Welcome back to another week of music shows! We’re reaching the end of October and the weather is getting chilly, which is not ideal for the number of outdoor concerts that took place on music shows this week, but perfect for the emergence of autumn songs. This week was rather sparse in terms of comebacks, with new releases from only Twice and NC.A, but there is no lack of entertaining stages to make up for this. As for first place, trophies were distributed evenly between I.O.I and BTS, the former of which won Show Champion and Inkigayo, and the latter The Show and Music Bank.
Twice’s “TT”, MBC Show! Music Core, October 29, 2016
Twice is back with “TT,” and the colourful group is certainly brightening up music shows with their performances this week. As usual, the overall appearance of this stage is impeccable, with everything being done right colour coordination-wise from the outfits, to the stage, to the new “Candy Bong” lightstick featured at the beginning of the performance. My complaint towards “TT,” however, is that similar to “Cheer Up,” the relatively simple choreography doesn’t seem to show off the members’ talents. That being said, it does match the beat of the song exceedingly well, and the gestures effectively highlight the details of the composition. Moreover, the members’ expressions and interactions also make the performance adorable to watch, and I can only assume the subpar camerawork in this stage is due the cameramen’s inability to decide who to focus on.
BTS’s “21st Century Girls”, Mnet M! Countdown, October 27, 2016
What I really respect BTS for is their ability to pull off serious, hard-hitting concepts and cool, playful ones, all within the same promotion cycle. This song choice is great for outdoor concerts, with the heavy instrumentals and the chanting in the chorus guaranteed to raise the atmosphere of the venue, with the windy effects being an unexpected bonus. In addition, the half-choreographed and half-improvised nature of this stage shows that all seven members of the group are naturals when it comes to stage presence – their exuberant interactions play the biggest role in making the performance entertaining to watch. If you’re looking for an even more playful rendition of “21st Century Girl,” be sure to have a look at their newest dance practice – Halloween version!
Davichi‘s “Beside Me”, MBC Show! Music Core, October 29, 2016
Despite never having really disappeared from public eye due to their largely popular OSTs in the first half the year, Davichi is officially back with an sentimental ballad perfect for fall. The duo are talented singers that deliver a fantastic vocal performance in this stage for “Beside Me,” but that goes without saying; more importantly, their performance is strikingly emotional – the background vocals supporting Lee Haeri’s voice during the refrain create a thick texture, making the part sound pleasantly rich. In addition, the ending in which Kang Minkyung and Lee Haeri sing one after another doesn’t sound like they are attempting to overpower each other, but rather work together to build the song towards its climax.
Exo-CBX‘s “For You”, SBS Inkigayo, October 30, 2016
Although I’m aware that BOF technically took place last week, with the cuts only being aired via Inkigayo yesterday, I’m going to cheat a bit and put Exo-CBX on this week’s Weekly Music Shows anyway. On one hand, this performance of “For You” serves as a nostalgic goodbye to the Moon Lovers series for which it is an OST, as this drama is set to end it’s 20-episode run in the next two days. On the other, this performance serves as a teaser for the official debut of Exo-CBX, which consists of the same three members as those that participated in this OST. It’s a bit funny to see the members on such stage in their “Hey Mama!” styling, with Baekhyun’s red hair and all. This performance is also assurance of the three’s competence as a unit, with Xiumin holding his own between the two main vocals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMLwWAyS5mc
Park Hyo-shin‘s “Wildflower”, KBS Yoo Hui-yeol’s Sketchbook, October 30, 2016
The king of ballads Park Hyo-shin has made a much awaited return with “Breath,” and the release not only marks his comeback after a two year hiatus, his performance on Yoo Hui-yeol’s Sketchbook is also his first TV appearance in seven years – a wise choice, given the relatively outstanding audio system of the music show. His voice is still as powerful as ever, and despite the simplicity of the composition of “Wildflower,” the raw emotion in his singing that makes the stage captivating. Not only is this emotion felt by the listeners, it is also evidently experienced by the singer himself, as the performance ultimately culminates into Park Hyo-shin’s own tears as the song draws to a close. The impact of this stage is a manifestation of not only why “Wildflower” was such a hit back in 2014, but also why Park Hyo-shin is hailed as a such talented singer.
