Since the start of The Bias List in January 2016, I’ve always looked back at my three favorite title tracks by K-pop artists each month. Now, it’s time to look even further into the past, one month at a time. And, yes, the top three rankings count toward The Bias List’s personal artist scorecard!
May 2010 Overall Thoughts
May of 2010 was filled with more idol group releases than the months preceding it, as the industry was soon to enter its typically busy summer season. A few major debuts lurked just around the corner, but before that May saw comebacks from already-established favorites.
My favorite song this month comes from a boy group, but May as a whole was all about the girls. 4minute made a convincing return with the hard-hitting Huh, f(x) delivered their first mini album, Wonder Girls continued their retro streak and the ongoing Kara x Sweetune collaboration bore yet more fruit. Two of these four songs made it into my top three, but it was a fierce battle. They’re all great.
Boy group SS501 also returned with their final Korean hit. It’s not one of my personal favorite singles from them, but this is a group that is often ignored or forgotten by newer generations of fans. I’d recommend diving into their music. There are a lot of gems.
Taking repackages out of the equation, SM’s Super Junior made their first album comeback since the incredible success of 2009’s Sorry Sorry. Bonamana is sort of a “Sorry Sorry part two,” but I’d argue it’s even groovier.
Honorable Mentions
MBLAQ – Y (video)
Monday Kiz – Don’t Go (video)
NS Yoon-G – Don’t Go Back (video)
SS501 – Love Ya (video)
Wonder Girls – 2 Different Tears (video)
4minute – Huh (Hit Your Heart) (video)
TOP THREE SONGS
3. f(x) – Nu ABO (review)
2. Kara – We’re With You
1. Super Junior – Bonamana
The Bias List // K-Pop Reviews & Discussion 
My top 3 is quite different!
1. SS501 – Love Ya
2. F(x) – Nu Abo
The top two are actually interchangeable.
3. Super Junior – Bonamana
But by play count, Bonamana tops, it was the second K-Pop song I ever heard!
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Wow, what a great month for K-pop. My ranking would have been very different and likely have played out like:
1. SS501 – Love Ya
2. 4Minute – HUH
3. f(x) – Nu Abo
Honourable mention: Suju – Bonamana (sounds too much like a Bollywood song to me but still a jam)
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Lol, to me Bonamana does not sound anything like a Bollywood song! Too much autotune, and the instrumental, as well as the hooks, are quite different.
Similar melody maybe, but I doubt it.
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Believe it or not, some of these I haven’t heard before,
#2 NuAbo
#1 Bonamana is the original “why is oppa staring at his hand?”
The usual comparison is with Rokkugo > Mr Simple > Sorry Sorry
A classic old school no frills SM video. The dance is actually quite a workout if you dance along. Somehow for a while they would actually dance and sing live, Live live, not fako live. Kyuhyun’s break line is trickier to sing than you think (3:15). They passed that part around to dismal effect (sungmin was wayyy off), until finally the only one who could do it besides Kyu is Yesung.
‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR1Z6UWiKW8
So that was the version they got bored and old knees and rearranged the song for some super show where they jettisoned most of the dance and became this quasi thrash metal hype style wander the stage song. SuJu like to wander the stage. Actually they have rearranged it twice. Purists and originalists need not apply.
‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmflZUWDRrs
‘https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4d-dHsENVAs
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Ryeowook did a good version of that break too, not surprisingly – I hadn’t heard him in the rotation until today.
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Yes, this is how we do it
Our love f(x)! The bridge is phenomenal, overall. Nu ABO is the origin of “new evo” (cue to Next Level).
We’re with You uplifts my mood everytime I hear it. Lovely.
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