G-Dragon Crooked

How's the song? 

So, I was going to write about "Coup D'Etat" this week, but I was given another choice and I went with this one. After writing this, I also realized that there are a lot of words, but not a lot of pictures. There is just so much to say though my English majorness is coming out and it is telling me to put bells and whistles aside and just write! 

This song has a completely different feel from "Coup D'Etat" and that is one thing that I really like about G-Dragon, and really K-pop in general. These artists don't really confine themselves to one genre of music, sure they might be known for a certain sound, but that doesn't mean that they have to stay there forever. GD has put out things that have made us say what the crap are you on (Crayon, Michi Go) more traditional rap (One of a Kind) and everyone accepts that without batting an eyelash. Then he puts out these two songs and they are just so emotionally charged and wonderful which just shows how diverse GD is and I absolutely love it.

When you first listen to this song, and just listen, no video, it is deceptively happy. It does start out with a mournful sound, but then when that bouncing chorus starts, you forget that it isn't completely happy and that is portrayed in the lyrics as well. This is someone that is pretending to not care and act happy, but if you pay attention, you will realize that they are dying on the inside, but all anyone wants to see is the happy front that is being put forth.

I think that is also one of the overreaching themes of this video, pretending to be something that you aren't and the destructive consequences that it brings. GD also talks about "taking away sugar coated comfort" but at the same time he is so lonely and he is crying out for help, but he feels that maybe he doesn't deserve it because it could just end up hurting him again.

I think that a lot of people can connect to these lyrics of feeling alone or abandoned and maybe see their own crookedness. I can see myself in these lyrics and I know that I have been crooked for a while, maybe not the same type of crooked that GD portrays in the video, but I definitely am a little crooked and because of that when I meet new people, they are not quite sure what to do with me. It is a vicious cycle of wanting to be accepted, but not being able straighten out because being crooked is a heavy defense mechanism that takes a special person to get through.

Am I over sharing? Quite possibly, let's move on.

How's the video? 

I don't know what it is like in Korea, but in America we see a lot of child celebrities become these horrible broken adults that we all find fascinating and want to fix or stop others from becoming like them. I've never read a story like that before about a Korean person, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen; that is what I see from this video. Someone who is at their wits end and decides that it is easier to become crooked than it is to try to fit into that cookie cutter mold that the world is trying to fit them into.

In a way I can see this being even harder for a Korean idol because they are placed on this pedestal where if they do anything wrong, the world is automatically against them. It doesn't even have to be about anything important either, one little slip up and you become this terrible person and you have to apologize because it is expected of you; it is kind of ridiculous. The philosophy that I have had about famous people for a while is there are just people with a cool adjective attached to their name. They are still people and the general public forgets that and it hurts everyone involved.  

GD acted this out very well all throughout the video. He is expected to be happy, but every time that you see him acting "happy" there is always a bitterness or anger behind the smile. I also liked the scenes when he was alone in the room with the couch and he was in his boxers (that doesn't sound weird at all). The reason is, I thought that it looked like he was trying to convince himself that he was happy, but in the end, he gave up on that.

As we progress through the video, GD slowly becomes more and more crooked and his actions become more unmanageable and you can see him spiraling out of control. In the beginning of the video, he is pretty harmless, he is more of a brat than anything picking a fight with that guy on the street and getting barred from entering the club.

After this, it starts to get a little interesting because GD goes and destroys public property and disturbs the peace by messing with those peoples' lunch and then laying down on the table just to be extra annoying.

The last few scenes that we are shown are of GD and he looks like he is super drunk and/or tripping some major balls. Everything is just out of control and no one notices and instead of helping him, they push him away.

Our video ends with two different scenes, of one GD crying alone in the bathroom and the final cut is of him passing out in a club. This is also where the sound of the song changes a little and he sing about wanting that person to be with him and how much he misses them. He also pulls a line from the beginning saying "Unlike my heart, the weather is so damn nice" and in the end he says "On this good day, this beautiful day, this day where I miss you/Tonight, I'll be crooked." I guess this is the feeling of everything is so nice it feels like it is mocking me so I'm going to do the exact opposite and be crooked. It is say, but it is a very human thing and think that this is a very human video which is something that is not always seen from the "perfect" world of K-pop.

How's the styling? 

The styling is all over the place and it definitely adds something to the video. The clothes that are being worn bring emotions forward and they are not just being worn because they "look cool". The outfits all embody that famous person persona, something that you would expect someone who has more money that they know what to do with and they are either using that money to show other people how much money they have or how much they just don't care. 

Was the dance super amazing?  

The only dancing in the video is the club bouncing which, let's be honest, isn't dancing.  

Who owned it? 

Obviously this is a solo song so, of course, GD. There isn't even anyone else to try to steal the lime light like that girl in Roy Kim's "Love Love Love" or Abs McGee in Xia's "Incredible" this is all GD and he is amazing. 

Did the English make you ears bleed?

There isn't really any English in the song. There are a few random words, but they don't detract from the song and they are pronounced really well. 

What else is happening? 

Piggy Dolls "Ordinary Girl" - So apparently, the line up of this trio is completely different and there are a lot of unhappy people. I looked up the original members, and they were awesome and these new girls are kind of forgettable, even if I did like the lyrics of this song.

BTOB "Thriller" - I really liked this song and the video was fin to watch as well. Also, that one member who was in the manacles with the blonde hair was super cute!

Navi "I Ain't Going Home Tonight" - This isn't really my type of song and the lyrics are exactly what you think they are about from the title of the song.

GI "Don't Lie" - I don't like this song as much as I liked "Beatles" or their other new song "G", hopefully that one gets a video too.

JY Park "I've Partied Enough" I think that this song had a good message, but it is hard for me to take JYP seriously sometimes because I think of him either as a whisper or as Mr. Yang from Dream High.

Lim Kim "Voice" - Lim Kim is an exception for me in two ways, she is a woman that sings ballads, it confuses me because I really like them. Her voice is just so unique and beautiful!

BTS "N.O" - These are at the top of my rookie of the year award list. They are so talented and they also do a really good job in combining their raps and vocals in a way that shows everyone's talents. 

~ Alora