Best of Weekly Music Shows: 8/4 - 8/10

Welcome back to Best of Weekly Music Shows! This week, we’ve reached a lull in debuts and comebacks, with only Ladies Code returning to the scene. Nonetheless, there were a host of live performances by promoting acts on music shows. While SISTAR continued their winning streak on regular broadcasts of Music Bank, Inkigayo, and M!Countdown (which did not air due to staff working in Los Angeles for KCON), Hyuna pulled in a surprising win on Show! Champion‘s special broadcast in Ulsan.

So without further ado, here are some of the standout live performances among them this week! Add your favorites in the comments!

Ladies’ Code‘s “Kiss Kiss,” MBC Music Core, August 9, 2014

So Ladies’ Code’s latest comeback song is far on the wacky side, but I can’t help but give them credit for their high-energy performances. It doesn’t seem to matter what they perform; they’re always active and a lot of fun onstage. I also love how frantic the choreography feels. The members don’t seem like they have a lot of downtime on stage with all of the moves, but it makes for a better performance to watch.

Block B’s “Her,” MBC Show! Champion, August 6, 2014

There’s not a single performance of “Her” this week that wasn’t great, so picking a single stage was difficult. I ultimately chose the Show! Champion performance simply because I love watching Block B work a live stage with such a big crowd. This is a group full of showmen, and they continue to impress with their live performances week after week.

Bestie’s “Hot Baby,” SBS MTV The Show, August 5, 2014

Bestie deserves more credit for “Hot Baby.” It’s a perfect summer song on the verge of disco, and while their choreography isn’t remarkable by any means, this is a group of girls with generally pleasant voices. Uji, of course, stands out with her pitch-perfect vocals and standout stage presence.

J-Min‘s “Shine,” MBC Show! Champion, August 6, 2014

It gives me hope that a musician like J-Min can be recognized by a big entertainment company like SM for her style. I love her pop-rock instincts, and she really showcases everything that makes her unique with “Shine.” Her voice is so strong on every belt, sounding nearly effortless. Plus, I’m a fan of her backup band, who have some opportunities to show off as well. This is a setting that looks and sounds wholly incompatible with everything that K-pop is, but I love that there’s still space for J-Min’s style on its stages.

Lucky J‘s “Can You Hear Me?,” SBS Inkigayo, August 10, 2014

Doesn’t Lucky J do a phenomenal job of showing the potential of co-ed groups in K-pop? Central to this group is Jessi’s fabulously gritty voice. Her contrast between raspy and gentle notes make her such an engaging singer and an excellent contrast to the smooth vocals of her male groupmates.  I would, however, like to see that translate into more teamwork and chemistry onstage though.

(KBS, MBC, SBS, YouTube [1][2][3][4][5])