Infinite: Last Romeo

Hey, all!

I'm so sorry that I have neglected this blog for a year! I know, I know. My blogs aren't popular at all, so why am I even trying? It's something that I've been wanting to try ever since my fellow AFF-ers tried blogging, so I thought, "Why not give it a shot?"

And here I am, giving it a shot. ^-^ So, I was hoping to do a review for EXO's "Overdose," but I'm pretty sure that there are a lot of reviews on that already. Instead, I will do a review on Infinite's "Last Romeo," which was released yesterday on YouTube. Here is the video, if you want to check it out! ^-^

SONG

     Let me be the first to say it: I LOVE THIS SONG!!! I cannot express how much I love this song and its use of brass, strings, electric guitar, and piano gave it a very orchestral vibe. I know that others have probably commented on this vibe, but I will give my own opinions about it. Yes, we have already seen other groups use these instruments such as in B2ST's "Fiction", Super Junior M's "Swing", and DBSK's "Something". Other groups like BAP and Topp Dogg have used Korean instruments in their music such as the gayageum (string) and janggu (percussion). In fact, the orchestra vibe isn't new to the KPop scene. But, what I loved about Infinite was that they stayed true to their style. You can take one listen to this song and say that it is Infinite's song. It does not remind me of another song and that in itself is amazing in the KPop industry, where copyright issues flutter from one group to the next. (Excuse me for sounding rash, but I'm being realistic here...) 

     I love that each member had a distinct part, even Sungjong and Sungyeol, because that made their presences in the group all the more important. Just like "Before the Dawn," I took an immediate liking to the song. Without looking at the lyrics, it's the type of song that would make me go out to play on a rainy day. The neukkim, or the feel, of the song is very... bright. I don't even think that's the right word. I'm an English major and I can't even find the right word to describe this neukkim. Let's say that this song moves me to dance. Anyone who knows me personally can testify about my lack of dancing skills. I have two left feet, to say the least, haha. Anyway, those are my thoughts on the song. What do you think?

VIDEO   

     As per usual, Infinite's dancing is flawless. I can't comment on that because, well, I'm a horrible dancer. XD But, really, I've always love Infinite's dances because are always clean-cut. They are powerful and well-orchestrated and this dance isn't any different. Though, I do have a comment on this. It's not as great as "Before the Dawn" or "Paradise". Please don't hate me for this because this is solely my opinion. It is still a very good, very clean, dance, but nothing stood out to me. Perhaps the live performances of this song may be better and, as we know, Infinite is amazing live. (I've seen them in concert once and was blown away. They have a really grand presence onstage, especially Woohyun. ^-^)

     Since Woohyun is my bias, I had mixed feelings of seeing him interact with an actress, even if they didn't even get to hold hands. Oh, well, it's not like I can do anything about it. I'm just a fangirl who loves him from afar, haha. But, seriously, I really liked this video's concept. Think about it. Millions of Romeos have passed in this world and to be the last one is quite extraordinary. What does being a "Romeo" entail? First, you must be handsome. Then, you must be rich. Finally, you must have an undying love for a Juliet you can never be with. I thought that the video portrayed that wanting feeling very well. The desire to be with your loved one is so strong that you blow up a library by yelling at the ceiling. Yes, that "library-exploding" scene is quite familiar, but who am I to judge? Woohyun looked pretty Romeo-esque doing it. Haha, all jokes aside, I appreciated this music video mainly because it portrayed Infinite for who they are: our last Romeos. (Now that I think about it, that's kinda romantic. Shakespeare would be pleased. XD) 

MEMBERS

     Kim Sunggyu. I don't know why, but even though I prefer Woohyun's voice and everything over Sunggyu, there's just something about this Hamster that I really love. He may be a very flawed leader and is frequently faced with mutiny from his members, but that's what makes him so... endearing. Attractive isn't the right word because there are other things that are attractive about him, yet those are the very reasons why he isn't my bias. But, the reason why I find Sunggyu so endearing is because he's sincere. In everything he does, he's sincere. ("60 Seconds" is a great example of this.) I could feel it in this video. No matter what he does, he sings with genuine passion and a fierce determination that makes him stand out from the rest.

     Jang Dongwoo. This dude never fails to amuse me. No, he isn't my bias and no, I don't find him the least bit attractive in terms of looks. But, he raps and dances like a boss. He has this stare that kinda hits you in a spot where he leaves you no choice, but to watch whatever he's doing. It's amazing! If you haven't gotten that vibe from him yet, perhaps this video will make you experience it. What I like about him is his 180-degree switch from cute to charismatic when he is onstage. I've watched several (maybe more than several, haha) Infinite reality and variety shows and I really like his derpy, always-smiling self. But, this video reminded me about why I like his music video and onstage self more. He has such a powerful stage presence that... it's really hard for me to explain this because I've been only to one live performance, but I think that he leaves an impact on everyone, no matter who is watching him. He definitely left an impression on me in this video.

     Ah, Nam Woohyun. What don't I love about this guy? Handsome, great at singing, great at dancing, great at acting, and has an infinite amount of aegyo. He's well known for his awesome performances onstage and heart-throwing, eye-smiling fanservices offstage. I always admire his ability to capture the hearts of many with a simple smile or wave. Am I in love? Goodness, I have to stop fangirling over this guy. >.< All this mushy stuff aside, I really appreciated his acting skills in here. I thought that he, L, and Sungyeol match the "Romeo" concept the best. He didn't have to hold the girl in order for us to know that he was in love with her. He didn't have to kiss her for us to know that he needed her to be whole again. Well, perhaps the exploding library gave us away to his true feelings about being apart from her, but you know what I mean. I really want to see whether or not he pursues an acting career because I'm sure that he would do well if he did.

     I wish Hoya had more presence in this video. :( I didn't notice him as much as I usually would in other Infinite music videos. 

     As aforementioned, I'm glad that Sungyeol had more of a presence in this video. I know that he's usually considered, "the tall one" or "the funny one," but I can now dub him as "the charismatic one." I love his expressions in the video; they were so filled with passion and angst and hurt, I just wanted to hug him. But, he would probably be like, "What the heck? Who are you?" He was very manly in this video. I don't know why, but he has climbed a bit higher in my bias list. :) That one line he sings was nice. I think it balanced the whole song and without it, the song wouldn't be as amazing. I think this video shows him as a singer and dancer, not only "the tall one." He finally has a presence in the group. :)

     L is quite handsome. Yes, I admit it. His singing has improved, too. I have nothing against him... though, I have nothing to say about him, either. >.<

     Sungjong is, for once in my eyes, a man. I'm sorry to say, but I've always viewed him as a boy, even though he is the same age as me. He had a very manly aura in this video and his drilling stare is forever embedded in my cerebrum. Haha, anyway, as the maknae, I never thought much of him, but he's really talented. He holds a strong role in the group even when he doesn't sing much. Although he is often out-shined by Hoya and Dongwoo in dancing, he dances pretty well and I respect him for that. 

Okay, I'm so sorry for a lackluster review... I'm not an expert in anything KPop. I'm merely a fangirl expressing my views... Don't hate me too much because this is all my opinion and not the opinion of the masses. I am a Inspirit myself, so I do love these guys! I would appreciate it if you leave a comment on the bottom because everyone loves comments. Anyway, thank you for reading! 

Always,

nasomi2011

Saphira Antidote

ATTENTION: 

 Readers of "RISE of the UNDEAD"!

Saphira Antidote

  

Map of the Promise Land

ATTENTION:

Readers of "RISE of the UNDEAD"!

Here is a sneak peek of the map of the Promise Land! 

Enjoy!

BtoB (Born to Beat): 두번 째 나의 고백 (2nd Confession)

Hey, all!

So, BtoB is back with their cheerful song, 2nd Confession!

I know what all of you are thinking about... What was Ilhoon thinking about, wearing those green, polka-dotted pantalones? What is up with Minhyuk holding that ukulele that turns into a robot?

All jokes aside, I absolutely adored this song! And it's not only because I'm a Melody, but because was such a cute song! Here is the video if you haven't seen it yet:

SONG

     What should I say about this song? Though this is not the BtoB I'm used to, I thoroughly enjoyed it! The song is really light and fluffy, the kind of song I would listen to just because. Or on those days when I feel absolutely and positively happy. It begins with the keyboard and a soft guitar melody, a narration from Ilhoon, and his rap. I actually liked his rap, which reminded me of Zico's (Block B) rap in Synchronization 100%. And it sounded like he was actually singing! I was smiling throughout his entire rap. Minhyuk's rap followed right after, which sounded more like a rap than singing. The beginning was very well delivered and if there's anyone who disagrees with me, leave me a comment below. 

     I noticed a trend in BtoB's songs: I always favor Changsub's singing parts above everyone else. He has the best lines in all of their songs and his voice is just... so versatile for every song they have made so far. Don't get me wrong, I like the other vocalists' voices! Eunkwang has amazing range that most women can't reach in full voice. Hyunsik has that silky smooth voice that reminds me of a warm cup of hot chocolate. And Sungjae's voice is powerful and demanding of attention. However, Changsub's voice has this flexibility that I truly admire and respect. It works well for this song and conveys that heart-warming feeling of being in love very well.

     The tone of this song is simple: being in love. And this is the sort of innocent love that isn't easily portrayed by Korean men. I should know, I lived there for four months. >.< I know that Infinite's Man in Love was sort of like this, but I can feel the difference in this video. I love Infinite, for I am also an Inspirit, but I have to give this to BtoB. This song is catchy from the beginning and it is the perfect song to sing to while thinking about a loved one. Though this song doesn't show the complicated type of love we Americans are used to, it gives us, or me, hope that love is out there. Releasing pent-up passion and affection for a particular person for the second time is not an easy thing to do. This song kind of assures us that second confessions aren't bad. And really, having the courage to do this sort of thing again is a display of love.  This song is all about anticipation and I have to admit, I LOVE IT. :) 

VIDEO

     The video could be better. I'm not saying that I'm an expert in video-making, but their other videos had more substance. I still liked this video. It was cute and, thankfully, without aegyo. But, there were just some things that it could have done without. Like. Those. Green Polka-dotted PANTS!!! They have to be the worst image-ruining pants ever! I just... the instant I saw it, I felt an indescribable urge to rip it apart. >.< Apart from this, I like the transportation of the letter from scene to scene. It's a really cute idea! The room where they played the instruments in looked familiar... I think it was a room at Cube Entertainment, though I can't be too sure. Anyway, I liked this video, but I thought it could be a lot better. 

MEMBERS

     Let's begin with Eunkwang. Seo Eunkwang (11.28.1990, Leader, Main Vocalist) is not the greatest looking member of BtoB (just my opinion, sorry Eunkwang fans), but he has one of the most amazing vocal ranges in the KPop industry. Not to mention, he is a natural on the piano. I admire his ability to lead and how close he is with each of the members. He has a very kind heart and I'm sure that the girl he ends up marrying will be very satisfied. He exudes a very positive aura that I've come to appreciate in everything BtoB has done so far. In this music video, the concept of being in love seems to fit him quite nicely. His new hairstyle and color also fits his personality better.

    Lee Minhyuk (11.29.1990, Visual, Vocalist, Lead Rapper, Main Dancer) is handsome and I'm sure he knows it. He isn't my bias, but he is the first person I see whenever I watch BtoB's music videos. He's incredibly multi-talented: he can sing, dance, and rap, AND he's handsome! How is that even possible? Could someone like that actually exist? Apparently, it's possible. I think for this video, his rapping definitely improved. Not that it was horrible before, but it flows better with the song now. Also, it touches on his acting skills a little. Irresistible Lips was an amazing video that showcased his acting, but I like how this video shows a subtle side in his acting. I liked it!

     Lee Changsub (2.26.1991, Lead Vocalist, Dancer) is a personal favorite of mine. Not my bias, but my distraction from my bias. He can do so many things that people overlook: he can sing, dance, freestyle rap, and he's incredibly funny! Because Minhyuk, Ilhoon, and Peniel are the faces of the group (though, Peniel is not very popular for some odd reason), Changsub is often overlooked. But, it is clear that he is very talented. He says that he is in charge of aegyo and he frequently acts like a five-year-old. But, the things he can do with his voice is amazing. He can make any song his because his voice is so unique and versatile at the same time. As I mention earlier, his voice matched the tone of the song perfectly. He has that cool ability and confidence that should be noticed, but is hardly ever. True, he has a 4D personality, but that doesn't matter. He's still an above average singer and dancer. 

     Lim/Im Hyunsik (3.7.1992, Vocalist) is also another member often overlooked. He has an adorable eye-smile and he reminds me of one of my friends: manly, composed, and wise beyond his years. He reminds me of a reliable older brother that people can count on. As I mentioned earlier, he has a smooth voice that I admire. In both Irresistible Lips and Insane, he had very few lines, but delivered them well. His other talents surpass his singing skills, though. He composes songs, writes lyrics, and he can play the guitar and piano. On top of that, he's a master at harmonizing, as you can see from BtoB's acapella compilations on Youtube. In the video, it showed him playing his guitar, which I think should be displayed more often. :p 

     Shin Donggeun/Peniel (3.10.1993, Rapper, Vocalist, Visual) is my bias. He is probably the least noticed out of all the members. And that is sad because he's really a sweetheart. I love the fact that he's a Christian! (Did you know that the origin of "Peniel" is from the book of Genesis in the Bible? It means, "the face of God." That was the place where Jacob wrestled with a man, who was an angel of God. He called it "Peniel/Penuel" because of the struggle.) Peniel can rap fairly well and his English is very good. In my personal opinion, I think he is the handsomest out of all of BtoB. Yes, Minhyuk is pretty up there, but Peniel... He has this sort of quiet handsomeness that I love. He doesn't use his handsomeness as a tool, he just simply has it. And I think that was part of his reason for being a part of BtoB. He is effortlessly good-looking and charming without having to say anything. The instant I saw him, I kinda knew that he was something special. Although his specialties haven't been displayed yet, I know that he will reach his full potential soon. I can see that he favors acting over singing, but he hasn't had the opportunity to show to his fans either one of those talents, yet. He is so adorable and innocent! I love the fact that he's lovable and that everyone treats him like a younger brother because he is the foreigner out of the seven of them, being from Chicago. In this music video, I liked his English verses, which molded well with the song. I loved his style, too! I hope that in future videos, he gets more singing parts. :) 

     Jung Ilhoon (10.4.1994, Main Rapper, Lead Dancer, Visual) is cool. No questions asked. He has a cool personality that could be childish at times, but he has proven to be very mature and wise beyond his years. Ilhoon has some really good parts in this song that I liked, but I was constantly distracted by his polka-dotted pants. Just... I'm sorry, Ilhoon! I think you are cool, but those pants have to go!!! I don't know much about Ilhoon except the fact that he's a popular member of the group, especially after showing his aegyo in the cute-counting game. I know that his personality is far from cute and he seems more aloof than anything, but he's a talented individual and I respect that. 

     Finally, we have Yook Sungjae (5.2.1995, Lead Vocalist, Dancer) who is one of the tallest maknaes from the rookies of 2012, alongside Zelo from BAP and Sehun from EXO-K. Am I the only one who thinks he looks like Seo Inguk? Haha, apart from that, he can sing very well and he has impeccable control over his voice. He looks much older than he is, but just like others his age, he still uses aegyo on his Hyungs. He has a 4D personality that I have become accustomed to and I think he's going to make it far with his talents. He is surprisingly handsome in every picture he takes. He exudes manliness in a cordial way and his singing voice charms us at the first note. I liked his look in this video. It was a crossover of cute and manly, which Hyunsik is usually able to pull off. Sungjae has more to learn, more time to grow, and definitely the most potential of making it solo out of everyone in the group. Not that he should be solo, but he has the greatest potential. ^^

So, this was my second review! How did you like it? Please comment! Thank you!

GI (Global Icon): Beatles

Hey all!

Here is my first KPop review!

So, I just watched GI's (Global Icon) Beatles and I have to say that I'm amazed. This is the first rookie girl group that I ever paid attention to. I know that there are others who have done reviews on this group already, but I just wanted to review this video as my first ever review! It was going to be EXO's Mama exactly one year ago (yay!), but I never got around to doing that. Then, I thought about doing a bunch of B.A.P. stuff, but I never had the time. So, here it is, my first review on GI's Beatles! If you want to watch the video, here it is:

 

So, I will divide this into three parts: Song, Video, and Members. I know that this will be different than most videos because people rarely speak about individual members. So, here it goes!

SONG

      Okay, I have to say that this song, although it is auto-tuned, is pretty kick-ass. From the booping sounds in the beginning to the "Yeah, uh-huh, you know what it is, uh-huh, attention, attention," the beat is pretty sweet. Why am I speaking like this? I'm listening to the song while I'm writing this, that's why. >.< Anyway, I love that R&B breakdown right after the first chorus. But, I think my favorite part of the song is probably the "G-G-G-G-I" part, which is sung by Aram, I believe. I like the R&B by Eunji and Hayeon, as well, but I can find myself singing to Aram's solo part. The song is split up pretty nicely, but I think that Hayeon could have some more parts, because she only sings the "Hey, move better move, a move and move..."

     I completely like this song and their confidence blows me away. They might be the first girl group that I will willingly follow and like. What I mean by this is that I DO like girl groups, but I only began liking them because of their male labelmates. For example, the first girl group I ever liked was Secret and it was because I was into B.A.P. Then, I began to like 4minute after getting into BtoB. Unfortunately, I've never really been into SNSD and I'm a huge fan of SM groups. So, I don't know any male groups from Sim Tong, yet, but I can say that I really like Global Icon already. If anything, I know that it is too early to tell, but I think this group will be the one to compete with, hands down. Their concept is fresh for girl groups and though 2ne1 has had their fill of tomboy-ness, the thing that sets this group apart is their impeccable dancing skills and this explosive debut song. I respect 2ne1, but I have to say that already like this group when it took me a while to like 2ne1.

VIDEO

     This video reminds me of B.A.P.'s Warrior and Rain Sounds in more ways than one. For starters, the skull was used in both videos and truly adds to the grungy-ness. Then, there was spray-painting and a bunch of paint dripping down the skull and angel statue. The saturated colors, smashing of the glass, and the dance reminds me of B.A.P.'s Burn It Up. Instead of comparing between the two groups for hours on end, I will say what works for this video. 

     We know that there was no point of the video other than to promote the group as different from regular KPop groups. This video focused mainly on dancing, not much the props, and it highlighted the members in different aspects. For example, in the beginning, OneKet begins the song with her intro and rap on her painted throne. Then, the vocalists are locked in a cage, Ai is boxing... herself?, and Aram, with her spazzy contacts, eats radioactive cereal. Haha, jokes aside, this video highlights every member in interesting ways and it ultimately shows off their dancing skills, which is really off the hook. They are so in sync with each other and even if they were out of sync, with this sort of dance, it wouldn't matter. About the dance, it's absolutely fantastic. It may have some B.A.P. feel to it, but it's entirely their own. I can't imitate it to save my life, but I love it all the same. 

MEMBERS

     So, we all know that there are five members and that four are tomboys, while one is entitled to being the girly-girl. There are three vocalists and two rappers. Let's see if I can go by age: 

HaYeon (12.17.1990)

OneKet (6.21.1991)

Eunji (6.9.1992)

Ai (3.1.1993)

Aram (4.26.1993)

    I'm assuming that the leader is OneKet. But, I can't be too sure. The vocal line consists of HaYeon, Eunji, and Aram, and the rapper line has OneKet and Ai. HaYeon, when I saw their live performance on KPoppin', has an amazing voice! And so does Aram, who can reach the high notes with amazing clarity. Eunji has this really soft voice that I appreciate. It balances the aggressiveness of the group very well. OneKet is talented. I know that she choreographed the entire dance and she can rap like a star, but man, there's no end to her talent. She may not sing as well as she can rap, but she can still sing better than most idols. Ai is a slick rapper and I can dub her with visuals. She's very pretty, almost like... I can't quite say who she looks like. If there someone that a member looks like, it's Jiyoon from 4minute. Aram looks like Jiyoon, I'm sure of it! Hayeon looks kinda looks like Sohyun from 4minute, too... Aside from all of this, this is a good group of girls, chosen very well by their company. They work perfectly fine with each other, and even though there's an oddball in the group, Eunji, who is clearly the girly girl of the group, she fits in perfectly fine with the group.

Anyway, enough of my jabbering. I look forward to the rest of their songs! I hope that this review has prompted you readers to check them out and perhaps give me feedback on them. 

Thanks for reading!

nasomi2011

I have a Blog!

Hey, all!
    
So, this is something new from me, nasomi2011! This is my first ever BLOG and it's just to post other things than my stories. I'm sorry for not being able to post much on AFF. Life really bites me hard on my butt, hehe. I will be posting updates on what's happening with my stories and perhaps, discuss deeper issues on my stories with curious subscribers, here on my blog.

On top of this, I will also be giving reviews on KPop music videos, my thoughts on Korea, and just advice for those who want to travel to Korea because, as you know, I went there in the Fall of 2012.

Please support this blog! This is to help all of you when you need it! I'm just here to offer my services. Let me know what your thoughts are!

Thanks,
nasomi2011