Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Invasion Of The Single Eyelid Bishounens!

There are SO MANY Korean male groups nowadays that I find it hard to keep track of them all. There are a few that I am watching out for recently and I am not sure which one I like more. Hence I decided that I shall grade them! Oh this is going to be fun!

The criteria of grading will be as follows, each upon 10:

Music/Sound
Dance Work
Image
Entertainment Value
Market Potential

Ok, here we go. In order of discovery.


I am sure Top is trying his best to smile already. Don't know what the hell Taeyang is doing. He is very peculiar to me. Cute but peculiar.

Music/Sound: 7.5
Dance Work: 6
Image: 7
Entertainment Value: 7
Market Potential: 8.5
Final Score: 72%
Comments: I like Big Bang, but I am not really crazy about Big Bang. Their songs are nice, I listen to their songs on a daily basis on the horrible morning commute and it cheers me up. They don't really dance all that much but it's ok. They look good enough as with the rest of the male groups out there. Are they entertaining? Are they funny people? I don't know. Maybe? And that's the thing about Big Bang for me. Everything about them is just comfortable. They just seemed so mellow, except for maybe the SES debacle, which I am still suffering the after-shock effects from. They've got mad musical skills, sure, but I don't feel like I have much else to say about them apart from this. But with talent comes high market potential, especially GD and TOP. Their recent collaboration was a great experimental effort and a good indication of what the two boys are capable of, when given the reins. Which means the group still have steam left in them for a few more good albums yet.


"You give me nothing (to eat) and we will punch you."

Music/Sound: 8.5
Dance Work: 7.5
Image: 8
Entertainment Value: 9
Market Potential: 7
Final Score: 80%
Comments: SS501 has been around for a while although I wasn't really into them until recently. I think their time as a group is almost up, perhaps maybe one or two albums more. What with all the younger groups popping as if out of nowhere nowadays. But they seemed to be doing well in their solo careers, or at least a couple of them are. Best thing about them is their singing, I would say. Among the groups here, theirs have the biggest variety of singing voices, particularly Park Jung Min and Kim Hyung Jun. Voices that just melt your core! Probably anyone with half a decent voice can sing, but some voices have this quality that mesmerises you every single time you hear it. Very, very funny group of people, who have very strange behaviours on camera that is extremely endearing. Very entertaining. They seem to really enjoy their time together and care about each other, which is not essential for me, but it's nice. Their market potential as a group is difficult to say for now, but I think their branching out into other areas such as musicals and acting is a good indication of their potential as individuals.


And the inventor of the hair colouring kit rests in peace. Can there BE any more differently coloured hair in any one boy band? Why is Joon's hand in Mir's pocket? Sneaky!

Music/Sound: 7
Dance Work: 8
Image: 8.5
Entertainment Value: 8
Market Potential: 7.5
Final Score: 78%
Comments: I have already shamelessly admitted that I like them because they are so good-looking. I mean look at them! Although I honestly think they are a talented bunch of people. It's just the way they are presented, feels a tad forced. Like they were packaged together very roughly and very quickly, and simply thrown into the world. They also started training together and debuted at a slightly older age than other groups, where the average debut age is about 17-18, not considering the years of training before. Seems harsh but that's the way it is in the Korean showbiz, I believe. Other male groups in their age range are considered rather veteran, I use the word loosely, already. And I really dislike the way they place so much focus on Lee Joon, the wrong type of focus. Stop selling his body and maybe give the others a chance too? I am sure GO has a good body too! And Mir is really cute as well! Seungho is a great singer, AND he can beatbox too! Stop pointing the camera at Joon all the time! I am especially impressed with Cheon Doong (THUNDER!). He does a fair bit of rapping and singing, talent diversity is important! People should stop calling him Sandara Park's little brother! Love to see them collaborate though. Anyway, I think Mblaq has a lot of unreleased potential, if everyone would just stop thinking of them as Rain's fellas, and marketing them as such. And give them more good songs!


Yaay! We are cute! Hence we can hold ridiculous objects in our hands that have absolutely zero contribution to any specific form of theme for this picture! Except that we are cute! Yaay!

Music/Sound: 8
Dance Work: 8.5
Image: 7.5
Entertainment Value: 7.5
Market Potential: 9
Final Score: 82%
Comments: Weeee, the SHINee boys! Which I stubbornly pronounces "sheen-nee". They have become a little guilty pleasure of mine recently. I think they have the exact kind of sound that I like. Almost every song is easy on my ears. And amazing dance moves. They look so damn fluid together. I think the reason is because they are all so young, their limbs are still quite rubbery. Especially Little Dude! Image wise, hmmm, they are ok I guess, more cute than good-looking, but I don't really know what they are trying to do with their hair. But they are still young, so they probably can get away with it. Haven't seen a lot of their videos, but they seemed fun and humourous, which I like. High marketing potential because let's face it, they are damn young, still a lot of energy and fire left to keep the engine going for a while.

That's about it, I think. I actually also like B2ST, or is it Beast?


I don't know what is Kikwang doing. And maybe I don't want to know! Is that even his hand? Ok, I really don't want to know!

Because I don't really know them that well yet, except they have a few really good songs, I can't really grade them. But yup, they are pretty cool too.

Phew that was long! Gone were the days when there was only Shinhwa to follow. Boy am I old! And of course, for Shinhwa, that must be honorary mention!


Music/Sound:10
Dance Work:10
Image:10
Entertainment Value:10
Market Potential:10
Final Score:100%!!!
Comments: Haha! How about that! No, it's not fair and it's definitely not accurate, but it is simply just not possible for me to grade them. Because they are the first and only Korean male group, and the only celebrities, I did the whole fandom thing for. I went to the airport to see them, I shouted "Shinhwa changjo" during the concert at them, I even wore the fanclub t-shirt to show my support for them. That's about the extreme I can do for any idol(s). It's my absolute limit. I know very well that their time as the hottest group is over, and there are a lot of better ones coming out every day. But to me, Shinhwa is still the best. Kinda like an old friend that you keep in your heart forever, going to them once in a while when you need a good cheering or when you just want to find something familiar that reminds of who you were and the good times you had.

I think that in itself is pretty damn great

PS: No spellcheck because this entry is so damn freaking huge! I am a monster!