Happy Hallyuween!
*puts on clown make-up*
You’ve seen this meme before, right? Or maybe you’ve seen it in reverse order, with the clown taking off his wig. But I bet you didn’t realize it’s a k-pop meme.
October is a fun time in the idol world. We get special cover stages, costumed dance practices, and usually a new Twice comeback. Things are a little more subdued this year for obvious reasons, so I’ve found myself reflecting on hallyuweens past and naturally, Kim Kibum of SHINee.
Key was the star of SM Entertainment’s Hallowen party for most of the 2010s. His Piccolo (2013) and Edward Scissorhands (2014) costumes were solidly good, his Voldemort (2017) was impressive, and his creepy take on Marge Simpson (2016) will haunt your nightmares. But it’s Key’s 2015 Ronald McDonald costume that found relevance even outside stan circles, particularly the above image, in which he sits in front of a mirror, glumly putting on his clown wig. It’s become a symbol of clowning and simping in a bullshit world that requires us to all of us to occasionally play the fool. I’d like to think Key, known for his biting wit, his oft surly demeanor, and his ability to dress down anyone from variety hosts to his own members in Daegu satoori, would appreciate being a memetic representation of the necessary self-clowning we all have to engage in sometimes.
Since it’s the end of the month, I thought I’d give a brief run-down on ten of my favorite comebacks and debuts of October 2020. I’m still in the process of figuring out what I want to do with this blog, but I’d like to do one of these every month if possible. In chronological order:
Blackpink - Pretty Savage - An amalgamation of Blackpink’s entire discography in one song. It really comes alive with the choreo, so I recommend watching the live stages. Stan Lisa.
Weki Meki - Cool - WeMe is arguably the most underrated girl group in k-pop right now. That they managed to find a way to keep deep house from sounding stale in 2020 (hint: bump the bass!) is an accomplishment. Stan Doyeon.
Pentagon - Daisy - I actually teared up a bit when they won on The Show the other day. Pentagon’s leader Hui is one of the best idol-songwriters, but their career has been filled with misfortune. It’s nice to see them win with this chill yet melancholy pop-rock sound after months of try-hard dark concept stuff. Stan Yeoone.
NCT U - Make A Wish - NCT is so embarrassing. They are my favorite k-pop group ever and I almost never talk about them because they’re so aggressively weird and uncool. But “Make A Wish” is the kind of song you can actually show the locals, no cringey SMEnglish involved. Stan Xiaojun.
Loona - Why Not - I’m probably the only person who prefers Loona’s post-Jaden singles. A lot of OG Orbits complain that this sounds like a girl group version of NCT, and I agree. I just happen to think that’s a good thing. Stan Lee Soo Man.
Mamamoo - Dingga - There a probably a dozen Mamamoo songs that are better than this, but that says more about Mamamoo than it does about the quality of this song. Stan Wheein’s red blazer.
Cravity - Ooh Ahh - I was slightly disappointed that Cravity’s first two releases were basically Monsta X for Teens. Neither song was bad, but Cravity could be one of the best bright concept boy groups if Starship would just let them. This is a step in the right direction. Stan Allen.
TXT - Blue Hour - Those BigHit style vocals really suit this disco-pop retro concept. It worked for BTS and it works here too. Their dancing is knife-sharp and the yee-haw Canadian tuxedo styling is very good. Stan the one with the pink mullet. I don’t know their names!
Twice - I Can’t Stop Me - Look, if you only click one of these links, please make it this one. I promise you won’t regret. It’s a cultural reset. STAN TWICE.
Drippin - Nostalgia - I really did not want to like this one. Woollim Entertainment has some questionable taste, and the fact that this is a rookie group called Drippin with a debut album called Boyager really put me off. But there’s good funky bass and pretty vocal harmonies, and this group is stacked with some of the best trainees from Produce X 101, so I’m giving them a second chance. Stan Lee Hyeop.