Saturday, January 19, 2013

케이윌 (K.will) - 이러지마 제발 (Please don't...)


Today I'm going to go about this blog a bit different as usual. Instead of starting off this post telling you all my own opinions and thoughts I would like you all to shape your own. So, I ask you guys. Please have a look at the video first before reading this post and try to think by yourself what the story is about. After that I'm going to willing share with you my own thoughts.


Saturday, January 12, 2013

TaeTiSeo (SNSD) - Twinkle


Have you found yourself searching though the enormous list of Kpop songs in search of a song that has some  strong female vocals and amazing diva-like adlibs to the point that the song seems like one major adlib? Well, then I think that Twinkle might be the song for you. I don't even remember how I came across the song. But I do know that it did end up leaving quite an impression.

For this song SMent threw together 3 of SNSD's most powerful vocals and gave them a song where they get the chance to show their inner diva. Personally it kinda reminded me of Lady Marmalade. I know that they aren't strutting around in corsets asking people to sleep with them, but if you look more deeply the similarities are definitely there. They are both about some powerful ladies who spend their days in the spotlights and are both paired with quite some crazy adlibs. They even have shots of both these groups of ladies preparing themselves for the evening in front of mirrors. One thing that Lady Marmalade does have that Twinkle is sadly lacking though is variation.

Through Lady Marmalade there are many changes in sound while with Twinkle the instrumental seems to be the same during nearly all of the song and the melody seems to be a simple copy paste job. If it weren't for the adlibs I wouldn't be able to tell them apart. In the end though I still enjoy listening and I find singing along quite a challenge so I'll definitely give the girls credit for pulling it off.

When it comes to the PV I'm not very positive. While the song itself still managed to seduce me into liking it, the PV didn't have as much luck. It was nicely made and all that, but in the end all that happens is them strutting their stuff while preparing themselves to perform on an abandoned roof. Compared to the standard I've come to see in Kpop video's, this seems somewhat lame. I can't deny though that they all look gorgeous.


Oh my god guys! A car with an illegal number plate! Who are these criminals? We must bust them!


Any second now...


Taeyeon: "Uhm, guys, can we just pretend that you didn't see that?"


Tiffany: "Let's smile and wave... smile and wave..."


Chanyeol: "Aw man, the guys are gonna kill me if I don't manage to get a decent shot of these girls..."


Seohyun: "You do realize that you're tall enough to just see us without trying right?"


Oh well, let's just wave and dazzle them with our smiles. Maybe they'll forget our crime that way.


Looks like someone is immune to these lady's Mozes powers.


Chanyeol: "Ah crap, I have a clear shot. If there aren't other photographers in the photo the others will think I just took the pictures of the internet."


Chanyeol: "I must quickly get a spot where my view will be blocked!"


Tiffany: "Oh Fifi, what should I do? There are so many light pink dresses to choose from!"


Seohyun: "You think you have a problems? These shoes are attacking me!"


Baekhyun: "I really don't get what these girls are on about, it's not that hard to look gorgeous."


Tiffany: "Hey guys, like what you see?"


Kai & Sehun: "What the hell is her problem?"


I have to say that they look gorgeous in these shots! I especially like Tiffany's look. Though Seohyun is also rocking it.


Seohyun: "I can't stand this endless repetition! Let me change it up a a bit."


Taeyeon: "That's okay, I'll add some of my amazing adlibs and everything wil be fine!"


Tiffany: "What are you guys on about? Repetition is awesome! Let's repeat the same melody a few times more!"


The ladies look amazing in these clothes and they know it!




Chanyeol: "So here I am... waiting on the streets for some girls that work in the same company as I do. Just because of some stupid bet."


Fifi: "Hey guys! Anyone wanna take me for a walk?"


Chanyeol: "Aw man... I thought I finally had a chance to take that picture. They're gonna give me a hard time when I get home..."

So yeah, as you might have noticed I quite enjoyed taking these screenshots. Hehe, those beautiful comeo's are amazing. All in all it is a nice song and a nice PV, but I think they could have added something extra to make the whole twinkle.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

BIGBANG - Fantastic Baby


A few days ago I launched this blog with my review of 2NE1's I'm the Best and I talked about how a certain  remix got me into liking the song. Well, that remix was very effective in making me like songs because another song that was in there is now also on the list of my favorite Kpop songs, BIGBANG's Fantastic Baby. Now considering that 2NE1 and BIGBANG are from the same entertainment group I wondered whether it would be wise to be reviewing them so shortly after each other but then I realized that I don't really care. I just want to review this song, so I will~

Just like with 'I'm the Best' this song continued to echo in my head for days, though this time it wasn't the lead singer that had found themselves a place in the dysfunctional radio that I like to call my mind. The first part being TOP's rap while being in those picture frames. Not only did I love the sound of that part (even though it seemed kinda.. sudden?) I also loved the look of it. Never before had I bothered even looking at a picture of this group but the moment I laid eyes on him I knew that this was the man my friend had been fangirling about. Anyways, the weird zooming thing, his voice and his looks & expressions just killed me for a moment right there.

The second thing that stuck with me was Seungri's part when he is surrounded by those cat ladies. I loved the sound of it in the remix but I found out later that the mixer had placed an effect on his voice which was what I majorly liked about that  part of the song in the first place. But even without the effect it's still amazing, especially the "Na na na na na~" part at the end of it.

Finally the other three also managed to impress me. I really love Daesung's long notes though the neck muscle thing he does kinda scares me... And Taeyang and G-Dragon are just generally awesome, I can't really point out some point in the song that they impressed me most vocal-wise. Still though I am considering whether I should grow my hair out and dye it so that I can start wearing it as a dress... Lady Gaga's got nothing on that! And if I grow tired of it I can always cut it off at the exact place where my original hair color stops and the hair dye starts~

Now, let's have a closer look at the PV...


Hello mister owl, are you one of BIGBANG's members?


I swear, he only has to wrap it around him in a fashionable way and it would become a great dress!


Stop music? NEVER! Stop singing? NEVER! Stop wearing a gas mask and headphones at the same time? I might consider...


I-Is that a Molotov cocktail?


Watching him unfreeze in slow motion...


Taeyang: "Oh yeah, you like it when I unfreeze in slow motion, don't you?"


Hmm, I expected a bigger bang... Hehe... Get it? BIGger BANG?


Is your forehead itching dear?


Okay... as a still this part kinda creeps me out... in a good way~


Oh captain, you may sail my ship <3


During this part I was anxiously waiting for him to start floating, but it was not meant to be.


I'm not likely to ever take a tattoo... but if I will, it won't be in my neck... that must be so painful!


Oooh, look what I have in my dungeon~


Don't... don't do that... it's not sexy, it's scary...


Oh hello there! Long time no see! Actually, I think this is my first time seeing you... where were you till now? Interesting piercing btw, you could use it to hang curtains in front of your ear.


Ah... So that's what you were doing hmm? Well, it looks like you had fun. I would have those scratches on your chest looked after though.


Seungri: "Bitch please, I got this."

Mkay, if you say so... but be careful that they don't get infected.


Aww, I liked your previous backdrops better. Don't get your suit dirty~


Hmm, what's that on his lips?


Do I spy a Full Metal Alchemist referance? Probably not but I'll just pretend that it is.


Oh... Oh my~ I liked TOP's suit, but this much better... Daesung in a blue suit definitely works for me.


This reminds me of a movie where someone falls down a cliff to hell or something like that, where there are many creatures awaiting a nice snack... what is it? Do you know?


Dancing BIGBANG style~


Forget TOP, forget Daesung, these guys are the sexiest beings in this whole video!


I see a free spot to the right, surely I can join you guys, right?

Now at first I didn't really see any underlying message in this video, all I noticed was the Anti-Music Alliance battling against the rebels. Later though I watched Simon and Martina's review and I realized that each person was indeed breaking out of his restraints. G-Dragon manages to shed of the crazy amounts of hair that has been pinning him down and finally reaches a mirror so he can fix his make-up, Taeyang unfreezes and finds his inner self through meditation (though later he realizes that all he really wanted was a metal arm), TOP finally manages to leave his framed life and rediscovers his love for blue fur, Daesung is no longer chained down and manages to find a shirt and Seungri... Well, I guess those cat ladies helped him relieve some tension and frustrations 'cause what else was he doing during the first half of the video? Seriously, he's nowhere to be seen for such a long time!

One thing that does amuse me though when it comes to the video and even the live performances I have watched. For a song that mentions the word 'dance' so much there is very little dancing involved! Surely, there is some towards the end of the video but it's just them moving their bodies while singing to the camera. If I hadn't seen the video while listening to the song for the first time I probably would have expected there to be some major choreography throughout the video. But oh well, it was not meant to be. If I am correct in my assumptions BIGBANG just isn't really a group that goes around dancing to a certain choreography. Either way, I still enjoyed the video a lot.