B.A.P. / Warrior

The last time I watched an MV with awe was SuJu's Mr. Simple. And that was me being biased. (See, I can differentiate when I'm being a fangirl and when I'm being serious.)



It happened again with B.A.P., who made a fierce debut with their title track, Warrior.

Over the last year, there has been numerous new boybands - Teen Top, Boyfriend, FIX, Chaos, X-5, etc etc. Don't even ask me what their songs are, or even who they are - they all look and sound the same to me. Boring.

But B.A.P.'s different.

They don't look shiny and pretty like the other boys, and they give off a more mature and serious vibe. They also seem to be more interested in making music than looking pretty.

That said however, they're not exempt from Korean entertainment duties, like appearing in variety shows and going through the music show rounds every weekend.

Yup, being in the entertainment industry in Korea is a little like clockwork. It's the same formula all around - the clothes, the music, the dramas, all in the name of Hallyu. I don't understand why the Koreans never get bored of it. Perhaps because the formula hasn't failed yet - the popularity of Korean anything is just growing and growing and growing.

But, I digress. Again. Back to B.A.P.

Warrior sounds and looks a tad bit like Big Bang, but in a good way. The boys are not afraid of portraying an image that is in-your-face, and I like it! They're pumping their fists, stomping and showing you that they don't give a damn what you think of them. Very gangsta.

The song itself gave me the same feeling I had when I first listened to 2NE1's I Am The Best. It's noisy, but also in a good way. The different elements in the song sound like they're crashing on each other, but somehow, it works and a hard-hitting impression is delivered.

Yong Guk's and Zelo's rapping is flawless. Been some time since I like anyone's rapping. The other boys, I can't differentiate yet, but I hear someone that sounds like Onew from SHINee. It will take some time, but I will be able to tell the boys apart soon enough. All that blonde is making me dizzy.

B.A.P.'s definitely a rookie group to look out for - we need some talent and something bold and different in the K-pop industry full of formulaic, shiny, dance songs and ballads.

Let's hope the novelty doesn't end here. Looking forward to what else B.A.P. will pull out of their hats.