Welcome to Best of Weekly Music Shows! It’s the first edition of 2016, which also includes some remainder of 2015. There were plenty of performances to recap at the bookend of 2015 and start of 2016 including entertainment award shows, year-end specials, and a couple of music shows. We here at Seoulbeats have already recapped the SBS Gayo Daejun and the KBS Gayo Daechukjae.
For the weeklies, most of them were cancelled except for Show! Music Core and Inkigayo. On Inkigayo, iKon made their comeback, Seo Ye-ahn made her debut, and Turbo was awarded number 1. Here are my picks for the week. Please be sure to include your favorites in the comments below!
[youtube https://youtu.be/ouufJjWs1oU?t=3m5s]Sungjae (BTOB) and Joy (Red Velvet) cover Bruno Mars‘ “Marry You,” MBC Entertainment Awards, December 29, 2015
This might have been the cutest stage I’ve watched in all of 2015. Sungjae came out donning a red suit and Joy was radiant in her red dress. At first, they did some partner work with a few cheesy twirls and shoulder shimmying, but I found it endearing in its Broadway-esque showmanship. The highlight, of course, was the wonderful quick change to all-white outfits. Such an adorable performance by the We Got Married pair, hand-thrown confetti and all.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUqH61Hifp0]BTS‘ “Butterfly, Dope, and Run,” KBS Gayo Daechukjae, December 30, 2015
While BTS were great at performing “Perfect Man” on MBC Daejaejun & Jungkook‘s solo during their performance there was top notch, I really appreciated their stage at the KBS Gayo Daechukjae. The emotion that Jimin evoked with his solo dance to “Butterfly” worked wonders in front of the animated butterfly backdrop, but more importantly the power and extension that Jimin danced with came through his body into his fingertips. The jazzy version of “Dope” gave us great dance moves from both Jungkook and J.Hope, and although Rap Monster was missing due to injury, the rest of his group were still very much in sync during their performance of “Run.” 2015 was a monumental year for BTS, and if their performances at the end-of-year festivals proved anything, it’s that they have plenty more to show their fans in the upcoming years.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLtc8ptrUKE]Wonder Girls‘ “So Hot & I Feel You,” MBC Daejaejun, December 31, 2015
These two performances from the Wonder Girls completely rocked. They got to show us all how far they have come along as a band, and their reworking of “So Hot” and “I Feel You” were spectacular. I especially loved the alternative take on “I Feel You.” The mixing on that version was stellar, with some added synth and electronic elements thrown in for good measure. By the performance’s end, I was honestly left wishing they would perform band versions of all their prior hits.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QthqqmhTn9Q]Rion Five‘s “TukTukTuk,” MBC Show! Music Core, January 2, 2016
I remember highlighting Rion Five’s performance of “TukTukTuk” in April 2015, but here they are in 2016 still promoting it on a weekly music show. Narda Entertainment debuted them in 2014, and they have six members — contrary to what their name may lead you to believe. Unfortunately, they haven’t really garnered as much attention, which definitely sucks because they are a talented bunch. “TukTukTuk” is a catchy song, and these guys seem to be improving over time. Give them a listen, and hopefully they will be back with a new single and gain more success this year.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOxRkm135WU]Laboum‘s “Aalow Aalow,” Arirang Simply K-pop, January 1, 2016
When Laboum first debuted, I was optimistic about their future prospects. Their singles have all been quality pieces of work, especially this latest retro tinted single, “Aalow Aalow.” Sadly, they’ve been met with less commercial success with each succeeding release, but I hope the public will catch the late train to this gem. “Aalow Aalow” features polka dot dresses, a catchy groovy beat, and an outstanding theatrical performance from Laboum.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HfIVFu_VIU]Lovelyz‘s “Ah-choo,” SBS Inkigayo, January 3, 2015
So speaking of catching the late train to a song, that’s what happened with me and “Ah-choo.” I don’t know if the title put me off giving it a fair chance, but a couple weeks ago, I rediscovered the magic of this song. Lo and behold, they performed “Ah-choo” along with “For You” during their promotions this week. What I like best about “Ah-choo” is the innocent pop hook. Sure, there are wonderful vocal layering and harmonies and that dance looks fun to dance along with, but the real draw for me is how great that hook is. When folks around me are sneezing during this flu season, deep down, I’ll be hearing and singing this catchy pop tune.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX4pkLcq4ac]Kyuhyun‘s (Super Junior) cover of Notre Dame De Paris’ “Lune,” KBS Open Concert, December 27, 2015
Kyuhyun’s performance wowed me here. I was a fan of his — perhaps not to the extent that John was — but this gave me a new perspective on the range and versatility of Kyuhyun’s singing. I absolutely adored his deeper tones and his higher register was clear and expressive. The symphonic backdrop and harpist added to the elegance of the stage, but it was definitely Kyuhyun’s voice that had me captivated.
