omonatheydid | EDITORIAL: Fanboy & Fangirl's Rookie Roundup 2011: Halftime Report

Note: Fanboy and Fangirl is a new editorial on Koreaboo. Two K-Pop lovers will come together to share their thoughts on various topics of Korean culture, from music, to drama, to movies to food.

EDITORIALS on Koreaboo.com reflect the opinion of individual Koreaboo writers and not of Koreaboo.com as a whole.

Fangirl (MrCKDexter): The first half of 2011 saw so many new K-pop debuts that one could truly wonder where the entertainment companies found them all.

This season's crop yielded a wide variety of ambitious concepts, styles, and talents to varying levels of success. We've had everything from cutting-edge hip hop to classic pop, from raunchy leather costumes to chaste white dresses, from cringe-inducing screeches to soaring vocals. It's a dog eat dog world out there in K-pop these days, and these rookies mean to survive.

Fanboy (DareDB): We are now halfway through 2011, and we have seen some very talented groups and others... less so. Let us take a look at this year's rookies so far and see if they have what it takes to compete with the veteran artists in the coming months and years. Are you ready for this, Fangirl?

Fangirl: You bet, Fanboy! Let's get to the good stuff. Here we have reviewed the rookies in order of debut date:

Dal★Shabet
Girl Group - Happy Face Entertainment
Debut Song: "Supa Dupa Diva"

Fangirl: Is it a gender thing? Dal Shabet's extreme "cute" concept gives me the heebie jeebies. But however much they seem to creep me out, Dal Shabet has gained a good following of fans. And even I have to admit, Dal Shabet does what they do, well.

Fanboy: Personally, I don't fall for the whole cute concept with Dal Shabet. What bothers me most is that with their cute image, I don't feel like they can demonstrate their musical talent. Even through their debut track "Supa Dupa Diva" and their follow-up, "Pink Rocket," their talent was not showcased. Granted, I can see how they can appeal to many other people, so I'll just let the other fanboys continue to gawk freely in the comfort of their own rooms.

Piggy Dolls
Girl Group - Winning Insight/Loen Entertainment
Debut Song: "Trend"

Fangirl: Let's get this out first: Piggy Dolls have better vocals than everyone else on this list, and most anyone else in the K-pop market. They have verve and talent, and I like the concept. But... Have you seen the MV? Fat girls bonding in an abandoned house while they chow down on pizza? And the PIGGY Dolls? Seriously? I would like to personally kick the creative team who came up with this appalling image.

Fanboy: What I found completely refreshing about these girls is that they defy the stereotypical look of an idol. They definitely demonstrate their outstanding vocal skills in their debut song. Piggy Dolls seem to have disappeared, but I hope they end up doing well. After all, it's nice to see successful females who are "curvier" and are not restricted to a lemon, a diet coke, and a cigarette for dinner.

CHI-CHI
Girl Group - Yedang Entertainment
Debut Song: "장난치지마 (Don't Play Around)"

Fangirl: Chi Chi's main claim to fame seems to be their embarrassingly bad MR removed debut performance. Which is too bad, because if it weren't for their apparent lack of singing talent, I think I might like these girls. Well, we all know talent isn't everything in K-pop; I haven't closed the book on them yet.

Fanboy: When I first saw these girls, I thought, "Oh, this is catchy!" I was impressed with them until the dreaded MR removed video surfaced and changed everyone's opinion about them. At times in the video, I cringed, and at other moments, I laughed out loud. So unfortunately, these girls got off to a bad start and will need to redeem themselves if they hope to stick around.

Rania
Girl Group - DR Music
Debut Song: "Dr. Feel Good"

Fangirl: The most outrageously sexy debut that K-pop has ever seen. Rania seems to polarize anyone who looks at them; they either see powerful, sexy women, or sluts. It definitely got the attention of K-pop listeners. Now, let's see what Rania does with it.

Fanboy: Wow. Is it safe to say that Korean female standards are becoming more lenient? Fangirl is right, "Dr. Feel Good" was easily the sexiest female K-Pop MV I've ever seen. I hope they stick around, because I want to go get a check-up from them.

Brave Girls
Girl Group - Brave Entertainment
Debut Song: "Do You Know"

Fangirl: I also found myself comparing Brave Girls to Rania in terms of sexiness. But unlike Rania, Brave Girls manage to keep their act classy - more sultry, less stripper. But I think their selection of a slow track as their debut song was a misfire. Since Brave Girls were promoted as sassy, hip ladies, they hoped to "surprise" K-pop listeners and gain fans by debuting with a slow track. Maybe they should have come out guns blazing with "So Sexy"?

Fanboy: In contrast to Rania, Brave Girls tap into a different kind of "sexy". What was also different about them was that their debut song was unlike anything I expected from a rookie K-Pop group, and honestly, I didn't care for the song. I thought it was sort of forgettable. I won't necessarily stop listening to them. Maybe they can still come back and impress me later on down the road.

Block-B
Boy Group - Brand New Stardom
Debut Song: "그대로 멈춰라! (Freeze)"

Fangirl: Block B is among the most promising rookies this year, boasting talent from every corner and a trendy hip hop concept. They've run into some controversy with Big Bang fans and hip hop purists, but I hope that doesn't stop them from going on to bigger and better things. Zico is one of the best K-pop rappers out there.

Fanboy: I've personally seen these guys perform live and fortunately, I see promise in them. I thought "Freeze" was a decent debut song. I'm nervous though because it seems that they might be selling-out with their upcoming singles as they are moving away from their edgier hip hop sound. I don't necessarily expect them to be one of the biggest acts, but they can most definitely capture a nice loyal niche of fans. As a side note, when I saw Zico in person, I actually thought he looked sort of like G-Dragon. Let's see how he and the rest of Block B will prove themselves with their upcoming tracks.

A PINK
Girl Group - A Cube Entertainment
Debut Song: "몰라요 (I Don't Know"

Fanboy: I personally never liked cutesy songs or girl groups who rely on that appeal. However, from a marketing standpoint, it's definitely a good idea for A PINK to take advantage of an image that is easily popular amongst fans who go for that style. Initially, I hated "I Don't Know," but it somehow grew on me, and I became impressed with their vocal ability - more particularly, at the lead vocalist's quadruple note in the song. It's almost like, "Hey IU, I can do it too!" I've also seen these girls live, and they're no joke. They definitely pack vocal talent.

Fangirl: I think of them of as the anti-4Minute: all the looks and talent of their Cube Entertainment unnies, none of the attitude and style. They're as sweet and lovely as a spring breeze and frankly it bores me to tears. When they take more advantage of their singing and dancing skills, then I'll tune in.

B1A4
Boy Group - WM Entertainment
Debut Song: "OK"

Fangirl: B1A4 blazes with feel-good vibes. Their solid vocals and energy-infused performances really make these guys stand out. I love their easy pop sound, their bright expressions, and their infectious melodies. And if a group can get me to like their ballad songs, they're doing something right.

Fanboy: What a happy-go-lucky and cheery boy band we have here. I thought "OK" was amazingly catchy. Seeing them live is another sight to see as they most definitely put life into their performances that almost makes you want to smile. My complaint is that it seems that the lead vocalist, Sandeul, practically carries the song. If it was not for him, I do not think it could be as much of a hit. I have high hopes for them, and I hope that their future singles showcase the other members more.

X-5
Boy Group - Open World Entertainment
Debut Song: "쇼하지마 (Don't Put On an Act)"

Fangirl: Jailbait wrapped in leather and sprinkled with acrobatic hip thrusts. Contrary to their intentions, I found X-5's debut MV awkwardly hilarious as the boy salivates (literally) over his sexy cougar sugar mama. That being said, I think they're actually quite talented and charismatic boys.

Fanboy: X-5 debuted with a song that has a sound that I always found appealing in K-Pop. Currently, it seems that many of the boys are going for a cute or mellow sound in their music, and luckily for X-5, they brought a unique sound in these current charts of music. The debut MV, however, fails as a MV to introduce a new group. I love the MV, but if the world is supposed to learn of a new boy band, the MV does not lend itself to that. The choreography is interesting until the boys forcefully showcase their random "thrusting." Really boys? Was that necessary?

A-Peace
Boy Group - Golden Goose Entertainment
Debut Song: "Lover Boy"

Fangirl: A 21 member boy band? Heck, why not? It's not my cup of tea, but if someone is willing to pay to hear the voices of oodles of young, suited Korean men processed beyond recognition, well more power to them.

Fanboy: When I first got into K-Pop, I thought a 13-membered Super Junior was ridiculous because I've never seen a group that large before. Now we have a 21 member boy band? Is this supposed to be a contest? "Alright SM, we see your Super Junior, and we raise you A-Peace." How do they expect to have any stars in the group when any sort of opportunity to showcase talent is drowned out by 20 other members? I seriously felt like I was watching a flashmob perform in their debut MV. Excuse me while I go roll my eyes.

Boy Friend
Boy Group - Starship Entertainment
Debut Song: "Boyfriend"

Fangirl: Made of up five members, two of whom are identical twins (one is blonde for easy identification), Boy Friend has a sweet and childish image that shouts "Noonas, come and get us!" They also pack a pretty good dancing punch. But while their fanbase seems to be growing exponentially, I find that their charm escapes me.

Fanboy: This seems to be one of the most popular debuts. I also saw them live and witnessed that their fanbase is huge compared to the other rookies. They haven't even been out that long, so I'm still trying to figure out what is so appealing about them. I assume it's because girls think they're cutest things ever. Honestly, I still think more highly of some of the other rookies, but I give them a congratulations for doing so well in such a short period of time. I'm going to wait and see what else they have in store with their upcoming singles. With a song like "Boyfriend," as a guy, I felt very weird to even remotely like that song. Not to mention they look like they're 15, so their style and music is way too young for me. Am I the only one who feels like I shouldn't be watching them?

Which of these rookies have been standouts to you this year?

Source: koreaboo