Alex delivers twice the fun with his new single, "Saying Goodbye With a Smile"...

As much as I am a fan of pop and dance tracks, I'm also an avid listener of acoustic jazz. I've always thought of jazz as being the blood and soul of music --- where music loses form, and exists just to be the beautiful thing that it is. 

This is one of the main reasons why I'm such a big fan of Alex Chu, former male vocalist of the legendary pop-jazz trio, Clazziquai. I was in heaven when he released his last album, "Just Like Me". It was a treat to be able to listen to material coming from him (if you haven't listened to the album, click here to check out my review).

Alex is back to croon his way back into our hearts with a new single titled "Saying Goodbye With a Smile". 

Seo In Guk parties with the best of them with his new single, "Shake It Up"...

Filipinos love to sing --- and we're crazy in love with singing and singing contests. We have our good share of talent contests that catapault some virtually unknown person to instant stardom (that's if they manage to actually impress people... and it would take a lot to impress a Filipino when it comes to singing... at least I think so hehehe!).

That's why I got interested in featuring Seo In Guk in my blog today. Korea knows him as the first winner of 2009's Superstar K, one of Korea's own TV talent searches. Gifted with such a versatile instrument, it's no surprise that he won the prize during the first year of Korea's premiere talent search. Since then he has proven himself as a commercial success with the release of his albums and singles since he debuted.

          

He just recently released a new single titled "Shake It Up", which is a refreshing addition to his list of hits. His comeback was a surprise for me, but definitely a welcome one!

2AM's Jinwoon stretches his wings as he goes solo with his first mini-album, "Tried to Talk"...

I've always been amazed at how easy it is in Korea for artists in established idol groups to try their hand at going solo, but still remain part of their group. I think I've mentioned in an earlier post of mine that this isn't something that most people in the Philippines see with our local groups. Once a person decides to go solo, either the group disbands, or the group moves on with a new member in tow.

I was excited to hear that Jinwoon of JYP Entertainment's ballad group 2AM would be trying his hand in going solo. What's even wilder is that Jinwoon isn't going to do ballads... he's doing ROCK! It blew the heck out of me... a member of 2AM doing rock?!?!? Now that was something to look forward to.

Top of the Charts for August 2011 Week 1 (courtesy of Soompi.com)

Here are the top songs of the week, folks... courtesy of Soompi.com (http://www.soompi.com/) 

NOTE: A vid featuring a sampler of the top 50 songs are at the bottom of the post. The time tracks for where the songs are featured in the vid is indicated in the list below... just in case you want to skip to a song you're interested in listening to. If I have an existing review for any of the songs in the countdown, I'll be posting a link so you can read through my post in case you've missed it! 

Hwanhee returns to the spotlight with his first-ever full solo album!

When I was reviewing the list of new albums that came out a week or so ago, I saw the name "Hwanhee", and I told myself that the name sounded so familiar. I googled his name up and gave myself a facepalm for having forgotten that this guy used to be part of a very famous Kpop duo named "Fly To The Sky", where he was teamed up with balladeer Brian Joo. Both these guys are amazing singers, and have gone solo as early as 2009.

Hwanhee's self-titled album is a well-balanced combination of awesome R&B tracks and ballads. I kid you not when I say that this album is so well-produced that I had to ask for second opinions just so that I could finalize the list of tracks that I would be featuring in my article. Hwanhee apparently was set on making this album a success, and it shows in the final result.

Sunny Hill pushes the limit with their new single "Pray"...

The members of Sunny Hill (L to R): Jang Hyun, Misung, Kota, Seung Ah, and Ju-B

I first got to know Sunny Hill when I listened to their immensely successful mini-album, "Midnight Circus" (if you haven't read my review for that album, click here). "Midnight Circus" was a departure from Sunny Hill's usual spanking clean and wholesome image. It was a risk that paid off with a multi-chart hit that's still making waves until now.

I was surprised to learn that they came up with a follow-up track to their last single release. Their follow-up track and MV, "Pray", truly pushes the envelope on artistic expression, and expands their repertoire of cutting edge hits.

Infinite goes "Over The Top" with their first studio album!

The boys of Infinite (L to R): Hoya, Sung Gyu, Woo Hyun, L / Myung Soo, Sung Jong,
Seung Yeol, and Dong Woo

It's raining comebacks for male idol groups, and another one of my favorites has returned with a whole new salvo of songs for us to enjoy - INFINITE!

For those who were able to read my last review for Infinite's last mini-album "Inspirit" (if you haven't, click here), I was pleasantly surprised at how great these guys sounded as a group. What sets them apart from a whole host of male idol groups is that they have a great sense of musicality when they blend their voices during the choruses of their songs.

The title of their first full studio album, "Over The Top", speaks for itself. After listening to it, I'm convinced that these guys have truly stepped up as artists and have delivered gold this time around.

Teen Top's new album "Roman" shows a refreshing new image for our boys...

The boys of Teen Top (L to R): Chunji, L.Joe, CAP, Niel, Ricky and Changjo

I've been listening to Kpop for around 2 and a half years now, and I've seen lots of new groups debut, but only a few have impressed me as much as Teen Top has. This group came into the scene in 2010 with a strong and aggressive image when they first debuted with their single "Clap". What has sustained my interest in them is their ability to reinvent themselves (or maybe I should be giving a little bit of that credit to their agency, TOP Entertainment). Although they're relatively new to the scene, they have managed to establish a rather strong following in Korea.

They've just made a comeback recently with the release of their new mini-album, "Roman", last July 21. This time around, they aim to portray a playful, sentimental and romantic image with their new releases.

[UPDATED] Super Junior goes all-out-glam in their 5th studio album, "Mr. Simple"...

The boys of Super Junior (L to R): Sungmin, Shindong, Leeteuk, Kyuhyun,
Siwon, Yesung, Eunhyuk, Donghae, Heechul and Ryeowook

UPDATED - August 5, 2011 5:48pm GMT +8 
Replaced the subbed "Mr. Simple" vid with the full MV with English Subs. Enjoy ^^,

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm home!!! Got home from Canada a couple of days ago, and I needed some time to wind down from the trip. Yes... a ton of albums have come out, and I have my work cut out for me. Let's begin!

I'm a really big Super Junior fan... I really am (literally and figuratively). I literally gasped when I first saw the teasers for SuJu's 5th album, Mr. Simple, come out. It's been more than a year since "Bonamana", and the boys are more than ready for a follow-up.

Red Hot or Cool Blue? After School's got everything for you!

After School (although this picture wasn't taken when their
sub-unit groupings were finalized)
Top Row - Kahi, Uee, Joo Yeon and E-Young
Bottom Row - Raina, Jung Ah, Nana and Lizzie

When Bekah announced her graduation from After School, the group was evened out at 8 members in total --- Kahi, Jung Ah, Joo Yeon, Uee, Raina, Nana, Lizzy and E-Young. Having just released their last full-studio album, "Virgin", a few months ago, I wasn't really expecting After School to make a come back any time soon (if you haven't read my review for "Virgin" yet, click here).

I guess Pledis Entertainment didn't want to have the girls stay away from the limelight too long since After School is definitely back --- and this time as two seperate sub-units, After School Red and Blue.

2NE1 releases an short anime movie for their MV for "Hate You"...

2NE1's cartoon avatars (L to R):
Upper Row - Sandara and Bom, Lower Row - CL and Minzy

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR --- My apologies for not having posted as often as I could. I've been busy reconnecting with family during our reunion here in Toronto. I hope everyone understands that I just had to prioritize that first above everything else. There's a lot of stuff that's been released since last I posted, but I'll catch up as soon as I can.

When 2NE1 released their last single "I'm The Best", I couldn't really see the full connection between the image of the album, the MV with their album cover. The best thing I could really think of that connected the MV with the images on the album cover was the fact that they were firing guns at the end of the video. 

With the release of their new single, "Hate You", YG Entertainment choice in visual now begins to make sense. Apparently, they aregiving us a taste of what's to come with the simultaneous release of the girl's ANIMATED MV for their track. Not only are we treated to great new music, but it's a visual feast as well!

Miss A aims for the top with their new album, "A Class"!

The girls of Miss A (L to R): Fei, Min, Jia and Suzy

If there's one person who's been waiting impatiently for a comeback by Miss A, that would be me. When Miss A stepped into the scene in 2010, they broke the mold for girl idol groups. They projected a strong independent female image, which was very different from many of the girl groups in the industry.

They make a comeback with their first full-length studio album titled "A Class" which was released on July 18. Based on initial figures from digital sales charts in Korea, their album has quickly risen in the charts after the release of their launching single and MV from the album, "Good Bye Baby".

Top of the Charts for July 2011 Week 3 (courtesy of Soompi.com)

Here are the top songs of the week, folks... courtesy of Soompi.com (http://www.soompi.com/) 

NOTE: A vid featuring a sampler of the top 50 songs are at the bottom of the post. The time tracks for where the songs are featured in the vid is indicated in the list below... just in case you want to skip to a song you're interested in listening to. If I have an existing review for any of the songs in the countdown, I'll be posting a link so you can read through my post in case you've missed it! 

True talent reigns in "Immortal Song 2"...

Immortal Song 2 from KBS

There's a reason that I don't really write about each and every Korean album that comes out. For one thing, I don't really think it's nice to say (or write) bad things about artists. Like I said in my other post, artists are meant to be loved.

My other reason --- well, I go for vocal talent and musicality than hype. A lot of the idols that come out of the woodwork are either a product of tweaking (music editing and auto-tuning galore), and lots of hype. Unfortunately, the bad apples tend to spoil the lot, and even the artists who actually have talent are unfairly judged as well.

This is the reason why I love watching the show "Immortal Song 2" from KBS. It showcases live performances from some of the top idol vocalists in the industry. They're there to prove that idols are artists too, and that they got the stuff to make people believe that true talent does exist in the industry.

Some new digital releases I listened to on my way to Canada...

Artists in today's new single feature:
(Row 1) Bekah, Brave Brothers, (Row 2)  GP Basic,
(Row 3) Jang Hye Jin and Yesung,
(Row 4) BGH to, and Goo Ji Sung

I'm currently writing this blog in my Aunt Rodel and Uncle Carl's home in Mississauga, Canada. I took two weeks off from work so that I could attend a family reunion that my dad's side of the family had organized to help everyone reconnect, share and pass on stories (especially for the younger ones). When I received the invite, I took it as a sign for a well-deserved break from work.

The great thing about being on a vacation is that I'm also able to listen to take some time to listen to music --- especially some new singles that have just recently come out.

MBLAQ romances with latin flavor with their new album, "Mona Lisa"...

The boys of MBLAQ (L to R): Cheondoong / Thunder, Joon, G.O., Seungho,  and Mir

MBLAQ's been receiving a lot of attention right now because of the success that they've been receiving in Japan (who hasn't been to Japan in the Kpop world these days, right? hehehe!). After an immensely successful debut in Japan, plus a sold out concert, they're at the top of their game.

And what do people at the top do? Apparently, they don't stop! I mentioned in an earlier blog post for G.O.'s solo debut single, "Even In My Dreams" (if you haven't read my review for G.O.'s single, click here), that MBLAQ's been preparing for their comeback. Teaser after teaser was released to build anticipation for the return of the boys to Seoul. That anticipation ended today with the release of their new mini-album, "Mona Lisa".

Navi returns to serenade us with her new single, "Diary"...

While doing a review of new singles last week, I discovered a single from an artist that I felt I wanted to do a spot on since I liked her music a lot. Her name is Navi (which is the Korean word for "butterfly"), and she's an R&B singer in Korea. she's making a comeback with her new single, "Diary", which was just released last week (to be precise, that was on July 1).

Navi's been making waves in Korea since she debuted in 2008 with her song "I Love You", which she sang together with Tablo of Epik High. I mentioned earlier that she's an R&B singer, although that doesn't necessarily mean that she doesn't have a good amount of versatility. She does dabble in different genres of music, but I noticed in her MVs that her delivery would always have that R&B flavor. 

Rookie group HITT debuts with their album, "Here Is The Top"...

The boys of HITT (L to R): Woo Ram, Ha Rong, Jun Taek, Hyun Jun, Ho Won and Jae Hun

Sony Entertainment Korea just recently debuted a new male idol group named HITT (which stands for "Here Is The Top"). I guess it's the first time I've heard of a major international music label taking an active interest in entering the highly competitive world of idol groups in Korea (or maybe I haven't yet encountered any other group who's been sponsored by similar companies). With Sony being based in Japan, where Korean artists are slowly taking over the charts, I'm sure they've taken notice of how potentially lucrative it can be to venture into the Korean idol making machine.

Nontheless, being a well-established music company, Sony wouldn't be fielding in just anyone into the fray. Listening to the album for the past week, I could honestly say that these guys are worth listening to, and have great potential in making it big.

[POLL RESULT] Who's your favorite funny male idol?

AND THE WINNER IS....


SHINee's own resident diva ---
KEY!

I've been following SHINee for nearly a year, and I've seen a lot of their TV appearances on YouTube (my favorite being their short-lived reality stint "Hello Baby!", where they had to become parents to a toddler). Key has always been the life of the party, and his sense of humor borders between insane and utterly outrageous. The striking (and, I guess, irresistable) quality of his personality lies in the fact that he's very transparent --- he speak his mind out, and is very vocal about his opinions (even to the point that it may seem a little unreasonable... but he always gets his way by sneaking in a smile or two). 

I'm pretty sure Key is slowly raking up more fans from all over, especially in the UK and in Japan, where SHINee has been very active in promoting their re-released singles. I'm looking forward to SHINee's return to Korea, and their comeback (which is apparently slated for the 3rd quarter of the year).

And now... off to our new poll!

The Pinoy Kpop Fan's Updated Pick List (July 2011, Week 1)

My apologies for taking this long to update my Pick List. Apart from having been sick most of last week, I've been encountering some issues with uploading songs to Grooveshark. Although there have been challenges, I'm pretty sure it's worth the wait!

Let's check out the top featured artists of the week in The Pinoy Kpop Fan's blog...

Top of the Charts for July 2011 Week 1 (courtesy of Soompi.com)

Here are the top songs of the week, folks... courtesy of Soompi.com (http://www.soompi.com/) 

NOTE: A vid featuring a sampler of the top 50 songs are at the bottom of the post. The time tracks for where the songs are featured in the vid is indicated in the list below... just in case you want to skip to a song you're interested in listening to. If I have an existing review for any of the songs in the countdown, I'll be posting a link so you can read through my post in case you've missed it! 

Two new guilty pleasures of your K-drama week --- "You've Fallen For Me" and "I Need Romance"

Two great new dramas to watch! ---
"I Need Romance" and "You've Fallen For Me"

You'll have to forgive my lack of updates for the past week or so. I've been nursing a bad cold, that eventually came back to haunt me as a bad case of cough and asthma. I had to rest up at home yesterday since my chest felt like a brick wall.

Last night wasn't entirely a loss since I was able to catch up on a couple of new dramas that just premiered that I've been dying to watch --- "You've Fallen For Me" and "I Need Romance". It's that time of the year again, and new dramas are always something to look forward to!

It's G.O.'s time to shine with the release of his digital single, "Even In My Dreams"...

I love it when an artist in an idol group is given a chance to go solo --- especially if that artist is very talented and deserves the break. It's always a great opportunity to establish a musical identity separate from the group they belong to. In the Philippines, usually that would mean that either the person was moving away from the group, or that the band was going to disband. The experience of going solo seems to be very different in Korea, since it's a regular thing when idol groups go on hiatus.

I was very happy to learn that the lead vocalist of MBLAQ, G.O., was going to debut as a solo artist with the release of his digital single, "Even In My Dreams". G.O.'s a very talented vocalist, and has contributed a lot to the growth of their group under the mentorship of the one and only Rain (yes... the guy from "Full House"... hehehe!).

So many new singles, so little time... (Part II)

Our featured artists for this article (L to R): Navid, In So Yoon, The Name,
Brian Kim and Daniel Lee (Krygen) and Mikey (Turbo)

Like I mentioned last week, I still had a few more artists to feature who have recently released new singles for the past couple of weeks. Their songs are great, and I want to share them with the hope that we all broaden our musical horizons, even when it come to Korean music and Kpop (hehehe!). 

As usual, there isn't much written about these artists in English (with the exception of Mikey of Turbo, since Turbo used to be a wildly popular group in the 90's), so I won't be able to give my usual intros to these folks; but then again, it's all about the music, right?

Shin Hye Sung journeys along the "The Road Not Taken"...

Shin Hye Sung --- Lead Vocalist of the legendary male idol group, Shinhwa

Shinhwa is a name that carries with it a legacy in the Korean music industry. Having debuted in 1998, it's most notable achievement is the fact they're the longest functioning male idol group in the history of the Korean music industry (at 13 years running... wow, right?). In an industry where music groups pretty much come and go, Shinhwa is a picture of continuing growth and loyalty to their fan base. Although the group is currently in extended hiatus because members of the group are either pursuing their solo career or are in the military service, they haven't disbanded and maintain their close ties by supporting each other in their individual activities.

Shin Hye Sung, lead vocalist of Shinhwa, is probably the most musically prolific member of the group considering that he has been a solo artist the longest in the group (since 2005, releasing a total of 9 albums), and, apart from being a vocalist, is also well-known as a song writer. He makes a comeback this year with his 4th full studio album titled "The Road Not Taken".

Top of the Charts for June 2011 Week 4 (courtesy of Soompi.com)

Here are the top songs of the week, folks... courtesy of Soompi.com (http://www.soompi.com/) 

NOTE: A vid featuring a sampler of the top 50 songs are at the bottom of the post. The time tracks for where the songs are featured in the vid is indicated in the list below... just in case you want to skip to a song you're interested in listening to. If I have an existing review for any of the songs in the countdown, I'll be posting a link so you can read through my post in case you've missed it! 

Mighty Mouth and Soya adds to the heat of the summer fiesta with "La La La"!

The awesome duo of Mighty Mouth --- Sangchu and Shorry J

I remember having mentioned in an earlier post that I'm not a big fan of hip-hop or rap groups, especially when you think about them in the American context. It takes a really creative hip-hop group to rise above the loud beats and the almost hypnotic chanting that often characterizes the genre. The same goes for Korean groups --- there are times when the noise can become really boring. Then you encounter a group like Mighty Mouth that changes your perception of things.

It's funny that my first encounter with this rap duo first began with Korean variety shows. I first saw Sangchu and Shorry J when I saw episodes of the now defunct Star Golden Bell quiz show in YouTube where they guested. These two guys are funny (in a good way) and very candid --- characteristics that I hold in high regard when it comes to entertainers. When they made comebacks this year, I knew how much fun they were to watch on TV, so I wondered if they could translate that same energy in their songs. Boy, was I in for a an awesome ride!

So many new singles, so little time... (Part I)

We've got a storm of new singles this month ---
(L to R): Cha Ji Yeon, Cheon Soa and MC Shin Gun, and Lady Jane

Apparently summer time in Korea is the best time to drop a new album or to make a comeback. It makes a lot of sense since most kids are out of school and have the time to check out new stuff online or in music stores --- it's a sure fire way to ensure your stuff gets listened to. For the past three or so weeks, the trends been drop after drop of new digital singles and albums just raring to get an earful of that summer pie!

I was able to shortlist some digital singles that I'd like to share with everyone, but the list was just a bit too hefty to cover in one blog post. I thought it best to divide the post into two so it would be easier to digest and appreciate the content. Definitely we've got some variety in this list... so there's something for everyone!

[UPDATED] 2NE1's got a diva to unleash in their newest single --- "I'm The Best"!

The girls of 2NE1 (L to R): Bom, Minzy, Dara and CL

UPDATE!!! (June 28, 2011 11:00am GMT +8) --- Although news and blogs report that the MV for "I'm The Best" was supposed to premiere alongside the release of the digital single, I usually don't hold it against Korean agencies if they release their MVs a day or two late from the single release. It allows people to appreciate the song as is so that they can see if the song is good on it's own, or it's really meant to be appreciate visually. In the case of 2NE1's new single, it's a double-whammy! Awesome kick-a** vid! See it after the jump!

Originally posted June 24, 2011 2:41pm GMT +8

It's been raining really hard here and Manila, and I had a really hard time getting to the office late at night. After a tiring day, there's nothing better to push away all the negative vibes than to write about a great song that's hot off the digital presses --- there's nothing hotter right now than one of YG Entertainment's biggest and most popular groups, 2NE1.

YG Entertainment has been carefully building up anticipation for their follow-up single after the hugely successful release of "Lonely" last month. They've releasing teaser after teaser this week for the release of their latest digital single, "I'm The Best". Sure enough, when the song was available for purchase online, 2NE1 hit the top of nearly all real-time digital charts in Korea --- true testament to the star power that CL, Minzy, Dara and Bom have established for themselves around the world!

Take a look at the "Bright Lights" with Dear Cloud...

The members of Dear Cloud (Clockwise from Bottom):  Nine, Kim Young Rin,
Elang, Kwang Seok and Jung Ah

It’s rare that you get to discover something new that amazes and takes your attention away from the trends in music that you have gotten used to; and when you do, the experience lets your mind fly away into a wonderland of auditory delight. I’m not easy to please, and I’m picky with the music I review… I only review stuff that I like. If I don’t like what I hear, I just keep mum about it. I’d rather not say anything hurtful that could take away one’s love for an artist… all artists deserve to be loved. I guess that’s one of the reasons why I don’t stick to one artist with my reviews. I want to discover more beautiful music to love.

I discovered that same indescribable, flighty feeling when I heard the music of the group “Dear Cloud”. This indie rock quintet based in Seoul has been rocking the scene in Korea for the past 4 years (since they debuted as a group in 2007 with their self-titled album). Their music is a revelation of how connected the music industry is across the continental divide. While most Korean rock groups (such as CN BLUE and FT Island) are highly influenced by Japanese rock / J-Rock, Dear Cloud sets itself apart with an alternative rock groove that is reminiscent of British alternative groups like Coldplay and The Killers. I was taken aback by how un-K-pop they sounded, but it was amazing that everything was being sung in Korean.

The Pinoy Kpop Fan's Updated Pick List (June 2011, Week 4)

It's that time of the week again to update my Pick List! It's been a long and interesting couple of weeks, and I've had a lot of posts and updates since the last Pick List. Let's check out the top featured artists of the week in The Pinoy Kpop Fan's blog...

The boys of Block B are the "New Kids On The Block"!

The boys of Block B (L to R):  Kyung, B-Bomb, Taeil, Zico, Jae Hyo, U-Kwon and P.O.

It's always interesting to note how different genres of music evolve and develop in a specific context. Hip-hop in particular is a genre of music that has taken a life of it's own in Korea. Although many of the influences of local hip-hop / rap groups in Korea are rooted in the US, it's clear when you listen to many newly released tracks that many groups have breathed a lot of Hallyu urban flavor into what was something considered distinctly American.

A group that has succeeded in breaking into the Korean hip-hop scene is the male idol group Block B --- the "B" in their name standing for "Blockbuster". Although they only recently debuted last April, the group has managed to build a strong following because of their refreshing approach to hip-hop that feels a lot more like K-pop, but without giving in to the cheese.

[UPDATED] The Two Kims of M&D are going to rock the charts with "Close Your Mouth"...

The Two Kims of M&D --- Kim Jung Mo of TRAX and Kim Heechul of Super Junior

UPDATE!!! (June 23, 2011 8:44pm GMT +8) --- The MV for "Close Your Mouth is up... and boy, is it ever STAR STUDDED!!! Goes to show how much support these two guys are getting from their fellow idols (especially from the celebrity group that Heechul formed - Chocoball)! You've got Jia from Miss A, Simon D from Supreme Team, Jun Hyung from BEAST, Lee Hong Ki and Choi Jong Hoon from FT Island and comedian Gyeong Jin. Watch the video after the jump!

Originally posted on June 23, 2011 8:10am GMT +8

TRAX and Super Junior are two legends in Korean pop. TRAX was one of the few rock bands that ever saw success in Korea in the last decade, although the group has been on hiatus since 2010 with the release of their last mini-album. As for Super Junior, they hold the distinction of being the first and still the largest functioning male idol group in the Korean music industry (they initially started off with 13 members, but now are currently down to 10 members with two members on leave and one having terminated his contract with SM Entertainment). One of Super Junior's sub-units, Super Junior-M (utilizing 6 members in the current roster), is currently busy doing promotions in Taiwan and China. 

With both groups in hiatus, it's only natural that the members pursue other projects to hone their craft. Jung Mo, the main guitarist of TRAX, and Heechul, one of the resident radio DJ's and hosts of Super Junior, came together and created a project group called "M&D" (which, based on the press releases, stand for "Midnight and Day", and also stand for the initials of their neighborhoods in Seoul). What makes the arrangement even more convenient is the fact that they both belong to the same managing agency - SM Entertainment.

Top of the Charts for June 2011 Week 3 (courtesy of Soompi.com)

Here are the top songs of the week, folks... courtesy of Soompi.com (http://www.soompi.com/) 

NOTE: A vid featuring a sampler of the top 50 songs are at the bottom of the post. The time tracks for where the songs are featured in the vid is indicated in the list below... just in case you want to skip to a song you're interested in listening to. If I have an existing review for any of the songs in the countdown, I'll be posting a link so you can read through my post in case you've missed it! 

B1A4 is back to promote "Only Learned Bad Things"...

The boys of B1A4 (L to R): CNU, Gong Chan, Jinyoung, Sandeul and Baro

When I first featured B1A4 around 2 months ago, I was wondering why they were only promoting one song (back during their debut, they were promoting the launching track for their first mini-album, "O.K."). Their launching track and their debut was a tremendous success, but considering they had a couple of great tracks left in their album, I was hoping to hear at least one more song being promoted in Inkigayo, Music Bank or M! Countdown.  They're a mighty talented group of vocalists, so I was generally expecting more.

NOTE: If you haven't read my review for their debut album, "Let's Fly", it would be best to click here and read my review first. (hehehe!)

I guess they heard my gripes across the sea (I know... "seriously, Dennis..." hahaha!), and now they're following up their promotions for their debut album with their follow-up single "Only Learned Bad Things". They've also released an MV for the same song too!

8Eight returns to enchant with their soulful and mellow sound...

The members of ballad group 8Eight (L to R): Baek Chan, Jo Hee and Lee Hyun

While reading on the ballad group 8Eight, it's interesting to see how much of a following they have. The trio of Lee Hyun, Jo Hee and Baek Chan is probably one of the most sought after vocal groups in South Korea. All three are impressive vocalists that have embarked on solo and collaborative careers, and are stars in their own right, but still maintain their close bond as a functioning ballad unit under JYP Entertainment's sub-unit, Big Hit Entertainment.

They just released their new self-titled mini-album yesterday together with a new MV for their launching track, "그 입술을 막아본다" (roughly translated as "Cover Your Lips"). The group is well known for their excellent vocal talent and range, and a mellow sound that experiments with different genres and doesn't restrict itself to ballads.

[UPDATE] Put your hands up, and get your drinks up! 2PM is rocking the house with "Hands Up"!

The boys of 2PM (L to R): Junsu, Junho, Chansung, Wooyoung,
Nickhun and Taecyeon

UPDATE - Am I right, or am I right!?!? Hahaha!!! As expected, the video for "Hands Up" was just released through the 2PM YouTube page. It's probably one of the most fun dance videos I've EVER watched... you have to see it after the jump!


Originally posted June 20, 2011 1:30pm GMT +8
A week ago, I posted about the pending comeback of 2PM to their Korean stage. I was surprised with the amount of searches and hits I got for that post, which is currently sitting on the top of my weekly list (if you want to read that post, you can click here). It's a clear indication of how well anticipated 2PM's comeback album, "Hands Up", is. With teaser after teaser coming out from JYP Entertainment, I guess everyone is just as excited as I am to hear more from the boys coming from their triumph in Japan.

Their album was released earlier today, and within 15 minutes, I was seeing the hashtag #2PM2NDALBUM trending in Twitter. When I checked Allkpop.com, they were already at the top of the real time music charts in Korea (click here for the article). From the look of things, 2PM has truly solidified their position as a hot property in Korean music.

[POLL RESULT] Who's your favorite male idol rookie group?

AND THE WINNER IS...

BOYFRIEND

The quintet of Boyfriend, composed of Hyun Seong, Kwang Min, Dong Hyun, Jeong Min, Minwoo and Young Min, have been burning the midnight oil in promoting their self-titled album. All that presence and star power is translating into the kind of popularity that produces swarms of online groupies (as evidence to support my hypothesis, in my blog, they are the most searched group in my list of featured artists, and my review on their debut album is my most popular blog post ever since I've started this blog... beat that!).

Although these guys still have a long way to go musically. They're still stuck in newbie mode, so a lot of the material that they're doing is focused on dance and kpop cheese tracks... it's stuff that sells and builds a fan base, but it's not the kind of stuff that makes a defining moment in their career just yet. They're a young male idol group, and they've got a lot of growing up to do. Time will tell when they're really to shine as artists. 

Now... off to our new poll!

f(x) turns up the heat with "Hot Summer" --- and a little bit about Korean weather!

The girls of f(x) --- (L to R): Krystal, Amber, Victoria, Sulli and Luna

It's been an immensely wonderful year so far for female idol group f(x) with the release of their first full length album, Pinocchio. Based on information found on some blogs and forums (although I can't vouch entirely for their accuracy), the girls have managed to break sales records in Korea and abroad for the pre-sale and actual sales of their album, topping many of the popular countdowns in Korea (like Gaon and the Soompi charts). They've also managed to win the Triple Crown twice for their appearances in the three most popular music shows on Korean TV --- Inkigayo, Music Bank and M! Countdown.

It's not a surprise considering that these girls have been very active in their own projects during their hiatus (e.g. Victoria and Nickhun in "We Got Married", Krystal, Sulli and Luna appearing in reality and talk shows, Sulli and Krystal's MC stints in music shows, etc.).

They aren't stopping here though. They've just repackaged their first album and included a new title track, "Hot Summer". It's very apt since they've managed to turn up the heat for summer in Seoul with both a new song and MV that were released on June 14.