There are a lot of familiar faces in the top ten right now. For instance, Jo Sung Mo is crashing to the top of the charts with his third (fourth if you count the .5 generation releases) album of ballads. His current number one song (on more than one chart) is Ashinayo [RealAudio]. In tone and emotion, this is a lot like the runaway hit ballad Gashinamoo (Thorn Tree) from his 2.5 album released earlier this year.

Also in the ballad category comes Geudaegah, Geudaereul [RealAudio] by Lee Seung Hwan. Lee is the parent of a 3-disc collection of songs called Long Live Dream Factory. The compilation project includes work by Lee So Eun, TOY, You Hee Yeol and others, and is made up of old favorites and new tunes. The fantastic Geudaegah, Geudaereul comes from the second disc (New Song Saeroh Booreugi). I hope his other contributions to the CD are this sweet.

Fans may also recognize the sound--if not the look--of Park Ji Yoon these days. Park has given herself a total makeover for her new CD. Compare the cover art from Park Ji Yoon 3 (The Age Ain't Nothing But A Number) and Park Ji Yoon 4 (Sung In Shik) and you will be amazed. She's gone completely Goth. The title song from her CD, Sung In Shik (Celebrating Coming-of-Age) [RealAudio], has shown up in the top ten. Most of the songs on the album are kind of dance tunes, but this is one of the lighter pieces, more pop than dance.

I think Baby Vox is probably the best of the sound-alike girl groups out there, and I was willing to plunk down some money for Why (Baby Vox's 4^th CD) two months ago. However, Baby Vox 3 (Come Come Come Baby) still gets a fair amount of airtime in my house. If you check out the charts, Baeshin [RealAudio], the second cut on the CD, is hanging about in the top ten on several of them. My big question is indeed "why?" I'm sorry to disrespect the group, but this CD didn't grab me. Baeshin seems lethargic and heavy. I didn't give the title cut [RealAudio] from the album exuberant praise, but it sounds like a Grammy-winner compared to Baeshin.

Tin Tin 5 has a new album, but I'll confess I can't even remember what the group's first CD sounded like1x Their current chart-grabbing single Muhlee Cheewuh Muhlee has a pretty decent dance beat, though. It's not rave music in that it has a more of a hip-hop edge to it, but it is closer to club music than anything by "pure" hip-hop groups like Drunken Tiger or Honey Family. I forgot this song was in Korean, there was so much "Everybody shake it1x" going on throughout this one.

Without question, the best up-tempo song on the charts this week is Badahae Wangja [RealAudio] by Park Myung Soo. Lee Seung Hwan has the best ballad, but Park Myung Soo has produced something to put us in a happy mood. To listen to this song is to put a smile on your face. Sometimes that's all a song needs to do, and Badahae Wangja does it well.

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