EUN JIWON(은지원) - G1 Album Thoughts(K-rap)

Track List:
01. HOW WE DO
02. I’M ON FIRE (Feat. Blue.D) (불나방) *Title Track*
03. SEXY
04. WORTHLESS (쓰레기)

05. HOOLIGAN (Feat. MINO of WINNER)
06. GET READY
07. TIPSY (비틀비틀)
08. HATE
09. SAME (비슷비슷해)

    Eun Jiwon is a big legend from the first generation of Korean Pop music in the nineties. He originally was apart of the group Sechs Kies, who was a hugely popular group until they announced their disbandment out of the blue in 2000. Each member went their separate ways. Eun Jiwon has had a very fruitful solo career as a rapper and actor even though he constantly jumped from record label to record label. Most people from my generation know him from the appearances he made on shows such as Replay 1997 and 2 Days, 1 Night. Eun JiWon is now signed to YG Entertainment who released his first solo album in ten years called G1. 

   G1 is an YG Entertainment album through and through. Listeners couldn't doubt this fact if they tried. I didn't know much about Eun Jiwon since his reign in Korean music was before my time…. Not that I wasn't born but I was too young to care, Plus I was halfway across the world too so… Yeah. Anyway, G1 might be the first impression that Eun Jiwon wants to give listeners who don't know of his legacy. The tracks are very vintage Hip Hop that would fit along the lines of older YG groups like H.O.T and 1TYM in my opinion. Which could be seen as very funny because Eun Jiwon's group was made to be in competition with H.O.T by their record label back in the day. Who would have though that he would sign to the label that housed his rivals for many years. Then make a Hip Hop record that sounds just like the rebel music that was the complete opposite of the pop music Sechs Kies was flourishing from at that time. Jiwon's change in musical direction has angered fans in the past but I believe he feels that the new generation would take a better liking to his musical vision as an older artist who's already cemented his name in Kpop. Songs like Hate give G1 a bit of a modern day twist avoiding the pit hole of sounding too one sided while also adding a singing side to Eun Jiwon. I'm On Fire just sounds like a YG hip hop song that been the label's forte for years. It's a good track to get you in the feels of how all the generations of YG artists did Hip hop spanning over more than a decade. Sexy is one of those dance house hip hop songs you either love or hate. I can feel both depending on my mood. Hooligan featuring Mino was a good pairing to make Eun Jiwon appeal more youthful to new younger fans. In reality, It's another pump your hands up in the air hip hop song Eun Jiwon doesn't need to keep up with all the new rappers but he somehow is in his forties and looks to be about twenty one. G1 isn't anything new to Korean music listeners like myself, however, G1 still manages to be a fun album that uses the old riding on some new themes in Korean Hip Hop out right now. This was a very good comeback in my opinion. 

    Eun Jiwon's G1 similarities to some of H.O.T's earlier works are uncanning. He's no Teddy Park but his flow reeks of a seasoned veteran in the game. I like that he did most of the singing expect for one feature and does well sliding back and forth between both. G1 in someways was needed in the Korean music scene when the album was released since it took Korea back to old school hip hop roots during a time of a younger generation. None was really bringing that essence on a mainstream level so this whole project was a great thing.