This January two talented girl group maknaes made their very anticipated solo debuts, Miss A's Suzy and Girls' Generation's Seohyun. Suzy is arguably the most famous member of her group and apart from having stunning visuals she's also a capable singer and dancer. The same goes with Seohyun who's probably the second best vocalist after Taeyeon in her group. I was excited for the both of them two showcase their abilities and wondered what kind of music they'd put out. Their final releases were perhaps not that surprising but nonetheless highly enjoyable.
Seohyun dropped the MV for her title track "Don't Say No" on January 16th and I must say I was pretty hyped because the teaser images looked amazing. It totally felt like a concept that she could not only pull off but one that she herself was comfortable in. She's had a very sweet and innocent profile so far in her career and this allows her to show a new side without going to far from her already established public image. It's definitely more mature and sexier but with a glamorous and classy approach. I'm in love with the styling and the elegance of the entire concept, as Seohyun truly shines doing this sort of thing. She also said herself that she had asked to try a sexier concept for her solo and I'm happy they let her so we could have all this goodness.
The MV and song are both great as well, both individually and combined. Again I think the theme for the video, as the concept, is perfect for Seohyun and fits well together with the vibe of the song. "Don't Say No" is a pompous contemporary pop track with obvious Ariana Grande influences, but it's a sound that's not really common in K-pop thus making it fresh and memorable. The lyrics for the song are about pleading one's lover to come back, which is portrayed in the MV in a subtle yet clever way.
However I have to say that most of the video's viewing enjoyment comes from the stunning visuals. The set constructions and props are great as well as the camera work, lightning and colors. Paired with the unique styling and an awesome choreography it makes for a pretty good MV.
Song: 3,75/5
MV: 3,9/5
Although I was probably more happy for Seohyun to make her solo debut I was the more curious about the debut of JYP Entertainment's most famous act: Suzy. Suzy is probably one the most popular girl group members of all time as she's not only known for her insane beauty but also for her various acting projects and overall sweet-girl image. As a member of Miss A she was definitely often put in the center, but she never stood out particularly with her dancing or singing as the other members were equally as good or better. She can certainly hold her own in both aspects but her main attraction has always been her face. For that reason I was highly anticipating what she'd release as a solo artist and how she would finally showcase her talents.
"Yes No Maybe" is a very different song compared to "Don't Say No", as this JYP-produced tune is a mid-tempo electronica track with a dark and chilly undertone. There's an emotional rawness to it conveyed both by the simplistic instrumental and Suzy's vocals. Matched with the song is a music video that's honestly more like a short movie rather than an MV. Set in Hong Kong, the video definitely pays homage to some famous Hong Kong movies and their particular cinematography.
It's absolutely beautifully shot and I adore the play with the contrasting red and blue colors and dim lightning as a way of telling a story, and like the song suggests the plot is very dark indeed with a twist at the end you might not see coming. Suzy as always looks stunning and she definitely suits this mysterious, cinematic concept that it seems they're going for.
