WINNER "2014 S/S" Album Review

This review reflects personal opinions and not those of a professional!

Personal rating: 5/5

The impression: All this time, while waiting for WINNER's debut, all I could think of was "YG, give me WINNER and nobody will get hurt!". Yes, we've suffered a lot waiting for the winners of the survival program WIN TV to make their much deserved debut on the k-scene and today, 12th of August, it finally happened! I literally shed some tears when I first listened to the album! Really! The waiting was long and the anticipation high, but trust me, you won't be disappointed if you give them a chance!

As a whole, I like that the album manages to keep the colours the boys had before becoming WINNER, so if you were a supporter of them throughout the program, you'll be more than pleased to hear Team A's specific tones. But, as it was bound to happen through their hard work and training, WINNER grew up as an artistic and quite lyrical group, and even though you'll find their songs simple and maybe not that fancy as you'd expect from YG artists, the way the tracks keep you hooked is the only thing that matters! 

From what I see, their debut could be the beginning of a new era in the k-world.

The tracks:

01. Empty (공허해 ) - Their first title track... Look at me getting all emotional over it! But, getting over my own feelings, I'll have to say that it's a little bit obvious that the composer is B.I (he's the leader of Team B and a rapper as well). The song has that feeling that B.I used to give out through his songs, you know? It has that special way of intertwining words and feelings in a truthful, lyrical, hip-hop based song. This song is not specific to what WINNER used to be... it's like they took someone else's clothes and wore them for the public to see. As I see it, there are numerous types of lyricism; in this case, there is Song Mino's type, there's Nam Taehyun's, there's Kang Seung Yoon's and then there's B.I's. And each is different from the other ones. Mino's is rough, wild, bombastic, full of that freedom rappers usually conserve in their compositions; Taehyun's is sweet and mellow; Seung Yoon's is giving out his rebellious side, rock tunes here and there; B.I's is lyrical with deep, usually personal meaning. And this track screams B.I's name. Not that it's a bad thing! The man is definitely super talented! And strange enough, even if maybe the song wasn't meant to get to the boys in WINNER (hey, I'm just assuming things here, let my imagination work on this, please), this hip-hop based ballad manages to fit WINNER... or is it the other way around?

Anyway, I like the fact that Mino's rap is the one opening the song and I like that fact that towards the end, he sings with his badass voice. It's cool to die for! Jinwoo's high note is timidly giving the track that longing feeling, while Taehyun's tiny, but high in notes voice, echoes behind perfectly. Seung Yoon is supposed to keep it cool with his unmistakable rockish vocalization and Seung Hoon speaks about the loneliness of a man in simple and yet so addictive rap. It's a cool track, really!

And the MV makes it so that it brings out even more the solitude that trickles from the lyrics. It's artistic and high quality, surprising the coldness a man feels after a break up or at that point of a relationship when feelings seem to no longer exist.

02. Color Ring - Kang Seung Yoon! Ahem, pardon my fangirling over this perfection of composer song... Another title track, another mind blowing song and if I'm allowed to say so, a piece of art! Ok, I'll take my chances and say that the song belongs to the leader. Am I right? Of course I am! I knew it from the moment I heard it! And nothing would have given it up if not for the rockish ending. Ok, there are some other elements that made me think Seung Yoon could be the composer of this track, but I couldn't say it for sure until I reached that certain part around the end of the song.

Oh, this song! It broke my heart into pieces and made me fall deeply for it! It's sad, full of longing, full of guilt - the ending of a story is being said through this song (excuse me for having a sweet tooth for rock ballads). I love everything about it: the instrumental that brings together the acoustic guitar and the piano and then, that beautiful part played by a real band with the drums being clearly heard, the sad lyrics, the voices that come together so well. Oh, and about the voices, got to love Mino's deep, hoarse singing voice that blends with Taehyun's so perfectly. Yep, there's nothing that these boys can't do! And Seung Hoon expresses the many frustrations while Seung Yoon brings his specific, soulful, poetic and full of alternating tonalities voice. There's no way you won't fall in love with this song and with WINNER as well!

And a super plus comes from the incredible visual MV! I loved the graphic of it, how it gives you the impression of simplicity and how it yet shows one's complexity. And the way the boys acted - thumbs up! (Mino! No fair! I got distracted by your manliness! And Seung Yoon and his new hair cut made me look for him in every frame). My favourite scene? Hmmm... there are four: 1. when the girl let's go of Seung Yoon's hand, he looks so freakin' pissed (compared to the others that look sad and regretful, maybe a little bit frustrated), 2. when Seung Hoon stretches his hand upwards and the couch transforms into water under him, making him fall into the deep water, 3. when Seung Yoon runs in the rain, screaming and 4. the ending scene, where Mino turns his back on his phone that later is shown to be receiving a call.

03. Don't Flirt - is a super fun song that will make your body move along the beat without you even noticing it! I like the beat of it 'cause it gives the vibe of a concert held in a club, with the boys talking of a certain someone from the crowd gathered in front of them. And I like it also for the sincerity of the lyrics, for the way it shows that men are vulnerable as well and insecure and holding in a lot for the woman they like. Sounds a lil' bit like one of GD's songs if you ask me in matter of fun vibe, that is!

My favourite part of it is the last part of the song because it reminds me of the American pop songs from the '90 and early 2000s. It's fun and makes you dance, definitely a summer track to listen while getting tanned!

Is my imagination wild or you can see them too performing inside a club while listening to the track?

04. I'm Him (Mino's solo) - makes it evident for everyone that he is not a rapper reared inside an entertainment company, but out there, in the undergrounds, where the shit gets real and you need talent to survive or you're dog food. Yep, Song Mino used to be a well known underground rapper prior to his debut with BOM and now with WINNER. And maybe it's that wilderness of words that coated him with his current image. One thing is for sure: he learned his rhythm before coming to YG and so, through this track, I believe he offers some kind of warming to his rivals and his fans as well, to the entire entertainment world actually.

I like his wild nature as the toughness fits Mino like a glove. And the song - man, that sassy oriental rhythm that keeps up with his rap is just addicting!

05. Love Is a Lie - yet another fun track that kind of makes fun of one's delusion! The electronic instrumental is super fun and gets stuck inside your head quite quickly! But what makes it fun is the fun rap parts and the catchy chorus that will have you sing along or hum along with them. Love the way Mino keeps singing "Lie lie, love's a lie" and the way Seung Yoon says at some point "Love is so bad" on such a tone that it seems he mocks the poor man that suffers while being unable to admit that everything is over with his girlfriend.

But what I really, really like about this song, is the fact that the vocalist take turns in singing the chorus, which is super 'cause it gives them all lines during the song, thing which you hardly meet in other groups where you can meet vocalists with just a line or two during the whole 3 to 4 minutes^^' Thumbs up for WINNER!

06. Confession (Taehyun's solo) - is a ballad composed and sang by the group's maknae, Nam Taehyun. For those who followed the group through their evolution prior the debut, they know that Taehyun is one of the main vocalists and has a soulful voice and that his voice manages to deliver his feelings through the song he sings.

This one is especially sweet as it was written before their album and we actually heard it during WINNER TV, which means that papa YG really intended to debut them and didn't do it just to save his reputation after having them go through a survival show. And plus, the boy has the talent! I think, ballads fit Taehyun the best. So, if you're Taehyun biased, you'll want to give a listen to this song under a starry sky or with your eyes closed.

07. But - is yet another incredible song that featured guitars and a real band, a mellow ballad with accents of rock. I like the way it goes from the soulful parts of the vocalists to the funky and somehow fun parts of the rappers (of course that I blame Mino for it!), but I really like the way Taehyun and Seung Yoon take turns into screaming "I was bad" - it puts something different in a song that is supposed to be sad.

The lyrics are something special as well: a request to stay in love, to love him even though he knows he's lacking and that he's selfish. It's a refreshing song that makes me wonder how it would sound live :)

08. Different - is a song about not being able to express your feelings, about sometimes being nothing more, nothing less than a mere human. WINNER sings from the perspective of the man that realizes that he's different from what all the other boyfriends show to their girlfriends and admits that in simple words that come out as both an explanation and some sort of favour asking. It's a nice song, with the guitar giving the start to what could be a track with a cold vibe. But I like it! I like the way Mino's cool rap is intertwined with the vocals of Seung Yoon, I like Jinwoo and Taehyun's soft vocals and Seung Hoon's rapid rap. But what I like the most is that somehow reggae part (Seung Yoon's singing it) that you can hear towards the end of the song and Mino's singing voice (man, is there something Song Mino can't do?! O.o).
Plus, the chorus will definitely get you hooked!

09. Tonight -  is yet another track that saw the light thanks to the talented maknae, Taehyun :) How I know? It has those feelings Taehyun puts in his songs and if you give a good listen to it, you'll notice how well it goes with his voice (I actually like this one so much more than "Confession"). What really caught me off guard, is the sexy vibe the song has despite being a soulful song that talks about the impossibility of getting over a break-up. It's the saxophone, I'm telling you!

10. Smile Again -  is a song that I personally believe to have brought WINNER the fame during the survival program where they used to be known as Team A. Sincerely, I think this is the song that showcases the potential of this group as well as Seung Yoon's talent as the leader of the group, as a composer and performer. I still remember how Mino worked to hard to dance despite his aching ankle, how Seung Hoon put on a great choreography, how Seung Yoon worked on the song himself together with Taehyun. I think it was the first time they won and were praised for their performance (really, watch their survival show if you haven't already!). 
But until now, I talked about the performance version of this song, while I should talk about the studio version which is on their album. Personally, I think it's too clean compared to the performance version. I believe it lacks the power to display their vocals as the other version did. Plus, I'm not really a fan of the new instrumental part as it's based on studio/computer sounds rather than the electric guitar that can be heard if you give a listen to their performance version. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the song! I really do! It's one of those songs that got me hooked and made me cheer for them during their survival, but this version just... kills their playfulness! The song is no longer lively. Heck, even Taehyun's high note that he worked so hard to reach (really, he got the other members to step on his belly to make the right sounds come out) is no longer that powerful as it was during that live performance. And it's bad, really, that the studio version does not reach the same level as the live one... 
But, nonetheless, as I am their die-hard declared fan, I am indeed happy to finally have this song in my playlist! :)

Overall: I might have said some things that will not appeal to the other fans of WINNER, but I only stated my opinion. Some tracks are better than others and some got me really excited. The album, as a whole, is totally enjoyable and shows just how much these boys have grown over the past months. I believe they'll be able to accomplish so much more if the fans will give them the chance to display their talents.
What I like more and really admire is the fact that they debuted with a full album and not just a single or and EP like other groups do. This showed that their producer (papa YG, I see what you did there!) really believed in them and that he considered not using their track would have been a total waste. It kind of proves the unity of WINNER and YG, doesn't it?
Otherwise, I don't know... I would have liked for Seung Yoon to have a solo track as well (yep, you might have noticed that I tend to be biased when it comes to him, but I was a fan of his way before him becoming part of Team A and their leader later on, so yeah...) or to have more tracks composed by him featured on this album, but at the same time I understand and know that every single member is talented and that they needed to show what they're capable of after many months of training.
And to end it with a sincere note, I will say that WINNER did not disappoint me with their late debut. I am happy to have them out in the spotlight at last and even more exited to have noted that they kept their colours and didn't astray from their style too much. I believe they can grow big and who knows, maybe launch a whole new era in the k-world :)
WINNER, thumbs up! ^.^

P.S. Favourite tracks? "Color Ring", "Smile Again", "Don't Flirt" and "But" totally won me over :)

Lunafly Concert Review

This review contains personal opinions!

Concert rating: 10!/10

An introduction of the group: Lunafly is a South Korean trio consisting of Sam (leader, vocalist), Teo (vocalist) and Yun (main vocalist, maknae). The boys are signed under Nega Network, the same company as Brown Eyed Girls and the rookie group, LC9, but compared to their seniors and hoobaes, Lunafly is not your ordinary k-pop group, as the trio sings and plays instruments like a real band (Sam - guitar, Yun - guitar, Teo - keyboard, drum, guitar). 

The trio debuted almost 2 years ago and its popularity is still raising, mostly outside of Korea through its numerous covers released through an youtube channel, but also through its original songs, which they usually release in both Korean and English, making its music more accessible to international fans.

The summer of 2014 marked the beginning of their first world tour that began in Latin America and continued with European countries. During their concert in Bucharest, Romania, Sam announced the release of their next song "Can I Kiss You?" which will apparently be an English track.

The impression: Lunafly is not the first k-group that marks Romania on its concert map. LedApple was the first to heat up the stage back in February, concert which gathered fans from different European countries in a number of almost 2,000. Lunafly's concert sold out with both VIP and Fan Sign tickets and when the fans finally stopped pouring through the open doors, there were more than 500 fans anxiously waiting for the boys to go up the stage. Yes, we were few in numbers, but the atmosphere was that of a rock concert, of that I assure you!

The whole event debuted through a hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) presentation, continuing with a dance number performed by a Romanian girl group (sincerely, those girls failed to impress me; seriously girls, get your moves in sync first!), the boys stepping on the stage at 8:20 PM (they were scheduled to enter at 8:30).

But leaving aside the actual concert for now, I'll talk about the fans and the atmosphere. Some (please note that I deliberately said SOME!) of the fans left me speechless in the most negative way. I did not expect certain things to be seen/said/heard at/during such an event! I hope/wish that the next concert will reunite more suitable fans or at least the fans will understand where they did wrong and make sure they do not repeat the same mistakes. Seriously, some of the fans made me wonder if that's how the whole k-pop fandom is (no wonder we're called the worse fans)! And not to mention that when I first began listening to k-pop everything was so civilized... back then, k-pop wasn't just a "phase". But right now, I don't know. One thing is for sure: it makes me wish I could hide k-pop from everyone and keep it just to me and those from my generation... I sound old and cranky now, ain't I?^^' Still 19, peeps, still 19!

But the atmosphere... WOW! just WOW! Now, have you ever been to a rock concert? Like, Bon Jovi for example? Have you ever heard the whole crowd singing along with the performing artist? So loud that the artist himself had to scream to cover the crowd? Well, that's how it was here! We all sang along Lunafly, be the songs in English or Korean. We sang with them, chanted their names, the group name, screamed "I love you!" in both languages, laughed with them and when Sam announced their break, we reluctantly let them go change their outfits, kind of afraid they might leave just like that. Crazy, huh? They took a break of 20 minutes and then the show went on, with them wearing casual clothes and prepared for what was going to be the most impressing part of the concert: a Romanian song sang by all of them from the beginning to the very end. Sincerely, if I weren't already their fans, they would have won me then and there! The way they sung "Immortals (ro: Nemuritori)" in Romanian, their pronunciation and the way they jumped off the stage, jumping and cheering, making me feel that they were one of us - man, there's no way of explaining that in words! But it was the highlight of the concert for sure!

Otherwise, they sang all of my favourite songs: "I'm Yours" (Jason Mraz cover), "As Long As You Love Me" (JB cover), California King Bed (Rihanna cover), "Wake Me Up" (Avicii cover), "Fly to Love" (original song), "Special Guy" (original song) and by the end of the concert, I was crying (on the inside, too damn proud to manifest my fangirl feels in public) of happiness while heading to the fan sign event.

The autograph session was another thing I expected ever since I got my ticket! To see one of your biases face to face and tell him a word or two, to have him look at you and make you feel he's seeing only you, even if it's for 5 seconds - that's something only fans can understand! The boys were clearly tired ('cause by the end of the concert, poor Yun had to bend to make the right sound come out and Sam's voice had gone all hoarse), but they still smiled and waved while passing through the crowd of fans, heading for the room where the autographs were going to be given. One more point for them! And then the fans began going in and coming out all smiles, hugging each other and all! Gosh! And then I went in and got to look into Sam's eyes and stutter in front of him when he asked me if I had fun (ok, I didn't stutter and I assured him that I had the time of my life, to which he said, "Good! 'Cause I had the time of my life as well!", cheesy, right?!), smile at Teo's silliness when he clearly signaled who's autograph was that by making two dots above his head on the picture and lose all my words in front of Yun's perfect smile (ok, I didn't lose my words, 'cause I told him "Yun, you've got a wonderful voice!", to which he replied with a shy smile "Really?! Thank you!" - I wish I had the guts to use my Korean though...booo!) and before I knew it, I was out and gone... *sigh* I know that these kind of things don't last long because there are a lot of fans and all, but this time their staff was cool and smiling, while the Romanian staff was the worse. They didn't let Sam receive my letter directly and made me leave it on the table only to throw it later in a box. The disappointment was probably clear in my eyes, 'cause Sam assured me he's read it later (really, thank you Sam! It's ok even if you don't read it, 'cause you probably receive a lot of them and I... heck, I didn't even know what to write in there >///<). But yeah, the Romanian staff was really bad and disrespectful. Hope that next time they'll at least be politer!

The boys:

Sam - He is the sweetest and the most sarcastic, cynic member of the trio! But I still like him! He was my bias even before they debuted (I kind of know him before Lunafly's debut :P) and still is... sort of, kind of... you'll see why later^^' But this man, I love his English! I love his accent and the way he pushes the other members to speak English more and more. He spoke little Korean and talked to the fans the most, responding to the crowd screams and keeping the fire burning. I swear that he loves teasing his fans the most and he himself is teased the most by no other than the evil maknae, Yun darling (he was called old like the songs they cover, old like a grandpa). He even tried his hand on Romanian and it made my heart tingle when he said "You're beautiful" in Romanian or "I love you. or when he sang "Immortals". I really appreciate his effort and thank you for being such an awesome leader of Lunafly and a wonderful person nonetheless!

The part which I loved the most was when he pretended not to understand Korean when the fans asked him to do "귀요미 (Gwiyomi Song)"... silly leader, refusing to act cute!^^

Teo - Officially, he's the craziest of them all! And he's the one that kept us all on track when the cheering would go too loud! This man is incapable of staying serious for too long and got to say that his easy-going attitude could succeed in making you laugh even if you're the most serious person on Earth's surface! Where to put that he sings, plays the keyboards, the drums AND the guitar! He's really nice and special, fitting perfectly in Lunafly! 

What I like about Teo is not the fact that he's handsome or that he looks super with short hair, or his voice, or the fact that he knows how to make the crowd scream at the top of the lungs, but the fact that despite his English not being the best, he tried his best to reach out to us and kept talking, not minding his mistakes (he's truly a language genius, really! should have heard him talking in 7 or so impossible to pronounce languages!). So, for doing your best, thank you, Teo!

Yun - He is special, I swear he is! He's kind of, sort of my bias over Sam (but shhhhh! his crazy fans scared me off, so this is off the record, ok? don't tell them, 'cause I don't want anyone chasing me with an ax^^') and he deserves that place. Why? Well, one - I love his shy personality (it makes me wish I'd be able to meet him while he'd be a normal person and not who he is today; trust me, there's just one other celebrity that gives me the same feeling), two - I love his smile (it's boyish and shy at the same time and it suits him so damn well!), three - I love his voice (he has this special, husky tonality that gives me shivers no matter in hat language he sings!), four - I like the fact that he's so perfectly matching his bandmates and the fact that his skin is coloured, not looking like all the other idols - sorry for this - that seem to have shoved their face in white paint, five - he looks and is humanly approachable. And he really, really is a nice person. I don't know about other k-idols, but Yun is really sweet and nice!

My favourite moment with him was when the crowd was chanting "사랑해 (kr. I love you.)" and he started chanting "Te iubesc (I love you)" in Romanian, signaling his bandmates to copy him. 

Overall: Lunafly really put on a great show! They're incredibly talented and if you ever have the chance to go see them live, don't hesitate 'cause I guarantee you won't regret one bit!^^ What really impressed me (and I was really skeptic and really kept an eye for this aspect) was the fact that they sang 100% live. They didn't even use those headsets you see idols use during live stages back in Korea. And this impressed me! Then, they're really in sync once with another, vocally and instrumentally speaking.

Another thing which I was really curious about was if Yun really can sing that high pitched part from their song "Special Guy" and WOW! the man sounded perfect! It really amazed me, because I know that tonality is not easy to reach and maintain. Good job! Or if Sam's rap is really that fast live - and man, Sam can really rap fast! This is what I call being multi-talented!

Sincerely, I was not disappointed and I do not regret one bit not going to their concert! They deserve 10/10! :)

I wish Lunafly a safe flight back to Korean and that they get more recognition for their talent, 'cause they deserve it to the very bit! 

Let's meet again someday, ok?

P.S. If you want to hear the boys live, head here. The live stages are from their concert in Paris and I'm linking them here because the videos are Hd compared to the ones made during their concert in Romania. Enjoy!

Credits: the photos are not mine and belong to the person mentioned on the photos. Take out with full credits, please!

Block B "H.E.R" EP Review

This review reflects personal opinions and not those of a professional!

Personal rating: 4.5/5

The impression: Block B had me waiting for this album quite reluctantly thanks to their photo teasers. I mean pink? Doesn't ring like Block B's style at all! But I was willing to wait and see how it turned out. And I wasn't disappointed.

I like the fact that their live stages promote "Jackpot" as well since it would have been a shame not to give the deserved attention to this track! And as always, the guys do not disappoint when talking about singing live and putting a show at the same time!

But enough chit-chatting and let's get down to talk about the tracks!

The tracks:

01. Extraordinary Woman (보기 드문 여자) - Compared to their other albums' intros, this track is a slow melody with a jazzy feeling that reminds of the old American pop (talking here about Backstreet Boys, Westlife, Blue etc.). It's not a powerful track, but it gives this peaceful feeling that's just right during a quiet evening with some wine and a good meal. Yep, the boys are now on another level as entertainers. Ok, so I like that Zico tried his hand on another genre other than hip-hop/rap/powerful k-pop, but sincerely, I don't think it completely suits Block B. They had other slow tracks on their previous albums as well, but there were a lot of tracks a la Block B to give them real attention. But with this track opening their new EP... Otherwise, the song is nice, especially the instrumental background - we have guitar, battery, making the fans wish to hear the track live with a band. Even the rap parts are mild and putting into the limelight the exact feelings the track talks about: a man that is in love with his girlfriend, a man that is surprised by his own feelings.

Got to ask: is this year the "season" of love confessions?

A plus given to Zico's English part at the end! It makes me wish he'd have a solo English track sometime in the future!

02. H.E.R - And the track that bears the same name as the EP! This is the crazy style Block B had us used to! It's fun, it's colourful, it features Zico's genius rap, the instrumental is made by a band - what more would we want from this track?!

Just like the previous song, it talks about love, about this "extraordinary' woman that has left all members speechless and made them go gaga after her! But unlike the other track, this one features the craziness of Block B gone to the max! I love how he song gets to you and you hear yourself humming along with it after listening just once (trust me, I got to annoy my friends with this song after it got stuck inside my head).

I like how they changed the members turns to singing as well. Usually we have Zico introducing the track, Kyung or PO, Jaehyo (a line or two), B-Bomb or U-Kwon (again, a line or two) and Taeil doing the actual singing. But now we got to hear P.O singing - ok, let me say it in a different way SINGING, P.O SINGS! And we clearly got to hear B-Bomb and U-Kwon, even Zico can be clearly heard during the chorus. Surprisingly, Taeil is the one that got less lines this time and of course, poor Jaehyo. But it's the major change that makes the track so fun, since P.O's voice is husky and sounds so perfectly during the funky intro and chorus!

And about the MV - is colourful and funky and it still has that Block B trademark craziness, thing which is totally adorable! Especially Zico with his bubbles and body gag movements! But all members are just as crazy and seem to be made for comedy shows! And for this we have to talk to the director that made their MV look so good.

Pluses: Zico's silly act, Zico's aegyo part, P.O's singing voice, B-Bomb's tough act, U-Kwon's voice.

03. Hold Me Now (이제 날 안아요) - More than the first song of the album, this one is indeed a ballad. It's a sweet track featuring amazing vocals and the sweet tune of the piano. It's a love song and once again, it has that touch of the old pop ballads, something that makes me think of either Westlife or Blue or, if we talk about k-world, then it's definitely SS501. So yeah, as much as I like Zico's composing skills and this song as well, I have to point out that it's definitely not Block B's style. 

Plus: Jaehyo's fans can rest assure that the boy can really sing! I mean, this song is mostly his :)

04. Jackpot - Now this song is complete madness, screaming Block B from the very first seconds! This track is pure genius, so funky and fun, it makes you sing along with it without even knowing the language or the lyrics! It just has that thing, you know?

Love the piano at the beginning and the drums during the song, the fact that a live version of this song would sound so badass and rockish that would make the floor tremble under the fans' feet! But what I enjoy the most is the playfulness of their voice and of the entire tune, while the words they sing are real. I think this is one of the first songs of the year that has a real message behind the lyrics. Here, Block B no longer talks about love and break-ups, feelings and touching stories, but about success and greed, about how people perceive these and how every single one of us is struggling to become successful and how easy it is to get lost on the path of success. I think the song, which is composed by Zico, of course, is a message for their fans and for the entire k-world: they will be back more successful than before, they will not be brought down by anything and that with every blow they receive, they'll only raise more powerful. That's just deep, man! Congrats to Zico!

Plus: The MV is a piece of art! It's a sort of continuation of "Very Good", but at the same time it's somehow different. The "Very Good" MV was somehow more violent than funny, while the MV for "Jackpot" is funny and full of nonsense, featuring a lot of glam and that funky image Block B manages to pull every single time! Love Zico's kimono from the beginning, his blue lenses, his English, Kyung's hypnotic umbrella, B-Bomb's gentleman's image, P.O strange taste for bugs and bright hair colours (swear that this man can pull any hair colour!), Taeil's high kick during the dance and chorus part, U-Kwon's obsession for guns and fight scenes, Jaehyo's high note at the end. But what's really interesting is that the MV puts the lyrics into visual content: the boys are transforming the girl, preparing her for her successful path. But, as real life teaches us, no good deed gets unpunished, as the girl flips the bird while walking away from the boys, all dressed up. Not that she remains unpunished either... see what I mean? Everything in this MV has a moral!

Overall: The album is great! Zico is one heck of a composer and producer and I think he knows exactly what the strong and weak points of his fellow bandmates are.. I may not be that fond of the slow tracks and all, but I guess Zico had his reason for including them in this album. As their all related to love and one "extraordinary" woman, should I guess that he's in love? :) (c'mon, I wasn't wrong with Taeyang's dedication of 'Eyes, Nose, Lips" either :P). I deducted 0.5 points just because I personally believe that songs like those don't suit Block B that well. Otherwise, the songs are very good and nice to listen, especially since they make me believe I hear a drama's OSTs :)

One more thing: I really read comments on the internet about Block B's comeback and I was pleased to see that despite them having some difficulties in the past, the BBCs remained strong on their side. One thing though - some compared Zico's skills with GD's composing ability and said some nasty things about how the younger generation has some more "juice" flowing inside them. Well, I didn't like that. Not at all. GD is my bias and so is Zico and I never, ever thought of comparing them. GD is GD and sincerely speaking, I think that man will compose songs even when he'll be old and cranky, while Zico is Zico, his rockish and badass style overflowing with every sing he writes. They're both geniuses and awesome singers! Why compare them? That's just mean and it could hurt them both! So, please, BBCs and other fans as well, let's show the artists the respect they deserve, ok? 'Cause just as you don't like being compared to someone else when doing something, I guess they don't like it either. After all, they all work hard for the fans :)

Taeyang "Rise [Vol. 2]" Album Review

This review reflects personal opinions and not those of a professional!

Personal rating: 4.5/5

The impression: To be honest, when YG Ent. posted that famous picture on their official Facebook, asking fans "Who's next?" I was sincerely hoping for WINNER's debut and was quite disappointed when they announced Taeyang's new album. But, and there's a big but in here, I no longer regret. Giving a listen to this album made me fall in love with every single musical note, with every single word.

I like how this album is an overall throw back Thursday and how even the album cover is made to remember us of that old Taeyang that used to be called Sol or Solar, a nickname that died with time as he raised to fame and became known more for his swag-ish and dance tracks. Take the title of the album as it's written on the album cover "Rise Taeyang" and you'll understand just how awesome this album is meant to be and just what's its purpose - Taeyang rises once again like the Sol that reached the peak of all charts back in 2008.

So, let's welcome this little piece of the past that has been caught and dressed up in this beautiful, brand new album, shall we?

The tracks:

01. Intro (Rise) - I really needed to say some words about the intro of the album since not only that is an awesome introduction to the album, but there are some pretty impressive elements mixed in this short track.

First of all, Taeyang's English. Just... WOW! I'm not a native speaker or whatever, but wow, did he manage to impress me with a clean pronunciation! For a non-Korean speaker, a clean English will always impress and most of the times, it will make us sing along. So, there goes a point to Taeyang for his hard work!

Secondly, the beat. It just made me move along with the rhythm even though I'm not the greatest dancer out there. I always thought that an intro that makes you move or sing along with it introduces a great album! And guess what? Up till now, I was never wrong!

And thirdly, the message. Most of the intros don't usually have that much consistency since it's only a fragment of a song. Ok, it has to be catchy, to make people want to hear the full version of it, but most of them just make you skip them and just go for the next track. But this one- this one is one of those intros I really wish it had a full version. I'm not joking! Even though it's pretty short (1:45 minutes), I personally think it manages to capture pretty well Taeyang's intention/thoughts. Something happened - in between the release of "Ringa Linga" and this album, something caused Taeyang to feel the need for a public declaration "I'm not going anywhere, 'cause I worked my ass up here! I'll show you that I am Sol and I will rise brighter than the morning sun!". Or that's what I felt he was saying through this intro...

02. Eyes, Nose, Lips - Maybe this is a real-life dedication, maybe be not... Whatever it is, it was turned in a beautiful long song that got sing along with it and wanna scream to the whole world "THIS IS THE REAL TAEYANG! THIS IS OUR SOL! THIS IS HIS REAL POTENTIAL!" (fan-girl mode deactivated).

If I were to ignore the already existing MV and close my eyes to imagine a new one for this track, I would more than surely see Taeyang in a black-and-white suit under the spotlight, singing to this invisible female that causes him to feel sorry and at the same time long for those better times when they were together. I think it would suit the whole song so much better than the real MV, where Taeyang insisted to appear half naked, thing I don't quite fancy since... it's distracting me from the whole feeling of the song, alright?! Yes, he looks great (even though in my opinion, his abs looked so much better before), but his nice, naked body doesn't go along that well with the feeling of loneliness this track gives away. Or is it just me who sees it like this? Ok, maybe his bareness is used to show his vulnerability , but still... it's distracting to one's eyes!

Anyway, this R&B song, combined with the piano and the acoustic guitar really highlights Taeyang's vocals, proving that he's not only a great dancer (with one of the nicest smiles, if you ask me), but a full artist that debuted displaying a range of colours through his voice. I think that's the most important thing about this song.

But what I love the most about this track is the jerky way he sings the chorus. To me, it sounds so much more personal since it sounds like a regretful enumeration of all the things that were taken from him...

03. 1AM - If the previous track was probably the immediate reaction of the guy after being dumped, this is clearly the later attitude of the very same guy. The track is fun and has an upbeat rhythm, displaying the cool attitude of the guy that really tries his best to get over everything, but still catches himself thinking of her at 1am sharp.

The rhythm is so silly that it just makes you move your feet along with it, move your fingers in the air, wanna go to this guy and just offer him a solution to get over the whole break-up thing. It's fun! It makes me think of Taeyang in a colourful MV or a street performance where he could show a silly acting to display his incapability to get over that girl he speak about. Or it could be a meeting between old lovers where he just gets up and starts showing just how hard it was for him to get over her...

04. Stay With Me (ft. G-Dragon) - Ok, I have to admit that I was waiting to listen to this ever since I saw it was featuring GD.  I really think Taeyang's R&B tone goes really well with the relaxed rap of his best friend, G-Dragon-sshi. And they make me smile since in this song, they are one and the same guy: GD is the cool part, the one who acts all macho and doesn't show his soft spot for the girl, while Taeyang is the sweet side that says everything he bears in his heart (you know, like a male best friend that usually gets friend zoned?).

I really respect all YG artists since their use of English in songs really makes sense. I think I've heard so much broken English that makes no sense in other k-pop songs that I no longer find it silly. But this song's English lines really act as bridges between how the man acts and how he feels, which is awesome!

Another thing I absolutely love is the choir bridge mixed with GD's laid back rap pleading! It's just brilliant! Ok, ok, you caught me, this is my second favourite song on this whole album!

05. Beautiful (Body) (ft. CL) - This is exactly that type of dance track that absolutely makes no sense to me! First of all, it's disappointing to all those fangirls that don't look like Young Bae's ideal type... kiddin', but really I personally felt like hiding after hearing this song.

Unfortunately, I don't find the song anything special. The beat is alright and easy to move along to, but otherwise, the lyrics don't have that much of consistency and the message is quite shallow... Heck, let's be honest here, the whole song pretty much says "I wanna have your babies!"... Sorry, this track is disappointing from this perspective. Otherwise, the way he admits he howls like a wolf when he thinks of her body - that's damn funny!

06. Ringa Linga - Another dance track. Should I stop here? I mean, I don't want anyone to think that I insult Taeyang or anything, but I personally don't think this type of song or style suits him. He has a great body, hands down, and great dancing skills, I'll give him credit for that. But this type of songs don't display his vocals like his other songs do. Ok, here he raps quite coolly and the singing bridge put some of his vocals into the spotlight. But that's pretty much all, I'm sorry to say this...

I have to admit that when I first listened to it, I wasn't thrilled at all. It just didn't grabbed my attention. It was someone else's dance cover that made me take a liking into this song, which is quite strange since I usually go for the original version...

07. This Isn't It - Is this the aftermath of that courageous approach to the new break-up in track 03? I think so. But still, I like this song very much for the sweet display of emotional vocals, for the acoustic guitar arrangement, for the piano accompanying Taeyang, for the sincerity of the lyrics. I like how it's soft as a lullaby and full of the regrets of a man that doesn't know how to be happy after a break-up (really now, Taeyang dear, who broke your heart to so many pieces? VIPs will protect you, don't you worry!).

And if the other tracks were somehow familiar to me, this one really brings out a new type of rhythm and a new melodic line, which makes me take a different type of liking of it. It's a song to listen during rainy days, or when the summer wind blows strongly...

08. Throw Away - Another track that sounds fresh and really nice! And sincerely? It's my absolute number one from this album! Why? Because is one of the best love confessions ever (second after 'ROD' of GD). The best thing someone can do for the person he/she likes is to change completely so that they match, so that they meet halfway. And here, Taeyang sings exactly about he throws away everything he held tightly onto before: selfishness, greed, thinking he's better on his own. And that's really sweet and nice of him!

I also love the melody's arrangements - I think they used a band for it and some classical instruments like violins (I can hear them on the background at times) and of course, the piano. Where to put that awesome featuring of the choir once again! Really nicely composed and arranged!

Curiously, I have nothing to complain about! The track is incredible, Taeyang's vocals were in great shape, the instrumental to die for... I absolutely love it! Really! It's already stuck inside my head :) 

09. Love You to Death - Now this is another song that I really love and that is number one for me as well. I love Taeyang's way of singing it - relaxed, laid-back, with sex-appeal. This song would be perfect to display Taeyang's dancing skills as well as nice vocals.

And I absolutely love the rock-ish feeling of it, the intoxicating darkness infused in the instrumental. And the oscillation between high and low tones Taeyang creates with his own voice - man, now that's what I call sexy! I wonder if Kang Seung Yoon participated in composing the instrumental...

Oh, and there's also CL's participation in the song. Usually, I'm not that much of a fan of auto-tunning, but here it only sustains the sexy feeling Taeyang himself creates, so I cannot do anything else but like it just as much as I like the rest of the song.

As for the message, it's a clear confession and promise of everlasting love. Is there anything else to add? Nope.

Overall: Taeyang's 'Rise' is definitely a mixture of fresh sounds with those of throw-back-Thursday, thing which I really like. He manages to remind his fans of the old times when he was Sol and when he sang just as much as he danced, where the swag of YG was yet to be established. I love how there's familiarity in some of the songs, while some are just amazing through their new beats. I think Taeyang really managed to re-create himself back as Sol while keeping that cool image he has built over the years.

If I were to be really sincere, I wasn't expecting much of this album as the past singles and songs disappointed me. But this album managed to make me fall in love with Taeyang the artist, with Taeyang the singer, with Taeyang the performer and with Taeyang the man (the public one since I never met him in person :D). I think all VIPs will like this as well as other k-pop fans! And he'll definitely gain some new fans through this new release!

But, although I praised this album all throughout this review, I still couldn't give him 5 out of 5 as the dance tracks weren't really my cup of tea and a track or two sounded like some American R&B songs, not that it's a bad thing or anything, but I pretty much prefer Taeyang to sound like himself and not like Chris Brown... get what I mean?

I wish his album to get first place in different charts! :)

Kat - The Reviewer's Introduction

Ok, so, who are you after all? 
I'm Kat, the possessor of this 'wonderful blog', a writer, dreamer, singer in bathroom, kid when it comes to candies, an incurable romantic during the night and lately, a very dedicated reviewer.
Oh, and a student! Let's not forget I'm still depending on my teachers. 선생님,잘 부탁합니다!~~

What do you review? 
Dramas. Korean dramas I really enjoy. Oh, and music albums. Of course, Korean albums.

Why only Korean dramas and music?Do we want to go there? Do we really want to get down to that topic? :))
Well, keeping the long story short, I am a k-addict, meaning I heave a sweet tooth for Korean culture, which, in this case, implies watching dramas and listening to Korean music apart from learning the language (which I do, really^^). I mostly review dramas that have a great impact on me and which make me want to start a debate over their topic, or which have characters that make me go all gaga over them :)) You know the feeling, right?

What have you reviewed till now?
In matter of music, I remember talking about Beast's last album (How to Love), SHINee's last 2 albums (Misconceptions of You & Misconceptions of Me) and G-Dragon's 'Coup D'Etat', about which I still wonder where did I get the courage to review it taking that YG artists are so popular (the review for this GD's album is on this blog if you're curious on what I had to say about it).
As for dramas, I can only talk about 'Empress Ki' as an almost reviewed-by-episode drama I watched. It started as a game, to vent my frustrations on the characters, but in the end it was more than that and I discovered I actually enjoyed writing about it in an informal way, challenging people to take part in the conversation since it was all made as statuses on my FB profile :)

Any plans to review any of the airing dramas?
To be honest, I wasn't going to watch any of those or review them. But then I started watching 'Doctor Stranger' and everything went to hell! *-* I mean, I just couldn't stop myself from fan-girling over the characters and over the plot that swept me off my feet! Just WOW! I highly recommend it to all drama lovers out there!

How do you write your reviews? Any plans you're following?
Are my reviews recaps of episodes? Well, kind of, sort of, but no. I write them to cool my head and to vent my feelings on what's happening in an episode. And since I don't assume everyone saw the episode, I try not to give spoilers on major events and mostly pick on feelings and the expressiveness of the actors and how well they make their characters come to life. So, no plans to follow, I just write whatever comes into my mind.

Lastly, do you take requests?
For music albums, I am, why not? I pretty much listen to anything that means k-pop, so yeah, feel free to ask for a review if you have on in mind^^
When it comes to dramas... well, the thing is that I'm picky when it comes to stories and actors, so it's usually hard. But if it's a good drama, without any noona-dongsaeng romantic relationships, yeah, sure, I'll give it a try!

So, this was me aka Kat and an introduction on me as a reviewer - a very briefly one :D Hope you'll enjoy my reviews and leave feedback!
Thank you!

G-Dragon "Coup D'État" Album Review

This review reflects personal opinions and not that of a professional!

Also, I won’t be reviewing all the tracks, but the ones that really drew my attention from this new album!

Personal rating: 4/5

The impression: This album is a little more personal than the one released last year, that’s for sure. Starting from the very title of the album, “Coup D’État”, the album is indeed some sort of ‘revolutionary’ movement. Personally, I haven’t seen k-pop groups/artists using French titles for their albums, title that would make a sense when put together with the whole concept of the album, that is, so its correct use and subtle reference definitely impressed me.

Also, I liked a lot the album cover because it’s like a return to simplicity. Somewhere in the ’60, the hippie movement brought the peace sign, the flowers and all the other things that they called ‘the revolution’. Now, I’m not saying G-Dragon is a hippie or anything like that, just that the covers of his album-in-two-parts reminded me of that movement. ‘Cause to some extend, he as well, as a public person and performer, composer and producer, is a revolution from what we visualize and expect when we hear the word ‘k-pop’.

Overall, the album is a back-and-forth swing between Kwon Ji Yong, the person no one knows apart from close friends/family and G-Dragon, the idol/performer/fashion icon/cool dude the fans fawn over like flies, thing that I like. Finally, someone is stepping out of the comfort zone.

The tracks:

01. ‘Coup D’État’ – This is definitely the beginning of G-Dragon’s ‘revolutionary movement’ if I can call it this way. The song itself is more of a self praise if we are to look at the lyrics and somehow doesn't really match the overly symbolized MV he released together with the first part of the album. But I won’t go there to analyze the MV frame by frame, ‘cause that has already been done, so no need of that now. I will though analyze the song a bit.

For a non-Korean, the song might have no meaning in some points as G-Dragon decided to use some references to Korean related facts (but thanks Lord, there’s Internet!): a commercial, a bug spray and a historical figure. Put together like this, they might not have any sense at all, but even so, they’re hints to the power and fame that seem to label G-Dragon: he’s like a commercial that everyone sees on TV, determining people to buy certain products, but at the same time he’s like a bug spray that ‘kills’ the small and powerless and in the end, he’s just as cool, popular and busy as Hong Gil Dong, the Korean version of Robin Hood.

But even if it sounds like a self praise, G-Dragon points out some things that come along with the fame or with the wish of being famous: a hectic life, a continuous attempt to reinvent oneself, the impossibility to be ‘ordinary’, being called names because of the shallowness that is perceived from the outside.

I believe G-Dragon is inviting people to see the revolution as in to see that there is more to an artist than we see on television.

03. ‘R.O.D (ft. Lydia Paek)’ – ‘Ride Or Die’ is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful love confession I ever listened to. Why? Because G-Dragon isn't G-Dragon in this song, but Kwon Ji Yong, the person that is true to his heart and does not fear to show the world that he is in love, that he is after all, just a man like so many others.

This is the first movement of the pendulum motion I was talking before starting the review.

As a confession, it’s one to die for. To listen to it and cry. To listen to it and smile. To listen to it and see the the summer sun and a red convertible Jeep on a beach. To listen to it and sense the man that Kwon Ji Yong is underneath the swag. To listen to it and regret the pressure he is put under.

As a song, it’s a fresh track, with summer-ish echoes. I really like the electric/ dub-step sounds thrown in the song, as well as the choir-like voices that can be heard during the chorus. Also, I think Lydia Paek was a great choice as the girl’s voice. She’s definitely making the cut, matching his rap-confession with her feminine vocals. It’s definitely a plus for the song, making it more memorable!

Now, a personal note: I don’t know what’s going on in Kwon Ji Yong’s life (I don’t really want to know, either) and I definitely don’t want to go presuming that he’s in love or he recently broke up with or that he can’t be with the one he loves because of the media that would crazily follow him around, but this track made me want to fall in love or witness a love like the character he has in the song feels. So, I’m thankful to Ji Yong that composed and produced this track and to G-Dragon that sang this J

04. ‘Black (Ft. Jennie Kim)’ – Even if she will never make a debut, Jennie Kim will be a killer though the featuring songs she has with G-Dragon. I really, really like her voice. It’s incredibly well balanced and gives a nice vibe to the song. She sounds a little less cold than Lee Hi, but has the same laziness lingering in her tonality, thing that I totally like.

Listening to ‘Black’ right after ‘R.O.D’ is like pouring icy cold water on the body after sitting in the sun for an hour or so. It’s making you sulk with it’s beautiful melodramatic sound and even if you don’t get the meaning of the lyrics, you still get the sorrowful message behind them.

Here, the pendulum swings between G-Dragon and Kwon Ji Yong. Maybe it’s Ji Yong looking at the things G-Dragon loses because of being who he is? I perceive this like a mirrored conversation between the man he is and the persona he uses on stage.

I like the simplicity of the instrumental used. It’s completing the gloomy atmosphere of the song and matches the cool rap of GD.

The song itself is like a autumnal rainy day.

05. ‘Who You?’ -  And we’re back to Kwon Ji Yong! The man he is is back in the picture, leaving behind the performer and talking from the bottom of his heart once again.

I have to say that I loved the track from the very moment it started playing in my handsets. The beat, the piano, the mild electric guitar, the battery, the playfulness of his voice, the way he sings, the cute rap, the English, everything is just a mixture of lively and warm hearted feelings I never felt before in GD’s classic tracks or even in Big Bang’s hits.

This track reveals the playful part of Ji Yong and finally, a break-up song ain't so melo and sad, put more of a fun type of story, a story he tells while admitting he wants his girl back. Just, awww!

It’s impossible not to smile while listening to this song or letting your imagination run wild and picture him either in Boston, San Francisco or Seattle. It makes you forget that he who sings is a man of people, of huge crowds that chant with him, that clap their hands. Instead you see this neighbor look-like boy who chases after the girl he regrets losing with a whole street performers following him around. Crazy, huh?

06. ‘Shake the World’ – Definitely an interesting way of opening the second part of the album. Broadly, the song it’s some kind of continuation for ‘Coup D’État’ since G-Dragon is back taking all about his swag and originality. Again, talking about GD’s record as an artist/composer/performer, the way his rap is back in the charts, making them shake anyone from the first positions and placing himself there.

I think this is the real intro of the whole album, if we were to look at all the tracks of the album-in-two-parts. He’s announcing his comeback proudly, talking about his music, his fans, the way he was prepared for this ‘since he was born’.

What I like is the reference to ‘Arirang’ the Korean folk song we can hear in two verses, the way he admits that k-pop’s roots are found in those type of songs and have evolved according to the times we live in.

As a side note, I think GD hates questions related to producing and composing. It’s just a feeling I got after reading the lyrics: “This isn't musical education, but they ask questions to get answers they want to hear”. Oh, and this is the second time I hear this: “Music is just music” in two months. He and Junhyung of Beast have included it both in the intros to their albums. Interesting, don’t you think?

08. ‘Crooked’ – The title doesn't go for the literal sense of the word ‘crooked’ but for the slang one, meaning ‘dishonest’. But despite being entitled ‘dishonest’, the song does nothing but speaking the truth from the beginning to the very end of it.

I didn't expect it to like it, but I do like it. It’s just like ‘Black’: we find both pieces of GD and Kwon Ji Yong in the lyrics. It’s more of GD in the MV, but I think it’s Ji Yong’s voice that speaks up, get what I mean? I swear this sounds better in my head!

The song is as crazy as the lyrics – I like it! I like the fun and funky feeling, the feeling of being forwarded from one part of the song to other while we move in slow-motion. His voice is really nice and the rap makes it even more interesting for the ears to hear.

In talks of love, I have to say this, this man is a loser! He gets the girl in just two tracks from twelve. I mean, c’mon man, you can do better, right?

Anyway, the song speaks the truth – “Nothing ever lasts forever”. Not even love, as he discovered. Apparently, the girl he lost was scared of his GD face, the cool part of him, the popularity of his name and face. But as much as the break-up hurt him, he’s not the childish guy from ‘Who You?’, so he understands the situation pretty well. Nice!

One thing I really, really like about the MV: it shows the mess and craziness in his head, the pain that makes him go round and round, picking fights where there’s none. Way to go!

10. ‘Runaway’ – This song is soooo having two meanings! The pendulum is stuck in the middle so we have both GD and Ji Yong here. Interesting!

But, let’s talk about the song in general for a bit. It’s definitely a never heard mixture of sounds, instruments and vocals. Again, I have to admit just how much I like it! I like that although it’s rapping most of the time, he makes it so that at the end of the verse, you forget that it’s supposed to be rap as it sounds more like the main vocalist. Another thing I like about this song: I get to hear GD’s high notes I never heard before. I wonder where he hid them till now… Oh, and there’s this electric guitar part that it’s totally making you fall for the song and want to put it on repeat. Genius! And the ‘Yahoo-hoo-hoo’ parts – to die for! J

So, going for the lyrics now, there’s two possibilities I see here:

1. The lyrics are meant for his fans, for those who say that scream their love confession to him during concerts and events. If it’s this one, then their love is making him uncomfortable. And it’s not that he hates those fans, he actually confesses that he misses them sometimes (thus the combination between GD and Ji Yong), but he feels better without them around. It’s like a way to tell them that they should back off a little…
2. The lyrics are meant for a girl. Like, duh! Here, GD leaves and we can hear Ji Yong once again. A spin-off for ‘Who You?’? Possible. Anyway, this man is incredibly bitchy in this song, as he practically behaves like the male version of a chick with obsessive-compulsive admirers stalking her.

Absolutely love the song and the fact that as he begs through all the song for a way to escape, at the end we can really him escape in that ‘fast car with fast wings’ J

11. ‘I Love It (ft. Zion T & Boys Noize)’ – This song is so… so… sooo… how to call it? It highlights the perverted mind of a man, you know? The way they check out chicks and all? Of course, this one is really cool and fancy, in a non-pornographic way, but still perverted. What can I say? It totally won me over!

I love the beat, the instrumental, the lyrics, the vocals, the rap, everything! And what I like the most about it it’s the way it takes me back in the ’90 with the vocals of Zion.T and the rhythm. I don’t know what Boys Noize did, maybe they took part in the producing part, but Zion.T definitely makes himself noticed during the chorus.

Oh, I take back what I said before: GD doesn't get the girl now. He’s just wishing for it, while watching the girl from a distance. It’s pitifully cute if it were to think he’s watching from afar. But even so, it’s a nice song to listen to. It doesn't make you want to dance around like ‘R.O.D’, ‘Who You?’ or ‘Crooked’, but even so, I still shook some parts of my body while writing this review and listening to the track J

Overall: The album is totally enjoyable and definitely more accessible than “One Of a Kind” as sounds and lyrics, feelings and rhythms. It’s one of those albums made to be performed live, that makes it accessible both for the artist and the public.

I like it since it’s both an evolution and a revolution of G-Dragon as both person and artist. He brought new sounds and feelings in the public attention through this album and he definitely delineates Kwon Ji Yong from G-Dragon and that’s really admirable of him, you know?

But even if I liked it, you probably saw that this album didn't manage to score perfect 5 stars from me. The reason why I deducted a full point is that, although GD really evolved a composer and artist through “Coup D’État”, he went too much on Western sounds. Some tracks from this album sound way too much like American pop, the only difference being the language and personal involvement of GD in the making of the album. I really don’t want him to sound like the American artists since that would mean him losing the colours I like and transforming k-pop into something that it’s not. Really, if I wanted to listen to American pop, I would have listened to Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga and the other famous artists from the US. G-Dragon has his own unique colours and he doesn't need to go Western in order to gain more fans/keep his fans/earn money. For example, although they rocked the stage together and the fans really seemed to enjoy the performance, I pretty much dislike the track featuring Miss Eliot, “Naliria”. Just… not my cup of tea since the rap was no longer the Korean one, but the American one translated into Korean, if you get what I mean.

So, as much as I hate to say this, the ‘westernizing’ of his album made me deduct the point L