Kpop: Big Bang - Bang Bang Bang (뱅뱅뱅)

Last week I said to a younger kpop fan that Big Bang's career is probably mostly over, at least in regards to new hits like the ones you saw some years ago (like "Fantastic Baby"). The new songs that was released in May very much confirmed this as they was polished and slightly interesting but not hit material. But with the new "Big Bang Bang" I may have been proved wrong, as "Bang Bang Bang" is full of that energy and more than that, synergy between the members. They use each other strengths and character to make a great video and song that is pretty damn close to the classic Big bang hits!

• Big Bang - Bang Bang Bang (뱅뱅뱅)

Kpop: Big Bang - Bae Bae and Loser

Big Bang *finally* is back with new material as a group, and it is...OK. Psycadelic "Bae Bae" is a visual treat and the song has got some nerve in its own way, while "Loser" is quite boring.

• Big Bang - Bae Bae
• Big Bang - Loser

Kpop: Top 10 of the first quarter of 2015

The first quarter of 2015 has passed and again I find myself with many good songs. I may become more demanding as my relationship to kpop matures, but there are obviously still quite a number of good videos to be had.

Honorable mention goes to Yoonmirae, Tiger JK & Bizzy in MFBTY for their colorful "Bang Diggy Bang Bang".

10. Infinite H - Pretty. An easy and charming video that mostly fascinates by the (un?)intentional homo-eroticism.

9. Skrillex ft Diplo, G Dragon & CL - Dirty Vibe. If this is what we will be getting, I'd love to see more of these kind of east-west crossovers in the future.

8. 9Muses - Drama. New member constellation but keeping with the successful concept, this time 9Muses used a cafe meets theater set as a background for their usual beauty contest.

7. Lizzy - Good Bye PMS. The video is really just super fun with mixing Godzilla like fights with a PMS medicine commercial (sic!), and the song isn't bad either.

6. Crayon Pop - FM. I love what Crayon Pop stands for. More nerds in kpop! The video is pure anime/super hero nerdiness, and the song is better then most they have released the last year.

5. Fiestar - You're pitiful. This is basically a well crafted and very traditional girl group kpop song, and it works well for giving their fans a great time. But, and yes there is a but, it should have hade a bit more variation to make it really take off.

4. Rainbow - Black Swan. A dark return for the girls of Rainbow, the song has all the right drama and with just a little more variation it would have been top 3 this quarter.

3. Jonghyun ft Zion T - Deja Boo. Charming and smooth singing in this video from Shinee member Jonghyun.

2. Tey - Dangerous. A cool and sexy debut from Mr Mr's Tey, with a song that is precisely the right level of dramatic while keeping up the tempo.

1. Hong Jin Young - Love Wifi. This isn't cool. This isn't updated. This is old school, before there even was kpop. And it is super charming. I love trot when it is done with this much fun.

Kpop: f(x) - Red Light

After reading the reviews before watching the new "Red Light" from korean f(x), and after the disappointment of their latest songs, I was so ready to dismiss them. And then I watched the video. Damn, what a video. I have a hard time remembering when I last was so impressed with a kpop video, and they usually are top of the line. It may be one of G Dragon's or Big Bang's Fantastic Baby, but otherwise I must say f(x) has really done it this time. And for once I must say that the audio must take second seat to the visuals and not be judged on their own, as Red Light is an artistic whole. This video will be one of the most memorable of 2014.

• f(x) - Red Light