K-pop looks to keep momentum into 2018
Taemin has shown how an artist can establish his or her image through stage and performance and maintain it in a consistent fashion. His potential has exploded sufficiently in his latest album.
SEOUL: Tremors shook the Kpop industry with the suicide of SHINee singer Jonghyun last week, but overall it has been a blockbuster year.
Most artistes are expected to keep the momentum into 2018.
From the start, the 2017 K-pop calendar was filled with back-toback releases, with the first half and early summer highlights predominantly coming from lady stars.
Veteran act S.E.S released two anniversary singles and FNC’s flagship act AOA put out Angel’s Knock in early January. Seohyun and Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation released solo works in January and February, respectively, while TWICE caused a stampede in the music charts with Knock Knock and Signal in February and May.
GFriend released two EPs and a repackaged record in the span of just six months, while smaller yet rising acts, such as Lovelyz and Gugudan, also deepened their discographies with new albums in the first quarter.
Women also stood out in the singer-songwriter category, with artistic underdogs Suran and Heize both hitting big with Wine and “/// ( You, Clouds, Rain),”
Kim Youngdae, Seattle-based music critic
respectively. IU also released her fourth full-length album, Palette, in April to critical and commercial success, while ex-FIN.K.L leader Lee Hyo-ri returned to the spotlight in July with Black, transforming herself from a sexy dance music icon into a genuine musician- artist. ExWonder Girls chanteuse Sunmi successfully rebooted her music career with her captivating dance number Gashina.
Big name boy bands lined up in the second half of the year to release their most ambitious projects to date. EXO of S.M. Entertainment released its fourth full-length album, The War, in mid- July and the muchhyped project group Wanna One, formed by survivors of idol audition show “Produce 101,” made one of the biggest K-pop debuts in history in August. Kpop titan BTS also dropped Love Yourself: Her, its biggest album so far, in mid- September.
The alternative music realm also saw a slew of critical darlings released. In June, GDragon released Kwon Ji Yong, his fourth solo album, full of semi-autobiographical songs that reflect the Big Bang member’s insecurities and growing pains. Hip hop trio Epik High also released its ninth studio album, We’ve Done Something Wonderful, drawing on themes of regret, fear and alienation, in October.
The year also saw a number of rising artists grow and mature.
With successive hits Red Flavour and Peek-A-Boo, Red Velvet cemented its position as a S.M. Entertainment’s marquee girl group, as Girls’ Generation, the label’s previous female stronghold act, entered its twilight phase after key members bolted.
Taemin of SHINee also successfully morphed his career into that of a serious solo artist with Move.
“Taemin has shown how an artist can establish his or her image through stage and performance and maintain it in a consistent fashion.
“His potential has exploded sufficiently in his latest album,” said Kim Youngdae, a South Korean music critic based in Seattle.