Look I know I'm probably the only author on this site outside of Soyeon Friend that actually likes G-Friend but I feel like this song and video is worthy of a review since it's pretty awesome.
When GFriend debuted last year with "Glass Bead" I thought they had potential but thought their debut song was total weak-sauce. Since writing that review I've come around to "Glass Bead" quite a bit however I still think "Me Gustas Tu" was better and one of the best songs of 2015 (almost made my end-of-the year list) and it was actually MGT that made me a stan of theirs, as well as Sowon and Yuju.
However "Rough" is a new turn for them. It's not a sugar-filled happy song like their other tracks but it still remains upbeat and danceable and very 90's-ish. "Rough" is a lot more angst and dramatic, think along the lines of a much darker "Baby Baby". My favorite part of the song are violins during the chorus, they just take this song to bigger scale somehow. Oh and there's also that awesome guitar solo we also got in "Me Gustas Tu" making this song a winner in my book.
The music video matches the song as it feels more mature, darker, the girls make-up artist finally got their shit together. However the main course in any G-Friend video is the choreography. G-Friend are one of the few girl groups that actually get handed interesting looking choreography, and this holds up perfectly. We get more fluid dance moves as well as their sharp ones. The spins and SinB's clock move towards the end are some of the best parts of the music video for me.
The worst would have to be when that stuffed bear came alive and started reaching for Yerin. What the hell was up with that? I would probably like it if this were a horror themed music video, but here that was just out-of-nowhere creepiness.
I will now take the time to address the gorgeousness of Sowon and Yuju:
The music video matches the song as it feels more mature, darker, the girls make-up artist finally got their shit together. However the main course in any G-Friend video is the choreography. G-Friend are one of the few girl groups that actually get handed interesting looking choreography, and this holds up perfectly. We get more fluid dance moves as well as their sharp ones. The spins and SinB's clock move towards the end are some of the best parts of the music video for me.
The worst would have to be when that stuffed bear came alive and started reaching for Yerin. What the hell was up with that? I would probably like it if this were a horror themed music video, but here that was just out-of-nowhere creepiness.
I will now take the time to address the gorgeousness of Sowon and Yuju:
Overall I'd say G-Friend has gone the right direction with their sound. I also like how they've further proven netizens as humongous fucking hypocrites. I wrote an arictle a while ago about netizens are fake vocal-lovers since they shit on groups that can't sing well, then when G-Friend debuted all they talked about was how they would go nowhere since they thought all of them were ugly. But I guess that doesn't matter now since "Rough" is now like #3 on Melon's chart. Gee, I wish my career could go nowhere like G-Friend's is.
I wasn't expecting to like gfriend, but so far I like all their songs and this is my fave
ReplyDeleteI just don't find anything attractive about them at all.
ReplyDeleteI have nothing against those who don't find them attractive, it's just the hypocritical netizens who have a holier-than-thou attitude about everything and then prove themselves to be wrong.
DeleteWouldn't consider them ugly, they are very pretty in still solo shots, but as a group they kind of give me the creeps, as if they got cloned or something, and some of them smile with this kind of perfect teeth smile you only see in toothpaste ads… don't know what but there's something uncanny valley about them which makes me look in another direction just when I'm about to like them.
DeleteBut they really do dancing well, watched them on weekly idol and were very good in the random play, plus funny as well. Their current dance is eye catching.
PS: By "got cloned" I don't imply they look the same, they all look pretty recognisable and different to me, but they seem to share similar little details which is weird. G-friend doesn't need an identification test as much as red velvet did.
I would pee in Yuju's butt.
ReplyDeleteDude she's like 10
DeleteGfriend are quite confusing in that aspect. The underage members look like gangnam unnies and I can't work out which ones are actually legal.
DeleteI know that ShinB became legal recently and that Sowon is the oldest member so she must be legal if she's older but that's all I can safely say
She's 18.
DeleteSowon - 20
DeleteYerin - 19
Eunha - 18
Yuju - 18
SinB - 17
Umji - 17
The album track was better this time
ReplyDeleteTheir songs all sound so similar. But the formula is working because I love them
ReplyDeleteNot as good as Me Gustas Tu, but better than Glass Bead. GFriend continued rise is almost assured at this point, they really have found their niche.
ReplyDeleteYuju is disgusting, wtf is a matter with you ? Must be a fangirl.
ReplyDelete^Fanboy logic.
DeleteYou're disgusting for saying something like that about an innocent young woman who probably has more talent, pose and class in a strand of her beautiful hair than you have in your entire (probably overweight and weak) body. Oh and I'm pretty sure she's not a total asshole like you either.
DeleteI am obsessed with them, seriously these girls are pretty much above everyone else in Kpop right now. I haven't been a stanning any groups for years, and they just made me do it again.
ReplyDelete'Rough' is 'Glass Bead' done better, but a less catchier song than 'Me Gustas Tu', the only thing that makes this song inferior to 'Me Gustas Tu' is a catchy lyric.
I agree with pretty much everything you said, the orchestral like strings instrumental at the end of the chorus is probably my fav part of the song (and the spin and kick choreo is just amazing).
Also speaking of the choreos, I really like the beginning where each member gets to be 'introduced', and the clock thing at the end where they simulate someone walking with each tick, it's just brilliant.
And the MV, jesus that castle-courtyard-ish background is probably one of the most beautiful backgrounds in kpop, plus the fake snow really makes it fucking gorgeous, I'm still waiting for the choreo mv using that background
Some stuff I don't like about the song would probably be
1. that flute thingy in the beginning, really not a fan of it.
2. I wish they wouldn't play the chorus so loud over yuju's high notes towards the end.
3. Needs more harmonizing/background vocal wanking, like what they did towards the end of 'Glass Bead', they did some, sure, but I think it's very short.
I'm really worried that they have made me set the bar too high for girl groups, now I am gonna have a high standard for choreos of girl groups. Finally, I have to say, I dunno how Twice is in any way better than them, since people keep comparing those two.
People have been comparing G-Friend to Twice??? That's like trying mix water and oil.
DeleteI agree with you on that flute-thing that sounds like it came from some Karaoke machine, it was the main thing setting me back from liking "Glass Bead."
G-Friend are seriously the best female rookies when it comes to getting handed great choreography, along of maybe RV. I can see G-Friend becoming one of the top groups in years to come.
TWICE is better :^)
DeleteBest rookie songs.
ReplyDeleteI seriously love Gfriend, more than anyone else in k-pop right now. Almost more than f(x)... They've really got the great choreography, songs (Me gustas tu gives me an endorphin rush, every time, and Rough is almost as good) and dancing (they are perfectly in synch doing Rough at twice speed!? DAMN!) and the more I see of them in other videos, the more I love them.
ReplyDeleteOh, yeah: when I see some moronic dolt say "Twice is better," I want to puke all over your fucking face, dimwit. Go to hell and die.
Almost forgot: they have gotten ALL-KILLS now! They are fucking #1 on ALL the charts! Netizens are human garbage, they say Gfriend are ugly? I've come to realize they look like Girls-next-door, and I love that! They are so much more approachable this way. I feel like we could be friends, like I never could with Jessica, Taeyeon, or Suzy. (Umji is the cutest, isn't she? :)
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