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Queendom Season 2 Lineup: Which Kpop Girl Group Will Reign?

Queendom season 2 is here!

After three years, Mnet’s girl group competition—Queendom—is back with a new set of groups who will try to follow MAMAMOO’s footsteps. After much anticipation, Mnet released the Queendom Season 2 lineup last February 21 and of course, there’s a lot of fun prior to the show in guessing how the results will be. Based on the six Kpop girl group contestants, who will emerge on top?

Thus, we shall go through the six participating groups in alphabetical order. You can’t really go wrong with an alphabetically-arranged list to dispel any explanations of bias, eh?

Here’s the full Queendom Season 2 lineup:

Brave Girls

The pros: Yes, they need the boost that the show Queendom 2 will bring so that they can further stretch the 15 minutes of fame the viral video brought them. Their discography is something most of the rest of the girls (definitely with the exception of Hyolyn and her SISTAR connection – a definite gold standard in girl group discographies) can only dream of. I mean, High Heels? Deepened? Yoo-hoo? Those were ABSOLUTE BANGERS. The songs only girl groups can dream of as being part of their musical history. Well, come to think of it, they are the BRAVE GIRLS, the first girl group under the label of THE BRAVE BROTHERS, only legendary k-pop producers responsible for the breathtaking discographies of iconic groups such as After School. T-ara, and 4Minute, to name a few. So, when it comes to songs the group can use to battle with the other contestants, they don’t and won’t have problems with that.

Discography – check. Performance factor – check. Who can ever doubt the skills of these girls who have danced on top of chairs and performed that stingray move super seriously (like don’t they find that  Name recall – check. The newfound fame—that compilation video of them performing for the military—lifted them to phenomenal status. And at a time when they achieved newfound fame when everyone was at their homes during lockdown only added to their fame because people didn’t really have much else to do – even those who don’t follow a lot of k-pop didn’t have much of a choice but see them go viral on social media and mainstream entertainment. So yes, Koreans (or at least those who will be watching Queendom) by now know who the Brave Girls are. Bye, nugu-dom; hello, Queendom 2!

The cons: The line-up. The group’s discography (and the songs of the other competing groups, especially WJSN) has a lot of rap verses that were fire under the very able skills of main rapper Hyeran. Unfortunately, Hyeran has been inactive with the group since 2017 and was officially out of it by 2019. The current 4-member line-up – Minyeong, Eunji, Yuna, and Yunjeong are pretty much solid when it comes to vocal skills. Minyeong can belt high notes like nobody’s business and the vocals of the three others can surely make Brave Brothers proud, but Eunji and Yuna as the designated rappers, cannot really measure up to the original main rapper’s skill level. So, yes, I did say that the current BG line-up is a bit unbalanced.    

Given the other groups in the competition, I am thinking that Brave Girls will pull off an AOA and will most likely end up 4th or in the worst-case scenario, 5th. 

Cosmic Girls

When it comes to looking for an ideal girl group participant for an Mnet reality show, the Cosmic Girls would fit the bill. The lineup is spectacular, as even without the fantastic Chinese trio whose presence has not been felt by the group since 2018, the group still looks balanced and in fighting form in all aspects. We have to admit, Xuanyi, Chengxiao, and Meiqi were practically the group’s main dancers and international crowd drawers (read: visuals to reiterate the group’s diversity), and all these contributions have been ably filled up by Bona and Seola, plus formerly overlooked members Yeoreum and Eunseo. That the group has such a huge lineup may have worked against them in the past, as it used to be that the public’s attention span seems to be limited to nine members at most (thank you, Girl’s Generation) and WJSN’s delineation of the member’s skills isn’t as pronounced as another huge group with so many members, SEVENTEEN. The way Pledis made the three groupings – vocal, performance, and hip-hop very distinct for SEVENTEEN worked for them, as the public caught on immediately and associated even the members who are less popular with their units (e.g., Dino is a performer, Joshua is a vocalist). The units for WJSN – Wonder, Joy, Natural, and Sweet didn’t really work that well for WJSN. But after the three Chinese members’ hiatus from the group, the lesser-known members like Luda, Yeoreum, and Eunso had some space to step up and get themselves some recognition.  Thus, everything – Bona, Seola, and Yeoreum in charge of visuals and dance; Eunseo, Exy, and Luda in charge of rap and dance; and Soobin, Dayoung, 

Dawon, and Yeonjung in charge of vocals (these four are quite a superior vocal line), make the current WJSN lineup simply spectacular. 

As for their discography, WJSN also has a very credible stable of songs that can match the competition. After all, they are a Starship group, and with SISTAR and Monsta X as solid proof, WJSN has been blessed with some really good songs since their debut in 2016. They have also proven themselves to be very versatile and adaptive when it comes to concept and image tweaks as they successfully went from very cutesy in their Mo Mo Mo debut to more sophisticated in Catch Me, before going mystical and dream-like in Secret with Yeonjung’s entry into the group. The group has gone on to oscillate between girly (Happy, Boogie Up) and darker (Dreams Come True, Unnatural) concepts, although always maintaining that mystical and cosmic ingredient to their comebacks. They have even scored a hit that has someone ingrained itself into Korean contemporary culture, as their 2019 song As You Wish makes an annual return to the top of the charts every New Year for three years in the running – 2020, 2021, and 2022!

WJSN sells well and has household name status, but I don’t believe the group will win Queendom season 2. I do have a feeling they will be the Oh My Girls of this season, massively reaping the rewards of the show after it ends.  Best case, they will get second, and at worst, they will be 4th. I don’t see them faring very bad at all, but I also don’t see them winning the whole thing owing to the other participants having larger fanbases. I will be quite happy if they end up winning though. 

Hyolyn

Speaking of Starship Entertainment, now we have a member of one of the most, if not the most successful group Starship has produced so far, Hyolyn of the iconic Kpop girl group SISTAR. SISTAR is one of those groups that didn’t even encounter rookie difficulties and went on to release hit after hit (with a sterling record of having all their title tracks at #1 in Gaon) until their unfortunate disbandment in 2017. And if Hyolyn will be fully reliant on the SISTAR catalog, there’s no question she’ll do awfully well in the competition. For one, SISTAR continues to have good name recall with the Korean public. The group parted ways with not much controversy, as they even did a farewell tour of all the music shows, both to promote what was going to be their last single, Lonely, and perform medlies of their greatest hits as a sort of encore performance. Plus, there’s no denying that SISTAR songs are just great songs.

This brings us to how Hyolyn’s trajectory in the show might end up being similar to the only solo act that has appeared in the show so far (considering both Queendom and the male version Kingdom), 2NE1’s Bom. Unfortunately, Bom did not do well during the show, always finishing 5th or 6th in the rankings. While Bom was constantly lauded for her bravery to join a contest where she has to compete by herself against groups, she somehow always sounded shaky in her performances, not to mention people still felt uncomfortable with how her facial features have changed. Suffice to say that people still recognize Bom as a solid vocalist as her solo releases have been warmly received, but her live performances have somehow a negative effect on viewers. Simply put, watching Bom live makes people anxious. 

On the other hand, the opposite can be said of Hyolyn. People somehow already know what to expect from a Hyolyn live performance: stable vocals and risque portions. Seriously, were people really shocked with her performance in the 2018 KBS Drama Awards? She was going to perform Dally, and Dally is pretty much a “trademark” Hyolyn song – vocally challenging but easily unnoticeable because people would tend to focus on the rather suggestive choreography. So, if Queendom is set on showing performances that will send tounges a-wagging for weeks for a bit of “shock factor”, then they can most definitely count on the former SISTAR leader for that. 

What Hyolyn lacks is a credible solo discography.

While Bom’s post-2NE1 releases have relatively good critical and commercial reception, Hyolyn’s has been a bit erratic. Although we know her as this sexy performer, Hyolyn’s most commercially successful releases have actually been OSTs – Goodbye from My Love from a Star and Let it Go from Frozen, to name a few. Her solo releases when she was still with Starship charted well, but after See Sea, Dally, and Bae, her releases under her own record label have not achieved similar levels of popularity. Thus, to perform well in the show, Hyolyn may have to really rely on the SISTAR (and SISTAR19 – Gone Not Around Any Longer and Ma Boy are still very much popular) catalog and her earlier works. 

Having said that, I think if Hyolyn plays her cards right, she can rank as high as 3rd. Unfortunately, if she catches the Park Bom “curse” of solo performers not faring that well in Queendom, then there’s a possibility she’ll finish at the bottom.  

But of course, everybody will still be looking forward to a 2022 version of Dally.     

Kep1er

Not a lot can be said of Kep1er. That’s because the group was only formed months ago and only debuted in January.

So, yes, what really can be said about the group that has had only one song under their belts? One thing’s for sure: Kep1er does feel like a last-minute addition to the show, the type of group that was only included in the line-up because a group backed out before the final announcement was made. Rumors were rife that Apink would be this edition’s MAMAMOO (aka a veteran group that had many ask, why are they on this show?), as well as Dreamcatcher. Now that either group is in the final line-up, many have concluded that Kep1er filled in for either group as it is likely that Apink did not want to do the show without Naeun (who YG will never permit to appear on such a show, although they did allow iKON to appear in Kingdom, which also had many scratching their heads) and Happyface does not see the merits of allowing Dreamcatcher to join the show (or any Mnet show). It is also likely that Mnet just wants to mindlessly push (read: shove) Kep1er down everybody’s throats since the show they produced for their formation, Girls Planet 999, unfortunately, did not turn out as successfully as its Produce predecessors. From Mnet’s viewpoint, they might as well ensure a return on their investment with every opportunity they get, eh? 

Swing Music, the group’s current label, may have also warmed to the idea that any exposure Kep1er gets will be beneficial to the group, no matter if it makes them look miscast or like fish out of wonder because they’re competing against some tried and tested performers. So, maybe the goal of Kep1er’s participation in the show isn’t really to win the whole thing but just to keep the group in the public’s consciousness. Also, since Kep1er just finished competing months ago, the members might still be in competition mode even as we’re speaking, so that “rookie mindset” may work for them in the show. 

On the other hand, their inexperience in going up against industry veterans and their general state of being too “green” and amateur may also work against them. Besides, they don’t even have a discography. Alas, not a lot of people have warmed up to a number of Kep1er’s members, particularly the much-maligned Huening Bahiyyih. IOI had Sohye, IZ*ONE had Kang Hyewon, and now, there is, unfortunately, a lot of hate for Huening Bahiyyih. IOI and IZ*ONE didn’t compete again, though, so the amount of vitriol the poor German-Brazilian-Korean idol will be subject to is still unknown.  But then again, shall we count on MOA  to rally behind Huening Bahiyyih again? Lest we forget that fans of her brother, Huening Kai, were attributed in ensuring Bahiyyih’s spot in Kep1er by power voting in the finals, despite her lackluster performances in Girls Planet 999. Based on their WA DA DA stages, I think Kep1er will do fine in terms of performances, and since they have a member who is the sister of one of k-pop’s most popular groups, that can only work in her and her groups’ favor. 

LOONA

Much has been said about LOONA, and if the show will allow worldwide voting, then, as early as now, we can safely say that LOONA will win Queendom 2. No need for performances, no need for drama, no need for challenges, leave it to the Orbits to ensure victory for LOONA and the LOONAVERSE. 

But then, consider:

  1. Queendom is an Mnet show. Mnet has a history of vote manipulation in reality shows. Kep1er is practically an Mnet creation. Mnet may most likely do anything to turn things towards Kep1er’s favor. In other words, international Orbits may most likely be silenced. 
  2. This may definitely work against LOONA as compared to the Brave Girls, Hyolyn, WJSN, and VIVIZ (or at least its members),  LOONA’s popularity in Korea hasn’t matched the groups mentioned. If Mnet insists on Korea-only voting rules (just like they had in the Produce seasons after the first one – yes, the manipulated seasons), then the playing field (or at least the voting demographics) may be more even for all groups.
  3. Because in terms of line-up and performance, LOONA as a whole unit may not be as good as the others. LOONA and WJSN may have started off at the same time, but the latter already performed as a whole group with Yeonjung since August 2016. LOONA finally performed as a group of twelve in 2018. That’s a two-year headstart for WJSN to work on and improve their group dynamics and harmony. Even Hyolyn has had a year of getting used to performing solo before LOONA released Hi High. 
  4. Finally, it has to be said: the strength of LOONA as a group is weaker than the strength of its individual members. The releases of each member are definitely more interesting than the group’s releases. From Hi High to PTT (Paint the Town), fans have been anticipating for a breakthrough, that one release that will push the group into explosive heights of popularity. And that anticipation has been on for four years and running. 

So, will LOONA dominate Queendom? If international voting will be allowed, then yes, by a landslide. If dominating the show will be based on Korean following, performances, and discography, LOONA might be this season’s Lovelyz or AOA.

VIVIZ 

Finally, we have tricky VIVIZ. Several factors will definitely have an effect on how VIVZ will fare on the show. 

  1. The use of GFriend’s discography. This will definitely give VIVIZ a huge advantage. The thought of Rough, Navillera, and Sunrise alone is already giving me chills.  
  2. That the GFriend discography will be performed with SinB is gold.  But the intricacies of GFriend choreo to be reduced to being performed by a trio may prove to be a little underwhelming. It’s like Oh My girl choreography being down to YooA and Mimi. The girls will definitely still have the moves, but the grandness of the formations and changes will, unfortunately, be lost. 
  3. That the GFriend discography will be sung without Sowon and Yuju will definitely be very tricky. It will be a huge challenge for Eunha and Umji to fill in the shoes of the two main vocals. Song arrangement will play a vital role. It goes without saying Hyolyn will have a walk in the park. Yeonjung, Dawon, Dayoung, and Soobin will not have any problems with that. Chuu and HaSeul should step up to the plate.  Yeseo and Youngeun may match Sowon and Yuju’s levels for Kep1er. But Eunha and Umji… it’s gonna be challenging. 
  4. Can VIVIZ count on Buddy’s voting power to tide them through the competition? That remains to be seen. If the performance of the group’s first EP is any indication, then we may expect good results, but even LOONA’s Korean Orbits may pose a challenge. 

But let’s get one thing clear: Queendom still boils down to voting. So, if the show comes down to votes, we can look forward to these results: 

Korea-only votes will be considered:

  1. Kep1er
  2. WJSN
  3. Brave Girls
  4. VIVIZ
  5. LOONA
  6. Hyolyn

International votes + Korea votes combined:

1. LOONA

.

.

.

.

.

2. A mad scramble 

But of course, the show will still be fun because of Mnet edits, the performances, and the drama! Personally, I am looking forward to these things:

  1. A couple of girls may complain that Hyolyn may have featured artists in her performances (reminiscent of Jimin complaining of Bom having people with her).  
  2. LOONA performing WJSN’s Butterfly and WJSN performing LOONA’s Butterfly
  3. WJSN performing SISTAR songs for the nth time (I can only reckon they’ve been performing them since trainee years) but with a lot of embellishments for the show
  4. Kep1er getting a chance to perform any and all songs originally performed by their competition
  5. Kep1er’s Xiaoting performing Chinese line portions of WJSN songs
  6. Hyolyn performing Brave Girls’ sexier hits (Hyolyn performing High Heels!!!)
  7. Brave Girls performing Dally (the only choreography that can compete with their stingray move)
  8. Umji performing Dally
  9. GFriend choreography being performed by LOONA
  10. Taeyeon – Hyolyn legendary main vocal interaction  

If the Queendom Season 2 lineup is not exciting, we don’t know what is. Can’t wait to see how the competition unfolds and which Kpop girl group wins!

Featured image: Mamamoo won the first season of Queendom in 2019. Photo: Mnet K-POP/YouTube.
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The Great, the Mysterious, and the Sad Plight of Chinese Idols in K-Pop

Featured image: [Special Video] SVT JUN&THE8 'MY I' KOR ver. Photo: SEVENTEEN/YouTube

The recently concluded finals of the idol survival show Girls Planet 999, which included contestants from Korea, Japan, and Chinese territories (China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong), has the public wondering again if Chinese idols don’t get a fair break among K-fans. Throughout the show, at least 2 or 3 Chinese contestants figure in the top 9 contestants of the show, which by its end, will compose a nine-member girl group. One of the Chinese contestants, Shen Xiaaoting, was ranked number 1 in three of the five episodes that have the contestant’s rankings revealed. And on the final episode, she ended up 9th.

With the Korean public becoming a tad weary of Chinese idols for a good number of reasons, such as the government implementing stricter guidelines towards idols and fans – from discouraging “sissy” idols to spending excessive amounts of money on voting in idol survival shows (which may also be a reason the Chinese girls ended up not performing well in Girls Planet 999) to several Chinese idols making highly patriotic political stands (e.g. Jackson Wang siding with the government on the Xinjiang cotton issue), fans of groups with Chinese members are crossing their fingers on the plight of their idols. Let’s have a look at three different cases of Chinese members of some K-pop groups.

Chinese K-pop Members on Top: The Case of Jun and The8

Perhaps, the most active Chinese idols in the K-pop industry are Jun and The8 of the 13-member group SEVENTEEN. Jun (who was born in Shenzhen, China) and The8 (a native of Anshan, China) have not been able to have a homecoming until last October. As the group debuted in 2015, Jun and The8 have not returned to China ever since, until recently, which means they haven’t been with friends and family for more than six years. Even the pandemic did not stop the two from continuously staying in Korea for the group’s last four comebacks in Korea – Hengarae (with the lead single Left and Right), Semicolon (with the lead single Home;Run), Your Choice (with the lead single Ready to Love), and Attacca (with the lead single Rock With You). The group has also had three Japanese comebacks since the pandemic started – Fallin’ Flower in April 2020, 24H in September 2020, and Not Alone in April 2021. All three releases have topped the Japanese Oricon charts, despite the group not actually holding in-person live events in the country due to COVID-19.

For the latest comeback, the two Chinese members were part of the recording of the entire EP and making the music videos. This means that they have versions of the songs with 13-person choreography and 11-person choreography. It has been a tad unfortunate though that when the EP Attacca was released on October 22, the two members are back in China. Both are still quite active in promoting the song on their social media accounts, though, and have also uploaded videos on the group’s TikTok account of them dancing to the “killing parts” of their single Rock With You. According to Pledis Entertainment, the two boys will be back in Korea in the New Year, which may most probably mean after the Chinese celebrations of Lunar New Year.

Judging from June and The8’s social media posts, there’s little to no reason why CARATs have to be worried about them and their status with SEVENTEEN. Besides, all thirteen members, including Jun and The8, renewed their contracts with Pledis, which is now under HYBE (aka BTS’ company) a year ahead of their expiration. It seems that the commitment of all members to the group is quite strong.

The Curious Case of the Chinese Members of WJSN

Here’s a story of another 13-member group: the Cosmic Girls or WJSN. From the group’s formation in 2016, the Chinese presence in the then-12-member group has been established, with Xuanyi, Meiqi, and Cheng Xiao holding prominent positions in the group. All of WJSN’s title tracks have been released in China and even have Mandarin versions. The three members were also present when the group welcomed a new member to their fold – Produce 101 alumna Yeonjung in late 2016, when her project group I.O.I allowed some of its members to join groups of their agencies.

Things went a bit awkward when the three Chinese members suddenly grabbed opportunities in their native China all at the same time while still promoting with the group. Fresh from the promotions of their latest EP Dream Your Dream (with the lead single Dreams Come True) from late February to mid-March of 2018, Meiqi and Xuanyi were pulled out from group promotions to compete in the first season of Produce 101 China. On the other hand, as early as January, Cheng Xiao went back and forth between China and Korea, as she was appointed as a dance mentor in the male idol group formation show Idol Producer. Fun fact: Cheng Xiao’s fellow coaches included EXO’s Lay, then GOT7’s Jackson, and then Pristin’s Kulkyung who were in various stages of activity/inactivity with their respective groups.

Meiqi and Xuanyi did well in Produce 101 China, so well that they were actually the two top-ranked contestants of the show. Due to their ranking, they automatically became members of the show’s project girl group, Rocket Girls 101. For her part, Cheng Xiao accepted acting jobs in China and did not return to Korea to reunite her group and participate in their next comeback, WJ Please, which had the lead single Save Me, Save You.

What happened to the two Rocket Girls? On August 9, Yuehua Entertainment (Starship’s partner in WJSN) and Mavericks Entertainment released a joint announcement stating that they would be withdrawing Meiqi and Xianyi, along with Mavericks talent Zhang Zining (who placed 7th in the show) from Rocket Girls. However, a week later, both companies confirmed that after coming to an agreement with Tencent (Rocket Girls 101’s company), that Meiqi, Xuanyi, and Zining will be returning to the group.

The Cosmic Girls continued to promote all throughout 2019, releasing three EPs. During this time, Meiqi and Xuanyi continued to promote with their new group Rocket Girls 101 while accepting acting and TV appearance jobs. While still promoting with her Chinese group, Meiqi released her debut EP in April 2019, which subsequently sold more than 2.5 million copies. Xuanyi also got casted in Chinese variety shows even during her time as a Rocket Girl. Cheng Xiao also continued appearing in C-dramas and variety shows.

Rocket Girls 101 disbanded in 2020, yet the two (plus Cheng Xiao) have not returned to promoting with Cosmic Girls. With a ton of activities in China, the three are not expected to reunite with their WJSN groupmates anytime soon. For their part, WJSN have had two successful comebacks despite the pandemic, with their two EPS, Neverland and Unnatural, selling more than 105,000 and 92,000 copies, respectively.

Chinese members of Cube’s Groups: CLC, Pentagon, and (G)I-dle

Three of Cube Entertainment’s groups have Chinese members – Elkie from Hong Kong, Yan’An from Shanghai (though born in Japan), and Yuqi from Beijing. There’s not a lot of weird activity solely happening with the three, with their careers taking rollercoaster rides because of the company’s (mis)management of their groups.

Let’s start with Elkie who’s supposed to be from the most senior of the three groups, CLC. Unfortunately, despite their “seniority”, it seemed that Cube had always been weird towards its treatment of the group. CLC was a sort of bridesmaid to 4Minute, which until their disbandment in 2016, was Cube’s leading girl group. When the group finally disbanded, the company showed their efforts in “prioritizing” CLC by adding two new members – Elkie who was then already a popular TV personality in Hong Kong, and Eunbin, who was at that time fresh from her stint in Produce 101 (eliminated in the second to the last episode). CLC showed promise with their High Heels Japanese comeback and their Hobgoblin Korean comeback, the latter featuring an image change for the group that showed them sporting an edgier concept resembling that of the then-recently-disbanded 4Minute.

The group felt like they were on their way to finally break through the local market when something weird happened – the company debuted a new group, (G)I-dle, which includes another Produce 101 alumna, Soyeon, and Chinese member Yuqi. The public instantly warmed up to (G)I-dle’s girl crush image with a slight softness. So, it seemed like CLC skidded a bit to the sidelines yet again.

For the part of Pentagon, they went the normal boy group career trajectory, as, during their debut in 2016, Cube was still holding a bit of hope for their “Legacy” group, BEAST, while now putting more effort into the promotions of their second boy group in line, BTOB.  Things took an unexpected turn for the better when the group’s song, Shine from ther sixth Korean EP POsitive became a sleeper hit, thanks to positive word of mouth from listeners who got hooked with the group’s trendy choreography and the song’s earworm quality. The song started out in the Gaon charts in the 500s, then rose by hundreds of places until it peaked at number 27.  It did feel like the group was finally on its way to attaining superior-level boy group levels of fame.

Then Yan’An got sick, making him take a health break from the group. Also, E’Dawn was revealed to have a relationship with Cube’s biggest stars, former 4Minute center HyunA. At first, the company denied this, then the two actually admitted to the relationship, after which the company dropped her and E’Dawn. Yan’An took another health break (a longer one this time for most of 2020). Members Junho and leader Hui (who was also in a group with HyunA and E’Dawen called Triple H) are currently on military duty, so the group is practically on that weird state exclusively occurring among boy groups: a hiatus with awkward and poorly promoted releases by still-active members. Yan’An is back with the group, but with its weird status, we’re not exactly sure what the future holds for the group.

This brings us back to CLC and (G)I-dle. With the company obviously preferring the newer group, CLC was pushed back and forth from sweet and innocent songs to edgy girl crush releases, while (G)I-dle getting better songs.

Their latest/last release was Helicopter in August 2020 and before the year ended, Elkie sent a legal notice to Cube Entertainment requesting termination of her contract, citing that she has not received payment for her acting activities and that Cube Entertainment had already stopped their “developmental support” of CLC, putting the group in an uncertain future. On February 3, 2021, Cube Entertainment confirmed that Elkie is not with the group anymore and her contract has been terminated. Fast forward to September, when member Yujin, who joined Girls Planet 999, said in an interview on the show that the group has been “dismissed.” As fans, we can only interpret this as CLC disbanding.

Finally, what has happened to the rather successful (G)I-dle? With EPs that sell more than 200,000 copies (AMAZING considering 100,000 units sold for girl groups is already a lot) and all lead singles charting notably high (the group’s last single, Hwaa, peaked at #4), the three-year-old group has achieved top-tier status in record time.  Considering they’re not from SM, JYP, or YG, their sales and chart performances are unquestionably commendable. They even won new fans when they participated and eventually placed third in the idol group competition Queendom, only placing behind MAMAMOO and Oh My Girl. everything is turning up roses for (G)I-dle until something gets messed up.

Only several weeks after the promotions ended for the group’s latest release, Hwaa, Cube announced that Soojin would temporarily halt all activities after bullying accusations by former classmates rose. The company has since encouraged individual activities, with Yuqi releasing her first EP as a solo artist, A Page, in May and Soyeon releasing her solo EP, Windy, the following month.

Finally, on August 14, Cube Entertainment announced that Soojin has departed from the group. (G)I-dle is now down to five members, but there hasn’t been news about a comeback. Several weird developments have happened since Soojin’s departure from the group, with various reports claiming that the members did not agree to Soojin getting booted out of the group and have become disappointed with Cube. Many also pointed out the lackluster support the company gave to Yuqi’s debut.

Finally, only days after the announcement of Soojin’s departure, rumors of Soyeon leaving Cube and therefore, the group spread like wildfire. On August 28, Soyeon hello a vLive session and eagle-eyed watchers were quick to point out that there was something tucked in her phone case – a business card with the logo of PNation, Psy’s relatively new entertainment agency that houses, surprise, surprise – the banished duo of HyunA and E’Dawn! That it has been months since the last comeback and the year is drawing to a close, fans can’t help but wonder if it is also “buh-bye Cube” time for (G)I-dle.

So, there you have it- the great, the mysterious, and the perennial mistreatment among Chinese idols. Let’s hope there’ll be more Juns and The8’s in the future of K-pop.

Featured image: [Special Video] SVT JUN&THE8 ‘MY I’ KOR ver. Photo: SEVENTEEN/YouTube
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The Genius of the Genius Game: Exploring the Brilliance of the Game Show

Has the Netflix hit Squid Game have you pining for more Korean shows where people play games for money? Don’t worry, there has been quite a number of Korean game shows that have been produced that had contestants compete for money, just like in Squid Game. The good thing is, the contestants in these shows don’t have to resort to violence and death. 

The show we’re going to explore is The Genius, a game show that ran for four seasons, from 2013 to 2015. When it was aired, it became a huge fad in Korea.

The Genius was a reality game show with 13 contestants from different backgrounds. There are some celebrities known for their social skills, professionals known for their particular skills in their work, and finally some “regular folk” known for their exceptional intelligence. These participants compete to be on top in every episode, which provides them with immunity from elimination. On every episode, one contestant is eliminated after two rounds of games – a Main Match and a Death Match.

During the Main Match, all players who have survived the previous episode’s elimination will play to win and to be immune from elimination via a token of life. There have been some Main Matches where more than one contestant receives the token of life and therefore, is exempted from elimination. In Main Matches, the winner receives an additional token of life which they can give to a fellow contestant, sparing the recipient from elimination as well. 

The contestant who performed the worst in the Main Match will face off with an opponent of his or her own choosing from among the contestants without a token of life in the Death Match. There have been episodes where there are joint losers, in which case the winner(s) of the Main Match will have to nominate the Death Match player from among the losers. Obviously, the Death Match loser is the eliminated contestant of that episode. 

Aside from the token of life, the winner(s) of the Main Match also win a number of red garnets. A red garnet is equivalent to 1,000,000 won (approximately US$1,000). In the final episode, only the total garnets of the winning contestant are exchanged for his or her prize money. Throughout the show, garnets can be given to other contestants as a form of leverage when negotiating some aspects of the game. Some Main Matches also allow the use of garnets for clues or implements that may win a game for a contestant. 

As the show’s title denotes, it would take a genius to win – but not just a genius in the conventional definition of being someone who has superior academic intelligence. As the start of the third season’s first episode showed, there are different kinds of intelligence, according to Harvard psychologist Howard Garner. To win this game show, it is believed that the contestant needs to employ the kind of intelligence that would benefit him or her the most, at least for a particular Main Match or Death Match. It can be interpersonal intelligence, verbal-linguistic intelligence, logical-mathematical intelligence, etc. 

The key is for the contestant to realize what skills are important for a victory. Thus, having a high IQ may not be assurance of success in the show, as understanding and grasping concepts quickly also aren’t – other contestants may notice this skill and may consider you a threat, prompting them to ally with other contestants to plot your downfall.  Some watches may require more of quick scheming, others may require superior logic, yet others may demand alliances and betrayal.

What are the games played in the Main and Death Matches? 

Most, if not all games are made to look like contestants need to be astute in using logic and mathematical skills, but that might only get them so far. A good deal of one’s success in the games also involves strategy and negotiations and building cooperative relationships and alliances with co-players to ensure favorable outcomes. Outthinking and amazing strategic mindsets can also help a lot in giving a contestant a win.

https://twitter.com/colinstone/status/1462612587154132999

For example, in Season 2, Episode 11,  TV personality and politician Yoo Junghyun faced comedian Noh Hongchul in the Death Match that required them to play Same Picture Hunt, a game that was also Season 1’s final Death Match. The game involves 16 picture tiles hidden behind 16 letter panels and arranged in a 4 by 4 board for the contestants’ reference. Tiles corresponding to the pictures are then dealt out on a conveyor belt with 20 spaces on it. The candidates then try to locate the picture on the board that matches the next tile on their belt. If correct, they move to the next tile, their conveyor belt not moving. But if they’re wrong, the belt is sent one space backward and the erring contestant loses their turn.  This continues until either the winning candidate reaches the end of their conveyor belt or until the losing candidate loses all his or her tiles because they have fallen off the belt. 

Seems to be your usual memory game, right? In Season 1, former idol and TV personality Lee Sangmin and former newscaster and TV personality Kim Kyungran played the game in a straight laced-fashion – a battle of memory. That did not happen in Season 2 as politician Jonghyun used his advantage of going second in the game to block out Hongchul. How?

For example, Hongchul wanted to know the picture behind the letter S. As Hongchul’s picture and the picture behind S do not match, it becomes Jonghyun’s turn. Jonghyun does not use his turn to discover what’s behind another letter and instead just repeats Honghul’s chosen letter, S, for his round. Thus, Hongchul is not given new information. Since he comes first in the game, he used up all his tiles before Jonghyun lost his. Smart, eh? 

Another popular Death Match that was frequently used in Season 1 was Winning Streak, or simply put, rock paper scissors with politics. The point of the game is to make sure you have more allies with your fellow contestants compared to your opponent, so that you will have a longer winning streak, as you will play rock paper scissors with the contestants who aren’t in the elimination block. If the contestants you have allied with are few and far from each other, then the chances of you getting a long winning streak is slim.  

A lot of games were like this, proving that while you can get ahead in the contest with just a thorough understanding of the game’s rules, being strategic on how to use this understanding to win the game is also important. 

Who were the players in The Genius?

The Genius ran for four seasons and had popular personalities as contestants. In Season 1, aside from Sangmin and Kyungran who were mentioned earlier, other contestants include former member of the short-lived girl group Tinus Choi Jungmoon (who also happens to be a MENSA member, eliminated in Episode 5), controversial MC and DJ Kim Gura (as in the grouchy panelist in Radio Star and King of Masked Singer, eliminated in Episode 6), INFINITE leader Sunggyu (who was actually quite successful, reaching Episode 10 before getting eliminated), webtoon artist Kim Poong (eliminated in Episode 7), and weather reporter Park Eunji (eliminated in Episode 9). The season was won by former professional Starcraft player and TV personality Hong Jinho, who faced off with Kyungran in the final episode.

Season 1 champ Jinho (who was unfortunately eliminated in Episode 7) and Sangmin returned in Season 2. Aside from Hongchul and Jonghyun mentioned earlier, they were joined by Jaekyung (leader of girl group RAINBOW, 2nd to be eliminated). Jiwon (as in the leader of 1st gen mega group Sechs Kies, who like Season 1’s Sunggyu was also eliminated in Episode 10), magician Lee Eungyeol (who was always in coattails and sunglasses throughout the show, 4th to be eliminated), and former Starcraft professional player Lim Yohwan (as in Jinho’s mortal adversary in the gaming world), who faced Sangmin in the finals. 

Season 3 included academy math teacher and KAIST lecturer Nam Hweejung (who rose to fame after becoming the first contestant eliminated in Season 2 as many disliked his arrogance, though he fared better in Season 3, where he got eliminated in Episode 4), former singer and actor Kim Jeonghoon (as in Prince Lee Yul in Princess Hours, eliminated in Episode 6), and eventual winner, comedian Jang Dongmin, who beat then 19-year-old KAIST student Oh Hyunmin. Hyunmin, who then was the youngest contestant to ever appear in the show’s four seasons, went on to become a TV personality. 

Season 4 is sort of the show’s “greatest hits” season, where the most popular players of all three seasons reunited. 

What was the best season? 

The answer to this question really depends on the viewer’s personal preference. I personally prefer Season 1 the most, since the contestants were pretty much left to their open devices on how to play the games and strategize, while the two other seasons already have references from previous seasons and thus, came more prepared. 

Season 1 set the bar with the brilliance of the eventual winner, Jinho, whom showed amazing performances in the three Death Matches he participated in and won, as well as winning three Main Matches as well. How he played the games and avoided betrayal as much as possible was also remarkable. The season also showed fantastic runs from Sunggyu, who led on other players by pretending he was mostly clueless of the games to hide his brilliance in tactical thinking and Kyungran, who managed to always be in the right place and the right time and thus, avoiding Death Matches (she only played one Death Match – the last one before the final episode). 

Season 2 was a bit of a damper in the sense that most of the season was spent on something that wasn’t really a part of the games – the immunity token. This was introduced only in Season 2 and was not used in the following seasons, which allowed the owner to skip a Death Match. A good amount of play time during Episodes 3 to 5 were spent on players who have clues on the whereabouts of the immunity token looking for it, so they weren’t able to focus on the Main Matches. 

Moreover, thing went awry in Episode 6 when Jiwon took the ID of contestant Dohee (known for hacking Seoul National University’s website), which was an important element of playing the Main Match of that episode. As a result of  looking for it until the last round, Dohee wasn’t able to properly participate in the game and was automatically sent to the Death Match. Things became more uncomfortable to watch when Sangmin gave him a fake immunity token, which he used, only to find out that he was duped for the second time in one episode. For a show that stated right from the start of Season 1 that  “violence or theft is not allowed,” it was very disappointing how the producers did not step in and forced Jiwon to surrender Dohee’s ID. 

Season 3 had a very different player dynamic from the past two seasons because of the backlash the show received with the Episode 6 mess and the alliance among celebrities and non-celebrities. Thus, the third season had more “normal” and “regular” people as contestants. The alliance between Hyunmin and Dongmin pretty much ruled the entire season, but what was great about it was the two did not make their relationship too obvious and still allowed the other players to display brilliant gameplay, especially Yeonseung who considered himself an outsider the entire season, yet managed to be part of the final 3. The games themselves were not as dynamic as the first two seasons, but we were allowed to see the vulnerabilities in all the players.  

Sadly, The Genius is not streaming on any platform, although subtitled episodes have been available on YouTube and Dailymotion. International diehard fans have also made it something of a cult classic, with reddit and Discord forums still alive six years after the last episode was aired. It can be said that the show’s popularity can be narrowed down to three factors: The novel but interesting concept, the genius-level editing of the show’s episode (the fast forward and flashback scenes get people to anticipate what’s happening and why things turn out they way they eventually did), and finally, the relatability of the contestants who really made sure they played the games to the best of their abilities, which made the show all the more watchable. Hopefully, we can get tVN to release the show’s four seasons in a streaming platform for more audiences to experience it. 

Featured Image: Screengrab from Tvn Youtube Channel “The Genius Game” trailer

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Five Amazing Boy Group Concepts That Left Fans Wanting More

Picture credit: Youtube

K-pop music videos are always a delight to watch, not just for the music and the awesome choreography, but also for the concepts that will leave you in awe! Here we list down five unforgettable boy group concepts that had many fans clicking on the replay button.

School uniform

The school uniform concept is often used in idol group comebacks, but it’s the one theme that fans never tire of. It may be common in K-pop, but each group has put their own spin on it to make it fresh, fun, and unique! EXO brought this concept back into the spotlight with their music video Growl. (Fun fact: this music video was shot in one continuous take!)

BTS in their rookie years nailed the high school bad boy look in Boy in Luv. In the MV, the members act tough to try to get a girl’s attention. The boys also don school uniforms in their follow-up single Just One Day, which showcased a lighter, more mellow vibe.

Astro are portrayed as manhwa characters in their music video for Confession. In the video, a high school girl draws the members, and the boys come to life and start following her around as she goes about her life. And, Seventeen are cheeky schoolboys trying to impress girls in their MV for Mansae. 

Dark

This concept is masterfully brought to life by the undisputed concept kings—VIXX. Voodoo Doll’s heavy, intense beats paired with macabre imagery resulted in a music video so shocking, the group had to release a “clean” version. In the original MV, a woman used a voodoo doll to control and torture the members. The group’s music video Hyde also fits this concept well.  

SHINee’s Married to the Music is much less gruesome but hiding behind the cheery music and colorful visuals is a video where a series of unfortunate events happened to each group member while at a party. Meanwhile, their SM hoobaes, NCT127, ran with the vampire concept in their most recent release Favorite (Vampire). 

Block B capitalized on people’s fear of clowns and deserted theme parks in their MV for Jackpot. Rookie boy group Enhypen also joined the horror concept train with Drunk Dazed, featuring the members having drinks spiked with blood and dancing in a literal bloody shower. 

Check out the other music videos that have gone over to the dark side in our Halloween-themed K-pop MVs article.

Literature/Mythology

Global superstars BTS are known to tell stories through their music and reference literature in their albums. In Blood, Sweat & Tears, from their second full album Wings, BTS references the themes of temptation and growth, reality and illusion, and good and evil. The song—the entire album actually—is based on Hermann Hesse’s novel Demian. In the MV, RM even narrated a quote from the book: “He too, was a tempter. He too was a link to the second. The evil world with which I no longer wanted to have anything to do.” 

VIXX’s Scentist, a portmanteau of “scent” and “artist,” portrays the members as perfumers. The lyrics and the music video led many Starlights to believe that the MV is inspired by the 1985 German novel Perfume: The Story of a Murderer by Patrick Süskind. The concept kings also released a trilogy of songs inspired by Greek Mythology in their 2016 Conception project. The first of the series, Dynamite, was based on Zelos, the Greek god of jealousy. The second track, Fantasy, drew on Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. Rounding off the project is The Closer, inspired by Kratos, the divine personification of strength.

Super Junior’s Ryeowook took inspiration from Antoine de Saint-Exupéry‘s The Little Prince in his solo debut song and album of the same name. The music video is chock-full of references to the novel, and the lyrics tell the story of a heartsick man in a conversation with The Little Prince. 

Sci-Fi

EXO’s entire group concept is one big sci-fi universe. From their origin story in MAMA to fighting the Red Force machine in Power; battling against their sinister alter egos in Obsession and journeying through space in Don’t Fight the Feeling, they have consistently expounded on their rich storyline that keeps EXO-Ls hooked. Bonus: they also have a song called Lightsaber, a collaboration project with Star Wars! 

Bigbang has also dabbled in the sci-fi concept. In their music video for Monster, the members portrayed genetically modified beings trying to escape a ruined facility. And an ill-fated love story in the far future is the setting for VIXX’s Error. In the music video, Hongbin recreates a cyborg version of his lost love, only for both of them to meet a tragic end. 

Retro

Vintage has its charms, and K-pop groups know it! Idols have taken their cue from the catchy tunes and styles of the past and molded them to fit current music styles. 

BTS channels 70’s disco-pop in their feel-good record-breaking hit Dynamite. The group went on full throwback with a colorful video with retro-themed outfits, choreography, and sets! Seventeen also swings back into the past with Home;Run. The boys danced their way around an old-fashioned movie theater, a vintage train, and an old-school bowling alley in retro-inspired garb. 

Second generation Kpop legends TVXQ sends fans back to the roaring ‘20s with their jazzy hit Something. Bright lights, brass instruments, and intricate choreography add to the MV’s theatrical vibe. Finally, NCT U throws it back to the ‘90s with ‘90s Love. The song jumps right into the newtro trend, defined as adding a contemporary twist to the retro style. In the music video, the boys battle it out on the hockey rink—has anyone got The Mighty Ducks flashbacks? 

With these (and more!) concepts to play with, male idol groups will never run out of stories to tell through their music! Which male idol group concept is your favorite?  

Featured Image: A still from TVXQ’s “Something”. Credit: SMTOWN

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Standout Sub-units in K-pop

Picture credit: official site

A sub-unit is a smaller group, usually around two to five members, formed from a larger group. Sub-units usually release music and concepts that have a different vibe from the main group. Forming sub-units also allow idols to experiment with genres and aesthetics not usually embraced by the full group.  

Here are some of the amazing idol group sub-units in K-pop:   

Super Junior–K.R.Y.

Let’s be real: sub-units won’t exist in K-pop if not for Super Junior—they were the first group to introduce the concept of sub-units in K-pop. The second generation idol group introduced Super Junior–K.R.Y., made up of main vocalists Kyuhyun, Ryeowook, and Yesung, in 2006 with “The One I Love” from the drama Hyena original soundtrack. The trio continually recorded several drama soundtracks, as well as beautiful ballad tracks. In 2020, they released their first EP, When We Were Us. 

Listen to Super Junior K.R.Y’s “When We Were Us” from their EP of the same name: 

 Super Junior–D&E 

Super Junior D&E is the fifth sub-unit of the legendary idol group, after Super Junior K.R.Y., Super Junior-T, Super Junior-M, and Super Junior-H. The unit brought together the group’s main dancers, Donghae and Eunhyuk. The duo debuted in 2011 with the catchy single “Oppa, Oppa.” 

The talented twosome is celebrating their 10th anniversary as a sub-unit this year. They released their first full album Countdown on November 2, 2021. Watch the fun music video for their latest title track “Zero”:

Girls’ Generation–TTS 

Girls’ Generation–TTS is the girl group’s first sub-unit, composed of main vocalists Taeyeon, Tiffany, and Seohyun. The trio has released three EPs: Twinkle, Holler, and Dear Santa. The unit is currently on hiatus, as Tiffany and Seohyun have left SM Entertainment, but SONEs are still holding out for a TTS comeback!  

Watch their debut single “Twinkle” (featuring pre-debut Chanyeol, Baekhyun, Kai, and Sehun!) below: 

Girls’ Generation–Oh!GG

Girls’ Generation-Oh!GG is the group’s second sub-unit, composed of the members still with SM Entertainment: Taeyeon, Sunny, Hyoyeon, Yuri, and Yoona. The unit released their first single album Lil’ Touch in 2018. 

Watch their video Lil’ Touch below: 

 EXO–CBX 

EXO-CBX is the first sub-unit of EXO, made up of members Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin. The trio debuted in 2016 with the high-energy track “Hey Mama!” 

The unit is currently on hiatus as Chen and Baekhyun are still completing their military service. Their most recent release is 2018’s “Blooming Day.” Watch the music video below: 

EXO–SC 

EXO’s rapper line, Sehun and Chanyeol, came together to form the group’s second sub-unit, EXO–SC. They debuted in 2019 with their first EP, What A Life. Just one year later, they released their first full album, 1 Billion Views. Their combined album sales have already exceeded 900,000 copies, making EXO–SC one of the most successful K-pop sub-units!  

Like EXO–CBX, EXO–SC is also on hiatus as Chanyeol is currently serving in the military and Sehun is busy with his acting projects. In the meantime, watch Sehun and Chanyeol’s “One Billion Views” below while we wait for the duo to make a comeback: 

NCT

NCT is a massive 23-member group split into several sub-units: NCT U, NCT127, NCT Dream, and WayV. NCT U is a rotational unit that is formed from group members that fit a particular comeback concept. NCT127 is the Seoul-based unit that will be primarily active in Korea. NCT Dream was originally the “teenage” sub-unit with an age-based graduation system, but this system has since been abolished. WayV is the group’s China-based unit. 

NCT127 is the latest sub-unit to make a comeback with “Sticker.” The song has ten music show wins as of October 8, 2021. Check out NCT127’s “Sticker” music video below: 

VIXX LR 

VIXX LR is the first sub-unit of concept kings VIXX, composed of main vocalist Leo and main rapper Ravi. The duo’s contrasting yet harmonious vocal colors debuted in 2015 with “Beautiful Liar“. Their last comeback was in 2017 with “Whisper.” Leo is currently busy with preparations for the Frankenstein musical, while Ravi is occupied with releasing solo music, appearing on variety shows and managing his two music labels—but here’s to hoping they make a comeback soon!  

Watch VIXX LR’s “Whisper” music video below: 

BIGBANG – GD&TOP/ GDxTAEYANG

Bigbang has two official sub-units: GD & TOP and GD x Taeyang. 

Rapper duo G-Dragon and T.O.P released their first album as a sub-unit in 2010. That album yielded three singles: “High High,” “Oh Yeah,” and “Knock Out.” Their most recent single, “Zutter,” was released in 2015 as part of Bigbang’s MADE album.  

VIPs know that G-Dragon and Taeyang were originally slated to debut as a hip hop duo before Bigbang, so fans were thrilled when they paired up to form a sub-unit in 2014. The K-pop legends have only released the track “Good Boy” so far, but fans will surely keep watch for a comeback!  

RED VELVET–IRENE & SEULGI

Red Velvet’s leader Irene and main dancer Seulgi teamed up to form the girl group’s first sub-unit. The pair played up the sultry vibe with their first EP, Monster, released on July 6, 2020. 

Be mesmerized by Irene and Seulgi’s tutting in “Naughty” below: 


Of course, there are more insanely talented sub-units. There was the quirky Orange Caramel, the co-ed project groups Troublemaker and Triple H, the YG hip-hop duo MOBB, the sexy SISTAR19 and more. All of these sub-units add their own unique colors to the ever-growing K-pop scene. 

Which sub-unit is your favorite?

Featured Image: Sehun and Chanyeol of the EXO–SC, sub unit of EXO. Photo: SM Town official website
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Three (+1) Popular K-Pop Duos You Should Know

Picture credit: Bol4 official Twitter

In the world of K-pop, it look like groups have dominated for years. For every IU, BoA, Chungha, Ailee, or Sunmi, there’s at least three or five groups you can mention to prove the discrepancy in the number of successful soloists to groups. While it is true that the rate of failure among girl and boy groups is very high, the number of soloists getting their breaks in the first place is smaller.

And then, there are the unicorns of the Korean music industry: The K-pop duos. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a good number of pairs that could rival Simon and Garfunkel, Outkast, Daft Punk, or The Everly Brothers.

So, we’ve gathered them for you. And believe us when we say that knowing them is quite rewarding!

DAVICHI

Early beginnings: Any K-pop fan who has been around the block for years would know Davichi. Those who swear by K-dramas would surely know them. After all, you cannot really get through a season of K-dramas without hearing an OST  contribution from this legendary K-pop duo. Having already celebrated their 10th year in the Korean music scene in 2018, Davichi has proven their career’s longevity without resorting to a lot of tactics that most K-pop acts have used to achieve their stardom, from multi-billion-won marketing blitzes to appealing to the younger crowds. 

Formed in 2008, Davichi consists of two female vocalists Lee Haeri and Kang Minkyung. The duo’s name in Korean actually means “shining over everything”, and considering the power and longevity of these two, their names feel appropriate. 

 

Davichi’s discography as of 2021 is composed of three studio albums and six extended plays, which for a lot of observers may not be the body of work of an enduring K-pop artist. After all, their output would only mean a release every year, which isn’t really a strong showing for anyone in the Korean music industry. However, what Davichi lacks in EPs and albums, they compensate with participation in countless soundtracks. Once we consider their work in OSTs for television dramas like Big (2012), Iris II (2013), It’s Okay, That’s Love (2014), Descendants of the Sun (2016), Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (2016), and Now We are Breaking Up (2021), we definitely cannot discount how extensive their career had been. 

Their debut single “I Love You Even Though I Hate You” was already a commercial success – Davichi is really no pushover. Since then, they have accumulated seven (yes, 7) number one singles and their OSTs are consistent high rankers as well. So, even if they are not exactly the textbook definition of what a “K-pop act” should be with their distance from pop sounds we’ve associated with K-pop, their unique blend of power ballads and R&B-influenced songs have cemented the duo’s place in the K-pop canon. 

Davichi debuted with their studio album, Amaranth, on February 4, 2008. As early as then, they already experienced success with their promotional track “I Love You Even Though I Hate You” getting awarded the “Rookie of the Month” award for February at the Cyworld Digital Music Awards. They promoted “Sad Promise” from the same album as their follow-up track and later released a repackaged edition of their first album titled Vivid Summer Edition, with “Love and War” as the promotional single.

Davichi’s debut year got off to a strong start as they quickly gained vast fan following and critical acclaim.  The duo has been in the industry since 2008. Photo credit: Davichi official twitter

To say that Davichi’s debut year was a success sounds about right as they did not only enjoy strong sales and radio play but also quickly accumulated a vast fan following fast and unquestionable critical favor. By the end of the year, they were the recipient of “Best New Artist” awards from the Mnet Asian Music Awards, Golden Disk Awards, and the Seoul Music Awards.

Rise to Fame: After the success of their debut efforts, Davichi was set to prove that they weren’t just the recipients of beginner’s luck. They went to the top of the charts with seven songs – “Time, Please Stop” (which featured T-Ara’s Eunjung on the music video), “Don’t Say Goodbye“, “Turtle“, “Be Warmed” (featuring Verbal Jint), “The Letter” (편지), “We Were in Love” (a collaboration with T-Ara), and “Cry Again“. 

They also have a considerable number of singles that peaked at numbers 2 and 3, and their 2021 single “Just Hug Me” reached #8. The first holiday single of their career entitled “Everyday Christmas” has reached #16 in the Korean charts as of the second week of December 2021.  

Davichi is also notoriously popular for their heart-wrenching power OST ballads, and with 14 OST appearances, you can argue they have amassed more popularity in them compared to their own releases. Arguably, the most popular among these 14 OSTs is the song “This Love“ from the 2016 K-drama Descendants of the Sun. As with many of their OST contributions, “This Love” became so popular that the duo was invited to music shows for special stages to sing the song live, something they do not commonly do with their songs, particularly their OSTs. 

By the way, aside from their duo activities, the two have also dabbled with acting. Minkyung has actually appeared as a lead actress on some K-dramas aside from singing OSTs as a solo artist, while Haeri has also portrayed lead roles in musical theatre and has become a TV personality with her participation in several musical programs. 

Must-Listens: The top two Davichi sings are OSTs, of course, with “This Love” and “Forgetting You” from the Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo OST. As for their releases, “Cry Again” and the breathtaking music video filmed in Budapest takes the cake.  

 

AKMU

Early beginnings: We’ve had Donnie and Marie Osmond, the Jonas Brothers, and The Carpenters battling it out for the title of most talented siblings in showbiz, but for K-pop, there can only be one: AKMU. Akdong Musician, composed of the Lee siblings Suhyun and Chanhyuk, has been a staple in the Korean entertainment scene since 2014 and have been regarded since then as the country’s premier brother-sister musical duo. Basically, anyone in Korea who doesn’t know who AKMU is met with disbelief. 

Lee Chanhyuk and Lee Suhyun did not spend a lot of their growing up years in Korea though. They lived with their missionary parents in Mongolia for almost five years before returning to South Korea. The siblings were home-schooled by their mother in Mongolia and returned to Korea in 2012 to participate in the preliminary auditions of K-pop Star 2 in Seoul. Chanhyuk was 16 and Suhyun was 13 at that time. In spite of their lack of experience and youth, everybody, especially the judges panel composed of YG Entertainment’s Yang Hyunsuk, JYP’s Park Jinyoung, and SM’s BoA, was nothing short of impressed when the siblings sang a cover of Miss A’s “Breathe” and an original song titled “Don’t Cross Your Legs“.

The two went on to deliver performances throughout the contest that were sometimes outstanding and sometimes a bit inconsistent. In the end, they went on to win the competition. A month after winning, the siblings and the contest’s second placer Bang Yedam (currently with the YG group Treasure) signed an exclusive contract with YG Entertainment. 

Rise to Fame: It took a whole year from winning K-Pop Star 2 before AKMU debuted with their first album, Play, with three singles to be released – “200%” chosen by Yang Hyun-suk, “Melted” chosen by Akdong Musician, and “Give Love” determined by the fans. Play took number one spot on the Gaon Charts and number two on Billboard’s US World Albums Chart, while “200%” topped all South Korean charts. Akdong Musician then released the digital single, “Time and Fallen Leaves” in October. Although it was planned as the lead single for Play, it was delayed to suit the season. The song made an “all-kill” two consecutive days after release, but was not given a music video so the listeners would imagine their own stories.

Suhyun joined labelmate Lee Hi to form Hi Suhyun, which released their debut single, “I’m Different“, which won them music show trophies. After the success of “200%” and “Time and Fallen Leaves“, AKMU has had three more number 1s with “Re-bye” (from the Spring EP) in 2016; “How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You’re the One I Love” from 2019’s Sailing; and “Nakka“, a collaboration with IU from the EP Next Episode, which features AKMU collaborating with various artists. 

Through those years, AKMU even snuck in a hiatus as Chanhyuk enlisted for his mandatory military enlistment in 2017 with the Korean Marines. During this time, Suhyun occupied her time with solo activities as a radio DJ at KBS Cool FM’s Volume Up, a permanent cast member on JTBC’s Begin Again, and a soundtrack release for the TV drama Mr. Sunshine, among others. Once Chanhyuk successfully fulfilled his mandatory military service, the EP Sailing and the lead single “How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You’re the One I Love” served as their comeback.

It was a massively successful comeback with the single eventually selling more than 2.5 million copies and cementing the duo’s stardom and status as “digital monsters”. The subsequent releases revealed that the duo has decided to stay officially as “AKMU” to reinforce their more mature image. As of 2021, the duo has re-signed with YG Entertainment for five more years.

Must-Listens: It is definitely not a joke when we say that every single AKMU song is a must. But if we were to choose three, the first would be their debut single, “200%“, which showcased their singer-songwriter prowess at the start of their careers. The second one would be “Time and Fallen Leaves“, which showed their depth and artistry as young as they were, and finally, “How Can I Love the Heartbreak, You’re the One I Love“, which will just guarantee your transforming into an emotional wreck after listening to this song. 

TVXQ!

Early beginnings: We all know TVXQ! nowadays as being composed of two members, Changmin and Yunho. Old school K-pop fans from the 2000s, however, would know that this wasn’t the case. Up until 2009, TVXQ was composed of five members, with the two mentioned along with Junsu, Jaejoong, and Yoochun. 

You mean, JYJ? 

Exactly. Before JYJ and before TVXQ dwindled down to a duo, SM’s premiere second-generation group used to have five members. The group became wildly popular not just in Korea, but also in Japan and China.

The duo, Changmin and Yunho – the current members of TVXQ!  Picture credit: TVQX official twitter

Unfortunately, along with massive popularity came issues. In July 2009, members Jaejoong, Yoochun, and Junsu launched an attempt to split with their Korean management S.M. Entertainment.

They claimed that their thirteen-year contract was excessively long, schedules were held out without the permission of the members, and that there was an unfair distribution of the group’s profits from their activities. 

The Korean courts sided with them momentarily and granted them a temporary contract injunction, causing the activities of the five-member group in Korea to be canceled. To make things more awkward, Changmin and Yunho released a statement expressing support of their agency and urging their three groupmates to work things out with SM so that they could continue their activities as a group.

There was temporary peace and order among the five members, at least on their Japanese activities as they continued to promote as five members in the country. They even released their 28th and 29th singles before releasing a greatest hits album in February 2010 and releasing their 30th single a month later. In April, Avex, the group’s Japanese agency, announced the formation of a special unit JYJ. This was also launched in Korea later by the three members’ new agency C-JeS. So while JYJ proceeded in launching their new group and battling it out with SM Entertainment in the courts, TVXQ! was (un)ceremoniously converted from a 5-piece group to a duo. 

Rise to Fame: With full backing of their entertainment agency, Yunho and Changmin started a new chapter of TVXQ!’s history, this time as a duo in 2011 with the single “Keep Your Head Down”. The single gave the duo seven wins in music shows and won album of the year at the Gaon Chart K-Pop Awards. Its Japanese version also brought the duo back to the top of the country’s charts and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Japan.

Of course, with their first song as a duo, comments from the public arose that “Keep Your Head Down” is throwing shade towards their three former groupmates, telling them to be humble and not embarrass themselves by getting into a legal dispute with their former company. The duo clarified that the song is not a diss track and is actually about what a man wants to say to an ex who has left him.  

 

Since “Keep Your Head Down“, TVXQ! has continuously released music in both Korea and Japan, with the duo releasing ten more Korean singles since 2011 and 21 more Japanese singles (including “Why?”, the Japanese version of Keep Your Head Down). 

Aside from the group’s first hiatus when JYJ broke out from them in 2010, TVXQ! had its second hiatus when Yunho began serving his mandatory military service for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces in 2015. Changmin joined the Military Police months after. The duo staged a comeback in 2017 and have been active both in Japan and Korea since, even during the pandemic.  

Must-Listens: For TVXQ!’s discography as a duo, their debut single “Keep Your Head Down” is a definite must. Their 2014 track “Something” is another song that has signaled the shift of the duo in terms of their sound from a very hard-hitting hip-hop-rock fusion to a more bluesy R&B one. Finally, there’s 2018’s “The Chance of Love” that has continued the duo’s swing jazzy sound they are now more known for.  

 

BOL4

The duo, Jiyoung and Jiyoon, were classmates who grew up together in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. Picture credit: Bol4 official Twitter

Alas, there’s Bolbbalgan4, or later known as BOL4 – a duo that has unfortunately become a solo act in the pandemic. Jiyoung and Jiyoon, who make up the duo, grew up together in Yeongju, North Gyeongsang Province. They were classmates. Like AKMU, BOL4 also tried their luck in a singing reality competition. They joined the sixth installment of SuperStar K in 2014 with the likes of Kim Feel, Kwak Jineon, 4th Impact, and Song Yuvin. Unfortunately, they were cut off during the elimination rounds. 

That did not hinder the pair from realizing their dreams – they went on to sign with Shofar Music. In 2016, they debuted with the name Bolbbalgan4, with the goal of making pure, honest music that is reminiscent of adolescence. In English, their name translates to blushing puberty and between the two, Jiyoon is the “blushing” one because of her shy personality and Jiyoung is in charge of “youth” because she portrays adolescence well. Actually, the complete Korean word for puberty is sachungi, which is the same as number four (sa). This is why the group’s name is shortened to BOL4.

Rise to Fame: For a new group from an unknown company, their debut EP peaked at number 30 in the charts, which isn’t bad at all. However, it was their second single “Galaxy” that propelled them to instant success, as it sold over 2.7 million copies and their first studio album where “Galaxy” is a part of peaking at #15 and selling more than 25,000 copies. 

The duo quickly shot to fame and released five successive singles that sold more than 2.5 million copies. With singles such as “Hard to Love“, “Tell Me You Love Me“, “Some“, and “To My Youth“, they immediately earned the reputation as “digimons” – digital monsters who sell singles by the millions, an elite circle occupied by artists such as Zico, IU, Heize, Lee Hi, and one of our duos earlier, AKMU.     

“Some”, “Travel“, “Bom“, and “Workaholic” eventually topped the Gaon Digital Charts, and there seemed to be no stopping the duo from achieving continuous success despite a number of odds, including stiff competition, the small company, and persistent rumors of a breakup because of alleged unequal treatment between Jiyoung and Jiyoon. Those rumors were constantly denied by the girls and their agency, much to the relief of the fans. 

That was, until April 2020. 

After an entire career filled with speculations on the real relationship between the two, Shofar Music announced the one piece of news every BOL4 follower has dreaded – Jiyoon is leaving the duo. The month after, Jiyoung released an EP Puberty Book II, with the lead single Leo featuring EXO’s Baekhyun. Jiyoon later resurfaced in the music scene as soloist ODD CHILD and with a new song entitled “DODO“, which listeners have observed sounded like a direct hit at her former partner.

In August, she issued a lengthy statement on Instagram, claiming that she actually wanted to end her stay with BOL4 properly, like in a concert. However, she was informed that Jiyoung wanted to kick her out of the duo as soon as possible, so she left the group sooner. She also claimed that she wrote the song years ago, so it hurt her that people would think that she was only taking shots at Jiyoung. 

Must-listens: The entire BOL4 discography is healing and just a pleasure to listen to, but if you need to choose only three songs, that would be “Some“, “Travel“, and “To My Youth” (which unfortunately doesn’t have a music video). 

So, there you have it – three K-pop duos. If you want more, there’s MeloMance and Fly to the Sky. Be sure to have a listen to our recommended tracks so you can appreciate these duos more. 

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KPOP NEWS VARIETY

K-pop Group 100% Confirms Disbandment in October

The boy group’s agency TOP Media issued a statement regarding 100%’s current status.

“Our sincere thanks to the fans who have loved and supported the members of 100%,” the statement read. “TOP Media’s exclusive contracts with 100% members Rockhyun, Jonghwan, Chanyong, and Hyukjin expire on October 9, 2021. After deep discussions with the members, we have decided to end 100%’s activities.”

The statement went on to express gratitude to the boy group.

“We sincerely thank the members, who have worked with us at TOP Media for a long time, and we will continue to cheer on their futures,” it continued. “We ask fans for their warm interest and support for Rockhyun, Jonghwan, Chanyong, and Hyukjin’s new starts.”

The 100% members also issued a statement of their own.

“This is our last farewell as 100%. It’s really difficult to leave a place where you’ve stayed for so long. It’s been a long time, but now that it’s passed, it also feels quite short,” they wrote.

Rockhyun, Jonghwan, Chanyong, and Hyukjin also thanked PERFECTIONs for their undying support.

“As 100% members and as each other’s colleagues, the past nine years were a very valuable time for us. We thank PERFECTION for loving us even when we were lacking. Our twenties were fun and happy because we spent it with you. In the future, we wish each other nothing but happiness and we will soon greet you with new images,” they wrote.

It has been a joyful journey for the members of 100% but it was also marked with hardships. Although they started out with seven members, the boy group ultimately ended up with just Rockhyun, Jonghwan, Chanyong, and Hyukjin. In 2014, Sanghoon decided to take time off the group while Changbum departed in 2016. The most painful parting was with leader Minwoo, who passed away in 2018.

Although they will no longer be promoting as a group, the members of 100% are expected to pursue their own solo careers. With that in mind, PERFECTIONs will continue to be ready to support Rockhyun, Jonghwan, Chanyong, and Hyukjin in the future.

100% will officially disband when their contracts expire on October 9, 2021.

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SEVENTEEN’s Jeonghan Drops Surprise Solo Single “Dream”

In addition to SEVENTEEN's "Attacca" album, Jeonghan also released his new single, "Dream." Photo: SEVENTEEN/YouTube

SEVENTEEN’s official social media accounts surprised fans with Dream, the new solo single from Jeonghan. The simple video features an image of a bed left unmade as a background for Yoon Jeonghan’s sweet vocals.

That’s not the only surprise Jeonghan had in store for CARATs. The SEVENTEEN vocalist also recorded a Japanese version of Dream which was shared on the group’s YouTube channel as well.

Dream is a true solo effort for Jeonghan, who wrote and composed the song. It’s possible that he had also written the Japanese lyrics since he had been studying Japanese for some time now. It’s a mellow tune that’s guaranteed to put CARATs at ease and looking forward to the next SEVENTEEN comeback.

Jeonghan has been finding new ways to reach CARATS and his fans, who are called JJONGJJONGIEs. The second eldest SEVENTEEN member had previously opened his own Instagram account to share never-before-seen photos of himself and his fellow members. It certainly looks like we’ll be seeing more of Yoon Jeonghan as a true artist in the near future.

SEVENTEEN is set for a comeback in October 2021. Although Jeonghan will be busy along with the other members, Jun and THE8 are currently in China and will have their own promotional activities.

Featured image: In addition to SEVENTEEN’s “Attacca” album, Jeonghan also released his new single, “Dream.” Photo: SEVENTEEN/YouTube
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What Exactly is BLACKPINK’s Lisa Doing in Paris?

Blackpink Lisa for Paris Fashion Week 2021. Photo: jc.babin/Twitter

Finally, after days of anticipation, with everybody asking, will she or won’t she, Lisa finally took that flight to Paris and joined (well, sort of) her three BLACKPINK sisters Jisoo, Rosé, and Jennie to revel in Paris Fashion Week celebrations. 

As we have reported earlier on Blackpink in Paris Fashion Week 2021, Jisoo and Rosé were first to book their appearances in the shows of the fashion houses they endorse. Jisoo was first to make a splash as she attended the Christian Dior Spring-Summer 2022 Paris Show at 2:30, local time, last Tuesday, September 28. BLACKPINK’s visual wowed everybody as she posed for photos wearing a white mini dress with black embroidered Greek statues and motifs, which according to Vogue, is from the Dior Resort 2022 collection. Talk about effortless chic!

But before the fashion show, Jisoo also explored the House archives of Dior. At Dior Heritage, Jisoo had her picture taken holding the original Lady Dior bag that was carried by Princess Diana. Dior’s social media accounts also posted a photo of Jisoo at the Eiffel Tower, all decked in Dior. “I love you Paris,” the K-pop idol is heard saying in Korean in the video. 

Not to be outdone, Miss Rosé who arrived in Paris with Jisoo, also made sure her presence was felt when she stole the show at Saint Laurent Spring-Summer 2022 at 8:00 in the evening on the same day as the Dior event. Wearing a sheer black chiffon minidress with silk trim over a pair of black hot pants, BLACKPINK’s main vocal was again the toast of the fashion scene after making a much-publicized and historic appearance in the Met Gala, where she, along with CL, was the first female K-pop idol to grace the event. 

After attending the Saint Laurent show, Rosé did a couple of shoots for YSL Beauty before going back to Seoul and thus, missing the arrival of the next member to arrive in Paris.  

Since Solo artist Jennie is known as a brand ambassador for major fashion brand Chanel, fans thought it was inevitable for her to join the two in Paris. And that she did! In the afternoon of the 29th, Jennie arrived in Paris, dressed in Chanel from head to toe. Upon her arrival, she took to Instagram to present her proof of life, as she met her bandmate Jisoo and the two went out for dinner together the same evening. Both idols had cardigans on to warm themselves warm as the autumn weather in the city of lights was in full blast.

As of press time, Jennie has finished attending the Chanel Spring-Summer 2022 Paris that happened at 10:30 AM, local time. She was a vision in red, wearing a red bouclé crop top and mini skirt with pearls, making her look prim but with an edge. 

Finally, we have Lisa, With her arrival in France on October 4, Lisa began trending on Twitter as fans started talking about her leaving South Korea and joining the three other members in order to attend Paris Fashion Week. However, having all BLACKPINK members in Paris at the same time was not meant to happen because as mentioned earlier, Rose was already in Seoul on the 29th, while Jisoo left Paris on the 4th, the same day Lisa arrived. 

As to why Lisa is in Paris, there is still quite a lot of mystery pertaining to that. Celine, the French fashion brand where she is the global ambassador, does not have any shows for this season,   This led to people speculating that Lisa may have accepted an invite from another fashion house, Miu Miu, which will have an event today (October 5) and has been worn by the idol on her recent appearances. Also, reports have surfaced that BVLGARI, the jewelry brand Lisa is also an ambassador of, is staging events, including a showcase at the Paris Opera today, October 5. 

But then, YG Entertainment stepped in. 

On an Instagram post, Bulgari’s CEO, Jean-Christophe Babin posted Lisa’s picture with the caption: 

“Our great ambassador @lalalalisa_m is in Europe. Unfortunately, due to COVID, her agency prefers [that she] not [participate in] events or shows. That’s also the reason why insofar we could not shoot her together with @zendaya, @lilyaldridge and @vittoria for the @bulgari Brand Campaign 2021/22 and [why] we could not run a major event yet together.”


So, the mystery remains: What is Lisa doing in Paris? If YGE has barred her from joining events (which is so weird considering the three have already joined numerous events), why did they fly her there? Let’s hope we get further clarification the soonest.

Blackpink Lisa for Paris Fashion Week 2021. Photo: jc.babin/Instagram
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ENHYPEN Members Recover From COVID-19 In Time For October Comeback

ENHYPEN’s first full studio album, DIMENSION: DILEMMA, drops October 12, 2021.

ENHYPEN members Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, and Ni-ki have finally recovered from COVID-19, according to their label, Belift Lab. Except for Sunoo who was only advised to stay in self-quarantined, the rest of ENHYPEN tested positive with the corona virus.

 

“We would like to inform you that ENHYPEN members Jungwon, Heeseung, Jay, Jake, Sunghoon, and Ni-ki have been determined to have fully recovered from COVID-19, have been discharged from their treatment facilities, and are no longer in quarantine as of Thursday, September 16,” the statement read.

It added, “All the members are resting with a clean bill of health. Sunoo also underwent re-testing in order to exit self-quarantine and was found to be negative.”

The label thanked fans for their “deep support” for ENHYPEN and dropped even more good news.

“We would also like to inform you that ENHYPEN’s first studio album will be released in October. We will provide a separate notice with details,” the statement read.

ENHYPEN celebrated their recovery by sharing new photos of the boy group together.

BELIFT LAB has since shared the first teaser for ENHYPEN’s full album DIMENSION: DILEMMA. The label’s official YouTube channel dropped a visualizer for the LP’s first track Intro: Whiteout.

Featured image: ENHYPEN’s first full studio album, DIMENSION: DILEMMA, drops October 12, 2021. Photo: HYBE LABELS/YouTube
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