4minute have been gaining solid wins on music shows whilst promoting ‘What’s Your Name?’ AND you voted them in for this week’s video breakdown! They must be doing something right, so let’s see what that might be…
The most likely reasons for the popularity this song has received is just how catchy it really is and that the lyrics are simple, but easy for everyone to sing along with. We can definitely put the popularity among UK fans down to that; it seems that we like songs with simple/English/simple English choruses. Besides, pop music doesn’t need to include deep, thoughtful lyrics. It’s pop music, it’s supposed to be fun! ‘What’s Your Name?’ has got the balance between simple but catchy just right. We may have even found ourselves dancing around our houses doing the whole, “La la la la, la la la la la…” charade. (I mean, everyone else is doing that too, right..?)
This video is a treasure trove for accessories and fun, bright clothes! In every outfit change, the members are adorned with big earrings, bracelets, and patterned tights, not to mention the sequins, tassles and headgear. 4minute make fashion fun again with their playful patterns and popping colours; it’s like playing dress-up, but… older. There is more than one dimension to every outfit, whether it be created by extra layers of jewellery or clothing, by mixing textures, or even by something as simple as rolling up sleeves. Styling we can all take inspiration from!
We can assume the art department in charge of sets for ‘What’s Your Name?’ were on some form of hallucinatory drugs, or somebody sabotaged their colour wheel. Neon pink and neon green should only be seen on your revision notes after you’ve highlighted the most important parts (or made pretty patterns), not on walls together. But if the bright, clashing nature of the rest of the video is kept in mind, this particular clash can be forgiven. The other sets look nice and co-ordinated. Even the zombies have somehow managed to stay stylish and co-ordinated… especially during the last dance scene. How do you co-ordinate over twenty mindless zombies to perform a dance sequence in time with each other? This scene is reminiscent of Michael Jackson‘s ‘Thriller’, albeit a little more colourful.
The dance itself is mostly simple, so of course 4minute pull it off without a hitch. Nobody looks out of place or out of time. With the exception of the part after the first chorus when all the members spin out a different way, the formations are never particularly interesting. Having said that, the dance isn’t that intricate so it doesn’t call for these intricate formations. Though, with a five member group there’s only so much you can actually do with formations anyway. Perhaps we’ll see something more ambitious with their next comeback…
Check out the video below!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-IJWqIHioA&w=560&h=315]Vote here for next week’s K-pop Music Video Breakdown.
