Korea's popular girl band Wonder Girls is making their official comeback with their mini-album "Wonder Party" and the release of a new music video to their title track called "Like This." Wonder Girls have always been known for their brazen confidence and Americanized style, and if I loved their songs before, I definitely love the vibe from this new track. The song is about letting go of your stress and dancing to enjoy the moment. To capture the carefree, fun vibe of the song, JYP Entertainment went all out for the music video, hiring 300 extras, preparing for 112 days, utilizing 500 crew members and special equipment which includes a flying drone. In the music video, the member start out dancing in a loose circle in the middle of a busy shopping plaza. Hundreds of people are milling around the quad area, and they soon get into the carefree dance vibe. The members are all dressed in bright neon yet casual civilian clothing, but what really garners attention is their dance choreography, which consists of funky and fresh dance moves reminiscent of an energetic B-boy style. Eventually, the crowd starts getting into the music, and many people start dancing or bobbing their heads. My favorite part is the chorus, where they break it down with the cue, "Like this...."
Front to back: Sohee & Yenny
Left to right: Yubin, Sunye & Lim
Check out the rest of the tracks from their "Wonder Party" mini-album:
"R.E.A.L."
"Like This" MV (composed by JYP)
"Hey Boy"
"Girlfriend"
"Sorry"
"The DJ is Mine"
Wonder Girls "Like This" Making of (teaser)
What with all the energetic footwork, I'm surprised that Wonder Girls are so smooth in the live performance of their new track, "Like This." Their last title track, "Be My Baby" was more difficult and required more energy to perform, but it took a lot from their live vocal quality, as it was so fast with such high notes. I'm glad this new song has an awesome, fun dance as well as great vocal performance. Check out their comeback stages below:
Wonder Girls "Like This" Comeback Stage on KBS Music Bank
Wonder Girls "Like This" Comeback Stage on M! Countdown
Also, as of June 12th, 2012, Wonder Girls achieved their first #1 win for "Like This" on SBS Inkigayo. Since they've barely started promoting, the wins are bound to roll in within the coming weeks.
Wonder Girls "Like This" first win on SBS Inkigayo
Teen Top has made their official comeback on KBS Music Bank today with "Baby U" and their title track "To You" from their mini-album "Artist." The boys sport a more down-to-earth, preppy yet casual style with their simple but stylish neutral outfits in "Baby U." They bring up the edginess in "To You" with dark textured jackets and touches of faded color. The performance itself is casual but looks tiring on Teen Top, as the choreography has a heavy amount of legwork and jumping around. Still, the boys incorporate a bad-boy attitude and determination that carries the performance through.
Teen Top "Baby U" & "To You" Comeback on KBS Music Bank
Infinite Backstage after #1 win for "The Chaser" on KBS Music Bank
It's a great time for Infinite, as they've received their first wins on all four major music programs ever since their "Infinitize" mini-album and comeback with "The Chaser." Their first official win occurred on May 31st for "The Chaser" on M! Countdown. However, footage of their #1 win announcement for SBS Music Bank was the first live video available. As always, Infinite shows just how
appreciative they are of their win; Woohyun, Sungyeol and Sungjong are
choking back tears, while the other members' eyes water, and L holds the
trophy as if he can breathe in the scent of victory. Not soon after, Infinite also won first on SBS Inkigayo (June 1st) and MBC Music's Show! Champion (June 3rd).
Ever since their
comeback with "The Chaser," Infinite has been holding a steady spot in the top three, usually beating out another group for second place. However, due to TaeTiSeo's immense popularity and strong live performances, the subunit from SNSD
has been claiming the #1 spot for three consecutive times in a row on
all three main music shows (M! Countdown, KBS Music Bank, and SBS
Inkigayo). Thank goodness Triple Crown winners are taken out of the
running after their third consecutive win, as TaeTiSeo became the first unit group to achieve 12 consecutive wins on all four aforementioned music programs. Infinite finally got the chance to win, congratulations boys!
Infinite hit the height of their popularity when they won 1st place for "Be Mine" and "Paradise" in 2011 before their Japan tour. The fact that they're winning again soon after their comeback means that their trek to the top is just starting.
Woohyun tweeted the following, "I wanted to talk to everyone who
supported and gave interest to Infinite. But because I’m suddenly
thinking back to all the times I spent with the members and Inspirits I
can’t even talk... Thank you so so much, I love everyone who gave love
to Infinite!"
Check out the live performance and the announcement of their win below.
"The Chaser" KBS Music Bank
Infinite's first win on KBS Music Bank win for "The Chaser"
Infinite first win on SBS Inkigayo for "The Chaser"
Infinite Backstage on Show! Champion
Infinite first win on MBC Music's Show! Champion
Infinite M! Countdown Opening (120607)
Infinite M! Countdown "The Chaser" (120607)
Infinite M! Countdown "The Chaser" Win (120607)
Infinite Backstage on M! Countdown 120607
As of June 14th, 2012, Infinite won their first Triple Crown award (three consecutive top-spot chart wins) on M! Countdown and became the second K-Pop group after TaeTiSeo to win a triple crown in 2012. Though they did not achieve Triple Crowns on the other major music programs (KBS Music Bank, SBS Inkigayo, Show! Companion), they have received at least one win from each of those music programs in previous weeks. Their first Triple Crown signifies that they're not just any K-Pop idols anymore, but a highly recognized and popular group. What's more, though it wasn't by a wide margin, they beat out G.NA's "2Hot" track and Wonder Girls' new song "Like This." Since the aforementioned noonas have more idol experience and attained success before Infinite, it goes to show that the boys are really entering the big leagues.
Infinite Backstage on M! Countdown (prior to win)
Infinite Backstage on M! Countdown (after Triple Crown win)
NOTE: This is where I rant on...
Popularity in the K-Pop business is no joking matter. There are some great songs out there that can easily top charts, but the ones that make it on the list and stay there the longest are from artists that have the greatest popularity. Take TaeTiSeo's "Twinkle" for instance. Is it a good song? Sure, it's catchy. If another random group sang it, say rookie group Hello Venus, would it stay at the top of the charts long? Would they win 12 consecutive awards amounting to four Triple Crowns? Both answers, are 'no.' In fact, Hello Venus did debut with a popular song called "Venus", and though it does not have the same vocal difficulty as "Twinkle," I find "Venus" much more catchy. If the situation were reversed and TaeTiSeo were to sing "Venus," no doubt the track would beat out "Twinkle" if sung by a less popular girl group. In the K-Pop industry, idols are what really sells the songs.
When Infinite debuted with "Come Back Again," everyone was captivated by the difficulty and flawless synchronization of their dances. However, they didn't start breaking out until 2011, with their title track "Be Mine" for their first full- length album. At that time, I was cheering at my screen thinking, "Finally! It should have happened months ago!" By that, I mean that they have achieved their break-out recognition with the song, "BTD (Before the Dawn)," which, I still believe to this day, has got to be their best song. Netizens rave about the "Scorpion dance" accompanying the song, but the actual track is no joke. I wouldn't be able to describe it musically, but the song itself is powerful, dynamic, and epic without being silly or dramatic. Whenever I hear the track, I have the greatest urge to get off my feet and dance with masculine fierceness (sorry for that image). The music video actually highlights the lyrics of the song very well.
Infinite "Before the Dawn" MV (Eng Sub)
In the music video, the scene starts out with beautiful but battered flower boys Woohyun and Myungsoo glaring at each other in a look that leads to a rough fight. The actual antagonist appears shortly after- a tall, hatted man in dark clothing. The boys are trapped in some sort of leaky, burning building, and they must fight their way out. After joining forces to defeat their foe, they realize that only one can escape, and start fighting each other. Eventually, Woohyun realizes that they cannot leave without one another's help, but as they reach for the exit, they realize that dawn as arrived, and escape is too late. Upon closer explication, the hatted man is a metaphor for a female lover who yields the power to control and trap her counterpart emotionally. The song itself speaks of a man who's desperate to get his lover back despite her adamant refusal. It's borderline emotionally abusive as she tells him that it doesn't matter how hard he tries... lingering around her, he's like a beggar. There's story, scope, and pure sexiness in everything from the song, to the music video, and live stage performances- which the boys execute flawlessly. So once again? Why didn't they win?
On the August 13th, 2011 episode of Weekly Idol, one of the MC's commented on the issue, "I personally feel that Infinite's songs are outstanding... I like all the songs! BUT! The weird thing is, all the songs never got popular [...] I really feel that Infinite's songs should get 1st [...] It seems that people don't know what's good."
Infinite on "Weekly Idol" 110813 (1/2) Eng Sub
Infinite on "Weekly Idol" 110813 (2/2) Eng Sub
I'm not blaming fans for enthusiastically supporting their favorite artists, but I feel that the more popular a group is, the more critically we have to evaluate them. I can easily add a song to my play-list, but whether a group has true star-staying power is primarily based on how well they can actually perform their songs live, and of course, their likability (however, that's a topic for another day). If Infinite were to release "Before the Dawn" with their current popularity now, they would've easily dominated the charts. So as fans, be more responsible for your votes- biases despite true talent can really keep emerging groups from receiving the recognition they deserve.
There has been hype for some time about DSP Entertainment's new boy group, previously referred to as "DSP Boyz." Later, a permanent name of A-Jax was given to the seven-member group. The name suggests strength, as A-Jax is the legendary warrior that lead the Greeks to victory in the Trojan War. The members consist of Hyeongkon, Jaehyung, Yunyoung, Hyojun, Sungmin, Seungjin and Seungyub. Teasers of each members were released throughout April, and their first appearance as a group was on April 24th, 2012, on MBC Music's "Making the Star- DSP Boyz" Their first pre-debut single was later released on May 15th and called "Never Let Go," a ballad featuring Kara'sGoo Hara. The whole music video centers around Goo Hara with different looks- going from a young doll-like, tom-boyish girl strung on red wires to a more lively, independent young lady. I liked that the members did not make an appearances in the video- it brings the focus to the vocal quality of the song instead of their appearances, and hypes up the anticipation to their actual performance.
A-Jax "Never Let Go" MV ft Goo Hara
A-Jax "One 4 U" MV
Their official debut song with music video was officially released today and titled, "One 4 U." Here, the boys make a grand, impressive entrance with their engaging western intro, dark, high-contrast backdrop, mysterious identities and constant action. The music video starts out with servants milling about a balding guy on a throne. A visitor appears to bid the majesty, but as the newcomer raises his eyes, you see sharp Asian eyes glaring upwards in a close-up- obviously up to no good. My guess is that A-Jax is staging some coup to dethrone the king. You then hear the drumbeats of an epic match, and the intruder disappears with a wispy black streak of smoke and reappears somewhere else. Maybe he's a shaman? Magician? The contrast between their ethnicity, dark make-up and pointy clothing indicates that they are from an entirely different place. The K-Pop concepts come in as currently blond member, Heongkon, swipes his cape aside to reveal killer abs and the sequence of member shots begins. In between these scenes, the director inserts dance sequences of the boys in black outfits heavily decorated with glittery rhinestones. The group of seven eventually gather together and walk in a V-formation into the throne room, which is now on fire. As their enemy, the king is soon revealed in an unexpected close-up as a saggy, overweight, hag-like green ogre in a red cloak. Individual members are then locked inside black cages and appear again in a later shot wearing all black witch cloaks. Somewhere in there, a hot blonde girl in a revealing red exotic outfit is seen smizing from inside a cage. The originally bright, golden kingdom has transformed into a dark lair for the ogre and his hissing, witch-like minions in black cloaks. A battle ensues, and A-Jax kicks butt. One of the members telekinetically lowers the cage withholding the blonde girl to save her. The rap scene has the members falling in a synchronized circle to the ground, and the ending scene has them posed on the throne as streaks of bright light shine down on them, Batman-style.
I find the video has a bit of everything- a intro with makes me curious, introduction of characters, an epic storyline with resolutions, contrasts between the characters, an obvious antagonist, a bit of sexy skin revealed, and a grand, intense atmosphere that makes the production less silly and more fun. The only weak point is that the video is so flashy that it makes me forget to notice the song. Instead, I imagine the track as background music only inserted to augment the drama in the video. I wouldn't mind it if they started out with a Greek battle theme after the name of their group to set themselves apart either. After all, boy band EXO also appeared in their debut music video with superhuman powers, and B.A.P. has already entered the K-Pop scene with a manly and tough image. I especially liked the choreography, since I've only see Infinite truly make use of the cool effects of a dance circle until now. With that intense backward drop scene, I'm sure the performance will be quite explosive on stage.
Teen Top has officially released their new music video, "To You" from their mini-album "Artist," and the vibe is as chill and as catchy as ever. This song itself has a smooth, jazzy R&B vibe strung with a funky keyboard and guitar sound. My favorite part has to be the choreography- reminiscent of smooth Chris Brown moves in its casual and intricate flair. "To You" has the boys going for a more mature, laid back vibe and singing about a girl leaving them crestfallen. Think Sistar's "Alone," with the funky vibes and energy of Teen Top. What I like about Teen Top is that they have extremely catchy dance songs, high-energy dances, and a fierce stage presence. Their live performances always have a lot of energy, and they radiate a swag-like confidence despite being so young and having not debuted for so long. I commend their stylists for the more manly, clean outfits, while still maintaining a hip vibe with their stylishly dyed hair colors. Though their album already has a cool, relaxed sound, I wouldn't mind having at least one ballad thrown into the mix, either.
Listen to the rest of the tracks on Teen Top's mini-album "Artist" below:
G.NA's style has always been glamorous and flirty, but with her latest music video, "2Hot" from her "Bloom" 3rd mini-album, is she starting to move further from stylish and heading towards tacky? I find that as female K-Pop stars grow older, they tend to lean towards a more aggressively flashy concept. For example, Lee Hyori tried out the rugged, punk-rock Lady Gaga concept with her album "H-Logic," and Baek Ji Young recently came back a sexy vixen-like concept for "Good Boy." As interesting as it is to see female solo artists establish stronger physical appearances with their comebacks, for G.NA, there seems to be less variety from her previous styles. She seems to be going backwards- instead of being more seductively sexy, she's pushing at slutty sexy. I can excuse the strawberry blond hair dyed to its dying stages and even the patch of actual strawberry red color her mane fades into. I can even swallow down that she's showing more skin than usual.
What takes everything over the top is the choreography- gyrating hips, spread legs and body rolls. It wouldn't be the first time you see these moves- K-Pop artists are becoming increasingly more sexual in their choreography. However, the sexuality level is increased tenfold when there are other girls grouped around G.NA and basically drying humping at her. If the "sex for sale" theme isn't enough, they bring in disgustingly buff guys dressed as firemen in the background to put out the fire that is G.NA. What's funny is that they don't even touch water- they just flex and smile like strippers instead. The random outfits and background makes me think this video has a major identity crisis and is trying to mesh together random Broadway plays. As a woman nearing her mid twenties, her stylists should really consider more appropriate outfits that glorify the appeal of a mature, more sophisticated woman, instead of overdo the sexy and turn her into a bubblegum bimbo. I'm not saying she's any of those negative connotations, only that her company is making her look that way. It's inappropriate... and so unflattering.
As for the song itself, I found myself being so distracted I didn't even notice if it was good. The piano banter (excuse my lack of musical terminology/limited knowledge) in the beginning was interesting, but it did not lead to or foreshadow the random, explosive chorus very well. Neither was the song catchy enough to catch my interest.
G.NA "2Hot" Music Video
I wish they would've followed through with the darker, more natural concept on the cover of her "Bloom" mini-album.She looks pretty, natural, and refine. What's more, she looks sexy without showing an ounce of cleavage... until they reveal another album jacket with her lower half... in a leotard that shows off buttcheek and bare leg. What's more ridiculous is that she looks impossibly thin- almost too much so. Netizens tend to compliment G.NA on her proportions, but from what I can see, her breast implants are making her backside look pretty flat. If they can airbrush her to look thinner, why won't they also airbrush it so her butt looks bigger, without creating a very fake, very impossible S-line?
Check out her live comeback performances below:
G.NA "2Hot" M! Countdown Comeback
If her bright gold and red hair wasn't enough, you're going to compete for the color competition with a metallic, iridescent flame-colored jacket over a sequined white and blue midriff top and unflattering, almost loose looking high-waisted, rhinestone-studded jean shorts? Then you're gonna pair it with reflective silver ankle boots? The only thing "hot" about her comeback outfit is that it's one "hot" mess.
G.NA "2Hot" KBS Music Bank Comeback
Here, the stage outfit is slightly better in that it actually color-coordinates and flatters her body. Despite, I don't know why it's necessary to add a tiara to this outfit, or the red hanker-chief accessory in her back butt pocket. My first question was, "Why do her back-up dancers look better than she does?" They actually look hot and sophisticated in that dark vest and shorts color scheme. G.NA, on the other hand, looks like somebody's sugar-mama.
After capturing the hearts of viewers through their other live shows such as "You Are My Oppa" and "Sesame Player," Infinite is back with a new album and a new show airing May 23rd called "Ranking King." The boys have a mock 'first meeting' in a remote-looking village and then compete with each other to determine the rankings amongst their group. Unlike their handsome, fierce looks onstage, Infinite is actually a very cute and "milky" group of boys who share much laughter together. Raw episodes in Korean are released every Wednesday. Follow them to witness their true dorky personalities and how their chemistry renders them such a cohesive group. I've provided links to all HD English-subbed parts/episodes below. Enjoy!
Seems like the boys of Infinite are growing up... and also growing younger. It's been a long time coming since their "Be Mine" promotions, and ever since their return with "The Chaser," many fans have taken notice of individual member's changes. Infinite themselves can agree that the member who changed the most was Sungjong, since he has grown more mature and manlier. Physically, he has experienced a growth spurt, to become the third tallest member in Infinite after Sungyeol and L. Speaking of Sungyeol, he has also seemed to change from the "choding" perverted kindergartener to a more reserved, chic and masculine man. Though it's only a glimpse of the first "Ranking King" episode, one can witness his aloof solemnity compared to his loud and mischievious tactics in "Sesame Player." His new stage outfits also reflect this- with tailored blazers, slacks and scarves that add a touch of high fashion.
Woohyun and L, on the other hand, has become more extroverted. The cutsey king seems more determined than ever to highlight his aeygo, and that shows in his clothing addition of large lenseless glasses. Hence, the "Harry Potter" comment. His clothes are in fun, bright, contrasting colors that welcome the warm weather, while the glasses and bow-tie add a touch of nerd-chic. L, on the other hand, looks like his slightly cooler, good-looking best friend who just happens to be shy about his handsome looks. He seems to be more outspoken and comfortable compared to the cool, ice-prince image he had before. What's sure to make some girls swoon is that despite being the "face of Infinite," having the "Most Kissable Lips" and his success in "Shut Up! Flower Boy Band," the attention seems to be making him more bashful than confident. The boy has become prone to looking down while bursting out in giggles and covering his lower face with the back of his hand.
Sunggyu has always been a leader, but lately, his age difference seems to stand out more than ever. He's 24 in Korean age and you can tell he's ready to seriously date, instead of just hang out with a bunch of rowdy lads. Hoya is known as the manly guy from Busan, and he has been more openly amused and laughing. Speaking of laughter, Dongwoo is the member that seemed to change the least (unless you're talking about his hair color). He's still free-spirited, laughs at practically everything, and completely adorable. His main change has to do with his appearance; Infinite's stylists have honed into the members' individual styles and subsequently, Dongwoo's sleek haircut, fitted slacks and vests are making him look more and more like the suave lady seducer.
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep 2 (1/3) Eng Sub
Infinite "Ranking King Ep 2 (2/3) Eng Sub
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep 2 (3/3) Eng Sub
So the second episode was a little slow, but there are some upsides. First, you get to see Sungyeol smile and laugh again! Whoever thought the distant, quiet Sungyeol was going to be permanent can wipe the sweat from their eyebrows. This episode highlights just how loyal Infinite is to each other. Since Sungjong was voted by fans to be in 7th place in the likability rankings in the first episode, the members are trying to cheer him up by giving him extra lemon drops for voting. They all believe he is very pleasant, sensible and caring towards his hyungs (older brothers). I enjoyed watching him be gracious about being in last place, and all the members thought so too. At the end of the show, they ended up favoring him and pushed him to first place for friendliness. On the other hand, Woohyun's overpowering greasiness in kissing up towards the other members had him go from 1st to 6th place, and Sunggyu's crankiness and old man confidence made him slip from 3rd to 7th place. The boys got a good (harmless) laugh out of that one.
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep 3 (L Snippet- Eng Sub)
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep. 8 Preview
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep 9 (Preview)
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep. 11 (1/3) Eng Sub
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep. 11 (2/3) Eng Sub
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep. 11 (3/3) Eng Sub
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep. 13 (Preview)
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep. 13 (1/4) Eng Sub
Infinite "Ranking King Ep. 13 (2/4) Eng Sub
Infinite "Ranking King Ep. 13 (3/4) Eng Sub
Infinite "Ranking King Ep. 13 (4/4) Eng Sub
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep. 15 (Preview- last episode)
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep. 15 (1/3) Raw
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep. 15 (2/3) Raw
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep. 15 (3/3) Raw
Infinite "Ranking King" Ep. 15 "In the Summer" Raw
