Top 10 Best f(x) Songs (As Of Now)

I've wanted to make this post for so long, but haven't gotten around to actually doing it until now. First of all I was unsure about f(x)'s future after Sulli left in 2014 and whether they'd make more music or not, and secondly I just had a really hard time deciding which songs I liked the most. Of course "4 Walls" did come out last year, which made me realize it was worth waiting putting together a list because that album hosts some of their best tracks to date; not that it makes my job any easier, but still. So finally after many deliberations back and forth I've decided on my 10 favorite f(x) songs as of right now.

8 Favorite Female Voices In K-pop

Putting together this list was actually a lot harder than the male one I did months ago, and although I'm not entirely sure why (as there are plenty of female idols with amazing voices) I do have an idea. Since I, a heterosexual female, am the one putting together these lists the boys already have an advantage because they are, well, boys. Naturally I'm more attracted to male voices in general, and while there are some female voices I knew right from the bat I wanted to include here some I had to dig deeper to find. Nonetheless I did manage to put together this compliation of female vocalists, in no particular order, and like with the male version it's in no way representative of whom I find the most skillfull (although those two overlap too of course). Additionally this list only includes idols from K-pop groups, so that means that other extremely talented vocalists might be left out because they're singers rather than idols.

8 Favorite Male Voices

Part of what makes K-pop so amazing are all the talented people that make up the whole phenomenon. There are idols with flawless dancing abilities, mad rap skills and of course the one with chill-inducing voices. Below I have listed some of my favorite voices in K-pop in no particular order, and note that this isn't based on technical skill or vocal control but rather whose vocal tone I find the nicest to listen to.

5 MORE Female Idols That Rock Short Hair

Remember my "6 Female Idols That Rock Short Hair" post a while ago?
After some consideration I decided I needed to add some additional idols to turn it into a complete and fulfilled post, since the previous one was lacking a bit in quantity. The male version that I posted recently is packed with hotness and I thought the ladies deserved some updated sexiness too.

AOA's Choa


Although I really like her in longer hair her blonde bob has become her signature look, and for good reasons. Few people can be so captivating and look this amazing with this do.

Miss A's Min


Min has almost always had a shorter hairstyle, and it works magnificently well for her. The few times her hair has been long it looked awkward, but a guess a fierce girl needs a fierce hairstyle.

f(x)'s Luna


I still cannot believe how fantastic this blue-gray bob looked on Luna, and how happy I was that SM finally gave her a haircut that made her stand out like the star she is.

IU


Now I know that IU is a fairy princess that looks pretty every single moment of the day, but when she cut her hair I was in awe of how effortlessly she could transition from long to short.

Nicole Jung


Nicole of ex-Kara fame has worn many variations of hair length of the years, but I think she has had shorter hair for the most part and if you look at the pictures above, can you blame her?

10 Male Idols That Rock Long Hair

Lately I've been really into long hair on guys. There's just something about they way that some guys pull it off that make them about a 1000 times more attractive than every other good-looking dude with a short haircut, and if I were to decide more men would have longer hair because I think a lot of them would suit it.

K-pop of course, is no exception to the male hair norm, but there are some idols that have rocked longer locks and looked smashing in them. Look below for my 10 favorite dudes with longer hair.


Vixx's Hongbin


Granted, Hongbin looks amazing in every possible haircut but there's just something about his long do that sets my heart on fire. How I wish it would come back soon.

2PM's Taecyeon


What wouldn't I give to see Taecyeon in a ponytail again? Seriously, there's nothing more attractive than a traditionally masculine looking man pulling off long hairstyles.

CNBlue's Jungshin


Although member Jonghyun's lucious locks are a big competitor, Jungshin's long hair will forever be remembered as one of the greatest hairstyles ever. I really miss it.

SHINee's Minho


The first show I ever watched with SHINee was "Hello Baby" and it was because of that show, or more particularly this hair in that show, that I fell in love with Minho. Bring it back please.

EXO's Chanyeol


Chanyeol with long hair is love. Chanyeol with long hair is life. I believe that if he grows out his glorious mane once again I might actually begin to like EXO for real.

Infinite's Sungyeol


By the time I got into Infinite (2012-ish), Sungyeol rocked this length and thus he became my first bias. I guarantee that the same would happen again if it returned. Are you listening Woollim?

B1A4's CNU


It's a shame that CNU has been moving away from his long-hair-and-glasses-look that's become somewhat of his trademark. He looks so darn attractive with this type of hairstyle.

JYJ's Yoochun


Oh the glory that was Yoochun's gracious long hair, it will forever be remembered in our hearts. With his enlistment coming up soon there's little chance of it reappearing, and that totally sucks.


2PM's Chansung


It's easy to forget that 2PM's youngest member had long hair by the time of their debut, but it should never be forgotten. I normally don't find him too attractive, but behold the magic of the mane.

SHINee's Taemin


Tragic "Sherlock" extensions aside, there's no denying that Taemin most certainly suits long hair. Sure, it may further enhance his feminine features but I happen to love those features.

Red Velvet Adds Another Member For Upcoming Comeback and I'm NOT Here For That

Why SM, WHY???

The four ladies of Red Velvet were totally on my radar after their debut last year, and although promoted kind of lazily on SM's part they totally caught my attention by being talented, energetic and absolutely stunning. I was sure that if only their company could get their act together and give them some proper attention they would skyrocket to fame in an instant, because the potential was endless. 

2014 End-year Review - Best Styling

When K-pop idols look good, they look good. Here are some of the acts in 2014 that I thought had the best overall styling. Enjoy!

2014 Year-End Review - Top 5 Albums

Back in August I named my 5 favorite albums (both full and mini) that came out during the first half of the year, and now I'm naming my 5 favorites to have come out during the second one. I've said this before, but next year I'll probably skip the mid-year reviews and only do one big at the end of the year. I mean, it's a lot more truthful that way. In this particular category I think I'll also do two separate ones; one for mini-albums and one for full-length.

Anyhow, done is done for this year so here are the albums I enjoyed between July and December 2014.

2014 End-year Review - Worst Styling

What's truly wonderful about K-pop, and the music industry in general, is the styling that can be both hit or miss. What I found most surprising about K-pop at first was how different the idol groups were styled compared to many western acts, that usually stay within the trends. Going outside of the fashion norm was a standard rather than an exception, and that still stands today, more or less. Sometimes though, it doesn't look quite right.

2014 End-year Review - Top 5 Debuts

To be honest, I haven't been very good on keeping track of new groups this year. Honestly, I haven't been very good on keeping track of a lot of established groups either, and one of my new year's resolutions is in fact to pay a bit more attention and write a bit more on this blog too. However, there has been some debuts that did catch my eye, so I thought I might mention them here and explain to you why they captured my interest.

2014 End-year Review - Top 5 Choreographies

I love me a good dance routine, and I know I'm certainly not the only K-pop fan who does. This industry may produce lots of generic music, but on the dancing front they're way ahead of any western music industry. Below I've gathered five choreos by different groups that I liked the very best during 2014. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

2014 End-year Review - Top 5 Videos

Part of what makes K-pop so great are the videos that accompany the many title tracks. I think a music video of any kind is a great complement to a song, but in South Korea the videos certainly have their own style. Not to say the industry hasn't been getting more and more westernized lately, but there's still something about them that stands out. Below you will find the videos that stood out to me in the second half of the year, for multiple reasons.

2014 End-year Review - Top 5 Songs

2014 is finally coming to an end, and I'm welcoming the next year with open arms and high expectations. This year has been tough, to say the least. Uncountable scandals and accidents have shadowed the entertainment industry, and personally I haven't had the greatest time either. I'm hoping next year will be both happier, more peaceful and full of awesome music.

Since I already did my 5 favorite songs of the first half of the year, I'm now going to present to you the ones that stood out to me during the second one. Together they will make up some of my absolute favorite jams of the year that was 2014.

What the MAMA's Should Have Gone Like

We need to talk about this. Now. 

There's nothing else in the world that aggregates me as much as the MAMA awards, and that's exactly why I'm dedicating a post to it. Every single year this award show takes place, and every single year I'm left with anger and disappointment. This event has to be the most rigged, unfair mess of an award show there is, and nothing makes me angrier than seeing groups being awarded when they're not deserving of it in any way. The MAMA's seem to have a clear "no attendance, no award"-policy, at least for the most part, and while it's not always true it's still quite evident. 

Top 10 Shoujo Jidai Songs (+Thoughts on the New OT8)

When Jessica got kicked out of Girls' Generation it dawned me that the glory days of this group were officially over. I think we all saw it coming, but probably not this soon in time. To be honest, with Jessica leaving it does feel like the magic is lost with this group and like they've just as easilky could have disbanded instead. SNSD just doesn't work with 8 members, and Jessica had such an important part in the group too that her presence simply cannot be covered by someone else. It pains me to admit that I probably won't be following this group as actively anymore, as I still can't process that they're no longer the holy, unbreakable, indestructible OT9. To me, the original line-up is the only one that really works and that I can fully support. It's either nine or nothing, as sad as it might be.

However, I will continue listening to all the music they've put out through the years as nine members, and that's the Girls' Generation I will cherish in my heart. It's no secret I've always preferred their Japanese stuff, and that's why I've made this list composed of Japanese songs only. These songs are really what this group is all about to me, and it sucks that we won't be able to hear them as they should sound anymore. I suppose you could see this as a tribute to the SNSD that once was, the girl group that shone so brightly even the stars faded in the background  ♥

6 Female Idols That Rock Short Hair

As most females have long hair for some unknown reason, those who choose to cut their hair off seem to stand out more from the bunch. There's actually a lot of women that suit short hair, some of them even more than they would do longer locks. These female K-pop idols are the ones I think rock short dos the absolute best.

What the f(x) is going on in the SM building right now?

When f(x)'s maknae and beloved visual Sulli suddenly stopped performing last week, most people knew something was up. SM later released a statement about how she had fallen sick and was therefore taking some time off to get better. Many fans, including myself, felt worries because it's not SM's style to let group members temporarily leave in the middle of promotions. There have been many cases with SM idols performing despite broken legs and whatnot (the throne, anyone?), so suspicion arose when a claimed cold put Sulli's activities on hold. Then f(x)'s entire schedule was cleared and another statement was released, giving the reason for her absence and also declaring an indefinite hiatus from the entertainment industry. Sulli has been the sufferer of hateful comments and rumors ever since god knows when, but it only worsened when she got caught up in a dating scandal with rapper Choiza and now it appears it has affected her so deeply her mental health has taken a toll. I truly understand why she would want to take a break, and I sincerely hope she gets to spend time with her family and friends and people who love her, but this doesn't explain why SM decided to let the entire group suffer by ending promotions completely. I mean, when Amber was nowhere to be seen a couple of years back the group carried on just fine, and they have been doing so without Sulli this time around too. To conclude promotions this early for no good reason only adds to people's suspicions about something even more serious.

Sulli's leave is a reasonable decision on her part, and you could see it coming from quite a far, but her absence for any kind of entertainment also suggests it's not just f(x) she has problems with. Her new movie "The Pirates" is scheduled to come out soon and have already been been pre-sold to 15 countries, so her skipping out on that my affect her acting career as well. However, I don't doubt she has thought this decision over many times, and after all her health is the most important thing. In the future though, people need to lay off the malicious comments because they affect you more than you would think. And no, her being a celebrity should not mean having to live and accept those, because no one deserveds that kind of groundless hate. Whether Sulli comes back or not and when that might be is undecided, but if she does I hope everyone will welcome her back with open arms.



In other news, SHINee's Taemin is going solo, being the first member of his group doing so. Although I love the guy and I know he's mad talented in both dancing and singing, I actually don't think he's solo material. The thing about Taemin is that he works really well in the group, as there are other members that can compensate for what he lacks and vice versa, bu't him alone? His faults will become even more obvious. I've watched a few of his stages on Immortal Song 2, and no one can deny that he's skilled, but he lacks enough charisma and stage presence to own the stage he's standing on. His naturally shy and reserved personality will also become a problem when promoting alone, and I wonder how he'll manage going on variety shows on his own.

Frankly, I'm a bit upset that Taemin is the first member to go solo, as I would have loved to see either Jonghyun or Onew instead as they definitely have the skills but also better stage personas and variety personalities. I get that SHINee's youngest member is one of SM's golden children and that he has improved greatly over the years, but I don't think he's for this kind of thing. I don't doubt he will put on a impressive performance and that we'll see some great choreography, but that's because he's a good dancer, not because he's a good solo artist.

In the middle of this messy f(x) situation and the news of another solo debut, SM has announced a new four-member girl group scheduled to debut next month. Of course, this has stirred up more controversy and al kinds of theories on how SM is cancelling "Red Light" promotions early not only because of Sulli but because of this new group. It might seem a bit far-fetched, but it's not impossible. I don't really care for this new girl group at all so far, but they're all pretty and seem to have talent as well so I'm sure they'll do fine (it helps having the backing of an enormous company too, just ask EXO).

What are your opinions on what's going on right now? Are you excited about Taemin, the new girl group, EXO's new variety show or TTS' comeback? What do you think will happen with f(x)?

Fiestar's "One More" (And A Rant)

I have literally no idea what kind of group Fiestar is, apart from that I listened to their debut song and thought it was alright and saw member Jei on dating show "Romantic and Idol". Aside from those two things, I'm clueless. I only know that one member and I have not yet grasped what kind of music they put out and what kind of concepts they normally do. Apparently their new single "One More" takes on a sexier approach than they have had before, but what really lured me in was the song itself. 

It's a Sad Day To Be a Nine Muses Fan

Oh, Ryu Sera. I truly wish the best for you because you're amazingly talented and beautiful both inside and out, but I wish most of all for you to stay with Nine Muses. As the news of her departure break, fans grieve over the loss of this group's most valuable member. I do understand why she has chosen not to renew her contract, but it's also really upsetting to hear. Her group have been active for 5 years now and have yet so much to accomplish, and they have worked so hard to achieve so little. Sera marks the 6th member to leave the group since their debut back in 2009, and the agency has confirmed that a new member will be added in time for their scheduled August comeback. I know she will continue pursuing music because that's clearly what she loves doing, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried about the future for the group. Having this many members come and go so frequently and continuously is not very helpful in helping building a team's image. Additionally, Sera was an essential member for many reasons, and was both the voice, face and vital core of the group. I'm sure she'll be fine, but I know the group will feel different without her. 

Sera was never my favorite member, but as a Nine Muses fan I sure had a lot of respect and appreciation for her and her contributes to the team. I hope she's happy with her decision and can continue on doing what she loves. Now let's all look ahead and anticipate Nine Muses' summer comeback, with or without Ryu Sera. 

The Best Concepts of Your (My) Favorite Groups

To help ease the Kpop-fan experience, it would sometimes seem appropriate to divide comebacks and releases into eras. This does not only occur within the Kpop universe, but really in any kind of musical context. Other bands that I listen to and follow have also had their specific era that usually involve a period of time in which some kind of promotion was taken place. It makes things easier you know, when you have something to refer back to if you would wish to do so. With each era and each promotion, there's usually a planned out concept that follows. Concepts can both lift or sink a comeback, depending on how well they are executed and how they fit the song. Down below you can read about some of my absolute favorite concepts from some of my favorite groups, enjoy!