Girls’ Generation start the new year off with a bang! Ella reviews their latest single, I Got A Boy…
After following Girls’ Generation through their various images (from young, naive and cutesy poses to a more mature, powerful Korean comeback with The Boys in 2011), we were left wondering what they would bring to the table next. I’m sure none of us were expecting the candy-coated hip-hop vibes that their newest single, I Got A Boy, has to offer. Swapping sparkling heels and dresses for edgy hi-tops and denim leaves us with an incredibly catchy song throughout, matched with a strong, confident performance from the girls, which will surely see Girls’ Generation topping Korea’s music charts once again.
To begin with, we have a small intro to the main song. Sooyoung starts us off with the words, “Ayo, GG!”, followed by Yuri and her rapping with cool expressions that just scream confidence. They look hot, and they know it. This is accompanied by a funky, underlying beat (which, cleverly, does not take away from the vocals at this point) and we know we are in safe hands.
We are then met with some fierce vocals and a well-executed dance as the song begins to kick in. Although the melody becomes slightly more show-tune-esque here, the cool-as-a-cucumber aura oozing from the girls does not fade. Things are running smoothly, albeit maybe just nice, as this segment welcomes us gently into the song, while keeping us hooked and thirsty for more… Which is exactly what we’re given when Tiffany halts the song with, “Ayo, let me put it down another way,” and we’re thrown back into hip-hop territory. (And by the way, are kpop producers afraid of releasing a song now without the word ayo in anymore? Other offenders include G-dragon and Block B.) The tempo changes and the swag (sorry) follows.
Fiery rapping from Yoona (an unlikely candidate, no?) and Hyoyeon follows sweet vocals from Taeyeon and Sunny and then we return to the original show-tune chorus, slightly remixed. After some hair flicking and group dancing, we’re back in candy-land with Seohyun and Tiffany singing sweetly over the now, less prominent, piano. And finally, the show-tune is combined with the song’s earlier hip-hop beat to create a really brilliant mix, one that I wouldn’t have expected to fit so neatly together but somehow, it just works. Very well. In this chorus, the girls tell the boy they’re singing to that he’s crazy, and although I’m unsure how the previous lyrics led them to this (I understand the ‘you’re crazy’ part but far from fluent over here), one thing I am sure of is that the song… should have ended here. One more round of the chorus and then BAM, finished, done, end.
The next part of the song was probably added to showcase the singers’ voices more but, personally, I find it awkward. It leaves the song with one too many tempo changes and I feel the song could… possibly… maybe… have been better without it. The girls are clad in matching orange wigs and metallic dresses, staying classy, cool and ladylike, but soon enough, we’re back to the chorus and the same sharp dance from before. Throw in some harmonizing and the song is back at its peak. It’s nearing the end now, right..? Oh… wait, no it isn’t. The song slows down again for Jessica this time. “Again?!”, you cry? Yes, again I’m afraid. Jessica and Seohyun wrap it back up after their time in the spotlight and then we have the chorus, one last time. Though the song could have ended a minute ago, we’re happy to return to this familiarity. By now you’ll be completely familiar with the chorus and you can concentrate on the video as the girls send you off with their best efforts; one last round of dancing, new steps now. The group’s confidence and savvy hasn’t wavered at all and this new image is refreshing. Don’t be surprised if you happen to find yourself heading towards the replay button!
Girls’ Generation’s first comeback of 2013 pulled out all the stops and, despite the few negative aspects I found myself, it is sure to be just as popular as their previous hits. But could it work for the UK? Songs with Korean lyrics are inevitably going to be weird and alien to the public, no matter how successful Gangnam Style was. Maybe the English slang in this song could remove some of the doubts that non-kpop fans might have about it. However, non-Korean speakers could join in with Gangnam Style because the lyrics they knew were, “Oppan Gangnam style” and “Ehhh, sexy lady”. Easy words, easy tune. Even with the phrase, “I got a boy” being repeated in this song, you still have that problem with all the fiddly Korean words in the chorus that, unless you speak Korean, you’ll find hard to catch on to. I digress! Let us veer away from Gangnam Style; I have no intention of comparing these two songs.
The music video may certainly be appealing to people in the UK. Recognizable fashion brands that are sprinkled throughout the video, such as BOY London , would make people watching feel closer to the song. It automatically becomes more accessible. Styles that have been, or are currently, popular in the UK, such as cameo jackets, varsity jackets, hi-top sneakers and colourful hair, can be seen in the video, also increasing the video’s appeal.
The song itself, produced by London’s Will Simms, could be appealing due to the strong, hip hop influence but its choppiness could be unwelcome. Starting and stopping, along with odd changes in tempo, might be too much for some listeners, ultimately resulting in them turning the song off. Having said that, I think the song is probably more catchy than The Boys (with which they debuted in the US market) and could, therefore, make a mark on the UK music scene.
What do you think? Could I Got A Boy survive the UK’s fierce music charts? Let us know below in the comments!
Note: This article contains the opinions of the author and does not reflect the opinion of UnitedKpop as a whole.
