Most Shocking/Disappointing/WTF Asian Music Moments of 2015

NOCTURNAL BLOODLUST Cover Taylor Swift
A band I heavily got into in 2015 has been consistently pleasing to the ears, so far. When I heard the laughter and amused shock over their cover of Taylor Swift's "We are Never Getting Back Together", I was immediately interested in hearing it. I suppose this cover somewhat doesn't fit this list, but it was hard to pass it up. I enjoyed it a little more than the original. Not sure if it's because of its sheer ridiculousness or because it's actually good. Nonetheless, this heavy rock cover now exists in visual kei history.


Taguchi Junnosuke Withdraws From KAT-TUN
The last time I talked about KAT-TUN at any length is probably 2013's list when Koki Tanaka was booted out of the group. Last year, Junnosuke made his official statement to fans that he would be withdrawing from the group, leaving half of the members. I believe the group is going to continue making music, etc., but honestly, after Koki left I really think the group should disband and stick to their solo activities.




Daichi Miura gets married on New Year's
Japan's Little Soul Prince tied the knot at the beginning of 2015 and I was both surprised and very happy about the news. Perhaps the marriage was inspiration for Daichi's new upbeat material for his latest album, FEVER. Nonetheless, I hope him and his wife's relationship continue to blossom and that the media doesn't intrude. I'm also looking forward to more music in the coming year. Congratulations, Daichi Miura!




Rania Returns with 3 New Members
Rania was a group that caused a bit of controversy with their Teddy Riley produced "Dr. Feel Good" and while they did release a couple more singles before disappearing, I started to believe that the group had one of those silent disbandments like most kpop rookies. After much training and polishing, the girls returned with three new members and one of them stirred up excitement. While I wish I was part of this excitement and not the near tail end of news fizzle, Alex became the first African American in a kpop group. As exciting as that news was, fans were disappointed to see (or in this case, not see) her in their comeback video, "Demonstrate". Her rap is featured and later there was an edit that included Alex and an explanation for her lack of appearance that involved some work visa issues. Hopefully, we'll see more of Alex with Rania as well as an album in the near future.


Eli's Marriage and Pregnancy Announcement
Kpop's best kept secret or terrible lie is for you to decide. U-KISS is a group that South Korea constantly sleeps on, but international fans adore. As a group, they haven't done too much and Eli's probably one of my least favorite members, so I don't follow any of his social media. So, from my perspective, this was a bit of a surprise, but to fans, they seemed to have already speculated that Eli tied the knot. Now, we know that he's expecting his first child. News like this makes me happy and even happier that I didn't see fuming fans complaining about it. Congratulations, Eli!


Intetsu Retires from Music
Former bassist of Ayabie (and AYABIE and any other variations of spelling of the same band) announced his retirement from music. These sorts of announcements happen from time to time and they're very understandable, especially if you know how difficult the jrock/visual kei industry is. Anybody remember An Cafe's blonde guitarist Bou? I'm still very curious the fate of what is left of AYABIE, but I want to believe that the band has disappeared considering there's only one member left. Nonetheless, I wish Intetsu luck in life and a wonderful 2016!



Tasty vs. Woollim
It doesn't seem like label disputes are coming to an end anytime soon, which is both a good and bad thing. Good, because artists are speaking up about their futures and well being as well as bringing awareness to fans on unfair conditions in the industry. Bad, because these things shouldn't happen in the first place! Being a fan of the Tasty twins, I was happy to hear that they didn't break up, but were unfortunately dealing with some disagreements with Woollim, which was around the same time as former Exo-M's Tao was being vague about his status as a member. It seems like Chinese kpop idols are having the hardest time trying to make a living in the industry and it's quite sad. Although, I'm sure they will keep their word of continuing to make music and be successful elsewhere.


Miyavi on The Ellen Show
Remember when Angelina Jolie casted Miyavi for her movie? Well, I thought it was pretty good and I think people should definitely check it out, but this entry is about a specific promotion that Miyavi did. Sure, he did some promotions in other outlets like most movie stars, but this was one of those great moments that make you hope non-American Asians get treated better than Psy did. Not only did he talk about his experiances with "Angie", but he also performed which was quite enjoyable. This was definitely a moment I felt proud to be a Miyavi fan and I hope he gets more opportunities like this in the future.


Nugu Faves Disband
Yeah, I actually know the term for not so popular kpop groups and it's sad that disbandment news isn't as out there as jrock, or even jpop, groups. Some announcements were a surprise, and even a disappointment, for me like Wonder Boyz, Tiny-G, SPEED, and C-Clown. Some announcements I didn't care too much about like Bob Girls, F-Dolls, and Jewelry. And others I wasn't too surprised over and either felt sadness or nothing at all like EvoL and GLAM. Nonetheless, some of these groups or specific members I would love to see them continue in the music industry. Usually the saying goes, "Gone, but not forgotten", but I'm sure majority of kpop fans will forget these groups as soon as they finish reading this entry.


BABYMETAL Win GQ Men of the Year 2015 in Japan
Whether you agree or disagree, but I believe BABYMETAL is one of the most amazing groups that have come out of Japan recently along with FEMM. I've gotten a handful of friends into the group and it's exciting when they release new material or venture outside of Japan. Seeing this piece of news was something I couldn't pass up and I hope my fellow BABYMETAL friends get as much of a laugh over it as I did. Somehow these three young girls won GQ Men of the Year in Japan. I guess there's no barrier that these girls can't break.


JRock & Visual Kei Favorites Disband
I admit some of these bands probably deserve their own disbandment entry for their sheer contributions to the visual kei world, but it's easier to combine some of my personal favorites into this entry. ViViD was a band I was surprised how quickly they moved onto a major label, while being under PS Company. Of course, not being as big of a cash cow as the GazettE or even Alice Nine., ViViD slowly faded in the background of their senpais and bowed out the limelight last year. ZORO, significantly lesser known, was forced to evolve their sound after losing about half of its members. I enjoyed the evolution and experimentation of this duo, so once the releases began to slow down, I was not surprised that disbandment was an inevitable end for them. Amber Gris had a similar fate, when I noticed their releases dwindling to nothing. Lycaon and Moran had a rough history with losing members either through musical differences or natural causes, but somehow managed to keep pushing forward with new member additions and a change of sound. Out of these visual kei bands mentioned, I think their disbandment hurt the most for me. In my eyes, their music was reaching to its peak and now the journey is over. Last band I want to mention by name is DAZZLE VISION. It's unfortunate that I never got a chance to see them live in the U.S., but I'm thankful for the 12 years of intense music they've shared with us. I know there are other various visual kei and jrock bands out there that have announced their unfortunate disbandment and I wish all of them the best in whatever they decide to pursue in the coming year.


Last Minute Reunion Tours
Despite being in America, I still get excited when my favorite bands reunite for a couple lives or even a tour. Sure, some bands announced their reunion lives earlier in 2015 like Fatima, SKULL, and the god and death stars, but it's the last minute ones that really took me aback. Dio - distraught overlord announced a reunion tour for Europe, which made my heart skip a beat, even though I won't be attending. Simply the thought of these five talented men coming together one more time on stage makes me happy. Another little band by L'eprica plan to return this year. Oh yeah, and Versailles came back for Kamijo's 20th Anniversary...or something.


Se7en Leaves YG Entertainment
After serving his military time, Papa YG reached out to the now free R&B singer SE7EN and presented a renewal contract. Unfortunately (and possibly fortunately), that contract did not get signed. I know SE7EN had a rough 2014 with his massage scandal and his relationship with his long term girlfriend, but it was sad knowing that new music would not be coming out in 2015. From what I read, I can totally understand the decision, whether the factor of YG simply not having time for him because of iKON, WINNER, and whatever else b.s. new projects he has coming soon, but I still hope SE7EN finds a label home and resume his rivalry position with Rain. One can only dream~


CL's Solo Efforts
2014 was not a very good year for 2NE1 and for most of 2015, it was stressful for Blackjacks as well. YG continued to tease big plans and many people hoped for the resurrection of 2NE1 in the form of new music, but alas we received news of leader CL embarking her debut in the U.S. Most were disappointed by the news and others were...concerned and for very good reason. I have my own personal history when it comes to CL that will most likely be shared at a more appropriate time, but in short, I enjoyed "Baddest Female" and "MTBD". Being compared to Iggy Azalea and making lazy/questionable material such as "Dr. Pepper" and "Hello Bitches" doesn't bring good feelings. While the two songs may be occasional guilty pleasures, for the most part, it's not a good representation of kpop or CL's talent. More importantly, the fate of 2NE1 this year is up in the air and perhaps YG will have more time for them while Big Bang serves their military time.


Westerners Notice Keith Ape's "It G Ma"
As much quality music that Asia has to offer, mainstream America always picks either the "bizarre" or cringeworthy. Whether I like them or not, BABYMETAL, Psy's "Gangnam Style", Crayon Pop's "Bar Bar Bar", and even Ylvis's "Fox Song (What Does the Fox Say?)" [despite not being Asian related)] I would prefer them over the travesty that is Keith Ape's "It G Ma". For the longest time, I avoided the song, only hearing seconds of it and coming close to it with a sample of OG Maco's equally cringeworthy "U Guessed It" and Untouchable's goofy "Crayon". It wasn't until my brother pulled it up and I witnessed all 5 minutes and 45 seconds of trainwreckage. While it had some hilarious quotables throughout, it was a song I didn't want representing the khip-hop genre...despite the trend going in the direction of more trap sounds. In the end, I hope 2015 is the end of Keith Ape's monkeying around, because he's truly a joke to the genre and there's way better talent out there.


Dir en grey Keeps Busy
In 2014, I mentioned that frontman Kyo was keeping busy with his art, social media, and his side project sukekiyo. Now Die has put together his own side band as well by the name of DECAYS. Whether you like them or not, their music (at least "SECRET MODE") was definitely not what I expected from Die, let alone him doing vocals. Shinya also modeled in California for h.NAOTO and Toshiya and Kaoru have either put together their own fashion line or participated in some modeling. It's nice to see the guys keeping themselves busy with side projects, but I also hope that they're getting some rest in between before the next Dir en grey album.


Black Gene Suspend Activities
After hearing the announcement of Megamasso's 1 year hibernation, which is really unrelated unless you roleplay with me, it was interesting hearing Ryouhei's lolita pal Rame and crew announce their suspension of activities. The whole news was kinda confusing in its wording as a friend and I were trying to decipher whether this was a hiatus or a disbandment. More interesting is vocalist ICE has signed to UNION ENTERTAINMENT for a side project. In the end, I'm hoping the band is simply taking a break in activities in hopes of coming back as a bigger and better band.


Exo-M's Tao & f(x)'s Sulli Withdraw From SM Entertainment
So, 2014 was the departure of Exo-M's Kris and Luhan and SNSD's Jessica from SM Entertainment and the beginning of a little game of Battle Royale for Exo. Most of you know that I love Exo-M and I had my prediction about the group as whole since the start; I just wish it hadn't gotten this bad. My worries started to grow when Tao began to dwindle from activities...and his health was deteriorating. Eventually, Tao threw in the towel and my heart greatly sunk. With only half of the Exo-M members left, it's hard for me to get excited about new music as I'm not to fond of Exo-K's musical chemistry. Honestly, I'm not too excited about this supposed U.S. tour they're having this year. As for Sulli, I'm not too surprised that she left and I think some of f(x)'s fans felt the same. I know there's a few jokes floating around about her decision involving her current beau Dynamic Duo's Choiza. Whether her relationship is related or not is unknown, but it's also possible that her health may be a possibility. Of course, no one will know the real reason unless they're directly involved. Nonetheless, I was happy that f(x) continued as a foursome and gave us "4 Walls".


VAMPS Tour with Apocalyptica & Sixx:A.M.
As someone who has been into the jrock scene for a decade, I've learned to accept that Hyde would never come to Texas. So, when it was announced that VAMPS would be joining Apocalyptica and Sixx: A.M., I thought there was a typo or something. That moment when senpai notices your state. Anyway, I was surprised to see so many VAMPS fans in Houston to show their support and it seemed like non-fans enjoyed themselves as well. At some point, I will post my concert report here, but in short, my friend and I really enjoyed ourselves and I really hope that Hyde recognizes that Texas does need some attention from him and his bands.


MBLAQ Comes Back as 3
In 2014's list I mentioned the departure of Lee Joon and Cheon Doong (Thunder) from the group as well as a discontinuation of the group's musical career. I was surprised, along with fans, to find the group releasing a music video as a trio. It was a little depressing not seeing the group whole and there's even speculation that the song is about "Lee Joon betraying them". I think it was somewhat confirmed that the departure was inspiration for the break-up song, which hurt my heart a little more. I guess this is how DBSK fans felt when they split. Nonetheless, it seems that Joon is continuing his modelling and acting career. I'm sure Thunder is doing well...I don't really follow him as much. In the end, I hope all the members, former and current, follow their dreams and find success in 2016.


Wonder Girls, Brown Eyed Girls, & Big Bang Make a Comeback
Just a reminder that this is a real comeback. 2015 was a great year for old favorites to make their appearance, especially when they're futures were so uncertain. 2013 put Wonder Girls on hiatus as two of the members decided to part ways to pursue other interests and many fans were unsure of disbandment. Surprisingly, some members returned to the group and released an amazing retro, band-centric album that I'm looking forward to reviewing here. Brown Eyed Girls and Big Bang have been busy with solo material, which is all well and good, but it seemed like such a long stretch for a group effort, especially Big Bang. Brown Eyed Girls did not disappoint with a release of a mixture of mature, sexy, and fun music videos and Big Bang going all out with back to back releases leading to a hopeful album with their MADE single series. I'm looking forward to the future of these groups, especially with some of the changes implemented in their sound and that that Big Bang album actually comes into fruition.


B.A.P Continue With TS Entertainment
2014 brought a lot of contract disputes in kpop and B.A.P was part of that list as well as rumors of other TSE artists taking legal actions with the label. After the news was posted, there wasn't much detail to follow up the group's silence. Suddenly, teasers for an upcoming mini-album was posted and some kind of news was put up. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's confused about the whole situation, but I suppose it's nice that we have the boys back with new material.


TGM Events Fail to Highlight BTS
Sadly, I wasn't able to post my own complaints about kpop lives before this event occurred, but I'm still planning on posting my own grievances when it comes to kpop tours in the U.S. BTS's Highlight tour with TGM Events and Community 54 was actually a show I was thinking about attending, but sold out after I waited too long. Of course, I'll go into more details about my perspective on the whole ordeal and more later, after I tweak my original post. Most people, whether you're A.R.M.Y or not, know about the tragedy that was the Highlight Tour: sold out show in Atlanta, fans getting locked out, V.I.Ps being treated like regular tickets,...oh, and leader Rap Monster receiving a death threat over something he said. Clearly, this brief summary of what happened doesn't cover half of what happened, but I hope this teaches fans to be more cautious, other promoters to learn from TGM's mistakes, and that it doesn't hurt kpop groups from traveling to the U.S.


ADAMS' Shota Passes Away
During a performance in Poland, Shota passed out on stage and was immediately rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, he suffered a stroke and passed away after hours of struggle. It was very shocking news to hear, especially after promoting the duo and adamently listening to their music. Every tour made me hopeful for a U.S. debut, but alas we lost a truly talented and passionate musician. More detailed news on Shota's passing can be found on Shattered Tranquility and a heartfelt message was posted by Shota's wife. My thoughts and prayers to Shota's family, friends, and fans. May his music live on!

Return of the Notable Rookies of 2012

Back in 2012, I made a post about some notable rookies that debuted that year. I contemplated making another list for the end of 2013, but honestly there wasn't much to talk about. So, I figured I would revisit these rookies and post an update of them one year later.

NU'EST
When I think about or least see an update from this subbing channel I'm subscribed to, I check out these guys. It seems like they've tried to broaden their visual and vocal range with more mature concepts like "HELLO". They're latest release I've seen is "Sleep Talking", which isn't that bad, but it's shot in a way that has been used before by B1A4 and later A-JAX. KPop is really running out of ideas. I'm sure they're still the underdogs, but they still haven't gain my attention to follow them.



EXO
Not too much has changed with this group as far as my feelings are concerned. I'm in the process of reviewing their first full album release for you guys, so I can't say too much about it. I know lots of people have been complaining about the overexposure of this group, but you can't help that when you come from a company with lots of power and money. It's not their fault. Anyway, EXO-M seemingly appears to be the more successful one between the two. I've learned from Exo Showtime that the members, personality-wise, are more likeable, but let's focus on the music. It seems like the group is gradually growing into their talents. They try to do something to display their synchronization as a 12 piece group, like "Growl" and then something to show off their vocal range, like their latest, "Miracles in December". I haven't listened to their latest release as I write this, but just based off that one song, it's probably one of the most depressing Christmas songs ever. It's beautifully composed, sung, and performed, but thanks for the little push off the edge of the cliff, guys. Yesh! I'm looking forward to more new material, but I hope that SM paces things for them, because they are clearly overworked.



B.A.P
I guess the stupid rivalry or whatever fans are making up are still going between B.A.P and EXO, but whatever. I think they have new competition in rookies BTS and GOT7. Anyway, like EXO, B.A.P have probably released the most material out of everyone in this list, which is ridiculous. The interesting thing is that their material has improved since the notable list was made. "Coffee Shop" was simple, smooth, and gave the vocal chorus a chance to shine. Despite it's laughable Engrish, "Hurricane" was a fun, high energy song that was easy to dance to. "ONE SHOT" is probably my favorite and most strongest release they've ever made visually and musically. "Badman" wasn't as strong as "ONE SHOT", but it was still a vast improvement from their earlier work, such as "Power" and "No Mercy". I won't be calling myself a Baby anytime soon, but I'll definitely continue to follow these guys and hope that TS Entertainment doesn't burn them out with these constant releases.



Six Bomb
Despite having a catchy track in "Chiki Chiki Bomb", the low budget video and unpolished live skills didn't quite hook enough fans. There was potential in the group and, as mentioned before, buried within their mini-album in a song called "Baby Boy". Six Bomb had a short life span and disbanded in 2012.



ChAOS
As much vocal potential and energy this group had, ChAOS also had a short life span. While I didn't like their debut song, "She's Coming", I at least acknowledged that they had voices, but the song was very underwhelming and borderline insulting. "Racer" presented some interesting things to the table and had a cool build up. At least they tried with their artsy video for "Kiss Kiss".



SPICA
I've declared in a few places that this group is my favorite female kpop group. They have amazing vocals and a mature look to them similar to Brown Eyed Girls. They had a strong start with "Potently" and "Painkiller", but I didn't enjoy their follow ups, "Lonely" and "I'll Be There". So, I was a little nervous when I watched their latest, "Tonight". It took some time to warm up to it, but in the end, I enjoyed this fun song. It's not as mindblowing as "Painkiller", but I still enjoyed it. It looks like they have something coming soon called "You Don't Love Me", so I hope it brings back the fire in this group and people recognize their overwhelming vocal talent.



EXID
Not much has been happening musically with this group. Apparently, 3 of the members left the group and are now part of BESTie, which isn't anything special or new from what we have now. LE has been featuring a few artists' songs and there was an announcement that they would be coming back with two new members, which they've already named. That's about it. Not much to comment on here.



A-JAX
I'm not a huge fan of this group, but I was definitely on the support train. So far, every release had been pretty good and there was a nice little break for a moment. "INSANE" came out and it took some adjusting, especially since the visual concept had been recycled before. I learned to enjoy it, then "Snake" and "Stay With Me" came out and I was deeply disappointed and a little insulted. A-JAX went from mature and sleek to pedo-bait in boy scout uniforms and cuteness. I really hope they go back to their roots and ditch the aegyo routine.



JJ Project
I guess this duo was a temporary project? I really don't know. I wasn't closely following them anyway. I almost got mad when I found out about GOT7 and thought JJ Project was just a throw away, until I learned that they're part of the group. I guess this is equivalent to Bang Yong Guk and Zelo before B.A.P debuted. I haven't listened to their first release yet, so this is just based off their "Girls Girls Girls" video, which isn't that bad. I wanted to add it to my recommendations, but there's nothing special about the video aside from some choreography moments. The song's kinda unique in the kpop world and the guys are easily likeable off stage. My curiosity is definitely piqued though.



BtoB
Not much has been going on with this group either. I'm really hoping they don't fall into oblivion, because they have too much going for them in the talent department. Unfortunately, they're still in the shadows of B2ST. [Pun not intended] Their latest release, "Thriller", still looks and sounds like leftover B2ST material and it doesn't help that this video was released after VIXX's "Hyde", which has a similar dark concept. It's still pretty good, if you ignore all those factors.



CROSS GENE
This group has become a bit of an after thought and I wouldn't put it past South Korea to think the same of this group. It seems like their strength might lie in Japan, but it's still unsure if they'll fall in the same international trap U-KISS is in. Without looking at my iTunes library, I can't think of any stand out songs after "La-Di Da-Di", which isn't a good thing. I'll probably continue to check on them and their status every now and then though.



2BiC
What can I say about this flawless duo? Well, they remain flawless. That's always a good thing. I may not listen to them often as they make a lot of ballads and some of them fall in the drama OST sound of ballads, which I usually dislike. They might not keep my interest with those songs, but their voices are still amazing and breathtaking. Honestly, I think their strength lies with R&B and I think they should stick to that kind of sound, then they can have some range with more uptempo melodies and slow jams.



C-Clown
Similar to CROSS GENE, this group has become a bit of an afterthought and I don't think they've released much either. As mentioned in the notable list, I was really impressed with "Far away...Young Love" and I was hoping they would continue to grow in that direction. When "Shaking Heart" was released, it just felt like a lesser version of B2ST, so obviously not as impressed, but not completely let down. It was still alright. They did what they could with what they were given and I guess that's all you can ask for in a rookie group. Hopefully, the company and the fans give them a chance to a grow a little more, before making a decision to disband them or anything.


VIXX
Initially, this group gave me some really good feelings and I was looking forward to what they were going to do in 2013. I wasn't expecting to turn into a proud Starlight at the end of the year. Release after release, VIXX has consistently gotten better with every concept thrown at them. They have even be given the title of "Princes/Kings of Dark Concepts" by fans and I kinda agree with that, but just overall, they are a solid group. They're probably the most solid group on and off stage out of all the male rookies in this list. I do hope they take a little break though, before they start release more new material...and do another set of performances in the U.S.



D-Unit
Apparently, D-Unit has this rotating third member system, which I think is stupid. It's just as stupid as the T-ara leader rotation system. Anyway, I was surprised that JNEY from GP Basic was featured in their latest video and just assumed GP Basic was done. Upon investigation, they're gearing up for a comeback, so I'm looking forward to that. I still have their mini-album in the lineup for review, so I can't say much there. What I can say is that the group seemed to have detoured a little from the hip-hop concept. Whatever it is, I'm not particularly feeling it, but I do want to hear more of them.



100%
This group falls in the same category as C-CLOWN and CROSS GENE. If they happened to be in my feed with new music, I check it out, but not super attached to them. They haven't really done much in the release department, but I can say that I love "Want U Back" way more than "Bad Boy". As generic as the sound, concept, and visuals are, it's a song I can listen to more than once and sometimes dance to. They still have a lot of talent potential and I wouldn't mind seeing more of them. Make it happen!



EvoL
Maybe because the company was occupied with disputing with Block B and creating a replacement with ToppDogg, but not much has been happening with this group. It's a little saddening that there's so little activity, especially since I kinda like them more than D-Unit. They did make "Get Up" during the label mess, so I hope they release more amazing and unique material or go to a different label to pursue that greatness.



AOA
Since this was the only group on my list that I dislike, this will be different than the others. Have my feelings changed toward them? No, not really. They still remind me of SNSD and don't suit my tastes. Their latest release, "Miniskit", I guess is their attempt to be sexy. Too bad Girl's Day did a better job with the skirt teasing. Hopefully, this is the last time I'll be talking about AOA to this extent.



Tasty
I wasn't super impressed with this duo, but I did like them a little bit more than JJ Project. Despite the assistance of Infinite H in the songwriting, their follow up single for "MAMAMA" just felt the same as their debut track, a long choreographed commercial. I just convinced myself that Tasty was nothing more than a dance duo and that they should completely ditch trying to sing or whatever. Fortunately, they redeemed themselves with their latest release, "Day'n Night". Their music still sounds like 90s boy band pop, but the content had a little more substance than the previous two video releases. I hope Tasty gets to polish up on the sing abilities.



24K
Another group to add to the list with 100%, C-CLOWN, and CROSS GENE of groups that I check on every now and then. It doesn't look like they've been doing much. Their latest video is "U R SO CUTE", which isn't overly cute. It's more sweet than anything. Unfortunately, it's not as impressive as car commercial "Hurry UP", but I hope they gain momentum and play around with their potential some time soon.

Notable KPop Rookies of 2012

The industry has been obviously saturated with rookies since 2010 (more so in 2011). It seems like companies are even more desperate for cash this year and there's been more than 50 rookie groups that have been introduced to the kpop scene. Quite ridiculous, right? Well, I've checked out some of these groups over the course of time and here's a list of notable rookies that left an impression on me, whether negative or positive.


NU'EST
Debuting with a reminiscent 90's electro-pop mixed with that obnoxious dubstep dance break song called "FACE", I couldn't get into this group at all. Although they are very much polished in the looks department, group and video wise, I couldn't get over this simplistic sound. Ren turned me off a lot. He seemed...out of a place. Somehow with the hard hitting "Action" made me give them a more serious chance. The image was edgier and Ren looked less like a visual kei reject or wannabe. They have potential and have garnered some respect as underdogs with the whole battle between Exotics and Babies. Am I a fan? Not really. They've fallen back to their aegyo image and none of their latest releases have caught me like "Action" has.



EXO
The most overly promoted rookie group of 2012, Planet EXO, brought to you by the makers of Super Junior and SNSD -- SM Entertainment. I've rambled about the marketing strategy when they presented their "prologue" song called, "What is Love". It bothered me that they were skirting around calling this song and their follow-up "History" a prologue to an official debut. Do I still think that SM Ent. wasted loads of money on pointless and annoying promotional efforts? Yes. Do I still believe that EXO-M will be short changed for EXO-K? Of course. But I still cling to my bias EXO-M as the more talented and harmonized group between the two. They have also shown the more successful and play less to SM biases, in my opinion as well. On a positive note, EXO-M has the best chemistry with personality, choreography synchronization, and vocal harmonies. I also pointed out in my v-log that they are more expressive in their music videos as well. The obvious negative is that EXO-K, the most likely the main focus and main money maker of the two, lacks all of that in my eyes. If it's any constellation they have the most insane fans now. I'll definitely will be keeping my eye out on comparing the two and supporting EXO-M.



B.A.P
TS Entertainment accepted SM Entertainment's promotional challenge with a reality show and tough talk from the members of B.A.P. They took a slower, perhaps more clever approach with their efforts. Instead of pounded images of the group's leader with no real substance, the label placed Bang Yong-Gook in the pseudo-"Flashing Lights" music video with Secret's Song Ji-Eun, then smoothly transitioned to B2ST's tiny powerhouse YoSeob in a solo effort that reflected an Eminem and Rihanna duet effort and, for me, an annoying duo effort with future group mate Zelo in a more upbeat effort. I was saddened to hear the talented Bang Yong Guk would be stuck in some rookie group with this cutesy young blonde Zelo. The promotions were interesting and shared that similar alien storyline. Kpop fans constantly compared them with EXO, but they seem to fall under the lines of former hip-hop inspired rookies Block B. The group started off strong with a bombastic debut, "Warrior" and used a technique to emphasis talent over appearance by dying the group's hair blonde. Unfortunately through the year, their music went downhill from there with repetitive lyricism and weak choruses in "No Mercy" and "Power". I assume the label tried to broaden their appeal by putting aside the harden, masculine image for a more soft, aegyo one that didn't sit right for me. Although the group is very much overrated in the rookie department with EXO, I'm hoping they'll return to their original concept and work on being less try-hard in the aggressive area.



Six Bomb
With one kinda known song under their belt, it doesn't look like a positive start for these six ladies and they may be forgotten this year. I must admit watching the low budget debut "Chiki Chiki Bomb" took at least a couple viewings, but the song was undeniably catchy. If kpop fans actually give their first CD release a chance, they would learn that these ladies do bare some talent beyond their low production and simplistic wardrobe. It's not all about the money, guys. [Check out "Baby Boy"]



ChAOS
I mentioned earlier this year that these rookies left a bad first impression on me. "She Is Coming" showcased basic choreography and visuals with horrific styling for the boys. On the plus side, I could definitely admit that these young men did carry some strong pipes, but the debut song was quite unfortunate. Luckily, "Racer" roughened up their imagery and brought something with a little more personality, while "Kiss Kiss" contrast with a softer, more artsy indies touch that reeled me in more than their debut. I'm hoping they don't fall victim to boy band trends and utilize their strong vocal powers to intimidate their competitors.



SPICA
It feels blasphemous calling these ladies rookies when they possess such strong vocals. Stronger than most popular girl groups that are very well established. I've already went into the back story with my relationship and a little bit about them in my promo post. After the release of "Painkiller" and their first full mini-album, SPICA easily booted 2NE1 out of their spot as my favorite female kpop group. Sure, their choreography isn't the most elaborate, but I'll take passionate vocals any day. Similar to B.A.P, they took an anonymous sort of debut in "Potently" by not appearing which I mention in the promo post as well. As the year went on, I'm not sure if it was the label or the members decided to take a new approach with their song "I'll Be There". The song felt like a step back for me, but I guess they were trying to go with a more playful image while use some 90's Janet Jackson instrumental. While "Lonely" was a half step forward, but sounded like every other female kpop group to me with miss A/Sistar pale visuals. Despite that, they still are my favorite and I'm looking forward to more amazing music from them.



EXID
Initially, I didn't like this group at all. I was upset that one of my favorite female rappers LE joined such a cheesy group and their debut song, "WHOZ THAT GIRL" annoyed me. Something about the vocals, silly chorus, and concept for the video put me off. "I Feel Good" was a little more tolerable and I didn't like it until after their release of "Every Night". It's nothing super complex and the styling is still bad, but something sticks more naturally to me. The chorus is nice, the beat is fluidly danceable, and the video is entertaining and relatable. With "Every Night", the girls followed the path of 4Minute, miss A, and Sistar with a sensual, simplistic style. It was less colorful and presented a more mature side of the girls, not only visually but vocally as well. The styling isn't the best as the biggest pet peeve was the visible bras. Otherwise, the video is creative and kinda dark with a little humor. They definitely have potential.



A-JAX
If you've paid attention to my music video recommendations, you would know that I immediately fell in love with this group upon their debut with "Never Let Go". Using the same tactic as SPICA's "Potently", they utilized familiar figures in the kpop industry and let their emotion filled vocals sell to the audience as opposed to their faces. They're not my favorite rookie vocals in 2012, but they definitely have a leg up on a lot of them as I followed each of their major releases. "ONE 4 U" introduced the handsome faces behind the lovely vocals as well as some amazing Grecian visuals. Of course, some audiences were quick to say that the boys ripped off SME's concept they used for DBSK and EXO, but I think they did it better...all bias aside. The vocals, music, and styling of the boys and video scream strength and perhaps the live choreography echoed that as well. "HOT GAME" broke out of the serious tone, but did a better job than SPICA did with their third release. The song is upbeat, a little more playful, but it doesn't take away from their vocals too much. Sure, this reminds me of Flo rida's "Low", there's some autotune here and there, and it kinda sounds like every other rookie, but something about it still stands out from the rest. Their dance skills are showcased more and you can truly see the boys' personalities shine. It's just a charming video~ Their last entry for the year was a response video to SNSD's "Run Devil Run" called "2MYX" (read "to my ex", clever, right?), which I can actually see more clearly than NassuN & G.O's effort in "O-IWI-O". This video combines that charisma and dance talent from their previous video with their maturity from the beginning. It's nothing spectacular like their first two videos, but it's still pretty good and worth checking out. I will definitely will be keeping up with them.



JJ Project
Well, JYP tried to put himself in the ring of rookies with a male duo. I found them different from his other projects and fell on the lines of 2PM's "Hands Up". From the hip-hop-esque electro instrumental track and the annoying bouncing camera movements. I know, it's supposed to go with the title of the song, "Bounce", but I never was a fan of this movement when I saw it 2PM's video. It's nothing special musically, but it has some smooth transitions with hip-hop, electro-pop, and rock. The choreography is quite impressive and the vocals aren't that bad. Mostly, I think they did what Bang Yong Guk and Zelo couldn't do successfully in their video, in my opinion. I wish there was more effort put forth on the duo during 2012, but there's always 2013 and I hope JYP doesn't forget about them either.



BtoB
I think it took me a couple listens of their debut song "Insane" to truly give them a chance. The song is very lovey dovey semi-grating to me on certain days. It's not a terrible song, but it was like ChAOS' starter song. Although, I am so happy I checked out the b-side because I absolute love "Imagine". It showed off the members' vocal range, harmonization, and strength more steadily than "Insane". It's truly a beautiful song and even live you can feel the power of the lyrics. "Irresistable Lips" brought that same power from "Imagine" and made it more danceable. I didn't go crazy over this track and the video was pretty cliche, I also got distracted by the girl's lips. >> "Father" is less memorable for me, not that it was a terrible song, but I tend to avoid most tributes to parents ballad type songs. I know they had a song or two, maybe more of little digital releases or drama songs, but I don't bother with those, so...onto "WOW". It sounds like those 90's boy bands! One of the lesser known ones. I think I mentioned this before. Anyway, this reeled back to the "everyone sounds like this" sound. The visuals are very polished and it's kinda a shame that this song is so...dated? Not terrible, but not their best. The biggest challenge will be directing BtoB away from being another B2ST, but I'm still looking forward to what they have next.



CROSS GENE
Like JJ Project, the group only has one real music video promotional effort which is their debut for "La-Di Da-Di". I was a little skeptical with the intro talking part, but the song was very catchy and I couldn't help but abuse that repeat button. The visuals are extremely appealing and the choreography is simple, but creative in some parts. The instrumental sounds familiar, but the vocals lure you in. I'm hoping they don't get lost in the shuffle because they have a strong power behind them vocally and charisma wise. The choreography is quite strong for rookies too.



2BiC
This male duo doesn't feel like a rookie group either as they share strong vocals and mature presence similar to SPICA. Unfortunately, their first effort "Made yet another woman cry" wasn't the first thing I saw from them and looking at it now isn't anything I would watch nor listen to. It's not bad, but it's one of those usual slow love song ballad things. My first experience was "LOVE AGAIN" with rising female soloist Ailee. This song made me give Ailee a second chance as I didn't know she could rap like that. Their voices compliment each other so well. The song is catchy, mature, soothing, and alluring. The video has some classic R&B elements to go with the men's styles and some dancing girls that are a little distracting. "24Hours Later" is more a lounge type R&B. It's nice to listen to every now and then, but nothing I could repeat like "Love Again" easily. It has that drama OST sound to it with a twist of their signature soulful sound. Since they're a little slower type of R&B that I'm not really used to or fond of, I didn't really listen to much of their other stuff after that. If you're new to them, I'm not discouraging you from listening to it, it's just not my thing.



C-Clown
I will admit that this group didn't have the best production value with their debut video for "SOLO". The song was your typical electro-pop sound and shared a slightly atmosphere to old Big Bang and "Blue" Big Bang. It's not a terrible song either. The chorus is cheesy catchy and the choreography follows that, but the insertion of individual member pictures between scenes cheapened the video. Their follow-up, "Far away...Young Love", was more successful musically. It showed off their skills to emote through their acting and vocals. The story has been used before, but it was still successful in entertaining me. There's even a dance version of the video, but I won't go over that. The second promotional effort definitely gave me a little more confidence in the group's potential skills for the coming year.



VIXX
I think this group had the most colorful video debut for the guys in this list. "SUPER HERO" was an immediate click for me. The opening was less off putting than Cross Gene and the song was extremely catchy. I couldn't help but dance and smile to this as I repeated the track over and over again. The video is extremely visually stimulating with it's vivid pop colors from cotton candy and comic book palettes, while still having a slick approach used by groups like B2ST and MBLAQ. There's a lot of personality in this debut package and perhaps that's the reason they had the opportunity to guest at an east coast convention last year. Their second video for "Rock Ur Body" shared the same amount of energy and charisma. It's full of color and a cool video game theme. I hope I see more great, energetic music in 2013.



D-Unit
I'm sure this female trio was accused of copying 2NE1's "I Love You" with their muted colored debut "I'm Missin' You". Well, they were produced by similar sources. Sad to say, I might slightly prefer this more than "I Love You". Visually 2NE1 did it better, but musically D-Unit has more passion in this simple song. I think they have the right foundation, especially listening to their first CD release. The rap and singing are equally on par. "Luv Me", their second video contribution, reinforces this point. They display some natural attitude and passion with their actions and vocals. The song is a little more catchy and the video has the same washed out color palette as their debut. I would like to see more bold colors from these girls, perhaps on the lines of SPICA's "Painkiller" video. Otherwise, I believe they are headed in the right direction and they have some decent dance skills as well as the right backing.



100%
I swear it seems like these groups use the same 3-4 color palettes. Anyway, "BAD BOY" is very similar to C-CLOWN's debut effort. It's not terrible, but nothing new. The song's decent and there's moments, like the black and white scenes, that remind me of U-KISS, which is mostly a good thing. Unfortunately, I didn't actively seek out any more of their videos, but there are two more, I believe. I have listened to their mini-album which isn't that bad either.



EvoL
One more 2NE1 comparison from the public, but you know what, I'll give 2NE1 credit for bringing back the girls with attitude and sex appeal for girls like D-Unit and EvoL. Anyway, "We are a bit different" was an easy sell for me. The colors popped like some high production YG video and the chorus exudes attitude with a hint of sexuality. The vocals are on point and full of sass and energy. The choreography even matches the attitude of badass and sex. It's a shame they didn't have a follow up video, but I'm hoping these ladies don't trade their hard, rebellious image for the soft and aegyo or anything that doesn't fit this initial concept. Also, I must add that the rappers are very strong and cause a huge threat. [Check out "Magnet" dance practice]



AOA
This group is going to be difficult to talk about, but they did leave a strong impression on me. Upon seeing their debut video for "ELVIS", I knew this wasn't for me. It was too much like SNSD trying to be cutesy bad girls and you all know I do not like SNSD. The production value, the aegyo gestures, styling, and even the song was too similar to SNSD, but they had to throw in this seemingly pseudo-band thing into the mix. Whether they really play instruments or not, I could care less, but idol rock is not my thing. "GET OUT" was practically the same thing, but a little better with movie nods. So, it's obvious I won't be following these more talented SNSD wannabes.



Tasty
Well, everyone knows that twins sell, look at Boyfriend! "You know me" was this twin duo's debut effort which confused me at first, but I kept watching. The video is very simplistic and solely focuses on both men. The choreography isn't anything extravagant, but it's clear that the intention of the video was to display their dance skills. If you take that away and just listen to the song, it's kinda obnoxious and doesn't have much to it other than mindless dance music. I'm not completely sold on these twins, but they have piqued my interest in their future efforts.



24K
Last, but not least...one more male group. I think I have more guy groups than girls. Heh. Anyway, "Hurry UP" started off as a possible car commercial and I didn't know what to expect. The music and first few visuals made me a little wary, but then the first verse after the rap made me feel a bit better. The song isn't extreme, but it has some strong rap parts and some good vocals to build on for the future. It has a lot of attitude and some subtle charm. The video isn't anything new, but they tried and I'll give them that. The other video isn't a real music video just one of those fan things with candid moments, but it does display more of their vocal talents...and aegyo skills.