Padd Solutions

Fanboy:

Currently one of our favorite rookie groups, Infinite recently released their comeback music video for their single album Inspirit.



After watching this video, I have realized that the Infinite boys are no one-trick-pony. I personally think they're some of the best dancers out there right now and without a doubt, one of the best rookies in this competitive K-Pop market.

For this MV, the boys toned down their intricate dance moves to suit a more pleasant song. Kind of like what Super Junior did for "No Other" after their aggressive "Bonamana" choreography. Despite the light dance moves, Infinite still brought it. These boys are almost always in-sync (Actually, come to think of it, I don't think I've seen them not in-sync). The music video did remind me of Super Junior's "It's You" (one of my favorite music videos) and how it was shot in one take. I very much enjoyed the direction of this video. It's unfortunate that they made member Sungyeol pretty much emo here, and giving him no singing parts to add salt to wounds. He got more face-time, I guess.

There was one part that really bothered me though. At 1:30 in the MV, rapper Dongwoo rapped, "I think about you all day long..." as he was looking at and grabbing Sungyeol. Hmm... let's just say that if this MV was released in America, Americans would get the wrong impression of the boys. Since I'm sort of used to seeing these sort of things in K-Pop, I've realized that this is a part of their culture. Sadly, not everyone understands that, so the trolls have expressed their thoughts on the YouTube video's comments. Sigh.

All in all, I enjoyed this MV. I very much respect Infinite and will continue to support them with the hope that they continue to rise in popularity. They deserve more attention than what they're currently getting. This music video is miles better than what else is out there in K-Pop. Easily one of the standouts in 2011. Props to Infinite!


Fangirl:

I really enjoyed this music video. It manages to be adorable but not cloying. The video also has an interesting homemade, artsy style that is almost unheard-of in K-pop. The walls of toilet paper rolls, corridors of white boxes, and the signs of cardboard and tape lend the MV a creative, child-like flair. If you watch closely, you'll see the first half of the video isn't actually one take, and in fact some of the cuts are quite jarring. This bothered me at first, but then I began to appreciate it for the weird, hallucinatory quality it adds to the video.

I have no idea what's going on in that final scene of the five remaining boys in the parking lot, but I love it. I wonder how planned out it was? It feels surprisingly authentic and spontaneous. And adorable.

Infinite is looking more and more like the next big thing to me. With their colorful SHINee pants and their fluffy mops of hair, I can see the noona fans falling for these guys like dominoes (maybe like bed dominoes?). They really are incredibly synchronized dancers - to the point where I wonder if their choreographer gets out a meter stick whenever they have dance practice. ("No Hoya, you have to lift your foot 5 cm higher!")

And speaking of wrong impressions, did anyone notice that tushy grab at 1:47? Yeah, I really don't have anything coherent to say about that, I just wanted to point it out.

Anyway! Yes, it's Infinite "Nothing's Over", nifty music video, watch it and then tell us -

What did you think of the music video?

Fangirl:

When I saw the teaser for "Before U Go", I let loose a fangirl squeal like you would not believe. (I think this tumblr post describes it better than I could express in words here.)

However the music video didn't thrill me as much as I hoped it would. I was hoping for something on the scale of Zhangliyin's "Timeless" or the TRAX's "초우"- music videos so huge and epic, they come in parts. Instead, SM delivered a five minute long (or should I say short?) mini movie. In order to pack it all in, they made the cuts very quick, and a lot of emotional impact is lost. For instance at 2:50, Yunho - hobbled on crutches - realizes that it was his friend Choi Jong Yoon who shot him. Emotional impact? Zip. You hardly have time to even realize what has happened.

SM could have drawn this out, releasing part 1 and driving fans into a frenzy as they anticipated part 2. The question is, why didn't they? They clearly had the footage to pull it off. And what about Go Ara's character? The romance that was hinted at in the teaser (Ara setting a table for two) isn't even touched on in the MV.

On the plus side, Yunho and Changmin look absolutely fantastic. I'm loving the suits and leather jackets. Yunho looks like such a BAMF taking out those evil cronies, it's almost enough to send me into peals of fangirl squeals again. (Did you all catch the flow-mo shot at 4:07?). Here's hoping we get to see more of that when Poseidon finally airs.

I think I ought to mention the cinematography too. How about that gorgeous shot of Jong Yoon in his assassin gear reflected in the urban pane of windows? Or that damp rooftop with a foggy cityscape in the background? Pretty gorgeous stuff.

Alrighty, Fanboy, what was your take on the music video?

Fanboy:

Like Fangirl, I had my own my sort of squeal when I saw the teaser, but for different reasons. I was mainly excited at the fact that SM was going to release a story-based music video. Do you know how rare that is for them?! I was like, "Oh my god, now they're going to start competing with YG on epic story MVs!" Hmm... well... sadly, that wasn't really the case.

For some reason, I feel like this video got a lot cut from it on the editing floor and was rushed to premiere just so Cassies could get their TVXQ fix. Actually, I personally believe that SM will release an extended version of this MV later on so we can get understand the full story. So much seemed to be cut that it was sort of difficult to grasp, and then boom, it was over. They should have had a longer intro to help set the background story, and then have a break in the song to further the story with another cut scene, etc.

Other than that, I did actually like the MV. But for me to love it, I need to also love the song. Unfortunately, the song just does not excite me. Sigh. This was all very "Hot Times" reminiscent, and I didn't like that song either (or the MV). Side note: it seems that Apple is doing product placement in K-Pop now too. Notice the in-your-face promotion of the iPhone? *rolls eyes*

I'm no fashion expert here, but I found Changmin's feather-collared outfit to be so out of place. This MV was all serious and has the boys working in crime. Why on earth would Max be running around in ethereal attire like that?! And, I'm just not feeling Yunho's bowl cut. Spike it or something. He looks so plain. But then again, it is sort of appropriate for the business.

Now on to my favorite parts! Oh man, the action! I about fell out of my chair when I saw HoMin showcase their action star skills. If you guys like to know, there are two things I'm a sucker for: Hardcore action and hardcore dancing. So yeah, this was a total win. In the end, I have decided that Yunho and Changmin need to be cast for Ninja Assassin 2: Rain, U-Know, and Max Kick Ass. I smell a summer blockbuster smash!

What did you think of the music video?

Fangirl:

As I was watching the CN Blue teaser for "First Step" yesterday, I was prompted to tweet the following:

I think having non-Asian people appear in Korean MVs will only stop being awkward when there are non-Asian people in the bands too...

Coming from a non-Asian background and a country that is multicultural, the appearance of non-Asians in Korean music videos is often an awkward affair for me. The actors are never more than ornamental.

I'm having a hard time putting my finger on exactly what bugs me about this. After all, aren't background actors and extras "ornamental" in every music video?


Fanboy:

Living in America, all my life I have always been exposed to multiple races. With that, I've exposed myself to become more accustomed to seeing ethnicity more often. Actually, I often find myself thinking some idols are white. But now that I think about it, I think K-Pop is trying to do that on purpose, because on stage, some of the artists are made up looking sort of Western sometimes to me in their facial features. (Oh, but not the attire. Just the face...)

So what I'm getting at, I believe that since I come from an area that prides itself on a multicultural background and that I am used to witnessing multiple races at once, seeing non-Asians in K-Pop MVs almost goes unnoticeable to me. And frankly, I'm not bothered by it. I don't think it's forced. On the contrary, natives of the Eastern side of the world might not be in the same boat. When they see a foreigner, they see a foreigner. That's why they're like, "Woah! A white chick!"

I have noticed that YG is starting implement non-Asians in their MVs more lately. I attribute this to possibly since they (and the rest of world) are becoming more global. As we all know, K-Pop is gaining immense popularity outside of Korea and reaching places like where I am: Texas! (That's a big deal). Thank you, Internet!

But as Fangirl pointed out, most of the non-Asians in MVs are pretty much objects. The only Asian MV that I can think of where a non-Asian played a central role was BoA's "Quincy". There was creepy white guy that stuck out like a sore thumb in that MV. Then again, no Asian parents would ever name their child Quincy, so there you go, Wonderbread served a purpose.

All in all, I think we as a world are becoming more connected thanks to the Internet. As our cultures start to seep into each other, I believe we will all become more accustomed to anomalies such as multicultural MVs. I honestly don't know how long this sort of transformation will take, but it's happening as we speak. The change is inevitable.


Fangirl:

So I took some time to think about why non-Asians appearing in Korean music videos bothers me. I think it's my tendency to over-analyze. When a foreigner is cast when it is obviously easier to cast a Korean, my mind automatically wonders "Why?"

Take H.O.T.'s "Candy", for instance. In the music video, the five (rather primary-colored) boys of H.O.T. attempt to charm a white woman with their cute singing antics. I automatically begin to wonder about the implications. Why is the actress white? Because white women are thought be harder to woo? Because white women are more desirable?

How about the black security guard in CN Blue's teaser? Does the fact that he is black make him seem "tougher"? And so when the CN Blue boys dispatch him with pepper spray, that makes them especially badass?

I had the same reaction when watching GD & TOP's "High High" music video. My first gut reaction upon seeing all the white people was "Yay, white people can join the K-pop party too! Woo-hoo!" But as I continued watching, I couldn't help thinking, "What's with all the white chicks? Are there cultural implications here?" (Mixtapes and Linernotes explores this issue more in depth than I could in this post - recommended reading! EDIT: Response from Mixtapes and Linernotes here)

I'm curious how are readers feel about this issue. What do you think when you see non-Asians in Korean music videos?

Fanboy:

Well, when it comes to a Big Bang music video, I expect a lot from these guys, because their past work has been quite impressive. "Haru Haru" = Amazing! However, once again, I seem to have gone in with too high of expectations with the quintet for their long-awaited comeback.

The music video honestly didn't blow me away. It was neat to see them in a different light. But, it also seemed sort of lazy. There wasn't a definite story in the first music video release. At parts, I was reminded of an old Backstreet Boys music video where the members stand in one spot and overact their lip-syncing as they stare off in one direction and/or at the camera.

TOP seriously needs to change his hair color for this MV and promotional cycle. He just seemed so out of place. And Taeyang really needs to change his look too. He's had the same image for years now. Dude, aren't you due for a change?

I will say this, the song has now grown on me. What helped give it that boost was their live performance of the song. I was very impressed. Why couldn't they carry that concept into the MV? Where was Seungri's skirt in the MV? No where! (Granted, he would stick out in Vegas if he was sporting something like that...Hmm... come to think of it... maybe not. They would just get a different sort of impression of the Big Bang stud.)

Speaking of studs, Daesung is really stepping out in the original music video release by making out with a chick in a hotel. Getting all hot and sweaty and stuff. As they say, "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas." (Side note: It was refreshing to see him get the spotlight this time.) However, it was nowhere near as provocative as Seungri rolling around half-naked in bed with that chick in the "Strong Baby" MV. Honestly though, this is still pretty tame compared to American music videos (Hello, Christina Aguilera!), but I like how YG pushes the boundaries with their MVs. Unlike some other companies... (*cough* SM *cough*)...

The music video for the song was just ok to me. The original MV is an improvement with the new scenes and Daesung's "bed scene". Not a standout MV when I compare it to their past work. I mean, they flew all the way to Vegas to do this? I expected more. But I think this song will continue to grow on me, and who knows, maybe the music video too.


Fangirl:

What a relief to see that the music video broad-casted by SBS two days ago was merely a butchered version of the original music video! My thoughts about the MV had been along the lines of "You went all the way to Vegas for that?!" But thankfully my fears were averted when YG finally posted the original music video this evening.

That's not to say I think we have a masterpiece on our hands. I didn't like the daylight scenes filmed in the empty lot filled with signs. How much better would this MV be if those scenes had been filmed against shining Vegas lights instead? Then when they cut to the desert sunrise around 2:50, it would have had twice the impact. That way for most of music video it would have been nighttime ("Tonight" - ya follow?) until we hit the climax and then boom, it's dawn.

This music video is less story-based (Lies or Haru Haru), and more atmospheric (Don't Tell Me Goodbye). I personally have no problem with that, but I can see how Fanboy would miss the narrative style that has worked so well for Big Bang in the past.

I also wasn't feeling some of the new looks the Big Bang members were sporting. Shoulder pads, GD? Really? And TOP's Spock hairdo has got to go. But Daesung in a simple pair of jeans and a plain white dress shirt rolled up to his elbows looked simply amazing. And those sweaty bangs hanging over his eyes...

*cough* Excuse me, I seemed to have lost my train of thought. Where was I? Oh yes, fashion -

Yeah, Taeyang probably should change his look. The faux hawk does suit him, but he's had that look for two odd years now. It's time to change it up, Youngbae. And personally, I'm glad that Seungri's skirt from the performance of 'Tonight' didn't make it to the MV. That concept simply baffles me.

I would rate this music video above 'okay'. It's not my favorite Big Bang music video ever, but I thoroughly enjoyed it.


What did you think of the music video?

Fangirl:

So "Prection" was...
Uh, I mean "Perfection". *cough*
"Perfection" (太完美) was just released by Super Junior M and here are my first thoughts on it.



Look at those dynamic shots! The spin they do at 0:58 is really effective and I love the low camera angle at 3:14. And check out the flo-mo at the 2 minute mark! LinzerDinzer must be right - SM must have bought all those cameras needed for flo-mo shots and now they're milking it for all it's worth.

As for the costumes... Get those dead rats away from Zhoumi's face! And I'd like to nix the shrunken nit vest thing they've got on Henry. Other than that, I'm not going to nitpick. I can hardly argue with sexy suits on sexy men. And may I just add that Kyunhyun is looking mighty fine this evening?

It's pretty, but pretty substance-less too. Overall, I like it.

Alright Fanboy, your turn!


Fanboy:

Well, first of all, I was seriously waiting on the edge of my seat for this MV to premiere. Now it has finally been unveiled and my eyes have been titillated by the HD-ness. I can now relax after my excitement has started to settle down.

This is a typical SM video to me. An MV that focuses on striking visuals and memorable choreography with a lack of storyline. Super Junior-M's attire is very odd to me. I can't figure out if they're supposed to be Russian or dudes from the 19th century. Except for Siwon, he totally looked like Austin Powers (minus the glasses). Either way, it's not my favorite costume from Super Junior. There's a whole lot of eye make-up going on this vid. Seems many idols are following the guyliner trend. *points finger at Kyuhyun*

I liked the choreography. Although, I wished Kyuhyun danced along with the 3 lead dancers, Eunhyuk, Henry, and Donghae. Ah well. Henry surprised me. He's stepping up his game this time by having more a role in the dancing and singing. Same goes for Siwon, there was a lot of more of him in the song. It was refreshing to hear a more balanced vocal set.

I was wondering why they had Chinese subtitles going across the MV, but I assume it's because most of the boys' Mandarin is so terrible that the natives need something to go along with the auto-tune.

Overall, I really liked it. I've watched it several times now. However, I really just wish SM would start creating more storyline-based MVs. I like dance videos too, but it would be nice for them to change it up every now and then.


Fangirl:

Imagining Super Junior as 19th century Russians now. HA.

Yeah, there seems to be a whole lot of guyliner overkill in this video. Actually, the one that stands out the most to me is Siwon. He really doesn't need all that gunk on his face.

Chinese subtitles are actually typical in Chinese music videos. It's my understanding is that since Chinese is a tonal language, a lot of meaning gets lost when you sing it. Thus, subtitles.

What did you think of the MV?

Fanboy:

I thought we could talk about our favorite music videos! I love watching MVs. I'll start...

• TVXQ - The "Rising Sun" (Japanese) is easily one of my favorite videos ever. The choreography blew me away, and it was nice to see DBSK in a different light. You know, "grinding on bitches". (I like the Korean one for its theatrical effect it gives too) Plus, I love Jaejoong's t-shirt "Fuckin' My Way". So simple and hilarious. :) I also love the "Break Out" and "Wrong Number" music videos. I like videos that have neat stories to them or have something interesting with them. They're really memorable to me.
• BoA - I personally love her dance music videos for their amazing choreography. These include: "Sweet Impact" (I love her homage to Michael Jackson, and the first minute of the video makes me think of Tron, haha), "Eat You Up", "Energetic" (I love the colors in this video. They're very striking. And it's such a shame she didn't make it here in America. I love this music. Tragedy), and "Eien".
• SHINee - "Lucifer" - Well, I already told you that this is one of my favorite songs of 2010. I've watched this video like a hundred times. It makes no sense whatsoever, but I always thought it was neat-looking video. Really wished they released a dance edit or 3D version of this.
• Big Bang - "Haru Haru" - Like I mentioned earlier, I like videos that have neat stories, and this video really intrigued me.
• 2NE1 - "Go Away" - I thought the story this video was neat, and the car blowing up in the background was very cliché, but it made me laugh.
• 2AM - "I Did Wrong" - When I first watched this video, it was some sort of extended drama that I found much more interesting. I can't seem to find it anymore, so this will do, haha. This is my favorite 2AM song, and again, I like MVs that have stories too. (Don't get me wrong, I'm a sucker for the dancing ones too)
• Super Junior - "It's You". I thought the whole drama and one-take concept was really neat. Shame that SM seems to lack in better quality music videos in terms of storyline and/or content. But this one (and "Wrong Number") are standouts for me from SM.

I'm pretty open-minded. What are your favorites?


Fangirl:


I liked SuJu's "It's You", except for the costumes. I know they're just supposed to look like normal, every-day guys, but they just ended up looking... frumpy. Totally with you on BoA's 'Eat You Up' - dynamic and badass. Only one moment in the MV annoys me and that is when that dude's glasses explode. It's such a silly moment, it almost kills the atmosphere for me. You're right that the Lucifer MV doesn't make much sense, but it looks damn good doing it (and there really should be a dance version! Phooey).

Here are some of my favorites:

• Taeyang - Wedding Dress - Pretty much everything about this MV is dynamite: the story line, the color tone, the choreography, the sets. I can't even complain about the costumes. And it helps that the song is amazing.
• BEAST - Shock - I feel like this was the song where BEAST really hit it off, and for good reason. The visuals and the editing are right on target. There's nothing especially unique about it (except maybe those slithering wires), but it takes the usual and does it WELL.
• Epik High - Fan - Epik High have some amazing music videos, but I dare say this one is the best. So damn creepy.
• Narsha - Bbir-Ri-Bo-Pa - Sexy, slightly weird and completely engaging. I love the fairytale imagery.
• TVXQ - Wrong Number - I think everyone agrees this is one of their best. It was also the first MV where I was there the moment it was released. The fan frenzy was incredible!

Fanboy:

Glad we agree on some of the MVs. "Shock" is a neat one, but I just can't get past the "Everyday I shuck!" I've never really sampled Epik High's catalog yet, but I've always liked Tablo when he was featured with other artists. "Fan" was nuts. I liked it though. "Wedding Dress" is really great. I agree. I forgot about that one. That Narsha video was ridiculous. I remember when it premiered, but I never watched it. It made me think of Twilight and The Ring.

What are you favorite music videos?