This will probably be my last post regarding my 2016 favorites as I am now in the middle of revising for my upcoming exam, and it will be about whose debuts caught my eye last year. For this ranking I am only judging based on the actual debut content, not the groups' debuts as in what they've managed to do during their debut year. No comebacks will be considered but only the debut MV, song and concept. There have been several rookie groups that I've liked based on the comebacks they've been having (and those will be mentioned as well) but whose actual debut content wasn't that impressive. Thus the groups that you'll find below are those who did catch my eye right from the beginning. Let's jump into it!
Astro - Hide & Seek
I already mentioned this debut when ranking my favorite dance routines of 2016, because the choreography for "Hide & Seek" was definitely a big aspect in me liking Astro's debut. However I did like the song as well as the cute MV, but mostly I loved the concept as it had a youthness and freshness to it that I haven't seen in a rookie boy group in a long time.
KNK - Knock
Cringeworthy lyrics aside, this song grabbed my interest right away with it's bombastic chorus (although I do like the verses a lot more), and the visuals of this group was also a attraction. With this debut as well I was intrigued by the dark and mature concept which also felt new and exciting compared to all the EDM and hip-hop-influenced groups that have been coming out lately.
NCT U - The Seventh Sense & Without You NCT 127 might be the more permanent unit out of NCT and was also the one to win a rookie award, but I was completely floored by NCT U and their singles, which were both very different from each other and from typical SM music. Everything was impressive; the songs, videos, dancing, rapping and singing, and it's a shame that nothing NCT has put out since has been as good.
K.A.R.D - Oh NaNa
The most recent debut out of all of them was K.A.R.D's, which did take me by surprise. As I mentioned in my review of their debut MV I am totally down with the co-ed aspect of the group and the dynamics that might create, but I also really liked the song. All of the members are clearly talented and I hope that DSP can utilize that and promote this group as much as possible. Luna - Free Somebody
Although not technically a new face on the scene; f(x)'s main vocalist Luna did make her awaited solo debut in 2016 with "Free Somebody" and blew everyone out of the water. The song was fantastic, the video was creative and original and the choreography both sexy and challenging. Not to mention the mini-album, which had me in love at first listen.
Two up-and-coming groups recently made their comebacks, although the two of them have had quite different journeys so far. Berry Good debuted way back in 2014 which would mean that they're not exactly rookies anymore, but they've had so many member changes since then so they might as well still be considered rookies. Now they've come back with yeat another new member and are promoting as a six-piece with a new sound and style, one that for the first time has caught my attention. Astro and KNK on the other hand had my attention from the beginning with their respective debuts earlier this year, and I think this marks the third time they've promoted at the same time. Unlike Berry Good however, the boy groups are sticking to their respective sound and concept, which are as different from each other as they are appealing.
Five of the current Berry Good members have been a team since early 2015 and have made a couple of comebacks with songs like "My First Love", "Because Of You" and 2016-single "Angel". All of the songs have been quite on the cute, sweet and innocent side of things and while that isn't something that would stop me from liking a group none of the songs stuck with me. I didn't help that the videos were not very enjoyable to watch (because of a low budget for the most part) and thus I didn't have a chance to get into the group. With this comeback however they've opted for a change in style, with a more mature sound and concept and a song that sounds quite unlike their other title tracks. "Don't Believe" is a very modern-sounding song as it includes EDM-themes and vibes of the tropical house genre, and I would lie if I said I haven't been enjoying this song immensely since I first heard it.
The video isn't exactly high-budget this time around either but it's a lot better than their earlier MV's, however it doesn't make a ton of sense. It's composed mainly of dancing shots as well as sequences of the girls in various situations, with little to no relation to each other. What all of the scenes do have in common though is the fact that they're connected to trust and faith in one another, and in this case it's portrayed as the trust between the members. There's the balloon that's about the get cut off, the pouring of water as well as many other symbolic instances. One that stood out in particular was Sehyung's gift of a golden apple to Daye, most likely as a reference to the poisonous apple in "Snow White". It's not a perfect video but it's pretty too look at with a tropical color palette suited for the genre of the song. The choreography is also very impressive as it's certainly different from their past work, with this one being by far the most complex and hard-hitting. I don't think we need to touch on the styling as you all will know by seeing the MV, but the girls still do look insanely pretty.
Song: 4,25/5
MV: 3,2/5
"Confession" is Astro's third release this year and their second comeback after their debut with "Hide & Seek". With their past material it was clear to say that kind of sound, concept and image they were going for and it was one that both suited them well and made them stand out among other rookie boy groups this year. It seems to be more popular to go for a sexier, maturer style with EDM-inspired songs, and Astro has done quite the opposite of that. These six members are your cute, friendly and harmless boy-next-door and has a playful and upbeat musical sound to match. Both of their previous title tracks have been fun and catchy but not particularly astounding, with their debut track still being my favorite as it was a fresh and exciting at the time. The problem however is that once you've heard that particular genre of music before the next time you hear it it isn't as exciting, and that's kind of the problem here.
"Confession" is by no means a bad song, as it is fun, catchy and puts a smile on your face, but this is the third single by this group to have that kind of approach. I still like it, yes, but I would like to hear something a bit different next time. The same goes with the MV, as cute as it is, it's nothing that I think brings anything new to the table. The boys do look adorable and I love how age-appropriate it is but I can't help but to feel a bit underwhelmed. I know I sound like a hypocrite because I love GFriend and they've done essentially the same thing throughout their short career, but I just can't seem to fully engage in this comeback. As always I think that the choreography is great and they're all fantastic dancers, but there's kind of the same problem here as with the song. With their debut track I was amazed by the dance as it was something new and unique, but after two more releases with a similar type of choreo it's not as groundbreaking anymore. The quality is still high, but the wow-factor has gone down quite a bit. For their next comeback I hope they can change up their style only a tiny notch, and I would be very happy.
Song: 3,5/5
MV: 3/5
Where do I even start with KNK's comeback? The comeback that was messy before it had even happened and made both fans and non-fans alike simultaneously exclaim: "Why?". As you may or may not know depending on whether you follow this group, only a few days before the MV for comeback single "U" was scheduled to be released it was announced that it in fact would not be released. The MV release had been cancelled and the entire video had ben deleted, and the reason for that was because of the quality of it had been too low. They were basically saying that the video was too bad to release and thus decided to scrape it all, without any plans to re-shoot. I find this extremely odd as they've obviously spent money on this video and although the result may have been below expectations I doubt it was that horrible. If it was up to par with their previous MV's then I have no understanding why they couldn't release it.
Instead we're left with this performance video for the song, which is a shame but I guess it's better than nothing at all. The group has really carved out a sound for themselves and this song has many similarities with their previous single "Back", truly channeling that "2009 Beast" sound and I'm not too angry about it. Sure it sounds a little dated, but they're so talented in both dancing and singing that it's hard not to like them. I can't really judge the entire comeback of off this performance video alone but going by the song, choreography and styling it's quite a solid comeback. However, like with Astro it would be nice for them to try something different next time as well just to see if they can deliver outside of this comfort zone as well.
I realize now that this post is kind of late, again, but as you've noticed with my sudden lack of posting I've been incredibly busy now that school has started again. I'm currently attending my first year in university and my schedule has been packed from morning to evening basically every day since it started, so that's the reason for my absence. It will probably continue in that matter for a couple of more weeks, so please be understanding and anticipate my eventual comeback!
Anyhow, starting this post off is two of my favorite Got7 boys, Youngjae and Jinyoung, for Sure.
About during the same time earlier this year two boy groups debuted from different companies and with very different sounds and images; KNK and Astro. One is handsome, mature and stylish and the other one is cute, youthful and energetic. Since the two splashed onto the scene at approximately the same time they ended up doing a lot of interviews and shows together, resulting in fans of one group also becoming fans of the other. With me this was certainly the case as I first was more interested in KNK but later also grew to enjoy Astro. Now they've both come back at a similar time again and yet again with severely different approaches.
KNK made their first comeback on June 1st which I realize now is a pretty long time ago (I had to wait until Astro's comeback to make this post which was a few weeks later) and for anyone who's been a K-pop fan for more than three years or so this song will sound quite familiar to you. KNK are truly channeling that Late 00's/early 10's K-pop sound with "Back Again", which sounds like it could just as easily belong to a group like Beast during their early years. I can't quite pinpoint it but it is truly like a blast from the past and it's kind of strange to hear this type of sound these days, since K-pop sounds vastly different now compared to five years ago. I definitely don't think this is a bad song but sadly it's nostalgic sound makes it sound a bit dated and the chorus sadly isn't that memorable. Their debut track "Knock" was definitely more interesting.
The video is quite similar to the one of "Knock"; dim lightning, dark sets and a vibe of melancholia. I don't really need to read the translated lyrics to understand that this is a song about a lost lover, heartbreak and wanting them back, which the video slightly touches on. It is, however, mostly composed dancing sequences and close-ups of the members, none of which I can complain about because the dance is decent enough and they're all very good looking. It doesn't give the video much substance though, but I still think this video is an upgrade from "Knock". The budget is slightly higher, the production is of higher quality and the overall impression is a bit sharper. I can't say that I'm wholeheartedly digging this comeback but I don't dislike it either, instead it has almost just kind of passed me by. I do think KNK are onto a good track and has a solid image that fits them, but unfortunately this comeback is only average to me.
Song: 3/5
Video: 2,85/5
With Astro's maknae being four years younger than KNK's it's no surprise that Astro has been going for a boyish and playful image, and this comeback doesn't step away from the concept of their energetic debut earlier this year. "Breathless" is upbeat, summery and a lot of fun to listen and even sing along to, and compared to KNK's moodier release this one definitely feels more suitable for the season. Still I don't find this song as catchy as their debut either, but I do like it more than "Back Again". It feels very fresh and all the members play their parts well, both vocalists and rappers, and the chorus is insanely catchy.
The video is all the more interesting though, as it begins and ends with the members sleeping on the beach, but there's a lot that happens in between. The MV features I.O.I's Yoojung, who's from the same company, and she plays a young girl that has a lot of fun with soda bottles. In the boy's dream (passed out from the heat I assume) they become the soda bottles and are brought along to wherever Yoojung carries them. She lifts them up, swings them around and stocks them in a freezer box, all of which result in some pretty funny moments and expressions on the boys' part. I don't really "get" the video and I don't understand why they're dreaming this or what it means, but it ends up being a great watch because the concept is something I've never seen before. Luckily Astro has just the right amount of charm and talent to pull it off, and speaking of talent this comebacks carries a pretty spectacular dance performance once again (it can't be seen as much in the MV though).
It seems as if a lot more thought and planning was put into this MV as well, and the execution does reveal a slightly larger budget as well. Everything from the camera work and editing to the beautiful summer scenery and well-chosen locations show that this comeback is a bigger investment from Fantagio's side, and video-wise I certainly prefer this to their debut "Hide & Seek". I think these boys have a lot of potential of making it in the future, although requiring better promoting tactics on their company's part, but I'm definitely hopeful.
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 :)
