It seems interesting that every Music Show producer seems to have a need for a ranking system. While this allows for a fast (if possibly flawed) gauge of who’s selling there, and makes for interesting watching, the ranking systems do take away from the original purpose of a music show, which is to give music fans a weekly dose of Korean Music, ranging from trot (Hong Jin-young), to K-indie (The Nuts) and some good old idol-group pop in between (Infinite).
The Nuts deserve a mention here, as I could not find their performance on Music Bank for this week online, but are still worth checking out. I must admit to not knowing much about this K-indie band, apart from the fact that Ji Hyun-Woo (of Invincible Youth 2 and Queen In-hyun’s Man fame) used to be their lead guitarist. The group is worth a further listen, with a nice mix of downbeat songs, and pleasant looking members.
So here are my picks of songs I liked (or found interesting).
2Bic’s “Bye Bye Love”, MNet M! Countdown, March 21, 2013
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0C7x6aCeePA]No dances, no fancy pyrotechnics, just two men standing on stage, singing ballads and getting it right. While the song could do with a fair bit less vocal acrobatics (or at least make it less obvious), I am still a fan of the concept.
Hong Jin-young’s “Boogie Man”, MNet M! Countdown, March 21, 2013
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EFXrI-9tqnk]It’s not everyday that one hears trot on a music show, so this is worth a inclusion. Still, being part of a generation of newer trot singers, the song draws a lot from K-pop sensitivities, including younger performers and less over-the-top outfits, and should appeal to younger audiences.
G.Na’s “Oops!”, MNet M! Countdown, March 21, 2013
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfpUmukRq4M]G.Na attempts a slight image change with her latest release. While I still think the song seriously underutilises her abilities, the sexy is a lot less blatant these days, and the song is a very relaxing listen.
Davichi’s “Turtle” and “Just The Two Of Us”, MNet M! Countdown, March 21, 2013
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eaQOG4Swe8]Davichi are high on my list of favourites, largely for how they toe the line between commercial appeal and musical quality, and this release continues in this tradition. Of the two songs they performed, I took more to “Just The Two Of Us”, if only for how it deviates from the formula slightly. Then again, Davichi do not do experimental.
Infinite’s “Still I Miss You” and “Man in Love”, MNet M! Countdown, March 21, 2013
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt6BrHUaF4Q]Infinite tend to make their annual comeback at this time of the year. It might be just me, but I think that “Man in Love” seems less inspired and more generic sounding than their prior releases “Be Mine” and “The Chaser”. Still, the familiar sound should please fans, and after all, it’s the fans that matter.
And that was the week in Music Shows! What are your personal favourites, and any thoughts on the comebacks this week?
