Summer Lovin' with 2ne1

So I don't know about any one else, but it is hot where I live. I got myself to wondering when kpop was gonna turn out that amazing summer beach song that just screamed summer and sun. Seems like 2ne1 listened to me, so this week, we're reviewing

2ne1 Falling in Love! If ya haven't seen it yet, get yourself some lovin' here.

This video was released on July 7th 2013 and as of July 15th, had 6,057,499 views. This is the first of several videos 2ne1 will release, one each month, until October.

ALSO, HEY GUYS! So this week, since Em if off globe trotting and staring down massive internet fire walls, WE HAVE A NEW ADMIN! SAY HI TO MATT. (he's a really nice guy, i swear :P)

Overall impression:

Ruby: This MV had 2ne1 written all over it. They keep a consistent stylist, Yang Seung Ho, who lends their MVs a super distinctive style. With the song, they went for a reggae feel since its summer, and the clothing changed accordingly to be a brighter, more comfortable and more revealing style. It’s breezy and funky with cool accessories and rather simple hair and makeup. Yes, there are some exceptions, like really sick nails and I definitely saw some pink hair, but overall they kept their cat eye makeup and pretty natural looking hair. There were 3 major outfit groups with a beachier look, all white outfits, and a set of street clothes. There were a few misses... (Dara's shiny shirt)... but for the most part it worked really well.

Awesome nails and hand jewelry? It's da Bom... ;)

CL and her golden locks and heavy eyeliner. 

Yang Seungho and CL just hangin' out. He's in the group called NUTHANG,
google it. seriously. 

Matt: Agreed – this music video is quintessentially 2ne1. Quirky, fun, and energetic, their latest single is in keeping with the energy of their previous endeavors. Still, it’s been about a year since 2ne1’s last release (“I Love You”), and I have to say, given the quality of their previous singles, I was expecting something a little bit more… interesting. The reggae vibe of the song is definitely fun, but it lacks the catchy hooks and impressive vocal range of songs like “I Love You” and “I am the Best”. At the end of the day, however, 2ne1 still manages to entertain with their exceptionally creative style and videography. I thought that the white and gold motif Ruby mentioned earlier was particularly entertaining. It’s not every day that you get to see pink haired Minzy sitting in a throne sipping from a golden soda cup with similarly gilded men arranged around her throne like statues. (… or maybe it is? I don’t know. I’ve never actually met her.)

Ahem. I asked for DIET coke. *Queen Minzy demands*

She's gotta be a Queen. She's got gold man statues with chain veils....

Other promotional Materials:

Ruby: The photo teasers and the video teasers used the same outfits from the videos. It looks like they posed for the photos separately from the video, however.  Nonetheless, they paired the same clothing and settings without fail. It’s nice and consistent and gives a lot more detail to the clothing. Since it is a dance heavy video, sometimes the more complex patterns got muddled, but the teasers give them clarity. So points for that! I guess I would like to have seen more elaboration, ya know?

Teaser for a summer of fun!

Matt: I think that their clothing is definitely worth noticing, but I’d have to agree with you in that the music video is so busy that it doesn’t exactly highlight the group’s fashion choices. It’s definitely a dance-heavy performance, which is what I think makes their live promotional events so interesting. It’s nice to be able to see the dance without too many camera switches.  Live, not only can audiences see the dance much clearer, but they also have much more time to digest the visuals of the performance – my favorite part of their live promotions would have to be CL’s black and white eye-themed two piece jumpsuit, which can be seen during the second half of the live performance mentioned above.

Live stage outfits are a bit different

Continuity:

Ruby: It’s as continuous as any 2ne1 video ever is. Luckily for them, they have such a consistent and well-developed aesthetic so it feels like a cohesive whole; it’s just that that whole has to be a 2ne1 video. I mean, it’s all quirky, with heavy layers and lots of skin, but not much beyond that stays the same. Still, it was bright and fun and full of details, and with relatively few outfits, the inconsistencies weren’t noticeable.

Very identifiably 2ne1, even if I don't love the outfits

Matt: I don’t have too much to say here that you haven’t already said - - - it’s not exactly visually cohesive, but that’s 2ne1’s unifying concept, which creates a sort of counter-intuitive continuity.

It's okay Bommie, it is very confusing.

Band’s Overall Image:

Ruby: …. Well I kind of jumped the gun here. Oh well. But this is very 2ne1. They have a very distinct look, although it communicates slightly differently in different videos. This is a spunkier version, but you can see Ugly or I Love You in it. It’s definitely different than their “Fire” or “I am the Best”, but it’s still them. I guess I would say it’s got a lot to do with layering, conflicting patterns and textures, heavy cat-eyes and prominent accessories. And that's just been their thing since the beginning really. (Yes, I mean the very beginning…. Lolli-lolli-oh-lollipop!)

Ugly outfits are definitely one extreme as well...

I Love You outfits are closer, i think, but more wintery/formal

Matt: The video is stylistically consistent with the rest of their performances. Yep, starting with Lollipop. Thanks, Ruby… now I have that song stuck in my head. Haha ^_^; In terms of sound, though, this song seems a bit off. I’m not exactly a fan of their reggae style. I’ll always prefer their catchier and more melodic “Ugly” and “I am the Best”.

LOLLI-LOLLI-OH LOLLIPOP!

Trends in K-POP:

Ruby: There have been so many rookies this year that have taken up what people are calling the “2ne1 style”… Usually what they’re referring to is a girl group that dresses with punk or grunge inspired clothing rather than the cutsy/girly or sexy image. The mismatched style has many mutations within kpop, and this is just one of them. But when it’s paired with a less feminine look, its always associated with 2ne1.

GI's "Beatles" is one debut this year that was deemed very 2ne1-esque.

Matt: Going in a completely different direction, I think that the short, clean cut of CL’s beach dress has been increasingly popular in K-Pop music videos over the past year or so. Think of the form fitting, simple dresses shown in Hello Venus’ “Do You Want Some Tea?” or SISTAR’s “Alone”. CL’s dress  is incredibly similar, only… with a fisherman’s net. Hence… she’s at the beach… ? Anyways, the simple, short dresses, either boasting bold geometric patterns or bright solid colors, have been making their way into the Korean music scene with a frequency that only seems to be increasing.

CL's fishnet sun-dress.

"Do You Want Some Tea?" from Hello Venus with their cute lil' dresses. 

Conclusion:

Ruby: 2ne1 is preparing to release a crap-ton of mvs. Like one a month until October or something. So this is really a kick off to their biggest comeback ever. In that role I think it worked really well. It was new, but familiar and identifiable. It sets a good tone for the months and songs to come by allowing for variation but maintaining their well known image.

BOM WANTS YOU TO KEEP ON THE LOOK OUT FOR 2NE1

Minzy is pleased by this.

Matt: Solid visuals, but not as solid a sound as I was expecting. We’ll both definitely be looking forward the videos coming out in the following months, though, I’m sure.

I mean who wouldn't want to party with these dorks uber cool pop-stars

Daily Dose of Daebak:

Ruby: LEE SOOHYUK AND HONG JONGHYUN WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? Handsome boys…… ;3

Matt: GOLDEN GAMEBOYS… WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? Handsome toys……

Leave us a comment and tell us what you want to see 2ne1's comebacks this summer feature for fashion! Or anything at all! We'd loveeeee to hear from you :3......

Thanks again Matt! 

Stay cool in this heat guys! (idk, but its hot where i am so...)

<3 Ruby and Em (AND MATT)