Tonight is the Night for Fashion

This week's review was on Spica's new song Tonight, which received 349,310 views between the b2ment and CJENMUSIC channels. You can watch the summery delight HERE: 




Overall impression:

Em: This was a fun, summery, pretty, hipster, party video with pretty flowy clothes and happiness and summer and yay. That was a lot of adjectives. ANYWAY, the clothes were super cool and I personally would love to wear a lot of it. They had a nice mix of colorful patterned fabrics and loose shawls/ jackets, combined with a few fun bathing suits that added to the summer feel. There was a lot of jewelry too, including some flower headbands. The accents including lots of lace and feathers and general prettiness. Oh and there was a colorful explosion of awesome.

Oh so hipster.

Pretty flower headband

Ruby: Yeah, I totally agree. I mean, as a disclaimer Em and I are both pretty hipster, so I guess this review will be a bit biased. I loved that this video was meant to be fun and sassy. I mean right from the start with the patterned blanket and nose ring, it was just different. I loved that there was a sexual element to it but that it was mixed into fun and summer and all sorts of youthful shenanigans. From the location to the use of Holi powder (the colored stuff) it was about being flirty and fun and young. And that's super cool.

Oh so mysterious.

Holi powder

Other promotional Materials:

Em: Spica did a teaser with some nice shots from the mv, but nothing different. They had some teaser shots from the mv too, as well as one of them all together in outfits from the video. Jean shorts had a major presence, clearly, as well as interesting head things.

I see a beanie, handkerchiefs, and flower headbands...odd mix.

Ruby: So Spica’s stage performances have stuck well to the hippy/flower child theme. They’ve incorporated their flower head bands and jean shorts from the mv. They even added some pink hair. I was disappointed in what they chose for the backup dancers. I mean jeans and a white t-shirt are fine summer clothes, but seemed lack luster after the wonderful breadth of fashion in the mv.

Shout out for bubblegum pink hair!

They probably could've tried harder with the backup dancers.

Continuity:

Em: I have no complaints. Everything looked like it fit with the idea. It’s true that there was a variety of very intense patterns, but the style accommodates them. I feel like the videos we’ve reviewed lately have been very good about consistency, especially compared to ones in the past. Nu’est had crazy patterns too, but because of the style it worked. Even the swimsuits appeared enough to not be weird.

How to keep a band looking like a band without
having them all look the same: Lesson 1

Long flowy fabrics in soft colors

Ruby: They stuck with that summery vibe really well. I mean they were ontrend and they picked a theme and ran wild with it. I guess if I’m going to complain, I could have done without one sparkly top that was in the video for all of like 3 seconds. But seriously that's a stretch. It’s a good hint for kpop: pick a different/interesting concept that’s still simple. It won’t feel repetitive or overdone but it will look consistent and really professional.

3 second sparkly dress...coulda been worse

Band’s Overall Image:

Em: Spica has done a bunch of different things. Their mv I’ll Be There had a somewhat cutesy concept, with simple clothes (it also looked a LOT like Love Like Oxygen by SHINee). They also did Russian Roulette, which was all sexy and black leather and totally different. They’ve only been out for about a year, so they’re still in an experimental stage, but they’ve hit on a lot of good things and I think this MV really worked for them.

Simple concept in I'll Be There

Sexayyyyyy in Russian Roulette

Ruby: Spica is a chameleon band, I agree. They take on a ton of different concepts (!), which is never repetitive, but also is hard to follow or appreciate their evolution as a group. I mean in Lonely they wore these heavy, matronly velvet dresses/skirts that are in total contrast to Tonight. But then I’ll Be There had a lot of those playful elements with colorful accents and ripped jeans. Oh wait but its not over yet! Painkiller had another heavy concept with metallics and endless jewelry. I guess I don't mind their range, in some ways. But I agree I think this concept as particularly successful.

Spica's Lonely

Spica's Painkiller

Trends in K-POP:

Em: The pretty hipster summer flowy glowy lights thing has definitely happened before. There isn’t really one word for it but can I just say SHERLOCK TEASERS OH MY GOD. Also, 2NE1’s Do You Love Me channeled some of it as well.

They could be from the same concept!

Still summery, not too far off...from 2NE1's Do You Love Me

Ruby: See I kind of disagree. I mean yes the SHINee hippies lost in paris concept (still not sure what that was) was somewhat similar, but I think Spica really went in a different direction. Most hipster styled mvs feel very constructed to me, like the stylists were trying really hard to make them into classy polished hipsters. Which is a massive oxymoron. The point of the hipster trend is to be unkempt and still look good. I think Spica really got there in this mv, where as most band really come up short.

CNBlue looking nearly hipster but too polished in What Turns You On

Conclusion:

Em: This was a really beautiful music video with beautiful clothes and beautiful people and it was just. Yeah. Good job stylists. Even if the style in general has been done before, it was just done really ridiculously well. Maybe I should complain since it seemed very American in some ways...its a style that's very common here, especially compared to some more Korean styles. However, I still like it, so I'm going to say I like it anyway.

It's pretty , deal with it.

Bathing suit and socks? Somehow I'm okay with this
 and I don't understand why.

Ruby: By all standards we’ve previously set we should have ripped this video a new one. Its unnecessarily sexy, there’s little consistency in color or shape, clothing ranges from bikinis to high heels to plaid. And yet. We both loved it. This video was playful and quirky and didn’t take itself too seriously. The clothes really complemented that by not taking themselves to seriously. It was this sexually free and laughter filled celebration of being young and beautiful and happy. What more do you want from your last gasp of summer mvs? I say, nothing. Good job, everyone.

Playful and fun right down to the props.

Hipster band is hipster.

Daily Dose of Daebak:

COLOR EXPLOSION OF AWESOME

BUBBBBBBLESSSSS, MY BUBBLLLESSSS.

So let us know what you thought! Did you like the clothes? Do you just so happen to hate hipsters? Do you have the sudden urge to throw colorful powder all over yourself? Let us know in the comments!
-Ruby & Em <3

Junsu's Incredible Wardrobe

Recently we've really kicked off summer. 2ne1 brought us to the beach and No Min Woo got us all pumped up for a massive rock and roll party! Leave it to Junsu to combine those two and toss in a little of his own special skills to top it off! Of course, this week, we're talking about
Incredible - Xia Junsu
get your party suit on and click here (or just watch below)

The video was released on two channels (loen and cjes both released the video) on July 14th 2013 and as of July 22nd had a combined 915,749 views. 

*as a side note, I'm flyin' solo this week, Em is still away so we're trying out singleton writing*

Overall impression:

Ruby: So Junsu’s solo work is always a little bit off-kilter. I don’t think anyone is going to forget Intoxication anytime soon. So. There’s that. There was A LOT of clothing in this video. Junsu changed a buttload of times and then he had a million and a half backup dancers who were all decked out for a super funky retro rave disco beach party. That is the technical term. Generally I found the fashion to be too much for me. I like parts or concepts but it was really massively overwhelming. I mean in a way it worked since I think they were going for chaotic summer nutso party. But there were parts of it that I was like, I just don't get it. Mesh tank top and a button down…. Why.

Secret filming location. I swear.

I mean i don't really understand where any of those pieces were designed to be worn.
Except the bra. Which was made to go under shirts. so.

I. just. I mean. He's wearing his suit pants, mesh and pastels.

Other promotional Materials:

Ruby: The video teaser featured what I found to be the coolest part of the mv in itself. It was a good representation of the mv itself and it definitely intrigued me. I guess you could also consider 11 am, his mv before this was also sort of a preface to this. It’s incredibly simple and a really nice counterpoint to the insanity of Incredible. Actually it kind of looks like they got the order wrong. Maybe 11am was the aftermath of his crazy beach party. There was a showcase where he performed several songs. He changed accordingly, wearing a silver and black tassel-dangling suit for Tarantellegra but the red patch jacket for Incredible.

Now this is pretty.

must've been a wild party dude

Red coat with appliques and a newsprint tie.... oh blurry screencaps.

Continuity:

Ruby: I feel wrong discussing continuity in this mv. There is zero continuity. Okay well, maybe I’ll give it ½ a point for the main girl, she seems consistently like pastel hipster and I like that. Although she is really really out of place. I mean who wears lacy shorts and hipster headbands to the neon spandex flashdance cat mask party? Then again, Junsu was also clearly struggled with what to wear and his initial choice of black pants a white shirt was very wrong and later rejected.

FLASHDANCE

Don't worry guys, she's a pretty stalker.

Crap, I misread my own dresscode.

Band’s Overall Image:

Ruby: Junsu likes to be the sexy pop star when he’s not performing with his group, JYJ. I mean, Tarantellegra and Intoxication were equally as racy and provocative. I mean 11am was much more reserved, which was a big change for him. I guess he might be trying to work maturity into a very risqué image that he’s maintained throughout his career. He’s 26, so I can understand him wanting to emulate his age and experiences in his life. I would miss Junsu if he decided to be conservative or cutesy, but it good to see him take on a more serious role as well. Thus 11am and Incredible were well paired.

Junsu in 11am, very simple and never changes.

And then there was Tarantellegra,

Trends in K-POP:

Ruby: There were so many many things….. Can gold suits not be a trend? No no no. There was another video released recently where they wore something similar. All I can think of is pornstar-oppa. We see the return of oddly patterned suits, something SHINee is well known for. Maybe Junsu borrowed one of Jaejoong’s mesh shirts. I guess the randomness in itself is a trend right now. Like 4minute.

Tarantellegra teaser!

Porn. Star. Oppa.

And then there was more gold fabric.

Conclusion:

Ruby: I like the song and I like the video in a way. It was one of those, this is terrible and I love it. It's a mess and its very confused and I shouldn’t like it. But I do. I found Junsu’s outfits sort of unimpressive but the chaos behind him is kind of wonderful. For me I think I’ve enjoyed some of his other mv’s more but this was quite interesting and it’s summer, so it's a good time to have crazy-butt parties and go wild.

But I mean in all honest I paused the video more than once just to be like, what the hell are you wearing. dear god.

This part was cool.

but then I was like, dear god where did you even find that!?!?!?!

Daily Dose of Daebak:

FISH HAT and CAT MASKS

SHAKE YOUR SPACESHIP CANDY

So tell us what you would wear to Junsu's massive beach party!!!!

Or just leave lonely me some love :(

see ya soon!

Ruby...... 

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)