East Asian pop update Sep 2018 - Sep 2019

These are the (roughly) 40 songs and videos from east asia that I have been the most interested in the past year:

Blackpink - Kill This Love (music video).
Blackpink - Kill This Love (concert). To say that they made a great impression on the american audience is an understatement. I would hazard to guess that together with the boys of BTS, they helped make 2019 the year that kpop finally made it big in the US.
BTS - Boy with luv. This was actually played more than Kill This Love in Sweden, but I blame all the fanboys here being so much less vocal than the fangirls...still, it IS a great song.
K/DA - Pop/Stars. I will add this video in this regard, as it is another interesting crossover that is actually a Leauge of Legends promo.

Itzy - Dalla. They defined their unique, "young" sound from the start.
Itzy - Icy. ANd the second single actually even built on it even better.

Weki Meki - Picky Picky. In some sense, this is one of my number one hits of the year. Sooo catchy.
Weki Meki - Picky Picky. Great remix from Areia.
Weki Meki - Picky Picky. Super fun dance relay version.

Taemin - Want. He's such a star, and his japanese singles are just perfection.
Taemin - Famous.
TVXQ - Truth. The boys are charismatic to the max and the song matches this.

WJSN - Boogie up. And when talking about relay mixes - I just simply can't get enough of this one. I actually only got hooked on the song after seing it.

Apink - Eung eung. The veterans of Apink delivered yet again (after the superb I'm so sick).
Apink - Eung eung. Live. Watch and learn all kpop rookies.

April - Oh! My mistake. A old school kpop song and video. Loved it of course!
Cherry Bullet - Q&A.
Neon Punch - Tic Toc. A perfectly produced debut song that want by mostly unnoticed.

CLC - Devil. The first single I actually liked (very much too) with them, it actually being more melody than attitude for once.

Sunmi - Noir. She has such charm and charisma, combined with such well honed videos, that it is hard to not love it.
Sunmi - Lalalay.

Twice - Fancy.
Twice - Breakthrough.

IZ*ONE - La Vie Et Rose. This group has really established a distinct sound with their three first singles, let's see if their japanese "Vampire" signifies a (if smaller) change of that.
IZ*ONE - Violetta.
IZ*ONE - Buenos Aires.
IZ*ONE - Vampire.

Ailee - Room Shaker. Lot's of people didn't like this single due to her not using her vocal capabilities fully, but I just enjoyed the generall badness of Ailee.
Fromis - Love Bomb. A classic catchy hit that may not make it to the absolute top but is a given in my playlist.

Eyedi - & New. This indie video is ultra sweet in a fresh way.

Shaun - She is. Also a very soulful song.

IU - Bbibbi. The queen of being just right musically and all.

Sandy - Swag. Just...swag.

Stella Jang - It's beautiful. Retro beauty.

Hwa Sa - Twit. A solo departure from Mamamoo, but so worth it.

Chung Ha - Snapping. The Areia remix is actually better than the original.
Dia - WoWaa.

Everglow - Adios.

Dreamcatcher - Breaking through.
Yubin - Thank U Soooo Much.

Olltii - Press Start. Nice enough song, but it is the video I watch it for. 80s games forever...

BoA - Woman. The Madonna of eastern pop, she has a seemingly everlasting skill to stay cool.
Jolin Tsai - Womxnly. She is a pillar of LGBT rights defender in chinese language pop.
Sakanaction - Wasurerarenaino. They have a sound that always makes my love their singles.
Cosmospeople - Play One. They deliver another nice funky track.

Kpop: Taemin - Move

The images above is from the duo version, the rest from the "solo" version

It has been getting close to two years since Taemin released his first album, but now "Move" is here, and with it comes the single with the same name, a cool video where the duo version is clearly the one to watch. his dancing with japanese dancer Koharu (which he has cooperated with before).

• Taemin - Move ("solo" version)
• Taemin - Move (duo version)

Jpop: Top 20 of 2016

The year of 2016 in Japanese pop has for me been less idols and more electronic and synth songs. Still a lot of strange and freaky, but in a more tempered way.
So here is my top 20 songs in some kind of order.

20. Ladybaby - Renge Chance! The bearded Australian doing maid cosplay with a heavy metal voice returned with an ode to ramen! Of course!

19. Natsu no Mamono. Cos-players and crazy live festival organizers, one has to love their videos, so full of just plain fun.

18. Awesome City Club. I like their sound, full of air and happiness.

17. Sasanomaly. Yes, the music is fine, but really, it is the videos you can't miss. They are arts-and-crafty litter masterpieces!

16. Fake - You. At first I felt like, hmm, it's OK for this kind of model group. But go beyond the surface and the song is a polished pop hit that has no unused space.

15. Haraeki Stage Ace - Rockstar. Passion and energy in this fighting track. Now can you please start posting full videos...?!

14. Suchmos - Stay Tune. It was like Jamiroquai had landed in a pop song in a good way.

13. C-ute - Dreamlike Climax. Mixing classical music and pop may sound odd, but it worked really well for C-ute, the drama of song and dance harmonizing with the classic melody.

12. Stereo Japan - Dancing Again. Good song but those breaks with super funky sounds made all the difference.

11. Babymetal. An anticipated comeback for the jpop metal girls, with The One and Karate holding up to expectations.

10. Oyasumi Hologram - Neuromancer. This indie duo delivered a track with a superb nerve that really made it stand out.

9. Reol - Give me a break Stop now. She finally showed herself in a full video, and such a great video it was - cool and catchy, so a great way to debut!

8. Cherrsee - White Shirt. While this is unabashed "Brave Sound in Japanese", it is still high quality and polished pop.

7. Czecho No Republic - Dream Beach Sunset. When they get their synths right, CNR is such a great group. Like here.

6. Cicada - Yes. The voice and the sound of "Yes" is soft and inviting, silent passion in harmony.

5. Have A Nice Day! ft New World's Girlfriend - New Romance. This song proves again that feeling and that extra 'it' always beats static perfection.

4. Taemin - Sayonara Hitori. Even though the video sometimes passes over to gaming territory, it is still a great ballad, with drama and a song without dead spots.

3. Niji no Conquistador - ↓Alien Girl in New York↑. The passion and the humor made me instantly love this song by the idol girls of Niji no Conquistador.

2. Frederic. The group may not have changed their basic concept so much, but "Only Wonder" was another great example of their trademark sound, and I do think their later "Night Step" marks a new step in a kind of darker and fresh direction.

1. Metafive. Even though the participating artists may have seen their best days, the stylish mega-group had high expectations on it when it debuted early this year, but they have surely delivered. Both "Luv U Tokio" and "Musical Chairs" are music perfection.

Jpop: Top 10 of third quarter 2016

There hasn't been *that* much jpop that caught my eye this quarter, but what there was, was good.

10. Daoko - Daisuki. The third video is the coolest, with industrial robots making it all interesting.

9. Charisma.com - Moya moyashite. This video which makes the duo look almost native manages to return much of what made me like them from the beginning.

8. Yumemiru Adolescence - Leadership. Film everything on a 45 degree slope - that's enough to create something new to lift a whole video.

7. Devil No Id - Eve. Basically trying to momic Babymetal, the initial song still has promise, and they may still eke out something of their own.

6. Wagakki Band - Strong Fate. The classical instrument band cum japanese fantasy cosplayers delivers another diorama of dramatic role play and music play.

5. Daoko -  Moshimo Bokura ga GAME no Shuyakude. The second of the three videos/songs from her triple single is the best, celebrating computer gaming.

4. Passepied - Hyper Realist. One of the best tracks by this stylish band.

3. Reol - Give me a break Stop now. We finally get to see Reol and she is such a cool young lady, with a great track.

2. Czecho No Republic - Dream Beach Sunset. The humor and retro electronica is pitch perfect.

1. Taemin - Sayonara Hitori. The video is almost too much of everything, but the glorious romance and passion combined with Taemin singing in Japanese works perfectly.

Kpop/Jpop: Taemin - Sayonara Hitori (さよならひとり)

After his successful full album debut this winter, Taemin of kpop stars SHINee makes his Japanese debut with the impressively fantasy-kitchy video "Sayonara Hitori". The lyrics by Sakurai Sara are open to interpretation but they seem to slightly melancholy about leaving each other but hoping to meet again. Perfectly Japanese in other words. I can't help but like the whole sweet thing anyway.

• Taemin - Sayonara Hitori (さよならひとり)

Kpop: Top 20 of the first quarter of 2016

The 80s retro has been coming on heavy this winter in kpop, but not is all successful. The surprising winner is a group that manages to use the best of the sound while still moving forward.

25. 4minute - Hate. Hoping they will drop that lame posing, it was still a cool video.
24. Taemin - Drip Drop. Cool dance number and suitable beats to match.
23. Six Bomb - Wait 10 Years Baby. I actually like this for its cheapness, pink dresses and all.
22. Hong Jin Young - Thumbs Up. The trot queen in my eyes.
21. UV feat Lee Sang Min - Oh Yes. Almost to short to qualify as a music video, but oh so fun.

Final 20:

20. Grace - I'm Fine. The debut song wins on sheer mass of references and stance. She goes all out in the video and it wins her a spot on the top 20.

19. Anda - Taxi. This is kind of the exact opposite of Grace's video - cheap and without complications, this is all about the track, another super italopop-sounding track.

18. Got7 - Fly. Another nice sound from the boys which, yes, made you want to fly.

17. Lucky J - No Love. Jessi's voice and some key instruments is what drew me to this track.

16. Snuper - Platonic Love. A celebration of the kind of pop norwegien pop did, in a suitable 80s setting was hard to say no to when done this nice.

15. Ladies Code - Galaxy. The three girls managed a worthy comeback after the tradgedy 1,5 years ago, hopefully they will keep on fighting.

14. Azin - Delete. This song and its album promises much and I hope she continues on this path.

13. Turbo - Again. These kind of comebacks generally makes me rather sceptic but this time it works. It may sound a bit not 2016, but it is still good.

12. Nu'est - Overcome. At times a dramatic video, but I'm guessing the androgyn looks of Ren is what fascinates most people.

11. Fiestar - Mirror. I'm actually a bit surprised I didn't place this higher but somehow the excellent concept and video missed having a working hook.

10. Kim Jaejoong - Love You More. Ever since the debut Mine I have had hopes for his solo career and here he shows that promise again.

9. CocoSori - Dark Circle. This is the oddest song of this list, with a male personificication of Broccoli being eaten by the two girls. Strange but charming.

8. School OZ - One Day One Chance. Combining fantasy, kpop and musical can't really go wrong in my eyes. This was a real winner for me.

7. Brave Girls - Deepened. Writing this, I just realized what the thing woth this song is - it feels like a dream somehow. The production creates a kind of musical haze where we dream of the girls. Even the rap suits the ambience.

6. Dal Shabet - Someone like U. The girls gives us one of the better 80s retro songs in kpop this winter.

5. Stellar - Sting. They have embraced sexual innuendo fully and made it their home town. And what a happy and lively home town it is! ;-)

4. Mamamoo - Taller than you. The attitude, the charisma. These girls rule!

3. Jun Hyo Seung - Find Me. Hyoseung does what Fiestar wanted to do, combining sexiness with an actual working song. It is all there and then some.

2. Fantastic Drugstore - Before Sunrise. Great voice and competent indie pop made this a given favorite.

1. Bubble X - Hit It. The duo found that perfect sound and feeling with "Hit It", attitude without losing tempo, happiness without kpop blandness, and just a general flow that is perfect. They may play on 80s retro but their sound is here and now.