The Copy Editors’ Corner is a recurring feature of reviews written by Mast copy editors.
KIANA NORMAN-SLACK;Â Copy Editor;Â normanks@plu.edu
Welcome back, fam. This time around, I’ll be discussing some of my favorite solo artists whether they are originally in a group or not. (What do I mean by that? Stay tuned.) And, of course, I’ll bring you up to speed on what’s been happening in K-Pop. On the schedule is B.A.P, VIXX, BLACKPINK and TWICE. Let’s get to it, shall we?
Vocab:
Bias*: A person in an idol group that you have devoted your whole life to, otherwise known as your favorite member in an idol group.
Bias Wrecker: A person in an idol group who catches your eye and threatens to take your bias’ spot in your heart (also known as someone who won’t stay in their lane).
*Note: It’s extremely hard to have a bias at all. Everyone is just so great, I don’t know how people do it.
I’ve talked a lot about idol groups, but K-Pop is filled with solo artists as well. And you can still be a solo artist if you are in an idol group — in fact, most are.
K-Pop artists (popular or not) work extremely hard nonstop. But every now and then they get these things called breaks. You know, those things when you don’t have to do anything and you can just sit on your bed and stream Netflix for like two days straight? These happen after a comeback has finished, a concert series has come to an end or a drama has finished filming.
During these breaks, sometimes a person in a group wants to put out a solo project, and more often than not, the company lets them. (I mean, more money for them, right?) These solo projects happen when a group gets a break during a certain time every year.
Note that this does not mean the person putting out a solo project has any desire to leave or compete against the group. Most of the time, a solo project has a different sound than the group does. This artist might want to target a different kind of music, and that’s widely accepted. It’s another creative outlet for the artist.
There are also artists that come into the K-Pop world just as soloists, which is also fine. These artists can be just as successful as those who start out in idol groups.
Some of my favorite solo artists are Hyuna (from 4Minute), G-Dragon (from BIGBANG), Dean, Eric Nam, Jun Hyo Seong (from Secret) and Jay Park (from AOMG). Peep them all on iTunes/Spotify/YouTube! I hold G-Dragon very close to my heart because he was the artist that introduced me to K-Pop. It’s a bit of a long story (stay tuned for my next column), but he is what one would call my ultimate bias.
Alright, now for the T. TWICE is back with a new album “TWICEcoaster:LANE1,” and their title track “TT” is just the cutest. The music video came out around Halloween, and the girls have been promoting nonstop since then. Their comebacks lean towards the aegyo side, so if you’re looking to add some more bubblegum pop to your life, look no further than TWICE.
BLACKPINK is the newest female idol group on the scene from YG Entertainment, and ever since they debuted earlier this year, they have been sweeping the charts. After “SQUARE ONE,” their first EP, came out, fans were begging for new music. YG doesn’t disappoint, so here they are with “SQUARE TWO,” and a catchy title track to match. “Playing With Fire” and “Stay” are coming to a computer screen near you (if you search them on YouTube…which I suggest you do).
I’ve also been screaming because of B.A.P’s new music. The boys have just released a full length album, “NOIR,” and it’s honestly everything you’d expect from a B.A.P comeback. The entire album has dark undertones, much like their other comebacks, but for me, this one takes the cake.
Widely known as the kings of the horror-sexy concept, VIXX has graced us with the last installment of their Conception series. This whole series has been rooted in Greek mythology, with each of the members representing a different god and each comeback honing in on one of them. The title track, “The Closer,” has a very sultry sound and is somewhat different from what they usually put out. It’s worth the listen.
Also, keep an eye out on Nov. 21: VIXX is gifting us an album that features all the songs from their Conception series, plus a new one.
Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter (@kianashanice) for my YouTube clip of the week!
What I’m Listening to:
VIXX – “The Closer” (from “Kratos”)
B.A.P – “SKYDIVE” (from “NOIR”)
Hyolyn – “Go Away” (from “It’s Me”)
BLACKPINK – “Playing With Fire” (from “SQUARE TWO”)
EXO-CBX – “Hey Mama!” (from “Hey Mama! – The 1st Mini Album”)
What I’m Watching:
“The K2”
“Doctor Romantic”
