Brown Eyed Girls Sixth Sense – Kpop Music Mondays

Wow. There was so much that we wanted to say about this song and video that we just didn’t have the time for. See, you saw some of my fanboying in our video, but we didn’t explain it all too well. I was the last between the two of us to be converted to Kpop. I stubbornly resisted it for as long as possible, would use it for classes when necessary (we still think that using Kpop is a great way for teachers to relate to their students), but I wouldn’t actually like it. Brown Eyed Girls’ “Abracadabra” changed that. It was an awesome song, and awesome video, and that’s what finally brought me over to the dark side. Couple that with Ga-In’s awesome “Irreversible” which we sadly didn’t get a chance to review, and you’ve got a fanboy in the making.

So yeah, I was happy for this video to come out, as was Martina. We’re both Brown Eyed Girls fans. When we first heard the song though, we were a bit disappointed that it didn’t rock our socks off like Abracadabra. It did grow on us, big time, though. Viewed in the Abracadabra light, it might be disappointing, but on it’s own, without any other context, it’s a pretty rocking song and video. Did anyone else think it sounded like Peter Fox’s “Alles Neu”? Tell me it doesn’t have a similar booming orchestra sound to it:

We also mentioned how this video seems to have been inspired by Trent Reznor’s “Art is Resistance” movement. If you check out the site and the stencils, you’ll see that the logo is similar to the one used in the posters here, as well as the same “You Have a Voice”.

It does kinda look like Brown Eyed Girls were inspired by Trent Reznor's "Art is Resistance" movement, no?

Stuff like this makes us happy for Kpop videos. Sixth Sense isn’t easily dismissed as superficial fluff. It’s not a masterpiece that people will be studying for millennia, but it has a lot more thought put into it, than, say, Bilasa’s “Beautiful Target”, which doesn’t go much deeper than “OMG look at us we’re cute boyz!”

[incoming Martina rant]

Now the only problem we have with the message of “use your voice” and “rebellion” and “freedom of speech” is that BEG is still underneath a President who runs their label, and while they’re not under the 2 big labels in Korea (YG and SM) they are still not their own free band to act and say what they please. So is this video deeply, deeply ironic, in the sense that we’re praising BEG’s unique voice and call to freedom when this very video is being run by a secret man or women in a gold mask? How much influence do Brown Eyed Girls’ management have in their song and message?

Well regardless of the puppetry behind this video, at least it has a stronger message (or at least a message at all) in comparison to other kpop videos. Which is the other difficult position to deal with. We’ve taken a lot of flack from people who live in Korea and HATE kpop. They feel like they can only support everything which is Indie, and any support of a mainstream band is some kind of devil worship. We firmly disagree with this perspective and the snobby attitude towards kpop and anything mainstream. We, too, listen to many crazy Indie bands that are loved by a small groups of elite fans (do we announce that fact as if it’s some proud badge to be worn? No) but we also really love and respect kpop.

How can we come to grips with these two extreme positions regarding music and culture? To us, it’s the talent and passion of the members of the band that matter. Not everyone in the world can play an instrument, or sing, or dance, or write music. If you grow up playing the guitar and you form a rock band in your garage and fail for 10 years and make it in the 11th, we’re happy for you, but does that mean a kpop idol who trained to sing and dance for 10 years is any different? Yes, they have a label supporting them with money to get their names out there, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that kpop idols ARE talented. Opera singers don’t write their own music and are usually discovered only after appearing in many musicals backed by companies, but does that mean they’re not talented because they weren’t found singing Opera in a tiny university bar? Absolutely not. The same goes for many talented singers throughout the decades (even Elvis Presley).

You saw Simon wear this shirt before. Ironic much?

The point of this long rant is that even though we can acknowledge that BEG and other kpop groups have big wig companies backing them, I’m tired of people immediately writing off kpop (and pop in general) because of that fact. I think the deepest irony in this whole situation is the very musician wants to be in the position of popularity that kpop bands have, but once they reach it (by their own means or via a record label) many fans will desert them, saying that they “sold out”. What you want to say is, “I’m jealous my special band no one knew is now know by many people. I’m sad they’re making money and supporting themselves.” So what do you guys think? Have you come across these kinds of people before, or do you hold a similar or differing opinion? I’d love to know!

[rant end...Martina gasps for air...]

Anyhow, since we do honestly dig this song and video, we decided to do another giveaway to show our support. Woot! We’re bought two copies of the new Brown Eyed Girls album. For our lovely YouTube subscribers (YOU GUISE ARE AWESOME!) all you gotta do is tell us what was your favourite part of the Sixth Sense music video. Oh, and since we love our blog readers as well, you can answer here, too . Just leave your YouTube username so that, in case we do pick you, we can make sure you’re a subscriber, of course!

Pick up the Brown Eyed Girls Album

If you don’t win the album, you definitely should still pick it up, because it rocks. Click on the picture to the right to get your copy. Get two copies. Get seven. And, as for the bloopers, you can see Spudgy’s terrible running skills when he encounters Simon’s raunchy kitty, as well as some terrible Snape impersonations. Poor Spudgy! His legs, as some of you may know, are pretty gimpy, so whenever he runs he moves faster than his legs can carry him, so he often falls over. What a dumb but sweet dog! Also, Martina’s a fan of the Tea Party. Not the American political movement thingy Tea Party, though. The dude with the pedophile moustache Tea Party. Yeah!

• http://twitter.com/RuKaiT Anh Tran

  I agree with you Martina ! Despite singing and wishing very much to be inedpendent and involve in a revolution against all restraint, BEG – and all bands in Korea at least – are bound by what they can and can’t sing. It may sound like an ignorant generalisation but (and this is your second point) they have to conform to a certain extent to be able to become somebody and support themselves. This is quite different to, say, the Western world – where in artists have “more” freedom to express themselves, like Eminem, although I really don’t listen to all his songs.

  With that said, BEG is pushing the limits, and other artists have voiced their concerns out but not all are regarded as anything more than PR or idols’ talks. The fact that BEG belongs to a smaller company greatly disadvantage their fan groups (top 3 Daum fan cafe in Oct are TVXQ, Big Bang and SNSD), but it’s also a chance for them to show themselves more. They don’t have the cutesy image that the company has to uphold, and they’re tend to be more fluid and experimental with their music, which popular companies can’t – too much are at stakes for them to change.

  If they were to be independent, then they have to weight it up between being indie for a niche market or become popular conformist but being heard by many – so maybe when they really have something to say, they can reach out to more people.

  Anyway, that’s my 5 cents worth of procrastination on a friday night. Keep going guys ~~

  PS: Irreversible next ?  *puppy eyes*

• http://twitter.com/twistedtine Kristine Tan

  I’d say 2NE1 takes home the crown.

• http://twitter.com/twistedtine Kristine Tan

  Youtube Username: tintan121

  I think the part that I liked most in the video is at the end when the soldiers finally realized the oppression of freedom and decided to go rebel against their controlling leader. And they are also tired of being controlled doing the wrong things.

  In many ways, this video did make a great way to deliver a message. I agree with you guys that it’s like a mini movie. I got the whole point of the video (Except for Narsha and the cat). How a lot of people are actually being used, controlled, beaten up and used as a pet??? Sorry. I’m really confused with Narsha.

  Anyway, it’s like showing the facts that, just because I’m a politician/spokeperson I’m already powerful, I’m actually being used for corruption and how much I want to just end it. Or in Ga-In’s case, I maybe pretty and have all the riches in the world but you don’t actually see what behind the world you all wanted.

  This video actually encourages not only the women but men too that we should stopped being controlled. It’s to fight your right. Rebel if it would do you good.

  These are all my insights. Hahaha. Way too long. But I’m really glad I watched this video. I don’t care if I won’t be choosen but I hoped a lot would read my thoughts and you guys too. I hope you got my point.

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Mayra-Venegas/1466714572 Mayra Venegas

  Youtube Username: purplelover99

  My favorite part of the video is continuous long note near the end of
  the video. I just love it!. It’s amazing that Gain started it and Narsha
  ended and they were on the same pitch! It just gave me goosebumps. I
  wish I could sing that high. I listen to this song just to hear that
  part.

  Oh and Narsha’s “Meow” part… I thought it was the random-est thing in the video when I first heard it.

  Why must you make me choose between BEG and 2NE1?! I find it impossible to pick!

• http://twitter.com/magg444 Buka xdd

  hi;D YT:MrBuka44
  i come from Poland;dSorry,but i love all the parts on this video;ddI like Ga-in and her wet hair, sexi and predatory image,and really like the scenery behind her.the tunnel looks amazing.Then Jea.She is gorgeous! i love moment when she was in water among branches.it was that they want entwine her.Narsha is sexi cat and “meooooow” is cool xD ow and i like when she turns her hair;d Miryo with gorgeous make-up *.*.i love make-up and clothes in this video.i like when the soldiers walk straight.Sorry for my english xdd i don’t like english tenses xdd it;s hard for me but i will learn this Xd

• collin patrick

  For some reason this video reminded me of “V” for Vendetta with all the guys in riot gear with red accents.  And wow can these girls sing!  They sound great!  

  This is my first post as a subscriber. My girlfriend and I have been following EatyourKimchi for about a year now, and we just love you two!  

  Fighting!  

• http://www.facebook.com/people/Rimu-Ngige/1052767126 Rimu Ngige

  I think before you can make comparisons about different genres in music you must take in so many facts. First of all, the way k-pop functions and the way opera functions is just drastically different. You speak of similarities in composition in which opera singers do not compose their own music, but that is drastically different from k-pop. Opera has carried this format for hundreds of years. I went to an Andrea Bocelli concert where he performed La Boheme. A song that is about two hundred years old and has been performed by many opera singers. That is the format that opera takes on. On the other hand, k-pop is backed by a list of composers for each company that are under the pressure of putting out a new song. They produce a song and the group must sing it. This is not to take away from k-pop. There are talented k-pop singers and while I like artists composing their songs, I don’t think it’s wrong for songs to be composed by other people. However, the difference is that, there should be a mutual understanding between the artists and composers and the artist should understand the message and bring it forth. These are things that greats like Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and many acclaimed artists do. The thing with k-pop is that there is no such thing. The artist is a product to be marketed. It is packaged in sexiness, shipped with good looks and marketed with a certain image. Once the public is sick of it, it will be replaced. Few of us remember G.O.D, H.O.T, S.E.S, Shinhwa, etc…  and we all know that the groups now come with an expiry date. Now to compare that with an art that is about 400 years old is a dangerous thing to do. I do agree about elitist fans. Those who feel like a person sells out when they become popular, but I also see why certain people prefer folks who compose their own music. It’s very hard to believe a 16 year old singing to me about love. Very hard to believe.

• http://twitter.com/clazziq 리나/Rina/Riina/Kasia

  I think I get your point. I love classical music, I love metal, I love k-pop, actually I like every genre in itself. Comparisions between them should never EVER be done. 

• Anonymous

  hmmmm if i had to choose from brown eyed girls and 2ne1 it would b 2ne1! brown eyed girls music vids mk me ashamed that im looking at dat kinda stuff. ( im 12 ) plus =o dara so pretty and i wooove her overly protective bro ( xD they both have a goofy laugh )

• http://twitter.com/AdriPausin Adriana Perez

  My vote goes to 2NE1 – Im the best

• Anonymous

  BEG is more powerful.. I like it..

• Adelle Lykes

  Youtube username: adellekim

  As strange as it sounds, my favorite part of the video is the last few seconds of the video when the communal fantasy ends, thrusting us back into reality and as the army rushes towards the rebels you realize that they don’t stand a chance and that they aren’t fighting because they are in a make-believe land where they know all they have to do is shake their hips and everything turns out happily-ever-after, but they are fighting because they actually believe in their cause and freedom so deeply that they are even willing to die for it.  And I think that makes everything that comes before and the overall message of the video so much more powerful.  Its that realism that transforms the video from just an entertaining music video to something meaningful in real world.

• http://twitter.com/clazziq 리나/Rina/Riina/Kasia

  How come I totally love BEG and I totally don’t like 2NE1? 

  I think the reason for it is similar as the reason for my voting: 2NE1′s “rebellion” seems kinda fake to me, while BEG is giving more mature impression on strength and sexiness. So I vote for BEG.Thanks for the review ^^ I had a huge laugh, again in the middle of the night, so I had to keep quiet – in case of your videos, it’s really hard to accomplish xD Especially Ga In / director convo made me ROTFL – Martina’s expression while “It’ll be GREAT!” was priceless xD One of the best scenes of MM EVERRRRRR~!<3<3<3

• http://twitter.com/LoVeeP0P AnneW~* 王安妮

  Really cool blog (in korean) talking about BEG’s “Sixth Sense”
  Even if you don’t understand korean, there’s A LOT of cool pics of the making of
  Just sharing, not a spam ^^: eanakim.egloos.com/page/2

• http://twitter.com/flickaddi Felicia Addison

  you reignited my love for german music with that peter fox reference

• Anonymous

  lol omigosh simon’s snape just killed me i was watching this at like 11 at night and i was giggling so much that my dad just came down and was like “what is wrong with you?! why are you laughing?!” hahaha

• Anonymous

  My favourite part it’s the part when a kitty passes.They are in the middle of a fight then a cat passes. i was like . . . ok a cat.it’s a cat in the middle of a fight.go kitty go

• http://twitter.com/ergonomic_ ergonomic

  2ne1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• Mpho Molapo

  kekeke! Your DOG ALWAYS LOOKS SO ANNOYED WITH YOU. He/She is like ლ(ಠ_ಠლ) ”I DIDN’T SIGN UP FOR THIS! CHOCOLATEEE!

• http://twitter.com/GabyLugo81 Gabriella Lugo

  I so would have voted for 2ne1 for “I am the best” but i also liked Brown Eyed Girls “Sixth Sense” so hard…..Spudgy wanted to get on the action too!

• http://www.facebook.com/ngai1988 Alan Hoi Lun Ngai

  I really want that BEG album but more so I want to win that BEG album from all the other YouTube subscribers. Am I too late?

• Mike Cuff

  I saw a music video by them on accident, and im glad i did, awesome beat, great voice and great danceing.