Fuck Blogger. This shit is impossible. No I'm not over it. Yes I will whine and bitch and complain about it every time I need to link something. Which is every single post since the site update. Looking back at September, it was quite ambitious of me to say I'd write up three reviews per month when I don't even follow the Kpop world anymore. But hey I set a precedent and I will be damned if I don't follow it for at least the remainder of 2020. So here's some GFriend for ya.
GFriend have embraced the changing of the tides over the last year. Songs like "Crossroads" and "Apple" signified that these girls have been evolving and their newest release "Mago" falls into a similar pattern. There's a heavy disco influence which works well thanks to the driving instrumental which doesn't really let up at any point in the song (aside from the bridge). People are swooning over the chorus but I actually consider it the weakest point of the song. Yes, it's catchy but Yuju still sounds like she's reaching despite the filters. Also, "mago" apparently means magician or goddess or some other term but that still doesn't really make sense fitting into the lyrics where it does. The verses are way more interesting and SinB's "it is midnight" bridge is striking, too. But before y'all attack me on the chorus, it's good haha. I just don't think it's as good as everything else.
What's up with the very light eyebrows look that Eunha has going. First Hwasa and now her, I have to say that I'm not a fan. GFriend as a whole seem to be fans of elevating themselves into that mature image, and that comes with mixed results. Yuju, Sowon, and SinB are stunning while I think the baby faces of Yerin and Umji can't quite match up. Of course it doesn't help that they were heavily marketed in their early days as the new era Apink. But regardless the aesthetics are very strong in "Mago."
As a potato it's hard to be captivated by choreography unless it's completely insane, which isn't the case here. Much like the writing about music videos, I can only see this dwindling over time and overall be a miniscule factor in whether I think the song is good or not. Both are more complimentary pieces at the end of the day. I'm not listening to the choreography, nor am I invested in watching videos. I did find it hilarious when Sowon did the kick at the final chorus, that shit almost hit me through the screen.
Given my lackluster interest and exposure to Kpop this year, any songs up for review immediately have more weight to them when considering the Best Of 2020 piece set for next month. As it stands, "Mago" has been a very complete release with consistent audio, gorgeous visuals, and a comfortable next step for a group that has come very far since their debut days. If you looked at "Glass Bead" and then this track, you'd think they weren't the same group. They've essentially gone through the Apink maturation arc in a much faster sequence. Props to them.
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