Asian Junkie Asian pop. Without discretion.
Been a while since I’ve done one of these, but also there’s been a lot of releases and a lot of music that I kinda didn’t have anything to say about. Either forgettable or kinda just fine, choose whatever hurts less for your fave if you think it applies.
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killwiz – “YMGMFXXK“
One of those tracks that I’m not sure I would listen to much, but a hyperpop song about dissing her shitty father grabbed my attention. killwiz mentions him being an absent in her childhood, the domestic violence he inflicted, and utilizing makeup so that she doesn’t look like him in the mirror. Heavy stuff, but it’s also weirdly hopeful in that it tells him to look at her now and uses the chaotic nature of the genre to confront a negative part of her life but not wallow in it.
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Dok2 & Lee Hi – “You & Me”
I’m glad they’re dating or whatever, but I’m not gonna make it if she’s mostly relegated to doing vocals for him and/or any future output has featurings from him all over it.
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Irene (Red Velvet) – “Biggest Fan”
Sorta just continues to the trendy talk-over-a-beat thing, but lacks the elite-tier beat. It’s fine. Not sure what people expected from this unless they are serious when they say everybody is a main vocalist and musical geniuses.
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BTS – “2.0”
I dislike the circlejerk around them both ways, as everything seems to need to be so extreme. That said, this is an elite-tier music video that repurposes an iconic Old Boy scenes that’s wasted on a song that emulates the type of Korean hip-hop releases that get snide remarks from me in these roundups, fan of their rap line be damned. If you do enjoy this, you should seek out K-hip-hop releases from recent years, cause you’ll find a lot of stuff similar.
Side Note: On social media, I’ve seen people acting like “Hooligan“ is the worst thing ever, but it’s actually pretty close to being great. It relies too much on gimmicks that stunt its energy, but if they would’ve actually leaned into a chaotic hip-hop energy the lyrics seem to promise instead of still trying to make a pop song out of it with uncompelling repetitive hooks, I think it could’ve worked. I thought it was interesting at least.
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T.O.P – “Desperado”
Whoever thought that attempt at a vocal melody and/or chorus was a good idea should be shot. If this got that part right it’d be pretty great, though, and it’s good to see T.O.P back on the horse.
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AKMU – “Paradise Of Rumors” & “Joy, Sorrow, A Beautiful Heart”
The lyricism is supposed to be the saving grace here, and I get it, but intentions aside the music and music video just gives off new religion cult vibes. I dunno. Not for me even for the deeper intent of it.
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Dayoung (WJSN) – “What’s A Girl To Do”
This was actually comparatively forgettable even if generically nice, but I wanted an excuse to mention “BODY“ since it happened during my hiatus and that was really great and necessary for K-pop, not just as a song but as a revelation and a rebranding for Dayoung. I would not have guessed she’d be a viable soloist with a distinct image in the current K-pop landscape out of even her group, much less other groups, but she has garnered that and earned it.
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AMPERS&ONE – “GOD”
They posed the question, “What if we make a stereotypical shouty swaggering boy group comeback but incorporated traditional instrumentation?” And you know what? I could see myself gaslighting my brain into enjoying this, but the fact that I’d have to try given my love for that type of thing might be telling. Still, the tempo shifts were compelling, though I do wish it didn’t seem like half a song that just ends.
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PLAVE – “Born Savage”
I’ve been less enamored with PLAVE‘s latest releases than their early output, but the thing I continue to like about them is whatever their musical direction, it tends to have quality execution that helps power their concepts to at least solid-average. Not having true clunkers people have to really reach to enjoy is a good thing for fandoms.
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I did find some good stuff in the recent weeks as I’ve caught up on releases, so that’s nice.
