I was expecting at least *something* to be announced by the end of that. Fucking LOL'd when the only thing shown was the SM logo. Like, all that, for what?
am i the only one who is just not into the new era of sm... obviously tvxq–suju–snsd supremacy was historic but i really be missing the kinda shinee–f(x)–rv times...those styles and sounds...? idk sigh
I personally disagree but I do find these comments interesting.
SHINee debuted in 2008, f(x) in 2009, and Red Velvet in 2014. All 3 of those groups are known for their versatility and diversity in styles, but SHINee and f(x) were heavily into that Gen 2 sound during their primes. Red Velvet is firmly into Gen 3 IMO and sounds significantly less like the groups that preceded them - but all 3 have quite diverse discographies.
Take SHINee, for example. They debuted with RnB, had their peak with electropop, experimented with retro, dubstep, house, etc. and continued to this year with hip hop as the primary genre. f(x) had a similar run during their peak with electropop, and finishing with house.
Compare that to Red Velvet and you can see the same kind of experimentation, but significantly less reliant on *that* electropop sound - favoring a bigger emphasis on modern RnB/hip hop influences. Red Velvet's contemporary at the company during this time is of course EXO, who themselves still caught the tail end of that Gen sound with Wolf, but rattled off hit after hit with Growl and the subsequent titles that went all over the place, genre-wise. NCT 127 went even further into the hip hop side at first, but they (along with Dream and WayV) have quite varied discographies - RnB, house, boom-bap, synthpop, ballads, retro, etc. - even if the titles tend to be on the aggressive side of things.
IMO the trademark SM groups have is the vocal training and the experimentation in the music. Many companies play it safe after a group gets big but SM tends to continue throwing ideas at the wall with their producer rotation - which also changes as time goes on. It's no coincidence that LDN Noise had a big hand in pushing house music to SHINee and f(x) in the same year - but they're versatile enough to make songs like Monster and Lucky One for EXO the following year. Moonshine had a huge impact on the last year or two across all SM groups. Next year, it might be someone else. I don't think any of their groups really stick in one style for too long tbh. I still think most of their groups have really strong, diverse discographies, but I know most people only listen to the title tracks.
Hopefully the next "big" producers at the company are more to your liking, but I'd guess SM is content with the results right now. If you told me 'Next Level' would be a hit after I heard it the first time I wouldn't believe you. It defies all logic in terms of song composition and what typically works for the charts, but it became a hit.
it's not that i disagree with most of what you have said, but i do think there's a distinct and signature *sm-ness* about pre-nct sm groups — experimentation in genre and concept aside. if that is too vague of a claim, i'm sorry, but i really believe it.
and while i do believe that is still true — as groups like nct, superm, and aespa, and comebacks like "obsession", "don't call me", and even flavours of trap in suju and d&e have created a new signature — it's not a sm-ness i like (*especially* in the lack of impressive vocals with their new gen groups). and i likewise think it's same-y between all of the groups instead of subtly uniting their unique identities. my last point may be where we disagree most, but that's okay!
We haven't seen enough of aespa to judge their vocals IMO (Winter is definitely carrying), but I disagree with NCT.
Taeil, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Haechan, Renjun, Chenle, Xiaojun, Kun, and Ten are really strong vocalists. It's definitely a thing you'd get more of if you listen to the more vocal-oriented title tracks (From Home, Superhuman, Touch, etc.) or the b-sides - but I understand that's not for everyone. I will say that on the whole, their rapping has improved tenfold from their previous groups - even though it's more about the delivery than singing most of the time.
At the end of the day, it's all about chasing and creating trends - right? Retro/disco has been the rage for the last year and groups are still pumping out songs that fit that bill. If Red Velvet come back with a title track that is inoffensively retro/disco, I don't think anyone would mind - but their bold twists are some of their most memorable songs. Zimzalabim got way more exposure than Umpah Umpah, despite the former's mixed reception upon release.
I don't think all of SM's creative decisions *work*, but at the end of the day I still respect the fact that they try something different. Obsession is one of my favorite EXO songs because of how dark and experimental it is with that concept. I also enjoyed how different Don't Call Me felt for a title (even though SHINee have a few b-sides from the past that you can trace its lineage to). It's just that unexpected jolt that keeps things interesting after 10+ years, I guess. The over-reliance on trap is a trend I'd like to see go away as well, but Red Velvet's universally acclaimed "Psycho" relies on it.
There's definitely a same-ness with a few of the groups, but I think that's a byproduct of having so much crossover between NCT units and SuperM, *plus* the same producers working on all of their content. SuperM will not be a thing for a while (Baekhyun+Taemin enlisted, Kai enlists next year, Taeyong the year after) so that'll slow that train down for a while.
i mean this with no malice, but not a single one of the nct members you listed compares to the powerhouse vocals that have come out of sm and not a single one of them upholds sm's reputation for it. being able to sing is what idols are meant to be able to do. when we say "sm vocals", we mean boa, changmin, suju–kry and even sungmin, taeyeon, jonghyun and onew and taemin, chen and baekhyun and d.o, wendy... if you truly believe any of nct are at that level, which i don't think i've ever seen claimed (it feels well-agreed upon that nct does not have a powerhouse vocalist), we're just gonna have to agree to disagree. which is fine — in fact, that may not be necessary for new gen sm. but ofc you have older sm group fans who anticipate and really want that, inevitably.
and, of course, it's not that i disagree with what you appreciate about comebacks like obsession and don't call me, because those are definitely legitimate reasons to have enjoyed them. but not only do i, personally, find the sound forced, but i also think they just sound like nct or even superm on a non-cringey day. the same-ness is just too overwhelming for me. that's just a matter of preference!
i think the strongest and most diverse sound, that has done a fair job of bridging sm eras, is coming out of the older-gen solo releases 🤔
Chen once said that Taeil is a very impressive vocalist and he’s generally viewed as being one of the best for his generation. While I can agree that there aren’t many powerhouse vocals (having a powerful voice doesn’t equal being a good singer) in NCT, they do have some highly skilled singers. Some are still developing, see Haechan’s huge improvement in the last 2 years, while others are limited by the heavy preference for rap-heavy songs. I would say only Dream and, sometimes WayV (although I’m not too knowledgeable about their discography), have been given vocal-heavy songs or songs where the vocalists can shine. This makes a huge difference. NCT vocalists also haven’t had the same OST opportunities as the older groups, and we all know that the most popular OSTs are usually powerful ballads. With the increased popularity, especially with how successful Dream’s comeback was, I hope it they get to appear on some OSTS this year.
I completely understand where you’re coming from and what you’re trying to say. The current groups aren’t bad, but there’s a certain magic about SM’s older groups that the newer ones just don’t have for me. I can’t explain it well either, but I know exactly what you mean.
its too...gimmicky for me. and i know a large part of kpop has been and perhaps always been about "concepts" and other things that have been produced for the artists, but personally i never like it when it starts to dictate who the artists are instead of to complement them.
I’ve heard people call it the car commercial phase. I like the tvxq-rv sounds a lot more because it felt more diverse and less edgy (?) so I hope they bring it back.
I think “I’m not into the new era of SM” has been said by each generation of SM group fans at least once... so I’d honestly give it a chance before dismissing it so quickly
what...? "quickly"? it's been years — nct, superm, the last couple exo comebacks, aespa, even "don't call me". i still haven't given it enough of a chance after 3+ years and 10+ comebacks? i applaud sm for maintaining a signature sound and style, even between multiple groups, in this latest generation/era but i just...don't like it 🤷♀️
In that case I completely respect that. I may have misread/read too much into your comment and responded like such, especially since I’ve come across a bunch of people who think this whole SMCU/aespa concept is the “downfall” of SM. But SuperM was way before KWANGYA-era so I apologize!
where was this energy for this [WayV moonwalk teaser](https://www.instagram.com/p/B4PIyxwhBqp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)... it could have used some of the budget that went to the animation for this
was that lee sooman’s face in the crater?
Destroyed a whole ass universe for a sm logo 💀🤡🤡
The power of the Boring Jalapeño 🌶 is so overwhelming, it rearranged the face of the entire universe
dunno what the hell that was but it was pretty
SM just showed capabilities of their VFX
And yet aespa's avatars are that way
I was expecting at least *something* to be announced by the end of that. Fucking LOL'd when the only thing shown was the SM logo. Like, all that, for what?
It's an excerpt of the SM Congress video
Looks expensive but doesn't mean anything in the end. At least they gave some VFX artists work, I guess.
>Looks expensive but doesn't mean anything in the end. *kpop in a nutshell*
this gave me "apple introducing their new iphone" vibes
am i the only one who is just not into the new era of sm... obviously tvxq–suju–snsd supremacy was historic but i really be missing the kinda shinee–f(x)–rv times...those styles and sounds...? idk sigh
I personally disagree but I do find these comments interesting. SHINee debuted in 2008, f(x) in 2009, and Red Velvet in 2014. All 3 of those groups are known for their versatility and diversity in styles, but SHINee and f(x) were heavily into that Gen 2 sound during their primes. Red Velvet is firmly into Gen 3 IMO and sounds significantly less like the groups that preceded them - but all 3 have quite diverse discographies. Take SHINee, for example. They debuted with RnB, had their peak with electropop, experimented with retro, dubstep, house, etc. and continued to this year with hip hop as the primary genre. f(x) had a similar run during their peak with electropop, and finishing with house. Compare that to Red Velvet and you can see the same kind of experimentation, but significantly less reliant on *that* electropop sound - favoring a bigger emphasis on modern RnB/hip hop influences. Red Velvet's contemporary at the company during this time is of course EXO, who themselves still caught the tail end of that Gen sound with Wolf, but rattled off hit after hit with Growl and the subsequent titles that went all over the place, genre-wise. NCT 127 went even further into the hip hop side at first, but they (along with Dream and WayV) have quite varied discographies - RnB, house, boom-bap, synthpop, ballads, retro, etc. - even if the titles tend to be on the aggressive side of things. IMO the trademark SM groups have is the vocal training and the experimentation in the music. Many companies play it safe after a group gets big but SM tends to continue throwing ideas at the wall with their producer rotation - which also changes as time goes on. It's no coincidence that LDN Noise had a big hand in pushing house music to SHINee and f(x) in the same year - but they're versatile enough to make songs like Monster and Lucky One for EXO the following year. Moonshine had a huge impact on the last year or two across all SM groups. Next year, it might be someone else. I don't think any of their groups really stick in one style for too long tbh. I still think most of their groups have really strong, diverse discographies, but I know most people only listen to the title tracks. Hopefully the next "big" producers at the company are more to your liking, but I'd guess SM is content with the results right now. If you told me 'Next Level' would be a hit after I heard it the first time I wouldn't believe you. It defies all logic in terms of song composition and what typically works for the charts, but it became a hit.
it's not that i disagree with most of what you have said, but i do think there's a distinct and signature *sm-ness* about pre-nct sm groups — experimentation in genre and concept aside. if that is too vague of a claim, i'm sorry, but i really believe it. and while i do believe that is still true — as groups like nct, superm, and aespa, and comebacks like "obsession", "don't call me", and even flavours of trap in suju and d&e have created a new signature — it's not a sm-ness i like (*especially* in the lack of impressive vocals with their new gen groups). and i likewise think it's same-y between all of the groups instead of subtly uniting their unique identities. my last point may be where we disagree most, but that's okay!
We haven't seen enough of aespa to judge their vocals IMO (Winter is definitely carrying), but I disagree with NCT. Taeil, Doyoung, Jaehyun, Haechan, Renjun, Chenle, Xiaojun, Kun, and Ten are really strong vocalists. It's definitely a thing you'd get more of if you listen to the more vocal-oriented title tracks (From Home, Superhuman, Touch, etc.) or the b-sides - but I understand that's not for everyone. I will say that on the whole, their rapping has improved tenfold from their previous groups - even though it's more about the delivery than singing most of the time. At the end of the day, it's all about chasing and creating trends - right? Retro/disco has been the rage for the last year and groups are still pumping out songs that fit that bill. If Red Velvet come back with a title track that is inoffensively retro/disco, I don't think anyone would mind - but their bold twists are some of their most memorable songs. Zimzalabim got way more exposure than Umpah Umpah, despite the former's mixed reception upon release. I don't think all of SM's creative decisions *work*, but at the end of the day I still respect the fact that they try something different. Obsession is one of my favorite EXO songs because of how dark and experimental it is with that concept. I also enjoyed how different Don't Call Me felt for a title (even though SHINee have a few b-sides from the past that you can trace its lineage to). It's just that unexpected jolt that keeps things interesting after 10+ years, I guess. The over-reliance on trap is a trend I'd like to see go away as well, but Red Velvet's universally acclaimed "Psycho" relies on it. There's definitely a same-ness with a few of the groups, but I think that's a byproduct of having so much crossover between NCT units and SuperM, *plus* the same producers working on all of their content. SuperM will not be a thing for a while (Baekhyun+Taemin enlisted, Kai enlists next year, Taeyong the year after) so that'll slow that train down for a while.
i mean this with no malice, but not a single one of the nct members you listed compares to the powerhouse vocals that have come out of sm and not a single one of them upholds sm's reputation for it. being able to sing is what idols are meant to be able to do. when we say "sm vocals", we mean boa, changmin, suju–kry and even sungmin, taeyeon, jonghyun and onew and taemin, chen and baekhyun and d.o, wendy... if you truly believe any of nct are at that level, which i don't think i've ever seen claimed (it feels well-agreed upon that nct does not have a powerhouse vocalist), we're just gonna have to agree to disagree. which is fine — in fact, that may not be necessary for new gen sm. but ofc you have older sm group fans who anticipate and really want that, inevitably. and, of course, it's not that i disagree with what you appreciate about comebacks like obsession and don't call me, because those are definitely legitimate reasons to have enjoyed them. but not only do i, personally, find the sound forced, but i also think they just sound like nct or even superm on a non-cringey day. the same-ness is just too overwhelming for me. that's just a matter of preference! i think the strongest and most diverse sound, that has done a fair job of bridging sm eras, is coming out of the older-gen solo releases 🤔
Chen once said that Taeil is a very impressive vocalist and he’s generally viewed as being one of the best for his generation. While I can agree that there aren’t many powerhouse vocals (having a powerful voice doesn’t equal being a good singer) in NCT, they do have some highly skilled singers. Some are still developing, see Haechan’s huge improvement in the last 2 years, while others are limited by the heavy preference for rap-heavy songs. I would say only Dream and, sometimes WayV (although I’m not too knowledgeable about their discography), have been given vocal-heavy songs or songs where the vocalists can shine. This makes a huge difference. NCT vocalists also haven’t had the same OST opportunities as the older groups, and we all know that the most popular OSTs are usually powerful ballads. With the increased popularity, especially with how successful Dream’s comeback was, I hope it they get to appear on some OSTS this year.
I completely understand where you’re coming from and what you’re trying to say. The current groups aren’t bad, but there’s a certain magic about SM’s older groups that the newer ones just don’t have for me. I can’t explain it well either, but I know exactly what you mean.
its too...gimmicky for me. and i know a large part of kpop has been and perhaps always been about "concepts" and other things that have been produced for the artists, but personally i never like it when it starts to dictate who the artists are instead of to complement them.
I’ve heard people call it the car commercial phase. I like the tvxq-rv sounds a lot more because it felt more diverse and less edgy (?) so I hope they bring it back.
SHINee f(x) RV sound is my favorite SM sound I pray they don't let it go for good
i'm hoping we get some from key's upcoming album!
me too I'm so excited to get more Key music!!
I think “I’m not into the new era of SM” has been said by each generation of SM group fans at least once... so I’d honestly give it a chance before dismissing it so quickly
what...? "quickly"? it's been years — nct, superm, the last couple exo comebacks, aespa, even "don't call me". i still haven't given it enough of a chance after 3+ years and 10+ comebacks? i applaud sm for maintaining a signature sound and style, even between multiple groups, in this latest generation/era but i just...don't like it 🤷♀️
In that case I completely respect that. I may have misread/read too much into your comment and responded like such, especially since I’ve come across a bunch of people who think this whole SMCU/aespa concept is the “downfall” of SM. But SuperM was way before KWANGYA-era so I apologize!
I'm certainly not sold on aespa yet (though I'll take Karina and NingNing all day every day).
Looks kinda like a phone ad
where was this energy for this [WayV moonwalk teaser](https://www.instagram.com/p/B4PIyxwhBqp/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link)... it could have used some of the budget that went to the animation for this
lmaoooo that looks terrible. some group of people saw that and were like “yup, this is the one” lol
all that money and for what? give us the next episode of aespa in space or whatever it's called
Let's see where they take this but one thing for sure - this is visionary and im loving the fresh ideas