Hello everyone, and welcome to the 1st edition of the KMAs! I originally planned to make this award show in order to give you guys the opportunity to have a fair award show, knowing that actual shows like MAMA, AAA, MMA, etc. aren't always the most fair ceremonies. Therefore, I created a google form and asked all of you to fill it so I could put out an article before the end of the year. 

However, things didn't go as planned. As much as I tried to communicate on this, I didn't receive enough responses to give you a fair and representative "award show". I tried to make it work, and I did do a poll on my instagram so I could be sure a minimum of people would participate but clearly not enough people did. 

In order to partly keep my promise, I decided to still post about my own winners. This is how it's going to work: For each category, I'll be picking my top 3 and explaining briefly why I put this group/artist in that position. Also, I added the "Most underrated group" category which wasn't available in the form.

Feel free to tell us about your favorites in the comments down below, and without further due let's get started!

Category: Best Male Group

3rd place: NCT

With 23 members you can really go crazy. That's what they did, and I loved it! NCT's experimental concept is what makes the group and the members so unique to me, even though it led to major line distribution problems (and we'll have to get used to it because with 23 members it's impossible to be fair). Resonance pt.1 and pt.2 are both amazing albums, and I had so much fun watching NCT world. 

2nd place: Seventeen

Aside from having insanely creative choreographies and crazy vocals, I really feel close to seventeen. Maybe it's because I watched their debut show, maybe it's because I watch every single one of their "Going seventeen" series, maybe it's because I cried my eyes out when I saw their documentary series "Hit the road", and maybe it's because of all that. Seventeen has proven their consistency in the industry, and I really feel like a proud sister.

WINNER: Stray Kids

These kids went through a lot and they still managed to put out a strong candidate for SOTY (god's menu) and AOTY (Go live). I freaked out when I found out that they'll be participating in Mnet's Kingdom alongside The Boyz and Ateez. I think that what makes Stray Kids so unique is that they participate most of the time in the making of their albums (if not always), and because of that I feel so many emotions while listening to their songs and watching their performance. They surely outdid themselves this year. 

Category: Best Female Group

3rd place: Everglow

They have grown so much, and even though I still don't call myself a "Stan" I appreciate their music so much. I'm having a hard time believing they're the same girls who did "Bon bon chocolat" (not that the song was bad, but they looked much younger)!

2nd place: Twice

I think the girls have finally proven themselves to me. I know now what they're capable of. I just didn't like them before fancy came out because they just didn't make the type of music I loved, and I wasn't familiar with the girls at all. What made me think "wow, these girls are on a next level" is when fancy came out. And from fancy onwards, they just kept evolving and growing up to become these 9 talented women. 

WINNER: Blackpink

2020 was Blackpink's year. They finally got a full-length album, they did a lot of activities aside from their musical stuff (they did a lot of photoshoots and Lisa was a mentor on a Chinese survival program), but most importantly they put out a Netflix documentary that I absolutely loved. This documentary is the reason why I can call myself a blink today. They really deserve this award this year more than any other year to me because they revealed themselves professionally and personally. 

Category: Best Male Artist

3rd place: Woodz (a.k.a Cho Seungyoun) 

I've been following this guy since Produce X 101 and I really look forward to what he'll put out in the future. I think he's still experiencing and hasn't found his own style yet, but I'm sure he will soon. I really enjoyed Love me Harder. 

2nd place: Baekhyun (from EXO)

One of the best SM vocalist by far. His second EP, Delight, was amazing. I just wished I saw him do more variety shows on his own because oddly enough I still don't know what kind of person he is in his every day life.

WINNER: Taemin

Duh? I loved how he cut his comeback in two parts just like they did with NCT, and the fact that he participated in the making process makes it 1000 times better. Taemin is not afraid of trying unconventional concepts, and he rocks it EVERY. SINGLE. DAMN. TIME. Clockwork is by far one my favorite songs of the year. 

Category: Best Female Artist

3rd place: AleXa

To be honest, I wasn't a fan of AleXa. I didn't like the concept she went for, although I had to admit that she's an amazing dancer. BUT, revolution proved me wrong. I still don't want to rush things, but damn this song is GOOD. I'm really looking forward to see her in a new concept. 

2nd place: Sunmi

Pporappippam is ICONIC, this girl alone is iconic. I just wished to see more of her this year, and I felt like she didn't have enough promotion time. 

WINNER: Chungha

Again... DUH? Stay tonight, Play, Dream of you, THEY ALL ARE PRE-RELEASES FOR GOD'S SAKE! Sorry, got too hyped on that one. But seriously, if these are pre-releases, what is the album actually going to be? She's the female version of Taemin. Perfect fashion, perfect stage presence, perfect dancer, and amazing vocals. That's the whole damn package. 

Category: Best Performance Group

3rd place: Pentagon - Basquiat

If you haven't seen the Road to Kingdom stage, I'm inviting you to do so right now by clicking here. They really put everything they had in this performance and I loved it. It's definitely more raw than the official performance video and I just want to give credits to this incredible performance.

2nd place: NCT 127 - Kick It

The outfits, the kicks, the high notes, the bridge, the whole performance of this song is Iconic. You have to get used to it like any other NCT song but it casted its spell on me and I fell in the trap. 

WINNER: The Boyz - Checkmate

The only word I can use to qualify this performance is pure genius. Every time we thought they couldn't go further they did, and they always manage to find the most creative ideas possible! That box? Amazing. If I watch it again I'll be left speechless even though I already watched it 100 times. 

Category: Best Performance Solo

3rd place: Jessi - Nunu Nana

I didn't know about her before Nunu Nana came out, and she convinced me right away. I love Jessie's singing voice, and she definitely has her own unique style of rap, which sometimes I find too much but it's her trademark so it's just a matter of personal taste. 

2nd place: Taemin - Criminal

I actually find the song quite repetitive, but what makes this song an amazing song to perform is the choreography and, most importantly, the outfits. The concept is really good and the outfits are certainly the best part of it. 

WINNER: Chungha - Stay Tonight

Aside from the amazing choreography, the whole performance, including the formations, the outfits and most importantly the song, is perfect. And oh my god I'm in love with that bridge. 

Category: Best Band Performance

3rd place: Oh Really - N.Flying

N.Flying really grew on me. They had to welcome a new member who really fits the vibe of the band in my opinion, and it seemed like he blended in really fast. Also, the song has really good vibes, like any other N.Flying song. 

2nd place: A book in memory - Onewe

My mind? Blown. This song is AMAZING! And holy moly the vocals, I literally cried listening to this song. And the performance? I totally melted when I heard CyA sing (I think it was singing-talking but definitely not rapping) because I don't remember him singing in their previous songs. Anyways, GO CHECK THEM OUT! 

WINNER: Day6 - Zombie 

Sometimes the best performances are the simplest. And Day6 has never been the type of band to show off on stage, they were always humble and true to themselves. And they chose to sing about their feelings and to tell us that we're not the only ones feeling sad, lonely and tired. Hearing that someone else is feeling the same way as me was really comforting.

Category: Best Collaboration

3rd place: Blackpink - Ice Cream (ft. Selena Gomez)

It felt like Selena was the perfect match for the girls, it's like they understood each other so well. And I could picture Selena do this kind of song on her own, so maybe that's why it fitted her so well to do this featuring. I would've loved to see Selena share the stage with our four queens but for obvious reasons it wasn't possible. 

2nd place: ZICO - Summer Hate (ft. Rain)

This song was ON REPEAT THE WHOLE SUMMER! It's obvious they had so much fun doing this collaboration, and they transmitted me their good vibes. This song is just so fun to listen to and these two were a perfect match too. 

WINNER: IU - Eight (prod. & ft. SUGA of BTS)

This collaboration just got me in the feels. IU has such an amazing voice and Suga's raspy and deep voice adds another layer of emotion that made me transform in a complete emotional mess. 

Category: Best Dance Break

3rd place: BTS - On

The song is a no for me, but the dance break is a yes. I put it in #3 because I find the dance break not really coherent with the overall dance, but again that's my personal opinion and I'm nowhere near being a professional dancer nor choreographer. 

2nd place: Chungha - Stay Tonight

 Chungha's really a dancing queen. The only reason this song is not #1 is because I wished the moves were a little bit more wide and powerful, but the dance break is still a piece of art. 

WINNER: IZ*ONE - Secret Story of the Swan

I was very much surprised about this song. I'm not an IZ*ONE fan but this song, and especially the dance break, hits REALLY HARD. It just was an evidence. 

Category: Most Underrated Group

3rd place: ASTRO

I discovered ASTRO with Always You, and thought "these guys are going to get huge" because they were still rookies. But now, after all night, blue flame and knock, their fanbase is still not as big as it should be. They are amazing dancers and are a serious competitor of Seventeen regarding synchronisation. Cha Eunwoo is also a great actor, and MJ has crazy vocals. I'm not even going to talk about Moonbin and Eunwoo's visuals. 

2nd place: Dreamcatcher

I think the only problem here is happy face entertainment. Not that they are a bad company (I never saw anything mentioning them having a poor management) but they just don't have enough exposure. They do have money and this translates into the gorgeous MVs Dreamcatcher has, the company's image is just not strong enough in order to promote Dreamcatcher as they should be promoted. But other than that, the girls are doing a fantastic job, and if you're a fan of rock/edgy/alternative music you will absolutely love them. 

WINNER: Pentagon

Yes, even though universe gave pentagon their first win for their song "Daisy" four years after their debut, I still think they deserve a lot more. Even Shine that got so popular didn't have any wins. You could see the desperation in their eyes when they performed Basquiat for Road To Kingdom's finale. Hui produces their songs, they write their own lyrics, choreograph their own songs, they are monsters when it comes to mastering facial expressions, and yet, they aren't as big as they should be. I want to blame it on Cube for not giving them proper management and proper attention, but I also want to blame it on the people who never bothered checking them out. Just give them a chance, and then you decide if you want to support them or not. 

Category: Rookie Of The Year

3rd place: Secret Number

When they debuted with "Who Dis", I was like "just another girl crush concept". But then "Got that boom" came out and I was pleasantly surprised. The group sounds promising, but I just don't want to anticipate too much.

2nd place: Treasure

This was the most anticipated debut of the year. I haven't watched Treasure Box, but holy crap they look like professionals already. They also had the time to release 3 singles (Boy, I love you, and Mmh) that honestly are really solid in terms of vocals, rap and especially choreography. 

WINNER: MCND

I already love them so much. Ice age was an amazing debut and Nanana an amazing comeback. I just got attached to them really quick and they are so promising, plus TOP media seems to be doing a great job when it comes to management. I really look forward to more music and more variety shows with MCND. 

Category: Artist Of The Year

3rd place: Twice

If "More & More" was a better album I would've placed them higher, but "Eyes wide open" was amazing.

2nd place: BTS

If I start counting all the achievements they made this year we'd still be here tomorrow. This year was definitely packed with lots of things for them, and they just keep setting the bar really high every time. I'm just a proud army. 

WINNER: NCT

The reason why BTS isn't #1 is because NCT has been surprising us constantly and coming up with new concepts while still having the same "signature sound" if that makes sense. Kick it, Make a wish and 90s love are the best songs they put out this year.

Category: Song Of The Year

3rd place: Stray Kids - God's Menu

I don't know if it's just me but I feel like this song wasn't that popular in Korea. But why? This song is really revolutionary to me because I don't know any song that goes hard like this. 

2nd place: NCT 127 - Kick It 

Let me introduce you to some new things, new things, new things! The song is even in just dance, I got so excited for this lol. This song is SO addictive. You might not like it on the first listen but you'll get hooked up after a couple of listens for sure. 

WINNER: BTS - Dynamite

This song was EVERYWHERE, like literally. At some point I got a little bit sick of it, but it's definitely the song of the year. 

Category: Album Of The Year

3rd place: Blackpink - The Album

This album is really good. Lovesick girls is a very solid title track and Pretty Savage an amazing b-side. I just wished not all the songs were about love and lyrics that don't make sense... 

2nd place: BTS - Map of the soul 7

This album is, in my opinion, one of BTS's best albums. This album is the definition of BTS and what makes us love them so much. But this album is something I listen to only when I'm in a certain mood because the songs have such deep meanings, so it's not an album I listen to on a daily basis. 

WINNER: Stray Kids - Go Live & Taemin - Never Gonna Dance Again : Act 1

I'm sorry, I just couldn't decide between those two. So deal with me, please. Taemin's album is just art, you won't find this sound in another album, and he put so much of him in it. Stray Kid's  album is also extremely unique and Blueprint is one of my favourite B-sides of this year. Honestly all the B-sides in this album are amazing. So yeah, I'm putting both at #1. 

Category: MV Of The Year

3rd place: Dreamcatcher - BOCA

Dreamcatcher's MVs never disappoint when it comes to sceneries, outfits and editing. But this MV is way better than their previous ones (not that they weren't beautiful). What I love the most in this MV has to be the outfits and the hair/makeup. I just wished I could understand what the MV was all about. I know it's supposed to be a sequel to "Scream", but I just didn't quite catch the story behind it.  

2nd place: Oneus - To be or not to be

The MV portrays exactly what the song is: Majestic and Dark. The MV was also a sequel to "Come Back Home" I believe with the monarch's storyline still going on, and I absolutely loved it. They also did this kind of concept with Twilight and I think it suits them really well. The MV's atmosphere is really dark but without being creepy, and that has to do with the "majestic" aspect I talked about.  

WINNER: CIX - Jungle

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. The shots of them dancing in the water ? Beautiful. The skeleton hidden in the clouds? Creepy but still amazing. The outfits and sets? Gorgeous. Mind? Blown. This is by far their best MV and for me, the best MV of the year. 

And that concludes the first edition of the KMAs! I hope that next year we'll have enough participants so we could have the "fair" and "representative" award show we all want.

This year has been filled with amazing debuts and comebacks, and I'm sure it'll be the same for 2021. Music has been a gateway for me, and I hope it was for you too.  

Take care, and I'll see you soon for another article.

Love, Swan

 

~ KIM JONGHYUN ~

Today is a very special day for Shawols around the world. Three years ago, on December 18^th, 2017, Kim Jong Hyun, our bowl of joy and happiness and the main vocalist of the Kpop group SHINee, left us for a life where he wouldn’t be in pain anymore. I want this presentation to act as a tribute to him, not for everyone to remember him as an idol who committed suicide. Jonghyun was so unique in every aspect, he had a unique personality, a unique sound, a unique voice, a unique smile… He was so genuinely happy whenever he was on stage, his fans made him happy, his bandmates and friends made him happy too… We will never know what was truly going on in his mind on that day but what we can do is remember him, remember the great artist he was, and cherish what he left behind him. This is why I decided to put out this presentation on his death anniversary, because I wanted to pay tribute to him, and because I want people to remember him.  

 

Kim Jong hyun, a.k.a Jonghyun from SHINee, was born in Seoul, South Korea on April 8th, 1990. He has an older sister named Kim Song Dam and went to Seoul Music Institute, Chungwoon University and Myonggi University before joining SM entertainment. He debuted with the Kpop group SHINee on May 25th, 2008 as the main vocalist and with the song “Replay” under the label SM entertainment. He also made his solo debut under the same label on January 12th, 2015 with his first mini album, “Base” with the title song “Crazy”. He was also the host of a popular radio show called “JongHyun’s Blue Night” but hosted his last episode on March 9th, 2017 due to his commitment as a SHINee member and singer/producer. I remember Minho (his bandmate) visiting him in the studio on his last day at the radio program and he was so moved, like literally. He was close friends with Yeri (from Red Velvet), Amber (from f(x)), and Taeyon (from SNSD), all being his labelmates (under SM entertainment).

 

 

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jonghyun also wrote a book titled “Diphylleia Grayi” and wrote a song from the same name (which is my favorite of his). Diphylleia Grayi is the scientific name of a flower called “Skeleton Flower” or “Glass Flower” because their white petals become transparent like glass at the touch of raindrops. 

Jonhyun is one of the Kpop idols with most songs copyrighted under his name. He wrote “Obsession” and “Juliette” by SHINee, “Gloomy Clock” by IU, “Red Candle” by Son Dambi, “No more” by Lim Kim, and “Breathe” by Lee Hi. He truly has a sensitivity to everything and usually looks at things from different perspectives. He wrote the lyrics for the song “Selene 6.23” in which he’s addressing SHINee’s international fans whom he can’t physically see and touch but still thinks about them and looking over them (and that’s what he’s doing right now, looking over all of us from some other place I’d like to call heaven).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, he was one of the most sensitive human being I've ever "met" in my life. He was often caught crying on stage and in interviews (this shouldn’t be a taboo seriously, just because he cries easily doesn’t mean he’s ‘weak’). I will always remember the part in SHINee world IV where they sang replay Jonghyun started crying at the end of the performance (you can watch it here). He was the most caring person towards his member and this really sensitive personality of his translated into his songs and his performances on stage. He also was a strong advocate of the LGBTQ+ community and fought for their rights as well as for social progress in a country that is, we tend to forget it, pretty conservative (although progress has been made for the past few years). 

Unfortunately, Jonghyun left us three years ago on December 18^th, 2017. He died from carbon monoxide poisoning, and the police concluded it was suicide. Before that, he had texted his sister with the following: “It’s been hard, let me go. Tell me I’ve worked hard. This is my farewell”. After reading these suicidal thoughts, she called the police around 4:42 pm KST saying that her younger brother had sent her suicidal text messages. 2 hours later, they arrive at a residential hotel in Seoul while he was having a cardiac arrest. He is immediately rushed to the hospital and is declared dead in the evening. His death was really tragic news in the industry, and the whole entertainment world was mourning him. I honestly don’t know how the SHINee members still managed to do their concert in February 2018 in Japan, but damn I cannot imagine how they felt standing on stage as well as the fans there.

What’s most important now is to pay tribute to him, to never forget how amazing an artist he was, and to cherish the work he left behind him. He was the 2^nd SHINee member to go solo and the albums he had put out, She Is, Base, Poet | Artist, are all as unique as him. Every album he put out, and every single song on them are a part of him. 

Here are some videos I suggest you watch if you want to get to know him, it’s never too late, or if you want to remember him and feel closer to him. Rest in peace angel, you worked well.

His breathtaking interpretation of the spanish song "Y si fuera Ella" (Hyeya in Korean) : click here

When Key updated the story on his instagram with the SHINee members recreating the snack commercial and Jonghyun fell out: click here.

SHINee world IV performance of "Excuse Me Miss" (watch out the chemistry between him and Taemin, it's adorable): click here.

SHINee world IV performance of "Woof Woof", that costume is iconic, and he didn't hold back with the moves lol: click here.

Finally, I came across a video on YouTube explaining really well why Jonghyun was a model and how he changed the Kpop industry, so I suggest you go and watch it here.

To anyone who's not okay, who's feeling lonely, who's struggling with life (especially during those hard times)  in every aspect, you are not alone. I just have one thing to say: It's okay to not be okay, but having suicidal thoughts is not the solution. Reach out to someone, someone you know or someone you don't know, but someone who will listen to you and won't judge you. You are not alone.

Take care everyone, and I'll see you all soon.

 

Love, Swan

Sources: Kprofiles, Kpopmap, Soompi, Youtube, Wikipedia. 

~ JI CHANG WOOK ~

Who is Ji Chang Wook

Ji Chang Wook, born on July 5^th 1987, is a South-Korean actor. He studied at Dankook University and majored in theater and film before beginning his career in musical theatre. He starred in movies such as” How to use guys with secret tips” (2013), “The Long Way Home” (2015), and “Fabricated City” (2017). However, he’s most known for his roles in the dramas “Healer” (2014-2015) for which he received the popularity award and the best couple award (with actress Park Min Young) at the 2014 KBS drama awards, “Suspicious partner” (2017), “Melting me softly” (2019) and “Backstreet rookie” (2020). He enlisted in the military on August 14^th, 2017 and was discharged on April 27^th, 2019. You can follow him on his official Instagram account @jichangwook.

Pre-military

Let's talk about maybe my favorite K-drama of all time: Healer. I cannot count how many times I’ve re-watched this drama and always enjoyed it like it was the first time. Everything about it is so good. Healer is an action and romance drama that tells the story of a young man Seo Jung-Hu (a.k.a Healer, played by JCW) who does the job of "messenger", completing missions that are more or less legal with the help of his acolyte "Ahjumma", an old woman who's always in her PJs and eating in front of her computer, but most importantly who's an expert in hacking. With his top-notch fighting skills and high-tech equipment, he accomplishes the missions his clients give him against money. One day, he receives the mission to watch over a girl, Chae Young-Sin (Park Min-Young), a reporter from a second-rank tabloid who's inspiring to become a famous journalist just like her idol Kim Mun-Ho (Yoo Ji-Tae). JCW shines best in this role. He's badass, sexy and conveys the story of Jung-hu so well. The character he plays seems so fierce and strong, but the more we get into the story the more we realise he's just a human with his own story. Plus, the romance he has with Young-Sin is really sincere. To me at least it didn't appear as fake like in Melting me softly. If I had to recommend you one of his dramas it'd be this one. Action, drama, comedy, romance, you'll be really moved. 

Another drama of his I also liked was "Suspicious partner" where JCW plays the role of a prosecutor and Nam Ji-Hyun the role of a prosecutor trainee. They will work together on a mysterious case involving a psychopath murderer. They will eventually fall in love too. I like the romance less than in Healer and the end is a bit messy, but the "mystery" and "action" aspects of the story is what makes, in my opinion, this drama a nice one. 

The K2 was a bit too much to handle for me, the story was really gloomy and weird for me and so were the characters, but if you like these things go for it, it's really well-done, it's just not my cup of tea.

Post-military

Honestly, I feel like the roles he’s been picking (or getting, I don’t know if his agency chooses the roles he’ll play or if he has 100% freedom of choosing) since he's back from the military don’t do him justice. Let’s take Melting me softly, his first role after his discharge from the military. “Melting me softly” is about a professor who’s been working on a revolutionary project. But to prove its efficiency, two people have to volunteer. Ma Dong-Chan (JCW) and Ko Mi-Ran end up “volunteering”. But instead of being frozen for 24 hours in a capsule, they spend 20 years in that capsule and end up waking up by some miracle. Problem is, if their body exceeds 31 degrees Celsius and if their heart rate increases too much, they’ll die. Also, the only person to know the solution to this is the professor at the origin of the project who now lost his memory. The story had some potential, but I think what made it hard to get into was the characters. Mi Ran’s character is really foolish and dull. There’s nothing exciting about her personality. And oh my god let’s not talk about this professor. The moment he reappears 20 years after he’s so… stupid. Maybe it’s because the actor isn’t good but he’s over-acting everything and that led me not to trust his behavior and his words. Maybe the only well-done characters (aside from Ma Dong Chan) are the assistant of the professor and Ma Dong Chan’s ex-girlfriend.

I haven't seen backstreet rookie yet, but I've seen glimpses of it and I feel like it's going to be the same as Melting me softly: A pointless and dumb romance with weird characters and a not-so-interesting plot. 

To put it in a nutshell, I think what suits JCW the most is action dramas with a side romance, like not the romance being the whole point of the story. Maybe it's because he looks strong and fierce that I find him better at action/mystery dramas, I don't really know. Looks like his next drama will be another romance one, hopefully I won't be disappointed by the story. The drama is called "Lovestruck in the City" and is said to premiere sometime this month. Chang Wook will play the role of an overly passionate architect who loves city streets, and Kim Ji Won will play the role of a freelance marketer. 

That's it guys, I hope you enjoyed the article and that you'll check JCW's work if you still haven't. Take care and I'll see you soon!

Love, Swan

 

Sources: Wikipedia, Kprofiles, Soompi.