Review: Kim Yeo Hee (Applegirl)–“Half”

Yeo Hee and her yarn explore Stockholm Syndrome in her new music video.


Did you like the song?
Kim Yeo Hee became famous online as “Applegirl” after releasing songs she created using only Apple products. I particularly like her version of Lady Gaga’s “Poker Face” on iPhone apps. With “Half” she again shows that she can also create really catchy original content. Yeo Hee has a lovely voice, and in this song she sounds so mysterious! It adds a cool layer. In the age of electronically produced music, this song is refreshingly unaltered musically. Plus, it has a super-awesome piano line and horns.

What was your favorite part of the song?
I really love every time Yeo Hee says “oh oh oh” and “ottokhe.”

Kim Yeo Hee
Does the English make you want to rip your eardrums out?
There’re a few English words and phrases, which make sense grammatically (“feel good,” “lovely girl/shiny boy,” “hello,” etc.). In general, the pronunciation is okay, not great. For example, I originally misheard the line “I’m your shadow” as “I’m your shelter.” But the way Yeo Hee says “loving you” is so adorable. Random note: in the song, the line “lovely girl, shiny boy” made me laugh because I immediately thought of that SHINee song SHINee Girl.

Did you like the video?
Yes, I was pleasantly surprised, and it made my imagination go wild trying to spin interpretations (see below).

Was there a storyline? If so, did it make sense?
I loved the feeling I got from this video, which was that it was sweet but also unsettling: cute yet rather creepy. I mean, the balls bouncing merrily along to the music are sweet, but I couldn’t help but get a kind of serial killer vibe from this music video. It’s like Yeo Hee has somebody imprisoned in the spool of yarn and is slowly suffocating them, or the yarn is sentient and screaming in pain as she slowly drains its yarny life force making…what is this stuff, anyway? The worst knitting job in history? It’s like she’s deliberately doing it wrong.


Someone needs Knitting for Dummies
At one point the yarn even tries to escape while Yeo Hee is asleep, but she has this demonic and hypnotic power over the yarn when she taps her shoe. (It was a futile escape attempt anyway because the yarn falls down the stairs.)

Another interpretation: the music video has a lovely vintage feel—just Kim Yeo Hee in this old house with no modern technology. She has her paddleball, her piano, her yarn, her guitar, and her pictures of cats. But at the same time, I can see someone all alone like this going slowly crazy and starting to imagine things like anthropomorphized yarn and household items being controlled by piano notes. She sits here and imagines what life would be like with her “shiny boy.” When one imaginary friend isn’t enough she imagines up some more. And at the end, it’s revealed that she’s the one jumping up and down for no reason. It makes me concerned for her mental health…


Bored, bored, bored, going crazy, bored…
Was the dance cool and distinctive?
This dance is the easiest dance in the world. Just follow the piano beats and bounce! :)

Do the members look good?
God, Yeo Hee is so gorgeous here!

She looks like she belongs on Mad Men or something.
Which member stood out the most?
Yeo Hee or the yarn…Yeo Hee or the yarn…decisions, decisions…

Do you like it enough to buy the song?
I do. It’s deceptively simple but has these eerie elements that make it special. And yes, it is available on iTunes. :)

Any ending thoughts?
Kim Yeo Hee’s success story is another testimonial to the power of the internet! She began as “Applegirl” and is now famous and dating Hongki! (Lucky girl.) I hope she gets more attention as a musician and not just a girl who's good with Apple products as she continues in her career.

Boyfriend’s one-liner:
“Life as a cat.”

Meow.
Thanks for reading! Please subscribe and leave your comments below. Also feel free to request a review.