NASTY NASTY, Star Empire's new co-ed project group, released their music video for their single, "Knock," earlier this month.� Since their official debut as a group, many K-pop fans have drawn comparisons to Trouble Maker, Cube Entertainment's co-ed group. �There are seemingly many similarities between the group; however, there are many unique qualities in each, as well.� So, let's take a further look and compare the two!

Members

The main similarity between the two groups is obviously that they're both made up of co-ed members, which is fairly uncommon in the K-pop industry. �Although we've seen many collaborations between male and female artists, co-ed groups remain sparse.� Both NASTY NASTY and Trouble Maker combine male and female artists from popular groups within their respective agencies.� NASTY NASTY comprises of Nine Muses' Kyung Li and ZE:A's Kevin (in addition to newcomer, Sojin) while Trouble Maker consists of B2ST's Hyunseung and 4minute's HyunA.

Music

The two groups have a similar vibe musically.� "Knock" has a sultry saxophone in the back-beat combined with a club-banger, drum beat.� Trouble Maker, too, has used a similar theme for their hit, "Now."� This adds a sultry feel to both tracks.� The lyrics for "Knock" is definitely more risqu� than "Now," however.� Although they are both about lust and love, "Knock" has more sexual connotations�the music videos for "Now" and�"Trouble Maker" make the songs seem more sexual than they actually are. Now, the straight-forward lyrics to "Knock" by no means bothers me, but I personally prefer the subtlety in Trouble Maker's tracks. �

One of the main differences between the two groups is the female vocal(s).� While HyunA is a rapper, Kyung Li and Sojin are vocalists.� Thus, they harmonize with the main vocals very differently.� HyunA's husky rapping offsets the smooth vocals of Hyunseung while Kyung Li and Sojin's feminine/delicate vocals perfectly complement Kevin's strong vocals.� Although different, both have their own benefits and unique results.�

Visuals

It is clear that both groups did not opt for the bubbly/cute theme we often see in K-pop.� Rather, they lean more towards the 19+ rating visuals.� There are many scenes from both groups that are prevalent in American hip hop and rap tracks such as cars doing donuts and alcohol abuse.� While Trouble Maker focuses on the relationship between a single couple in their ups and downs, the extra member of NASTY NASTY gives them more freedom (and room for drama), such as the love triangle we see in "Knock."� As for the artistic vision of the music videos, I would say "Knock" is a hybrid of "Now" and "Trouble Maker."� It combines the dull lighting and chic ambience of "Trouble Maker" with the theme of a twisted love that we see in "Now." �At the moment, I prefer Trouble Maker with their story lines and catchy dance moves. �But with attractive and multi-talented members, I'm sure that we'll be seeing a lot cooler and different visuals from both groups.�

I am definitely a fan of co-ed groups, so I'm looking forward to following the growth of NASTY NASTY. �As a new group, they may seemingly fall in the footsteps of Trouble Maker.� However, their three strong vocalists give them the potential to create some solid tracks, and I look forward to hearing more from them.� And of course, I'll always be a fan of Trouble Maker.�