#all the kpop albums are from only 2 groups btw. when i go insane i go INSANE

[fearandhatred]

i have stopped collecting funko pops (praise the lord) and i'm on to collecting skullpandas which is such a good and sexy upgrade. anyway i'm only writing this post because i just looked up at my shelf from my vantage point on the bed and all my weird little funkos were staring at me

[z-exo-l]

My 20 Favorite Kpop Songs of 2019

I’m a huge fan of ranking lists, so I decided to make my own music countdown for the end of the year!

Notes: I’m being a little loose w the term ‘kpop’ here, since there’s some Japanese and Chinese songs. Also this list is, shockingly, mostly comprised of SM releases. And I’m afraid there are no ballads. I’m keeping this to ‘bops,’ if you will. I’m also not a *gif maker*, so this is just a text post w some credited gif appearances. (Including some dancing gifs for the b-side tracks.)

Feel free to scroll on if you’d like, this is just some narcissistic babbling I’m doing for fun. 😇 But I don’t *really* start babbling until under the cut.

A quick mention to my darlings who blessed us with station solos before they enlisted this year: You by Xiumin. Home by Minho. And That’s Okay by D.O. 😭

Now, onto the list!

20. Savage by A.C.E

19. Jekyll by EXO

18. Love Talk by WayV

17. Famous by Taemin

16. Want by Taemin

15. Jopping by SuperM

14. Bet Bet by NU’EST

13. UN Village by Baekhyun

12. Baby You Are by EXO

11. Obsession by EXO

10. What A Life by EXO-SC

I’m so happy I finally gave our boys a listen, because omg, this song is so bouncy and fun, and so is the mv. I’m also so proud of how Sehun has grown as a vocalist! They both did an amazing job actually, and they deserve every bit of praise they’ve gotten! ❤️

9. Alligator by Monsta X

I spent ages listening to this song, trying to figure out if it was hilarious or awesome. As it turns out, both. It’s both. I really like the vocals, and it’s got a super cool mv, but...the alligator/swamp metaphor gave me giggles for weeks. Sorry guys. 😆

8. Superhuman by NCT 127

Superhuman didn’t dominate my shuffle the way later songs on the list did, but I still really like it. It’s such a happy listen; very upbeat and invigorating. ☺️ And I love how the robotic theme is integrated into the choreography, especially that head move at the chorus! I wanted to use a gif of that part but I couldn’t find one. 😭

7. Take Off by WayV

Finally listened to this one in *November*, shit, where have I been??? Take Off is great because it doesn’t *just* have memorable lyrics; the actual music behind the singing is awesome too! It’s got a sound that’s kind of reminiscent of 00’s R&B, which I love. And the vocals are very sweet, especially juxtaposed against that deeper music. The result is a smooth and sexy song that is instantly addictive. ...At least to me. 😅 And don’t get me started on that hard rock dance break!

6. Betcha by Baekhyun

My absolute favorite song from City Lights! As much as UN Village grew on me, I liked this one right away, and it only got better the more I listened. It’s totally infectious, the chorus has such a playful rhythm, and let me tell you, it’s a great song to dance to while housecleaning! I love Baek’s voice when he goes hard, *cough* Mama *cough* but he’s got an innate talent for pop songs too. Basically the man is an insanely talented singer with an absurdly wide range! Slay, Byun Baekhyun. You’re gonna be mine I–Oh baby in time I–BETCHA! AHH! I love it so much!! 😍

5. Wakey Wakey by NCT 127

Did you hear that Jay from Clerks made a cameo in an NCT mv this year?? .......... I’m sorry. The hilarity that was poor Johnny’s wig aside, this was undisputedly NCT 127’s biggest bop of the year for me! It has the play in pitch that I like, it’s fast, it’s catchy, the choreo is interesting, and omg I’m becoming such a fan of their vocal line! Jaehyun is warm and deep, Doyoung is sweet and light, and Taeil is Captain High Note! And somehow all of that skill is audible in a song that’s just a few feet away from dubstep. Well done boys!

4. Boom by NCT Dream

Like everyone else, I do believe, I fell hard for this one. In fact I’d say it’s my new favorite Dreamies song. By FAR! It’s abundantly catchy and groovy, but there’s no vocals lacking for that. (Excuse me Renjun!) The aesthetics for the mv are on point, particularly the indoor sequences. And I’m so impressed by the choreography! I’m a sucker for skillful footwork, and there are some sections near the end of the song that are so fast and so uniformly executed that they’re utterly captivating!

3. Ya Ya Ya by EXO

As of now this is definitely my favorite track off Obsession! It’s pure earworm delight, and such a pleasure to sing along to! I really like when we get unusual pair ups, so when Junmyeon and Chanyeol sing together, or when Jongin and Jongdae sing together, I love those parts! 😍 Actually I love how they structured some parts like that in general. One member sings, then another, then they sing together; repeat with two different members. To me it adds another layer of interest when you’re listening; especially given the unique combinations they used! I don’t know if this song will stay my favorite from the album, but for now it’s sitting squarely at the top! ☺️ (PS, I’m sorry, this list originally didn’t have so much EXO, but what did I think would happen when my boys released a new album!? 😭)

2. Follow by U-KNOW

NO, not Follow by Monsta X! (Tried, didn’t like it that much.) This was such a surprise hit for me, because while I like and respect TVXQ, I’m not a *fan* per se. But holy shit, this song came out of nowhere, and I immediately fell for it! The sound is incredibly cool, yet it’s almost got a spooky, haunting vibe to it? And the dancing is sublime! Seriously, if the demonstration in the mv isn’t enough for you, watch the dance practice video! Both Yunho *and* the backup dancers have such razor-sharp precision, it’s impeccable! And normally I don’t go for heavily-tuned voice effects, but they’re utilized so carefully in this song that it never becomes a distraction. And when you hear Yunho singing without the effects the tone of his voice is a great contrast to the music. My only concern is the command he issues in the lyrics: “Follow me like a robot, Follow me like a robot, touch me like a robot.” !!! I still haven’t figured out what that means! What kind of robots are touching you, man???

1. Under Cover by A.C.E

I first found this song through a K-pop quiz on YouTube. (Which is how I usually find kpop songs not released by SME) The few seconds that played from the chorus sounded promising. So I gave it a listen, and oh man, it was unbelievably banging!!! The bridge has drums build up to the chorus, where there’s a second of silence, then you’re hit with the vocals and powerful guitar riffs for maximum impact! Agh! I love rock and kpop together, and this is one of my favorite examples of that blend to date. (Save for Why So Serious by SHINee. That one’s untouchable!) The mv is relatively standard fair, but the choreography in it has some creative segments. Most of it is highly energetic too, particularly when the beat drops! And I have to say, there are some rather talented vocalists in A.C.E! Donghun caught my ear pretty quickly; he’s on the bridges of this track. Jun, the leader, also has a really good voice! He has some great adlibs near the end. Btw, I didn’t mean to bookend this list with the same group, but Savage grew on me just enough to land it at 20. Under Cover however, is such a badass, wickedly cool song, that it’s dominated my 2019 ever since I first heard it. It couldn’t be any spot but number one!

So, that’s my list. If you’re still here I hope my rambling was tolerable, or that you at least realized your own favorite kpop song from 2019!

Thanks for reading, and Happy New Year everyone! 🎉

[lunebinnie]

(1/14)I am so sorry for taking so long! (I also had to spend a lot of time studying this week bc I had my first exam for my Anatomy Lab on Wednesday... And then we had our first exam for *Lecture* Thursday (which also was the day I had a bunch of powerpoints due for my very intimidating adviser...) and then I had to substitute teach all day Friday (and then I meant to respond sooner but I got so busy 😭) so yeah I completely understand about school getting in the way no worries abt it!)

And also sleeping in on a day off when you’ve been busy studying lately is completely valid hon 👌 I hope that your midterms go well and that you’re able to stay healthy and take care of yourself in the midst of preparing! (not that you wouldn’t, I just have a bad habit of neglecting things like healthy sleeping and eating habits when I get caught up studying, so hopefully you’re not like me in that way) And yeah me too! I mean on the one hand I understand *why* they have that limit

3)If u could just send as many as u want there would be so much more spam and ppl would definitely abuse that. But also?? Um? I have a chronic condition called ‘Can'tShuttheFuckUp-itis’? 🤷 This policy is so discriminatory towards people like me who suffer from this crippling condition! I feel oppressed honestly 🙄 tumblr rlly has something against ppl just trying to get to know each other huh? Lol, but at least now we know why it eats them I’ll be sure to try to prevent that in the future

4)And oh my gosh that’s so cool! I’m super jealous!! 😮 lol. I wish they hosted kpop nights at my local bar! 😭😭 But no, I’m here at my little state college in a little 2 mi2 town just under pop 5500 (and idek if that’s before or after counting college students) in the middle of the 'farm zone’ of my state. All we get is country night @Riley’s 😩 RIP. But ya I wish I had more ppl around me who were into kpop! So far I’ve only met 3 ppl who listen to it. One was that roommate I told you about

5)One is just a casual listener who isn’t really into 3rd gen groups and mostly just listens to Girl’s Generation but that’s valid, and one isn’t even rlly a fan of any groups in particular, she just puts the kpop station on when she studies bc she says she needs music but if it’s in English she gets distracted, lol And omg that is insane! $500?? And 5 copies of the same album? 😲 (Says the girl who’s been a Monbebe for a hot 2 months and has already bought three (3??) Monsta X T-shirts… 😂

6)in my defense tho one of them was only $10 bc it was Black Friday? And u can’t blame me, Hot Topic is my krypotonite lmao) but yeah I already feel guilty about spending 30+ dollars on one copy of an album (thx international shipping) That’s so wild. And yeah I don’t get why ppl feel the need go out of their way just to insult other ppl’s music taste. I’m also pretty self conscious abt sharing my music taste and obviously the way everyone around me talks abt kpop has made me even moreso now 🙃

7) I haven’t gotten into too many groups yet bc I’m trying to go slowly and focus on getting into one group at a time but I do have a long list of groups I plan on getting into eventually! NU'EST is one that I’ve heard some of their songs on my Spotify based on my listening history and they’re on the list haha 😂 And omg I feel really similarly about Got7! I tried to get into them after I got into Monsta X and right before I got into Astro and although I did really like some of their songs

8)I haven’t really been able to get into their music as much as MX and Astro’s yet. I do think they seem like a really fun group in terms of personality though. As for the comeback I know right?? I mean I know a lot of ppl were freaking out abt the comeback being a 'sexy’ and how it wasn’t gonna be the same cute Astro we all love anymore. But they filled the MV with flowers and glitter and still managed to make it sexy as fuck! This album has a very different vibe but it still felt like them

9) They managed to pull off a more mature and sexy concept while still staying true to themselves and I’m so here for it! I don’t know if I could really pick a favorite era because I love them all! I mean Spring Up was an excellent era and every era since then has been great. They really don’t know how to have any bad concepts or make any bad songs huh? Lol. Since I’m still pretty new I really love the title tracks since I’ve heard them the most. (I have listened to their full discography

10)But I haven’t listened to their Bsides enough to pick out my favorites from those) I also really love Again though! The first time I saw the dance practice I was super into it and then I looked up the lyrics and was like 'this is supposed to be sad/regretful song it has no reason to be this much of a BOP?!’ 😂 I have such a hard time picking favorites though. Since All Light is new though I actually have listened to it enough times to pick some 'non-title song favorites’ from there haha

11) Other than All Night (which is great, obvi) I also really like Starry Sky, Moonwalk and Role Play 😂 and Bloom is so pretty oh my god! 😭😭 the album is great and has no bad songs but those are the ones I particularly like. I feel u about the dances honestly. I think that’s actually what drew me to kpop initially. I mean I like listening to the songs ofc but it wasn’t until after I actually watched an MV/saw the choreography that I actually was like… Oh shit I’m gonna have to be a fan now

12) It was the visual aspect that really made me want to be a kpop fan bc I haven’t really seen that level of performance with any western music. Which isn’t to say I think all western music is bad but I think it’s really impressive to watch kpop groups singing and also doing really impressive choreography and performing at the same time. Plus that’s the part I can show my family and say 'even if you don’t like the music because of the language barrier you have to admit they’re talented dancers’

13)And yes! With Astro especially I think the dance practices rlly succinctly capture the reason why I love them so much. They are *super* talented but they also have such great chemistry and u can rlly tell that they just love each other and have so much fun together! I love a family of six hardworking dorks! 🤧💗 lol. And yeah it’s too bad that neither of are able to see them this cb ☹️ (I also did the 'hypothetically…’ research but it wouldn’t have worked out 😒) I hope you’re right though!

14)Hopefully the success of this comeback is the catalyst to Astro getting more of the attention they deserve and there will be many more opportunities to see them in the future! (Although it is too bad we won’t be able to see live performances from this cb, since it’s so pretty 😭 tho with their track record I’m sure future cb’s will be just as good lol) But what about you? Do you have any favorite songs from this cb in particular? Talk again soon! (I’ll try 2 b better @ responding 😭) -AHA

FUCKKK okay so after like a million years of midterms + 2 days straight of sleeping ya girl is BACK to answer these asks after getting through the hurdle of copying and pasting and italicizing 14 asks onto one response on my phone. Did I perhaps fail at least 3 of my midterms? Quite probably. Do I have the energy to care atm? No. Did I need to get away from everything and fly to Boston to visit my friend for reading week? Yes.

How did all your exams go? That sounds crazy though! I hope you got through everything ok!

Tbh I have the same unhealthy habits too, I essentially became nocturnal and lived on like one meal a day + snacks and coffee 😭 fr, I would be writing my midterm from 11:30-1:30, go home to eat, sleep from 4-7pm, then wake up to study all night for the next one, and repeat,,,,, I’m like an actual mess tbh

Honestly as much as I’ve enjoyed the Aroha secret admirer thing (it was sooo nice getting to meet new people) rn I’m just so glad that post-reveal we don’t have to deal with tumblr ask limits and writing entire essay responses all in one go.

Honestly 3 shirts isn’t even THAT bad especially if they weren’t all like ordered from overseas so they wouldn’t have been that expensive. When I went to the Myeongdong underground shopping centre I went craaaazy with Kpop merch despite stanning (at that point, pretty much only) BTS for a whole 3 weeks, so I ended up coming back with 2 albums, a bunch of stickers, a photocard pack (also bonus: got an Astro one too) and like a BUNCH of bt21 stuff. Speaking of, my All Light album finally came in!! I ended up getting a Moonbin, MJ, Jinjin, and Sanha photocard plus the a Rocky lyric booklet and ik I basically got THE best set for someone who loves all of them w my whole heart 😩✊ but I’m still sad I didn’t get any Eunwoo cards since he was my first Astro bias 😭 it’s soooooo pretty I love it sm and like lowkey I’ll probably end up buying more of their albums anyway oopsss

Speaking of Monsta X btw, I heard their new song and I thought it was really good! What did you think of it?

Regarding favourite songs, I swear my moods change so much, so it’s pretty common for me to not love a song at first and sort of rediscover it months later, and tbh that’s kind of what happened with Innocent Love, Baby, and Again. In this album though, I’d say my favourite Bsides are probably be Bloom, 1 in a Million, and Heart Brew Love.

And I toootally agree with the performance aspect of kpop being the thing to attract me it, even before I got really into it I’d sometime like to watch dance practices (and lowkey even learned a bunch of choreos a with my friend last term just bc we had access to a frequently empty dance studio). It’s just super impressive to see people singing and dancing at the same time mostly live, and for the same reasons I’m also super into musicals as well, which isn’t so say I think like lip syncing or just dancing/singing is bad, it’s just refreshing to see it done all at once, you know?

Also side story it turns out that I actually DO know another Astro fan irl!! Her older sister (who I’m closer to bc we’re closer in age) is the one who bought the million got7 albums. Even though she’s been a fan of Astro since before debut, her sister doesn’t even know she listens to kpop since she was afraid of getting roasted at first, but now she’s in too deep to say anything. I’d mentioned liking Astro to her before, but she didn’t say anything bc she didn’t want to expose herself in front of her sister but on Friday I saw her while her sister was out and she was like “oh btw here’s a secret I went to the Toronto fanmeet last year but my sister doesn’t know” I was SHOOK but tbh I’m just super glad now to have someone to talk about it and go to concerts with (I’m banking on the fact that they’re coming back)

Anyway, THANK YOU SO MUCH for waiting 2747287482 million years for my response, and it was so great to finally (officially) meet you Kjersten!

@kaptain-k-pop