1st Gen Female Soloists - The Rate - Who paved the way?

Ana Raquel

Ana Raquel

she/her
I switched the tie order a bit just because it seemed more fitting...













































































#40
(TIE)
LH-Get-Ya.png



Score: 7,727

Paved the way: 10 x 1 (@Slice of Life)
Brought to naught: 5,5 x 1 (@Ezz)
Me: 9,5

Peak: #10
Nadir: #49



First of all: Free Britney!

Second, what a classic! I dare say it's one of the most remarkable songs from the entire 1st gen... for the absolutely wrong reasons. ddddd

So Get Ya was the lead single off her second album, Dark Angel, which is possibly her most controversial era? I don't know for sure because the H-Logic is a tough contender.

(Fun fact: when I started to write this, chrome decided to make all the other tabs not work so I'll have to write it with all I remember wooooooohooooooo it's Lee Hyori boycotting myself I am so honored).

Anyway, people immediately noticed similarities to Britney's Do Something - from the similar melody at the beginning to the hook with the exact same timing (and structure) on both songs. Britney's songwriters noticed, and of course, there was a scandal and she basically ended promotions on the single right away (and then the other singles were basically a kylie rip-off and a cover ddddd what an era).

Hyori commented about that years ago and how she was depressed and hurt after the scandal. It's somewhere on soompi... and then she ended up in another plagiarism scandal a few years later. What. An. Icon.

My opinion? I'm a Britney fan and Do Somethin' is a personal favorite of mine, so of course I love Get Ya`. I just didn't score it a 10 because Britney's version is better and I'm a strict loyal woman!!!!!!!!!! Also, I never got the "`" on the song? Why "Get Ya`" over "Get Ya"? Mysteries of Korea.
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★★★



@Kneehigh Girl (9): I don’t care if this is an obvious clone of a Britney-song that got Hyori in trouble. I love this!

@berserkboi (6,5): Great tune but veers a little on the annoying with that vocal hook!



★★★



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Ana Raquel

Ana Raquel

she/her
There is a holiday tomorrow so I believe I can finish this tie tomorrow!










































































Let's do the second part now, shall we?

#40
(TIE)
UJH-Go-Away-Everyone.png



Score: 7,727

Paved the way: 10 x 1 (@Slice of Life)
Brought to naught: 5 x 1 (@Empty Shoebox)
Me: 8

Peak: #35
Nadir: #55



Back to Uhm Jung Hwa, this is a song with several names - I already found "Go Away, Everyone", "All Go Away", and just "Go Away". It's "Dagara" in Korean to whoever is wondering.

To sum up:
image.png


No! What a bop, though! She truly empowered tm the ladies when nobody even tried! She represents the woman who just wants to be free after a heartbreak!! Relatable. There is also a remix released in 2006 by tvN, along with a remix of "Invitation". I tried to look for it on youtube, but I ended up stumbling upon a song by RalRal (I don't know who she is, but apparently an influencer and someone completely unrelated to Uhm Jung Hwa)... and there was someone in blackface on the video.
RZCFrhD.gif


So... yeah, a few minutes of losses. While the song is a bop, I find it a tad unmemorable. It's better than the average song, but she has better plus more memorable singles. 40th seems fair.
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★★★

@Kneehigh Girl (8): I must’ve listened to this a million times way back when I just started listening to K-pop. Had totally forgotten about it, unfortunately. Oh, the nostalgia!!!


@berserkboi (8): Fun bop!


★★★



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Ana Raquel

Ana Raquel

she/her
As promised!










































































#40
(TIE)
LH-Anymotion.png



Score: 7,727

Paved the way: 10 x 2 (me, @FunkyButChic)
Brought to naught: 5 x 1 (@Ezz)
Me: above

Peak: #02
Nadir: #53



Well.

The second of Hyori's Any-songs has been eliminated - which means "Anystar" is the winner of the Any-match. Congrats!

This was also the first any-song to be released as part of Samsung's Anycall ads. Along with the 7-min long video, there was also a photoshoot, and tbh, I kinda love this photo.
949fdb8539cd9e2367f7bb2475d9c914.jpg


Queen who gave a career to both Samsung and Adidas!

The song also features Shinhwa's Eric Mun. The video is pretty much a reduced version of any dance movie dd I like it though, I'm a sucker for dance movies in general.

Anyway, that's my favorite any-song by far, and I dare say my favorite Hyori song on the rate as well. I wouldn't be surprised if it's my all-time Hyori favorite, but I would have to listen to her entire discography in order to make such a claim. It's kinda funny to see it tied with "Get Ya`" because I also think Anymotion would suit Britney quite well? Maybe that's why it's my favorite in the end. And fun fact: the cover art for this single is actually a print from the MV. I see that inspired Britney as well!11!!1!1one!!1
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★★★


@FunkyButChic (10): I believe this started K-pop’s history of producing amazing songs for cellphone tie-ins…

@Kneehigh Girl (9): This song is the reason I got into Hyori. That is all there is to say. Not my favorite out of the Any-songs, but this is a great start!

@berserkboi (9): What a great bop!



★★★


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Ana Raquel

Ana Raquel

she/her
On this week's news my computer AND uni clowned me can someone give me patience and a SSD







































































No ties this time, by the way.

#39

Extra-Jeon-Hye-Bin.png



Score: 7,745

Paved the way: 9,5 x 1 (@RUNAWAY)
Brought to naught: 6 x 1 (@FunkyButChic)
Me: 8,5

Peak: #18
Nadir: #42 (2x)



Another extra leaves, and this time it's Jeon Hye Bin, also known as Bin. She was part of the short-lived girlgroup LUV and had a short focus on her singing career after the disbandment. She has been focusing on her acting career. I have zero knowledge of Korea's acting scene so I don't know how famous she is there, but she seems to be somewhat well-known at least. Recently, she was cast as a main character in the tv series "Revolutionary Sisters".

Speaking of acting, fun fact: all the girls on LUV ended up becoming actresses. One of them is the popular actress Oh Yeon Seo ("Jang Bo-ri is Here!", "A Korean Odyssey", "Cheese In The Trap). So enjoy some nostalgia, I guess!!!


As for the song, it's a bop and I believe it's leaving in a fair position. However, I always have that feeling of deja vu because I think "Hey... I've heard this before... but where?". I even searched on whosampled (in case it was a cover and I didn't know), but nothing was found. If you have any ideas of which song could remind me of this one, let me know, please!
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★★★



@berserkboi (9): Very early 00s bop!


@Kneehigh Girl (7): Another song I had completely forgotten about. I was always more of a 2 a.m-fan, but thankfully I now remember this song exists, so I can start bopping to it again!




★★★


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Ana Raquel

Ana Raquel

she/her
Guess who finished voluntary work at nearly midnight? Just me?






































































Let's start this tie week.

#37
(TIE)
Extra-Lee-Soo-Young.png



Score: 7,750

Paved the way: 10 x 2 (@RUNAWAY, @berserkboi)
Brought to naught: 6 x 1 (@Empty Shoebox)
Me: 7

Peak: #28
Nadir: #64



Possibly one of the most well-known singers in the extra section, Lee Soo Young is the next to go. Is this the last ballad in the competition? Is there anything else you consider a ballad?

Anyway, Lee Soo Young is one of the most acclaimed singers in Korea and the first name that comes to (my) mind when it comes to Korean ballad singers. She lost her parents in a car accident when she was still in school (in distinct situations) and was diagnosed with clinical depression at some point in her career.

"I Believe" is simply her debut so having this much talent at the beginning of her career is definitely impressive. Despite not being a ballad fan myself, I can't deny such fact. Her debut album sold well and she became a huge success. And I mean huge. There is this list I found from a few weeks ago, and she was placed 26th in the best-selling K-pop artists of all time on Hanteo, with 1,353,500 copies sold - a bit behind Girls' Generation. She is above artists like BoA and IU, and also groups like ITZY and Red Velvet. Plus, she is the highest-placed female soloist on the list. She is definitely a crucial figure to K-pop.

Song-wise, I was torn between putting this song or another one in the rate... but I don't remember what was the other one anymore ddddddd "Grace", perhaps? That means I ended up with the right decision because I haven't forgotten about "I Believe". By the way, it's a very good song from a talented artist; my score is just somewhat low (but high for my usual ballad standards) because slower songs are not exactly my kind of thing. That being said, she has a gorgeous voice and that's an essential point to make me like a ballad.

Oh, since there are #gamers here, she is the one who sings the Korean version of "Suteki Da Ne", from Final Fantasy X.


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★★★

@berserkboi (10): Glorious ballad!

@Kneehigh Girl (7): It’s a nice power ballad, actually. Not as generic as others.

★★★




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Kneehigh Girl

Kneehigh Girl

Glad I didn't completely underscore this ballad!

I am sort of questioning the validity of the Top 50 best-selling artists-list. What's their source, I wonder? According to their Wikipedias (with references, of course), both Lee Soo Young and Boa's sales (in South Korea) are much higher, and the sales of Lee Jung Hyun's first two albums alone should've put her in 37th place of that list.

I remember the name Lee Soo Young from way back when I got into K-pop, but never really listened to her, because I don't like ballads much.
 
Ana Raquel

Ana Raquel

she/her
Kneehigh Girl said:
Glad I didn't completely underscore this ballad!

I am sort of questioning the validity of the Top 50 best-selling artists-list. What's their source, I wonder? According to their Wikipedias (with references, of course), both Lee Soo Young and Boa's sales (in South Korea) are much higher, and the sales of Lee Jung Hyun's first two albums alone should've put her in 37th place of that list.

I remember the name Lee Soo Young from way back when I got into K-pop, but never really listened to her, because I don't like ballads much.
Click to expand...
I can see why you are suspicious of it because I also was a bit hmmmmm. I don't understand charts that much and I don't know how to fact-check this as I don't speak Korean, sorry for failing as a journalist!!
 
Ana Raquel

Ana Raquel

she/her
Another of doing nothing let's celebrate that!







































































#37
(TIE)

UJH-Escape.png



Score: 7,750

Paved the way: 10 x 1 (@Slice of Life)
Brought to naught: 5 x 1 (@Empty Shoebox)
Me: 9,5

Peak: #24
Nadir: #53



Uhm Jung Hwa losing two songs in a short period of time despite being almost untouched throughout the first half. Is this a sign of a cull?

One of the singles from "Queen of Charisma", "Escape" represents pretty well the eurodance/trance era 1st gen had had in the late 90s and early 00s. It's not her first song in the genre, let alone the last. The other single on the album also went this route (but not as hot, personally):



I dare say this a bait for me because of the style plus the slight flamenco influence plus the music video, as I LOVE circus-themed stuff in general (even though I disliked circuses at some point in my life). And yet I didn't give it a 10. Sorry! There is a reason though: the beginning of the chorus sounds odd? I mean, I feel like the verses are too long which ended up being a bit unnatural to me. That being said, depending on my mood, I can see myself giving this a 10 as it's one of my favorite Hwa beats.
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★★★


@berserkboi (7,5): Very good Eurodance number, but a far cry from her very best above!

@Kneehigh Girl (7): The opening is such a great build-up to the rest of the song!


★★★


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Ana Raquel

Ana Raquel

she/her
This might be my busiest week so far, but I'll try at least to do the tie eliminations!





































































#35
(TIE)

wMiCDKq0_o.png



Score: 7,773

Paved the way: 10 x 2 (@Attis, @FunkyButChic)
Brought to naught: 5 x 1 (@Crisp X)
Me: 7

Peak: #23
Nadir: #64



Postimages tried to boycott me but I came up stronger!111

Another extra is leaving, this time with one of the most well-known artists in that section. Just... probably not for her music. Jang Nara is a former SM soloist who was pretty successful in the early 00s and was frequently associated with a cute image. "Sweet Dream" was her most successful single, both on sales and on recognition, being covered for some groups such as (remember them?) Lovelyz.

That being said, it's been quite some time that she stopped focusing on her music career (even though she has released something this year - and it's a bop). You might have heard of her if you often watch k-dramas, as she has starred in many since 2001 and has won several awards as well. Her latest work was this year, with "Sell Your Haunted House". I don't know what her most popular show is as I don't watch Korean TV. If I were to guess, I'd say "You Are My Destiny" as even I heard of it despite not following anything related to k-dramas. I stumbled upon a short video of one of her most recent works, and there is the presence of the blessed <3 staircase tumble trope <3


Visual media please never change.

As for the song, I find it a cute girl. That's about it. I wasn't blown away by the song, sadly. And I didn't follow her music career, so I have no recommendations this time. Sorry!
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★★★



@Attis (10): I'm not a big midtempo / ballad fan, but this one chorus is so catchy and has been plaguing Asia since forever ddd

@FunkyButChic (10): This song always gets stuck in my head. I first heard it when T-ARA’s Boram covered it and was immediately smitten. It’s a perfect pop ballad and Jang Nara has one of the sweetest voices. [I didn't have space to embed another video, so here is the link of a performance by Boram!]

@berserkboi (8,5): M2M Realness!

@Kneehigh Girl (6): Never was a big fan of Jang Nara, but this song is okay.

★★★




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Ana Raquel

Ana Raquel

she/her
Kneehigh Girl said:
Not devastated by any of these eliminations, tbh. And just because I opened by mouth, we'll lose one of my 10s next XD
Click to expand...


































































The opposite, actually!


#35
(TIE)

KHJ-Be-Strong-Hyun-Jung.png



Score: 7,773

Paved the way: 9 x 2 (@RUNAWAY, @berserkboi)
Brought to naught: 6 x 2 (@Kneehigh Girl, @Empty Shoebox)
Me: 8,5

Peak: #29
Nadir: #54



I always hate when it comes to Kim Hyun Jung being eliminated because I can't find a single thing about her? I looked for the song name, and I ended up with a profile of a zumba instructor. Be Strong, Hyun Jung, indeed.

So let me just share my two cents on this, instead: I love the video dddd it's basically me shamelessly sending my resume to translation agencies in order to get a job. Be Strong, Ana Raquel! Anyway, it's a bit MOR when it comes to her stuff, but I think the guitar riffs definitely added some flavor to the song (also, it might have some potential for a trot version of it?). I don't understand the dancers though? As I'm not a Korean speaker myself to better understand the context, it just seems random. All in all, deserved placement.
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★★★

@berserkboi (9): Nice bop!

★★★


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