As is the case worldwide, the Korean pop charts are being dominated by the teens right now. For instance, H.O.T. (Highfive of Teenagers) has only increased in popularity since its debut in 1996. The group's fourth album, recorded live in Seoul, offers previously released tracks such as the slightly hip-hop We are the Future [MP3] off their Wolf and Sheep album. Light (Hope) [MP3], which was written by group member Kang Ta is also included. Go-3 is a fast-paced dance tune written by group member Lee Jae Won.

"Girl Groups" are holding their own on the pop scene as well. Fin.K.L (aka Fine Killing Liberty) continues to enjoy success on the charts and in concert (they recently toured Taiwan). One of Fin.K.L's hits is "Eternal Love" [RealAudio]. The Beginning [MP3] has a very airy and dreamy sound, while Ja-jon-shim [RealVideo] is more of a light dance tune. A kind of offbeat example of Fin.K.L's sound can be heard in their version of Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody [RealAudio].

A group that reminds me a lot of Fin.K.L is S.E.S. S.E.S. is an acronym based on the artists' names, Sea, Eugene, and Shoo. The group has released their second Korean album, the title song of which is "Dreams Come True." It's a light tune with a good groove. The video for Dreams Come True [RealVideo] turns the girls into ethereal, angelic beings. "Shy Boy" has a good synthesized percussion beat and really shows off their voices. I think S.E.S. has some vocal depth missing in other young groups. You can also download the cut imaginatively referred to as "Track 6." I like this melodic ballad more than the title track from the album. If you're in Japan or China, look forward to an S.E.S. tour of your countries in the near future.

Don't forget the solo artists out there right now. Um Jung Hwa's new album, Mol Lah, is doing well with the dance crowd. Also check out I Don't Know [RealAudio] and Scarlet [MP3], as well as the title track [RealAudio] off the Mol Lah album [MP3]. I think this is probably not as strong of an album as her previous album, but if you're a fan of the dance beat, you will be very pleased. Of all the songs on the Mol Lah album, I prefer "Gee Oh Hoo," a sweet ballad sung together with Jung Jae Hyung.

Finally, look for more hits by the Korean-American star Yoo Seung Jun (aka "Steve"). He's from California, and his music is heavily tinged with the rap/hip-hop sound. The big hit on his first album (Westside) was a song called Gahwee (Nightmare) [MP3]. With his second album (For Sale), a song called Na Na Na [RealVideo] got a lot of air time. As far as his newest album goes, it looks like Burning Heart [RealAudio] and Nohnun Na [MP3] are equally popular. Bootakhae [MP3] is a pretty danceable tune, and actually sounds as if it had a little Latino influence.

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