Welcome back to the best of weekly music shows. This week saw the return of Wonder Girls member Ye-eun with her solo material under the HA:TFELT moniker. It also contained the debut stage of the SM rookie group Red Velvet. Sistar picked up three wins for “Touch My Body” on Music Bank, Inkigayo, and M! Countdown. Girl’s Day won on Show Champion, while Infinite received a trophy for “Back” on Music Core. Without further ado, here are my picks for this week. Please share your favorites in the comments below!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFcxCgYSm1Q&]HA:TFELT’s “Ain’t Nobody,” SBS Inkigayo, August 3, 2014
Although my feelings for the song are mixed, the live performances give Ye-eun a chance to showcase her vocals and charisma. Each stage so far has been a bit different. The Music Core set looked like a music video shoot, but I personally preferred the simplistic Inkigayo set. Ye Eun looked stunning and was expressive even behind the piano.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pN3yuTQ_tNA]Junggigo & Mad Clown’s cover of Eddy Kim’s “The Manual,” Mnet Singer Game, July 30, 2014
This is an interesting new competition show: it features the rosters of two companies dueling it out with a variety of performances. This week saw JYP take on Starship. Junggigo and Mad Clown are exceptional here as the unique addition of the rap section gave this performance a special quality.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Io5NxSk9QZU]Hyuna’s “Red,” KBS Yoo Hee-yeol’s Sketchbook, August 1, 2014
“Red” isn’t my favorite Hyuna song. However, the chant-like chorus has definitely caught my ear. What stood out about this performance was her willingness to work the crowd. At around the 2:28 mark, she plays to an especially vocal group of fans. It’s nice to see her break out from the same routine and display her showmanship.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbhFUMPTdbQ]K.Will’s “Day 1,” MBC Show! Music Core, August 2, 2014
These “Day 1” performances are extremely fun to watch; I enjoy the quirky choreography by K.Will and his backup dancers. Also, K.Will’s voice is always spot on. Definitely a great tune for the season.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeqCHMK2w8k]Infinite’s “Back,” KBS Yoo Hee-yeol Sketchbook, August 1, 2014
Infinite got their first win for this set of promotions with “Back.” Unfortunately Hoya was injured and had to stand on the sidelines during that Music Core performance. It was strange seeing their formations without him. This performance on Sketchbook features all seven members executing their intricate choreography extremely well.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzyo6j3qLhI]HA:TFELT & 15&’s cover of G-Dragon’s “That xx,” Mnet Singer Game, July 30, 2014
This cover had some uneven notes, but it deserves a lot of praise due to its ambition. These three ladies show that JYP’s roster has some really great female voices. I especially love Yerin’s parts during this performance. She is undeniably talented and stands out in this R&B number. Their harmonies were just fantastic!
