The Best of Weekly Music Shows is here for another round! It’s only the first month of the new year, and it’s already off to a great beginning. Although we said goodbye to Big Bang, we welcomed back Shinhwa, Hello Venus, and Sonamoo. We also saw the solo debuts of I and Ravi, as well as a reboot of Dreamcatcher, formerly known as Minx.
Fresh off the heels of their return, Shinhwa took home trophies for their song “Touch”. Not to be outdone, Big Bang earned a triple crown on M! Countdown. Not bad results for the first and second generation groups. Their fandoms must be proud of their achievements. Congratulations!
This week it was a little difficult to select my favorites. I was tempted to select some performances from the Golden Disk Awards, but all of the technical issues throughout the show made it hard to pick good ones. In the spirit of not choosing unflattering stages, I decided to stick to the regular weekly music programs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTYwYIScQ5I
WJSN‘s “I Wish”, KBS Music Bank, January 13, 2017
It’s already been noted that this group has impressive choreography. Ever since their debut, I’ve been wowed by the intricacy of their routines. As I’ve said on occasion, large groups have a tougher obstacle when it comes to dancing. It’s not easy to transition between formations, yet WJSN does it with ease. Rarely do you see a member out of place, and there are very few parts where they’re standing still. The continuous motion of this choreography is what brings the song to life and makes the group look so dynamic together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKVyQo42CMQ
Bolbbalgan4‘s “Galaxy”, KBS Yoo Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook, January 14, 2017
I don’t typically listen to indie artists, but this duo may have me considering a resolution to change that. There’s something about them that’s a bit folksy without sounding outdated or overly contrived. Hearing the live version really boosts the appeal of the song. Without a flashy stage or screaming fans to disrupt the mood, you get a performance that suits the feel of this group. I know the word “refreshing” gets used a lot, but when you’re used to high-pitched, mousy vocals from other female artists, it’s nice to hear a softer sound with gentle voices. Bolbbalban4 knows their style, and they embrace it. Gotta respect that.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p02QE5mwDUc
Dreamcatcher’s “Chase Me”, SBS Inkigayo, January 15, 2017
I harbor mixed feelings on the song simply because it does remind me of basic J-pop anime music. I appreciate their foray into the rock genre, but it’s clearly going to need more polish if they choose to continue with it. That said, what I won’t dispute is their dancing. These ladies can tear it up! I love the energy they have, which is actually appropriate for the pace of the song. It would’ve been easy (and disappointing) for their company to force a phony band concept, but instead they chose to showcase the strengths of their choreography. It’s always better to display a group’s stronger abilities rather than cover them up with cheesy gimmicks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kanbt7YQbcg
Shinhwa’s “Touch”, SBS Inkigayo, January 15, 2017
Candles are cheating, especially when they’re part of chandeliers. I’m not upset that they used them, but I want everyone to know this isn’t fair. How dare Shinhwa open up their stage with such a setting? Are they going to feed me strawberries too? Because this feels…seductive. And it should, given that the title is “Touch”. They’re grown men. Of course, they’re going to bust out the mature and sexy image. Yes, their stylists will put them in sensual green textiles that look like they were painted on. No, I’m not sweating from watching this; I have a slight fever. *cough*
AOA‘s “Excuse Me”, SBS Inkigayo, January 15, 2017
I love the little bouncy 360-turn move. They resemble cute kittens pawing the air, and this amuses me. Regardless of what the dance resembles, I like it a lot. Some fans may not feel like AOA is pushing themselves with this comeback, but they need to regain the Korean public’s love after some 2016 scandals tarnished their image. I think this concept suits them just fine, and it’s under the radar enough to allow them to slowly regain their top girl group status. I’m also loving the pink detective outfits.
What were your favorite performances from last week? Share them in the comments!
