Saturday, July 21, 2012

Opinion Piece: Non K-pop Fan on Nu'est

This is an opinion piece requested by admin, Anne Jalil. I shall be nameless and she asked me to write a piece on Nu'est as she is excited with my interest on Nu'est. Before I started, let me clarify a few things. This is a on-the-surface piece. I did not do research etc. I just write what I can think is an honest brief opinion and forgive me if this piece does not meet your expectation. Normally, I'm a Korean Pop hater. I'm a typical man who only listens to alternative songs, ballads,rocks, hip-hops and sometimes pop but definitely not k-pop. I despise the concept and I think they're overrated and talentless. The evil marketing of promoting good-looking guys and girls with zero talents. Sugar-loaded girl groups, the trying-to-hard cute expressions and men wearing makeups which make them look like queers. And I thinks bro-mance is a sin.

But I will give credits to Big Bang and 2NE1, as they're the real talents for me, the non k-pop fan. But I won't elaborate on these two groups. Everytime admin Anne watched Korean music videos (her usual selections will be the ridiculously too many members Super Junior and After School and *Infinity-I don't remember)
My usual comments will be:
"That guy used too much makeups"
"Dah macam pondan tengok"
(translate: he looks like a queer)
"Tukar tengok benda lain boleh tak?"
(Can we watch something else?)
"Can you stop playing these songs?"
I think she is really angry and boiling listening to these.She got fed up and I also got fed up and she stop watching them in front of me.Now one day, I caught her watching 1 video clip telling about school's bullies. My eyes caught on one female looking member (now I know his name is Ren). Honestly, I was a bit smitten and asked her if this is a mixed group. She said no. That 'girl' is actually a real boy. I'm shocked. I saw Korean queer looking guys but never a girl looking guy (*later she showed me one of the Shinee guy). The song, Face really caught my ears and likable. I've secretly downloaded the song and secretly watching their live performances. Sooner or later, I was caught by admin. Instead of laughing and jeering, she asked me why.

Here is my reply:
"Yes, I usually hates looking at guys putting too much makeup. Instead of making them look cool and manly, they look like queers. Now Ren is a different story. That image of his is fresh and new. Instead of looking like a half man, half girl, he looks exactly like a girl. But I can still see his manly manners and physique. Surprisingly he have muscles, he dances like a man, he acts like a man, he sounds like a man*. This is the image I can accept. Because of the entertainment industry, he's bringing the pretty boy image but he is still a boy nevertheless. I can see that in the clip. As for the rest of the members, even though they used makeup,  they're still masculine. Everyone of them. For me, Nu'est nails it. And their songs are good. I can really listen to them without commenting too much."

Their voices are not the best I ever heard. Same thing goes to their dance routines. Or the songs. But I can safely says that I'm bewitched by them. First time, I think there is an ok k-pop group (aside Big Band and 2NE1 as admin is not really fonds of them). What really impressed me is, the fact that they just debuted this year, making them a newbie. But to me, they does not look like an amateur, they look professional enough. This goes by saying, if Nu'est works hard enough, no doubt they will be an international group one day. And I'm shamelessly admitting that Ren is pretty, and JR is very masculine. Kudos to Pledis Entertainment (heck, I even know the company handling them) for the amazing concept and the bold move by imprinting dupsteps in the songs. Nu'est is fresh.

Admin tried to make sure that she is not being bias here, so she showed me another new groups that she also likes, Exo and the *bunny-logo group (I can't remember). I just think they are just a normal korean group. Nothing special but not irritating as well. But a credit to the bunny group. Their songs and dances are powerful, but I'm not enchanted enough. :)

And no, I'm not admin's boyfriend. But I do heard about her partner also liking Nu'est Face. I'm not surprised. Her partner also dislikes K-pop. Just like I did. But I may change my rebellions against k-pop a little bit. They just gained some of my respects. And please forgive my English.

With regards, nameless guy.
_______________________________________________________

Anne's here!
He's hopeless!! Let me clarify a few things also. The sentences with the * symbols.

*Not Infinity, it is Infinite
* The SHINee member he stated is Taemin
*He saw and heard Infinite's Sunjong, he think Sunjong is queer *pondan* =__=  aduih!
* The bunny-logo group is B.A.P
Tsk tsk tsk..
Please do not bash him. It was cool he wants to write for my blog *ok ok I have to bribe him with Venti-sized Starbucks*






2 comments:

  1. Which I think it's true , NU'EST also has the kind of songs that attracts non-kpop listener. -exactly like Big Bang.

    I know the reason since I'm not fond to kpop at first either even when Super junior, tvxq and Girls generation were super popular around that time. Big Bang is the one that brought me to kpop,& After School is the first girl group that managed to charm me completely.

    Btw, really appreciate this post. Thanks to both the writer and you Anne.

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  2. Yeleee..i'm super excited founding another man listening to nuest and practically forced him to write.hahaha..

    Yeah, I have to admit, those 3 groups are the main reasons for both k-pop becoming popular and also for gaining more haters. the writer went like "fuck?!!13 members?!"Haha..u should listen to him condemning k-pop..oh boy feels like punching him..

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