Category: 10 Favourites

5 Favourite Non-Title Tracks (Part 2)

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Welcome back to this week’s ‘Favourites’ post. We are back to non-title tracks because my list of non-title track songs are overflowing and need to be reduced. I am officially keeping the Favourites post as a list of five because it is more manageable to write in a short amount of time.

Please note that I am open to suggestions of what else I can do with this segment. So far, I have decided on non-title tracks, choreography and K-drama OSTs. But I know there are many other topics that I can write about. I have a few in mind but am happy to see what you all suggest! Also open to any positive or constructive feedback! But let’s get the show on the road!

Airplane – F(x)
Pink Tape (2nd Studio Album)

Airplane is one of the few songs that I did put a review out for, despite it not being a fully dedicated promotional track. That shows you that one mention of this song on this site isn’t enough. Airplane will need a lot more than two mentions and it might just get another in the near future. I love all the elements from the vocal work to the undeniably ear-catching instrumental.

Time’s Up – Miss A
Independent Women Part III (2nd Mini-Album) / Hush (2nd Studio Album)

If you want your electro music fix, you have come to the right place. Following Airplane, this hidden gem was featured on both Miss A’s  Hush album and Independent Women Part III mini album. It required many mentions because of its addictive nature. Once the beat dropped, the song was sold instantly to me. The instrumental, too, caught my ears back when it was released and has been on my playlist since then!

 

Secret – IU
Last Fantasy (2nd Studio Album)

If you have been reading these posts and my reviews for a very long time, you will know that I love anything with orchestral vibes. And that favouritism was probably awakened by this one song. I thought it was one amazing song that displayed IU’s vocals wonderfully with the orchestral background. And once you think the song had finished, she comes back with one extra line to finish you off once and for all.

Beautiful – Pentagon
Ceremony (3rd Mini Album)

Beautiful was the pre-release single to Pentagon’s latest comeback. And it is one ‘beautiful’ song to listen to. What drew my attention to this song was the amazing melody that the song’s instrumental and the members brought together. Each member, regardless if they were part of the vocal line or the rap line of the group, shined brightly in the song. The harmonies were definitely a highlight of the track and the rap segments fitted snugly into the track without being awkward or foreign.

For You – Sistar

If I got my way, this would have been the track that I would vote to be their farewell track. Lonely was already amazing, but I feel like For You meaning suited the girl’s departure and was more directed towards the fans. Even Bora, who is usually limited to the raps, was given an opportunity to sing alongside the others. I think the song overall was very touching and it was definitely a pity to hear that they would not perform this song as part of their farewell stages.

 

5 Favourite K-Drama OSTs (Part 1)

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Welcome back to the ‘Favourites’ segment of my site, where I share my personal picks regarding different aspects. As you may notice, I have decided to go with ‘Favourites’ as the segment name, because they are my favourites. I have also decided to cut down the list from 10 (as originally planned) to five because it would be easier and quicker to write.

This week, I have decided to focus on OSTs or Official Sound Tracks from K-Dramas. I don’t watch that many and the few that I do watch don’t get that much spotlight. But that doesn’t stop the songs from popping up on my playlists or me investigating the various songs that do get released. So in no particular order, these are 5 of my favourite K-Drama OSTs.

Back in Time – Lyn
The Moon Embraces The Sun

I start off the list with the very first OST that I fell in love with. While it was released back in 2011 for the drama, The Moon Embraces The Sun, it is an OST that I keep on going back to for its epic orchestral sound. While Lyn has a few other massive OST hits under her belt (some which I enjoyed), I still firmly believe that this track tops the rest of them. Her vocals draw you in and hold you there for the entire length of the song, not once letting you go.

Stay With Me – Chanyeol (EXO) & Punch
Goblin

Out of all the songs on this list, I think many of you will agree with this one. It’s a more recent OST release, from the K-Drama Goblin and was released in December of last year. The instrumental of the OST is extremely striking and the combination of both Punch’s and Chanyeol’s husky vocals make this one damn good song to listen to.

Talk Love – K.Will
Descendant of the Sun

It has been a while since we last saw K.Will on the stage. However, he has been active in the OST world, singing tracks for a few dramas. One of them belongs to the hit drama, Descendant of the Sun. It makes the list because it makes you smile. I find it quite catchy and K.Will’s vocals are undeniably amazing in this song.

All For You – Seo In Guk & Jung Eunji (APINK)
Reply 1997

This chart-topping OST from 2012 features both Seo In Guk and Eunji (APINK), who also played the lead roles in the same drama. What makes this a great OST is it was easy to get into. It was a simple song, with a simple sound. The English lyrics made it catchy and appeal to many people, including international fans. The vocals of the two were also sweet and dreamy, making them an amazing duet and on-screen partners.

Rise and Shine – Kyuhyun (Super Junior) & Tiffany (SNSD)
To The Beautiful You

The entire drama To The Beautiful You was produced by SM Entertainment and hence it makes sense that the entire OST album was performed by SM Entertainment artists. The standout song from the mix was Rise and Shine, which is an upbeat track, full of amazing vocals from both the main vocalists of Super Junior and SNSD. It reminds me of a musical and gives off a bright atmosphere.

 

10 Favourite Choreographies (Part 1)

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It’s been a number of weeks since the last ‘Favourites’ (segment name still pending). In the last two week’s I have been doing more specific posts that relate to myself and the site, such as a recap of the number 1 songs of the past year and my personal favourite songs from the first half of 2017. Today’s post focuses around the amazing and jaw-dropping choreographies that KPOP is known for. So, in no particular order, the first 10 favourite choreographies are:

Neverland – UKISS

I first learnt about UKISS via this particular song. But what I totally liked about their comeback was the accompanying choreography, which still looks really cool and tough. At the time, there was no performance that could compare to it. And til this day, it is a key KPOP choreography that I remember.

Very Nice – Seventeen

One of the best performances from last year. While the use of suspenders are heavily present in this particular list, it wasn’t the exact highlight of the choreography. But its complexity and the fact that everyone was in sync made it rise to the top of performances in 2016.

Everybody – SHINee

The helicopter part of this performance probably sums up the entire comment I am going to write. Intense, extremely difficult (I don’t think I saw any other idols cover the entire choreography before) but extremely cool to watch.

Hard Carry – GOT7

Hard Carry is quite intense, which matches the song quite perfectly. Usually, the chorus has the most memorable dance moves but the verses and the leadup to the chorus were also distinctive. I also really enjoyed the transition between Jinyoung and Youngjae during the bridge. It was a small detail, but it left a huge impression on me.

Voodoo Doll – VIXX

Voodoo Doll‘s original choreography was banned for being too violent. It consisted stabbing, which was understandable. The revamped performance, which was allowed for the stage, didn’t have the same level of aesthetic but was still amazing. What was cooler was the throwing of Ken at the start, which was a key move that landed it on this list.

The Grasshopper Song  – Sunny Hill

This particular choreography kept true to the song title’s name. The Grasshopper Song had many references to grasshoppers and I thought that was very smart at the time. It was a very simple choreography overall but on the stage, it was very polished. I actually learnt this dance, which is a true testament to its simplicity.

Expectation – Girl’s Day

Girl’s Day made suspenders look sexy. And it became an iconic choreography with many covers from fans and idols alike. It was their first ‘sexy concept’ which proved to be a huge success, given the huge amount of popularity they gained during and after the promotions ended.

Dumb Dumb – Red Velvet

I thought this turned out to be one really amazing looking performance. Red Velvet has continually amazing choreographies that fans love. Dumb Dumb is probably their best (with a recent contender not too far behind). It wasn’t a Dumb Dumb dance, as I enjoyed watching it quite a bit.

Like This – Wonder Girls

Another choreography that I decided to learn. The song itself already hypes you up to join in, so I thought why not. While it proved how unathletic I was, it is a totally fun dance that was reflected from both the song and music video.

Poison – Secret

Secret’s Poison was definitely lethal with its extra sexiness. It doesn’t have any flashy moments nor did it become iconic, but it was the first ‘sexy concept’ choreography that started my pursuit and love for the said concept. It also felt perfect for the song, which another reason why it grew to become my favourite.

[Special] Favourite Songs from 1st Half of 2017

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Can you already believe it? That we are already in July. Half the year has gone by and it felt like a blur. A lot has happened in the last 6 months that has just past. So, as a treat, I have decided to compile a list (my top 10) of the songs from the first half of 2017. There is no ranking or charting system that has allowed me to come up with this list (though, you might notice it may correspond with the Weekly Charts that I publish every Sunday). This is all just my personal preference and it is simply my opinion. So, in no particular order whatsoever, here are my top 10 songs from the 1st half of 2017.

Don’t Wanna Cry – Seventeen

Hwi Hwi – Laboum

Never Ever – GOT7

Beautiful – Monsta X

I’ll Be Yours – Girl’s Day

Don’t Recall – K.A.R.D

Beautiful – Pentagon

Hobglobin – CLC

Dance Dance – DAY6

I Wish – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)

 

 

10 Favourite Non-Title Tracks (Part 1)

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Welcome to the first ever ‘Special’ segment of my website. Though I have used the category ‘Special’ for other purposes in the past, I thought I could use to expand the content of what I write. So I thought I would make various lists of different aspects of the KPOP sphere, starting off with non-title tracks that should be more appreciated. I have other ideas lined up like “favourite OSTs’ and ‘favourite dances’ etc. If you have any ideas, feel free to comment below and I may just look into your idea. In no particular order, here are 10 (and this particular will be expanded in further editions) favourite non-title track songs by KPOP artists.

Crying – Sistar

Sistar leaves behind many great tracks, so of which barely get enough attention. What makes Crying a great track are the vocals. They were dynamic and gave the song a very unique feel. I thought the chorus was extremely catchy and interesting with how it starts off with a striking delivery of the word “Love”. The instrumental was pretty simple and their vocals/raps matched it perfectly.

One Step, Two Step – Oh My Girl

I personally thought this song has a very nice blend of instruments. It also felt like angels were singing to me.  The track ended up being very addictive, becoming a song that I would search for on YouTube for a while. I loved how the track started off very sweet and nice. But as you approach the chorus, we enter a more upbeat phase, making the build-up sound amazing. The violins in the bridge were also amazing, with it being another highlight of the track.

Albatross – B.A.P

Adding to the fun vibes of their 5th mini album, Carnival, Albatross is one track to jam to. It is a very down to earth feel and listening to the song makes you wonder how fun the recording process would have been if there was a stage or music video accompanying it. It was released in February but there is a very vibrant and Summer feel to the song, making it a track that I constantly listen to during Winter when I want to feel some warmth.

Shadow – F(x)

I think out of all the non-title tracks out there and the songs on this list, this is the song that everyone will agree on as the most underrated song ever. It literally catches your attention with its very creepy lyrics. But the lyrics are smothered with the sweetness of the instrumental and their vocals, making the creep factor exceed the highest possible limit. It is extremely addictive and I totally love it.

I Wanna Fall In Love – Song Ji Eun (Secret)

Song Ji Eun’s tracks have always been intriguing for their dark messages. Her more recent releases haven’t followed that path, which is quite disappointing. But there are a few that have caught my attention, such as I Wanna Fall In Love. It is much better than many of her recent title tracks and her strong vocals resonate throughout the entire track. It dominates the entire track, which I think is amazing and the song is quite catchy after a number of listens.

Get The X Out – Sunny Hill

Judging from the title, I would never have thought of the song being what it is. It is extremely unexpected, as the instrumental is reminds you of toys and dolls. Very innocence. But instead, it holds a very scary message telling their partner to just leave. I love how they cut the swearing out (or else it would be banned) but it makes everything feel more intense. And this is another reason to why I love Sunny Hill’s songs. They take uniqueness to a whole new level.

Before The Song Ends – JJ Project ft. Suzy (Miss A)

To hear that JJ Project will be getting a unit comeback stage before the end of the year makes me extremely happy. But before that, I must show you all this extreme party-vibe track. Sure, it may be overpowered by autotune but it one hell of a song to jam to. Suzy’s featuring in this song makes it so much better. But the real winners are JJ Project, who has such a dynamic track under their belt.

Maze – VIXX

I tried to include some old tracks and some more recent tracks on this list. Maze falls under the “more recent” category, with it being one intense track to listen to. That is mainly because every time I listen to the song, I feel a rush of adrenaline as if I am actually running through a maze myself. It is a super catchy track and dynamic at the same time.

Switch – NCT 127

Switch is the only song on this particular list that has its own music video. From memory (and what I read a few months back) that this song and music video was recorded before the debut of NCT. I was totally into (and still am) the instrumental of the song. It sounded different to other songs that I have listened to. It’s another track that gives off a nice Summer feel, which I am totally digging at the moment, as I freeze each morning.

One Minute Back – SHINee

This, by far, is up there as one of the best songs ever released. It is such a unique song on so many levels. Their vocals are on point throughout the track, especially during the entire chorus. The lyrics of the song depict a guy catching his partner cheating on him and wanting to turn back time. Overall, listening to just once will not be enough as it leaves a very long lasting impact that makes you want to go back and listen to more.