My Top 25 Favourite K-Pop Songs 2011

As the title suggests, this post is going to be about my favourite K-Pop songs of 2011! I was going to stop at 10 but I realised I liked too many. Hahaha. So, in no particular order, here it goes...

1. AA - So Crazy

Definitely one of the best debut songs I have heard so far! The piano intro in front really got me and I really like the raps! The members definitely have good vocals as seen from their live performances. The only thing that I don't like about this song is the choreography. The body waves are so weird and this song definitely deserves a better dance. I'm looking forward to their next comeback in February, I hope they don't change their style!

2. MYNAME - Message

I'd be the first to admit that the lyrics and the meaning of the song are kind of noobish and all, but hey, the tune's really catchy. And I really like the b-boy dancing in the music video. It is just a shame that the only b-boying they do in live performances are Seyong's handstand and backflip. My favourite part of the song is the rap haha JunQ's so cute.
P.S. The 'you got a messaji' part is my current message ringtone. Don't judge!

3. Block B - Freeze

Having roots in Hip Hop, Block B is definitely one group to watch out for. I really like the edge to this song and it stands out from the cute and happy songs that most companies choose as the debut single for groups. Love the stage presence, love the attitude, love the song. And I personally Cho PD did a great job in choosing people for the group - the three rappers have such different voices and it is so easy to tell them apart. I really have high expectations of them!

4. B1A4 - Only Learned Bad Things

I have been noticing B1A4 ever since their cartoon teaser pictures were released because it was really...special. Their debut song, O.K. really got me hooked but it was not until I heard this song that I became a BANA(na). I love the meaning of the song, love the beat, and I love it that Baro is the main character in the music video. The members are starting to compose their own songs and it can be seen from their 2nd mini album, it B1A4. I hope their next work will be more like their first mini album though because there are more genres and it also shows their versatility in tackling different genres.

5. MBLAQ - I Don't Know

No music video for this song but it is my favourite track from their Mona Lisa mini album. It has this quirky feel to it and G.O.'s falsettos never fail to get me. The live performances are really enjoyable as well because just look like they are having lots of fun. Oh by the way I love Cheondung in blonde hair *_*

6. X-5 -Don't Put On An Act

Having an average height of 185cm, these boys really stand out (literally) from other rookie groups. This debut song really attracted me and I really liked it from the first time I heard it. And I liked them even more after seeing them perform it live. Their comeback 'Dangerous' really disappointed me though. It sounds quite bleah and their first performance of the song was a big flop for me. But well I do give them credit for being able dance quite nicely considering their height because most tall people tend to look a little awkward while dancing.

7. U-Kiss - Neverland

I only really started taking notice of U-Kiss when 0330 was released because well, it has a nice piano melody and nice orchestration at the back and I thought it was a brilliant song (until I got sick of it because of the constant replaying). Neverland was released after that and I loved it! A really different image from 0330 but honestly guyliner and songs in a minor key really attract me in K-Pop. Haha I don't even know why. The dance is really nice too and it matches the song really well. I still refuse to call myself a Kiss-Me though...what a stupid-sounding fandom name hahaha.

8. DBSK - How Can I

My favourite song from HoMin's Keep Your Head Down album which was released after the whole DBSK and SM fiasco. Changmin's and Yunho's voices blend really well during live performances of this song and hearing it during the fanmeet last year made me fall in love with the song even more.

9. Miss A - Goodbye Baby

Hands down one of the best music videos in 2011. I love how this comeback had a totally different style to past singles like Breathe and Bad Girl Good Girl. It is by far, to me, the best Miss A song that has been produced and performed. Great concept, great choreography, great song, great year for Miss A.
P.S. The fact that JYP has to mention himself in all his productions still annoys me lol.

10. BEAST - Fiction

Yet another breakthrough for another group, Fiction has established itself as one of the most memorable and best songs of 2011 - from the vocals needed to conquer this song, to the really-hard-to-master penguin dance. This album was also the album that we saw really obvious vocal improvement from Dongwoon, and it was also a great album in all. The songs flow very well and it is one of those K-Pop albums which I can listen to over and over again.

11. BEAST - On Rainy Days

Also from the 'Fiction & Fact' album, here's my favourite track of BEAST this year! This is my favourite performance of this song from them, guess why? (here's a hint: skip to 2:30) The things I love most about this song are the tune, meaning of the lyrics, the ad-libs, the cough just before Junhyung's rap, Dongwoon's part..basically everything. Hahaha.

12. Brown Eyed Girls - Sixth Sense

I tend to prefer songs with attitude when it comes to upbeat female songs, and this song - it's just overflowing with that. The music video is full of symbolism - from the art on the walls, Miryo being chained up with mics in front of her (meaning that she is being controlled to say stuff), etc. BEG are portrayed as fierce and confident women here and it is hella sexy, unlike some other artist *cough* who has a solo release with a different kind of 'pop' *cough* if you know what I mean. And of course, when you think of Sixth Sense, you can't forget the three high notes by Jea, Ga-in and Narsha. Crazehhhh!

13. JS & Hyuna - Trouble Maker

One of the most controversial songs and music videos, and also one of the most anticipate comebacks (following the hot kiss during MAMA) of 2011, is this sexy dance number by Hyunseung and Hyuna. I personally like the whole concept of this song - it's different from other K-Pop songs, and it's well, daring. Hyunseung is really suited for concepts like these and he somehow has this groove for songs like this. I still think that Hyuna doesn't have that kind of mature sexiness for this song but it's not her fault since she's so young. But in any case I still love the song and I like the performances a lot.

14. 2NE1 - I Am the Best

When it comes to being badass, not many can hold a candle to 2NE1. I Am The Best is a very empowering song and the music video just shows all sorts of badass from the four girls. Also a song that a DJ should spin during K-Pop clubbing events, this song is excellent at bringing up the atmosphere. I remember screaming my lungs out when they performed this at last year's Korean Music Wave - fanchants, the 'bombaratata's, everything. This is the K-Pop cult's anthem!

15. 2NE1 - Ugly

Also from 2NE1, here's my favourite song from them! The lyrics are full of meaning and I think that it is an excellent song to jam to. The music video doesn't full make sense to me - it's very badass for a song which portrays low self-esteem but I guess that's 2NE1's style. By the way I love all their tops in the music video. And one day I'm going to play with glow-in-the-dark paint too.

16. FT Island - I Confess

My favourite track from their 'Return' mini album. Written by leader Jonghun for Primadonnas, the meaning of the song is so sweet and...it's a perfect confession song. Heh. All the members sing inside as well, which is a bonus. The tune's really sweet too. And the song means a lot to me. So, yeah. I love this song. Gonna hear it live soon and I absolutely can't wait! Hehe.

17. FT Island - Like the Birds

Although this is a remake song, FT Island truly made it their own. Seunghyun and Jaejin are not the best at rapping but their rapping is really adorable hahaha. I love the build-up of this song - how it starts out as a soothing acoustic piece and slowly gets more exciting to something 'jam-worthy'. I can't wait for 15th Jan! And of course their next comeback!

18. Big Bang - Cafe

So when I was listening through all six tracks of their 4th Mini Album for the first time, my chain of thoughts was "mhmm, nice, nice, nice, nice, nice, HOLY I LOVE THIS SONG!" Hahaha. It's something you wouldn't really expect to hear from Big Bang but they absolutely nailed it! I especially enjoy their live performances of this song. Just like what the song title says, it sounds really Cafe-ish with all the falsettos in the song. Ah after listening to this song I think I'd like a cup of Cappuccino brb!

19. Big Bang - Stupid Liar

Released in the Special Edition album which I bought because of the cool packaging. At first I felt that it was just an 'okay' song but after a few listens I realised that I really like it! I never liked auto-tuned voices but GD's auto-tuned voice is really nice LOL I don't even know.

20. Big Bang - Love Song

The best songs of 2011 definitely must include Big Bang's Love Song. It also is one of the best music videos - known for its one-take filming. Another thing that makes this music video special is its black and white concept. And the lyrics are so sad! Aiyo 'nuff said, I just absolutely love this song - probably my next favourite Big Bang after Haru Haru.

21. Nam Woohyun - Time

One of my favourite tracks of Infinite's first full length album and this obviously has to go on this list because it's...Woohyun. Lol yeah I'm biased like that. But anyway, I really love Woohyun's voice and he did amazing in this performance. The melody and lyrics of the song match really well and he expresses it perfectly. The song still pulls at my heartstrings even after so long oh Woohyun will you sing this to me? Hahaha!
P.S. The last four are all by Infinite. Haha yes I'm biased like that.

22. Infinite - Can U Smile

Their follow-up song after Nothing's Over. Having a very different feel from all the previous songs they promoted, I really enjoy the laid back feel of the song. I really like how this song showcases all of their vocals even though Sungjong and Sungyeol still have really little lines T_T

23. Infinite - Be Mine

The song which brought Infinite's popularity to an all time high - Be Mine! Still retaining the Infinite edge and essence to this comeback, it is probably one of their most 'pop'-ish songs - and you know lots of people like it when Infinite was able to win #1 on M!Countdown with this song.

24. Infinite - Paradise

Definitely one of my favourites from them, Paradise! When the music video came out, it seemed like a comeback in which they wouldn't be dancing - since the music video doesn't have any dancing, and it is also a relatively slow song. Once again, however, Infinite impressed me with their very first live performance of this song. For some reason I really love the dance (it's not the hip thrusts lol), I don't even know why. Maybe it is just the fluidity and their execution of the dance.

25. Infinite - Voice of My Heart

My favourite song of Infinite and probably one of my top K-Pop favourites ever. What I love most about this song is that every member gets to sing a substantial number of lines and not like just one phrase or something. It has a beautiful melody and beautiful lyrics. And it never fails to touch me. I really do want to hear this song live really badly. Their vocals may not be up-to-par to fully express this song yet, but I'm sure as they spend more time in the industry, as singers, as Infinite, they will surely be able to produce even better and tear-jerking performances.
P.S. Sungjongie-ah, Woohyun-ah! Uljima!

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So, these are my top 25 K-Pop songs which have kept me company for the whole of last year. I am looking forward to more good music this year - SHINee's comeback, Big Bang's comeback, EXO's debut, the new group by YG. It's not only K-Pop though which I am looking forward too though - Boys Like Girls' and Faber Drive's records are coming out soon. This is definitely gonna be a great music year for me, and I hope, for you too :)

Paradise

Let's go back in time for a little bit to 23rd Sept! Yup, that was the first day of the Singapore Grand Prix 2011 and you guessed it, I only went for the performances put up by GD&TOP and Seungri. Heh.
We had to start queuing from the afternoon though, and the sun was relentless that day. We spent a few hours in the sweltering heat before we could go into Zone 4 of the race venue.

And as if we were not tired enough, we had to race with other fangirls to the Padang just so that we could be as close to the front as possible for the queue to go into the Fan Zone area. Got to tour around Zone 4 for a bit though and I'd say it was pretty interesting!

Haha F1 fangirl :D

Yes for a $38 ticket this is actually how close to the track you can get if you know where to go!

ALL THESE MCLAREN MERCH SHOULD BE MINE! :(

So at around 7pm they finally let us into the Fan Zone. But as expected, because of some inconsiderate fans who had total disregard for the queue (despite glares and protests from other fans), it became totally chaotic and what could have earned us a first class spot became the third/forth row from the extended stage. Screw you bitches!
Nevertheless I did have fun - despite having a sore arm after that from holding the DSLR up high above my head to snap some mediocre photos. Charice's powerhouse vocals awed me! Somehow I always had the impression that she was more of an acoustic kind of singer but I was definitely proven wrong when she started belting out songs in the pop and pop rock genre - including a Billie Jean segment which she showed us some of Michael's signature dance moves which needed a bit of polishing.

Her band's lead guitarist. He is cute. Yup :)

But of course what really got us crazy was none other than the trio from Big Bang! Their hour long segment started with a really cool DJ set with the DJ spinning hits from YG artistes, namely Big Bang and 2NE1. It definitely pumped up the crowd! But there was this woman beside me (obviously not there for this segment) who kind of started sniggering when all of the fans started singing in Korean. Hello woman I have no idea what you were laughing about - we did come for the K-Pop performance after all. Were you expecting us to sing along in English translation? Thankfully she left halfway or I think I'd have punched her. Haha nah I kid!

Anyway, Seungri took the stage first with VVIP, What Can I Do and Strong Baby! Poor maknae didn't know his fly was undone throughout the whole thing! Neither were the fans though because I believe that everyone was looking at his face and not...there. I wasn't by the way! I only noticed it when saw it on Twitter and when I reviewed my photos later on. He tried his best with his English though and he said something I wouldn't expect to hear from him: "Put your freaking hands up!" and that sent everyone into a frenzy.

And as expected what brought the crowd to an all time high was GD&TOP! They performed Knock Out, High High and Oh Yeah (without Park Bom unfortunately). GD's English was really cute actually but it wasn't very cute anymore when he shouted: "PUT YOUR MOTHERF*CKING HANDS UP!" Everyone just totally went hysterical which was really bad for me because it was already so difficult to take pictures at that time. But well I kind of just let everything go during High High to enjoy myself!

The three of them later appeared on stage together with How Gee! I swear when Seungri was standing in front of us he looked at me for a few seconds!! I think I kind of attracted a bit of attention because I was jumping and putting up the \m/ handsign which was a little inappropriate since that was K-Pop and not Rock but heck it, if it was worth that few seconds of eye contact it was definitely worth it!

We managed to catch them leaving in a car (not a van with tinted windows yay!) and they waved back to us! How nice of them really. And GD's fingers are really slender. Mine are short and stout although I play the piano. Sigh FML.
By the way, I really think Seungri's climbing up my Big Bang bias list hahaha. But Taeyang's still my No. 1! :)

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It was DBS Black Top Party two days later and this time we had Brenda and Xueyan as well! Five's a party, really! What added on to the atmosphere was that it was the last day of the Grand Prix and well being able to drink on the rooftop of Fullerton Bay Hotel while watching the coverage of F1 on a huge screen was a great way to end the weekend!
Pity that this was our last Black Top Party though! Most of the people who went had nothing but good words for the event. Props to the organising committee and of course to everyone else who helped out. Of course, thank you to Stef and her supervisor for the opportunity to take part in these Black Top Parties. I really enjoyed the experience. And the drinks, of course.

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And I have just ended my awesome September on a high note with the end of internship, and also Miss A's showcase!

The tickets are totally cool - they are made of actual card material. Thumbs up!

Despite an annoying cab driver, I really enjoyed myself. I had great company and was treated to performances by four talented and gorgeous girls. Suzy was really really pretty! I'm not even kidding! Even when she cried when everyone celebrated an early birthday for her she still looked flawless! Seriously, life is really unfair!

They had surprise solo stages - Min with a hip-hop dance stage, Suzy with a soothing ballad, and Jia and Fei with a sexy dance performance. I'm really glad I got to hear Good-bye Baby 'live' because to me, that is their strongest single yet! They were amazing and Max Pavilion's sound system did them no justice at all!
The games they played were fun to watch but honestly some of the participants were really... I can't find the right word. But woah if the pair of Ludacris Soul headphones was presented to me I'd be so happy! That's besides the point though!
The four ladies were really lively and Min's cuteness and craziness just got me smiling most of the time. Suzy was too adorable! She was a little reserved at the beginning but she slowly opened up but she still kind of 'amchio-ed' and that melted my heart so many times! Fei was the quietest as usual but her rendition of a cat drove the crowd crazy. Jia on the other hand was really outspoken and I loved how she 'lashed out' at a fan for expressing her love to Suzy when Jia was the one who picked her to come up on stage. LOL but honestly the girl should have given Jia some face!
Overall their personalities are so different but they complement each other so well! Miss A is one of the better K-Pop girl groups right now (at least to me) and although their fanbase in Singapore is still quite small, I believe that they will soar even higher! Miss A 화이팅!!

Fake Miss A, LOL.

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The end of September also marks the end of my 6-month long internship! Relieved that it is over but at the same time I can't bear to leave the place. After all, I enjoyed doing my K-Pop programmes and most of the people there were so friendly. Not to mention, they took care of me really well, just like I was a little baby. Not that I minded though! ^^

To all my colleagues who have taught me so much during the last 24 weeks, thank you so much for giving me a nice experience for my internship. I really appreciate it and yeah, I'll be seeing you guys again in 10 days' time when Jared and I go back for one week of free-lancing.
I'd like to thank Stef too for accompanying me everyday at work virtually (although sometimes you take ages to reply) - without you I'd be one bored Michy! And of course to everyone who has entertained me through the days which I did not have much to do.
And of course, a big thank you to my lunch buddy and fellow intern, Jared! Honestly I was not very sure if we'd get along since we come from different cliques and all but I realized that we are actually very similar in many ways - like how both of us are really lame and how we can talk about football. So yes I'm glad that I wasn't alone for internship. I BET YOU ARE TOUCHED RIGHT YAP JIE REN! But okay you'll probably never see this anyway so see you soon! Hokkien mee! \m/

All right this is the end of my crazily long blog post! Have a well-deserved break everyone! :)

Sunshine State of Mind

The past two days have been nothing short of exciting.

Friday was Korean Music Wave which featured 10 bands - Big Bang, 2NE1, FT Island, Miss A, Teen Top, U-Kiss, X-5, The Boss, Touch, Dal Shabet. I wasn't planning to go for it originally but Stef and I got last minute tickets and I gotta admit that it was money well-spent. Comparing it to K-Pop Night last year, this one was so much better, in terms of venue and the sound system. And of course it healed the pain in my heart because I was really sore about not being able to see FT Island. Heh :$

The line-up was awesome too! It was totally like a 2NE1/Big Bang concert in the end! I'd say that I enjoyed myself.

Minhwan stuck at the back playing drums while his hyungs ran about.

Yeah so FT Island was the first band to perform, which was totally expected since before the concert even started, Jonghun's acoustic guitar was already on stage. They performed 'Love Love Love', 'Hello Hello', 'Bing Bing Bing' and my favourite 'I Hope (Barae)'! I was kind of expecting them to sing a couple of songs from their new mini album though. It would have been awesome if they had sung 'I Confess', after all, that is Stef's and my song. Hurhur. When they sung 'Barae' it was total deja vu all over again because I screamed at the intro of the song. Except this time I learned the fan chant LOL the Primadonna beside didn't do the fanchant pfft I felt like a loser. But no worries because the next time they come, I'm gonna have my Pentastick with me.

X-5!

Supa Luv!

Miss A! Fei was so pretty omgosh. But Suzy looked kinda sick and she was coughing while going backstage. Take care, poor girl!

0330 - U-Kiss. Argh I love that song

2NE1 rocking the stage!

Starting off with 'Fire', they got the audience singing along with them. Wasn't difficult at all seeing that the lyrics were, 'eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh' LOL. 'Lonely' was so awesome and I found Dara totally charming while she sang her parts although they were really minimal compared to the rest. 'I Am the Best' no doubt pumped up the crowd and I was just screaming my lungs out for the fanchant. They also performed 'I Don't Care' and 'Can't Nobody' but I was totally expecting 'Go Away' and 'Clap Your Hands'. Bummer. Hahaha.

Seungri who loves Singapore beer.

Stef was so pumped during 'Strong Baby'. I don't blame her though! He put up an amazing performance! In the words of him, 'Awesome! Cool! And.....Awesome!' Adorable max.

Taeyang with his chilli crab song! Hurhur too cute!

I totally enjoyed his performance of 'I'll Be There' and 'Where U At'. I wanted 'Wedding Dress' and 'I Need A Girl' (a surprise appearance from Dara would have gotten me crazy) though! Still, his sleek dance moves and his smooth voice had me drowning in his awesomeness and it justified why he was the first K-Pop artist to have caught my eye in the very first place. Hahaha I'm trying to sound as un-fangirly as possible here.

G-Dragon!

TOP! Should have followed him club-hopping heh.

GD&TOP definitely did rock the house and when they kicked off their segment with 'Knock Out' it definitely got me singing (chanting/rapping) along. Proceeding with 'Oh Yeah' and 'High High', they brought the atmosphere at the Indoor Stadium to an all time high!

Big Bang as a whole, without Daesung unfortunately, performed 'Tonight', 'Love Song' and 'Hands Up'. His presence was obviously missed though, especially when Seungri sang his parts. Haha poor boy I know you did your best!

'Tonight' was basically flawless and although my heart broke at the sight of G-Dragon smashing the guitar I must admit that it was well..really cool, and awesome! Heh.

The beginning of 'Love Song' was a tad off though. TOP couldn't reach his low notes LOL too much rapping and shouting before that I reckon! But the rest of the song was just, beyond words. Well just one look at the reaction of the person beside me and you'd know. :P

I wasn't particularly high or overly-excited when FT Island performed though. And I attribute it to the fact that I was too far away and since they were the first act I wasn't pumped yet. And they weren't playing their instruments live, which I was pretty upset about to be honest.

Still, I'm really glad I got to hear 'Hello Hello', 'Barae' (again), '0330', 'Syo Hajima' and 'Love Song' live - all of which are on my favourites list heh.

I'd like to say a huge thank you to all the performers! Thank you for putting up such wonderful performances and I thoroughly enjoyed the full 3.5 hours. Thank you very much, Stef, for asking me to go with you, and of course for the company! I really would have regretted so so much if I didn't go! Also, thank you to Jiaqi for helping us get the tickets!

And Stef, although our stalking plans totally failed, trust me, one day we will be able to catch whoever we wanna stalk. Haha but for now, B1A4 from the airport on 7th August! And we can do the same for SHINee in September!

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The next day we were on a mission to assist perfectionist Eden plan for Dee's 19th birthday! Well I guess it was a success and luckily we didn't miss the fireworks. It felt so awesome watching fireworks from the 58th storey of Swissotel The Stamford with my favourite people.

I definitely had fun including a bathroom photo shoot with the girls.

Epic jump shots by Keith and I!

Stef and I at our Little India station.

Happy birthday again, Dee! And I hope we made your 19th really memorable! You are really precious so please stay in our lives for a long time to come! :)

/picture credits to Brenda!

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Speaking of birthdays, it is already 18th July in KST so I definitely gotta dedicate a birthday post to my favourite maknae, Lee Taemin!

I have to admit, just like any other human being, I was superficial and started liking you because of your look in Lucifer, you were really... *breathes in* ...hot. Hahaha. And you were one of the main reasons why I actually started taking notice of SHINee.

You are no doubt one of the most adorable idols I know. You are a crazy dance machine, you can play the piano, and your singing has improved tremendously from your debut days.

You are really dorky sometimes. You say you want to be seen as a more 'manly' person, but you always use your aegyo for every situation that calls for it. Although you are now legal, in my heart, you will never stop being the child that you are.

How can you not love him? His vocals may not be the best around but look at the amount of effort he puts in! And his random ad-libs. Hahaha.

Taemin, watching and hearing you laugh totally makes my day. So, please stay happy forever!

See you in 54 days you perfect boy! I love you! ♥

And here's to a great week ahead! Stay happy and positive everyone! :)