2NE1 gets ‘Ugly’

Aug 2, 2011 by zerohundred    3 Comments    Posted under: Korea, music, opinion, review

It’s time for a review of 2NE1′s latest songs!

Let’s get this elephant out of the room first: I’ve been absent. To be honest, I took an unannounced hiatus, and I kind of still plan on doing that. This place is up for a revamp and I want to do it with a bang. However, I’ve decided it’s unfair to both of us if I keep completely silent in an effort to make some kind of comeback. We all know comebacks are typically overrated. SO, let’s go with this 2NE1 review.

I know I said I was going to talk about “I Am The Best/내가 제일 잘 나가” (so long ago…) so I want to touch on that first. On the onset, I was really pleased. It’s catchy, energetic, and undeniably 2NE1-esque. However, it doesn’t feel like a track that stands up. And its proven to be just that. Weeks after it’s initial release, I feel so passive about this track. It doesn’t have a lot of long-lasting excitement. I remember thinking the video had a slight “Knock Out/뻑이가요” (GD & TOP) vibe, but in general it felt like a “Can’t Nobody” redux. Negative, right? It’s not terrible, but it’s things like this that are draining my old (what felt like eternal) love for all things Korean (but that’s a different post!).

Alright now, let’s get “Ugly.” LOL SORRY! PUNS ARE ACCEPTED HERE! I first have to bring up how incredibly WTF the title is. HI, it’s daring. The video just makes me wonder though. I know The 2NE1 girls have been called ugly before but it’s clear that they’re not in what we know as “reality.” I suppose getting a translation of the lyrics would help my overall understanding of what this song is really about (aside from the chorus which is a huge hint, haha).

I’m not sure what I think about 2NE1′s slow songs. They are typically good, but not great. I know “true” fans want to stab me for saying this, but I feel like there songs are SO close to being fantastic, but they fall short by one step. In “Ugly,” the verses are generic and uninspired, and the chorus is really near brilliance, but it’s missing SOMETHING. I can’t decide what.

The video is kind of cute, although not a lot happens. The girls have a nice edginess that makes it easier to pretend they aren’t gorgeous. It somehow seems inspiring when they sing about how “ugly” they are, which makes the video better than it probably is, LOL. If nothing else, it looks like they had a great time making the video.

I guess I’m really close to summing up their mini-album, right? “Hate You” is the only other song that I haven’t said something about already, I think. It’s not bad. It’s kind of what I’d expect it to be, but it has a good pace and it’s fun enough. It’s not going imprint itself in my mind, however. (And the video is Weeeird with a capital W.)

ANYWAY, 2NE1 is a group I definitely like, but I can easily say I want more from them. Maybe someday. What do you think? Were you sold on 2NE1′s latest mini-album or are you left wanting, like me? Also, how much do you hate my disappearance on a scale of 1-10? LOL.