Ovan(오반) - Star(주연) Album Thoughts(K-indie)

 

Track List

01. Celebrate
02. So I’ll be a star
03. Olympic Park
04. Do I Do
05. Our Dating is
06. Untitled
07. My Night
08. It’s LUV
09. Cold World
10. Hometax

       

  I've been hearing Ovan's name in the South Korean music circle for awhile now. He had a big scandal awhile ago where his song became number one on the Korean digital charts ahead of big name acts who are more known than him. It was being said that his label paid for his chart placement. While this does happen, I will say that Ovan has good music and I'm not sure if his success was earned or bought. What I do know is that after being pretty much a singles artists, he's finally released his first full album titled, Star. 

   Ovan comes across to me as an RnB Pop singer. Then he goes against this all of a sudden with this album. He opens the album with Celebrate; a pop rock number that feels a bit cheesy on first listen. It's still feels like Ovan though. The rest of the album has solid harmonies that are tie ends to choruses that seem incomplete to me. Ovan could have wrote more lyric for tracks like "So I'll be a Star" because the overall song falls a little flat, even with Ovan passionate vocals. He also didn't add any of his previous singles on the album, which would have given him a bit of breathing room to fall into his creative process. He only added one song and that song his probably the best on the album. Other album tracks that have the same sound feel more like mini versions of "Do I Do". Star is kinda all over the place like BiBi's album. The only difference is Ovan has more enjoyable tracks on his effort overall than BiBi did. Both singers need to find a really good producer to bring out that chart topping album I know they both can create. 

     Ovan's vocals are his winning feat. He can sing anything while still keeping that buttery quality in his vocals. I don't like when he tries to rap. Rap isn't for him but I don't mind it if it's only for a short portion of the track. His voice is more suited for RnB or pop in my opinion. 

   Star and Ovan's older music are worth a listen. Some of my favorite songs by him are the songs he did two or three years ago. I'm not sure why he's taking part in Fighter matches...... Hmmmmm

BIBI(비비) - Lowlife Princess: Noir Album Thoughts(K-indie)

 

TRACKLIST:

01 Intro

02 Blade

03 BIBI Vengeance

04 Animal Farm

05 MotoSpeed 24

06 Sweet Sorrow of Mother

07 Loveholic's hangover (feat. SAM KIM)

08 Wet Nightmare

09 Witch Hunt

10 Lowlife Princess

11 JOTTO

12 City Love

   BIBI is a singer that I don't know too much about. She has a lot of respect in the South Korean music game right now but she isn't quite a mega star yet. I've heard her singles on and off. Some of the tracks I like, while others aren't my style. She finally released a full length album led by single "Animal Farm"; a pop rock track with a hip hop flare concluded using a mean guitar solo. Noir is an album that feels like BIBI hasn't really found herself as an artist yet. Her music bounces all around genres without creating a solid idea for her vision musically. I've heard this girl be cute in songs only to strip the whole image for a street girl concept that she also wears well. The album has wonderful moments such as "Witch Hunt" as well as BIBI Vengeance where she sings as a cool collected vocalist who knows what kind of artist she wants to be. Then again we have tracks on the album that don't feel like her. They are overproduced using autotune with Rap punchlines that feel more fitted for some other artist. I can't say I really know BIBI after listening to her first full effort. What I can say is that she's talented and has a future in music. 

   BIBI has a foxy voice that's suggestive, yet girly when need be. It's a vocal quality that demands attention because there's no other female singers in Korea that sound like her at the moment. She will be a totally knock out when she truely finds herself musically. 

Jirisan(지리산) Korean Drama Thoughts

 

 

 

   Jirisan or Mount Jiri is a 2021 Korean drama that was directed by Lee Eun Bok and stars Ju Ji Hoon(Kingdom) along side Jun Ji Hyun. The drama was aired on TvN's cable netework for it's 20th Anniversary.  Mount Jiri's first episode had the highest ratings for a debut drama on the network during the time. 

    Mountain rangers meet many different people as they protect Mount Jiri. Some visitors come to see the sights, others come to end their lives, and some come to end the life of whoever they come in contact with. These are the events that take place on Mount Jiri. 

   Korean drama fans who know, Ji Ji Hoon will understand right away that this actor doesn't take on regular roles. Almost all the dramas he's in have storylines that diverts from the norm in K Land. Mount Jiri is no exception to his rule. This is the first drama that was filmed in the famous mountain's park and the story has many different layers of genres such as suspense, mystery, romance, and the supernatural. It's a drama that starts out running, never to really stop until the end of it's sixteen episodes. I enjoyed how the drama keeps you wanting to find out more about the mountain because of the character's involved. There's always this question of "why?" whenever something shocking happens. Not to mention the story, jumps from the past to the present day a lot and you as the viewer have to pay attention to certain details in order to identify what time the characters are in. I don't want to give too much away for people who might want to watch this drama. Viewers also learn a little bit about mountain rescue in life threatening situations. Boy were there a lot of situations that required people to be saved. All the while, a murder is running around the mountain killing people under the cloak of the natural disasters. If you're looking for a typical romance drama, then you won't find that here. You will find romance but it's more on the mature side since both of these actors are forty or in their early forties. I was so afraid that this drama would end on a disappointing note..... 

     The sights on location looked so realistic to me. I enjoyed to spooky atmosphere of the mountain during the early morning fog. There's really only forest for miles when you look at the overhead shots of the scenes- which makes the drama even more interesting. Oh gosh, that cliff view with the stone is so pretty. It was a great place for the finally scene of the drama. 

    The whole cast was phenomenal, from the kill scenes to the everyday events that happen on the mountain. It's hard to act as a romantic couple without actually kissing or touching each other constantly. I liked how I could feel the love between the two leads by a glance they shared with one another. 

    Mount Jiri isn't a Korean drama that you can put in the same boat as all the other dramas you've might have seen. Jirisan really is one of a kind. Just like the tourist destination itself.