This Week in Kpop: April 12-18, 2015

This Week in Kpop is brought to you by THE BOOTY. Yes, JYP may look flummoxed in the image above, but you would be too if you were so fortunate to love something with such intensity that it would drive you to song. Booty was not the only thing this week brought us. Block B's subgroup debuted, EXID came back, and guess what? We have a podcast now. This Week in Kpop. Let's get this started.

JYP's "Who's Your Mama?"

With "Who's Your Mama?" JYP may have achieved MAXIMUM BOOTY. Yes, Kpop has had a love affair with butt that just keeps getting more extreme. But JYP has taken this to an absurd level that will be extremely hard to top. This is Kpop's "Baby Got Back," a love letter to the derriere, and perhaps it should only be viewed with the same affection we now bestow on Sir Mix-a-lot's classic. Though not nearly as explicit as say Nicki Minaj's "Anaconda," JYP may just be pushing the same buttons in a very conservative Korean culture.

As a critical site, a part of us wants to break this video down and analyze Korea's image and gender issues. But, come on. It's hard to take a video seriously when JYP opens "Who's Your Mama?" with asking the woman working out next to him (after sufficiently checking her out): "What's your waist size?" and then: "Your hip?" with the woman not missing a beat, answering as if these were common questions or as if JYP were asking for the time. It's also hard to take seriously because, well, JYP. Maybe JYP is the only artist who could pull off such a release - because of his earnestness (he actually, sincerely, loves that booty), his charisma, and because he may just be insane, or a genius, or both (it's probably both).

Because "Who's Your Mama" is actually a killer song. You'll be singing parts of the chorus in the shower, or saying, "Shake that booty - that booty, booty" on your way to school or work. People will stare. But you won't be able to help it. You may even be shaking your own booty. Who knows? Jessi's inclusion here fits the song well, though we would have liked to have seen more of her. Still, this is a strong release and it's shooting up the charts, so Koreans seem to love JYP and will keep loving the booty. So, in short - "Who's Your Mama?" is absurd, objectifying, outdated, catchy, and a whole lot of fun.

Bastarz' "Zero For Conduct"

Just when we needed them, Block B's subgroup, Bastarz, made their debut this week. We're wondering a bit why this had to come from the subgroup instead of Block B proper, especially since we just miss Block B. But this is still a great song and the hip hop we need during this dry spell. There's been some controversy with their teaser being offensive to Japanese culture, but why don't you listen about that, and this release, in the first episode of our incredible podcast?!

Critical Kpop Podcast - Episode 1

Great segue, right? LISTEN. IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING. We have finally started our very own podcast, friends, and we can't be more excited! Join us for the "Genesis," as we tackle Block B's new subgroup, EXID's latest comeback, and the exquisite madness of JYP. You can check that out right here.

Interpreting EXID's Compelling 'Ah Yeah' (As Best We Can)

By now you've watched EXID's "Ah Yeah" music video like the rest of us, and perhaps you're just as thrilled as us that the video is actually saying something about censorship. Or is it? We try to break down the music video here, (as best we can).

Fei Shows off Her True Colors: A Look at the Fourth Episode of "Real miss A"

We've been looking at miss A these past few weeks through Real miss A, and this week we finally get a peek at the life of Fei. Which makes us wonder: How come we always forget about Fei? This is what we've come up with.

King and Queen: Catch Up!

Instead of bringing you a new episode of our fan fiction epic, King and Queen, we've decided to give you an opportunity to catch up on the show! Experience a chaotic night at Kpop High from the beginning! Check out our episode list here!

April 12-18, 2015

And that was This Week in Kpop! Was there too much BOOTY this week? Don't worry, next week will take us back to our regularly scheduled programming. We're very excited about our podcast, as you may tell. Check it out and tell us what you think, yes? We're just getting started. Until next week, have fun and be safe!