and definitely beautiful.

GFriend - Water Flower

It was so hard to decide which song I liked the best from "LOL" because there are so many, but in the end I think the song I've listened to the most is this J-pop-sounding piece. It literally sounds like it could be the opening theme to an anime and that a fantastic one.

BTS - 2!3!

This is probably me being a sappy BTS fan but this song really speaks to me on an emotional level. There are many great b-sides on "Wings" but there's no denying that "2!3!" is the one that I hold most dear, with its lyrics directed to all BTS fans and a chorus that hits right in the heart.

NCT - Switch

This song was featured as a bonus track on NCT 127's mini-album, but it's well-known that this is the unofficial song of NCT as the performed it when they were still trainees. It does certainly hold a lot of nostalgia, but it's also a genuinely great song.

B.A.P - Ribbon In The Sky

Although I loved most songs on "Noir" it was clear from the first time I heard it that this song was the one I loved the very most. It's dark and powerful and has just the type of sound I need to hear from this group, as well as having a strong chorus not easily forgotten.

Honorable Mentions:

Taemin - Soldier

Got7 - Rewind

Seventeen - Say Yes
GFriend - Distance

BTS - 21st Century Girl

Monsta X - White sugar

I.O.I - When The Cherry Blossoms Fade

EXO - Artificial love 

SHINee - Feel Good
4Minute - Canvas
NCT 127 - Wake Up

10 Favorite Albums Of 2016

One of my favorite things to do when one of my favorite groups has a comeback is to immediately go to Spotify and listen to the album (unless it's a JYP group because they still don't have a deal with Spotify). Often I find that I like the other tracks on the album more than the title track and that's why I'm surprised whenever someone says they don't listen to the b-sides; they're missing out on so many great tunes! In 2016 there were quite many albums I enjoyed, but below I have gathered my 10 favorites from the past year.


Taemin - Press It

I feel like Taemin really came to his own this comeback, especially compared to his solo debut that didn't really wow me that much. This album however is truly a step up for him as it's packed with awesome songs of various genres, yet has a impressive sense of coherence.

Favorite songs: "Soldier", "Drip Drop", "Press Your Number", "Already"

Got7 - Flight Log: Departure

I'm still not really feeling "Fly" but the rest of the songs on this mini-album are certified jams. Got7's discography is really all over the place with both good and bad releases, but this album actually shows that they can make good music. Shame it had to be followed up by "Hard Carry".

Favorite songs: "Can't", "Rewind", "See The Light"

GFriend - LOL

I've always liked GFriend's mini-albums and its b-sides, thus I was very excited for their first full-length album and hoped it would not disappoint. As you can tell; it didn't. All the songs have that signature GFriend sound but there is still a variation which makes it a great cohesive album.

Favorite songs: "Distance", "Mermaid", "Compass", "Water Flower"

Oh My Girl - Pink Ocean

This mini-album caught me by surprise because although I liked Oh My Girl before I didn't know they were capable of this kind of good music. It's definitely sweet and girly but that isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially if the songs are of as good quality as they are on "Pink Ocean"

Favorite songs: "Liar Liar", "I Found Love", "Step By Step"

BTS - Wings


Unsurprisingly BTS shows up on this list too because what else can be expected when they release an album as good as "Wings". The album showed great development for the group both with the members all having solo tracks but also with a slight change in sound which I really liked.

Favorite songs: "Begin", "Lie", "21st Century Girl", "2!3!"

Hyomin - Sketch

I feel sad that Hyomin's comeback was so overlooked because although the title track was underwhelming the actual mini-album is pretty phenomenal. There are so many beautiful songs that showcase a deeper musical maturity and Hyomin gets to prove she actually knows how to sing.

Favorite songs: "Gold", "Still", "Only We Are Aware Of Our Story"

B.A.P - Noir

If there's one group whose album this year I was particularly floored by it has to be "Noir". For B.A.P to come back with an album like this after several underwhelming releases brought me so much joy. It's mature and possibly more on the darker side, and I love it because of that.

Favorite songs: "Skydive", "Ribbon In The Sky", "Killer", "Confession"


Luna - Free Somebody

Another overlooked release in 2016 was Luna's solo debut, especially the accompanying mini-album which was just out of this world. Apart from perhaps one song I loved everything, and I love the sound she chose as it both makes for great tracks and allows her to make use of her flawless vocals.

Favorite songs: "Free Somebody", "Keep On Doing", "Galaxy"

Day6 - Daydream

I honestly didn't think that Day6 would be able to release a second mini-album as good as their first one, and I was right. "Daydream" is even better. Every single song is brilliant and the song order is also fantastic as it helps create cohesiveness and fluidity in the album.

Favorite songs: "First Time", "Blood", "Sing Me"

Nell - C

Last but not least we have Nell who also released a new album in 2016 after two years. You all know I love this group and their music, with this album being no exception. It's literally the next beautiful song after the other, and even though it's not my favorite Nell album it's still fantastic.

Favorite songs: "Day After Day", "Vain Hope", "Dream Catcher", "Sing For Me"


Honorable mentions:

Winner - Exit:E
Rainbow - Prism
SHINee - 1 of 1
GFriend - Snowflake
Kim Jae Joong - NO.X
Monsta X - The Clan: Guilty
Twice - Twicecoaster: Lane 1
AOA - Good Luck

15 Favorite Title Tracks Of 2016

It dawned on me as I was making this list just how many good songs were released this year. I never had the thought that 2016 would be such a good year musically as the year was passing, however in hindsight I can definitely say there's been many great releases. Additionally I did notice that compared to my "K-pop 2015" playlist there are many more tracks on this years', which also tells me that 2016 did deliver in that aspect. Like last year I'm going to make a separate post for title tracks and b-sides, just because it would be too difficult to cram the two into one ranking, as well as expanding the list to 15 tracks instead of 10. I listen to way too much music, basically. Let's go!


Red Velvet - Russian Roulette

Funnily enough I wasn't much into the song at all when I first listened to it, but after hearing it a few times I couldn't get it out of my head. I love the electronica-infused bubblegum-pop sound and the chorus is incredibly infectious.

NCT U - Without You

Every once in a while a song comes along that at first listen has an impact big enough for you to feel your life slightly changing. That was what happened with this track as it from the beginning made me feel something completely new and different, truly feeling every note deep inside my heart.

Produce 101 - In The Same Place

Out of all the songs B1A4's Jinyoung has produced for girl groups this year (and you will see many more, I promise) this one is my absolute favorite. It's sweet and feminine but at the same time mature, heartfelt and absolutely stunning.

Luna - Free Somebody

When a group member goes solo you always wonder what direction they will go musically, and boy am I happy that Luna didn't go down the ballad route but instead chose to show off her vocals in this dance track. Such a good song.

Taeyeon - Why

I didn't exactly love this at first either but after a while it did become my favorite song of the summer, with it's EDM-influences and dance-friendly sound. It's a new genre for Taeyeon and she pulls it off just as flawlessly as one would expect.

Block B - Toy

Another song that might have flown slightly under the radar this year is Block B's "Toy", and it almost did to me too had I not heard it live at Kcon. It's a really chill track with great rapping (as one would expect), great lyrics and heartfelt vocals sung to a beautiful melody.

BTS - Blood, Sweat & Tears

You wouldn't expect a BTS song not to be here, right? It's almost as if everything they touch turn to gold, which was proven once again with their comeback this past October. It does have a different sound from their past work but they pull it off amazingly.

I.O.I - Whatta Man

I know that this song was sampled and thus isn't exactly a new, original song, but the arrangement of "Whatta Man" did kind of blow me out of the water. The power, attitude and fierceness is real with this track and I love every bit of it.

GFriend - Rough

It was difficult to chose between this song and "Navillera" as both were great tracks, but I think that at first listen I liked "Rough" a tiny bit better. It's a song that's very "GFriend-esque" but showcased a slightly more mature sound to round up their successful schoolgirl trilogy.

B.A.P - Skydive

"Skydive" provided me with the kind of content I've been wanting to see from B.A.P since like 2013, and that's not an exaggeration. I absolutely love the song and its raw power and force, with great rapping, vocals and a chorus that gets to me every listen.

EXO - Monster

Here as well I found it hard to pick between "Monster" and their other fantastic title track "Lucky One". However this one came out on top due to it being slightly more powerful, with a chorus that hits so hard it's impossible to forget.

Monsta X - Fighter

With Monsta X I once again had to choose between the two great title tracks they've released this year, but as much as I loved "All In" as a comeback I actually liked and listened to "Fighter" more, at least when looking at my top hits of 2016 on Spotify.

WJSN - Secret

This comeback did kind of come out of nowhere in the sense that I didn't expect it to be of such high quality. The title "Secret" isn't groundbreaking or without flaw but it still stuck on me and I have been listening to it countless times since it came out.

Boa & Beenzino - No Matter What

SM's "Station" project did provide some great material throughout 2016, but my absolute favorite has to be this electro-pop track by BoA and Beenzino. It has a very fresh and modern sound that I could definitely see being popular even in the US and Europe.

Dal Shabet - Someone Like U

Last but not least we have arguably the most underappreciated jam of 2016; Dal Shabet's "Someone Like U". It's a great 80's influenced pop track with a catchy melody and vocals. I do wish they would've gained some more fame with it because the song is that awesome.

Honorable mentions:

GFriend - Navillera

EXO - Lucky one
Taemin - Drip Drop
K.A.R.D - Oh NaNa

I.O.I - Very very very

Day6 - Letting go

Berry Good - Don't believe 

SHINee - Tell me what to do

BTS - Fire
Monsta X - All In

The Revival of B.A.P And "Skydive"

Whenever B.A.P makes a comeback I'm always unsure of what I will think of it, especially since their post-law suit return to the K-pop scene. When B.A.P debuted in 2012 they took everyone by storm by bringing something new to the scene, and they had a dark, powerful and aggressive style that combined with fierce clothing and choreography made them stand out. They did have some lighter follow-up releases in between which I didn't really thought suited them at all, but their main concept and sound was always the heavier and darker one.

Their final comeback before the law suit with full album "First Sensibility" had a great title track but the rest of the songs were disappointing, and since then I haven't really been into any of their albums or comebacks. I did like "Young, Wild & Free" as their grand return but it hasn't been a frequently played song and the mini album was just ok. The following comebacks both were both lighter, happier and with brighter songs and I although both of them are ok tracks I'm not into that kind of musical direction for this group.

Especially with "That's My Jam" as I didn't even listen to the song twice nor watched any of the live stages. Although their spot as a favorite group of mine had started to fade since almost two years back it seemed like now it was completely gone. It's always sad loosing interest in a group you once truly loved, but you can't force yourself to keep on liking them if they consistently release underwhelming music.


That's why with this comeback I am feeling especially emotional, because after a way too long time I am finally seeing the B.A.P I once fell in love with. "Skydive" really is a treat for us long-time fans who've been there since the beginning, as it is almost everything that made B.A.P so great to begin with. I suppose you could call the song and video "One Shot" 2.0 as there are many similarities between both the style of the music and the concept for the video, but that's a good thing. "One Shot" is probably the best release that this group has come out with, in my opinion, and to me this feels like reliving B.A.P at their peak which is just amazing. The song is powerful, intense and epic, just like what this group released in their early days, but it doesn't feel dated at all. Instead it's like a revival of all things that made me fall in love with this group in the first place and presented in a even more refined and mature way.


As mentioned earlier the MV for "Skydive" bears many similarities to "One Shot", but it's even more complex as well as being about a hundred times more bloody. I don't think it was necessary for it to be 10 minutes long, but I appreciate that they wanted to go all the way with it. That being said it isn't the most realistically made "mini-movie" and some of the effects are way to obviously fake, and some moments in the video are a bit too cringeworthy for my personal taste. Some members' acting skills aren't spectacular and not everyone can pull off blowing someone's brains out, but that's part of the charm as well and always has been with B.A.P and their older concepts.

Like with the video for "One Shot" the boys are part of a shady gang that are up to no good business, and the main character that Daehyun plays is on a mission to find a woman that's been kidnapped (presumably a woman he cares deeply for), but something's not quite right. There seems to be a traitor among them and none of the members can be completely trusted. In the end it's revealed to be Jongup that has had them all fooled, that being after a bloody shoot-out has taken place which (once again) has left the rest of them dead.

All throughout the video you can both follow Daehyun as he pursues his mission as well as flashback scenes with all the members, and it's definitely intriguing to try and guess who the traitor might be. Like I said before the video isn't the best action MV ever made but I wasn't really expecting it to be either. What warms my heart the most is that this video is so B.A.P in the way that I got to know them back in 2012, and this is exactly what I think they should be doing.

The album is called "Noir" and it is their second full length album, and like I said before I didn't have high expectations for it or the comeback in general considering my feelings for their most recent work. However I still decided to give the album a listen since I liked the title track and MV so much, and boy am I glad I did. This is probably B.A.P's strongest album to date, and I can't express how happy it makes me to finally remember why I liked this group so much to begin with. It is a revival indeed, a revival of this group and their music and also their spot in my heart, which has started to grow again after a period of fading. I think that I, as a disappointed fan, needed this to know that they still have it in them and that I didn't stan them for nothing back in the day.

"Noir" is packed with different kinds of songs in somewhat varying styles, but there is still a nice cohesiveness to it and I love that there are so many darker sounding tracks. Apart from the title there is "Ribbon In The Sky", which is probably my favorite track as well as "Confession" which is Zelo and Yongguk's rap track. Both of them are really dark and heavy tracks with a sound that's right up my alley. There are also some softer songs, like "Killer", "Walk" and "I Guess I Need You", that are more chill and with lighter instrumentals, but contrary to some of B.A.P's earlier tracks within the same musical genre these ones aren't boring.

One of my main problem with "First Sensibility" was that there were so many of these kind of songs and none of them were really that great, as in they lacked originality and had forgettable melodies. This isn't the case here as those songs have fantastic melodies as well as a mature approach and stunning vocal work. You can really tell how much this group has grown musically, and I suppose with that I mean mostly Yongguk, who's in charge of most of the material. The only song I'm not feeling on "Noir" is "Chiquita", both because I don't think its funky sound fits in with the rest of the album but also because it's not my kind of music. Otherwise I love almost every track and I'm especially proud of Jongup and the fact that he gets a solo all to himself, and I think I must've missed something because when did he get this good at singing? He's definitely the one that's been standing out the most to me this comeback, both with his improved vocals but also his dancing, stage presence and acting in the MV.


I don't think I need to summarize much because my feelings have been quite clearly put on the table in this review. B.A.P have proved themselves to be a force to be reckoned with for real and redeemed themselves from underwhelming past work, and now my only wish is for them to continue in this direction. I'm not asking for them to always be this dark and gritty but I don't want to see another 180 degree switch to a concept that makes you question if it's even the same group.

It is possible to evolve musically and conceptually without losing ones identity. Other groups have done it and I'm sure B.A.P can do it too. Whatever happens in the future I'm happy for what they've given us here and now, and I hope that Yongguk will get better soon so that he can join the boys on stage.

MV: 3,9/5
Album: 4,4/5

K-pop March Recap (And Some February Leftovers)

Hello my friends and welcome back! Like I wrote previously I'm going to briefly discuss some of the comebacks I've been keeping an eye while I was away, most of them occurring during the actual time I was in Korea. However like I said there are some February comebacks I never got around to writing before I left so I will include them here as well although very shortly. I hope you are as excited as I am about getting back into the writing flow and starting posting more regularly again :)

SNS Friday #16

Ett foto publicerat av #BARO (@baroganatanatda) Jan 31, 2016 kl. 4:04 PST

Welcome to this week's SNS Friday! I'm letting this wonderful, wonderful picture of B1A4 in action begin this post, because it's just amazing and makes me laugh every time I see it.

SNS Friday #15

Ett foto publicerat av HyoⓂ️in (@hyominnn) Jan 21, 2016 kl. 8:05 PST

Another week, another SNS Friday. The gorgeous Hyomin starts it off with this divine selca.

SNS Friday #13

Ett foto publicerat av 👁.👁 (@xhyolynx) Jan 8, 2016 kl. 12:52 PST

Since it's cold and winter where I currently am my jealousy towards Hyorin on her paradise vacation is even bigger. She looks amazing as well!

SNS Friday #12

Ett foto publicerat av 민하 (@minha_9m) Jan 2, 2016 kl. 4:38 PST

Let's start this week's post off with this unbelievably pretty photo of Minha!

2015 Year-End Festivals - Favorite Performances

It's my favorite time of the year; the annual year-end festivals! This time I even managed to catch two of them live (KBS' and MBC's) which never has happened before, and I was quite happy with the former and even more ecstatic about the latter. I never got the chance to watch SBS' on the 27th, but from what I've heard it was horrible so I'm not planning on either. Therefore there won't be as many performances included from that festival here, but even more from the two better festivals. MBC had the best one by far (and theirs have been my favorite for three consecutive years now), both in terms of staging, camera work as well as a good blend of special stages, regular stages and pre-recordings. Although it was long it managed to keep my interest up!

B.A.P Is FINALLY Back With "Matrix"

Back in 2012 there was a huge flood of new groups debuting, in fact it is the year that witnessed the most K-pop debuts ever, and among all those groups there were a few that stood out and stuck around, and B.A.P was one of them. Their debut song and MV "Warrior" caught a lot of people's attention, and for a good reason. They brought something that really hadn't been seen before; a tough, aggressive image with a rock-hip hop sound and six bleach blonde heads. I still think their debut is one of the best ones do date, period, but over the years they've gone through some changes.