My genuine reaction is preserved on my Patreon for members to enjoy, so there’s no need to rehash everything. In fact, here’s some reviews worth checking out:

• Kim Do Heon’s phenomenial “BTS [ARIRANG] : Not a Comeback Album — A Distress Signal” for Zenerate
• The BBC’s performance overview by Yuna Ku and Jake Kwon
• The Forbes album op-ed by Hannah Abraham
• Michael Craig’s “BTS: Arirang review – the world’s biggest pop band return with dumb fun and downright weirdness” for The Guardian (albeit I don’t usually acknowledge this publication due to various controversies, this piece was decent)

A bonus op-ed from The Idol Cast was shared with me by way of Kpop Bookshelf that also had me shocked but agreeing in some ways. Check it out on their blog: https://www.theidolcast.com/posts/bts-is-a-mirage

All information referenced in this episode is based on publicly available reporting: https://www.a3daypodcast.com/references

The album review begins at 6:08 for those interested in skipping the update.

Read my G-Dragon 2025 concert recap on Kcrush: https://www.kcrush.com/g-dragon-2025-world-tour-the-superman-has-returned-to-the-united-states/

SOURCE: msn.com

Watch the announcement on YouTube.

When you have a lot of companies involved in the success of an act, theres likely a lot of interest before they hit the big stage. In Apinks case, their founding in 2011 was chronicled in a reality show called Apink News. The cable show chronicled their launch process for three seasons with second generation K-pop idols as the hosts, such as members of BEAST, MBLAQ, and 4MINUTE.

Then, on April 19 of that year, members Son Na-eun, Park Cho-rong, Oh Ha-young, Jeong Eun-ji, Hong Yoo-kyung, Yoon Bi-mi, and Kim Nam-joo made their debut with their first extended play, Seven Springs of Apink.

Featured music by MsBlink

"An Album a Day" | "Multifacetedacg Theme"

Connect with A3Day online

Featured music by MsBlink

"An Album a Day" | "Multifacetedacg Theme"

Connect with A3Day online

View photos from K-POP Museum taken by Ashley

All featured music is produced by MsBlink.

That realization aside, I'm still listening to the album and enjoying its facets. It's a unique piece. I apologize for the way this episode drags on... it's a reflection of early morning recording, for real.

Some key points are identified in the transcript. To read more on this review, visit https://a3day.tumblr.com/

Thank you for waiting.

1:58 - I give up on recording

2:02 - full audio reaction

Journey through the entire catalog of some of Korean entertainment's most popular artists and become familiar with lesser known acts with my shortcast, "An Album a Day."

Were traversing over 30 years of discographies with opinionated and fact-based commentary. Join the experience when you find An Album a Day on your favorite podcast platform or on www.a3daypodcast.com.

Visit a3day.tumblr.com to read the full show notes.

Special shout out to my Patreon patrons -- the Freshmen, Student Body, the Scholars, and the Staff (Jackie P. and Laura T.) -- who keep my vision of becoming your favorite foreign Korean music historian, exploring all the industry from A to Z a real thing.

Within this K-pop fangirl experience, Ive had just a handful of correct predictions: 2017 was the official start of girl groups taking more risks and making their presence known, BTS would release an album featuring solos by each member, B.A.P. would come back for one last hoorah in 2018, Wonho wouldnt come back to Monsta X, G-Dragons government-named album was the end of an era; and in a 2019 ATEEZ, along with another group whose name Ill withhold until later in this episode, are the next big thing. The album that sealed the deal, right after the drop.

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show, start.

Hey yall. I wish I could find the tweet within my archives to back me. As an online content creator, I download all my tweets annually I dont like saying that I said something without receipts and I definitely dont like providing social media with more than it already has of things to jab back at me about. I said it, nonetheless, I absolutely said it. And how could I possibly know such a thing when I hadnt listened to any of Ateezs music until this point in time, youre wondering? I know momentum in entertainment. I know trends, knew journalistic buzz, and I knew from the moment the Internet was buzzing over their KQ Fellaz videos that something attention grabbing was coming from an unexpected label. 

I had no musical proof to back this whatsoever beforehand. However, after listening to Treasure EP.3: One to All and Treasure EP.Fin: All to Action, the statement I made last week about Ateez declaring theyre going nowhere was solidified. 

First, One to All. At the time of this recording, it is winter in my country. Listening to this bubbly, warm, summer-birthed 18-minute EP while wearing layers was ridiculous. The albums crafted with this vibe intentionally, as it pulls from moombahton, a genre of music derived from EDM, house, and reggaeton. This is the first time Ive identified an album in Korean pop idol music that drives that genre home. It is sonically pleasing and consistent from start to finish, despite picking a horrible time to listen to it, climate-wise.

All to Action though? ATEEZ delivered a dynamic 30-minute hip-hop and R&B experience that even they used to announce that they dont know whats next, but they know whos next: themselves. This is a no-skip album, truly. And the greatest flex of the entire first studio album is the trifecta of tracks 4, 5, and 6. The time between these two projects is four months June and October 2019, respectively is a small window of time to level up so greatly as a group. Its insane. Its genuinely insane how much they progressed in such a short time.

Eden and his team? Touch his face. Its not time yet for me to dive into the production nuances but understand that singer-songwriter Eden, a name associated with ATEEZs sound since their debut, put a whole, entire, moisturized foot into the process of this album. As I said earlier, ATEEZ and another group, Stray Kids (who made their debut a year before ATEEZ in 2017), are ones to watch.  

I feel confined by not getting deeper into it! This self-inflicted restriction is equal parts needing to clean up my content on this podcast so that it appeals to wider English-speaking audiences who dont prefer to hear explicit language and the desire to secure more sponsorship.

Visit a3day.tumblr.com to read the full show notes.

Special shout out to my Patreon patrons -- the Freshmen, Student Body, the Scholars, and the Staff (Jackie P. and Laura T.) -- who keep my vision of becoming your favorite foreign Korean music historian, exploring all the industry from A to Z a real thing.

Quick note! Go to multifacetedacg.com, select Shop, and check out the new merchandise featuring my koala mascot, Mac. Discount code is MACSBACK until February 28, 2022, and podcast merchandise drops in March. Now let's go!

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Were alphabet hopping from the letter A which, in this case, stands for various positive adjectives like amazing, awesome and absolute to the letter M with one group, by way of the letter T. Using Naver Vibe to listen to this group will be a worthwhile resource.

A-Prince was a group re-established in 2012 under New Planet Entertainment. Prior to the boy band being called A-Prince, they were known as TAKEN and had made their debut in November 2011. They released one song under the name TAKEN called Only You, and then re-named themselves A-Prince for their re-debut in July 2012. From there, the 5-member group consisting of Sungwon, Minhyuk, Seungjun, Siyoon, and Woobin released Youre the Only One, an extremely synthesized pop ballad. 

A-Prince followed the re-debut with Hello, their first mini album on November 6, 2012. The lead track is nothing without its music video. The cuteness levels are heavily imposed upon the guys with aegyo left and right. Im not a foreign commentator who hates on aegyo, it serves its purpose. In the case of A-Prince, the dance version video of Hello has them throwing aegyo daggers at their target fanbase and it feels like it was demanded and not wanted. By this point in their short time as A-Prince, they physically appear to be in between concepts, for lack of a better description. Yes, they were young, but they did not seem naive. Taking a look at the previous pre-debut members (something I encourage you to see at Kprofiles.com) drives that point home, in my book. That aside, the mini album consisted of three songs and two instrumentals. 

Their second mini album was released on June 25, 2013, entitled Mambo, consisting of three Korean songs, a Japanese version of their 2012 single Hello, and three instrumentals. Mambo pushes the dance music energy with every track, incorporating a relentless 808 and synthesizers left and right. Given the time period it came out, its the right sound for the era but it isnt the most appealing production quality. By the time they made their orange-haired final comeback with Peter Pans Kiss in March 2014, the synthesizers were cemented as the only real memorable sound of this group. They disbanded not too long after and four of the five young men re-debuted, some with new stage names, under the group name MAP6 with a different entertainment label. 

Between November 2015 and May 2017, MAP6 released four Korean singles and one Korean single album consisting of three tracks. The music was much more dynamic and memorable but the focus was an attempt at grabbing the attention of the Japanese audience by this point. The group is reportedly on hiatus due to military enlistment but I am inclined to keep an eye on them for a comeback.

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for A-Prince/MAP6 is a 4. Ultimately, as A-Prince they were a cute boy band created to pull on the heartstrings of their fans but no opportunity to grow from that concept,...

Idol groups are known for their large teams. Seeing a group with less than 5 members seems odd compared to what you might expect from your favorite western pop groups. These days, most K-pop fans are aware of big member group NCT, but did you know that theres another boy band that began with 21 members? Today, lets become familiar with Apeace, formally known as Double B, right after the drop.

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

In 2011, Golden Goose Entertainment decided to round up 21 young men from around South Korea and debut them as Double B 21. Based on the number of members, from their debut until June 30, 2014, they were officially the largest K-pop boy band in the world. With such a large team, and the creative energies of industry veteran Kim Kyungwook behind their development, why have you possibly not heard of them? The first reason is that some believed the group disbanded at various times in its history. The most likely reason youve not heard of them, however, is because youre not in their target market. Although its true that K-pop has amassed praise and loyalty in foreign markets, this group was developed with Tokyo, Japan in mind.

Given that their history in the South Korean pop scene is limited, Im moving forward with 2010 debut details versus pre-debut history. After all, wed be talking about 21 people. We dont have that much time to get into each backstory! That aside, the original team contained four sub-units: Sky, Earth, River and Burning because clearly it would have been too difficult to simply use water and fire... and Sky took on debut responsibilities with the solo One on August 25, 2010. By December of that year, the groups name changed to A-peace (with conflicting history on whether or not this stands for Angel Peace or to appease the ambitious needs of a label housing a 21-member boy band) and some leaving the group. 

In order to maintain the high membership number, new performers were brought in and with that, the group opened K Theater in Japan and performed daily from May 2011 until December 2014. Mind you, this was before their official Japanese mini-album release, which did not happen until 2012. By this point, they were not only back at 21 members, but also with a hyphen-free name and three 7-member sub-units: Lapis, Jade and Onyx.

Their entire career rests in the arms of Tokyo; and whether or not theyve disbanded at the end of 2021 as it has been alleged, what remains true is that their Korean discography boils down to two digital singles and one mini album. They were never crafted to focus on their home countrys audience. Singles, One and S.O.S. display pop ballad and generic anthemic vibes, respectively. Its less a reflection of them not being good performers and more of the sounds that were popular during that time in South Korean music. Do you remember in past episodes when Ive mentioned the One band, one sound, idea from the American film Drumline? Apeace takes it to musical status with their song Lover Boy, off their June 2011 mini album, We Are the One. The level of vocal unison is a bit unsettling! Its almost two dozen males on stage yet it sounds like 4 are responsible for the singing!

Each member certainly is singing, however. A quick search on YouTube of fan-made videos from their performances in K Theater shows that the mics are indeed on, for better or worse. Thats the experience of daily live performances and honestly sets them apart from most other idol groups A3Day will explore. They are a theatrical act by design and...

Special shout out to all Patreon tiers, including The Staff's Jackie P. and Laurie Tillman for their support.

To the neighbor in my Houston apartment complex who felt compelled to park their truck as close to our doors as possible, knowing full well that their engine is loud enough to wake the dead on the other side of Texas: you shouldve parked farther away. You woke me up at 5:12 a.m. for nothing. I am not a person who graciously falls back asleep once jarred by the hands of evil. 

I have a long day ahead of me today. Ive a long day every day. And I wish to kick you in the shin if I see you. I wish to kick you with the fervor of Stray Kids, Gods Menu bassline. I will not look like a chef. I will look like a woman whos not grasped quality sleep since July 2018, that being the last time I slept in utter peace and silence anywhere in the world. Tread lightly tomorrow morning. I may be on the porch with my shin-kicking boots and a cup of chamomile tea, looking unassuming! That is all. 

Now, for the related content.

Multifacetedacg Presents: An Album a Day turns three years old this spring and A3Day Sister Show turned one year old this past January. I didnt do anything celebratory on that anniversary date but will combine the two celebrations later. Its an accomplishment and one that took more momentum than pandemic living can afford. I made mention last year on an A3Day episode that genuinely churning out the day part of this concept is a lot to chew on right now. Its still a whole panopticon going on outside with an Omona They Didnt variant floating around at this time. (Yes, long-time K-pop fans, that Live Journal still goes strong.)

My current responsibilities and time constraints dont need to be ironed out in great detail. I believe you can sense that theres a lot going on. However, what needs to be addressed is the plan moving forward. First, that infamous Season 6 that still isnt completed. I must re-record the episodes for the remaining A-named artists of the season that wont stop ending. Afterwards, I will be releasing the episodes on Wednesdays only until the season finally comes to its close. I will observe the podcast anniversaries in April with a special episode and then take a brief break from May 18 until June 10. Wait! Dont roll your eyes and complain, I have pressing schedules I cannot escape that must have that break. 

Following that, promotions and energy will be deeply tossed into the annual podcast fest I oversee. Episodes will likely continue once-a- week until the events conclusion in July. A summer hiatus will occur and then well finally return to several-weekday-episodes as the show was intended. A3 Day Sister Show is already a biweekly experience when it has its seasons and showcases other hosts, so Im not as nervous for its stability as I am for A3Day, but it will work.

The important thing is not backing down. I have a commitment to creating the content and with the help of the patrons, the means to afford professional assistance as needed. As Ive shared in the past the contributions from Patreon 100% belong to the show. I do not pocket anything from their support. It covers hosting with the awesome Captivate.fm platform. It covers new merchandise development, eventual multilingual transcribing, marketing efforts and anything else the podcasts needs. In fact, the newest accomplishment through our mutual efforts is, I will finally have the joy of sharing music directly in the show. 

You do realize that for 3 years, youve never heard any song Ive talked about, right? Thats insane, given that my podcast is about music commentary. Ive left you to your own devices to seek out the music and make your own opinions without ever playing a portion of any song. I think thats a bit of a flex! And also something Im grateful for youve rolled with the...

Special shout out to the MACGoalas, The Student Body, The Freshmen, The Scholars, and Jackie P. of The Staff Patreon tier for your support.

• Become a Patron and join us on Discord
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• Check out the happenings with the Multifacetedacg

To read the full show notes, visit https://a3day.tumblr.com/

Oh hey, look! Apple, in all of its powerful technology force, made updates that compromised countless podcasts availability and I had to pause my show. Previously recorded episodes had time-specific references that caused me to have to re-record a lot of AOAs episodes. Since I am determined to deliver a cohesive podcast season experience by minimizing delays, heres a quick overview of the remainder of their most dynamic year in music, 2014, right after the drop.

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Hey yall, as previously stated in Episode 3 of this season, FNC Entertainment struck gold for the group when Brave Brothers began to work with them in 2014. January set the new sound standard and this summer follow-up continued to push the new AOA vibes in the right direction. On June 19th of that year, AOA released their debut extended play, or EP, ????. This title literally translates as short hair in English and is also the name of the first single from the album. The EP is just over 24 minutes long and is a decent album to perk up your mood. Though Short Hair was followed by the albums second single, Joa Yo! the song Short Hair is truly memorable. The theme focuses on feeling good in ones skin. Choas whoa oh oh refrain and ownership of the chorus makes the its okay to not be okay theme more of a pick-me-up versus going the route of a ballad. Overall, its an album that can populate itself on shuffle when youre streaming music and you wont feel the need to skip it.

Continuing to ride the wave of success, AOA released a compilation album in September 2014 entitled, AOA Best Songs for Asia, and thats a seriously audacious name! So much so that Im skipping over details of this because its a compilation album and theyve already told you by the title that they dont care what you think about what could possibly be on a Best Songs for Asia list. Its them. Its AOA, in their book.

The winner of 2014 in their discography for me is the undeniably catchy, Like a Cat, released on November 11th. The entire album is fun and sassy but the title track has been proven to make me blow a speaker or two. The song is so iconic for them that it even made American-based television channel Fuses top 10 pop songs list for that month and year.  

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for 2014 for AOAs body of works is a 5. Weve never ranked a year before so this is a first! Though I hate that we had to breeze over this in greater detail, youre always encouraged to listen and draw your own conclusions. Oh yes, the #A3Day Highlights Playlist on Spotify is updated because its Friday! Albeit a bit late! Ill catch you in the next episode, bye yall.

Theres sponsored ads and social media hashtags but this show is truly supported by the efforts of my MACGoalas, the most amazing fan base a lil entertainer could ever have. 

Special shout out to my Patreon patrons -- the Student Body, the Scholars, and the Staff -- who keep my vision of becoming your favorite foreign Korean music historian, exploring all the industry from A to Z a real thing. If youre interested in supporting the growth of this content, please visit patreon.com/multifacetedacg and for as little as $1.00 a month, you can get in on the magic.

Interested in continuing your support at the free-99 price? I love you for it. You can still engage with the show and me, your lovely host, when you retweet, repost, and share the show and use...

Hey yall, its good to be back. This is the longest season break Ive taken and it was well worth it. Since we technically never closed Season 5 with AlphaBAT, Ill finish them for Season 6. Please anticipate -- theres better organization this time, despite my lack of improved recording habits. This season is going to be fun and Ive got some things to announce, right after the drop.

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Welcome back, welcome back listeners! Ive two announcements to share but I want to get into this music first. Before 2020 came to its highly anticipated end, it took a few K-pop groups down with it. None crashed and burned as hard last year as Ace of Angels, better known as AOA, particularly because they havent technically disbanded. With a former lineup of eight ladies now whittled down to a trio, its likely only a matter of time. We arent starting at the end, however. Lets go back to their debut year of 2012.

AOA is an FNC Entertainment group that honestly had a good thing with their intended plan. When the octuplet was created, the women were promoted as both a dance group and band. Their summer 2012 debut established their teasers and news that theirs would be a group who could play live instruments and dance their buns off, calling it a transformer concept. Additionally, FNC Entertainment called 7 of AOAs members full angels and one as half-mortal and half-angel. This created what some of their fans and media would refer to as a 7+1 group. As mentioned earlier, theres only three contractually bound members at this time: Lead dancer and vocalist Kim Seol-hyun, the face of the group; Shin Hye-jeong, lead vocalist, lead dancer, and visual; and lead rapper, main dancer, and vocalist Kim Chan-mi, whos also the maknae. So who was in AOA?

Theres former leader and lead guitarist Shin Ji-Min, whose distinct voice made her rap unforgettable. Park Cho-a, former main vocalist and rhythm guitarist. Let me just say, this tiny woman can sing. Cho-a can SING, her voice is incredible and shes definitely a favorite of mine in the industry. Be forewarned, Im going to talk about what she brought to the group often. There was drummer Seo Youkyung, the +1 angel/mortal who only performed when the ladies were in band mode. Main vocalist and keyboardist Seo Yu-na, whose voice is so delightful with its feminine flair. Theres an inherent longing in her delivery that well talk about. Finally, former lead rapper, vocalist, and bassist Kwon Min-a deserves all the love and extra protection possible, as she continues to use her platform to bring attention to bullying and depression.  

--

Before we talk about discography heres the first announcement.

Thanks to your support, A3Days been nominated in the Quill Podcast Awards. How cool is that? This is its debut year and will award top podcasts and brands in various categories for their production, innovation, and hard work. I really appreciate the nominations. Even if Im not selected as a finalist, this is still a huge accomplishment. This feels as good as when I was nominated for a Shorty Award I attempted to originate years ago! You can continue to nominate An Album a Day at quillpodcasting.com/quill-podcast-awards until May 26, 2021.  

--

Across 1 group and 3 subunits -- AOA Black, AOA White, and AOA Cream (the latter being my favorite) -- the group released 3 studio albums, 1 compilation, 19 singles, 6 EPs, and 4 promo singles. They also released 21 music videos and Ive seen more of them than I realized over the years. I...

Its the middle of winter in North America and the covid-19 pandemic experience is almost a year old in the United States. Through your support of the show -- both through reviews, listenership, and in some cases, financial contributions -- the pandemic bumped A3Day around a bit but didnt end. Thank you! Being the host of this podcast is a true joy for me and a true energy drainer while juggling responsibilities away from this microphone. Therefore, there will be a long break between this season and the next. 

During this time, I will be participating in guest spots on other shows, mentoring, supporting the development of a brand ambassadorship program within the podcast community, researching and developing episodes for Season 6, and preparing details for the potential return of the podcast festival my team hosted in 2020. Most importantly, Ill be resting. It might not sound like it, based on what I just shared, but know that Ill be basking in rest. 

We arent finished yet, k-pop fans. First, our final idol group of Season 5, the men of AlphaBat, right after the drop.

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Hey yall, in 2012 two young men were set to debut as AlphaBAT under an agency called YUB Entertainment. By the time the group made its debut in 2013, one fully departed the scene while the other, Shin Selin, changed his stage name to Iota -- the ninth letter in the Greek alphabet -- and was joined by eight other young men, all named after letters in the Greek alphabet. You would think that he would be the leader since he was an original member, but that belonged to the member who went by Beta. Alpha was reserved for their fandom. 

Allow me to break down the name of AlphaBATs members, past and present:

• Ji Ha Yong, aka Beta
• Yoo Yeong Jin aka Epsilon, the older brother of Ricky of boy group Teen Top
• Lee Yeon Woo aka Lambda
• Lee Yong Hun aka Kappa
• Kim Jun Su aka Gamma
• Kim Sang Hun aka Code, whose name isnt in the Greek alphabet and who almost made his debut with EXO
• Choi Yeon Soo aka Delta, who almost made his debut with boy group BOYFRIEND
• Lee San Ha aka Fie (Pi)
• Seol Jun aka Heta, another almost-EXO-member
• Shin Se Lin aka Iota
• Kim Su Yeob aka Jeta (Zeta), and
• Cho Gyu Min, who went by his first name and left the alphabet alone

This was during the time when double-digit groups were the way to play, trying to compete with the behemoth that is was? the original EXO lineup, numerically brought to us by the efforts of Super Junior. Well learn more about these groups later down the line.

After leaving YUB Entertainment, AlphaBAT made their home at Simtong Entertainment and technically made their debut on November 12, 2013, with a performance of AB City for Arirang: Simply K-pop. I say technically because their label at the time selected November 14, 2013, as their official debut date. This is also the day that they performed on M! Countdown for the first time and just what was the reason for rejecting the Arirang moment? Is it because thats South Koreas premier English-language television network? Who knows, but things went well, apparently. The positive reception sent them into the release of their first studio album, Attention, released February 25, 2014.

I remember the debut singles video. I was tickled by the refrain of the English alphabet and overwhelmed by the size of the group. I found them somehow by way of another large boy group called Topp...

Unexpected. Its the first word that comes to mind when reflecting on todays group, co-ed duo Almeng. The little eggs (the meaning of the groups name in Korean) are K-pop Star 3 alumnus who combine hip-hop and R&B with an unexpected approach. Their short discography, right after the drop.

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Hey yall, the Goodpods app takeover is tomorrow, February 10, 2021. I need your help in helping the Black into K-pop Coalition gain at least 25 group members on the app! Goodpods mission is simple -- making it easy for people to find great podcasts by following their friends to see what theyre listening to and for podcasters to grow their audiences through word of mouth recommendations. Its a social media platform exclusively for podcast content. How cool is that? Download the app, follow my profile, Multifacetedacg, and check out some of my favorite podcasts outside of the Hallyu Wave.

Last thing before we get started. BKC wanted to let you know about an awesome giveaway we're doing right now to uplift Black podcasters in the K-Pop fanbase. We're giving a one hundred dollar Amazon gift card to one lucky listener. All you have to do to enter to win is to head to Podchaser and leave a review for any BKC podcast (or an episode of their podcast) in the month of February. We've made it really easy for you with a list of all the BKC podcasts. Just go to podchaser.com/bkc and start leaving reviews to enter. Again that's podchaser.com/bkc and you could win!

Onto the music!

Almeng consists of two members -- miss Choi Rin and mister Lee Haeyong -- born in October in 1990. Unlike our most recent co-ed duo, these two are not siblings but met during their days in college. An Internet search of images of the group gives you no idea what type of music youll hear. Even more cleverly, stereotypical expectations will make you believe that once you hear the first few sounds of their music, you know whos bringing what type of vocal experience to the table. Unless you were consumed with interest from K-pop Star 3 in 2013 and 2014, youd have no idea that Choi Rin soars in rapping and Lee Haeyongs grainy singing voice is wonderful. Although these lanes occasionally cross on their October 12, 2014 debut album, compoSING of Love, both members know where they excel.

compoSING of Love was released with YNB Entertainment and features six tracks, making it a lovely EP. Choi Rin can sing but the woman has range when rapping. Her tone is intriguing and her cadences are worth a rewind, language comprehension doesnt even matter. Lee Haeyong takes the theme of the album, love, and convinces you that its essential to a life well-lived with his gorgeous vocals. And both members joined hands in writing, composing, and producing their debut album, making it a true reflection of their ages and style. They once joked about this, stating in an interview with Korean publication News 1 that because Lee Haeyong had already served in the military, his writing brings more to the music process than similar duos because of life experience, acknowledging their entertainment seniors AKMU in the process.

What I enjoyed most about this album is the fact that they sound mature. This is not a jab at other artists and I dont want it to be mistaken as such. These artists were already in their early 20s when they made their debut and each single...

Today marks the end of our time with Akdong Musician and Im sad to see them go. Final Thoughts are rarely scripted but there was no need to extend myself for what has clearly been an enjoyable collection of songs. You likely know what the overall discography ranking is by now. Albums Summer Episode, Sailing and Happening, right after the drop.

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Hey yall, February is Black History Month and Im participating in activities the remainder of this month with Black Into K-pop! Black Into K-pop (BKC) is a coalition, cohort, and community of Black K-pop podcasts coming together during the month of February, to collaborate with each other in a variety of ways. You can visit https://blackintokpop.tumblr.com/ to learn more about the members and view our calendar. One upcoming event that you can definitely participate in regardless of ethnicity is the Goodpods app takeover on February 10, 2021.

Goodpods mission is simple -- making it easy for people to find great podcasts by following their friends to see what theyre listening to and for podcasters to grow their audiences through word of mouth recommendations. Its a social media platform exclusively for podcast content. How cool is that? Download the app, follow my profile, Multifacetedacg, and check out some of my favorite podcasts outside of the Hallyu Wave.

Last thing before we get started. BKC wanted to let you know about an awesome giveaway we're doing right now to uplift Black podcasters in the K-Pop fanbase. We're giving a one hundred dollar Amazon gift card to one lucky listener. All you have to do to enter to win is to head to Podchaser and leave a review for any BKC podcast (or an episode of their podcast) in the month of February. We've made it really easy for you with a list of all the BKC podcasts. Just go to podchaser.com/bkc and start leaving reviews to enter. Again that's podchaser.com/bkc and you could win!

Onto the music, onto the music!

In 2017, AKMU released two songs to add to your road trip playlist with their July 20th release, Summer Episode. The two songs, Dinosaur and My Darling are upbeat and feel like the energy of summer, but I remember Dinosaur promotions the most from that year. And for what its worth, it was lovely of them to have given their fans and general listeners three seasons of music to enjoy, as hiatus was inevitable. Lee Chan-hyuk after all had mandatory military enlistment that began that September. While he served the South Korean Marines, Lee Su-hyun had solo schedules in radio and television.  

 When it was time to come back together, the duo released the eclectic Sailing on September 25, 2019. This album sounds nothing like their past albums, all the while staying true to their unique sound and colors. The 35 minutes of playtime skips to-and-fro between pop, folk, Americana, and rock genres. By the time I reached the third track on the 10-track album, I found myself excited about what the next song could possibly sound like. It was hard to set an expectation, but the course could be trusted, much like the experience of sailing. You step onto your boat, feeling it adjust itself to the waves, and set sail into whatever may come.

And if November 16, 2020, was any clue, their latest...

As seasons go, WINTER has come, coincidentally during the winter of 2021, no less. The final part to the two-part series Puberty, from sibling duo AKMU, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, before we start with the details of todays album, Im excited to announce A3Days first giveaway! The Staff tiered patrons from my Patreon are spearheading a K-pop merchandise giveaway for listeners within the contingent 48 states that begins tonight, Friday, January 29, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. CT when the second episode of A3Day Sister Show releases. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter at multifacetedacg to see the details, terms, and conditions. Good luck in advance!

Todays album, Winter, was released January 3, 2017, and is AKMUs second studio album. With a listening time of 30 minutes, the duo takes you down a path of reflection with passionate, live instrumentation. Lee Su-hyun vocally performed her butt off on this album, traversing her soprano range up and down the music.  This album was most relatable for me, in terms of its context and made the listening experience very personal. 

For those who dont speak the Korean language, looking at the English titles of each song wont really convey much. Whether they knew this or not, that plays into the wonder of winter, especially in places that experience snow. You dont know what youre waking up to from day to day -- it could be unseasonably warm or a genuine blizzard, regardless of what the weather forecast predicted. Titles such as Play Ugly, CHOCOLADY, and Reality, dont necessarily tell you what youre about to experience.

Speaking of an experience, if you have a moment, search for a live performance of Reality on YouTube and try to resist smiling. While the music is playful, the realities of the lyrics -- struggling to afford a taxi, low bank account balances, and awkward moments in coupledom -- are in juxtaposition. The reality of these universal experiences for so many people warmed my heart. Im at an age at the time of this recording where I can look back at how difficult some of these things were for me and feel the bittersweet reaction from knowledge. Someone younger or less experienced than me might find a balm to calm the anxiety as they listen to this song. 

The album elevated their folk-pop sound, and tap dances its way into jazz-pop, a subgenre Im a huge fan of. On the reflective track, Way Back Home, a piano and shaker come together to accent AKMUs rapping and singing over a mellow hip-hop beat pattern, but its actually jazz. Its a great display of how music was never meant to be straight and narrow, but to cut lanes and spill into other areas. Music itself is as complex as the winter season. Its also as simple as the still of winter nights.

 K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for this album is a 5. This album reflects maturity both within the Puberty concept and in its composition. Lee Chan-hyuk wrote and produced beautiful pieces with the assistance of a wonderful team. Continue to check out the #A3Day Highlights Playlist on Spotify, as it features tracks from todays albums and past episodes artists, and Ill catch you in the next episode, bye yall.

Theres sponsored ads and social media hashtags but this show is truly supported by the efforts of my MACGoalas, the most amazing fan base a lil entertainer could ever have. 

Special shout out to my Patreon patrons -- the...

AKMUs PLAY set the bar of excellence high. The duo took YG Entertainment down an unknown path of folk music and gained tremendously worthy attention. Were the siblings able to overcome the dreaded sophomore slump? Their May 4, 2016, EP SPRING, will tell us, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, after the success of PLAY, Akdong Musician used the time in between to prepare for an ambitious follow-up entitled SPRING. The EP would be the first in a two-part series called Puberty. The albums non-English title is ??? ? (Sachun-gi Sang), which means adolescent age, so the youthful theme is the focus of the album. Before they released the EP, however, AKMU tapped into their acoustic folk roots with their single, Time And Fallen Leaves. If one were to assume that this was a precursor for what to anticipate with SPRING, then theyd be far off the mark. 

Their sophomore album took on a greater R&B vibe for its arrangements. While Lee Chan-hyuk continued the standard of writing the album, arrangements were predominantly made by someone named Robin. I cannot find who this Robin is and its frustrating to me! The people behind the behind-the-scenes of K-pop simply dont receive enough fan service in my book. Did Robin receive any of the flowers they deserve from this album? Who knows! No, seriously: who knows because I want to find this person?

Back to the music. While this is an enjoyable EP, it didnt feel like an AKMU album. I fully acknowledge how premature this sounds from a person who had never listened to a full album of this duo until the previous episode of this show. Performing music that wasnt fully of the folk genre when Id set that as the expectation was jarring. Conversely, it makes sense: there is no benefit in forcing oneself to perform one genre. They never presented themselves as solely wanting to be an acoustic guitar, harmonizing duo. This was my assumption for the majority of their sound, and though this isnt a full detour, SPRING allowed them to show more of their unique colors.

The EP has six tracks and is a little over 21 minutes long. Perhaps this isnt an intentional habit, but they used the middle of the album once again to provide a song that seems as if its louder than the others. Maybe they are playing into a smooth ascension towards these robustly-produced tracks? It could simply be my ears doing weird things, Im not really sure! What I am sure of is how sad I was that the album ended so soon. It feels complete but they came out of the gate with a full studio album for debut. Giving a listener just 21 minutes seems unfair! And maybe they felt the same way, too, as SPRING is the only EP in AKMUs discography.

 K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for this album is a 5. It has unexpected flair for new listeners and welcomed variety for invested fans. Continue to check out the #A3Day Highlights Playlist on Spotify, as it features tracks from todays albums and past episodes artists, and Ill catch you in the next episode, bye yall.

Theres sponsored ads and social media hashtags but this show is truly supported by the efforts of my MACGoalas, the most amazing fan base a lil entertainer could ever have. 

Special shout out to my Patreon patrons -- the Student Body, the Scholars, and the Staff -- who keep my vision of becoming your favorite foreign Korean music historian, exploring all the industry from A to Z...

In the world of K-pop idols, stories of long training processes and cultivation to be a star arent a new phenomenon. More particularly, having the process documented on a survival television show in South Korea isnt a new thing either. However, when it comes to siblings Lee Chan-hyuk and Lee Su-hyun, South Korean born children who spent years in Mongolia with their missionary parents before returning to become the only major label pre-debut winners of K-pop Star 2? Well, thats truly unique. Today, we begin exploring Mischievous Child Musician, better known as AKMU, and their debut album PLAY, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, Akdong Musician, which literally means mischievous child musician, are a brother-sister duo signed to YG Entertainment, making their major-label debut on April 7, 2014. The timing of todays episode couldnt have been more perfect, as a report on major South Korean website Naver announced that theyve renewed their contract with YG Entertainment for another five years. This means that the label will have been their home for a total of 12 years before they can consider other options. Before settling into the folds of one of Koreas prominent entertainment companies, Lee Chan-hyuk and his little sister Lee Su-hyun lived a life outside of the spotlight.

In fact, a portion of their life was financially hard, so much so that the siblings had to depart the traditional education system in favor of homeschooling from their mother. Despite this, their profound love for music led to them joining a small label once returning to Korea from their two-year placement in Mongolia, and performing in various areas around the country. It wasnt until they auditioned for and won the second season of K-pop Star that their passion would become wider known. With Lee Chan-hyuk composing all their songs and Lee Su-hyun as the main vocalist, the duo spent the months after their 2012 win working hard on their debut album, PLAY.

Their debut studio album is just over 38 minutes long and ushered in an unforgettable folk music experience into the idol scene. YG Entertainment maintains an active role in R&B and hip-hop artistry, but those involved in AKMUs debut project, including the labels founder himself, found themselves challenged in new ways. In fact, it was best to simply leave as much of the album as possible to the siblings, which is honestly the extra magical cherry on top of a dynamic album. There is a distinct sound to YG Entertainment artists -- that Teddy Park, actually, which is something weve acknowledged in past seasons of this show -- and AKMUs debut album leaps out from behind that creative perimeter beautifully. Remember when I said things can hit you like fresh mint, that toothpaste tingle up to the nostrils? This entire album is that. For listeners with synesthesia, I can only imagine what you experience while listening to this album. It hit me at points like a forest of evergreen trees!

Lee Chan-hyuk wrote every bit of the 11 tracks on the album and he and his sister flutter from one theme to the next wonderfully. And the YG Entertainment style isnt 100% missing, as there are occasional raps and funky instrument flair on certain tracks. Stand out track Hair Part is a perfect example of this folk-jazz and hip-hop concoction, actually. The only thing that seems abrupt through the listening experience is Artificial Grass. Its a boastful folk diddy that, though smartly placed in the middle, seems so much louder than the rest of the...

On October 21, 2013, A-Jax was announced to have what would ultimately be their final comeback, Snake. The EP dabbled in the rock genre at a time when other boy groups in the scene were much heavier on synthesizers and other electronic dance music subgenres. Were slithering around the final album and Ill share my final thoughts, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, just a quick heads up that this Friday, January 29, 2021, at 4:00 p.m. Central Time here in the States, Season 1 Episode 2 of A3Day Sister Show kicks off on www.a3daysistershow.com. Heres a little about the show.

[A3Day Sister Show trailer]

Lets assess Snake, a four-track EP (title track instrumental included) for what it truly was or is: a risky album to make. The guys had no reason to adjust their genre approach per se, and it might have done them in. Going against the masses is a worthwhile risk from time to time but the EP is simply okay. The title track, Snake, is playful and certainly funky but its not really for the club or the coffee shops. Now, dont misunderstand, the song isnt bad and works for radio and possibly a commercial along the lines of Old Navy here in the United States, but this should have been their second single. 

The track that shouldve headed this project off is It Girl, an R&B song with a sound adjacent to a jazz club of sorts. The sound and context works across several age groups and perhaps it wasnt chosen as the first single because of this? I cant imagine a 15-year-old falling in love with It Girl as much as an older teenager or friends in their 20s and 30s at norebang, so that couldve been an obstacle. The final track, Stay with me, is another R&B song with a catchy rhythmically syllabic chorus. By the time I got into it, the song was going off -- its 3 minutes long. Thats not good.

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for this album and their complete Korean discography is a 4. That rank stems largely from their continued cohesive production and performance, and willingness to try something new. They eventually earned the number 13 spot on Korean charts with this one, but enlistments, amicable departures, and terminations marred the group from that point on. Whatever potential they had for advancing as a group, even with member changes, stopped at the end of this album. Its a bit of a disappointment, honestly. They werent bad, but they werent standouts in the scene either. Whatever it is that they are pursuing these days, I truly wish them all the best.

Continue to check out the #A3Day Highlights Playlist on Spotify, as it features tracks from todays albums and past episodes artists, and Ill catch you in the next episode, bye yall.

Theres sponsored ads and social media hashtags but this show is truly supported by the efforts of my MACGoalas, the most amazing fan base a lil entertainer could ever have. 

Special shout out to my Patreon patrons -- the Student Body, the Scholars, and the Staff -- who keep my vision of becoming your favorite foreign Korean music historian, exploring all the industry from A to Z a real thing. If youre interested in supporting the growth of this content, please visit patreon.com/multifacetedacg and for as little as $1.00 a month, you can get in on the magic.

Interested in continuing your support at the free-99 price? I...

The date is July 11, 2013, and A-Jax returned for a sophomore mini-album. Five tracks, 18 minutes, and a hunger for success. Did A-Jax make magic happen? Find out, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, after reaching top 10 ranks with their debut EP, Im convinced that A-Jax set out to prove something with insane, their follow-up album. It isnt always necessary to provide an album with double-digit track listings, especially when the title track could stand on its own as an instrumental. Its a complete shame that it isnt available as an instrumental somewhere for me to devour, but Ill get back to this song in just a moment.

First on the album is Dont break my heart. Dont let this songs title confuse you, its not a ballad and its not mopy. In fact,its a pulsing, futuristic dance track where the members are telling their love interest that things are over, all the while begging them to stay. I mistook the chorus as saying, Dont go out, but theyre actually saying go, go out. I really enjoyed hearing the conflict! Suddenly, it stops and in creeps Insane, the title track.

Ill say this now, Im truly biased towards this track. Insane follows a pattern that many dance music and instrumental producers, myself included, commit to. There is a drum kit that doesnt let up while synths and other production effects encircle the vocals and its absolutely delicious. The music for the first verse is thick and highlights the lower vocals of the members, and then opens up sonically. The advancing sounds from the 38-second mark until its completion around 52 seconds is this sounds like something I wouldve produced! Its a tried and true escalation and the nuances are so pleasing. Even more unfortunate than not having an instrumental for me to boots-and-cats, in-my-living-room-nightclub dance to is, there is no information about who produced the track. How dare Korean entertainment companies?!?! Yes, I know that their philosophy is that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, ??? ?????, ???! (Translation: But seriously, why?!)

The party keeps going with track number three, Dont leave me. This time, A-Jaxs mind is made up from the first song! If you need an idea of what the vibe is, think of the couple off to the side at a party who looks like they think theyre in a movie, drama, or music video, what with the dramatic movements and distressed facial expressions. Imagine 90s R&B hand motions and a drizzle of rain, for added effect. The emotions depart quickly with Fantasy, the fourth track that throws us back into Dance Dance Revolution mode. The guitars on this track are begging for you to acknowledge it, so do so with a thrashing of your body. The guys are somewhat swallowed up by the music in this track but its not a failure.

A surprise for me was hearing the final track, Thank ya, as I immediately remembered hearing it in 2013. It was passive listening on a YouTube playlist, Im certain, but the familiarity really made me smile. Actively listening now, theres nothing wrong with the song except for a groaning sound effect at transitions in the song. I really wish they wouldnt have done that! Its not very distracting but its awkward. Especially given the lyrics, as theyre thanking their partner for being present and open to their love. And then you groan. Eww.

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for this album is a 5. Its cohesive, high-energy, and genuinely sounds innovative....

When a group goes on informal hiatus or disbands, it can be a major disruption for fans. The Hallyu Wave is a vast ocean of artists having their moment in the sun, cresting, and quite possibly not rising to the same levels again. When todays idol group had their contracts expire on March 31, 2019, had they made enough of an impact on the scene to potentially return as soloists? Its almost been two years since then and it appears that theyve moved on from idoldom. Lets journey into the discography of former boy group A-Jax and hear their story, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, on June 1, 2012, South Korean boy band A-Jax made their debut with the song One 4 U, a song that was anticipated from the fan following developed through their survival show, Making the Star. Before they were known as DSP Boys, taking the approach of many Korean labels when a group is close to debut but not quite out of the pre-debut process. The month of April was spent introducing the members and concluded with an April 24, 2012 announcement that DSP Boys were to be called A-Jax. Im actually fine with this name, as they chose to be named after the Greek mythological hero -- they wanted to convey courage and power. This is a name that makes sense, SoKo! 

When June 1 rolled around, then members Seo Jaehyung, Maeng Yunyoung, Moon Jihu (who previously went by Hyojun), Park Sungmin, Lee Seungyeop, Kim Dowoo (who previously went by Hyeongkon), and Ham Seungjin, released the single album plus Never Let Go but didnt make major waves chart-wise. Their follow-up single, Hot Game, brought them to the peak position of number 59 on Korean charts, but both this single and their debut numerically remained lukewarm. They even took on the Japanese market immediately, re-releasing their singles in Japan. At least a buzz was starting to begin? It is hard to be on a label that housed disbanded seniors KARA and not be overshadowed by other boy bands like EXO and BIGBANG at the time when A-Jax started, but they didnt back down.

On November 15, 2012, A-Jax released their first EP entitled 2MYX (to my ex) and climbed up to the number 6 spot on Korean charts. In just over five months, they made an impact with three unreleased songs alongside their three previous releases and deliver a 26-minute EP that is unique. First, the production choices pulled from established samples and styles that have worked for other artists without being too obvious. For the title track, 2MYX utilizes a drum kit that will immediately resonate with fans of New Jack Swing. The best comparison is Michael Jacksons Keep it in the Closet, and it works well for the song. This influence can likely be chalked up to the works of Korean American producer Steven Lee, who has produced and pinned multiple hits over his 20-year career. 

Second, the seven members of A-Jax maximized on choral singing, choosing to use as many of their vocals as possible in bridges, choruses, and refrains. Some groups make the distinction between vocal lines and rap lines very clear. By going with that all-together-now arrangement, it helped them stand out. 

They honestly remind me of 2PM's 1:59 PM album with 2MYX. The songs jump from one style to another throughout the EP and it is more flash in the pan than strategically planned. Therefore, K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for this album is a 4. Since their discography isnt extensive, Im not sure if theyll be able...

Welcome to the final Rookie Roundup for 2020 Korean idol groups. Todays lineup consists of nine groups and my top three groups to watch, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, tomorrow we move along with A-named idol groups but today, weve a bounty of new babies and one supergroup to acknowledge. The previous rookies brought a lot of enjoyment to my ears so I dont think its premature to say that more great music is heading our way.

In the previous Rookie Roundup for 2020, I mentioned that Refund Sisters was the follow-up supergroup to another group from the television show Hangout with Yoo. The Nations MC Yoo Jae-Suk combined forces with sensational soloists Rain and Lee Hyori to create SSAK3, and their music is good. I mean, for those of you who are fans of Korean t.v. series, youre familiar with Yoo Jae-Suk in an unavoidable way. Hes one of the most well-known celebrities in South Korea, hands down, and absolutely loves music and dancing. I had a brief interaction with him on a t.v. set and was blown away by how he commands space, so pairing up with two other entertainment legends was bound to pull lots of attention. And so SSAK3 did, much to the frustration of some netizens who said theyd have an unfair advantage due to unbridled popularity. Thus, the standard to donate all proceeds from their works to charity was set for both them, and Lee Hyoris second group, Refund Sisters. 

But come on now, what could they have expected from a group whose name is a play on the Korean word, to sweep? These are proven stars and star-quality sound coats their pop projects. Each album builds upon the concept and season of summer and there are other widely popular artists as features on their last album. In short, add them to your warm-weather playlist rotation.

Next up, Star To A Young Culture, a six-member girl group on High Up Entertainment. Making their debut on November 12, 2020, StayC (get it, its the first letters of their longer name now stylized as its own name?) was formed by production team Black Eyed Pilseung and has an exciting production style. The group doesnt have fluffy vocals or the stereotypical vocal softness of many girl groups on their first go-around. Their debut single album has two memorable tracks and Im excited to hear more from them. Likewise, netizens who enjoy Korean dramas and K-pop are excited too, as member Park Si-eun is a popular actor and the daughter of solo male artist and former actor Park Nam Jung. Her dad invented the L-dance craze in the late 1980s -- I wonder if shell be able to innovate a dance with StayC? Side note, you have to YouTube the video of him performing with Super Junior. No other words to say except, Do it!

Ten-member boy band TOO has too many people and thats ridiculous of me to say when Ive gone over a year with calling SM Entertainments NCT my bandmates. Though the group made their debut on April 1, 2020, their journey towards debut began publicly in 2019 on the t.v. show To Be World Klass. There were moments when I had a Stank Face of Approval while listening to their two albums and I am ready for more of whatever it is that Stone Music Entertainment has planned for them. They are really good and having almost a dozen members means that subunits could be the next thing for them.

Speaking of 10- and 12-piece boy group combos, YG Entertainment released a dozen young men, two co-leaders included, onto the scene on August 7, 2020, by the name of Treasure. The reality t.v. show survivors of YG Treasure...

Welcome back to Rookie Roundup for 2020 Korean idol groups. Todays lineup is MCND, P1Harmony, REDSQUARE, female super group Refund Sisters, and Secret Number, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, now that A3Day Sister show has made its formal introduction into the podcasting community, we can get back to work where we left off on here. If you missed the debut episode on Friday, January 15th, you can search A3Day Sister Show on your favorite podcasting platform and take a listen. The show is nothing like its sibling here and will only take place twice a month, so please anticipate a new episode with a special guest host later this month. More news will be available about it on all my social media accounts. If you arent following Multifacetedacg on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and the Kpop Amino app, then hop to it!

First, Music Creates New Dreams, or MCND, made their debut on February 27, 2020, on TOP Media. The five-member boy group released two EPs in 2020 and recently came back on January 8, 2021, with their third. I appeal to the music production choices made by its members, as they are the sounds of young producers. When a music producer is getting started, there is a stock sound, per se, that we begin with. Theres a sense of understanding of how a song should or could work, but our skills arent developed enough just yet. Theres great potential in that area and some audible progression across their current discography. Theyre truly a pop-genre group, focusing on hip-hop and R&B more than anything else. 

In a similar vein, FNC Entertainments P1Harmony is hip-hop and R&B focused, making their debut October 28, 2020, with an EP. Im not against groups avoiding ballads but when you can hear that a group has the chops for it, its a slight tease. A couple of members of this six-member boy group sound like they have the capacity for soulful deliveries. 

Taking a departure from the young men, we move over to five-member girl group REDSQUARE who made their debut on May 19, 2020. The young ladies released a single album that is fairly catchy since their debut, as they have already experienced a music label change, signing with a new division of Taewon Entertainment called ICONICMnE. Theres potential but with only two songs to judge and no news of a comeback, their window of opportunity might be closed before they even had a chance to begin.

Theres little to fear about false starts with our next group, Refund Sisters. For starters, this isnt a rookie group, not in the traditional sense. They fall into the rookie category because they are collectively new to the scene as of October 20, 2020, but individually, theyre established in the industry. Spawning from the television show Hangout with Yoo, Refund Sisters is comprised of the evergreen multi-hyphenate Uhm Jung Hwa, the nations fairy Lee Hyori, Korean-American rapper and singer Jessi, and Mamamoo maknae Hwasa. Thats a heck of a lot of confident female energy to contend against the tv shows other rookie group, who well hear about next episode. Although Im not a fan of Refund Sisters solo song, its awesome to hear the juniors with the established seniors. Also awesome is the fact that all proceeds from their promotions, and the group that came before them from the show, were donated to charity. 

Final girl group for the episode is Secret Number of Vine Entertainment. Making their debut on May 19, 2020, the five-member multinational group has similar visuals to JYP Entertainments ITZY...

Welcome back to Rookie Roundup for 2020 Korean idol groups. Its a day for the gentlemen only, as todays lineup is ELAST, ENHYPEN, Ghost9, H&D (??,??), and Lucy, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, curl up with a soft blanket, good book, and a cuppa (British: cup of) for the first group, ELast. Making their debut on June 9, 2020, on E Entertainment, this eight-member boy group is revitalizing. Think crisp winter air, morning rain, or how your nostrils kind of open up when toothpaste first hits your mouth. On two albums five months apart, the young men have a wonderful ballad sound. Dont get me wrong, they made the mandatory pop track for their second album, but thats it -- theres only one track squeezed between soothing tracks and delightful vocals. ELast, short for everlasting, took to YouTube to build a respectable fanbase before their debut, uploading weekly videos to showcase their unique colors. And, much like many other groups, well be talking about from third and fourth generations, some of their members have had survival show experience. Ultimately, if you wish to feel like youre in a K-drama montage, go with these guys.

I genuinely didnt realize that ENHYPEN only made their debut on November 30, 2020. I swore that their name was making the rounds for much longer than that. This is possibly because the seven-member boy band was first a part of the survival show I-Land? Whatever the case may be, within the fandom and commentary spaces I frequent, this group is talked about. Developed on Belift Lab, a collaboration between CJ ENM and Big Hit Entertainment, their debut EP sounds wonderful -- production is crisp and clean and the young gents sit within the tracks, never chasing after it nor being overpowered by the music. Ah yes, their name. At one point, they were going with the English letters EN and the hyphen symbol, but their name is to imply connection. I dont know what the en is for, and I dont think I ever will, but I enjoyed listening to them. That was not an intended joke.

Ghost9 of Maroo Entertainment was formed in 2019 but made their debut on September 23, 2020. The nine guys vocally sound like ENHYPEN but the music production isnt the same at all. Thats the major distinction for many artists on smaller labels -- the vocals might excel but the access to more competitive production sounds is limited. It was so off-putting for me on most of their tracks that I could have honestly gone with an acapella album from them. They come in with enticing introductions and then drop into an area that isnt fully realized but it didnt stop Ghost9 from earning a respectable peak position on the Korean music charts with their first of two EPs. In short, this is a group with awesome singers but in order to stick around long-term, their label will have to bring in production reinforcement. 

Well, this is interesting. H&D (??,??) is a subunit of boy group BAE173 who made their debut on April 21, 2020. The duo consists of Lee Han Gyul, who has a singing voice thats more mature than his age, and rapper Nam Do Hyon. If you look up more information about the two of them, I can promise you that Han Gyuls story will get a reaction out of you. That being said, they are a great combo and everything they released prior to their BAE173 debut is worth your time.

Last, is four-member live band Lucy who made their debut on May 8, 2020, on Mystic Story. Named after a neighborhood dog that would visit them to play in between practicing their craft, Lucy accompanies...

Welcome back to the second Rookie Roundup for 2020 Korean idol groups. Today, were checking out the second subunit of an established boy band, BtoB 4U, redefined girl group Cignature; and boy groups Cravity, DKB, and Drippin, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, the first group, BtoB 4U, comes from a boy band thats almost ten years old. BtoB, a group well be exploring soon enough since they begin with the letter B, has two subunits and this one made its debut on November 16, 2020. The hyung line group, also known as the four oldest members of BtoB, released an enjoyable EP called Inside, on their debut date. So the 4 in the subunits name is both for the amount of members as well as the intention of being for their fans. I never actively listen to BtoB songs despite their longevity, so if this subunit is any reflection of what can be expected from them, then Im looking forward to their discography. The melodies are pleasing and the album is organized in a nice fashion. This is a true reflection of knowing what works within the K-pop world.

Coming up on their first anniversary, girl group Cignature made their debut on February 4, 2020, on C9 Entertainment sub-label J9 Entertainment. The seven-member group is new but five of the members were once members of Good Day, which was active from 2017 until 2019. Their sound reminds me of JYP Entertainment groups Twice and ITZY, but at their earlier stages. Lots of playful production choices and whimsy with very unified vocals. If you appeal to youthful sounds, theyre a fun consideration. And Cignature gained lots of positive attention last year. My introduction to them was by way of their three Mnet Asian Music Award nominations, so perhaps theyll be around for a while?

Debuting from Starship Entertainment on April 14, 2020, nine-member boy group Cravity came to win, at least thats what I heard. They have a sizable fanbase already! They popped up on a YouTube video shuffle months ago with their song Break all the Rules, and many of their fans have asked if Ive checked them out yet. Hopefully, by the time we reach the C-named groups theyll have a larger body of work to explore but I can say that they are able to surely compete with other fourth generation boy bands. Theyve not carved out their unique sound yet, not from what I gathered from their first two albums of their debut year, but they are playing the musical field and giving various styles a try. Its the way of many groups before them and many thereafter. Their sound is catchy and theres room for much to anticipate.

DKB -- let me just check and see what this stands for Darkbe. For what? For what, Brave Brothers? The first group to debut on Brave Entertainment in the past seven years, the letters stand for Dark Brown Eyes, which I can only hope ties in with a Korean proverb I dont know of yet because it was reported in TenAsia that, those who have it will reach out to the world. I asked yall last episode to run me over but now Im asking that you pick me up off the gravel and just toss me from a cliff. I just said I was going to accept these names as they are but I cant! My eyes are dark brown, am I reaching oh I guess an English-language podcast about Korean popular music developed and hosted by an African American female host is reaching out. Oh my. 

Well, now that things have gotten a little meta out of nowhere, DKB has a loud sound. Brave Entertainment had the nine-member group release three EPs between February and October 2020 and the production is loud. Not...

Happy new year, listeners! 2021 is here and if youre on the shows newsletter email list, then you know I was so over 2020 that I mistakenly put 2019 as the Rookie Roundup year. Whew boy, Im glad its over and strongly encourage you to continue wearing a mask, keeping your body and surroundings as clean as possible, and respecting the boundaries that others have  while we move into more months in the pandemic. Its not over, listeners be safe. Today not only marks the start of Season 5, but the first overview of 2020 rookie groups. These are not deep discography dives, but a sampling of what I experienced and potentially something might spark your interest. Aespa, B.O.Y. [B-Of-You], BAE173, Blackswan, and Botopass, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, if you still have not heard the final two episodes from Season 4, please continue to keep an eye out for when they publicly post. As previously mentioned, some podcasts experienced delays in publishing and distribution on various platforms over the holidays. It could very well impact this episode, too, but I at least have peace of mind that schedules were maintained nonetheless. Im happy to inform you that this and several upcoming episodes are sponsored by Melophile Candles, a brand creating ambiance for music lovers with candles and accompaniments. Visit www.melophilecandles.com to join the mailing list and follow the Instagram account at melophilecandles for updates. Lets traverse todays new groups, first with SM Entertainment girl group Aespa.

Aespas debut was November 17, 2020, and caused quite a stir with their pre-debut teasers. You see, the four-member group arent just living, breathing new artists. The ae in the group name stands for avatar experience, as members Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning also exist virtually. Thus, aespa is to reflect the avatar experience and aspect of existing in two worlds. Beyond the interesting band name, the individual members names detract from their origin, so to speak. In recent years, Korean families have named their children with shorter names, but to fully omit traditional or modern Korean names for this group -- I mean, for what? International appeal has clearly been proven to not matter too much when it comes to members names since at least 2014, when Aespas senior labelmates Red Velvet came onto the scene. This choice sticks out more to me with girl groups than the guys. Why not use the Korean, Chinese, and Japanese names of these young women, versus perpetuating imperialism? I digress. Lets talk about the music.

Aespas debut single, Black Mamba, was over-the-top, visibly expensive, and freaked me out because there was a giant virtual black mamba in it. I hate snakes, all reptiles, actually. So Im grateful that I dont take videos into consideration for this podcast because this would have a fat F for FREAKED OUT. As a fan of the League of Legends virtual group K/DA, there were noticeable thematic similarities but the songs are very different. And much like Red Velvet, the debut song is one Im fine with skipping. The choreography was dynamic while the costuming was -- you know what? Theyre 22nd century edgy Red Velvet. Im saying it now, based on vocal strength and diverting from the experimental vibes of disbanded SM group F(x). The song doesnt tell you much about how well the ladies sing, but SM Entertainments free online concert at the end and start of both years showed group

Weve reached the end of A.C.E.s discography, at the time of this recording. After back-to-back high ranking albums, will they manage to pull off another 5? HZJM: The Butterfly Phantasy, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, Im told this episode will post on Thursday but I dont know what to believe anymore. Season 4 has been marred by the audacity of 2020 so dont poke a finger at me if you dont hear this until 2021. Were going to keep trucking along and add my Final Thoughts to this as well -- I dont want to make Season 4 any longer than it is already!

???? (Romanized: hojopjjimong): The Butterfly Phantasy is a mini album that was released on September 2, 2020. The HZJM translates as a happy dream, and I dont know what that has to do with anything I experienced while listening to this. This isnt to say the album wasnt enjoyable, but were not in a dream sequence. Theres no illusion to it, based on lyrics. That aside, there is sound diversity. This just-over-18-minutes album has dance-pop, anthemic vibes, and R&B tunes that will appeal to a variety of listeners. 

Unexpectedly, I had a hard time with this album. After the musical blast to the face from the previous two albums, I expected things to continue traversing the same path. As a new listener to these fellows, my expectation that they would be predictable made the unpredictability disappointing. There is nothing wrong with this album, I just needed time to adjust my expectations. The first track, Golden Goose, has a structure that reminded me of Seventeens Getting Closer, something that popular review blog KPOPREVIEWED acknowledged as well (shout out to them!) but again, assumptions about how it should sound made it sound loud to me. In fact, this mini-album was all-around loud to me, its what I remember most. Even the R&B track Stand By You seems to have its decibel cranked up higher than necessary. This album would not be the way Id introduce new fans to the group, not in its entirety, but I can see how it could be magical for long-standing fans. Theyve been around long enough to hear the gentlemen evolve and this feels like a mature spot to end an era of their music with.

Therefore, k-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for HZJM: The Butterfly Phantasy is a 5. It almost didnt make it during my first listen but the composition and quality is undeniable. 

[FINAL THOUGHTS ARE UNSCRIPTED]

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for A.C.E. 's discography is a 5. They continually push themselves with unexpected production choices and provide listeners with something to anticipate. They were under the radar to me but Im excited to see what else comes from them. Ill allow myself to check out more of their videos to learn about their unique personalities now. I work hard to keep myself from falling into visual traps when assessing music from artists I dont know much about yet!

A YouTube playlist has started for Season 1 of A3Day and still -- still! -- the Apple Music playlist will be made public, as soon as I divide up these songs. It was honestly ill-planned to have made the shows playlist on Spotify one long thing. Its there now and I dont know if it will ever be divided up by...

Merry Christmas to those who observe the holiday and peaceful Friday to others. May your day be as stress-free and covid-free as possible, and may your home or workplace be set at a comfortable temperature. Clearly, this is a sign of the times to mention these things consider the podcast a time capsule. Lets go Under Cover with the original album and back again with the Mad Squad in its follow up, right after the drop.

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Hey yall,  I need this group to survive. Whoever is handling their production choices is freaking winning. WINNING. I dont even like every song! I am fresh off listening to todays albums and they are not coming for the standard pop idol crown, oh no. No, A.C.E., much like other groups in the past three years Ive yet to explore, have kicked a hole in the standard formula. Im becoming a fan, this isnt what I anticipated. Add on to the fact that these guys havent stayed within the confines of one lane over the course of multiple projects, I have no idea what to expect but the disorientation is enjoyable.

First, both Under Cover and Under Cover: The Mad Squad, released May 17 and October 29, 2019, respectively, are well-organized EPs. Each song, despite genre switching, makes sense where theyre placed on the album. Theres no way the production choices will appeal to every listener -- this is characteristic of all music albums -- but Im willing to say that even those who dont like what theyre putting out cant claim A.C.E.s production team as one that cannot put together an album. I know, this is one of those industry abstract terms, so allow me to make it easier to understand. 

Imagine that your favorite album, that start-to-finish, no skips favorite of yours, is a restaurant. The first track is the entrance, second leads you to your table, and so on until the final track closes your bill and you leave. Youre satisfied with the experience, yes? Thats the feeling of a well-organized music album. A poorly organized album brings you through the entrance, walks you to the restroom or kitchen door, passes a table with a delightful smell (thats that one track that catches you off guard and seems enjoyable, but youre not sure), then sits you down at the table with a sticky menu and no one comes to get your order fast enough. Youre confused about whether or not you need to go up to the counter to place the order or just leave. That discomfort and frustration? Theres an album for that. Ive even produced a couple that could make a face wrinkle in confusion!

Thats why a major applause needs to go to A.C.E.s production team. Theyre skipping to and fro between the two albums from R&B to cafe music, to Friday night at the popular nightclub thats running a promo that lets everyone in for free for an hour or two, based on drink prices; and a house partyand it works. It isnt as chaotic as Ive described it but it also is? Im not known for gracefully describing things when it comes to music but I know youve got the idea. 

Unlike their reissue album, A.C.E. Adventures in Wonderland, Under Cover and Under Cover: The Mad Squad, are concepts that concluded upon themselves. Their first studio album could have a long-term concept whereas these two EPs were Boombastic and statement pieces that had a clear start and finish. They cannot -- no, they should not -- go down this technical path again. Yes, bring on another organized chaos experience but not to this degree. We genuinely had a moment of rockin out on this album, maybe go more

A.C.E. A.C.E. Revolution is solidly established for me with todays album. Dance music is where they have fun, yes, but Adventures in Wonderland is where listeners will get their first taste of the individual colors of the group. Dare I say it this early on, but I believe we are about to journey into an idol group that is about gearing up for a major moment in the industry. Todays album in more detail, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, today were getting down with A.C.E.s June 7, 2018 release, A.C.E. Adventures in Wonderland, and I sincerely hope they are pleased with what they did with this album. Clocking in at roughly 33 minutes, the time is chalked up mostly to adding three instrumentals -- their 2017 single releases and the refreshing 5TAR (Incompletion). The album starts with their first two singles, drops into a pulsing track entitled Black and Blue, and then hops off the party bus and into three radio hits. I was excited! These gentlemen have wonderful vocals and the arrangements were playful yet controlled. And even though I mistakenly heard WTF in the song Take Me Higher at one point, even that blunder sounded great! Take Me Higher rocks with harmonies and several live instruments and R&B loop features. Its groovy and appealed to my tastes, but the magical song on this album is 5TAR (Incompletion).

Originally released as a single on March 16, 2018, Juns voice is absolutely wonderful in this song, let me get that bias out of the way immediately. The entire vocal line has impressive chops and shined brightly; and the context of the song, pleading with someone to let down their guard and see the love standing in front of them, allowed these young men to deliver an emotional experience. The music compliments the group well, resting a simple drum pattern over live piano and other string instruments. Its not distinctly special in its formula, but A.C.E. delivered a memorable song that made its way onto one of my personal playlists.

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for these two singles is a 5 because even though this album was used to squeeze the last few drops out of their debut songs, it was strong on its own anyway. I wouldnt run from a ballad album from A.C.E. and longtime listeners of this show know that Id stab a ballad album with a spork without a second thought! I am impressed and somewhat smitten with their sound. Hopefully, youll check out the #A3Day Highlights Playlist on Spotify, as it features tracks from todays albums and past episodes artists, so please enjoy their music. Until the next episode, bye yall.

Theres sponsored ads and social media hashtags but this show is truly supported by the efforts of my MACGoalas, the most amazing fan base a lil entertainer could ever have. 

Special shout out to my Patreon patrons -- the Student Body, the Scholars, and the Staff -- who keep my vision of becoming your favorite foreign Korean music historian, exploring all the industry from A to Z a real thing. If youre interested in supporting the growth of this content, please visit patreon.com/multifacetedacg and for as little as $1.00 a month, you can get in on the magic.

Interested in continuing your support at the free-99 price? I love you for it. You can still engage with the show and me, your lovely host, when you retweet, repost, and share the show and use #a3day. And please consider leaving a few stars or a review on Apple Music, iTunes,...

On May 23, 2017, entertainment company Beat Interactive marked the debut of five young men as the members of Adventure Calling Emotion, better known as A.C.E. Taking this from one of this shows favorite websites, Kprofiles.com, A.C.E.s name means that the group wants to cause emotions that urge people to go on adventures, and make dreams come true. Well, buckle up and lets ride out with the last group of Season 4, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, A.C.E. has one heck of a name, and Im laughing at it a little because duh, Korea and its pop scene. The name fits this group, however, when you take their personal histories. Leader Park Junhee (aka Jun) trained at Jellyfish Entertainment and CJ E&M. Main vocalist Lee Donghun was a strong competitor on live performance shows and came out as the winner of a season of I Can See Your Voice. He was even a member of the MIXNINE project. 

Member Wow -- yup, pause everything. His stage name is a highlight of this entire podcast for me, hands down. Weve had a collection of ridiculous names but this isnt even that. This is a bold move, naming a group member an exclamation! This is an SEO nightmare in the making, trying to simply type wow and not be directed towards World of Warcraft stuff! The cleverness! The audacity! The laziness but with a side of finesse! I want to be his fan, he better not let me down in this listening experience. Wow, your name is the adventure! And Kim Sehyoons adventure in music entertainment began briefly alongside Winner at YG Entertainment before moving on to CJ E&M with the previous two members mentioned. Thats his birth name, F.Y.I.

Finally, Kim Byeongkwan, whos stage name was Jason but he said, Naw, Im using my name folks, and maknae Kang Yuchan aka Chan, had JYP Entertainment trainee experience. And thats their journey around the industry before becoming A.C.E. 

So, the music, eh? Their debut year consisted of approximately two original songs, Cactus, released on their debut day of May 23rd, and their October 18th release of the same year, Callin. This is the first time on the podcast that a group has released single albums that are in fact single albums. First, Cactus and its EDM salute via kickdrum. 

To be more specific, their debut song falls within the genre of hardstyle and the simple explanation for that is there's a repeating drumbeat and electric sounds. A more detailed explanation is that the style of music was born amongst the techno, hardcore, and new beats influences within the Netherlands, creating a splashy-yet-sustained rhythmic experience. It makes you move up and down like youre at a festival, even if just for a brief moment regardless of if you like this style of music or not. Honestly speaking, it was a very smart way to get a song out into the arena that didnt sound like anyone else, didnt put much emphasis on focusing on the groups individual vocals, and presented one cohesive color -- Dutch EDM, techno festival and flailing arms. Whatever color that is in your mind, go with it. I genuinely cannot recall anything specific about the singing or rapping. Was there any rap? I listened to both of todays songs at least six times each, and Ive got nothing except that they dont sound bad. 

This is particularly true for the second single, Callin which continues with the dance-dance-dance boots-and-cats-and-boots-and-cats kick-kick-kick, you get where Im going with this? A.C.E. wanted a Dance Dance Revolution feature in 2017,...

The show took a long and unanticipated hiatus as we were drawing Season 4 to its close. I cannot roll into Season 5 -- which now wont have half as long of a break -- with work still pending. Its unprofessional. Its annoying. Its a one-woman show that, thanks to Patreon Patrons, can now afford a little extra help! So were back on it with AB6IX. Youve waited long enough. So long, in fact, that the group had time to drop another album while I was away! Lets dive into albums Vivid and Salute, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, if youve been wondering why shows are posting later than their usual 8:00 a.m. Central Time, worry not. We are still testing different marketing times and also subjected to some late publishing times due to the holiday season. Big shows are prioritized for distribution and weve not hit that big show status, so we do what we can. These A/B moments help with organizing social media marketing and how A3Day Sister show (yes, I never came up with a better name) will be promoted in 2021.

Back office business aside, I disrupted the order of AB6IXs discography by skipping their summer 2020 EP, Vivid unintentionally. The six-track, 20-minute album was originally scheduled for June 8th as its release date but was moved to June 29th after the departure of Youngmin. The later date provided enough time for the group to re-record the songs without him and introduce audiences to the current lineups colors. And I must admit, the hues of Vivid are different from the previous albums in a positive way. 

The tracks connect perfectly. Theres a sonic sensibility to it from start to finish -- theres no jarring move from house music to techno or forced hip-hop, for example. The tempo, energy, and key choices are well organized. The title track is enjoyable and the lead single, The Answer, has sprinkles of senior boy band Block B all over it, as it was heavily created by Block Bs leader and standout solo artist Zico. My only gripe is with Surreal, which seems to be missing real percussion to accent the bassline. In order to create a sense of ambiance or resonance, they chose not to rest heavily on the percussion. A snare cadence or kick drum couldve saved it for me.

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating for Vivid is a 5. The group truly shined on this album and made it into my regular rotation. Given the success of this first top-ranked album from them on the podcast, I was eager to sink my teeth into Salute, their third EP.

On November 2, 2020 AB6IX released Salute and its different. This isnt to say that the album is bad, but it is a hard left from Vivid. The English language is more integrated in the songs, the musicality jumps from one genre to the next, and Im chalking it up to the fact that the Covid-19 pandemic made their creative team throw darts and see what would stick. Salute is just under 22 minutes in length with the same amount of tracks as Vivid and the true standout is a track called, Heaven.

Heaven proves that AB6IX has the capacity to be a reputable R&B, ballad-adjacent, group of men. The EP Salute reflects a direction that seems to think that the group doesnt have a unique sound yet, but Heaven is it. Idol groups are focused on making popular music, but theres a lane of longevity that is already starting to show within their albums that diverts from pop. Well talk more about this during their Final Thoughts episode.

For now, K-pop...

On their debut A3Day episode, I shared that AB6IX had survival show experience and Wanna Ones star power running through its veins. What did that mean? It means that the group gained invaluable knowledge and support pre-debut. This isnt exactly unique to them, especially between 2010 and 2020, but even American artist Lizzo took notice. What does any of this have to do with todays debut studio album? Lets find out, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, if youve been wondering why shows are posting later than their usual 8:00 a.m. Central Time, worry not. We are testing different marketing times, is all. So even though youre hearing this episode whenever it is youre hearing it, you possibly saw online promotion much later in the day. These A/B moments help me to carve out the plan for this shows sister show. Teasers for that come out this week and I seriously still dont have a name for the extended recording twice-a-month show. Its been called A3Days Sister Show in development for months. Dont be shocked if thats where I go with it, because Im struggling. 

On October 7, 2019, AB6IX released their first studio album, 6ixense. The album boasts 11 tracks -- none of which are an instrumental -- and is just over 38 minutes long. The sequencing of the album is respectable but whats most interesting is how they interpret the current pop scene as future bass and deep house. They are alongside many other groups of recent, choosing to deliver on genres that arent always the mainstream vibe.

The album was a larger canvas for some of the group members to display their songwriting and production skills too, as every track had a contribution from at least one AB6IX member. K-pop listeners of recent years are much more familiar with groups having some of the production and songwriting responsibilities dispersed amongst them, so this might not be a big deal to them. As a second generation inductee into the world of K-pop, I still get excited when I see it in the credits. Mainstream music has staying power -- everyone involved in the creation of a pop song crafts it for survival, so to speak. Survival is something that AB6IX understands first-hand, so lets go back in time to pre-debut activities.

Of the original five, Youngmin, Donghyun, Woojin and Daehwi, participated in Produce 101 Season 2 in 2017. Of the four, Woojin and Daehwi earned spots in that seasons wildly popular eleven-member boy band, Wanna One. Unlike some number-named things in K-pop, that 101 is true. Approximately 101 young men from well over 50 entertainment labels in South Korea compete to re- or pre-debut in the final concept group. Can you imagine grinding it out for several weeks on a nationally syndicated television show, hoping to impress the thousands upon thousands of viewers and the show judges, to whittle down from 101 to only 11 guys? Survival! And for the two who didnt place in the top 11, they went on to be a subunit called MXM. And the fifth member, Woong, had the opportunity to hone his skills as a trainee at various labels before joining Brand New Music. He was even a backup dancer for his eventual bandmates MXM. Everyone was grinding it out before the AB6IX debut so by the time 6ixense came along, theyd already premiered their eventual debut single on Produce 101, hosted a fan meeting and collaborated with American singer, songwriter and flutist Lizzo on a remix of her smash hit Truth Hurts. Again, survival! 

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening

On January 6, 2020, we were briefly introduced to Woong, Woojin, Donghyun, Dae Hwi, and Youngmin during the 2019 Rookie Roundup. Their first debut anniversary was May 22, 2020, so that means its time for a more in-depth exploration of a group of Produce 101 Season 2 participants. Wanna Ones star power runs through their veins but do they have legs of their own to stand on for long? The discography of boy band Absolute Six begins, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, months ago I was on the fence about AboveBrandNewSix, the intended extra meaning of Absolute Sixs more common name, AB6IX. South Korea knows that they love to throw a number into an idol groups name whenever the chance presents itself, so let me say this now: there are four members in the group. I know! Initially, there were five and the six comes from acknowledging them and their fandom. However, a poor decision led to the dismissal of one. We dont avoid controversies as they arise in this show but its best to leave that incident for Final Thoughts. The show isnt called A K-pop Scandal a Day -- we want to focus on the music as much as possible.

The group belongs to Brand New Music, an entertainment label founded by and for the R&B and hip-hop scene in Korea. Brand New Musics been around since 2011 and has turned out works by popular hip-hop stars such as Verbal Jint, Bumkey, and KittiB. One of AB6IXs seniors, As One, belongs to the same label and those ladies will be featured on the show in the months to come. 

AB6IXs debut album, B:Complete, consists of seven songs and clocks in at 23 minutes and 34 seconds. The smartest thing they did, off the top, is place their debut song at the end. They open with a hip-hop attempt an attempt, yes, I said it called Absolute. The music is dubstep and Im telling you, the strength of their rapper couldve had him kick the song off with just an 808 and that wouldve worked. They follow the first track with Shining Stars and its refreshing, with its random ocean spray sounds. The chorus is easy to remember and the song demands nothing of the listener but to sway along to the calm beat.

Again, about not opening with their debut song and instead placing it at the end. The song isnt necessarily bad but the production isnt full-bodied. During Rookie Roundup I only listened to their debut single, Hollywood and could hear that there was potential, but it is a track for the masses, so to speak. It doesnt reflect what else they can do and putting it last allows a listener to fall in love with other tracks. Take for example track number 3, Breathe. That is a bop! Its got a groove to it and the music evolves with the transitions from one group member to another. Its fun, fresh, and even though the young men are still gaining their vocal strength and unique colors, this is one that theyll likely enjoy performing for a long time.

Light Me Up has a chorus that is reminiscent of Wanna Ones Energetic and thats as far as it goes for me. Theres a sprinkling of dubstep and some shouts of You better let me go! and despite playing it twice it didnt stand out. What was perfection? The movement into Dancing For Two, a lovely acoustic ballad. Absolutely lovely, I tell you! The young men sit within the track comfortably, rapping complimentary cadences, harmonizing with the guitar and piano, and set a tone of innocence and butterflies in ones stomach.

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating on...

The sixth maxi single, First Love was announced almost a year before it was actually released. Though the reasons remain unknown for the delays, Im willing to guess that the intensive preparation for one of the most physically demanding comebacks yet had something to do with it. Little did they know it then, but this was the beginning of the end. More insight, right after the drop. 

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Hey yall, following todays episode, we will have final thoughts on After Schools Korean discography. But before we get into my 100% unscripted rambling, I must acknowledge that this album, First Love, was the last Korean album before an indefinite hiatus clutched the After School name. ??? (romanized as Cheotsarang) was released June 13, 2013 and South Korean audiences never heard from the as a group again. Take note of how I said that it was the last Korean album -- they still had a receptive audience in Japan until 2015, but the hiatus reached all angles of After School and sat them down. Its a bit ironic, as the title track from this album did indeed sit some band members down, literally.

But first, the music. Clocking in at 20 minutes, the album delivers dance tracks and R&B flavor in the style weve come to anticipate from After School. Brave Brothers, who we havent heard from on their album in a while, hold down the first and second track, 8 Hot Girl and First Love respectively. The first track lets the listener know that the ladies are back after a long wait and bringing something sexy to the scene, then properly falls into the title track. Brave Brothers took complete reign on the title track, actually, what with writing the lyrics and producing the music. He said hes collecting nothing but wins and I dont blame him. (Yes, for those unfamiliar, Brave Brothers is one man by the name of Kang Dong Chul and his sound is more familiar to you than you know. Well talk about him in depth someday.) Oh yes, 8 Hot Girl can be chalked up to a Konglish language moment since its missing an -s, but this could also be semi-intentional. Remember, Ive said that After School is one band, one sound. Who knows?

Production-wise, the album has a darker tone, especially stand-out track Dressing Room. The production team for this, the third track of the album, jumps to-and-fro from Europop and futuristic influences, settling somewhere between rock and R&B. Its the best sounding song on the album because of its unexpected presence. Its also the most memorable song with ad libs and attempts at vocal riffs. Track four, Times Up, has a faster tempo and incorporates live and MIDI stringed instruments, and features more singing in higher registers for the chorus. The rap breakdown has a refrain thats not bad either. At this point in the album, theyve delivered two ballads but this one doesnt feel like their usual formula. Fifth track Love Beat brings us back to the pep rally/aerobics class/nightclub pulse thats fun but missing something. The song constantly feels like youre waiting for a musical drop -- an extra accent on the 808? An increase in percussion? Somethings missing, seriously! A handclap, something?! Songs that hold you at a standstill are so unkind, as your awareness of how music should work is challenged each minute the song is on. Its an unfulfilled experience that is relieved by the closing track, Makeup & Tears. Live instruments and clear transitions that move the song along, Jungah and Raina sing out about crying over memories while putting on their makeup. The lyrics are

One random day in 2012, likely in November when I was consuming more Korean entertainment than any point in my life, I clicked on a thumbnail of a girl group in black fringed attire. The video began with a door sliding open to reveal eight confident women. Moments later, they were stomping in heels across an empty space and I was hollering with excitement. You better walk, ladies! could be heard over the house as I had my formal introduction to After School. The song was Flashback and today, were getting into the single album, right after the drop. 

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Hey yall, I can admit that I did not become a big fan of After School despite my enthusiasm, but they genuinely walked into my area of awareness with the boldness of Flashback. The June 20, 2012 single album was sexy, bold, and could not have been released at a better time. For one, the sound was futuristic pop, which was heavy on the scene in 2012. Futuristic elements rest on synths, machinery-inspired sounds, and other experimental accents. Robot voices, gears grinding, all that good stuff? You can throw that in with futuristic pop, too. Second, the album is organized well. Five tracks -- the Korean version of Rip Off, title track Flashback, Nanas solo Eyeline, group ballad Wristwatch, and Jungah and Rainas duet Timeless -- are placed in an order that makes the 17-minutes-or-so mini album experience extremely cohesive.

The group is still reserved about showing different colors vocally. However, as I said in Season 4 Episode 12 (EDIT: Episode 11), if it aint broke, dont fix it, is the standing motif for this group. While I enjoy great vocals on display, including interesting harmonies and other arrangements, After School stays committed to the power of one voice, per se. If the song calls for chanting, were chanting. If the song calls for a soloist here, well put a soloist here. Whatever the music calls for, they accommodate in a one band, one sound vocal Drumline. 

Random side note but I cant get my mind off of it. Some time ago, who even knows which episode or live stream it was, I said that the human voice is a string instrument. The voice can be acknowledged as an instrument for what it can produce but it isnt one in the technical sense -- you cant go about moving a voice around or have someone else take and play your unique voice-- and it isnt stringed. It burns me to admit it! It would have to fall within aerophone or wind instruments. Im vexed! We have to use air to create sounds with the voice and this has so little to do with this group and mini album but I just couldnt go on living a lie. The nerd in me couldnt have you believe something so wrong for so long! 

Okay, back to the album. Its intro, Rip Off, is unexpected and sounds nothing like what theyve produced on any album before this. Although a bit redundant with its key sound effect, there is a magic moment towards its end where the music opens up and puts the groups vocals in a shining spotlight. Its not an overtly dynamic song but its refreshing. Flashback is dancy and works in a nightclub or aerobics class all the same. The other tracks are within the same vein as past albums, not lackluster but not heavily engaging. I do favor the track Timeless as a decent up-tempo closing track, but again, there is not much to differentiate it from the formula of After Schools past works.

For this album most of the music production came from a foreign team. I dug around for information on producers Pitchline...

Several days have passed and were back with the show. In a world where fast and consistent content rules the land, and attention spans are shorter than ever,  I thank you for being a positive audience and your willingness to wait for me. Now, on this National Teachers Day, allow me to turn your attention back to where we left off, class. After Schools discography continues, right after the drop. 

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Hey yall, we have reached the debut studio album, Virgin, a whopping 13 track experience on both Pledis Entertainment and LOEN Entertainment labels. LOEN is now Kakao M and likely assumed co-publishing responsibilities for this album because of a long-standing positive reputation. While Pledis was relatively new on the scene with a year 2007 founding, LOEN was established in 1978. Interestingly enough, Pledis is almost like the new kid on the block again, as it was acquired by Big Hit Entertainment in May 2020. 

Back to the album. The studio album is less than an hour long but delivers a solid experience. Approaching this April 29, 2011 release date began in 2009, thus setting the scene for anticipation. The groups ninth member, E-Young, was introduced during this era and there were other big moments for After School, such as their leaders debut solo project and the first full-length album from subunit Orange Caramel. The group was riding a buzz wave and audiences wanted to hear what was next. 

Nine new tracks were released, including two as solos for members Raina and Jungah; and three songs were re-recordings. Their third single, Shampoo, was added as a radio edit, too. In terms of singles from the album, technically November 2009s Because of You is first and March 2010s Bang! is second. The songs were added to the studio album to create a solid thread, as if to say, Hey, we know what vibe we want to give you and weve been consistent about it for years. Okay, maybe not to say that specifically but it was clever planning on the production side. By grabbing older tracks and incorporating them into After Schools first studio album, it shows that the direction for their sound, the colors they were intended to create, was solid from the get-go. There wasnt any experimentation prior that would tarnish the potential of the album Virgin, is what Im saying.

Nonetheless, I didnt wholeheartedly enjoy it. The music production during this time in pop music was hollow. A lot of music sounded like Norway-founded, Los Angeles-based music production duo Stargate (if you need a point of reference, think Beyoncs Irreplaceable or much of Rihannas Good Girl Gone Bad studio album). They were sought after and produced simple songs that put guitars in the spotlight but not a bass. This production style caters to crafting for lyrics and not for musicality. As a music producer whos focused on instrumentals, I dont prioritize space for lyrics, but for the various instruments to do the talking. I acknowledge my bias in this review but I also admit boredom with hearing limitations in vocal arrangements as well for After School. They did not attempt anything too drastic. Suffice it to say, if it aint broke, dont fix it, is the standing motif for this group.

That aside, K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being essential listening and 1 not worth mentioning, the A3Day rating on this is a 5. The energy of the album is consistent and though there is a perceived tendency to end on a mellow track, the closing track brings the continuity full-circle. Some versions will have the...

0:00  DISCLAIMER

0:19  Whats up this episode?

0:47  Charity projects

1:41  Todays album

3:16  The A3Day rating

An Album a Day is my exploration into the Korean music scene. This podcast will cover mainstream, indie and some underground artists within the scene and provide both factual and opinionated commentary. The biggest benefit to sharing my thoughts this way is that it will hopefully expose you to more great music and exploration of your own.

We still have not reached a full album. How did After School endure this for so many comebacks? However they did it, Pledis Entertainment told the music department to put on a happy face and throw some holiday cheer into the mix because they were making an album unlike their previous ones. Jingle those bells and thank those fans, right after the drop. 

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Hey yall, its the season of giving and holiday cheer in this time in history. Today, were time traveling to December 2010 for Happy Pledis 1st Album. We recently talked about concepts and themes but this here is a project. Projects can exist within a concept and have a theme. Lets keep it this simple so that we can move forward. If youre interested in understanding more about concepts and themes, look up After School Bang!, Season 4 Episode 8. 

The album Happy Pledis is a charity single. Charity projects are usually associated with a philanthropic cause and in this case, a portion of the proceeds (which is just a simple word for saying monies earned from an activity or an event) went to the Save the Children organization. Pledis Entertainment, the label that After School was built upon, might not have meant charity in this typical way exclusively. This album was released during December and lists its genre as pop and Christmas, so there might have been attention towards the Biblical definition of charity. After all, Pledis did say that they wanted their artists to return the love they receive from their fans and to bolster compassion for the winter season. More specifically, the Wikipedia page for this album says, to look around themselves with a warmer heart in the winter season. Pledis Entertainment encouraged other artists on the label to create their own version of the Happy Pledis album and their warmed heart allowed After School member Bekah a break from promotions to spend time with her family.

After Schools project contributions were tracks Love Love Love, written by member Raina, and Someone is You, written by Kahi. Instrumentals of both songs, created by Anders Dannvik and Krististian Lagerstr, and Dainel Barkman and Jorgen Ringqvist respectively, close out the album at about 14 minutes. I sincerely apologize for any mispronunciations of the names of these composers, arrangers, and writers. While I know there are some nuances to Swedish and the International Phonetic Alphabet provides some assistance, regional dialects can impact pronunciation and I hate screwing up names. 

The songs are lighthearted and a solid 180 from the energy of Bang! This makes total sense, as secular Christmas music usually is. After School took an adopted Christmas music approach, actually, where the actual holiday isnt acknowledged but the tune can be easily placed into a Christmas playlist. Love Love Love is talking about the feelings of being with the person you love and the rush of that realization for the first time, and Someone is You isnt far off from that mark. The musicality and especially video themes need only a bit of snow and a cup of hot chocolate and bam! Some of us are thinking of Christmas.

K-pop fans on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5...

0:00  DISCLAIMER

0:19  Whats up this episode?

2:04  Concepts vs. Themes

2:52  After School deserves more flowers.

3:53  HBCUs, BGLOs, and a German?

5:53  Todays album

7:03  The A3Day rating

An Album a Day is my exploration into the Korean music scene. This podcast will cover mainstream, indie and some underground artists within the scene and provide both factual and opinionated commentary. The biggest benefit to sharing my thoughts this way is that it will hopefully expose you to more great music and exploration of your own.

Todays single album could have easily been combined with at least one other project. After all, it is included in After Schools debut album. However, Id like to take this opportunity to tell you why After School was a breath of fresh air for female idol groups, as well as point out a moment when inspiration and acquisition blurred in their history. Lets get into Bang!, the ladys third Korean single, after the drop. 

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Hey yall, this is the song that put After School in a performance tier that other girl groups werent reaching. Let me correct that: other idol groups, period. While Billboard might not have called After School top performers in K-pop until 2016, they set the path for such acknowledgements on March 25, 2010 with the release of Bang! If youre vaguely familiar with After School by way of music videos, this is the one with the marching band theme. I have to get a little linguistically nerdy to clarify something about themes and concepts. Finally, a more concrete use of my degrees!

Although the words theme and concept are sometimes considered to be the same thing, they are in fact not. Concepts are much more abstract and present restrictions. Themes, however, are much more specific and associated with a piece of work. To tie this into the world of K-pop, weve got an abundance of themes that weve mistaken for concepts. Concepts can appear under a theme, just as themes can fall under a concept. It gets a little confusing here, so Ill give a general example and then a more specific one, as it pertains to our current group.

A general K-pop concept is the boy or girl next door. Common themes for this concept are: 

• School-aged, right down to the uniforms-as-costume look
• Field day
• Anything groups B1A4, Boyfriend, Apink and Girlfriend were pigeonholed into, for substantial parts of their careers 

More specifically, After Schools concept of sexy and confident female idols, whereas the theme changes from album to album. Sexy and confident female idols who can emulate the energy of American film Drumline, is what Bang! had coursing through its veins. Well get into that influence and more but lets go back to top performer stuff.

After School needs more flowers than they received for this single album. They upped their performance quality and introduced yet another group member, Lizzy. Id like to see you try to learn about percussion instruments, marching ensembles, and then hop onto a stage and perform a solid battery routine in insubstantial attire and heels. Too much? Not for After School. More specifically, they did not gain this musical skill in full battery -- you wont witness any member of the group playing marching cymbals, a row of tenor drums slung across their frame, or be frightened that a bass drum strapped across their bodies didnt drag them to the floor -- but committed to five months of practice with snare drums and executed a solid performance. Were not talking about the song just yet, you do realize this?! Kahi was so amazed by the 2012 film Drumline that its said that she wanted to create a similar experience for her girl group. I am entertained by this, given the long and occasionally troubled relationship

Amatuer Intellectuals: https://amateurintellectuals.captivate.fm/ 

The Retro Video Store Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-retro-video-store#/ 

KEY NOTES

0:00  DISCLAIMER

0:19  Whats up this episode?

0:51  A little about A & B Sides

2:54  Episode sponsors

3:57  Todays album

4:57  The A3Day rating

An Album a Day is my exploration into the Korean music scene. This podcast will cover mainstream, indie and some underground artists within the scene and provide both factual and opinionated commentary. The biggest benefit to sharing my thoughts this way is that it will hopefully expose you to more great music and exploration of your own.

[Intro] Its #Kpop4ClimateCrisis day on social media! I encourage you to check out the hashtag on Twitter today and chime in with how youre helping to protect our planet and various communities, too. November 25, 2009, ten months after their debut, After School made their first Korean comeback and things were definitely different. Disc number two, right after the drop.

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Hey yall, at this point in their timeline, After School has three mini album little single thingy-thangs under their belt -- two for South Korean audiences -- and seven months prior to the release of Because of You, their Japanese debut album. In fact, single albums Diva and Because of You are A and B Sides. This simply means that one version of the recordings was intended for priority promotions, whereas the second set of recordings were substantial enough to stand on their own. Instead of one album, it simply works to create two separate colors. A and B Sides arent quite an album repackaging or re-issue either, as the two separate projects dont build upon the same musicality and themes. Nonetheless, since the two are closely related, we are looking at both now.

First up, Diva, which was colorful and playful in promotions and tone. The process of bringing in new members began as well, with the introduction of Uee. Member Soyoung would grace the stage with the group for the last time as well, as shed graduate to move into acting. If youre in the group of Dream High fans, she was a part of Dream High 2 in 2012. Youll hear me reference this drama again in the distant future when we make our way towards duo JJ Project. Diva was the entirety of the Korean promo, as more focus was put on debuting the ladies for the Japanese market with the other features on the album. Because of this, we wont rank one song but instead put it together with its counterpart. Lets have a quick message from our sponsors first.

Our second single album Because of You introduced two new members -- Raina and Nana -- and a more mature look, although still sexy. The women owned black and white attire for this albums promotion and noticed how I didnt say wore? They owned the look! The single album had the title track Because of You, When I Fall, Diva, and an instrumental of the title track, clocking in at just over 14 minutes all together. 

Vocal arrangements actually advanced with this album, especially on When I Fall. The song is undeniably pop and recalls some of the production arrangements of Ne-Yo, Rihanna, and Beyonce on the American pop front. Of the short track list, this was the standout song for me. Just as quickly as the first two songs set

Amatuer Intellectuals: https://amateurintellectuals.captivate.fm/ 

The Retro Video Store Podcast: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-retro-video-store#/ 

KEY POINTS

0:00  Disclaimer

0:19 What's up this episode?

1:05 #Kpop4ClimateCrisis

2:32 Brave Woman Kahi

5:54  Episode sponsors

6:56  The debut album

7:54  The A3Day ranking

An Album a Day is my exploration into the Korean music scene. This podcast will cover mainstream, indie and some underground artists within the scene and provide both factual and opinionated commentary. The biggest benefit to sharing my thoughts this way is that it will hopefully expose you to more great music and exploration of your own.

One random afternoon in 2012, a YouTube thumbnail of several women standing in black dresses and high heels popped up in my feed. I clicked the video and was blown away by seeing ladies stomp the floor with charisma and energy that seemed more confident than some of the other girl groups I knew of. Its still one of fondest memories from my first few months as a K-pop fan, when everything is shiny and engaging. The women who captivated me were After School, and this has been a long-awaited dive into their music catalog. Lets begin, right after the drop.

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Hey yall, Were in sketchy audio spaces again but the show must go on. I want to talk about global duty before music catalogs. 

Have you heard about Kpop4ClimateCrisis? The climate crisis is racing further towards us with every passing day. Every year, temperature records are being broken, the arctic is melting, the oceans are warming, natural disasters are more volatile and drought and famine is increasing.This problem affects us all and one K-pop fan of over eight years is working to bring the community together to help save our planet. On Friday, September 4, 2020, we hope to show support by trending #Kpop4ClimateCrisis and sharing our commitment to do something eco-friendly in celebration of a bias, favorite group or solo artist. Vowing to stop buying disposable water bottles, picking up litter, or even donating to climate change charities are some of the ways you can show your support. The Giving MACGoalas, the philanthropic side of my supportive audience, are doing our part for animal conservation efforts in Australia, as we recently adopted a koala named CW for a year. We hope youre inspired and motivated to share your efforts online and please look for my hashtag contributions on Friday. A big thank you to Poppy and the Kpop4Climate Twitter account for sharing this information.

This week weve opened the K-pop vault to dig through the crates of After School. This is a moment I was excited about for some time because I simply dont know enough about them. What I do know, however, is that they were a solid performing group, had enjoyable sub-units, and Nana, the lone member at this point, is my favorite. 

After School is a girl group under management with Pledis Entertainment in Korea (they had a solid following in Japan but again, this is focused on Korean discographies) and had a unique on-boarding system, if you will. Members had an admission process and after x-amount of time, would graduate from the group. I actually dig this -- you apply to get in (aka training), youre admitted (aka debut), you do your work and then you move on with your entertainment career or whatever else you aspired to

In this final review of their discography, more information is shared about their name and history and if they have the potential to move forward as a group in the new era of K-pop.

The A3Day ranking for their discography, conclusively, is a 4.

0:00  Disclaimer

0:19  Whats up this episode?

0:52  #A3Day Highlights Playlist updates

2:34  First album review + the A3Day Ranking

5:52 Second album review + the A3Day Ranking

An Album a Day is my exploration into the Korean music scene. This podcast will cover mainstream, indie and some underground artists within the scene and provide both factual and opinionated commentary. The biggest benefit to sharing my thoughts this way is that it will hopefully expose you to more great music and exploration of your own.

A brief hiatus occurred last week to accommodate evacuations and other safety measures for hurricane Laura. Thankfully, many were spared danger. Many more, however, were not so lucky. If you or someone you know was negatively impacted by the recent storms, my heart goes out to you. I hope that todays episode can put a smile on your face. Lets continue on with the discography of Korean boy band A.Cian, right after the drop.

Youre tuned into An Album a Day. Show start.

Hey yall. Per the teachers desk (aka our previous episode) its decided that the #A3Day Playlist will expand to Apple Music, Google Play, and YouTube on TheGreatMoments YouTube channel. This will be an effort that will take time to curate, therefore please continue to check out the shows playlist on Spotify. While Patreon patrons have their own -- and sadly neglected -- Spotify playlist, that will be revitalized to provide a more well-rounded listening experience. Please anticipate more updates about all playlists throughout this season and Season 5.

Now, I told you during the first episode for A.cian that they earned a 5 as their A3Day ranking, yes? I said that the album wasnt ranked so highly because its an essential part of your K-pop journey, but because it delivers on what it was made to do, and that is to get you moving at aerobic heart rate levels. How does the rest of the discography stack up? Since we skipped two days last week, well look at both today. Ill keep it brief, I promise. I intend to be more in depth during A.cians Final Thoughts episode.

First, is 2014s Ouch. Released on October 31 of that year, the mini album consisted of three tracks, title track Ouch, So Happy Together, and Up & Down. This time, we know whos featured on this album: Hyeokjin (??), Sanghyun (??), Jin.O (??), and Lo-J (???). This knowledge was acquired solely because of album cover images on YouTube. I'm grateful for this, because how could I continue not knowing?!

A.cian was on-brand with the aesthetics of 2014. Just a little over two months before their comeback, not-quite-meteoric BTS had released Dark & Wild. A.cians Ouch music video is within the same space as Danger, showing off the manly energy of the members dripped in HBA attire. Side note, I actually miss the Hood By Air fashion era that brought nothing spectacular to the K-pop scene. All the video concepts had the same attire, allowing the performance of choreography and lyrics to shine through. 

That aside, you come out of the baseline-free Ouch -- and may I add, this was a time in music when many songs across the globe were lacking a pulse, minimizing bass lines for puffed up synths and MIDI accents -- and drop right into the bubble gum of So Happy Together. Its joyous and fits whatever your happiness is in your mind. Maybe youll invision a road trip, maybe its time on a beach with friends. It could be just you thrashing around your home in undies or lounge wear while cleaning, I dont know. Either way, the song doesnt ask much of you but to smile and sing along.

The last track is a techno song called Up & Down and its such a jarring transition from the song before it. As the guys croon about a breakup, youve got a lightstick being tossed at you from the sides of the dance floor. Catch it. Catch it and dance. Be exhausted by it...

KEY POINTS

0:00 Disclaimer

0:19 Episode sponsor

0:50 What's up this episode?

1:38 Teacher's announcements

3:57 About today's artist

7:52 The A3Day Ranking

An Album a Day is my exploration into the Korean music scene. This podcast will cover mainstream, indie and some underground artists within the scene and provide both factual and opinionated commentary. The biggest benefit to sharing my thoughts this way is that it will hopefully expose you to more great music and exploration of your own.

One thing that K-pops going to do, is not let you know if a groups officially disbanded and leave you wondering if a comeback is in the works or if they're just going to be on permanent hiatus in some musical dungeon or whatever. Such is the case for todays boy band. Lets get acquainted with A.Cian, right after the drop.

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Hey yall, Ive got to admit it: I spent a lot of time giggling through this album. It oozes dance battle music and I couldnt get over the implied intensity. Youre going to dance, or else! Theres more to it than just the production choices, but before we dismantle their debut album and its re-release, I have to put on my teacher voice.

Hello class, here are our announcements.

During the Season 4 Special Episode recording, although the show notes were correct, the website spelling for our sponsor was incorrect. Please visit www.instagram.com/inbeadedcolour  

The Spotify #A3Day Playlist is pending updates due to a request from listeners to provide playlists for other streaming services. The option to do so is still in research and development, with a final decision made on our August 31, 2020 episode.

Its come to my attention that accessibility on www.a3daypodcast.com (did you know thats a thing now? You can just go there!) was difficult to access during several hours on August 25, 2020. We were made aware that some major updates were taking place on one of the platforms that A3Day will be available on very soon, but it disrupted several podcast sites. It should be fixed now, however if there are still issues, you can always search for the podcast on Google to pull up multiple listening options.

Finally, we have recommended text for the semester. Please listen to this final announcement.

Alright, A.cian, pronounced asian is a boy band whos had a lot of roster changes since their 2012 debut. Im not confident about who was in the debut video, honestly, and thats unfortunate. But if youre ready to see five men doing some of the hardest softest dancing, then its worth your time to check out the official video for Stuck. Its on the Iss Entertainment YouTube channel -- their labels original name -- and youll be amused, I promise. 

Iss Entertainment, which could easily be mistaken for simply I-S-S, has a name both then and now that puts it founding in spiritual perspective. Iss is short for Isaiah, and the companys current name, Wings Entertainment, was inspired by Isaiah 40:31 from the Christian Bible. In short, Wings Entertainment wants to create media that will inspire others and give them the strength of an eagles wings to soar to great heights. This motivation to deliver the love and grace of the Lord to the whole world, (as the official website states in Korean) seems genuine and true to the type of lyrical choices made for A.Cians debut album, Stuck.

Stuck was first released on

• "Ambience, Large Crowd, A.wav" by InspectorJ (www.jshaw.co.uk) of Freesound.org
• The Rainy Stroll by MsBlink

Todays episode is sponsored by In Beaded Colour. Accessories for every reason, every occasion, & every season. Carry power and elegance in vivid colour with jewelry. Visit the jeweler on www.instagram.com/inbeadedcolour/. 

An Album a Day is my exploration into the Korean music scene. This podcast will cover mainstream, indie, and some underground artists within the scene, and provide both factual and opinionated material. The biggest benefit to sharing my thoughts this way is that it will hopefully expose you to more great music and exploration of your art.

The first special episode of Season 4 could not have been better scheduled. We are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Queen of K-pop, Kwon BoA, one of the scenes most successful and influential entertainers. There are many others who are called queens -- they bring energy, dynamism, and have broken the mold in their own ways -- but come on now they know the deal. Lets get into it after the drop.

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Hey yall, oh youre here! Im so glad that youre here in the audience to witness royal honors! Seriously, this is a big deal. The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted how were observing this momentous occasion, but observance is taking place nonetheless. Whats that? You dont know about Her Royal Highness? Lets move over somewhere a little less nosy and Ill give you a quick rundown.

K-pop isnt a new Thing (with a capital T), if A3Day has taught you anything, its certainly that. Its not new, but there are new developments each year. Some Korean artists endure, but some drop off. Some maintain a style, and others try a little of everything. Not many have the range to continue to be in demand for twenty years. Even less have the history to say that theyve done so without taking time away from the industry. Even the incomparable Lee Hyori, fairy godmother to countless female idols and the Nations Fairy (their words, not mine), put a full stop to entertaining at one point. But not this woman, no. Her hiatuses only meant that she was promoting in one country and not another. Its an unmatched work ethic that other 20-years-and-up Korean pop acts simply havent accomplished.

This isnt to diminish them. This is to stress how much the Queen deserves her crown.

On August 25, 2000, BoA made her official debut. After two years of intense training at SM Entertainment, the then 13-year-old dominated her debut music video with relentless energy. You heard me correctly, she was 13, which means she was training at eleven. The powers that be were in her favor from the moment she stepped into an audition space with her older brother for SM, that she had a contract offer the same night. From that moment on, shes been The Force to reckon with. From preparing for her Korean debut and then promptly piggybacking that over to Japan, to working in China and the United States, shes had her life in the spotlight and hasnt backed down. 

Transitioning from the cute and youthful image of her debut year to an emerging young adult created a decline in sales. Instead of giving up, she reinvented herself and made her moves towards success anyway. She gave up traditional schooling, but dont feel sorry for her -- she was smart enough to know the benefits of becoming a stakeholder at her label at an impressive price point. When things didnt gain the traction it could have with her American efforts, she simply returned home with new experience and represented her label as a panelist for others hoping to become stars. Shes relentless, hands-on, and proven.

BoA has 18 studio albums, 2 live albums, 2 EPs, 6 compilation...

KEY POINTS

0:00  Disclaimer

0:19  Whats up this episode?

3:14  Im on IMDb!

4:22  Episode sponsor

5:11  About todays artist

20:00  The A3Day Ranking

It is a new season so that means one thing and one thing certainly: Ashley is about 45% prepared, as usual! The show has a lot of new features this time around and will begin to share more detailed show notes. So buckle up and hold on tight as she takes you through a single EP for disbanded boy band AA.