It's time to count down my personal K-pop favorites from 2011! I only discovered Korean pop in the second half of this year, so my tastes aren't really varied yet. Plenty of the best songs I discovered this year were released in previous years, but I've kept myself from cheating and putting older songs on the list. Just barely.
The Breakdown: I've picked 6 songs by guy groups, 4 songs by girl groups, one song that's a Japanese remake by a K-pop band, and there's one band who gets mentioned twice on the list. None of the bands are rookies. I did like some of the groups who debuted this year, but I decided to pay attention to the more established acts for this end-of-the-year list.
#10--- "Goodbye Baby" by Miss A
These girls are always bringing the attitude. Jia in particular owns this song because she gets the lion's share of the verses and really nails the rap segment at the end. How fun would it be to sing this at karaoke/noraebang? "Goodbye Baby" is laden with assertiveness but it still has a really pretty melody, so you don't necessarily have to sing it in an angry way. Suzy's parts sound downright precious, though Min isn't taking any nonsense with her half of the chorus. Here's a radio performance from Miss A, and though they all seem a little tired, they're still very cool and I love Jia's coppery hair!
#9---"Replay" (Japanese Version) by SHINee
SHINee hasn't made any new Korean music this year, but I had to include them on this list. I even considered cheating and listing one of their songs from 2010, but instead I went with the Japanese re-release of their song "Replay". I really like the original song in Korean, but it does sound decent in Japanese, unlike many other re-releases. In the old Korean MV, their wardrobe was black, red, and denim and mostly looked like what teenage boys would wear, but in the new one they're sporting scary pastel pants and rainbow hightops. Then there's the fact that in the Japanese version, some of Jonghyun (the best singer)'s lines are given to Taemin (the best dancer). What's the purpose of this? So anyhow, I skipped the MV--here's the audio.
#8---- "A-CHA" by Super Junior
I really like Super Junior. By which I mean, I like about three songs off of every album they release (a high ratio for me, because I'm picky). "A-CHA" is a great angry song, because it's like the guys are trying to play it cool and still be kind of aloof as they tell someone she'll regret saying goodbye. Even the overdone electro-synths and the shouty chorus are super fun because this is an over the top song deserving of loud vocals and even louder instrumentation. As for the video, people have complained about its lack of cohesion, but I think most folks secretly love it. How can you not like a video with capes, gloves, card tricks and fire? And I still say that Eunhyuk's raccoon hat is one of the best things to exist, ever.
#7---- "Heart to Heart" by 4Minute
It scares me how much I like this song. It's such a girl anthem! Yes, it's supposed to be addressed to a boy, but it's just as easy to picture a bunch of female friends singing along to this one as they drive around town. When 4Minute does the big key change right after Hyuna's rap, it's impossible to avoid belting out the chorus in increasingly louder segments...Let's Have a Heart TO HEART TO HEART *resumes normal volume* Also, I love how Gayoon and Jiyoon have strong voices that shine out during the emotional parts. Here's a video of them performing the song for a radio show. I love this video because it shows the girls laughing and joking around, just being teenagers and having fun. And then there's Hyuna's shirt with its unusual slogan...
#6---"Ugly" by 2NE1
When first heard this song, I thought it was a sad ode to low self-esteem, but that's far from the truth. Now I think that the song is more of a send-up of the culture---any culture---that puts extreme pressure on women to look perfect. This song makes us remember that everyone feels inadequate at some point, and we don't have to give in to our feelings of inferiority. I love how the song shifts from a contemplative ballad style verse to a rock anthem chorus that's all in English, no less. The video is great because 2NE1 are dressed in the wildest, most audacious and messy outfits and they really don't seem to care. Rock on, ladies.
#5---"0330" by U-KISS
I have no idea how you pronounce the name of this song, I just know it's great. Every single part of it is singable, from the recurring verse-chorus to the different rap parts, and the melody sticks in your head. It's a ballad that doesn't slow you down, and a sad song that doesn't actually depress you--for a song about separation, it's surprisingly energizing. The MV shows one of the guys pretending his deceased girlfriend is still alive. SAD. But then everyone sings and all is right with the world again.
#4---"Be My Baby" by the Wonder Girls
When I got into K-pop, I didn't know who the Wonder Girls were, ironically because they had spent several years promoting and touring in the States. (Sad reality: K-pop acts seem to be more popular with American listeners when they stay in Korea.) The song has a happy, bouncy, retro feel to it and I love the smattering of English at the beginnings of the lines. I like Sohee's verses very much, and even Yubin's out-of-nowhere rap bridge has grown on me. Here's the music video, which definitely has some similarities with Beyonce's "Single Ladies" MV; they even had the same choreographer. What impresses me if how the girls manage to dance up and down those stairs in heels. And the floor itself is moving at one point?
#3---"Fiction" by BEAST
This song is gorgeous. I think I can forgive producer Shinsadong Tiger for his work on that "Bo Peep" song by T-ara now that he has made this gem. "Fiction" is such a stand-out song, it sounds good in almost any medium. The original is golden, the orchestral version is arguably better, and it sounds surprisingly good at live shows, which is a rare feat. Plus it has this lovely sad video with its downcast, shuffly hands-in-pockets step that has been dubbed "the penguin dance". Aw, don't be sad, BEAST. Everyone loves you.
#2---"Knockout" by GD & TOP
The GD/TOP duo is simply one of the best things ever to happen to K-pop. I love their band Big Bang, but these guys come up with some even more creative stuff when they're on their own. "Knockout" just doesn't sound like anything else on the radio waves, despite it being a really catchy rap song. GD & TOP's voices are very unique--you know it's them when you hear one of their songs, and they never ever blend in. I've heard a lot of younger rappers who sound like TOP, and a few precocious lads who are trying to imitate G-Dragon, but no one I've heard yet has flows to match them.
#1--- "Neverland" by U-KISS
This might just be my first real K-pop song. "Ring Ding Dong" by SHINee was the first K-pop song I ever heard, but though I really liked it, I wondered if it was a fluke. Surely Korean pop couldn't be that much fun all the time. But then the next song I heard was "Neverland", and I knew that this genre of music really was awesome. In the original MV of "Neverland", I like the arctic theme that U-KISS has going on (they're dancing in an arctic snowscape, then dancing in a basement, then in a...walk-in freezer?), but I went with the audio instead.
The end! So what were your personal favorite K-pop offerings from 2011? Who are you most looking forward to listening to in 2012? Which band should I check out next?
Leave me your blog address, or your Twitter name or a link to your fansite, and I'll link to you and give you a shout out when I review your suggested band!
Top Ten Best K-Pop Songs of 2011 Link Free Download
