(G)-IDLE – Klaxon. Definite candidate for K-pop banger of the summer. Absolute bubblegum hooks (“Honk honk honk honk honk honk!”) and sassy moves put this up there with f(x)’s 2011 hit Hot Summer. These girls just continued to eat up this year effortlessly.
TAEYEON – Heaven. Idol royalty doesn’t come much more inhuman than Girls’ Generation’s TAEYEON. What is she even? That uncanny quality is ramped up to eleven by her stalking and murder of a man in a bear suit as an ingredient for a bizarre dessert. WTF?
NCT 127 – Walk. The original NCT unit was back on form with kinetic moves and a low-down groove. Unfortunately the celebrations were cut short as Taeil was removed from the group after a controversy regarding sexual offences.
XG – SOMETHING AIN’T RIGHT. The XGALZ continued to break the mould with wolf-pack energy and another dimension shifting video, with the additional ingredient that you can party to this one.
HOA – I Don’t Know Why. Swerveball of the year. HOA, previously a forgettable K-indie band, chose to release a set of curiously accurate pastiches of The Beatles, as if taking boy group pop back to its logical origin. Their videos follow suit, and it’s just very strange watching a set of Korean lads imitating mop-tops. We can’t even.
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