Man, I was so convinced I wouldn't get into this group. Dead certain. Yet here I am doing a review of their new video and have started considering myself a fan of them. They're just so charming and cute and I can't help it. I've also started watching their new reality show IGOT7, and so far I'm loving it because these boys surely know make your heart skip a beat. While their debut song "Girls Girls Girls" didn't impress me much, and it still doesn't, they had some other good songs on the mini-album and they're really great performers on top of that. I was really hoping for a better title track for this comeback, as well as some decent styling, and I can honestly say I do not feel let down.
For this video, the group flew out to Malaysia to capture some local scenery, and it sure helps giving the video the desired youthful and playful vibe. The song is very simple, but the hook is infectious and while the line distribution is a bit uneven, there's no way you won't be singing it all day afterwards. Trust me, that's exactly what I've been doing since I watched it earlier. Right off the bat I can say I'm a lot more impressed by this song and video than with what they've debuted with. "Girls Girls Girls" was such a desperate attempt at recreating 2PM's success and it felt so unnatural to watch these young boys acting cool and sexy. Now that I know them a bit more after watching their show and other video clips, this video suits their image as a group a thousand times better. There's nothing forced about it, and it allows the members to be their happy, mischievous and adorable selves. I suppose they could be compared a bit to BtoB, who opted for the same image for their Beep Beep comeback, but GOT7 seem to have less of an identity crisis and are so far, managed better.
The premise for "A" is very simple. Boy sees pretty girl, boy likes girl and boy follows girl around and starts hitting on her in a way that's totally not creepy. The boy in this case is the entire group, as per usual, but it's never clear whether they end up with her or not. All we're certain of is that her boss totally digs the song. The video is definitely great for summer, and all the locations used provide wonderful scenery for the boys to work with. The video starts with the boys wandering into a small restaurant and spotting a pretty girl working behind a counter (a JYP trainee possibly?), and they all fall in love at first sight. I do love how they all make instant use of the props and play around with each other whilst looking lovingly at the girl who seems a bit taken back by all the sudden attention. The day turns into night and now they're basically following her as she walks along the sidewalk and into a supermarket where they all pick up the exact same shampoo as she does. *Cough* Obligatory Product Placement *Cough*. In the end, it doesn't appear as if they manage to get to her, which is probably a good thing considering their creepy behavior. The lyrics are actually quite problematic but are justified by their overwhelming love for her, but I don't really buy it at all. She obviously looks deeply uninterested, so their attempt to convince her and almost force her to like them feels more like harassment than anything. It's a shame because I love everything else about this video.
For starters, the locations used in the video are brilliant. I am in love with the American inspired diner, the parking lot and the local supermarket the boys wander around chasing their "A" in. I wouldn't have guessed it was shot in Malaysia though, since it's more reminiscent of down town California (at least the way I imagine it) or somewhere in the US rather than another Asian country. The diner looks typically American with the jukebox right there in the corner, and the big sign saying "California Boys" is also highly suggestive. It doesn't really matter to me, but I don't know if Malaysian fans feel as if they actually highlighted any real Malaysian locations or landmarks or made any tribute to the country they shot in. There are also quite a lot of non-Asian extras in the background, which I can imagine is probably upsetting for Malaysian fans. If there was a lack of cultural representation in the locations used, the fact that not even the people at the streets or in the diner are Asian makes it even more obvious. The only one that actually looks South Asian is the angry woman at the supermarket, and I'm not sure how intentional that was but it's sure not the most flattering image of a local Malaysian. Despite all this, the scenery for the video is gorgeous, and the warm and sunny filters and coloring adds to the beautiful cinematography. It's a great fit for summer and the laid back, easy going song further enhances the concept and the boys' skills.
When GOT7 first debuted, they were promoted as a "martial arts" group, which only added to the list of things they had in common with 2PM, and also tried their hand at the hip-hop trend that's been used and overused by boy groups for the last year or so. The choreography for this song is a lot more relaxed, I would say, but that's because the concept is vastly different too. There is a dance break near the end, but the rest of the time it's more playful and flirtatious and not so desperate in trying to have as much swag as possible. The styling is also heaps better this time around, and I've realized just now how rarely you see groups wearing normal denim jeans nowadays. All of the clothes they wear look like clothes any ordinary person would wear, and I find that really attractive and also quite refreshing. Stage outfits can be overwhelming and overly theatrical, and it's sometimes nice to just see some normal clothes that look just as good, if not even better. As the concept this time is more relaxed and boy-next-door inspired, the styling reflects this and helps bring the members down to earth again after the horrendous fashion mess that was "Girls Girls Girls". You know how much I love suits and have praised both Infinite and VIXX for that type of styling, I also like seeing groups in comfortable clothes, stuff that they would wear on a daily basis. It makes the seem closer and more relatable, like people you could bump into on the streets.
Overall, this comeback was pretty much everything I wanted from this group that I've recently fallen head over heels in love with. I was hoping they would redeem themselves and put out something less cringe-worthy, and to my relief they did. It's crazy how catchy the song is and the video is, apart from the stalking, a wonderfully creative and beautifully shot piece. All the boys look great, the styling is spot on and the real life scenery is always a viewing enhancer. Now, let's get rid of Bam Bam's blonde hair and I'm all set for another round of promotions.
Song: 3,8/5
MV: 4,2/5
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