Big Bang!
Sunday, 13 December 2015 | 0 letters
This will be a very lengthy post on Big Bang. I was about to begin reading another book, but my mind was filled with BB :<. It's quite frustrating. I'm hoping this will be some sort of catharsis. This post will be nothing but my BB feels. Months ago, I intended to write about my full descent into madness, which includes other kpop fandoms. I lost most of that excitement, sadly. KEKEKEK NOW ONTO BIG BANG, HERE COMES THE (PARTLY) MINDLESS (BECAUSE I AM TRYING VERY HARD TO BE COHERENT) RAMBLING!oitihehiorhgiohreigiehgehgiohreioghreiogheorhgotnbpodfmvpwomfcpowrjmgpoejngpjregprje i am so, so excited. let me begin. i really, really hope, that this post will at least pique your curiosity about bb. i'm not trying to turn anyone into a bb fan here, because really, i think that'll take a lot more time. more importantly, bb has been dominating the kpop industry for almost a decade, so i think if you're not a fan, it means they're simply not your cup of tea! though of course, i'm an exception to that rule because i only properly discovered their songs and wonder during my preliminary examinations this year :>. don't expect smth orderly. this will be quite random. the direction of this post will depend on my feels.
i think i should start by sharing one of their recent performances -- also one of their best -- since i think their music alone can explain a lot about them.
i'll be raving about the group as a whole before zeroing in on each member.
in my opinion, bb is the best kpop boy band currently. i understand that this is quite subjective. you may not enjoy their performances or songs etc. however, if you judge based on certain common criteria, including the amount of international recognition they've received, no current kpop group comes close. their digital sales are far ahead of their peers in korea too. this is the reason why they're often hailed as the "kings of kpop". hehe, i think whatever i just said won't surprise most.
why are they so special?
1) becoming one with music. they are /actively/ involved in the production of their own music. several other kpop groups are also equally involved. this is still a rarity in kpop. g dragon composed nearly all of bb's hits together with the same few yg musicians (eg: teddy). all the other members have, at one point or another, actively produced and composed their songs too.
if you've already watched the video i posted earlier on, i think you'd understand what i mean by how they "become one with their songs". i seldom feel this way while watching performances. their littlest gestures, dances and vocals all meld together very well. in other words, they really /feel/ their songs. this is very important. their stage aura naturally draws you to them. they show no awkwardness or insecurity.
next, i enjoy their spontaneous dances. i like the fact that only around half of each of their performances follow a fixed choreography. it's nice to see coordination, but it's even better to mix it with enough spontaneity.
also, like i've mentioned before, they pour a lot of their emotions into their lives. because i've stalked other kpop groups before, i know that the rest also do put in a lot of effort. but a disproportionate amount of their effort is, quite often, spent on looking natural or remaining in tune etc. since bb has been around for around a decade, they are no longer unduly concerned with such stuffs, so it allows them to focus on simply expressing themselves. they have fun while performing too :>. as a member of the audience, i feel great watching them.
2) staying together. most groups that attain this level of fame usually disintegrate after a few years. as expected, bb found themselves tottering towards that end in 2011, when they were swathed in controversy. thank goodness, bb didn't break apart. it's very, very heartening to know that they have faith in the group. i suppose they know that they are at their best when they're together. even after 5 years after debut, all the members were still awkward with some of the others. now, however, it has changed. you can tell that they're a lot closer now. this is quite inevitable, really, since they've gone through the best and worst together.
3) they are very different from one another. it's quite weird. they're so different that they seldom ever quarrel. they each have very different specialties. below, you'll get a better idea of what i mean.
most importantly, none of the members is overshadowed.
members:
yes! finally, i'll talk about the members! yay! if you look closely, you'll realise i'll do this in an order according to my liking towards each member. that being said, i still very much like the members who aren't at the TOP (hahahahahah) of my list.
gd (real name: jiyong)
he's an extremely charismatic performer like, really, everyone else in big bang. here is my favourite song by him. it hurts my heart :<. i love how it seems cheery.
hehehe. i think he looks so attractive in this performance :>>>>. i think there's nothing much to say hahaha. it's obvious that he's damn good at what he does, right?
he's actually quite soft offstage. part of his "real" (please note i'm judging this based on what i've observed and i don't actually think i know even 5% of who they really are) personality retains some of his onstage coolness though. he used to be an introvert according to the members. now he's become an extrovert. he's the "perfect superstar"; he's charming, immaculate and graceful even when he's drunk. i feel like i'm doing a bad job trying to show his endearing side.
okay, this video will show you the demeanor i described above.
he's very adorable. i don't even know. his face looks so soft?! i just want to pat his cheeks lightly and hug him. oh. he's very playful too, like seungri :>>>.
daesung:
this is one of my favourite daesung solos. i think he has one of the best male kpop voices. it's sad to see him holding back because of his throat problems. :<. firstly, his voice is unique. secondly, it's warm. thirdly, it's strong and thick. really, those are nearly all that i can ask from a singer.
daesung:
this is one of my favourite daesung solos. i think he has one of the best male kpop voices. it's sad to see him holding back because of his throat problems. :<. firstly, his voice is unique. secondly, it's warm. thirdly, it's strong and thick. really, those are nearly all that i can ask from a singer.
he's the one who makes you feel the happiest during bb performances. most of the time, the other members do not smile as brightly. they simply smirk or grin. daesung, on the other hand, smiles so widely and happily. i don't understand how he does it. my lovely one. his smiles will charm you :>. AND HE USED TO BE SO SMALL! see:
in the next video, you can see his humor and cuteness.
because i've watched many bb interviews, i learnt that he's not as happy as he seems. this comes as no surprise, huh. he keeps to himself most of the time. according to the members, he never complains. :<. he's an introvert. daesungie listens well and the rest consider him as the most mature member. yeah, he does seem like the deepest one whom you can you can rely on regardless, except when you wish for him to be as candid as you are.
taeyang (real name: youngbae)
here is his best performance of eyes, nose, lips.
i think many people expect him to be gruff thanks to his stage concepts. nah. he is actually a total softie. have you seen his smile?!?! it makes me dissolve into a puddle of goo! i'm so angry. :<.
why?!?!?!??! he literally exudes kindness. i seldom say this about idols, not even susu.
he's a very good performer. i know, earlier on, i already said that all bb members are very charismatic performers. i need to emphasise this?!?! they are all good in different ways. taeyang dances very well and really gives his all in most performances :>.
now! his personality! he's actually super cute. have you seen the way he speaks? i don't know how to do it justice. he sounds like a little squirrel. youngbae is straight-laced and also very straight (i think) (you can never be sure). i don't think i've ever seen him initiating weird skinship with the other members before. this poor bb got kissed by top on his cheek though HAHAHAHAHA. all the other four members do questionable things but he doesn't initiate them, at the very least. HAHA. it's endearing. daesung and him are similar in that they're both stoically religious. i think they're both very deep people? you know, the type that you can go to for advice. according to seungri, when he went to youngbae to seek advice, youngbae thought very hard. a month later, youngbae sagely gave a suggestion to riri, who had, by then, forgotten what he had even asked. :>>>.
seungri (real name: seunghyun)
let me clarify a few things! he does sing well. he usually doesn't get lines that immediately showcase his vocal prowess in bb's title songs. i think he's good in his own right. but the average person can't quickly appreciate simple, gentle singing. he excels at singing softer songs. i do like his voice. it's well-measured and soothing. he's also very passionate about music. really, everyone in bb is. ahahaha. this sentence is getting old. there are many strengths that all members possess. for example, he composed and produced his solo album in around 2-3 weeks. he co-composed nearly all the songs, directed the mvs and was involved in the production of other parts of the album. determined child!
now you know why the hyungs are scared of seungri on variety shows :>>>. my baby. he's very good at socialising, good at business and simply has a very high eq. for instance, the hyungs sometimes feel stressed when he isn't around on variety shows together with them. riri has also obtained at least a cf deal by HIMSELF without the help of a manager. you know, by talking and finding his own connections :>. i usually don't say this about idols: he's impressively smart. the fact that he is so good on variety shows should already proves that he can read an atmosphere well and knows exactly what and how to say certain things. intelligent bb.
HAHAHA skip to 4:17 to see seungri's previous smugness. it's so cute. he's honest to a fault. (but he isn't honest when exaggerating amusing stories about other people HAHA) don't worry, he's matured since then :>. BY THE WAY, he was crying while thanking himself. oh, so precious. i've noticed that he seems really nice to his hyungs despite all their teasing and (mock) bullying. he's just a sweet child. i don't think i can find another idol who's as business-smart and honest as he is.
initially i had to choose between him and top to be my favourite in bb. :<. i have a soft, soft spot for riri.
top (real name: seunghyun)
i have a lot of feelings for big bang right now. i couldn't finish this post in one sitting because i wanted to do bb justice by penning down only my most intense feels. tonight, after reading some bb fic that broke me a little, i am inspired. finally! my favourite in bb. he's /currently/ (i'm fickle) my favourite artiste.
he's great at whatever he does. i'm not sure if you guys have ever watched any of his shows, like iris, secret message, etc. if you have, i think you would've noticed that his acting is natural and great. even in bb's parodies of kdramas, his acting was outstanding. wait. i'm supposed to begin with his biggest musical achievements, not acting. dighoerhgoerhgorhtgorgrih this is expected though. i'm not coherent when i'm being led by my feels. he's received many awards for his acting. :>. i'm so proud of him. he pours his soul into acting, so he couldn't find his identity for months after filming the commitment.
he's great at rapping too. he has such a special voice. i don't think i've heard a rapper with an equally sonorous, deep voice. never mind his technical ability, the timbre of his voice alone immediately distinguishes him from other rappers. i cannot judge the proficiency of rappers like how i can somewhat judge vocals because i'd never paid much attention to rapping before i fell in love with bb. i don't know whether he's a great rapper, objectively. but i do know for sure that he is, at the very least, a good rapper. i could listen to his rapping over and over again.
here is one of his best performances. i think he poured his heart and soul into this, as evidenced from his heartfelt delivery. i cried while listening to it :<. i could feel his sadness. ughhhhh, just watch it, please. this performance is pure art.
he can compose very poetic, beautiful songs. i do think he's a great lyricist. but he doesn't compose very often. i'd say, what a pity, but well, he probably just doesn't /want/ to compose nowadays. he could easily release solos if he genuinely wanted to. i'll just wait patiently for his next few masterpieces :>>>.
I'M NOT EVEN HALF DONE TALKING ABOUT TOP. MY BIAS IS SO APPARENT.
ok. his personality is surprising. in short, he's the baby hyung of bb. our tabi is the oldest in bb. and to those who aren't in the fandom, he does act his age. you're in for a pleasant shock when you realise that he's not cold. he's simply shy.
rfgipeorierjgperjgperojpgrjegpoejropgjreogjreopjdvcdpfvdfv how dare he be adorably shy and so beautiful at the same time. you think he's charismatic and cool right? yes, he is, when he's serious. most of the time, though, he isn't. that's when his true relaxed self emerges. during then, he behaves like a child, making the type of puns that i make. (there is no negative connotation here, ok. if you think this sort of world-class humor is a blot on his personality, then SHAME ON YOU. yes. it is good humor.) the funniness of daesung and seungri can be partly attributed to their mentor, top. yes, they said that. shocking, right? hahahahaha. i, too, was surprised when i first entered the fandom.
rfgipeorierjgperjgperojpgrjegpoejropgjreogjreopjdvcdpfvdfv how dare he be adorably shy and so beautiful at the same time. you think he's charismatic and cool right? yes, he is, when he's serious. most of the time, though, he isn't. that's when his true relaxed self emerges. during then, he behaves like a child, making the type of puns that i make. (there is no negative connotation here, ok. if you think this sort of world-class humor is a blot on his personality, then SHAME ON YOU. yes. it is good humor.) the funniness of daesung and seungri can be partly attributed to their mentor, top. yes, they said that. shocking, right? hahahahaha. i, too, was surprised when i first entered the fandom.
SEE THIS VIDEO. ugh. i want to hug him and kiss him lightly on his cheek.
he's mostly a little kid. his responses in interviews are very interesting. some of them are quite morbid and dark. otherwise, he's usually 100% a kid mentally. our little bingu (his nickname. he got that cute name because he's known for his silly antics in yg.) looks at things very astutely. in other words, he wouldn't take anyone's bs. i think what i'm about to say applies to everyone, just to varying degrees. however, it's especially pertinent to this little bingu. he has a side of him that's mature, wise and worldly. but at the same time, he is very silly and uninformed. usually, the wise side of him emerges when he talks about his work as an artiste and some aspects of life. however, when he speaks about his views on many life-y topics, like relationships, happiness, etc, he sometimes seems ignorant like a child. children, as we all know it, have a rare, sharp outlook on life. they see things for what they are. he is like that too. so he, at times, gives frank answers like seungri does. he also tends to overthink. (i sound like a delusional fan who thinks she knows her oppa well, right? kekeke. don't worry. i know these are not necessarily true.) that's when his darker side emerges. his interview answers have a lot of depth. that's not something that i can say for most artistes, hahaha.
in case you couldn't follow my rambling mess above, i shall reiterate my main points. this bingu is cute, talented, smart, dumb, charismatic, gentle and artistic. oh, if you enjoy art, go follow him on instagram! ok, it depends if you'll like the type of art he fancies. just check it out.
i couldn't give an equally detailed analysis on the other members' personalities because i don't stan them and i don't stalk them sufficiently! one day -- mark my words -- i will publish an improved post on bb.
summary:
i have a lot of bigbang feels currently. they've gone through some of the worst and best in kpop to reach where they are today. it hurts my heart to know that they very nearly gave it all up :<. but they pressed on, so now, they can enjoy what they deserve. i really can't--. i can't do them justice. just. ugh. i think even after i've graduated from uni, i'd still be a fan of bb, even if i have much less feels.
ughhhhhhh. i adore them so much.
is this one of the longest posts i've made in a long while? i think so! hurray~!
