Danny, Kyesang, Hoyoung, Joon and Taewoo are nice boyswith a top hit, Guhjitmal (Lie) [RealAudio]. The song is a little lethargic, even for a ballad, but the video [ASX] for the song is nice.

I Yoo Seung Jun (Steve) fifth album, Summit/Revival as a whole is just okay, with a couple of songs that are chart"worthy". One of those songs is Chatgilbarae [RealAudio], this song has a good flow and should see some success as a single release.

Diva's new single Up & Down [RealAudio] opens with the same slightly exotic Indian sitar sound that characterized Chakra's big hit Han this summer. Unlike the case with Han, however, this "eastern" sound really doesn't define this dance-type tune. The opening isn't an organic part of the whole, but rather just a flirtation with a theme.

Lim Chang Jung is a workaholic, www.Love 7th is his seventh album, and the content is pretty solid. The ballad single Nal Dalmeun Nuh [RealAudio] climbed right up the charts, and is indicative of the rest of the CD. I'm not sure I like the new hairstyle, but he seems to be paying attention to the quality of his music.

I like the Euro flavor of Um Jung Hwa's new hit, Escape [RealAudio]. Um Jung Hwa is sticking to where she's found success--the dance tune. What I like about the music from the new album, Queen of Charisma, is that it doesn't suffer from that stale synthesized beat you find in S.E.S., Fin.K.L. or other top pop groups. The electric sound is there, but doesn't dissipate the energy of the tune.

Koyotae has picked up a new member (Cha Seung Min has left the group) for it's third album, but I really can't tell when I listen to their top ten hit, Passion [MP3]. Their style doesn't seem to have changed much--if you liked Koyotae 2 techno, you'll like Koyatae 3 techno.

One of my favorite pop singers, Seo Moon Tak, happily, SBS Inki Gayo ranks her single Saseul (Chain) [RealAudio] quite high. This single shows off the energy of Seo Moon Tak's music.

Another favorite Country Kko Kko also has a single, Oh, My Julia [RealAudio], on the charts. I give Country Kko Kko good marks because they seem to sing what they want instead of buying into the "let's all be H.O.T." movement. They are amusing me when they dance around on the stage, and they definitely show creativity.

For a pretty ballad, look for If You Ask Me [RealAudio] by the group Glass Case. This sounds like something you might hear from Jo Sung Mo, so if you're a ballad fan, you might want to find this one. Another groovy song to listen for is called I Just Like It [RealAudio], by Sketch Trip. Sketch Trip has a really natural, almost unplugged, sound.

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