#or just an nct ver of sm the ballad......

[waitingforminjae]

also just......obvs they have and had big plans for nct as a global bg but i still feel like they’ve never pushed as far as they could musically like. the concept is literally limitless. they could push into so many various genres of music and types of groups. trios and duos and bands. ballads and trot and rock. you created an infinite sandbox and your not even gonna play around in it? lame :/

[soosooxnova]

Jaehyun's 1st album: my opinion

Smoke: I read some comments about this track before listening to it, many didn't like the chorus, so I was kinda nervous, but when I listened it I liked it a lot. It gives an interesting flavor to what could've been a safe r&b track. I think it shows well his range as a vocalist.

Roses: the type of song you'd expect from him, safer than Smoke. Really sexy and sultry, horny and sad. We already knew it since it was part of the pre-release.

Flamin' Hot Lemonade: wow let me shake a bit my 4ss. the song to listen to during a summer night, when you feel a bit spicy and lascivious. I love that he's rapping, when I talk about his range I mean that he can sound like the sweetest vocalist and like the hottest hip hop singer the next minute. I love the way this song tastes.

Dandelion: this is what I was not expecting from him lmao the outlier of this album so far. Sounds like a song escaped from Kyungsoo's album and who found itself in someone else's album.

Completely: softer song, almost ballad-y. Voice + piano. This man was supposed to be one of the main vocalists in NCT, SM keeps forgetting it, so thanks Jaehyun for reminding us of your beautiful voice. The final part is especially beautiful.

Easy: we get quirky again. Like the title, it's a song that rolls easily. When I first heard it, I thought the melody was a bit too distracting, but right now I'm listening to it again and it already sounds better, I think it's the kind of song that grows the more you listen.

Can't Get You: knowing what song comes next, I think this is really great to introduce the final song and basically close the loop with Smoke. It still holds a more relaxed vibe similarly to the previous tracks (summerish vibe here too) but with darker undertones. I like the female chorus in the background. The song fades, like smoke in the last track...

Smoke (Eng. Ver.): I don't really know which version I prefer more, I need to listen to them more. I think the vibe is exactly the same in both of the versions.

It's a pretty chill album, exactly what you'd expect from him. I understand why Smoke was picked as a title track, it's the most interesting song imo. Roses would've been a great contender, but I get that they wanted to go for a more quirky song. Mid-way in the album, the overall tone gets brighter with Dandelion, not surprised this was the pre-release because together with Roses it really tells you what you have to expect from his album. I like that the album has a very "end of summer" vibe, I don't know how to explain it, it's that kind of nostalgia, that bit of sadness, but it's not autumn just yet, so we can still enjoy the moment. My fave right now is probably Roses.

[dojae-huh]

1. It's heartbreaking how Korea is treating NCT. From the very begging, they were a target to disrespectful words just because they are from SM (I'm with them since SMRookies, they are for me very important. Also, I'm listening to kpop since 2009, so it's not like that I'm biased toward them). But I thought that maybe when some time pass people start seeing that they are a very talented group, with a lot of potentials, and that they deserved respect because of that, not because they are from SM

2. But in my eyes, it didn’t happen and they still having problems with promotion and haters. Constantly I’m hearing that they debuted 4 years ago, but they are still a defeat and they are not popular as much as EXO or Red Velvet. They are constantly compared to BTS, Got7, Seventeen, etc. I’m still hearing that they have too much odd music, that they are nothing. And it’s really painful for me not because they are cursing my favorite group, but because this group also sees these comments.

3. They see how they are treated by others. Today’s performance in SBS makes me angry. They had so little time, for two groups, and there were so little seats for NCTzens, also they performed very early before some less popular groups… I just want them to treat like they should be treated. No more, no less, but what they only receive in Korea is hate.

4. Also, I’m scared that due to this situation SM can stop promoting them like they are doing so far, and that they will just simply create a new group without NCT’s backpack.

—————–

NCT has fans in Korea. The ones that fill in venues, come to fansites, help Dream and 127 win 1st places on music shows, write heart-felt letters that Doyoung later reads before his performance on KoMS, Jaehyun keeps in a folder on his bookshelf and Taeyong boasts his new egg-plant hair colour to in the middle of the night. 

NCT has haters too. Every celebrety has them. Koreans netizens are especially known for cyber-bullying and turning on idols in a blink of an eye. Nonetheless, NCT is in top 10 groups of brand reputation and Jaehyun, Mark, Taeyong, Doyoung almost never leave the top 100. NCT is also respected among the music industry and liked by other idols. 

Groups like EXO, BTS, TVXQ are exceptions. The members of these groups are talented, but success is not only about that, it’s also about time and luck. EXID managed to survive, because a video with one of its members dancing on stage became viral. Not only NCT debuted with a new concept and new sound, making it hard for Koreans to accept them from the bat. The Chinese ban happened soon after, wrecking all the initial plans. And the era of shows like Produce 101 began. The groups that come from these shows take away all the “undecided” fans. Even X1, the result of the scandalous last season, did well sales wise despite all the controversy. The “national producer” scheme is just too good, works like magic.

Less people listen to classical music or jazz, then to pop. To be loved by masses means to produce music that can be understood by masses. Simple sound, catchy easy text. Majority of comments under HtoH Eng. ver are about unbuttoned shirts and the song being a “hoe anthem”. Instead of praising Doyoung’s voice people demand uncencored version of Buzzy’s cover. Priorities.

The producers on NCT try to sit on both chairs: produce good and popular music. They can’t go too experimental or soul and they have to reverse back to “friendlier” genres and sound from time to time. 

Yes, NCT is not at the very top, but the group is on the top. It is being distinguished from other idol groups as making art instead of just popular music. And the price for this futuristic sound is slow rise in popularity. 

Slow in comparison. The important thing is that NCT does gain new fans, new album sales. The problem for 4 seasons is that it is 127 and performance-oriented tracks that do well, not the ballads.  

SM won’t drop NCT anytime soon, it can’t, SM’s and LSM’s reputation is at stake. NCT is not “yet another boy-group”, it’s “neo culture technology”, the new way of doing things, producing groups, next step in k-pop. The know-how SM wants to sell in the future. 

The performance at SBS was great. Finally outfits fitting the stage and occasion, Dream and 127 being one group, plus the power of Do’s open forehead, hehe. Nevermind the timeslot, leaving a lasting impression is what’s important.

A quick rise to stardom is not a healthy thing. The more NCT work for their success, the more they appreciate it. Although 127 is 4 years old, the real launch happenned only in 2018. Since then they progress very well (although, agree, internationally).

I was introduced to k-pop somewhere in 2008-2009, it took 10 years and Doyoung’s high note in “Boss” to finally make me stan a group and not just watch some MVs once in a while. 

If majority of Korean k-pop listeners can’t appreaciate a bit complecated lyrics, it’s their loss. There are still tens of thousands of Koreans, who love NCT. The guys perform for them. 

[radlisette]

Listening To ... (February Part 3)

NCT U 엔시티 유 'BOSS' MV

Epic beat. I love the pre-chorus. The choreography is aggressive and fits the song perfectly - it’s choreographed by RIEHATA.

徐佳瑩 LaLa【現在不跳舞要幹嘛 Just Dance】

A fun, retro sound and style for LaLa Hsu, a Mandopop vocalist who usually does ballads. The music video is hilarious (watch to catch LaLa dabbing!).

VROMANCE (브로맨스) _ Star (별)

Vromance’s vocals are stunning in this minimal, simple song. They are label-mates with Mamamoo and deserve more recognition for their talents.

[STATION] TRAX X LIP2SHOT 'Notorious (Feat. Sophiya)' 

SM Station is back at it again. It’s great to hear from TRAX again, even though I miss their more traditional rock sound. Trax and LIP2SHOT have put together a nice track. And Sophiya who I was introduced to in 2017 is lovely as usual in this release.

djfriz - Dive (Feat. 마샬(MRSHLL), 메건리 (Megan Lee)) (Korean Ver.)

MRSHLL and Megan Lee sound lovely together in this release and the animated music video is gorgeous.