Mamamoo’s highly successful 2018 has been filled with mini albums that follow a “four seasons,” color-specific concept. March’s Starry Night was painted with yellow, while summer hit Egotistic burned with red. As we move closer to winter, new single Wind Flower takes on a blue hue, as well as a more pensive tone. When put … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I look back at my three favorite title tracks by k-pop artists. I take my own ratings into account, but there’s a bit of wiggle room as certain songs tend to grow or fade. July 2018 Overall Thoughts I’ve always seen the month of July as the pinnacle of each … Continue reading
After kicking off the year with the colorful music video for power ballad Paint Me, Mamamoo have embarked on a release schedule centered around colors and seasons. March gave us Yellow Flower and the folksy EDM of Starry Night, and now the girls have moved onto “red” summer with the Latin-pop of Egotistic (너나 해). … Continue reading
Though Mamamoo have always been a vocal-centered group, their secret weapon is rapper Moon Byul. With her ultra-cool, gender-bending performance style, she’s brought fans of all persuasions into the group’s fold — even if her voice is often relegated to a short verse or two within bigger pop songs. She seems like the perfect candidate … Continue reading
Last time Mamamoo released a CF song and music video, it was in the form of the gloriously breezy Woo Hoo, which remains one of the best tracks in their discography. Now, the girls are shilling for Maeil Bio yogurt with the much more derivative Everyday (매일 봐요). This comes right on the heels of … Continue reading
Thus far, Mamamoo have found success relying on roughly the same formula. Their title tracks fuse a kind of old-school, “let’s put on a show” energy with hooks that draw upon their formidable vocals. But as with any group, the time has come to try something new. Starry Night (별이 빛나는 밤) forgoes their big … Continue reading
Despite possessing some of the most powerful pipes in k-pop, Mamamoo have never really released a straight-up ballad as a title track. But with this being the season for more reserved material, it’s the perfect time for a song like Paint Me (칠해줘). Few groups can summon the necessary power to make such a stark … Continue reading
MBC’s Gayo Daejejun had the best theme of the three end-of-year specials, and as usual it had the most stacked line-up. But I can’t help but feel like it lacked the kind of watercooler moments that make these specials so thrilling. The idea of pairing idol groups with fans resulted in some really endearing performances. … Continue reading
More often than not the KBS Gayo feels like the most intimate of the three end-of-year festivals, held in a theater rather than a stadium. This has its pluses and minuses, but the idea to structure this year’s special more like a traditional concert was an interesting choice. It was one made out of necessity, … Continue reading
Last year, I marked the halfway point of 2016 by looking at some tracks that had either grown better or worse with time. This year, I’m a little late — but better late than never! As with 2016, the vast majority of my reviews still reflect my thoughts about a song, but sometimes it’s impossible … Continue reading
November’s Decalcomanie felt like a watershed moment for Mamamoo, giving them one of their biggest hits (and choruses) yet. It was always going to be a hard act to follow, but the group has an advantage this time around. After hits like Um Oh Ah Yeh and Mr. Ambiguous, Mamamoo have become somewhat synonymous with … Continue reading
San E is one of those Korean artists who straddles the line between being a musician and a personality. Long-term, this is a huge asset, as it will allow him to seamlessly transition to hosting and variety jobs when the music dries up. But similar to Eric Nam (also known for his engaging personality), San … Continue reading
Honey Bee is one of those songs that’s just oozing potential from the get-go. Taking f(x)‘s Luna, EXID’s Hani and Mamamoo‘s Solar and setting them loose on a big diva pop track is definitely an exciting prospect. But as we learned with last year’s Triple T collaboration, big names don’t always mean quality songs. While … Continue reading
I love the stage set-up MBC uses. I can’t remember if this is the same staging as last year, but it’s definitely the same as it was in 2014. It strikes a nice balance between intimate and expansive, and places the audience super close to both indoor stages, which results in a more “live” feel. … Continue reading
Now that we’ve taken a look at this year’s best debuts, it’s time to count down the ten artists who really defined 2016. This list’s criteria is about 75% musical quality/personal taste and 25% influence on the k-pop industry. Since rookies have their own list, they’re ineligible for this particular countdown. + Make sure to check … Continue reading
The end of the year countdowns are here! We’re starting things off with the big one… the top 50 songs of the year! Each day this week, I’ll be counting down ten of the year’s best, until number one is revealed on Friday. Unlike last year, j-pop releases will be placed in their own countdown, … Continue reading
At the end of each month, I’ll look back at my three favorite title tracks by k-pop artists. Unlike my end-of-year countdowns, jpop and Japanese releases by kpop artists are ineligible, though I will give the great ones a spotlight. For my top three tracks, I’ll take my own ratings into account, but there is a … Continue reading
As the weather gets chillier and December approaches, it’s the time of year to dust off the old K-pop Christmas playlist. Korean acts have been giving us special holiday songs for years, but I narrowed my ten picks to tracks released over the past five years. Some have official music videos, and some do not. … Continue reading
Though they’re relative newcomers to the k-pop world, Mamamoo have quickly established themselves as a girl group with a different sound than any of their peers. Their powerful vocals are perfectly suited to the old-school soul/r&b that has defined their work since debut. And though they’ve got much more ahead of them, they’ve released just … Continue reading
Girl group Mamamoo have slowly been inching their way into the major leagues of k-pop. Their sound is unique among their peers, opting for an old-fashioned mix of soul and r&b in a world of trendy production techniques and concepts. This approach can only succeed with true talent at the helm, and Mamamoo are a powerhouse … Continue reading
