I have some mixed feelings about this song and video. Most of the feelings are good, but there is some underlying confliction.
As soon as this song started I was so on board. This was an anthem and is the closest thing to "Fantastic Baby" that we have received so far. The reason for that comparison is because, let's be honest, that song was amazing and people have kind of been waiting for "Fantastic Baby 2.0". This video also furthers the hilarity that I feel when I watch a BIGBANG video. They are a group and by the end they are all together, but the first half of their videos are often spent separately. I think that BIGBANG decides that they need to have a comeback but because they are all doing their own thing they have to start filming separately but by the end it all comes together like they have been together the whole time. I know that this probably isn't the case but it is the funny scenario that I have created in my mind.
It took me a few listens to like "Bae Bae", but as soon as "Loser" started, I knew that I was going to like it. I say this frequently, but I don't really like slow/mid tempo songs but there are a select few groups and songs that I like and BIGBANG is one of those groups. I love "Blue" and "Haru Haru" and this song definitely fits in the same category as those songs.
Again, like my "Bae Bae" post I am really interested in the video. This time though I am not confused at the events but......I don't want to say in awe........but impressed with what was portrayed though the five members because they are real things that are happening the world to real people.
Each member of BIGBANG are dealing with their own demons and in the end they are destroyed by those demons, thus becoming losers.
And almost three years later, we get a BIGBANG comeback. They are ready to take over too what with their MV schedule that's going to be happening. But, YG also said that 2NE1 were also going to do this one video a month thing a few years ago and we all know how that went down. It didn't.
I remembered this morning that the video came out and I watched it and I didn't love the song at first. In retrospect, I think I wasn't sure how I felt about the song because I was trying to figure out what the heck I had just watched Now that I have listened to the song a little more I do like it. The song has a floatiness to it which is kind of fun and it adds to the weirdness of the video.
And here we have the last installment of dolls that would have gone on an Etsy account had I not got a job in Korea.
GD in the leader of the the boy group BIGBANG and "Fantastic Baby" might be one of the best song ever. Ever. He was also really fun to make and a little stressful because there was quite a lot to do on him.
Starting from the top and going down, there is the crown. I first only decorated the base and was then slightly hesitant to glue jems to the head parts because I thought it would collapse, but luckily the glue stiffened it so that didn't happen. It is still a little delicate though.
Then there is the jacket. In the video, there is a lot more detail, but I just left it at the "Hermes" on the front of the jacket. I had never made letters before and they were also really small AND I had to make an identical set. Wow. They turned out well though.
Last, there are his shoes. I made them in a similar manner to the Minho Etude House doll and then I painted them with some gold glittery paint for an extra bit of pizzazz. Something I forgot, I also made those white and black leg things he has with white felt and fabric paint. Yep, this guy was not easy, but it was fun! A good thing is that he didn't have a lot of hair to do on top of all these other things. Hair normally starts out fun, but the closer I get to the end the more tedious and boring it becomes.
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.
I think that it takes a special person to promote singly, especially when you are in a presently promoting group. I can see going from a group where you can feed off other people's energy to being solo could be both exhilarating and terrifying. One of my favorite things about people who are putting out solo albums for the first time outside of a group is you get to see a completely different side of them. You are so used to seeing them one way but then they completely 180 when they are on their own. Here are those people that we felt really shined through the masses of large groups as a singular star.
Lee Hyori has been killing it this year with all the songs and videos that she has put out. I love the pop art concept that is going on in this video and the back track sounds like something that you might hear in an old cartoon during a corny chase scene. I am also a fan of her newest video "Crazy". She is just furthering the fact that she is one of the queens of K-pop.
~ Alora
Lee Hi
This song is so pretty and it has a really different sound from a lot of other K-pop videos. It is a ballad, and while I don't usually go for ballads, I actually really like this one. I also like how the song is sung predominantly in her chest voice, it just gives the song a whole different feel from the popular sounds that K-pop is putting out right now.
~ Alora
I wish I had your voice award - Becca
Boys
Heo Young Saeng "The Art of Seduction
I
love this song so much. I haven't been listening to K-pop for too
awfully long so I missed SS501, even though they don't really do it for
me anyways, sorry. This song has a great funky kind of disco sound and it is also rocking
the synths. This is one of the songs that makes me wish that I really
could sing along with it and not just make up nonsensical words and
sounds that sound similar. That being said I've been singing "I'm
burning up yeah" during the chorus, apparently it's "Oppa neun eottae",
who knew? Last note, I totally want crazy-stalker-kidnapper girls pink
sweater.
~ Alora
Roy Kim "Bom Bom Bom"
This was the first time that I had ever heard a Roy Kim song even though I had seen his name before on K-pop news sites. When I listened to this song, the first thing that came to mind when he started singing was "Oh my gosh it's the Korean John Denver" and I still stand by that. He has such a wonderfully smooth voice and can hit higher notes as well as deeper notes with ease. He can come and sing me to sleep any time.
~ Alora
Jae Joong "Mine"
I got into K-pop long after the whole DBSK fiasco, so I don't suffer from DBSK withdraws like so many others, even though I am quite fond of "Mirotic", but then again who isn't? I loved this song the second the first chord was played because this is the type of American music I listen to. This song is just so gritty and different from the super sexy electric feel that normally comes with K-pop. This song is definitely toeing the line between K-pop and J-rock and I absolutely love it. Keep doing this JaeJoong, because it's freaking awesome.
~ Alora
G-Dragon "Michi Go"
Oh G-Dragon, what would we do without your cracked out solo videos? Also, that pink elephant? Totally not subtle, is all. ~ Alora
Why do all my friends say you look like a girl in this music video? award - Becca
K.Will "Love Blossom"
I had heard K.Will songs before because he is the king of OSTs, but I had never actually sat down and really listened to a song or watched a video. This song was awesome though, it is one of those songs you listen to and think, "Yeah! Sometime it will stop snowing and being cold. The sun will come out and everything will be okay!" It is too bad that K.Will took a head shot from L though, even though it was a clever way to use an otherwise "unusable" singer in a video. Put K.Will in his own videos, dang it!
~ Alora
Cleverest use of the artist in a music video award - Becca
Jay Park "Joah"
I don't listen to Jay Park because he tends to be a angry gangster rapper and I am not an angry gangster rap type of person. I was pleasantly surprised to hear this song though. It's so cute and, well, cute. Who knew right? I know that Jay Park is a phenomenal rapper, but I would not be sad to hear more songs like this because his voice is like butter.
~ Alora
Where did this soft side come from and how can I see it more often award - Becca
Sub Units
I think that subunits are very similar to solo artists in the sense that you get to see something different that the usual concept that you are used to from a specific group. It showcases the talents of certain people that may be overshadowed in large vocal groups.There weren't a lot to pick from in this category, but from those few, these are who we really liked.
Boys
Infinite H "Special Girl"
I don't really listen to Infinite, the only thing I really knew about them was that L was in Shut Up! Flower Boys Band, but I really liked this song when it came out. I like the mix between the sung chorus and the rapped verses. I also decided that I really like Dongwoo because he had pink hair and, not to sound super weird or anything, he has really nice lips.
~ Alora
Best dancing and swagger in a Sub Group music video award - Becca
U-Beat "Should Have Treated You Better"
I have recently come to love U-Kiss so I was excited to hear the a sub group was going to be created. I liked that AJ and Eli were the main players in this sun group because rappers don't get a lot of stage time in a group. They usually come out for the bridge or do basic background rapping. Not this time though! AJ and Eli are getting their chance to shine in their very own sub group with a special appearance by Kevin.
