I have to admit that I was quite surprised when I heard about Block B‘s comeback with HER; looking at the teaser, I thought that it would be a cheesy, typical “safe” phase that idols go through every now and then. Boy, was I proven wrong! This was a pleasant discovery of how this group […]
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Block-B-her.jpg720960Thucydideshttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngThucydides2014-07-23 20:24:482014-07-23 20:34:42Block B’s “HER” Music Video & Song Review
Let’s go back a little less than a year ago in Seoul: INFINITE gets up on stage at the first night of their world tour, performs a bit, and then starts to talk. With tears on their eyes, they apologize and promise fans that things won’t change, and swear that INFINITE will always be INFINITE. No, a member […]
I have to admit that I was quite surprised when I heard about Block B‘s comeback with HER; looking at the teaser, I thought that it would be a cheesy, typical “safe” phase that idols go through every now and then. Boy, was I proven wrong! This was a pleasant discovery of how this group […]
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Block-B-her.jpg720960Thucydideshttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngThucydides2014-07-23 20:24:482014-07-23 20:34:42Block B’s “HER” Music Video & Song Review
Let’s go back a little less than a year ago in Seoul: INFINITE gets up on stage at the first night of their world tour, performs a bit, and then starts to talk. With tears on their eyes, they apologize and promise fans that things won’t change, and swear that INFINITE will always be INFINITE. No, a member […]
I have to admit that I was quite surprised when I heard about Block B‘s comeback with HER; looking at the teaser, I thought that it would be a cheesy, typical “safe” phase that idols go through every now and then. Boy, was I proven wrong! This was a pleasant discovery of how this group managed to maintain their goofy and playful style while not succumbing to the cutesy, “I’m in love” trope.
Music Video
While I did in fact enjoy watching this video, I must say that it was all over the place. Of course, Block B is known for their interesting and crazy music videos, but it took a while for me to understand what was going on. That’s not such a bad thing, though; they get more views on the video as people rewatch and try to make sense of it!
Atmosphere
This was a huge mixture of bright, super-saturated colors, and exaggerated expressions, which combined with the attention-grabbing, deep rendition of the chorus in the beginning, makes you want to get up and dance along. HER may be upbeat and cute, but it’s silly and full of personality! I mean, come on, just look at all their cheesy grins:
To be completely honest, I can’t help but laugh at their antics, and that’s what I feel is the winning point of this music video. It doesn’t contain a hundred cringe-inducing winks (although it’s guilty of a couple), nor does it make me facepalm at how fake the acting is. It’s so over the top that you know that it’s all intentional and meant to be funny. If anything, the way the guys act in here actually fit their image.
I don’t know what the plot is supposed to be, but I do know that the HER Power Detergent ad is hilarious! Let’s not forget this lovely ostrich:
This appears to be a tribute to whomever HER refers to, and a tribute it definitely is. From what appears to be a news segment about HER to multiple references to this mystery person in their props, you have to admit that the group is dedicated.
Prior to the bridge of the song, you get a little clip of an interview as the guys are introduced as the music industry brats. They end up talking about their comeback after nine months and their change in style from intense to “win your heart” types of homies. The stage on which they perform on this “interview” reminds me of Looney Tunes, and, whether it’s intentional or not, it’s a witty play on the group’s looney behavior in the video.
If you were ever confused about why they’re coming back with this particular song, then all you really need to do is to watch the video! Personally, I think that’s a great way to introduce the fans to a new side to Block B.
Fashion & Makeup
Oh boy; when it comes to the guys’ fashion, it’s just as mixed up as the plotline. From summer attire to winter clothing, you’re not really sure what they’re aiming for in fashion. That’s when you get the idea that maybe they’re trying really hard to get the attention of HER, going to great lengths and ending up looking like hype-beasts!
They do match the feeling of the song and the colors of the video, from the bright energy to the extremely colorful sets and backgrounds.
Who could also forget their hairstyles and makeup? From spiky hot pink to a silver combover, it seems like their hair knows no boundaries. It brings me back to what appears to be their efforts to appeal to their person of interest, and their makeup doesn’t shy from this goal, either. Bright eyebrows and dark eyeliner on some of the members bring out their characters, and colored contacts add to their quirkiness.
Choreography
There’s a lot of switching scenes around, so I can’t say too much on the choreography. However, from what I do see, they dance in a stupidly cute way. The moves they make during the chorus remind me of their gorilla dance, only it incorporates the typical, “look at me I’m shy” two fists to the face that make everything seems more comedic.
Block B’s dances are always incorporating their playfulness, and, while you don’t see too much of the choreo, you still get to see them jumping around and pretending to fall over in all of their silliness.
Song
I actually liked listening to HER the first time around; it gives off a mixture of ’80s and ’90s vibe that is just weird enough to make you keep listening. Even if you don’t watch the video, you can still feel just how playful the group is in the song, and I think that’s very important in any composition.
Instrumental
The electronic presence doesn’t appeal to me as much as the drum beat and electric guitar does; the guitar just adds the right kind of feeling that adds a special groove and gives off a “let’s go to the beach” mood. The beat keeps everything together in a fast tempo and brings up the energy, which I feel was done very well in this song.
Lyrics
There is a little controversy in the lyrics, as some fans think it’s shaming other girls who aren’t as pretty or unique as HER, as well as adding some possessiveness. To me, I personally don’t care, because many girls themselves put down others to bring up their friends’ self esteems, and jealousy is generally prominent when you like someone. Sure, calling everyone else plain in comparison to HER might seem a bit mean, but seriously, when you’re this infatuated with someone, I doubt you could notice anyone else.
I’m liking how they added “Jesus” to the chorus, because it just shows how much they’re enthralled by this lady. References to Olivia Hussey also piqued my interest, as it sounds like they like her beauty and her maturity, which is a bonus. Read the rest of the English translation I got from POPGASA:
Jesus, what words are needed? Everyone calls you a masterpiece Just a little bit of you, I’ll seriously value baby ye ye
Ooh wow, it’s amazing There’s nothing more to add to her beautiful body Normal girls can’t even compete They’ll probably gather together and talk badly about you
Listen carefully
Be careful of the wolves around you Bastards only care about outer appearance It feels like I’ve been hit on my head with a hammer I feel light-headed and dizzy
Jesus, what words are needed? Everyone calls you a masterpiece Just a little bit of you, I’ll seriously value baby ye ye Every bit of you is so pretty
Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Uh I can’t talk Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Except for you, everyone is so plain
Your breathtaking curves Makes me faint right away, I need suction Among all the fools who just make you feel uncomfortable You’re a flawless boxer My Olivia Hussey You have skills but you’re not pretentious Your personality and your just good enough volume I wanna hug and kisses
Be careful of the wolves around you Bastards only care about outer appearance It feels like I’ve been hit on my head with a hammer I feel light-headed and dizzy
Jesus, what words are needed? Everyone calls you a masterpiece Just a little bit of you, I’ll seriously value baby ye ye Every bit of you is so pretty
Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Uh I can’t talk Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Except for you, everyone is so plain
I used to be emotionless like a rock But now I’m a fool once again When I snapped out of it, I realized I was in front of you Oh could you be my we love
You’re so pretty, if someone comes up to you And starts talking to you, just smile, don’t give him your number Wipe your drool first and go away, stop your talk Her uh her uh baby I’m all yours
Jesus, what words are needed? Everyone calls you a masterpiece Just a little bit of you, I’ll seriously value baby ye ye Every bit of you is so pretty
Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Uh I can’t talk Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Her! Uh Uh! Except for you, everyone is so plain
Style & Vocals
So their style went through a bit of a change, but it doesn’t mean that they’re no longer the Block B that we knew. If anything, they’ve just added another category of music that they’re good at! I did have mixed feelings about this song before I watched the video and listened to it, but I am glad that everything turned out well.
As for the vocals? The rapping is interestingly at a minimum, so the rest of the members actually have a better chance to showcase their voices. I think it’s great that they’ve gotten more comfortable with singing; this means that they’re growing as a group vocally, and that’s good news. While there aren’t a lot of outstanding moments vocally, their voices work well together.
Overall ratings
By now, you should probably have noticed that I don’t like cheesiness. However, this was a slight exception. Were there moments that made me roll my eyes at how obviously cheesy they were? Definitely. But I managed to look past this fault, and I can honestly say I enjoyed the experience. Here’s what I rate this:
MV: 8/10 Song: 8/10 Both: 9/10
Were you as surprised as I was about this comeback? What do you think about this song? Be sure to share your thoughts and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.
https://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Block-B-her.jpg720960Thucydideshttps://kultscene.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/KULTSCENE-LOGO-2018-TRANSPARENT-RED.pngThucydides2014-07-23 20:24:482014-07-23 20:34:42Block B’s “HER” Music Video & Song Review
Let’s go back a little less than a year ago in Seoul: INFINITE gets up on stage at the first night of their world tour, performs a bit, and then starts to talk. With tears on their eyes, they apologize and promise fans that things won’t change, and swear that INFINITE will always be INFINITE.
No, a member didn’t leave, but news broke that day anouncing that INFINITE’s company, Woollim Entertainment, would be merging with SM C&C. And yet, in that moment, sitting in the audience, and only picking up every few words with my limited knowledge of Korean, I thought that INFINITE was disbanding. Or, at the very least, a member was heading to the army. The way that INFINITE acted towards Inspirit (the group’s fanclub), seemed like the members had to apologize for practically killing someone. Why?
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In South Korea, SM Entertainment is both respected and feared. The first few days after the announcement of the merger, fans wrote articles saying things like, Did SM buy INFINITE’s company so that the group wouldn’t compete with SHINee and EXO? (Both groups are some of SM’s most popular).
Fans feared that INFINITE would be relegated to some backburner by SM and not be able to be competition. What many fans missed (but others pointed out) was that Woollim Label (no longer an entertainment company in its own right) would still have control over INFINITE and other Woollim artists, like Nell and Tasty. This meant that INFINITE would, hopefully, still have the artistic guidance that it had had since debut.
In Retrospect, Why The Merger?
First thing’s first: Money. INFINITE, almost singlehandedly, took care of Woollim. Yes, Nell is extremely popular in Korea, but it doesn’t rake in the income from various appearances on television, concerts, CFs, and more, that INFINITE does. The two Tasty twins also aren’t even close to being big enough to take care of an entertainment company. Woollim has always been amazing at what it does, but has been too small to really support several artists because only one group was bringing in constant funds.
Second: SM is bigger, which opens more doors in Korea.
Third: INFINITE really was competition for SHINee and EXO. The group filmed a $1 million blockbuster music video in the U.S., even though it was never released. The original video included a plane wreck scene, and due to the Asiana Airlines crash of 2013, Woollim decided it would be insensitive to release. Moreover, they had embarked on a world tour, and had members debuting as solo artists (Sungkyu) and becoming incredibly popular actors (L and Hoya), to name a few.
INFINITE was, and is, big. So when a big company sees a little company being successful, the typical response is, “let’s buy it out.” A merge helped both Woollim and SM –Woollim got the financial backing it may have been lacking, and SM got rid of competition by incorporating it.
A Year Later, What Happened?
Pretty much, just that—INFINITE came back with Back, and it’s been well-received so far. Last Romeo also topped the charts, although fans’ generally thought that it wasn’t INFINITE’s best song. But, it meant that the group would still be active —which it had been doing since the merger occurred.
Since the merger occurred, other than releasing the album Last Romeo and its repackage Be Back, the group also released The Origin, a completely instrumental album of all of INFINITE’s best songs.
Moreover, INFINITE has held several concerts, introduced an upcoming subgroup INFINITE F (Sungyeol, Sungjong, and L), and appeared on the variety show This Is INFINITE.
Separately, the members have also been busy –Woohyun, Sungyeol, and L have all acted in dramas, while the other members have frequented variety shows.
What Did INFINITE Gain By The Merger?
Well, for one thing, there was this little thing called ToHeart—INFINITE’s Woohyun and SHINee’s Key, who have long been known to be best friends, were able to have a project group now that they were both under the SM umbrella. And people really liked it!
Then, there’s the support from SM; while idols at different entertainment companies generally are civil, they rarely promote one another. But when Sungyeol appeared on Law of The Jungle – Caribbean & Maya, members of Girls’ Generation cheered him on. There have been several other cases now where SM artists and INFINITE have been seen together in a way that they never had appeared before.
[As a side note: Since the merger, SM artists and Woollim artists have been collaborating more in general – on We Got Married Global Edition, f(x)’s Amber and Tasty’s Soryong have worked together as MCs.]
Oh, and, of course, INFINITE (and other Woollim acts) now appear at SMTown concerts.
So… What Was The Freak Out About?
Pretty much? Nothing really.
So is SM still a threat to INFINITE’s integrity? Probably not.
There was definitely room to worry, but then it turned out that INFINITE would still be INFINITE. The group pretty much has kept doing what it’s done in the past- make really good, retro-inspired music with perfect synchronization.
And continued to be the derps they started out as.
What do you think? Has INFINITE changed since the merger? Be sure to share your thoughts and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, and Bloglovin’ so you can keep up with all our posts.
