After KBS’s festival-that-didn’t-really-feel-like-a-festival final week, it’s time for the celebration to actually start with SBS’s Gayo Daejeon. That is the present that airs each Christmas and normally includes a ton of festive levels. It’s additionally held in a giant venue with tons of artists in attendance, so it makes for a pleasant seasonal present for us Okay-pop followers.
This yr’s present clocked in at just below 4 hours, which felt fairly lengthy. The theme was “The Golden Loop” and it was hosted by IVE’s Yujin, DAY6’s Younger Okay and NCT Dream’s Jaemin. (A considerably random mixture?) They have been completely strong MCs. Their oft-repeated catchphrase this yr was “into the… loop!” when asserting every set of efficiency. I don’t know what meaning, however you’ve gotta love these catchphrases!
One factor I actually appreciated about tonight was all of the reside singing on show. Positive, it didn’t all the time sound as polished as a lip sync would, however I want that as a result of it provides character and a way of immediacy.
On the entire, I believed the present was… nice. It wasn’t the form of legendary set of performances I’m going to recollect for a very long time, however the line-up was sturdy and the performances have been usually good. The particular levels weren’t very particular and the festive Christmas remixes of songs began to get previous because the present went on and actually dragged a number of songs down. I missed there being a giant marquee act from generations previous, like 2NE1 final yr.
As all the time, this rating represents my very own ideas, which means it’ll closely favor music I loved this yr in addition to performances that re-arrange or remix present songs.
However first, some random ideas and discoveries from tonight’s present:
– Tarzzan can apparently do… no matter he did throughout the stage.
– CORTIS ought to by no means be allowed to cowl a Christmas tune once more (however I’ve weirdly come round to “Go”)
– ZB1’s Iconik leaves me fully chilly and I nonetheless can’t determine why.
– BOYNEXTDOOR’s Woonhak must be internet hosting one in every of these exhibits.
– For all its sources, SM Leisure is the stingiest in relation to rearranging its songs for these festivals.
– Whoever was answerable for the mics should be an NMIXX anti. You might barely hear them!
– The collection of random cowl levels that opened half three of the present have been bizarre. Like… completely disconnected from each other. Chaeryeong was wonderful, although.
– There’s one thing known as “BITHUMB” and RIIZE received some award for it and it was introduced in the midst of hour three for some motive. (the reason being product placement)
15. ITZY – Tunnel Imaginative and prescient
There wasn’t a lot tune left by the point this remix obtained by way of with it, however the common vibe was very cool and so have been the (many) dance breaks.
14. NCT Want – Surf + Coloration
An lively set, and Surf truly works higher as a carol than I’d have anticipated.
13. Hueningkai x Zhang Hao x Sohee x Shinyu – You Had been Lovely
This was an odd mixture as a result of two of the blokes have way more highly effective voices than the others so that they did the true heavy lifting. Nonetheless, these are the form of interactions I come to the gayos for.
12. TWS – Freestyle + Overdrive
In fact TWS goes to finish up on my record as a result of I like their songs and efficiency a lot, however that is a lot decrease than I’d have anticipated. Bizarre outfits and unambitious staging/remixing by their (admittedly excessive) requirements. I’m so completely happy to see Overdrive get its well-deserved flowers, although.
11. IDID – Push Again
Rock remixes are fairly par for the course on these exhibits however I like them each time. I additionally love this tune, in order that’s a double win.
10. RIIZE – Fame
Very cool dance intro (cooler than this tune deserves, truthfully) and I favored the amped up vitality of Fame. That is how the tune ought to have sounded from the start. Some humorous vocal slips, although.
9. Woonhak & Wonhee – Merry Christmas In Advance
This was such foolish, bubbly enjoyable. Precisely what I’d hope for from a Okay-pop Christmas collab stage and way more pleasing than the godawful “Jingle Bell Rock” efficiency that preceded it.
8. BOYNEXTDOOR – If I Say, I Love You + 123-78
The staging through the first half of this made their entrance really feel like an actual second. Additionally they seemed like they have been having a variety of enjoyable, which fits a great distance.
7. KickFlip – My First Love Music Christmas Medley
I believed the mash-up thought was cool for the rookie group part of the night time and this one labored the most effective for me by far. I like a festive remix of an upbeat tune and I used to be impressed with their reside singing.
6. izna – Mamma Mia
One other rock remix, however I believed this one reinvented the tune fairly properly. I additionally cherished the staging. The efficiency took benefit of the area and the ladies have such charisma.
5. BABYMONSTER – We Go Up + Psycho
They continue to be a number of the greatest performers in these festivals… performing songs I by no means take pleasure in as a lot as I need to. Nonetheless, they killed these two tracks and I like how the combination sounded extra like a reside band.
4. AHOF – Pinocchio
A beefed up rockier model of this tune works so properly. The construction was chopped a bit greater than I’d have favored, however general this was a rousing rendition of one of many yr’s greatest title tracks.
3. The Boyz – VVV
Ah!! They lastly carried out it! VVV is among the greatest songs of the yr and completely made for this sort of stage. The remix was blazing and the tune sounded improbable, however I truthfully assume they need to have eliminated the unnecessary dance breaks and intro so they might carry out the entire thing. It’s too immense to cut up or shorten.
2. LE SSERAFIM – Spaghetti
LE SSERAFIM are killing this yr’s award exhibits to date. They make a lot extra sense to me as an ultra-campy woman group flanked by drag queens. The levels for Spaghetti are simply so enjoyable in a approach that Okay-pop’s woman teams have been lacking for awhile. The staging through the introduction was additionally among the many most putting photos of the night time.
1. ATEEZ – Wonderland
It in all probability says one thing fairly crappy concerning the yr in Okay-pop when ATEEZ handily win the night time by performing a tune from… 2019. However actually, who can argue with this over-the-top drama? There was nothing new right here (they’ve carried out this combine earlier than, I consider), however it felt like a musical climax in an evening that badly wanted one.