Wan For The Win
Mar. 9th, 2012 01:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
koganbotSaw T-ara's live vid of "Like An Indian Doll" embedded by Seoulbeat; the context was an article of concern regarding T-ara overworking themselves to the detriment of their health and psyches, the dead look of Jiyeon (at 0:56 and singing 1:05–1:13) a supposed prime example. But I had the wrong reaction, which was "WHAT A GREAT, GREAT SONG!" And this performance by T-ara (the only one of it they ever gave, at least that I can find) easily beats all others,* by anyone else, in studio or out, whether the hard-edged disco-funk of the original by Nami, the upbeat remake by Fin.K.L, the jazz-funk cover by Daybreak, or any of the countless versions by idol star singers, bar bands, rock bands, workers bands (seemingly a marathon concert featuring a single set of musicians accompanying scores of different singers all attempting the song), lonely hearts club bands, wedding bands, and so forth.
Seriously, this is one of the great songs of my life. Where the other performances go wrong is in trying to power through it, rather than letting its beauty move through the singers. The smooth arrangement and tepid delivery by T-ara turn out to be just right, reminding me of my favorite song-set by Boney M., side one of Ten Thousand Lightyears. Same desiccated reggae-funk**:
As for the issues raised by Seoulbeat; obviously, I don't discount them, and I wonder to what extent idol ethics in Korea might be similar to athlete ethics in the U.S.: giving one's all is prized over maintaining a balanced life. The Seoulbeat article is sincere and not the least bit sensationalistic or derisive, but it raises red flags about itself by forcing everything into its own interpretation, simply not acknowledging potential alternatives. Overwork and lack of sleep aren't the only possible explanations for a depression or an injury. Dancers will get injured, and being performers, a lot will then get up and perform while injured, may even conceal the injury — which isn't to say that this is okay, or that T-ara aren't under pressure to perform. Just that a sense of certainty about this gets in the way of a sense of inquiry.
As for Jiyeon's affectlessness, which some YouTube commenters blamed more on her not giving a shit than on her exhaustion: well, could be either, but may be neither. Leading the disco dance in the "Roly-Poly" club scene, Jiyeon managed to be effervescent and riveting without once cracking a smile, and that was obviously an aesthetic choice, hers or the video director's or the choreographer's — one she maintained through the early live performances (compare to a month later, with lots of smiles and fooling around, Hyomin sticking her tongue out at one point). (In the music video, Jiyeon's the one with hair up, red-striped jacket, pale green shirt with polka dots; first-day live performance, light purple dress with dark purple dots and dark purple belt; second-day live performance, same as the music video but her hair is down; month later, smiley, two red barrettes, no scarf, hair down.) Her demeanor is an issue on the YouTube thread because the apparent affectlessness keeps recurring.
Unrelated question: Why doesn't Jiyeon always wear her hair up? With it long and down, which is most of the time, she's a young pretty woman with deep pale beauty; hair up, she's an absolute stunner, as all moonbeams and Kleig lights gape at her eyes and cheekbones.
*I obviously haven't heard all others, and for all I know the pre-eminent version was an impromptu performance by some schoolkid in a Bangkok tea parlor, unknown and unrecorded.
**The title song, "Ten Thousand Lightyears," is more pop disco than reggae, but its spaciness reminds me of how reggae sounded when it was just discovering psychedelia about fifteen years prior to Ten Thousand Lightyears.
Seriously, this is one of the great songs of my life. Where the other performances go wrong is in trying to power through it, rather than letting its beauty move through the singers. The smooth arrangement and tepid delivery by T-ara turn out to be just right, reminding me of my favorite song-set by Boney M., side one of Ten Thousand Lightyears. Same desiccated reggae-funk**:
As for the issues raised by Seoulbeat; obviously, I don't discount them, and I wonder to what extent idol ethics in Korea might be similar to athlete ethics in the U.S.: giving one's all is prized over maintaining a balanced life. The Seoulbeat article is sincere and not the least bit sensationalistic or derisive, but it raises red flags about itself by forcing everything into its own interpretation, simply not acknowledging potential alternatives. Overwork and lack of sleep aren't the only possible explanations for a depression or an injury. Dancers will get injured, and being performers, a lot will then get up and perform while injured, may even conceal the injury — which isn't to say that this is okay, or that T-ara aren't under pressure to perform. Just that a sense of certainty about this gets in the way of a sense of inquiry.
As for Jiyeon's affectlessness, which some YouTube commenters blamed more on her not giving a shit than on her exhaustion: well, could be either, but may be neither. Leading the disco dance in the "Roly-Poly" club scene, Jiyeon managed to be effervescent and riveting without once cracking a smile, and that was obviously an aesthetic choice, hers or the video director's or the choreographer's — one she maintained through the early live performances (compare to a month later, with lots of smiles and fooling around, Hyomin sticking her tongue out at one point). (In the music video, Jiyeon's the one with hair up, red-striped jacket, pale green shirt with polka dots; first-day live performance, light purple dress with dark purple dots and dark purple belt; second-day live performance, same as the music video but her hair is down; month later, smiley, two red barrettes, no scarf, hair down.) Her demeanor is an issue on the YouTube thread because the apparent affectlessness keeps recurring.
Unrelated question: Why doesn't Jiyeon always wear her hair up? With it long and down, which is most of the time, she's a young pretty woman with deep pale beauty; hair up, she's an absolute stunner, as all moonbeams and Kleig lights gape at her eyes and cheekbones.
*I obviously haven't heard all others, and for all I know the pre-eminent version was an impromptu performance by some schoolkid in a Bangkok tea parlor, unknown and unrecorded.
**The title song, "Ten Thousand Lightyears," is more pop disco than reggae, but its spaciness reminds me of how reggae sounded when it was just discovering psychedelia about fifteen years prior to Ten Thousand Lightyears.
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Speaking of overwork
Date: 2012-03-09 09:07 am (UTC)As a friend of mine said (referring to himself as well as me), you don't have to be employed to be a workaholic.
Still I'm Up
Date: 2012-03-09 09:38 am (UTC)*Well, was a Yardbirds song prior to Boney M.
Compulsive neurotic
Date: 2012-03-09 09:45 am (UTC)first time poster
Date: 2012-03-10 02:45 pm (UTC)p.s. Jiyeon does look super fierce with her hair up.
p.s.s I hope your shoulder feels better.
Re: first time poster
Date: 2012-03-10 03:09 pm (UTC)I've had both a long-term shoulder problem (like, for over twenty years) and a relatively recent one: first is just a basic ache around the neck, shoulder area, which I should heed more. The second is a degeneration in my rotator cuff. When the second came along, doing exercises to take care of it also helped with the first! But I do need to listen to my body. Like, need to listen to when it's time to go to sleep and such.
Re: first time poster
Date: 2012-03-11 06:18 pm (UTC)And here's an animated Jiyeon on a full version of "Women's Generation" on SBS Inkigayo, back in 2009, blue flowers and her hair up.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-13 04:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-03-13 04:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-01 11:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-01 11:11 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-04-01 03:52 pm (UTC)Re: first time poster
Date: 2022-03-07 07:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2022-03-07 08:10 am (UTC)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xVKIYD5ZZA