Review: Kim Wan Seon (feat. BEAST’s Junhyung)–“Be Quiet”

Kim Wan Seon enlists BEAST’s Junhyung to get people to be quiet and listen to her.


Did you like the song?
So “Korea’s Madonna” is back with BEAST’s Junhyung (who has been pretty busy being in three music videos recently) and has released a great clubbing song here. That said, there’s not much special about this song. It’s basically your standard club scene techno/electronica with a fun rap and even a dubstep part.

What was your favorite part of the song?
Probably the second part in the chorus—“o nal jomnwayo / negem wolwon hanayo / torodomonji annayo” (“Oh, please let go of me / What do you want from me? / You won’t get anything from me”). I find myself bouncing along to it.

Does the English make you want to rip your eardrums out?
The English in this song needs work, mainly on pronunciation. One problem is that someone’s been taking lessons from Ke$ha. No, really. Yes, it is as horrifying as it sounds. So in Ke$ha’s song “Blah,” the main line is “Stop ta-ta-talkin’ that blah, blah, blah.” In Kim Wan Seon’s, there a line that goes “Hey, stop talking that blah, blah, blah, blah.” Notice any similarities? Okay, Kpop stars, whatever you do, please do not take English lessons from Ke$ha. Please.

About the title of the song: I wish they’d gone the full U-KISS route and just said “Shut Up.” What’s the point in beating around the bush with your message? If you want people to stop talking and listen to you, you have to be more forceful!

And my last point is that although I liked it when Junhyung came in with “Hello, Joker on the track,” both he and Wan Seon need to work on their accents (like on the line “Run away, don’t look back”).

Did you like the video?
Whenever I see Kpop music videos set primarily on a plain white background, I am reminded of GD & T.O.P’s “Knock Out.” And considering that Junhyung wanders around playing with random things, it really reminds me of that video. Still, this kind of setting is fairly common, probably because it’s effective: simple, easy, and low-budget while still looking crisp and professional. (I still like it better than geometric boxes. At some point I will stop griping about that.) But I loved when he and Wan Seon held hands back-to-back. Really cute moment.

Also, I enjoy monster finger puppets as much as the next person. I played with them a lot yesterday during Halloween when I was younger. But why were they in this video? So much random stuff.

Grr, argh.
Was there a storyline? If so, did it make sense?
This music video seems to hate modern technology despite the song being techno-electronica. Junhyung crushes a keyboard, dumps alcohol on music speakers, and even breaks the fourth wall by spraying water over the camera lense. What’s up with that?

RIP Keyboard.
Was the dance cool and distinctive?
The backup dancers do most of the dancing, but there’s not much better
than the universal “shh”-ing motion for a song called “Be Quiet.” Though I didn’t care for the weird head bobs that came after. Are you agreeing with the sentiment “be quiet”?


Shh.
I like the backup dancers, though, especially as there was a mix of genders, despite the fact that their dancing at times seemed rather sloppy and out of sync. But I guess it’s okay, as they weren’t the focus of the video.

Do the members look good?
Did you know that Kim Wan Seon is 42 years old? I thought she looked about 25. Loving the dramatic lipstick, which we don’t see a ton of in Kpop. (I’m a big fan of wearing super dark lipstick myself, so I always enjoy it when others pull it off.)

And damn, Junhyung looks great in glasses. Very trendy and chic. I think he should wear them all the time.

Which member stood out the most?
Sooo tempted to give it to the monster finger puppets. I think both Wan Seon and Junhyung got a lot of screentime, so fans of both should be pretty pleased. For me, Junhyung is really hot, but Wan Seon stole the show with her dramatic looks.


Do you like it enough to buy the song?
Ooh, I’m torn here. I will probably end up getting it because I really can’t resist catchy, fast-paced Kpop songs. But at the same time I maintain my position that it’s not a particularly different song.

Any ending thoughts?
This is the first time I’ve heard of Kim Wan Seon, but I look forward to her next track (especially if she keeps collaborating with hot guys)!

Boyfriend’s one-liner:
“American rappers show they’re hardcore by killing people. Korean rappers show they’re hardcore by pouring booze on speakers.”


Thanks for reading! Hope you all are enjoying your Halloween candy. Please share your comments below! :)