ELEVATOR 2021

BE - BTSOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation If I had to choose one word to describe this album the best, it would be 'comfort.' It's maybe not BTS that the general public knows, but it's the BTS that fans know best and it was made having them in mind. It wasn't planned and it wouldn't be done if not for the pandemic. After the MOTS World Tour was canceled because "one day, the world stopped without any warning," they've decided to do what they do best–make music. The album almost only in Korean wrote, produced, and self-directed by the members. No collabs, no remixes, no excessive promotion, and only one deluxe edition. Yet it topped the most prestigious worldwide charts and BTS became the first group to rule Artist 100, Hot 100 & Billboard 200 charts at the same time. Through lyrics they talk about mental health, dealing with uncertainty, anxieties and all the feeling that are accompanying everyone in the current situation, but instead on hardships they've focused on hope and the future, because after all, "Life Goes On." As usual, they didn't focus on the one genre of music (because the genre is BTS), so you'll find here amazing ballad ("Blue & Grey"), but also EDM ("Stay"), and old school hip-hop ("병 (Dis-ease)"). - siannveIN生 - Stray KidsOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation A repackage of their first album, the seventeen-track project contains songs of a variety of genres that showcase Stray Kids' versatility in music-making. As per the title tracks, “神메뉴 (God's Menu)” and “Back Door,” Stray Kids have made it clear that they make music for themselves, and listeners can stick around if they like it too. The tracklist takes you on a rollercoaster - from hard-hitting tracks like “Easy” and “타 (TA)” to more emotional tracks such as “미친 놈 (Ex)” and “일상 (Another Day).” The members' voices are used nicely together to form masterpiece tracks of many different concepts. Furthermore, the album includes three unit songs that gave members more opportunities to show off their capabilities. All in all, this era in Stray Kids' career nicely demonstrates their growth as a group and willingness to experiment with their music. - PlanNine16Love Synonym #1: Right For Me - WONHOOriginal Album | Romanization After the crazy year-end Wonho had in 2019, many fans including me had lost hope. In the K-Pop industry, idols have a very hard time recovering from scandals even if the accusations are proven wrong. However, Wonho defied all odds and rose above expectations with Love Synonym. Leading the album with one of my favorite songs of 2020, "Losing You", Love Synonym showed how spectacular Wonho can be even by himself. After the first listen through of this album, I found myself welling up with tears. Many K-Pop fans know Lee Hoseok for his visuals and rightfully so but with Love Synonym, Hoseok shares with fans his artistry and beautiful songwriting skills. Many people forget that he has several songwriting credits in MONSTA X's discography. On tracks like, "With You" and "I just" you can witness those skills shine brightly. The lead track, "Open Mind" is extremely catchy and performative evident in the music video and live stages. Since the album is numbered one, I am really anticipating a part two in the near future for he still has a lot to share with the world. - ssaa10decWalpurgis Night - GFRIENDOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation After GFRIEND came back with 回:Song of the Sirens, I was like "Ah, nothing could have topped that for 2020". Welp, I was wrong. 回:Walpurgis Night truly shined as the members took part in the making of the album. This being their third full album, they truly topped off every past release! The promotion for the album was well done and members got a chance to talk about the meaning and getting inspiration from the holiday by the same name. MAGO, became the group's 5th most viewed song. It showcased great choreography along with the powerful message of being able to embrace themselves so they can live with no worries as whatever they can be. “Secret Diary,” “Better Me,” and “Night Drive are all subunit songs with the lineup of Yerin & SinB, Sowon & Umji, and finally Eunha & Yuju. Each of the subunit songs is a first for the group as it is the first time they record in such a format. With continuing the promotions of 回:Walpurgis Night, GFRIEND were also invited to GRAMMY Museum Mini Masterclass and became the first K-Pop girl group to be invited to such an event. It was amazing to see that 回:Walpurgis Night received positive recognition from fans and critics worldwide - HobsssiSuper One - SuperMOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation After reaching the No. 1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart with their debut self-titled EP, SuperM inevitably set high standards for their first full studio album. With a team consisting of outstanding producers and songwriters such as Kenzie, Adrian McKinnon, Moonshine, and even SuperM members Taeyong and Mark, the group embarked on a journey to the top. Although the pressure to deliver a good album was certainly there, SuperM still managed to come out with a piece of work that is both enjoyable and worth listening to. Including '100' a song with an exciting futuristic concept, the heart-warming and comforting track 'Better Days' (that was performed at the World Health Organization's Big Event For Mental Health), and sexy R&B pieces like 'Drip', 'Step Up', and 'So Long', SuperM proved once again that they are taking a step in the right direction. - markleesDystopia: The Tree Of Language - DreamcatcherOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation If you know anything about me, you know that I love rock, metalcore, old school pop, and rap mixed with other genres. To get into Korean music and find a girl group that mixes all these elements was just what I needed this year. I first found DREAMCATCHER's lead single "Scream" and I absolutely loved it. Then I came across "In The Frozen" as well and had the same reaction, so I decided to check out the whole album. There are catchy songs like "Tension" and "Full Moon" that remind me of anime openings, and I mean that as a compliment. I love rocky anime openings like, for example, "Hacking to the Gate" and "Kizuato." Then we have my favorite songs off the record "Red Sun" with mysterious vocals, "Black Or White" with a badass bass and guitar, and "Jazz Bar" with a nostalgic feel of the forgotten genre. The following track, "SAHARA," makes me wanna head-bang like the girls do in their self-made music video, haha. And finally, the underrated "Daybreak." It has similar vibes to "Jazz Bar," but it's a completely different song. I'm just gonna say, the second half of the bridge is just amazing. This combination of songs is what makes Dystopia: The Tree Of Language my favorite Korean album of the year. - EleventhCassetteLived - ONEUSOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation I think ONEUS is the next VIXX. From the very beginning, ONEUS caught my attention, and they have continued to deliver with every release. They have perfected their sound and concept ever since their debut with "발키리 (Valkyrie)". The medieval-fantasy fairytale-like concept and sound fit them perfectly. They were able to showcase that during their time on Mnet's Road To Kingdom. With Lived, ONEUS explored different styles not just lyrically and sonically but also visually. The music video and choreography for "To Be Or Not To Be" was one of my favorites of 2020. The duality concept of Lived is evident in the title track and "Dead Or Alive" which uses clever wordplay and showcases contrasting production within the song. The best part about the album is that it doesn't dwell in the darkness. ONEUS manages to find the light on tracks like, "Airplane" and "혼란하다 혼란해 (Dizzy)". - ssaa10decD-2 - Agust DOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation One of the best rap/hip-hop albums released this year, not only in Korean but generally. Through this album AGUST D openly expresses himself, focusing more on the present, showing his rawer and more mature side. He perfectly blends traditional Korean music with trap beats and—of course—spitfire rapping. This album is like its leading track, "대취타 (Daechwita)," powerful and current, but very Korean at the same time. Lyrics are the strong side of this album and AGUST D is definitely not afraid to tackle the tough issues, those very personal, and those difficult in terms of politics or social issues. The power of this album is also evidenced by the fact that despite it was released as a free mixtape, it achieved astonishing commercial results, including debut at no. 1 on the Billboard Rap chart and topping iTunes chart in over 100 countries. Top three 'must listen' b-sides: "사람 (People)," "이상하지 않은가 (Strange)," and "어떻게 생각해? (What do you think?)." - siannveMonster - Red Velvet Irene & SeulgiOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation This album delivered everything that could be expected for this sub-unit: charismatic performances and alluring mid-tempos, with a bit of quirkiness and a lot of edge. The two title tracks "Monster" and "Naughty" offer interesting and slightly unusual productions, allowing the duo to shine on creative choreographies; followed by two minimalistic R&B jams showcasing their sultry vocals on a groovy vibe. The EP ends up on a more upbeat note with "Jelly", reminiscent of Red Velvet's best B-sides; and a delicate ballad sung by Seulgi. Both members' complicity is striking and their voices blend really well together! It is especially interesting to hear Irene more, and not only as a rapper. - ab212KAI (开) - KaiOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation Filled with symbolism in its concept including the title, Kai's debut album was everything I imagined it to be. Supported by a beautiful Art Film was the perfect prelude to his debut. Of all EXO member solo debuts, Kai's made perfect sense to have an art film attached to the album. In 7 mins, Kai showed us why he is a fashion icon, a dance machine, and in his own unique way a talented actor. The lead single, "음 (Mmmh)" is a beautiful smooth R&B track produced by Alawn, which is not only performance-driven but also showcased Kai's beautiful (underrated) vocals. The music video really drives home the message he wanted to convey from the Art Film. As I watched the music video, I had instant flashbacks to Kai's pre-debut EXO trailer from 9 years ago. The album flowed seamlessly just like Kai's dancing. "Reason" and "Nothing On Me" were highlights from the album for me. The long wait for his debut was definitely worth it. I just hope we don't have another terribly long wait for its follow-up. - ssaa10decNeo Zone - NCT 127Original Album | Romanization | English Translation An album with a concept deeply influenced by the 90’s Hip-Hop and R&B is hard to pull off, yet NCT 127 pulled off the concept immaculately with their second full album Neo Zone. Overall it is an album filled with lightheartedness, varying genres, and a powerful atmosphere, that contains well-produced tracks and meaningful lyrics. This is NCT 127 at its best, showing their essence and brilliant cohesive teamwork as well as their ability to challenge themselves to go beyond their own expectations. With B-side tracks as great as 'Boom', 'Elevator (127F)', and '백야 (White Night)' and a title track as impactful as 'Kick It', Neo Zone guarantees the group’s big entrance to the list of the K-Pop acts that will be dominating the new generation. - markleesDr. Romantic 2 OST - Various ArtistsOriginal Album Soundtrack albums often go under the radar when discussing best albums. Dr. Romantic 2 was a really good drama but its OST was even better. Curated by YAMYAM Entertainment, the same company behind the soundtracks of Hotel del Luna and Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo (two other amazing OSTs) and produced by Song Dong Woon who also produced several tracks on the soundtrack for 2017's hit drama, Goblin. This OST brought back the pair-up of Chanyeol and Punch on the track, "Go Away Go Away", vocal queens, MAMAMOO also lent their voices on the track, "I Miss You" where we also got to hear Moonbyul's amazing singing voice. We also had Baekhyun's beautiful, "너를 사랑하고 있어 (My Love)" one of my favorite Baekhyun songs this year. Before Chung Ha released her iconic songs of 2020, she released a mesmerizing piano ballad, "나의 그대 (My Love)" as part of this soundtrack. Some soundtrack regulars, Yang Da Il, Gummy, Monday Kiz, and Heize were also featured. Soundtracks deserve more love. - ssaa10decTHE ALBUM - BLACKPINKOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation As a BLINK, my expectation for this long-awaited debut studio album might be unrealistically high. But whether listening to THE ALBUM as a BLINK or just as a K-pop fan, I can say that some of my favorite K-pop songs of 2020 are on this project and I think THE ALBUM successfully showcased the four-member act’s charismatic vocals and animated rapping and expressed a wide range of colorful emotions. This project has some really cool crossovers with the likes of Selena Gomez and Cardi B. Selena blends into “Ice Cream” really nicely and it would’ve totally worked out if she was the fifth member of BLACKPINK in a parallel universe. “Bet You Wanna” is a great song, but imagine Cardi rapping alongside Lisa on “Crazy Over You” with bars like “Never the regular degular / Would clean my mess up / But I'd rather mess it up,” or on “Pretty Savage,” which even contains Rosé’s rhyme around “b-tch”: “빛이 (bichi).” And I absolutely love the South-Asian-influenced instrumentation and production on these two songs. Also, the line distribution on THE ALBUM is more diverse than expected. Simply naming BLACKPINK’s debut album THE ALBUM might seem like YG is running out of ideas, but when they also consistently name their global live stream concert The Show, name JENNIE’s solo debut “SOLO,” this simplicity can be just as effective as Adele’s age-themed albums. - peakerEyes Wide Open - TWICEOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation Long associated with cute and joyful concepts, TWICE started shifting to a more mature image in 2019 with the releases of 'Fancy' and 'Feel Special'. This second album pushes things further and sees the group exploring new musical genres, new messages, and even new ways of using their voices – without ever compromising on the catchy choruses that made their success. It establishes TWICE's new sound and showcases its members' growth as confident women, fully aware of both their vulnerabilities and strengths. Knowing that half of the group participated in the lyrics only makes the album more enjoyable! - ab212PEOPLE - CODE KUNSTOriginal Album CODE KUNST's 4th album is fresh air in the South Korean rap/hip-hop music scene. Mixing various sounds with a pinch of melancholy and joined by long acclaimed artists such as Jay Park, Lee Hi, GIRIBOY, pH-1, Kid Milli and many more, CODE KUNST created a 16 tracks album that gives me goosebumps every time I listen to it. Songs such "Dirt in my HEAD" featuring Car, the garden, "O" featuring Lee Hi and "Set me Free" featuring Loopy and Jvcki Wai can set you in the right mood. As a long-time fan of electronic music, the music production of each song is just on point, different from the others, and the voices blend with it. Hope that this music project will gain more and more popularity hereafter and a bright future for CODE KUNST. - theArteekSelf-Portrait - SUHOOriginal Album | Romanization | English Translation Knowing the versatility of Suho, his debut could have gone either way. After watching his performance of "지나갈 테니 (Been Through)" at the EXplOration world tour, I was expecting Suho's debut to be a dance-pop influenced anthem with EDM beat drops. But I was pleasantly surprised that Suho opted for a toned-down rock ballad sound. I loved how the concept of Self-Portrait is so sincere. As the leader of the group, Suho has had to balance many things in his career and personal life (I assume). Through its lyrics which were mostly co-written by Suho himself, you can see Suho finally doing a lot of self-reflection about his career as an idol and as a member of an extremely successful group. While I love the title track, "사랑, 하자 (Let’s Love)", it is not actually my favorite track from the album. "O2" takes the title for that. The song makes you feel like you are falling into an abyss. It is dreamy, slow-tempo, and Suho’s vocals on the track are tender but also strong. The instrumentation for this track is really outstanding because you can feel the density of a deep blue sea which is incorporated into the lyrics as well. The album also features singer Younha on the track, "너의 차례 (For You Now)", a duet that sounded like a proper duet as they both bounced off each other throughout the song. It was sad that the album was released right before his enlistment but I hope we get to hear more from Suho when he returns. - ssaa10dec