After concluding their promotions for previous single The Grasshopper Song and the band's only male member leaving to begin his military service, Sunny Hill have made their return to the music scene this week. Their new digital single Princess and Prince Charming(백마는 오고 있는가) was released on Thursday and is very Sunny Hill. Whether or not that is a good thing is undecided.

This song (and it's music video) ooze Sunny Hill's individual charms and their quirky style. Although beginning as a ballad group, the group reinvented themselves last year with the addition of a couple new members and transformed into a very alternative yet contemporary pop group. This change of style paid off. They became an exciting group and their songs - Midnight Circus and Pray - became decent sized hits and cemented Sunny Hill's name in the K-Pop industry. Fast forward to 2012, and they've released The Grasshopper Song and Princess and Prince Charming. Now, I really do like these songs. They have fantastic music videos - full of great imagery and symbolism - and the songs themselves are upbeat, fun and definately different to what is out there at the moment. That said, however, I feel it's becoming a little samey. Their concept may be unique but their songs are no longer individual. Since Midnight Circus, I've found all their tracks very similar - they've released around 8 tracks (on their mini albums, singles etc.) and each song is a very similar to one another. Sure, Sunny Hill differ completely to the hundreads of other K-Pop groups around, but their material doesn't differ from one song to the next.

Princess and Prince Charming may indeed be a charming song, but it doesn't show any growth - nor does it differ from their previous single or mini album. To me, I'd love to see Sunny Hill switch things up yet again. We've seen them transform once - why not do it again? I'd surely welcome a new direction at this point.

Having being teased for the past 100 days - yes, it was 100 days of teasing - April 7th finally saw the release of  SM Entertainment's latest creation - EXO. EXO are a 12 member boyband technically but have split in half - 6 members have become EXO-K and will promote in Korea and the other 6 members are part of EXO-M who will be promoting in China. Because I'm a K-Pop lover and am currently learning Korean, this review will focus on EXO-K's version of their debut single MAMA.

Firstly, I have to be honest - I had completely lost interest in this whole project. I felt that we were overloaded with teasers and the hype was so over-the-top that I actually lost interest in them quickly. However, the first time that I heard MAMA and saw the music video - I was utterly blown away. From the cinematic introduction, explaining how EXO came to be, to the Iluminati-esque robes - I knew that this was not your standard run-of-the-mill music video. The music video seems to give each member a certain power of symbol - and each member can manipulate water, fire or other elements. This immediately gave the MAMA music video a unique and epic atmosphere because instead of seeing EXO-K as K-Pop Idols, they seem to be supernatural and out-of-this-world creatures. Also, the amount of special effects and the elaborate set design really shows how much SM has invested in this group. Indeed, this video is very slick and well produced - and combined with the superb choreography, the MAMA video truly is a winner and easily one of the best music videos of 2012 so far.

As for the song, it's just as unique and epic as it's music video. The strings and vocals at the beginning definately give this song a vibe that I can only describe as apocalyptic ...! I wouldn't say this song was the most radio friendly and I definately believe that MAMA will divide a few opinions - it's very brave for a debut single. However, for me, I think it's incredible. My favourite part of the song is undoubtedly the breakdown - the clashing drums, the heavy-metal guitar and the rap which wouldn't sound out of place on a heavy-metal song.

For a debut, this is flawless. But the only problem that comes with debuting with a music video like this? The follow-up. EXO may have lived up to the 100 day hype, but living up to this near-perfect music video may be even trickier. 

Well, I guess it wouldn't be right if I didn't review the latest 'prologue' song from EXO-K. Yes, prologue song. This is the second prologue song (after the reasonably good ballad WHAT IS LOVE) form SM Entertainment's latest boy group - EXO-K.

But what exactly is a prologue song? I don't think there is a definitive answer, but I guess that prologue songs are just 'teasers' befoe EXO-K unleash their FIRST single to the world? It's already so complicated before they've even officially debuted (!!!)

But still, EXO-K released HISTORY today and I have to say, I was really impressed. The song is a fantastic R&B number that really showcased the vocal abilities of the six guys. It did remind of a song that SHINee could have sung in their earlier days, but that's definately a good thing. I loved the beat right from the beginning and the acoustic guitar in the verses too. As for the music video, it really captured the 'cool' and energetic vibe of the song. I liked the video for many reasons: firstly, the video set was fantastic - it looked high-budget and I liked the look of both the outside and inside setting. Secondly, their styling. I really liked how their clothes were like proper dancers clothes - but with an extra Korean, haute-couture flair of course. And lastly, their dancing was pretty spot-on. It's great when you see a group with many members perform so perfectly in sync with one another.

So, even though this song isn't strictly EXO-K's debut, I was still impressed! If it's sign of the what's to come, then I will be anticipating their official debut.

Nine Muses are back! They finished promotions for their song News at the end of February, and on March 7th they unveiled their brand new MV for latest single Ticket.

I was totally addicted to News - it was fresh, fierce and totally diffrent. And it seems like they're on a roll now and have found their own sound. Ticket is more fun and lighter than News, but still involves their catchy hooks and agressive rapping skills. What I loved most about Ticket was the catchy chorus - Ticket One Way, One Way One Way Ticket etc. - and also their fantastic and creative music video. Although the song is really current sounding, the video has a very retro feel. Dressed as sexy ticket conductors, all eight members - yes, eight members(!) - of Nine Muses look incredible. The set (an old-fashioned train station) gives the music video a classy edge too. Their choreography is very unique too - especially with the arm gestures during the one way one way moments of the chorus.

They also released their first ever mini album - Sweet Rendezvous. The mini album features Ticket, News, Figaro (another previous single) plus WHO R U (a brand new track). All of these 4 tracks are completely different yet together, they make a very cohesive-sounding album and give Nine Muses an individual style. I really like Nine Muses' classy and elegant image which is showcased on their Sweet Rendezvous album.

4.5 / 5 !

For me, B1A4 were the best boyband to debut in 2011. Right from the beginning, the weren't clones of other boybands and they weren't clones of each other. They all looked very unique and individual and their style was very quirky and fun. Their second single of the year, Beautiful Target, was one of the most fun songs of 2011! The song may have been full of terrible Engrish, but it was a really fun dance song with a catchy hook. I also like that the group is full of talented rappers and skilled vocalists.

So when I found out yesterday that B1A4 would be coming back this month with their first full-length album, I was very intrigued. Yesterday, they dropped a "pre-release single" - This Time Is Over. So, in other terms, it's a teaser/album track for their upcoming full-length. Can't be sure if they'll be performing this on the music shows or whether it's just to hype people up and get their fans prepared for the real single. But whatever purpose this song serves, I really like the track. It's definately a more grown-up style for them. Although not strictly a ballad, it's a lot more slower and more serious that their previous singles - Beautiful Target and OK. The song is definately more heart-felt than their previous material too. I'm glad it's not the main single - as I have high hopes that they're going to be releasing something much hotter - but for an album track and teaser for their upcoming album, I'm really impressed.

The album is titled IGNITION and will be released on March 14th. 9 days to go! Cannot wait.

After returning last week with BLUE, BIG BANG released their second music video for their 5th mini album ALIVE yesterday. The song is titled BAD BOY and is completely different to BLUE.

BLUE was more of an electronic ballad whereas BAD BOY is an urban/R&B uptempo. Although the song is really soulful and has a classic feel to it, it's still really edgy and has that modern twist that we've come to expect from BIG BANG. G-Dragon's rapping skills are in full force here and he sounds awesome on the beat-heavy track.

The music video for BAD BOY is equally as awesome. It's really simple and is in the same vein of BLUE. Both music videos were filmed in New York and instead of being on a NY rooftop (as seen in BLUE), the 5 guys are on the streets of the Big Apple in BAD BOY. Their style is amazing and each member has their individual look in this music video. Whether it's TOP's blue hair, Taeyang's effortless and relaxed style or G-Dragon's edgy and individual style, each member is so unique and their outfits blend in with the 'cool' streets of NY. A simple video,  but really effective.

I'll be reviewing the whole album very soon... so look out for that!

Brave Girls are back!
Their second mini album Re-Issue is out now in Korea. I love the cover - so different for a girl group! Adrogynous yet classy! Nice work girls.

Here is the music video for their single 요즘 너 (Nowadays you). I've just finished watching it and I was very impressed. A good blend of the guitar riff and dance beats, plus great dancing and impresssive vocals. Overall, a very good effort! Going to give it another spin now!

miss A are back! Hooray!

They teased us all week with their teasers for Touch and a few hours ago, the full music video was released! I said on a previous post that it seemed that they were going down a new route and they definately have! Touch is something completely new for them - although it still isn't a big departure from their typical minimalistic sound. It's a new sound for them because it seems that miss A are now women.

Touch is a wonderful midtempo number, with sultry beats and an addictive bass. It definately has a dark sound (including the industrial-sounding intro) and their soft vocals give the whole track a rather eerie sound. The song isn't as punchy as Good-bye Baby or Bad Girl Good Girl but is just as addictive.

As for the music video, I was highly impressed. The 4 girls look incredible and their wardrobe is fantastic (especially their bandage dresses). The whole video continues the dark vibe of the song itself and the girls glare at the viewer with a sultry yet somehow troubled stare. miss A have really outdone themselves this time round and have produced something very creative and grown-up.

I'm not sure if it'll end up being my favourite miss A song - that honour goes to Good-bye Baby. But with their upcoming promotions just around the corner, I look forward to see what else they have to offer.

Yes, wait for it - I do actually listen to music outside of Japan and Korea. And this is by far my favourite English-language song at the moment. It's It All Belongs To Me by Brandy and Monica.

Brandy and Monica collaborated back in 1998 with their MEGA-SMASH The Boy Is Mine. Selling millions, one of the longest running #1s in the U.S., winning a Grammy... that song was one of the biggest hits of the 90s.

Now they've reunited for It All Belongs To Me. It's a risky move which could easily backfire and earn them comments such as: Their new song isn't as good as their first, why bother collaborating again? 

But, dare I say it, this is better. Yet, I actually think it would be unfair to compare it with The Boy Is Mine. 14 years have gone past, music has changed, Brandy and Monica themsleves have changed. This is something completely different. But as this live performance of the song shows (see above, live on the Jay Leno show), B&M have become seasoned performers showing their pure class and beauty.

STELLAR are a band that definately went under the radar last year. And what attention they did recieve, was rather negative. But despite all the negavitiy surrounding their kitschy, eletctro pop style, they've comeback this week with new track UFO. (watch the official music video above ^^ )

They debuted last summer with Rocket Girl, and drew attention for their colourful and futuristic style. And UFO kind of picks up where Rocket Girl ended. The songs sound remarkably similar, which shocked me at first. From the first listen, I was so dissapointed as it sounded the same as Rocket Girl. But after a few listens, I became hooked and saw the individuality that UFO had to offer.

Although their sound has stayed the same (a sound which is actually highly individual, it seems), their image has completely changed. They've lost the bright, in-your-face and vibrant colours and this time round, STELLAR are much more accessible with their simple, yet cute, style. They've also dropped two members and gained two new ones, which isn't that noticible at all, if I'm honest.

The music video for UFO is also much better than the Rocket Girl video. UFO still retains their quirky and futuristic style, but like their image, it has been toned down and is much more accessible to the audience. It still features cute gestures and robots, but the storyline is actually incredibley heart warming and compliments the song perfectly.

I think STELLAR had a bit of a rough start, but UFO has shown improvement whilst not moving away from their original style. I look forward to their next release if they continue to improve.

Although I'm not entirely convinced that Chocolat's 하루만 더 (One More Day in English) can be considered as NEW MUSIC as it was featured on their recent mini album I Like It, the fact that it's music video debuted today means that I'm consdering it somewhat new.

Definately one of the highlight's on their mini album, 하루만 더 shows a different side to the 4 member girl group. Whereas they've previously promoted pop-dance songs - I Like It and Syndrome - 하루만 더 has more of an urban edge. It's still very danceable (as demonstrated by the girls in their music video) but with it's R&B elements, we get to not only see the Chocolat's impressive dancing skills but also hear their pretty strong vocals.

The verses are very easy-breezy but for a light-R&B song, the chorus is quite punchy and anthemic. I think what has made me appreciate this song more is their music video. Although it was clearly made on a low budget, it's still very impressive! Chocolat look sensational (despite their young age...), the chair routine is fantastic and the kidnapping plot was well executed. Little touches such as the paper bag on the cheating boyfriend's head and the retro Chocolat camper van make the video - which could've ended up completely generic - rather unique and quirky.

Although they didn't experience an explosion of success in 2011, I have no doubt that if Chocolat continues to work hard and producing different, upbeat pop songs, they'll have no problem succeeding in 2012.

B.A.P  (standing for BEST ABSOLUTE PERFECT) are the latest boyband to debut in South Korea and I wanted to just write a little a post about their debut music video for Warrior. I was so impressed with their music video and the song. Most bands, when they debut, release something crowd-pleasing and often cute to win over the hearts of the young girls. But not B.A.P. They came out with something loud, energetic and unapologetic. With hardcore beats, harsh whistle sounds, skilled rapping and powerful vocals, B.A.P have really made a huge splash. They don't seem like a rookie group to me; they're already so professional and have found their 'niche' already. The choreography was  so impressive too - not only are these guys talented in the vocal department, they are also insane dancers.

Even though SM Entertainment will be debuting their latest boy band in the next month, I think B.A.P could end up being 2012's victor.... let the battle begin.

I am a HUGE fan of K-Pop girl group After School. They've been billed as Korea's version of the Pussycat Dolls but they couldn't be further from that at all. Maybe at the beginning of the career, but with songs like "Bang!", "Diva" and "Shampoo" (especially), they've established themselves to be a Korean pop force!

Their record label - PLEDIS - is also home to 손담비 (Son Dambi, solo singer) and together they have released a song for the festive season - entitled "Love Letter". It also features the upcoming Pledis boy band in the video, and I just love it. It's a fantastically warm and festive song and the video is equally happy and joyful too. Whether you are religious or follow the Western Christmas traditions or not, this is a very heart warming song! Please enjoy!

(It also has similarities with Wham's "Last Christmas" if you ask me... ^_^)

IU begun 2011 with her mini-album "Real" and her MEGA award-winning hit "Good Day". Fast-forward 12 months to December, and she is back with her second full-length album "Last Fantasy".

Her new single 너랑 나 (Korean for "You and I") is exactly what we've come to expect from IU - but yet it doesn't seem recycled or a rehash of an old song. "You and I" is a curious little song - it has a classic, simplistic and somewhat old-fashioned style to it yet remains current and fits well into 2011. This is part of the song's charm - which actually discusses time in it's lyrics.

The melody is quite basic and we do hear the sound of clockwork in the background (linking with the song's theme of time) which adds a very intriguing layer to the song. However, it's IU's sweet vocals that make it so beautiful. Her soft yet powerful vocals give "You and I" real emotion, and even if you don't understand Korean - every single sound she utters is wonderful to the ear.

As for the video, I dare say it's one of the best this year. It's an aching love story - where IU uses time travel to be with her lover who seems to be in some of kind coma(?) for the most of the video. The scenes are intricately done - and the set is riddled with clocks! Her time machine (which does resemble a certain Doctor Who prop...) actually looks like a real time machine!

However, the star of this music video is the goose - IU's little sidekick. If you've read this review and have not yet seen the video (or the cute little goose), then watch it straight away! Even if you can't stand the sweetness of the song, just mute it and watch the mini movie, which I believe to be profound and heart-wrenching!

Enjoy!

OK, currently sitting in my room and for the past hour all I've heard is the horrendous shrieking of someone's girlfriend. Wonderful, you're having a good time - I'm pleased - but does your laugh need to be so disgustingly pulling-out-my-hair shrieking LOUD that a deaf person on the top of Mount Everest can still hear you? SMH.

But I have found solace in BIG BANG's new song / video. For such an explosive, climatic and epic song - I have found such peace watching their captivating music video. "Love Song" is exactly that - a bitter love song, with leader GD singing "I hate this love song... I hate this love song...". The whole song and video has me thinking the opposite - I LOVE THIS LOVE SONG.

Quite simply amazingly well done.

Check out Girl's Day's new single "반짝반짝" or "Twinkle Twinkle" in English.

The song is SOOO catchy and already a guilty pleasure.

The "mamamamama" part is no doubt going to be sung by everyone in the K-Pop world for the next few weeks!