Good day, y'all!
Today, I wanna share a couple of Korean boy groups I personally feel are underrated. ت
I don't mean they should be sweeping online charts and winning number #1 on music programmes. I mean they deserve more recognition for their constant effort.
Disclaimer: My focus will be on the group as a whole and not why the group should be more popular because of certain members.
I'm also the kind of person who'll explore other songs if the comeback song sounds good so you'll find the other songs I list are comeback songs. Should you want to find out more, I'm sure YouTube will serve as a good platform. ت
#1. ZE:A
The group debuted on 2010 with their single Mazeltov and while the song never made it onto my list (Friday, Saturday, Sunday~ anyone?), they've made quite a huge progress since then. The song that really caught my attention and put ZE:A within my radar is Here I Am.
I remember this song was released almost the same time as Infinite's Nothing's Over. And they both have a similar vibe. The light-hearted song is nothing short of soothing vocals and a fun choreography. It was a different side of ZE:A and I really appreciated this cute and dorky side.
Fast-forward to their recent comeback with Breathe.
I've read comments on how the beginning of the MV is similar to Beast's Breath (Na Eun x Gikwang, anyone?) but that's not the point. I really enjoy this song and it's one of their best comebacks (Ghost of the Wind was pretty awesome too) thus far. I thought for sure they'd score well on the charts with this song but they were up against big(ger) names like Taeyang.
I especially love the rap in this song. It gives the song the balance it needs and the chorus is really addictive. Oh and how can I miss out the bridge where all 3 main vocals come together to do the ad-lib? This song is like the perfect mix of vocals, rap and dance in one package!
Other notable comebacks by ZE:A include Aftermath, Ghost of the Wind, Phoenix and Heart for 2. You will find all these songs on their official channel (they do deserve more views).
#2 C-Clown
I'm pretty new to this group and I don't have any of their songs on my iPod (because my Macbaby died) but I first got to know them when I chanced upon Rome's Instag. Such a hottie he is but that's besides the point.
He sometimes shares videos, giving us an insight into C-Clown's lives off-camera. I think that's when I fell for them because they're so carefree and dorky and always so happy! I've been an avid reader of allkpop, that's where I get most of my Kpop-related news from and I usually skip the articles regarding new groups because there's just too many. After Rome released his self-directed/edited mini series (Crown the Clown), I knew this group deserved more.
The 6 members debuted in 2012 with SOLO.
Nothing impressive (yet) but it was a pretty decent debut song. Not digging any of their hairstyles here and apart from showcasing TK's rap, the song doesn't do anything to explore the hidden potential of these members.
Present day 2014, TK is still seen with blonde hair but their latest comeback Justice is an addictive song with a strong beat.
So glad they began the song with Rome's rap because his Aussie accent really makes him sound a lot sexier. With the repetitive lyrics (Chi-ki, chi-ki, chi-ki, ha!) coupled with a solid choreography, this song is by far my favourite C-Clown song. I feel like they unleashed their singing abilities here and it's so nice to see them have fun at the same time.
I remember Rome's comment about this song and I've a similar understanding: Joseon's FBI. ت
Other comeback songs by C-Clown include Shaking Heart and Far Away... Young love
#3 U-KISS
My, oh, my. I always forget U-KISS debuted the same year SHINee and 2PM did (2008) probably because the latter 2 never fail to fare well with each comeback. (I suppose the agency plays a huge part in promoting their idols.) I've never been much of a fan of U-KISS but they definitely deserve more recognition.
The U-KISS you see today has gone through several member changes but the group began with 6 members (Soohyun, Kevin and Eli are part of the original cast) and a mini-album titled New Generation. Their debut song Not Young wasn't too bad in my opinion but we only hear a lot of Kevin.
Make do with this because there is no official version on YouTube. Also, the comments on this video should really give these kids a break. They were mostly 15-16 in this video and you've to consider music back in 2008.
To me, the year 2009 was probably their breakthrough with Am I Easy? but it wasn't good enough to skyrocket them to fame. Nonetheless, the song introduced a new sound to the Kpop industry and it was a song that earned U-KISS more recognition. A lot of auto-tune but I'm not complaining. This was also the year member Kiseop joined the group.
The boys went for the bad boy image and it worked. We see 15-year-old Dongho (who was the youngest) pull of the matured look and fans loved it. The fanchants were crazy during their live performances but it was impressive.
Coming back to 2014, U-KISS recently made their comeback with Quit Playin'. The MV is read 19+ and you will understand why if you've seen it.
Other notable comeback songs include Round and Round, 0330, Neverland, Stop Girl and Standing Still,
#4 BOYRFRIEND
Not the best name for a group but BOYFRIEND debuted in 2011 with their same-name title song Boyfriend.
Admittedly a rather sweet song that had me listening to it for days. It grew on me fast but it didn't last long either. Of course, this is a not-too-bad song for a debut but it didn't have the oomph it needed to leave an impression on me. Sad to say, songs like this mostly sound alike. (The same goes for ZE:A's Here I Am and Infinite's Nothing's Over.) Naturally, I stopped listening to this song in less than a week.
Their follow-up song, You & I, was much, much better.
I've to point out while the song is good, the choreography is a major no-no for me. And like how Brave Brothers' songs sound the same (in a good way), this song scored better on my list. It is a song I occasionally go back to me on Friday nights. Their follow-up song is definitely an upgrade from their debut image.
With their latest comeback, Obsession, I feel like I'm looking at 6 grown-ups now. ت
We've got eye-liners, tattoos, full-black outfits, an awesome song and an equally awesome choreography. Absolutely digging this concept compared to their cutesy one. We also see a lot more decent vocals and rap, which was somewhat lacking in their debut days. These boys have been practicing hard.
With their comeback, their improvement is obvious and it's just amazing how they've transformed. I'm sure we've seen this concept somewhere (BEAST's Good Luck, anyone?) but I really love the way they seem so manly now.
Other comeback songs include Don't Touch My Girl, I'll Be There, Janus and I Yah. Also check out Not One, But Two. (One of my favourite BOYFRIEND songs.)
#5 BTOB
I wouldn't say BTOB is underrated but I feel they haven't been rewarded for the effort they've forked out and it's a bit disappointing they haven't won #1 on any music programme (unless I'm mistaken?).
Anyway, BTOB has grown on me since their debut. Their debut song Insane was out-of-the-world. It was absolutely amazing and breath-taking for a debut stage and I just gotta hand it to them for coming out with a bang.
The song showcases the members' strong vocals and rap skills. I've watched most of their live performances and am always pleasantly surprised by their stable vocals. I am slightly disappointed by the choreography but it's a give-and-take. I can't have the best of both worlds in most cases (well, actually I can with Infinite). Nonetheless, Insane was more than just a good song.
Subsequently, the group made their comeback with Irresistible Lips and I fell in love again. In between, the group performed songs such as Imagine and Father (such an emotional song this is) but Irresistible Lips was perfect for their follow-up promotions.
Somewhat similar to Insane, I quite liked this era of BTOB - a bit dark and a bit heart-broken. I've noticed this but BTOB don't usually show fancy dances. Instead, they gift us with heavenly live performances and perfect vocals. ت
Not long after, BTOB released their new single Wow. This is the exact opposite of their debut days as they let loose and simply have fun. I really love how each member is complements each other. May I also add how I love Ilhoon's rap? How can anyone look so adorable yet have such a sexy voice at the same time!?
Am going to skip the whole Thriller era because I've seen VIXX do it and I honestly feel BTOB don't quite match up with that concept. It was a decent attempt nonetheless, just didn't grow on me.
It was not until Beep Beep that I was sure BTOB is definitely rising to be one of the best.
I enjoy watching the boys enjoy themselves. You know how seeing happy people makes you happy too? I think these boys are really the representatives of happy idols. We get to see Minhyuk go back to rapping in Beep Beep and it's nice. Peniel also gets more parts. Eunkwang, Hyungsik, Sungjae, Changsub and their awesome vocals plus ending off with Ilhoon's rap - this has got to be one of the best BTOB songs ever.
I really wish they would win #1 soon. ☹
Today, I wanna share a couple of Korean boy groups I personally feel are underrated. ت
I don't mean they should be sweeping online charts and winning number #1 on music programmes. I mean they deserve more recognition for their constant effort.
Disclaimer: My focus will be on the group as a whole and not why the group should be more popular because of certain members.
I'm also the kind of person who'll explore other songs if the comeback song sounds good so you'll find the other songs I list are comeback songs. Should you want to find out more, I'm sure YouTube will serve as a good platform. ت
----------
#1. ZE:A
The group debuted on 2010 with their single Mazeltov and while the song never made it onto my list (Friday, Saturday, Sunday~ anyone?), they've made quite a huge progress since then. The song that really caught my attention and put ZE:A within my radar is Here I Am.
I remember this song was released almost the same time as Infinite's Nothing's Over. And they both have a similar vibe. The light-hearted song is nothing short of soothing vocals and a fun choreography. It was a different side of ZE:A and I really appreciated this cute and dorky side.
Fast-forward to their recent comeback with Breathe.
I've read comments on how the beginning of the MV is similar to Beast's Breath (Na Eun x Gikwang, anyone?) but that's not the point. I really enjoy this song and it's one of their best comebacks (Ghost of the Wind was pretty awesome too) thus far. I thought for sure they'd score well on the charts with this song but they were up against big(ger) names like Taeyang.
I especially love the rap in this song. It gives the song the balance it needs and the chorus is really addictive. Oh and how can I miss out the bridge where all 3 main vocals come together to do the ad-lib? This song is like the perfect mix of vocals, rap and dance in one package!
Other notable comebacks by ZE:A include Aftermath, Ghost of the Wind, Phoenix and Heart for 2. You will find all these songs on their official channel (they do deserve more views).
#2 C-Clown
I'm pretty new to this group and I don't have any of their songs on my iPod (because my Macbaby died) but I first got to know them when I chanced upon Rome's Instag. Such a hottie he is but that's besides the point.
He sometimes shares videos, giving us an insight into C-Clown's lives off-camera. I think that's when I fell for them because they're so carefree and dorky and always so happy! I've been an avid reader of allkpop, that's where I get most of my Kpop-related news from and I usually skip the articles regarding new groups because there's just too many. After Rome released his self-directed/edited mini series (Crown the Clown), I knew this group deserved more.
The 6 members debuted in 2012 with SOLO.
Nothing impressive (yet) but it was a pretty decent debut song. Not digging any of their hairstyles here and apart from showcasing TK's rap, the song doesn't do anything to explore the hidden potential of these members.
Present day 2014, TK is still seen with blonde hair but their latest comeback Justice is an addictive song with a strong beat.
So glad they began the song with Rome's rap because his Aussie accent really makes him sound a lot sexier. With the repetitive lyrics (Chi-ki, chi-ki, chi-ki, ha!) coupled with a solid choreography, this song is by far my favourite C-Clown song. I feel like they unleashed their singing abilities here and it's so nice to see them have fun at the same time.
I remember Rome's comment about this song and I've a similar understanding: Joseon's FBI. ت
Other comeback songs by C-Clown include Shaking Heart and Far Away... Young love
#3 U-KISS
My, oh, my. I always forget U-KISS debuted the same year SHINee and 2PM did (2008) probably because the latter 2 never fail to fare well with each comeback. (I suppose the agency plays a huge part in promoting their idols.) I've never been much of a fan of U-KISS but they definitely deserve more recognition.
The U-KISS you see today has gone through several member changes but the group began with 6 members (Soohyun, Kevin and Eli are part of the original cast) and a mini-album titled New Generation. Their debut song Not Young wasn't too bad in my opinion but we only hear a lot of Kevin.
Make do with this because there is no official version on YouTube. Also, the comments on this video should really give these kids a break. They were mostly 15-16 in this video and you've to consider music back in 2008.
To me, the year 2009 was probably their breakthrough with Am I Easy? but it wasn't good enough to skyrocket them to fame. Nonetheless, the song introduced a new sound to the Kpop industry and it was a song that earned U-KISS more recognition. A lot of auto-tune but I'm not complaining. This was also the year member Kiseop joined the group.
The boys went for the bad boy image and it worked. We see 15-year-old Dongho (who was the youngest) pull of the matured look and fans loved it. The fanchants were crazy during their live performances but it was impressive.
Coming back to 2014, U-KISS recently made their comeback with Quit Playin'. The MV is read 19+ and you will understand why if you've seen it.
I've seen fans comment about how the sexy concept don't go with U-KISS's bright and bubbly image but I'd like to say we're looking at 6 hot-blooded men (can't consider Jun because he's only 17!?). It's nothing unusual for them to attempt the sexy concept for once. In fact, I think they're pulling it off quite well. Of course, I prefer their gentlemanly image but this song introduces a different side of U-KISS.
Other notable comeback songs include Round and Round, 0330, Neverland, Stop Girl and Standing Still,
#4 BOYRFRIEND
Not the best name for a group but BOYFRIEND debuted in 2011 with their same-name title song Boyfriend.
Admittedly a rather sweet song that had me listening to it for days. It grew on me fast but it didn't last long either. Of course, this is a not-too-bad song for a debut but it didn't have the oomph it needed to leave an impression on me. Sad to say, songs like this mostly sound alike. (The same goes for ZE:A's Here I Am and Infinite's Nothing's Over.) Naturally, I stopped listening to this song in less than a week.
Their follow-up song, You & I, was much, much better.
I've to point out while the song is good, the choreography is a major no-no for me. And like how Brave Brothers' songs sound the same (in a good way), this song scored better on my list. It is a song I occasionally go back to me on Friday nights. Their follow-up song is definitely an upgrade from their debut image.
With their latest comeback, Obsession, I feel like I'm looking at 6 grown-ups now. ت
We've got eye-liners, tattoos, full-black outfits, an awesome song and an equally awesome choreography. Absolutely digging this concept compared to their cutesy one. We also see a lot more decent vocals and rap, which was somewhat lacking in their debut days. These boys have been practicing hard.
With their comeback, their improvement is obvious and it's just amazing how they've transformed. I'm sure we've seen this concept somewhere (BEAST's Good Luck, anyone?) but I really love the way they seem so manly now.
Other comeback songs include Don't Touch My Girl, I'll Be There, Janus and I Yah. Also check out Not One, But Two. (One of my favourite BOYFRIEND songs.)
#5 BTOB
I wouldn't say BTOB is underrated but I feel they haven't been rewarded for the effort they've forked out and it's a bit disappointing they haven't won #1 on any music programme (unless I'm mistaken?).
Anyway, BTOB has grown on me since their debut. Their debut song Insane was out-of-the-world. It was absolutely amazing and breath-taking for a debut stage and I just gotta hand it to them for coming out with a bang.
The song showcases the members' strong vocals and rap skills. I've watched most of their live performances and am always pleasantly surprised by their stable vocals. I am slightly disappointed by the choreography but it's a give-and-take. I can't have the best of both worlds in most cases (well, actually I can with Infinite). Nonetheless, Insane was more than just a good song.
Subsequently, the group made their comeback with Irresistible Lips and I fell in love again. In between, the group performed songs such as Imagine and Father (such an emotional song this is) but Irresistible Lips was perfect for their follow-up promotions.
Somewhat similar to Insane, I quite liked this era of BTOB - a bit dark and a bit heart-broken. I've noticed this but BTOB don't usually show fancy dances. Instead, they gift us with heavenly live performances and perfect vocals. ت
Not long after, BTOB released their new single Wow. This is the exact opposite of their debut days as they let loose and simply have fun. I really love how each member is complements each other. May I also add how I love Ilhoon's rap? How can anyone look so adorable yet have such a sexy voice at the same time!?
Am going to skip the whole Thriller era because I've seen VIXX do it and I honestly feel BTOB don't quite match up with that concept. It was a decent attempt nonetheless, just didn't grow on me.
It was not until Beep Beep that I was sure BTOB is definitely rising to be one of the best.
I enjoy watching the boys enjoy themselves. You know how seeing happy people makes you happy too? I think these boys are really the representatives of happy idols. We get to see Minhyuk go back to rapping in Beep Beep and it's nice. Peniel also gets more parts. Eunkwang, Hyungsik, Sungjae, Changsub and their awesome vocals plus ending off with Ilhoon's rap - this has got to be one of the best BTOB songs ever.
I really wish they would win #1 soon. ☹
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And that's it! Ending with 5 because the list could go on. I've always felt the Korean music scene is dominated by the big 3 (SM, YG, JYP) but other idols do a good job adding colours to the saturated industry.
Despite so, I'm still pretty much a YG fan. Like GD would say: BIGBANG is VIP.
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