5 Korean Movies to Watch Over Spring Break

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Are you one of the many who are about to enter their spring break? Or are you already in it? Regardless, if you’re bored and looking for some entertainment over your break without having to leave the comfort of your own room, check out one or all five of these Korean movies. Whether you’re into romance, comedy, action or looking for all three in one, I’ve got a movie for you! Even if you’re not in Korea, you will still probably be able to find these movies online. Websites like Pirate Bay normally have a huge selection of different movies to watch, so it might be worth checking on there. To get onto that website, you may need a private proxy (click here to find one). Hopefully, that website will have these movies, allowing you to watch them in the comfort of your own home.

1. A Millionaire’s First Love

Starring actor Hyun Bin, known for his roles in dramas such as Secret Garden and most recently Hyde, Jekyll and Me, and actress Lee Yeon-hee of East of Eden and Gu Family Book, A Millionaire’s First Love is built around a sorrowful love story. Kang Jae-kyung, played by Hyun Bin, lost both his parents in a terrible car accident when he was younger, which left a hefty scar in his heart and mentality. Jae-kyung’s wealthy grandfather took guardianship of him after the accident and with the typical rich kid syndrome; he grew up to be arrogant and snotty. Jae-kyung was set to inherit his grandfather’s fortune, under the condition that he transferred to a new school in Gangwon Province, to focus on his studies and graduate. Choi Eun-hwan, played by Yeon-hee, is a vivacious and spunky orphan, who attends the same high school that Jae-kyung is sent to.

No matter what Jae-kyung does and where he goes, he always runs into Eun-hwan; not only is she their class president at school but she’s also the cashier at a convenience store that he frequents and she also works at their local gas station and even delivered gas to his broken down car once. Little does Jae-kyung know though, that this isn’t all coincidence but they both actually share a deep past together, a past in which he’s tried extremely hard to block out. Eun-hwan clearly remembers and knows exactly who Jae-kyung is, but he on the other hand doesn’t have a clue as to who she is or as to why she keeps sticking to him like glue. I suppose hanging around him all the time must’ve worked out, because as time passed, they grew closer and they eventually grew to love one another; only for Jae-kyung to discover that Eun-hwan’s days are limited. But what’s a Korean movie without someone being diagnosed with a terminal illness?

What’s going to happen to these two young lovers? And what exactly is their history? You’ll have to watch the movie to find out!

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2. A Moment to Remember

A Moment to Remember is based on the Japanese television show, Pure Soul. It follows the unexpected love story of Su-jin, played by actress Son Ye-jin, known for her roles in The Classic and Summer Scent, and a man named Chul-soo, played by actor Jung Woo-sung, known for his roles in Athena: Goddess of War and Padam Padam…The Sound of His and Her Heartbeats. Su-jin and Chul-soo both come from two different worlds; you have Su-jin, this upbeat, bright, always perky and happy girl, who’s lived her entire life doing things her way, and who also happens to be the daughter of a CEO of a construction firm, and Chul-soo, a quiet and reserved guy, who’s an aspiring architect, that works at one of Su-jin’s father’s sites as the construction foreman.

Once she spotted him on her father’s work sight, she knew she had to have him. Due to her outgoing personality, Su-jin wasted no time in trying to court Chul-soo; and Chul-soo didn’t put up too much of a fight either, seeing how he was just as interested in her as she was in him.

Although Su-jin’s father disapproved of their relationship, that didn’t stop them from moving in with one another and eventually getting married. Their love for one another was undeniable and everything in the world seemed perfect, as if nothing could ever go wrong. That is, until Su-jin is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Su-jin is in denial; she is nervous and feels burdened that she’ll eventually forget her beloved husband one day, but with the help and unconditional love from Chul-soo, the two fight through the oncoming obstacles, together.

Did Su-jin end up forgetting Chul-soo? Did they stay together? Everything from their first meeting to the beginning of their relationship was unorthodox and completely unconventional, but if things were meant to be, if it’s true love, then they’ll always fall into their rightful place.

3. 200 Pounds Beauty

Are you tired of those typical sad love stories? If so, here’s a refreshing comedy for you! 200 Pounds Beauty is about an overweight girl, Kang Han-na, played by Kim Ah-joong, who undergoes a number of extreme plastic surgeries to become a pop sensation. Han-na doesn’t want to get the procedures done just so that she can be considered beautiful, but she wants them done so that they can help boost her self-esteem and confidence, so that she can finally live what she deems as a normal life.

In order to live up to her new look and to prevent anyone from finding out who she is, Han-na creates a new identity for herself, she is now a Korean-American from California named Jenny. In an attempt to make Han Sang-jun, played by Joo Jin-moo, fall in love with her, Jenny auditions to be a ghost vocalist for an old rival, Ammy, in order to get close to Sang-jun. To everyone’s surprise, Jenny’s voice resembled one of someone else that they used to know, Han-na, but without anyone detecting that it was in fact her, she was able to score her own record contract and now she would no longer have to live in anyone else’s shadow. With this new identity and body, not only is she a star on the rise and receiving love from the public, but she’s also finally gaining the interest and love of Sang-jun.

Ammy is certain that something fishy is going on with the disappearance of Han-na and with the new and sudden arrival of Jenny. In order for her revival in the industry, Ammy tries everything to seek Han-na out. Sang-jun had already turned his back on her, so she was desperate more than ever. Those around Jenny also begin to question the identity of this mysterious woman who appeared before them, with the eventual discovery that Jenny is Kang Han-na the entire time.

What was Sang-jun’s reaction to finding out that he’s been lied to by Han-na? And whom was he actually falling for, Han-na or Jenny?

4. Spellbound

I’m a big Son Ye-jin and Lee Min-ki fan, so when I found out they filmed a movie together, I knew it was a must watch. Spellbound is a horror romantic comedy, based around a street, turned big time, magician, Ma Jo-goo, played by Lee Min-ki, and Kang Yeo-ri, played by Son Ye-jin, who has the unfortunate ability of seeing ghosts. These ghosts continuously seek out Yeo-ri in order to receive closure, and until she helps resolve the issue for them, they’ll always hang around her. Due to this, she’s unable to have a social life and isolates herself from the outside world because she’s scared those around her will be harmed. This includes only having phone calls with her best friend in which she hasn’t seen in ten years.

Her quiet life takes a surprising turn when she encounters Jo-goo. He is completely unaware of the crazy occurrences that go on in her life, but insists on making her be a part of his big magic show. Although she’s a part of the staff and is constantly around other people, she wants nothing to do with them once her shift is over. After declining to go out for many company dinners, Jo-goo finally drags her out for a drinking session and discovers her (drunken) and unique personality. The more he see’s her, the more he’s intrigued by her; he wants to know everything about her but Yeo-ri is terrified of letting anyone get close to her, since it might put them in danger. As their feelings blossom for one another, Jo-goo discovers the difficult and lonely world that Yeo-ri’s been living in, and wants to be there to protect her, although the thought of being followed by these ghosts terrifies him out of his wits.

Do you think Jo-goo will stick around long enough to help Yeo-ri chase these bad guys out of her life, or will he be chased out before he gets the chance to even come close enough?

Also on KultScene: EXID ‘Ah Yeah’ Music Video & Song Review

5. Secretly, Greatly

Over the last couple of years, there’s been a number of films based around North Korean spies, but Secretly, Greatly is probably the most light hearted out of all of them. The film is an action packed comedy and drama, starring Kim Soo-hyun who plays Lieutenant Won Ryu-hwan, which is his North Korean alias but his new identity in South Korea is Bang Dong-gu. He’s dubbed as the top agent in North Korea with a full set of skills; he’s fluent in 5 different languages and has a remarkable ability of reading people. He’s disguised as a village idiot while in South Korea. Park Ki-woong plays Rhee Hae-rang/Kim Min-su, son of a high ranking North Korean official, who’s in the south as a singer wannabe and Lee Hyun-woo plays the role of Rhee Hae-jin, the youngest North Korean secret agent in history, who is disguised as a south Korean high school student.

The three are sent to South Korea in hopes of unifying Korea. They’re set to acculturate the small town, quiet lifestyle in South Korea, while awaiting their orders from the North. One of them waited months, while another has been waiting years to receive any orders. Due to the extensive wait period, these spies gradually start to get used to their life as ordinary neighbors in their small towns. Dong-gu grew very fond of the grandmother that he works for; he even had a crush on a neighboring girl. Dong-gu and the other agents are aware that there are others like them in South Korea, but there hasn’t been a reason for them to meet or bump heads.

One day, Dong-gu, Min-su and Hae-jin are assigned the secret and great mission that they’ve been eagerly awaiting. This is it, this is what they’ve been waiting for, it was right in front of them; until a sudden change in events, the Second Battle of Yeonpyeong, put a halt on the long awaited mission. The North is promised financial aid from the South, under the condition that they’re given the names, location and rank of the North Korean spies that are active in the South; the North must turn in their spies in order to reap the benefits. To prevent their spies from falling into enemy hands, the North orders that Dong-gu, Min-su and Hae-jin abort their mission and take their own lives before the government gets to them. Coming from the North, it’s instilled in these spies to forever be loyal to their one and only leader and country, therefore, they must do whatever it takes to protect their beloved country.

Will these agents heed their new orders or will they turn their backs on those who have turned their backs on them?

I don’t know about you guys, but I’m usually drawn to the love orientated and sappy it took us so long to finally be together but unfortunately one of us is going to die Korean movies (and dramas). Although I’m fully aware that I’ll get emotional and probably cry in all the scenes, I still watch them anyway! I’m not crazy with gruesome scenes so I tend to stay away from the intense action movies. Most of the time, the ones I watch have very predictable synopses and I’m usually able to uncover the ending a fourth of the way into the film, and if I like it, I’ll continue watching it and if it becomes too much then I’ll stop. Is this the same for you?

Have you already seen these movies? If not, what are you waiting for?! Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

EXID ‘Ah Yeah’ Music Video & Song Review

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Coming back after a term of great success can be a surprisingly tricky thing to pull off. EXID faced this after their sleeper hit Up and Down. The members and Yedam Entertainment alike always said they would stick to the formula that brought this unexpected rise to fame and they have remained true to their word. Up and Down’s trademarks like saxophone solos, pelvic movements, jarring tonal shifts, and Hani front and centre are all once again present on new single Ah Yeah. But EXID has not merely adopted the Up and Down formula without first reflecting on it.

Between the music video and song‘s interesting elements come up which are cause for a closer look. Not only has EXID they taken the time to reflect on what worked and what didn’t, but the Up and Down elements themselves have been kicked up a notch.

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Song

Ah Yeah is an incredibly frantic song. It sounds like it is structurally all over the place like Girls’ Generation’s I Got A Boy but it actually takes an average pop structure and packs it to the brim with clashing elements. Ah Yeah’s through line is a hip-hop drum beat which changes in intensity depending on the corresponding music. The song houses four separate vocal styles throughout its runtime: Hani’s sweet, alluring verse and its counterpoint, LE’s blistering, angry rap, Junghwa’s nursery rhyme like pre-chorus and Solji and Hyerin’s chorus. Thrown together these all seem incompatible but somehow the song makes it out in tact.

The best of these is definitely the competing verses of Hani and LE. The two make up the bulk of the song and carry it so well. Hani’s simple melody and slightly affected voice plays up to her charming strengths perfectly. Put beside LE’s forceful rap though, which is accompanied by the reintroduction of the sax and an intensifying of the drums, it seems like a parody of what brought EXID to fame in Up and Down. In many ways this what Ah Yeah is really about.

EXID’s new song reuses and makes comment on Up and Down, or rather the strange success of it and turns it into something new. LE’s rap inUp and Down wasn’t contrasting enough? Let’s have her rap on five separate occasions in Ah Yeah.

The same can be said for Junghwa’s odd pre-chorus. In Up and Down she had a small part which had a nursery rhyme vibe to it which was probably a way of getting around her seemingly weak vocals. In Ah Yeah her part is similar enough except this time it’s repeated twice and has its own twinkly melody. Again, an element from before is being reused and brought up a notch. I think this is the most jarring part of the song, nearly bringing it into incoherence. This fits into the idea of the self parody as Up and Down wasn’t exactly straightforward itself but lets down the song as whole.

The chorus is the most straightforward part of Ah Yeah. Not changing much of the original formula, it does not however, come as a surprise since we already know it so well. It shows the dearth of options EXID have at hand when a vocalist as amazing as Solji is restricted to a chorus. Amongst girl groups, I’d put her in the top five working right now and thought she’d be the person that dragged them to success; it would be nice to see her do something more than the chorus.

Also on KultScene: Primary’s ‘See You’ Song Review

Music Video

The self-reflexion of EXID doesn’t end with the song though. The music video, like the song, uses different elements to comment and react on EXID’s rise to fame.

Again, Hani and LE’s parts work wonderfully together. Hani essentially playing herself, is seductive as she makes eyes with the POV camera similar enough to her famous fancam. LE also could be playing herself or maybe just another side of the argument. Her angry counterpoint plays like a musician’s reaction to EXID’s fame, not happy that a sexy video brought them there over interesting music written by LE herself. She also addresses the POV camera but this time in an accusatory manner. The video is giving us both sides of the story, letting us know there’s more to EXID than sexiness.

This duality theme continues with Junghwa, Hyerin and Soljin’s parts of the video. Junghwa seems to be playing a cam girl of some sort, similar to what you’d see from the Babestation Babes, with pixelated images dotted around her. She appears to engaging in some explicit activities before being revealed to be a news anchor or something like it. The same goes for Solji and Hyerin who are in generic rooms with pixelated images which are revealed to be cartoon images of animals. It also features some clips of EXID’s pelvis movements pixelated. They know they are likely to be censored so went one step ahead and did it themselves, exposing the ridiculousness of TV censors. The pixelation, in a way, makes the situation even worse since it comes across as more explicit than it really is. It wouldn’t seem any way explicit if it was never censored.

Rating

EXID took a slight risk reusing nearly the identical formula as last time. Unfortunately, Ah Yeah could be mistaken as a mere rehash of Up and Down.

It could also have been a failure on the charts as Up and Down was. While Up and Down is a great song, that was not the main reason for their popularity. EXID really went for it though and came out with something very similar but on a different level. Self awareness in pop music is a rare thing and really helps a group feel more invested in their music.

This is in large part thanks to the songwriting prowess of LE. Not only is she one of the best Korean female rappers working today but she has had a hand in writing every one of EXID’s songs. Her level of artistry lifts EXID from possible flash in the pan success to a group that could become one of the all time greats.

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Primary’s ‘See You’ Song Review

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Primary‘s latest release See You sticks to a funk style that will engage you from the opening notes. Kim Bum Soo lends his absolutely beautiful vocals to the song with Gaeko making an appearance toward the end of the song. Spring is the season when love is in the air and See You tells a story about a potential relationship.

Also on KultScene: 5 Reasons ‘The Girl Who Sees Smells’ May Be This Year’s Surprise Drama

Vocals:

Kim Bum Soo’s (BSK) vocals are smooth and a perfect fit for this style of song. His high notes are effortless and he sings each word with such ease, which makes for an enjoyable listening experience. BSK’s vocal range is also showcased in the song, with moments of low and very high notes. It’s clear that he is a talented singer with a mix of pop and R&B style vocals that will make listeners swoon.

Gaeko has a brief rap appearance in the final third of the song (he also wrote the lyrics). And if Gaeko is behind the rap it’s bound to be good, and it is. It perfectly fits into the break of the song and continues with the funk style for continuity. The rap may be brief, but it adds an extra element and more depth to the song without changing the concept or style.

Lyrics:

The lyrics of See You depict the starting stages of a crush that one party definitely wants to turn into a relationship. BSK sings the narrative of the male’s point of view. The lyrics show the beginning stages of a crush from the awkward silence to the vague “see you soon” phrase. The excitement of a crush makes the narrator question when he’ll see his crush and whether or not he should call her and make it seem like he dialed her by mistake. Then at the realization that nothing more will come of the crush, the narrator becomes confused and angry and wishes he could share all of his feelings and that they’d be reciprocated by the girl.

The Music:

The song starts similarly as other Primary songs, letting us know that primary is behind the production. Then it goes into a funk inspired sound with the bass and the horns. The percussion and keyboards work well with the funk style to incorporate a pop style as well. The two styles compliment each other and there are enough elements of both so as not to overpower each other or take away from the vocals. The music only adds to the overall story of the song and acts as the perfect backup for BSK’s vocals.

Also on KultScene: Best K-Pop Girl Group B-Sides Of 2015

Overall Thoughts:

Being a Primary fan, See You is a great song. Kim Bum Soo has the perfect voice to deliver the lyrics of the song. The music and production of See You is high end and has created an addictive sound. See You has a great vibe for the Spring season and is a great song to add to your music library.

Primary's 'See You'
5

Are you loving Primary’s new song? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

5 Reasons ‘The Girl Who Sees Smells’ May Be This Year’s Surprise Drama

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Some Korean dramas are set up to be successes. This year’s Kill Me, Heal Me was one such drama that started well and ended well, complete with great actors and great plots. Some dramas, however, surprise everyone and end up smash successes despite seemingly weak plots and unknown actors. Other Korean dramas look like they’ll be huge hits due to the cast and crew behind scenes, and then sadly fail. The Girl Who Sees Smells is somewhere in between all of this, which means that it has room to grow and shine. The new SBS drama, also known as Sensory Couple, isn’t just like every other drama, and that means there’s a lot going for it.

[Disclaimer: This article contains a few spoilers]

It Has Everything That a Good Drama Needs

With dark comedy, supernatural abilities, a great soundtrack, and a murder plot to keep us from focusing for too long on how ridiculous the whole thing sh/bould be, The Girl Who Sees Smells is reminiscent of award winning 2013 drama, I Can Hear Your Voice. The Girl Who Sees Smells takes itself seriously when it needs to, like when focusing on murder cases, and gives the audience steady breaks from the darkness by making the lead female character a comedian who is trying to get her first break in the industry.

Plus, it’s based on a webcomic that is widely popular, so the plot’s already set and has an audience.

Shin Se Kyung is Believable As The Girl Who Sees Smells

As the title character Oh Cho Rim, Shin Se Kyung pulls off acting as a woman who wakes up from a coma with the ability to see smells. After a reasonable freak out in the first episode, Shin’s character steps into the role perfectly, acting like a human hound as she hunts trails of scent.

Also on KultScene: Best K-Pop Girl Group B-Sides Of 2015

She’s goofy and innocent, but Shin’s acting during small moments when Oh Cho Rim is flustered or disturbed by something reminds the audience constantly that she is more than just a hunting tool, but in fact the hunted.

Park Yoochun Is Her Perfect Foil

If Oh Cho Rim has too many senses, Choi Moo Gak has too few, and JYJ’s Park Yoochun thrives on not letting his character show pain due to medical condition. Even after guzzling coffee or being kicked by a superior, Choi/Park doesn’t flinch and acts as the opposite of Shin. Choi is motivated by one thing, to become a homicide detective and avenge his sister’s death, while Oh wants to just succeed in the here and now.

There’s a lot of bickering early on, and their romantic chemistry isn’t the best by the end of the second episode, but the two characters learn to trust each other and as they do, so does the audience. Rather than building a perfect romantic relationship, The Girl Who Sees Smells builds the camaraderie first and it’s perfect for a drama of this type.

The Opening Five Minutes

A screencap of my reaction (that Alexis had to read) as I watched the opening of The Girl Who Sees Smells:

Reaction to 'The Girl Who Sees Smells' KultScene

With three murders in the first five minutes, two families broken, a murderer revealed, a case of mistaken identity, amnesia, and supernatural abilities, The Girl Who Sees Smells could be extremely makjang (over the top dramatic, pushing realism for the sake of drama.) But this is SBS. SBS publicly announced in 2014 that it would tone down makjang after coming under fire for making dramas too unbelievable. The Girl Who Sees Smells isn’t supposed to be believable; people don’t see smells. But the show is compelling, gives the characters drama within the realm of that unbelievable world, where actions have reactions and Park and Shin’s character’s responses to things, despite ridiculous situations, seems rational and utterly realistic. Wouldn’t you scream if you woke up in a hospital and the world was glittering?

Also on KultScene: Miss A “Only You” Music Video & Song Review
Pretty Yet Simple CG

Speaking of, the sparkles that depict the scents that Oh Cho Rim sees are gorgeous. The colors and shapes are pretty, and if most people were asked to describe scents in color and physical terminology, this definitely beats gaseous wafts.

via ry-ra on Tumblr

via ry-ra on Tumblr

But Can This Drama Really Pull It Off?

The Girl Who Sees Smells is, despite the humor and magic, all about a series of murders and a pair of people who are inadvertently linked to them. Right now, it is filled with questions. Why does the murderer do what he does, what caused Choi and Oh’s afflictions, why, why, why? But if the questions are answered soon, The Girl Who Sees Smells may feel stale old. But with a team of directors and writers who worked on popular dramas like Tazza (no, not that one starring T.O.P) and Rooftop Prince on board, that seems unlikely. So expect some plot twists, and join us on a bumpy ride as we watch.

What Korean drama do you think will be the surprise of 2015? Share your thoughts in the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

Best K-Pop Girl Group B-Sides of 2015

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Listening to miss A’s amazing new album Colours got me thinking about the quality of music in K-pop this year so far. We’re only four months in now and already I’d claim it’s a better year than 2014 — especially for the girls. Nearly every release from a female artist has been a complete knockout, and what’s best is that there are even more great tracks hidden on their albums. Missing out on great album tracks is something I do a lot and have been wanting to change that recently. So as KultScene’s self-proclaimed girl group expert (i.e. girl group biased) I’m going to go through some of my favourite album B-sides from the girls of K-pop this year so far.

miss A Love Song

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miss A “Only You” Music Video & Song Review

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It’s been a long wait for all the Say A’s out there considering it’s been 16 months since miss A released their last single, Hush. But the four ladies are back with a fun dance track titled Only You. Within less than 72 hours, the music video has already garnered over two million views, which is a first for miss A, and the song achieved a perfect all kill on the music charts. Read more

Live Action ‘Mulan’ Dream Cast, K-Pop Style

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Disney’s Mulan is going to be remade as a live action film, which means that actors of Asian descent will get their chance to shine.
Who better to partake in the film than K-pop stars? While that’s highly unlikely, there are a few Korean stars that we think would be realistically good choices and should definitely be considered for the starring roles in Mulan.

Hua Mulan

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EXO’s ‘Call Me Baby’ Song Review

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Despite losing two members and various controversies, EXO is still one of the most popular K-pop boy groups, at least until Big Bang makes its eventual return. Thanks to its immense popularity, just about whatever EXO releases is bound in some way to be quite successful. With this sort of safety net and the fact that they are an SM Entertainment act, a company known to be innovative, I still expect them to go a relatively safe route. This is probably because their safest song, Growl was also their most successful and because SM need some stability during this turbulent time.

Call Me Daddy, sorry, Call Me Baby therefore was surprising to me in its understated yet strangely structured whole. It is in short, a new version of Growl with a few added bells and whistles upon first glance. Yet further inspection offers some more unique aspects to the song.

 Also on KultScene: EXO’s ‘Exodus’ Teasers Herald The Group’s Rebirth

Call Me Baby jettisons the genre and crazy structure bending of EXO’s previous songs like MAMA and Wolf, and keeps the simple instrumentation of Growl with a slightly updated song structure. This seems quite fitting given this comeback has been seen as a kind of rebirth for EXO after Luhan and Kris’ departure. The newest title song holds onto EXO’s most successful elements and lets go of now irrelevant parts.

The most notable element from before is the RnB beats that carries the song; it is instantly recognisable and fun to any listener. The horn riff that follows it is equally satisfying and recalls the earlier work of Justin Timberlake. The horns accompanied with the strings, which come in later, are the extent of the aforementioned bells and whistles. Instrumentally and musically, Call Me Baby has little else to offer listeners looking for a new style of music from EXO.

Luckily for EXO and its fans, Call Me Baby is also the group’s most interesting single vocally. As a K-pop fan I can’t really complain that there aren’t enough techniques used in songs, as K-pop is a very diverse genre of music.

 Also on KultScene: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly Of ‘Tazza: The Hidden Card’

But if I were to ask K-pop acts to focus on certain elements of vocalization, it would be harmonies or vocal rounds. While Call Me Baby doesn’t exactly use these, the song highlights the members vocal talents and matches them to their respective strengths. The song also has varied vocals all at the same time as melding the members vocals together in new ways, ranging from the falsetto chorus “call me baby” to contrasting raps with screams. It adds a great deal of interest to a song that at first listen could have been left alone and seems like a very simplistic choice to be a group’s comeback song.

The chorus, if you can call it that, also takes on a slightly more complex form. Depending on how you see it the chorus either kicks in very early or has a long pre-chorus which contains the “call me baby” parts. It all makes for an interesting structure as there is no discernible chorus or hook whatever way you look at it. This again provides a slightly more challenging listen than first anticipated, something which SM Entertainment specialises in (see all of the songs from f(x)’s Pink Tape).

Call Me Baby has a number of things that warrant more than one listen but does that make it a great song?

Rating

Call Me Baby has the elements of a great, traditional SM song and a great weird SM song but comes out on the other end not really shining with either. It exists in a kind of dull middle-ground with nothing but a few interesting features to prop it up. It doesn’t play with the form enough to make a comment on pop music and doesn’t have a good enough hook to be an ear worm. Lyrically it has nothing to offer either, just another guy pining for a girl. That being said I really like the vocal contrasting and some other stuff so it’s not the worst EXO single. But it doesn’t really seem like a title track either.

What’s your opinion of Call Me Baby? Leave your thoughts on the comment section below and be sure to subscribe to the site and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr to keep up with all of our posts.

EXO’s ‘Exodus’ Teasers Herald The Group’s Rebirth

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After a whirlwind 2014, EXO will be reborn in 2015 on March 30th.

EXO is one of K-pop’s most popular acts internationally with an intense fanbase made up of EXO-L’s, the group’s official fanclub name. But all of the fans in the world can’t help the fact that EXO went through some rough times in 2014, with members leaving. But, from first impressions, the group’s upcoming album, Exodus, is exactly what can save EXO from falling apart at the seams, giving the group a second chance. Read more