It may be nearing the end of 2015, but K-pop competition is going as strong as ever.
Last week, K-pop boy bands iKON and B.A.P made highly anticipated comebacks. iKON returned with the second half of their debut album "Welcome Back" following their debut in October, while B.A.P returned to the K-pop scene after a year-long hiatus due to contract issues with their company.
Each group made waves with their latest music, spurring comparisons between the two groups despite their conceptual differences.
iKON, YG Entertainment's latest hip hop oriented K-pop group, returned with dual tracks "Anthem" and "Apology" on Sunday. Each song was co-produced by members of the group, and promptly went to the top of multiple Korean music charts.
With tender lyrics clashing with the group's emotional raps in "Apology" and the rap "Anthem" from iKON's rappers Bobby and B.I, the second half of iKON's debut lived up to expectations from a group produced by one of South Korea's most influential entertainment agencies.
Further expectations were raised for B.A.P's return to the K-pop scene. Over a year since the group filed a contract nullification against their company, TS Entertainment, B.A.P is back after settling their differences with the agency. Despite settling, B.A.P's "Young, Wild & Free" proved that the group didn't lose any of its appeal while on hiatus.
Keeping in line with previous B.A.P songs, "Young, Wild & Free" is an aggressive song with a strong meaning and sound. Known for powerful, subversive messages, B.A.P's "Young, Wild & Free" is a declaration of their continued strength in the face adversary.
With different musical styles and levels of experience in the K-pop scene, B.A.P and iKON's newest releases each offer a lot to K-pop fans.
Watch iKON's "Apology" and B.A.P's "Young, Wild & Free" HERE.
Tamar Herman is a multi-media journalist and the co-founder of KultScene. She is a freelance writer and copy editor, and has written for MTV Iggy, Noisey, and Paste Magazine.
