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why-so-serious-lucifer · 5 months

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K-pop Discography Deep Dives: Red Velvet (Part TWO)

A Disclaimer: I was planning, when I first started Tumblr, to be a lurker, but then I began an office job and needed something to listen to to keep myself occupied. And then, I started going through entire K-pop groups’ repertoires, album by album, and jotting down my thoughts. And then, I stumbled into K-pop tumblr and decided, you know what, there’s at least four people on this hell site who would read in depth rants about these discographies and at least five who wouldn’t read it and then get mad because it’s kind of our job as K-pop fans. My lukewarm takes should be taken with an entire silo of salt and the knowledge that this is completely for fun and occupying my very bored, very neurodivergent brain. All this to say, for the love of god, I’m a sleep-deprived student and I don’t have time for internet hate, so don’t kill me. With that being said, enjoy!

Here are my credentials: Red Velvet was the first k-pop group I ever loved, even though Blackpink was really my introduction. I became a ReVeLuv in 2019, because of Russian Roulette, and I’ve been a fan since, including of the members’ solo careers (Wendy in particular). But as I’ve gotten more into k-pop and since they come back so infrequently, I haven’t really been keeping up with them and I feel like I’m less of a fan than I once was. So, I’m super excited for their comeback on the 13th (especially with a full album!) and I’m hoping that through this deep dive, I’ll fall back in love just in time for the new album.

This is Part Two of the review, and we left off just before another famous summer comeback in Power Up. Right away, Power Up feels like an interesting combination of Red Flavor’s warm excitement and Ice Cream Cake’s high bubbliness. It’s unusual for their music, because despite its bursts of aegyo in its choruses, it also has more subdued moments in the verses to breathe. I confess that for me, it doesn’t balance quite enough and I find that the song just feels immature and shrill, rather than Red Flavor’s good mix of youthfulness and wistfulness. It’s not for me, but it’s not a bad song.

From the Summer Magic EP, it was hard to choose a hidden gem. Blue Lemonade has a delightfully fizzy feeling with its popping, while Hit That Drum has (unsurprisingly) a great driving beat and a smash of a bridge / last chorus, and Mr. E’s “abracadabra” refrain remains stuck in my head.

#Cookie Jar and SAPPY are both Japanese releases, so I won’t spend long on them, but suffice to say I do like them both. SAPPY is a touch too bubbly for me, but it mixes its R & B and pop better than Power Up, but #Cookie Jar (despite the silly title), is actually a pretty good balance and very catchy.

Really Bad Boy immediately introduces itself as a little bit strange with Joy’s 1,2,5! countoff. With all my ranting and raving in past reviews about how much I hate empty, chanty choruses, I’m sure everyone’s expecting me to rip this one to shreds. But I’m actually not going to. A little bit of excellent harmonizing and background vocalizing goes a long way, and there’s not much harmonizing better than that in RBB. Red Velvet’s voices really are doing the heavy lifting here, but that’s really what sets it apart from all those songs I’ve complained about. It may be a little hard to take seriously, but just like War Of Hormone of BTS, it’s a pretty good time if you suspend your disbelief, throw up your hands, and have as much fun as the people singing it.

From the RBB mini-album, Butterflies was a standout for me. Like the best of RV’s b-sides, it zings along with a delightfully breezy feeling and some great slowly rising vocals to complete the sound. Shoutout also to the interesting vocal fry in Sassy Me and the playful back-and-forth vocals in Taste.

RV’s 2019 work is divided into three EPs, each with its own title track, that together form one mammoth album: the ReVe Festival. Zimzalabim is the first single, and is infamous both amongst ReVeLuvs and other k-pop stans alike. While other RV titles have been odd, this song takes it to a whole other level, like Rookie’s insanity on steroids. There are parts that work (like the na na na na na higher in the pre-chorus), but many more that don’t, and, just like with Rookie, we’re left with a song that has good ideas and good parts, but needed a few more drafts and way more editing. “Are you ready for this?” Wendy asks at the beginning. Well, apparently not.

From part one of the ReVe Festival, I liked both the calming, slightly reggae-inspired Sunny Side Up (because who doesn’t love terrible puns?) and the drum-line heavy, quick-footed Bing Bing, which, despite much of it being nonsense vocalizations, is very catchy and will have you dancing before the first chorus.

Umpah Umpah is often overshadowed in the ReVe Festival, due to the craziness that comes before and the that comes after (we’ll get to that), but it’s actually my favorite of the three songs. On first listen, I didn’t appreciate its humor, odd lyrics, and 60’s-at-the-beach vibes, but after learning that it’s actually a special track marking their 5th anniversary, it grew on me. I especially like the background vocalizations that round it out beautifully and the way-too-short acapella section at the beginning of the last chorus because it was probably my favorite part of the song. It’s really a celebration of their friendship and how far they’ve come, and I’ve never been able to resist songs that wear their heart on their sleeve.

Just as Umpah Umpah is my favorite of the three titles, the ReVe Festival Part Two is my favorite of the three mini-albums (and one of my favorite RV albums in general). I found it quite difficult to choose between the carnival-meets-doo-wop of Love Is The Way, the brisk chantiness of Carpool, and the feel-good girl power disco of Ladies’ Night. But the other songs are great too.

Despite the popularity of the many titles mentioned before, none come close to the almost inescapable fame that Psycho reached internationally. From the first whispered accusation “psycho” and the swirling electronic background meeting the delicate strings, it has this creeping unsettling feeling that never quotes goes away—which makes sense, given that it’s a song about a toxic relationship. While I do like this song, I think it’s not surprising that it doesn’t live up to the insane amount of hype it recieves, because really, how could it? It is what it is, and it does what it sets out to do well, but in such a strong discography, it’s just a footnote.

From the last part of the ReVe Festival, my favorite was definitely the jazzy, bluesy La Rouge, which I wish could’ve gotten a special music video like Be Natural or Automatic, because it’s definitely at that same level. I know I’ve mentioned the harmonizing in nearly every b-side but it’s just so good that, well, how could I not? The vocals are at some of their most refined here, oscillating between drawn-out and self-assured and gently emotional, giving the song much-needed layers.

Soon after Psycho’s release, Wendy suffered a terrible stage accident that injured her hip, jawbone, and wrist, and, needing time in order to recover, Red Velvet went on hiatus for almost two years, before returning with Queendom in late summer 2021. Because of when I became a fan, this was the first RV comeback I saw in real time, so I fully acknowledge the rose-colored glasses I’m looking at it through. It’s a basic pop song, and I’m not going to champion it like it’s the best thing since sliced bread, but it does get me bopping my head. It’s got the bones of another of their classics, but none of its strongest moments are pushed quite far enough.

From the Queendom EP, I had two hidden gems. Pose, despite what in lesser hands would immediately make me classify it as an anti-drop, is actually my favorite, and the combination of self-assured sing talk and exuberant singing really works for me. Knock On Wood is a calmer R & B b-side, and like many of their Velvet tracks, it’s nothing incredible, but their voices elevate it to great. That post-chorus is a highlight too.

Feel My Rhythm is the 1st single from the ReVe Festival’s 2022 counterpart, and is honestly one of my favorites. The song is lovely, weaving in a classical background and samples of twittering birds and running water to truly establish a calm feeling. The song bursts with life, but a more refined, almost mature version of it compared to Red Flavor’s bombast. The title “Feel My Rhythm” may create the image of a very dancy, upbeat song, but in truth, it’s more like the quiet beauty of an Oh My Girl track than that. Also, the MV is just really pretty, with its moving impressionist paintings, while keeping some of that signature Red Velvet strangeness.

From the mini-album, though I did like both Bamboleo and Rainbow Halo, In My Dreams was my clear standout. That chorus is the stuff of legends: the way it rushes back and forth from quiet to loud, the way the voices blend in such a stunning way, and the way it combines its driving emotion and the beautiful elegance swirling around it. Perfection.

Birthday is the single from the 2nd part of the ReVe Festival 2022. After how much I liked the 1st part, I wish I could say I liked this one too. Unfortunately, I think that despite a few standout moments (like the pre-chorus), I have no idea what on earth SM Entertainment was thinking. This song isn’t “bad”, in the way of Rookie or Zimzalabim, where, despite not being for me, I can at least respect what they were going for. Instead, it sounds nothing like an RV song, and just rumbles around in bizarre, uncharismatic sing-talk that does a disservice to such great vocals. The girls do their best but even they can’t save this one, because every time I hear this song I just wonder who mixed up the tracks for Red Velvet and NCT 127. I also think that the accompanying EP is one of their weakest, and I don’t have a hidden gem for it.

Red Velvet just came back today (the 13th, as I’m writing this) with their third full album (finally!!) and the title track Chill Kill begins with the kind of creeping yet lovely string-accompanied verse that I wish Psycho had. I was worried that we’d get a repeat of Birthday but thankfully I needn’t have worried. The chorus bounces with horrid delight in alt-pop perfection while the girls cover up a murder in the background (as one does). The bridge, meanwhile, culminates in a 3rd gen trademark high note as a house burns to the ground, the girls dance in front of the police pursuing them, and face their fate together in a surprisingly touching show of sisterhood. I couldn’t have asked for a better single; it’s that more vocal focused and emotionally driven Peek-A-Boo that I always wished for.

The album, Chill Kill, is just as strong, harkening back to the Red Velvet I loved back in The Perfect Velvet. It was difficult to pick a hidden gem, as I loved the cathartic high part and scratchy strings in Knock Knock (Who’s There?), the surprisingly video game like chorus in Will I Ever See You Again, the catchy yet gentle comfort in Nightmare, and the slowly rising a-capella in Wings that encourages the listener to be a brave butterfly no matter what the world says.

My Top 5 songs by Red Velvet are One Of These Nights, Russian Roulette, Umpah Umpah, Dumb Dumb, and You Better Know, with In My Dreams and Peek-A-Boo as honorable mentions. Red Velvet gets a 9 out of 10 from me, and I think that both that and my distance from the band can mostly be put down to the fact that while the songs themselves are almost all technically excellent, very few of them have deeper meanings than a typical b-side.

The ones that do—like One Of These Nights or Umpah Umpah—are some of my favorites, but on the whole, I don’t have as deep an emotional connection to their music as I do to Dreamcatcher’s or to Seventeen’s. This is also down to the fact that Red Velvet doesn’t write any of their own songs, unlike the previous two (who write / compose some and all, respectively), and thus the members have less of an emotional connection to the music too. This isn’t a dig at Red Velvet, who are all incredibly talented, but I would love to hear more of what they have to say, like on their solos.

So, did I meet what I set out to do at the beginning and rediscover my love of Red Velvet? Well, I think I did! I’ve honestly yet to find another group like them, barring maybe SHINee, whose voices are all excellent separately but together become something far greater than the sum of their parts. I think it’s safe to say that Red Velvet will always have a special place in my heart, even if I don’t listen to them every day. No matter if they disband tomorrow or not for decades, I’m proud to call myself a ReVeLuv. I’ll be here on August 1st. 2024 for their tenth anniversary, blue lemonade in hand, and I hope you will be too.

Next time, we’ll be back to our regularly scheduled programming with just one group a week. See you then, for a boy group. Tschüss!

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lisztomania-defines-bunny · 1 year

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ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ═════════•°• ⚠ •°•═════════

…. . / .-. .. - ..- .- .-.. / …. .- … / .- .-.. .-. . .- -.. -.-- / -… . --. ..- -. / … --- / -.. --- -. .----. - / .-- .- .. - / - …. .- - / .-.. --- -. --. / ..-. --- .-. / -- .

#red velvet #yeri #rv yeri #red velvet joy #joy #park sooyoung #irene #wendy #rv wendy #seulgi #rv seulgi #red velvet ot5 #zimzalabim #random #weird #moodboard #kpop moodboard #kpop #kidcore

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wickymicky · 1 year

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i got into nct in 2020 which was the perfect time to do that haha... in one year, nct put out kick it, ridin, punch, turn back time, make a wish, 90s love, and work it, not to mention the superm comeback’s three singles (which haven’t had much staying power with me, and neither has make a wish, but these songs were all still fun to experience for the first time and stuff, you know?).

i stopped following most of what nct does in 2021, and i think their music took a sharp hit too... i dont hate most of what they did that year but i think most of it is kinda forgettable. and then i think i skipped most of the 2022 nct releases except for a few, and like the ones that i did listen to... just seemed kinda uninspired. idk. 2020 was an insane year from them, and i have fond memories of it, and i dont think anything they do will live up to the hype from that time haha. cause like this year, in 2023, maybe they’ll release some good stuff but i know some of them are gonna start enlisting right? or is it just taeil? or is it not even him yet? i dont remember how old he is off the top of my head lol.

but in any case... i get the feeling that they’re just kinda coasting on hype. i feel like their wildest, most shocking, most experimental stuff is kinda behind them. i feel like they’re not really pushing the boundaries anymore, theyre just trying to maintain. and im sure that works for nctzens but it’s been losing me. i guess sticker pushed some boundaries lmao but that’s not what i mean. the most iconic nct songs in the past, in my opinion, are all big and bold and loud and colorful and really unashamedly unique. whether you love them or hate them you’ve gotta admit that fire truck, simon says, cherry bomb, limitless, kick it, turn back time, boom, ridin, boss, baby dont stop, 7th sense, etc are pretty bold and give nct a distinct identity as a group. and idk i just did not feel that way about stuff like favorite (vampire) or universe (play ball) or 2 baddies or whatever else. i like wayv’s new song phantom, but i think it has more in common with those last three songs i mentioned than with the first set. it’s not bad, but it feels like more of the same and not something totally new and different.

idk, maybe that’s just me.

#red velvet lowkey has been just kinda playing it safe too imo #well so... feel my rhythm was unique. i'll give it that #but imo queendom and birthday dont really stand out. especially when you compare them to their classics #like red flavor peekaboo rookie bad boy rbb happiness zimzalabim psycho dumb dumb and so on and so on and so on #aespa's been killing it though. i can see someone saying that aespa has the same problem and i would know what they meant...#but i wouldnt agree. i think aespa's been doing interesting things. i feel like theyre the only thing that sm is focused on lol #besides their soloists. i've been liking most of what taeyeon has been doing and i think seulgi's debut is fantastic #soloists and aespa are crushing it haha #thoughts tag #long post

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reveluvlybabe · 2 years

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Favorite Stage Outfits : Zimzalabim Edition

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sugaminawallpapers · 2 years

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Seulgi Red Velvet Stage Wallpapers

#red velvet #red velvet seulgi #seulgi red velvet #seulgi #kang seulgi #kang seul gi #seulgi wallpapers #kpop wallpapers #kpop lockscreens #kpop #stage #feel my rhythm #psycho #zimzalabim #bad boy

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tzurim · 2 years

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SEULGI Zimzalabim, 190623

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danipedrosas-boatest · 19 days

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List of kpop songs I associate motogp riders with for some reason idk

1. Pecco - Punch by NCT 127

Courtesy of Anna and that time we were discussing which songs we would play for riders

5. Zarco - Villain by Stella Jang

The vibes really

10. Luca - 28 Reasons by Seulgi

Screams main character, anti-hero getting his revenge

12. Maverick - Drama by Aespa

He IS the drama and I love him for it

20. Fabio - Tail by Sunmi

Sexy song for a sexy king

21. Franky - Lo Siento by Super Junior

Fun, chill vibes like Franky gives off

23. Enea - Genie by SNSD

If I had a lamp I would wish for him to win a championship

25. Raúl - Vengeance by Bibi

I want him to have a reputation era

30. Taka - Keep Your Head Down by TVXQ

A powerful song about staying strong and overcoming hardship, sums him up pretty well imo

31. Pedro - Super Tuna by Jin

I could imagine him listening to this while he plays with his legos

33. Brad - Kiss of Fire by Woodz

RnB just reminds me of Brad and I have no idea why

36. Joan - Snapping by Chungha

Low key but really stands out once you start paying attention

37. Augusto - Rodeo by Monsta X

Powerful and strong, can’t not listen or turn your eyes away from him

41. Aleix - Tomboy by (G)I-DLE

Amazing tough song until you get to “fucking tomboy”, which I can’t take seriously and which serves as a reminder he’s a big softie at heart

42. Rinsy - Eyes, Nose, Lips by Taeyang

A beautiful ballad, and it was inspired by Taeyang’s wife Min Hyo-Rin, and it seemed fitting seeing how much Rinsy loves his family

43. Jack - RBB by Red Velvet

I literally couldn’t think of anything else

49. Diggi - Growl by EXO

His symbol is the wolf, he’s an Roma fan, and it has the same smoothness he does

72. Bezz - Zimzalabim by Red Velvet

They are both weird and fascinating to me and I don’t know if it’s in a good way or a bad way

73. Álex - Wannabe by Itzy

HE IS A TWO TIME WORLD CHAMPION JUST LET HIM BE HIMSELF

88. Miguel - Drunk-Dazed by Enhypen

Everyone focuses on his marriage but he is incredibly talented and should be talked about more

89. Jorge - Regular by NCT 127

See above the note I have for Pecco

93. Marc - Abracadabra by Brown Eyed Girls/(G)I-DLE

👁️👅👁️ (help)

Honorable mentions:

26. Dani - Into the New World by SNSD

Iconic song that’s well-loved and legendary for a reason

32. Sava - Psycho by Red Velvet

HEY NOW WELL BE OKAY-

46. Vale - Dr. Feel Good by Rania

Cause he’s the Doctor and my sense of humor is nonexistent

99. JLo - Mic Drop by BTS

Icon, legend, menace, and forever the moment

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itzsana-kiddingmenow · 6 months

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can you do the challenge thing for a kpop song for every letter of your url? just wanna know your music tasteee thanks!

this took SO. LONG.

but hereee

I: iD - itzy

T: Topline - skz feat. tiger jk

Z: zimzalabim - red velvet

Y: Y.O.Universe - vcha

S: sugarholic - itzy

T: tt - twice

O: O.O - nmixx

P: peek-a-boo - red velvet

K: kill this love - blackpink

I: i am - ive

D: drunk-dazed - enhypen

D: dance the night away - twice

I: impurities - le sserafim

N: not shy - itzy

G: gods menu - skz

M: more and more - twice

E: eclipse - loona

N: naughty - irene and seulgi

O: oh my god - g-(idle)

W: wolfgang - skz

L: lovesick girls : blackpink

O: outta my head - somi

C: cheshire - itzy

O: obsession - exo

#sana's rants #💗📫

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ohmeadows · 9 months

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i see u like kpop, who r ur ults and biases?

praying this does not end up outside of my circles kpop stans scare me sometimes

i'm relatively new to kpop all things considered and still getting a grip on what i like. also i'm very loose with biases but:

newjeans, no real bias in here. i think ditto and omg won me over completely and i love everything they put out (my gf is no doubt going to get tired of me humming super shy soon)

aespa, ningning. (aespa was a slow start for me but damn i love their concept and black mamba had me by my throat all winter.)

twice, dahyun, momo, nayeon and jeongyeon. (another slow starter for me it took me months but then i got moonlight sunrise stuck in my head and now i can't stop. the misamo subunit has me a little unhinged i won't lie)

mamamoo, bias changes a lot but hwasa as of late. i love all of them and their energies. one of the few groups i will watch variety for.

red velvet, seulgi. joy and irene are strong contenders though. i wish they had more combacks! i got into them via the irene and seulgi subunit and now i am obsessed with zimzalabim.

g-idle, yuqi and soyeon. (soojin in my heart forever.)

shinee, taemin and key. their solo releases? holy hell. the recent comeback? amazing. key's low part in hard lives rent-free in my head.

contrary to what this list looks like i also go very hard for smaller acts and indie acts, but here's a condensed selection:

bibi. my darling my lovely my queen i hope she takes a long vacation sometime because she's been working so hard. i love her artistry and vision and determination.

dpr live and dpr ian. IITE COOL was The Summer Release to end all other summer releases. anything they touch turns to gold.

billlie. tsuki!!!!! i love tsuki so damn much. their vibe, immaculate. the effort they put in choreo and performing is so above and beyond.

bloo. bad boy bloo is everything to me. when i smoke had me seeing stars. drama and downtown baby have inspired my writing so much.

devita. underappreciated!!! ride for me was amazing. btbt is also an amazing track for her to feature on.

i'm sure i forgot someone i have the memory of a very small bird

#ask meadows anything

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inyourreves · 1 year

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"Fixing" Red Velvet's Birthday Music Video because I'm an unsatisfied snob 🎂

1. Styling👗

The fact the girls wore very basic and casual outfits, especially when the MV is so campy, felt timid. Yeah it's trendy and palatable but it's boring. Birthday was ripe for Zimzalabim-esque fashion but actually getting it right.

Not a one-to-one but a general gist of what I'd like. When the girls are interacting with zany characters and environments, it'd make sense they'd match it. Furs, frills, bows, patterns, and a lot of colour! Make them look like walking birthday presents 😫

2. Staging🎭

I seriously have a bone to pick with how so many of the shots made the story hard to follow. The MV generally suffered from terrible lighting, bad framing, and fast cuts.

It sounds nitpicky but the "red light green light" clip was so easy to have filmed more clearly and dynamically by putting the camera over Yeri's shoulder. Also, Yeri turns her head away from the camera that makes her action hard to read. If anything, why didn't the director just do another take and asked Yeri to turn her head the other way???

The other 2 shots are so dark. I didn't even notice Joy's enemy in the corner until I took the screenshot and a lot of people missed Wendy's because he's way off at the side in the dark.

The fourth pic is... Everything wrong. It's dark, it's poorly framed, and I didn't even notice the girls' summoning circle until the third watch. These were just the glaring shots but these issues were littered throughout the MV.

3. Set Design 🛋️

Honestly, a lot of it looks good! But since I'm nitpicking and reimagining the MV, I would still change it a bit. Because the story is Red Velvet going through this building to crash the Gingerbread Man's party, I would've made the sets look like rooms. It'd visually be more cohesive and interesting. The girls are picking up keys too so it'd make sense to see them unlock some doors.

Again, this is the gist of what I'd like. I think it'd be cool to see each themed room be cluttered and claustrophobic and as if you just entered a wormhole. The blue room with the fluffy enemy only had a tree but it'd have personality with some blue, monochromatic furry furniture. Something like the sets from "But I'm a Cheerleader".

I liked the knock-off Edward Scissorhands set, all it needed were walls, either grass walls or a red. And as for Seulgi's enemy, I would've put them in a room with props like a giant dog bowl and dog house and make the room look like a playpen. Just a few examples that I think would help enrich the world building and showcase these characters' quirks better!

In conclusion...

I love the concept and idea for Birthday and we'll probably never see another concept like it which is why I'm so devastated it fell flat. It was the zany, campy, maximalist music video that was too good to be true. Red Velvet music videos have honestly been lukewarm as of late and I'm hoping for when they can return to their iconic era.

#red velvet #red velvet birthday #small artist #kpop

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bu99erfly · 2 years

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Hello! I really like your post with all the different Red Velvet members and scenes in red, but since I’m kind of a new stan could you tell me the mvs where they come from?? Thank you in advance

oh sorry hadn't seen this yet, but thank you! and sure: seulgi - wildside (2022) yeri - russian roulette (2019) joy - zimzalabim (2016) wendy - automatic (2015) yeri - rookie (2016) joy - peek-a-boo (2017) yeri - dumb dumb (2015) irene - rbb (2018) red velvet - bad boy (2018)

#replies #i added the members and dates to make it pretty #ik its too extra but thats me

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struggle-but-its-all-ocean-floor · 5 months

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This one is for my Red Velvet anon, so I hope they see it!! I heard the album the day it came out and have listened to it a few times since then. I was waiting to write this review.

Some general thoughts:

This is the most RV-like album since Wendy came back and suits them better than their last two albums which tried to hard to be trendy imo.

This might be my favorite RV album from what I can remember. It's not because it has many standout tracks, but because I usually feel that RV's albums are soulless - to me, the production is typically monotone and soulless, charmless, making the members sound like they're in a cult and have no personalities of their own. But this album - though it had the "chanting" choruses too - felt complete rather than empty. It's hard to explain but that's what I typically feel listening to their albums so I was surprised by this one.

The album isn't really outstanding though. Yet the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. It's a pretty chill album, an easy listen. Some tracks are more powerful and have nice bridges and build-ups (eg. Chill Kill, Wings). For me, it's a 7/5 album.

This an important note - my ratings are complete bullshit. I'm not "lying", but there's no scientific method to it. I literally just follow my heart. I gave Golden a 7.5 too, but I think Golden is better. The difference is that I hold Jungkook to much higher standards. All my non-BTS rankings are pretty generous (and I'm not trying to be condescending here) because I generally don't expect much from groups that aren't BTS. My song ratings and rankings are literally just me following my gut and readjusting the ratings by comparing songs in the same album to each other.

This might be a real unpopular opinion, but RV is not a strong vocal group imo. You literally only have two strong singers - Wendy and Seulgi. Joy may know how to sing but she's only average and her voice is unpleasant to me. She kinda sounds like someone who can't sing yet was able to fake it til she made it. Kudos to her for her hard work - there are lots of singers with great tones and worse singing skills - but she sounds... unnatural to me. Her tone is nasal and too sweet, like rotten fruit?, and she has way too many lines in this album... Also, I don't really enjoy Wendy's tone, and I realized I don't care for Seulgi's either, at least in this album. She sings like Tae and some other idols - like the words are echoing on the back of her throat and can't come out. Her tone is unique and nice but it stands out negatively against the other members' for me this time - it's too different. But she's my favorite singer in RV still. Yeri and Irene can't really sing, they're just okay, but Irene in particular, to me, has an annoying way of singing. So, yeah, I realized there's no member in RV that I actually like as a singer.

My tentative ranking and rating of the songs:

Chill Kill - at first I didn't like the song much and the chorus was a huge letdown, but it really grew on me. The ending is so awesome and powerful with all the layered vocals and the typical SM style of combining different melodies (literally the best thing about SM). The song is quite catchy after a while and might be their strongest title track since, like, Zimzalabim (which I love, yes, another uko). I dislike Joy's part in the chorus though - she isn't skilled enough for that vocal run, but the high note is nice - and I don't like Irene's verses either - her singing style and tone are unpleasant to me. But, yeah, it's a pretty strong track, 9/10 to me.

Knock Knock (Who's There) - I love the classical music sample and the spooky Halloween vibes of the first half of the album (despite not liking Halloween haha). It's a pretty strong track. Joy saying "Knock knock, who's there" at the end is cringe and ruins the song a bit though - still, 8/10.

Bulldozer - the ranking gets hard from this point onward. I like the instrumental in this track, but Yeri and Irene's rap is cringe. The song has a few cringe parts, like the laughing at the end. But that "hmm hmm" in the background is nice and the song has a nice build up, I think. The chorus really reminds me Meredith Brooks' "Bitch" though. 7.1-7.2/10?

One Kiss - it's a very classic old school kpop song. It also has some cringe parts, but it's nice and bright. I'd say 7.1/10?

Underwater - it's the typical uninspired R&B track from SM but the pre-chorus and most of the chorus are rather nice, so 7/10?

Wings - I'm not big on ballads, and the beginning is annoying and Irene's vocals don't help. But the song has a pretty big build up and is powerful and nice, so 7/10 too.

Will I Ever See You Again - it's nice, but only okay... 6.7/10.

Nightmare - The chorus is weak and annoying, but the verses are way better - 6.5/10.

Scenery - it's a pretty bland, cliché ballad, and ballads aren't my thing, so 6.5/10.

Ice Coffee - it's meh, I guess? Can't remember what is sounds like anymore, it's just forgettable, but maybe 6/10? Is that too low?

So, yeah, thanks for requesting the review and I hope it was worth the wait haha! Hope you liked the album and comeback, assuming you are a fan, and sorry for the less than flattering review.

#red velvet #reviews #text

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youngshiney · 1 year

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how i would run sm: Red Velvet edition

back to the series with the next logical group, Red Velvet. sm's first group after Exo and my ult girl group, similarly under a cut as per last post

triple debut (2014-2015): so to start, i actually dont mind Happiness as RV's debut and that its ot4. Yeri was really young, so i wouldnt really change those first two eras (Be Natural is my beloved but its a single and a remake so it doesnt count as their first cb in my eyes). what i would change is the schedules and some promo.

firstly, like Exo i think RV would have benefited from some sort of webtoon or lore comic starting at the second debut for ICC bc thats when we start to get hints that something in Cake Land isnt right. i have a lot of thoughts on RV lore/storyline which we will cover in the upcoming kwangya post (after nct and aespa posts bc they are integral to my version of kwangya).

second, Seulgi should have solo debuted in 2015 between Dumb Dumb and the lesbian christmas song (Wish Tree was iconic and we love Lee Jooyoung). shes been RV's ace since pre-debut, everyone knew and loved her and acknowledged her talents, and she was in multiple mvs of her sunbaes (Henry's Fantastic was the best). Seulgi being the first solo RV member feels right in every way, and while it would be very different than what we got for 28 Reasons, i think that might be partially a good thing.

the start of the success era (2016-2017): Russian Roulette was perfect and i have nothing to say about it. The only thing I would have done differently for them in 2016 was pushed for more solo/unit content, like station songs, vlogs, arts and crafts vids? like just stuff where theyre having fun and hanging out with no pressure. the main 2017 change tho is Joy solo debut. sm is so fucking stupid for NOT capitalizing on the attention Joy got from The Liar and His Lover, a show all about how perfect and amazing she is as a singer! like have her prepare and record between Red Flavor and Peek a Boo and have Peek a Boo pushed back a week or two. the concerts were a good idea, but they really should have capitalized on Joy's performance more. im still annoyed she hasnt properly debuted especially bc clips of her singing from TLAHL was what made me look into RV in the first place and why Joy is my girl ult of ults

Bad Boy (2018): id push Bad Boy back a little bc the time between PaB and BB feels too short, especially going by my plan. other than that, no major notes since the eras were pretty good and the concerts were a good idea. maybe a bit more of a rest after RBB bc of the short turn around time between that and the Japan cb + NA tour

ReVe Fest pt.1 (2019): the Ellie Goulding collab was amazing. ReVe Fest day 1 was a mess, and i say that as a Zimzalabim supporter. the styling was horrific and it all needs to go, the mv should have been more circusy and less performance vid imo, and the song is fine but maybe a less chanty chorus? ReVe Fest day 2 was good and idk why people hate Umpah Umpah bc it was cute and summery like it should have been. and then the Finale, Psycho was one of the best eras taken from us too quickly. i mean the only thing to change is to stop wendy from falling bc that killed the whole momentum and their careers for a hot minute.

the hiatus (2020): now to be clear, i am not blaming wendy for her injury or suggesting she should have come back early. its good she rested and healed properly and came back slowly to make sure everything was okay. every idol should do that. that being said, we should have gotten an ot4 album even if it was just a mini. the girls basically did nothing for a whole year waiting for her and it really did hurt them/their momentum. they should have had more solo content through the year alongside the like two group things, then Seulrene debut in june like originally planned, and then and ot4 album in fall or winter.

back on track? (2021): ot5 being at smtown was great and got everyone hyped to see the group after a full year of hiatus and they teased a cb at the performance. and then wendy killed the hype by doing her solo debut 4 months later with a ballady slow song. and she had the audacity to be like "omg i feel so bad for making everyone wait and then doing a solo" like girl wtf?? anyway gripes about her aside. Queendom was cute, but it felt lackluster after the long wait and felt more like a b-side than a title. also the mv/concepts teased all this magic and powers and a whole universe only to give us literally nothing after the first minute. why were they in a post office when the teasers were about the antique shop?? i would have changed the mv a lot to either expand on the magic or fit the teasers better.

ReVe Fest pt.2 (2022): sm cancelled the concert (rightly) bc the girls got covid but then never rescheduled bc there were "no venues open" even tho the same thing happened to dream and they got rescheduled in like two weeks so what the fuck is that about? um anyway they should have done a concert after Feel My Rhythm but also not named it ReVe Fest bc theres no point and they arent connected. ALSO FMR was beautiful and all but what happened to the ballet concept which wasnt in the mv and why did they not expand on the weird half story with Dark Queen Seulgi and the garden etc? also also FMR felt like a b-side too which was disappointing especially after queendom. and im skipping ahead to birthday bc that was actually the biggest let down of the year. the concept/teaser photos had literally nothing to do with the mv or song, the song itself was easily their worst title and did not sound good in any way, the mv styling wasnt great for pretty much everyone, the cake ver selling out before preorders even ended and before they showed us what it was/what was in it was super annoying. birthday is the biggest let down era imo and ESPECIALLY after the beauty of Wildside. Wildside was the only release in 2022 for RV that i actually 100% enjoyed from the style to the mv to the song to the plot in the mv. like it was perfect and exactly what we should have gotten as a Korean title and era. i would have absolutely done something similar for birthday, especially with the grunge outfits/concept

future plans/ideas: Yeri and Irene solo debuts, Seulrene cb, Joy actual debut this time, more solo schedules especially for the actresses, more Yeri vlogs, Seulgi cb with a better song, my highly indulgent KaiJoyYuta trio, an even more indulgent trio of Seulgi/BoA/Yunho, i think thats all i have off the top of my head.

next week nct u and the way nct overall would function before we get into the actual units

#how i would run sm series #i wouldnt really change rv music much besides these past couple years #mostly just schedules and promo and shifting debuts #they will come back strong in the kwangya post dw tho #also if you made it to the end and want clarification on anything lmk #ik this is mostly just me shouting to the void but i hope at least someone is reading this and enjoying it

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reveluvlybabe · 2 years

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Other Groups I think Red Velvet Members Could Be In

Irene - Apink

Irene has such a completely effortless elegant aura that honestly would fit perfectly in late Apink songs. While I definitely think she could pull off their earlier cute concepts (she pulled off Rookie after all, and I absolutely loved her performance in Red Velvet's cover of Gee) I think that I'm So Sick onward would be absolutely perfect for her style of dance and performance. Irene's energy is just so mature and effortless and that perfectly suits Apink's music

Seulgi - (G)I-DLE

I honestly agonized over this choice forever, because Seulgi is such a versatile performer that she could genuinely not just fit in but absolutely shine in almost any group you put her in. But I think Seulgi is a PERFECT performer for bringing out the uniqueness in any concept, and I think that's exactly the kind of performer (G)I-DLE songs really need. The group has done a pretty wide range of concepts but they've all shared a really distinctive aesthetic, and I think Seulgi would be able to effortlessly morph to each distinctive concept (just like she does in Red Velvet now) while bringing out the bold elements in each concept.

Wendy - Mamamoo

I don't know man, disagree if you want but I just think Wendy would be INCREDIBLE in any Mamamoo song. Obviously Wendy is a frankly insane vocalist who would perfectly slot into Mamamoo's incredible vocal line, she's also an incredibly underrated performer. She has so much charisma and clear passion when performing, and that's something that I really see in all of Mamamoo's members that I think Wendy totally emulates. She's also a much stronger dancer than she's given credit for and would totally pull off Mamamoo's laid back yet powerful choreographies.

Joy - BVNDIT

This one might seem weird but LET ME EXPLAIN. I don't really have like a specific reason for this placement beyond the vibes but holy shit are the vibes PRESENT. Just listen to any BVNDIT song and tell me Joy's powerful and distinctive voice wouldn't perfectly suit their bold and sassy concept. Joy in BVNDIT would give hella Zimzalabim vibes and I want nothing more in the world than more of Zimzalabim Joy. I just think her aura and voice would be absolutely perfect for BVNDIT's songs and concept and I cannot be convinced otherwise

Yeri - STAYC

This one may also seem confusing but if you give it like 2 seconds of thought I PROMISE you will see and understand my vision. Yeri in Stayc's like sweet, bright, synthy concept would be absolute PERFECTION. Her bright and sweet voice combined with her soft and playful rap style is so well suited to Stayc's discography and her sassy and playful stage presence would suit their concepts SO well. Plus I think her voice would blend absolutely PERFECTLY with Stayc's vocal line, mixing Isa's softness with Sieun's bright power in a a way that would just perfectly blend with the group. I also think Yeri pulls off high energy, slightly simplified choreographies SO incredibly well and would be absolutely incredible in Stayc's choreography. This is the move, just trust me

#Red Velvet #red velvet irene #red velvet seulgi #red velvet wendy #red velvet joy #red velvet yeri #apink #(G)I-dle #gidle #bvndit #stayc

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