MINO’s XX is his very first solo album with FIANCE as his title track. When this song came out, I was so surprised by the style. For the past week and a half, I’ve been listening and studying the song. Here are my findings.

MINO expresses a number of emotions in FIANCE, including coaxing, teasing, intense desire, and a tad of frustration.

He is trying very hard to convince his girl to come to him, but she won’t. He attempts complementing her in various ways. 
“Where did all the stars of Seoul go? Oh in your eyes” 
“Whoa whoa you look so high-class
No matter where I look, you’re so pretty”

Throughout the song he says she keeps hiding from him. Although in some parts of the song he wants her to come out of her hiding place, he also encourages her to hide, as if he enjoys her game.
“Hide carefully, my dear”

Additionally, in the music video, MINO is surrounded by girls who all have their eyes covered. He stumbles around them trying to find his woman, but he becomes so frustrated (even getting drunk) because he can’t find her.

To further communicate what he means, MINO uses a variety of similes and metaphors. She hides “like a cobra.” He also compares her to both a blue bird and a nightingale. The blue bird symbolizes happiness and the nightingale represents love. She is what brings him happiness, and he deeply loves her.

Transitioning to the music of FIANCE, the song is hip-hop. Because MINO is the rapper of the K-Pop group, WINNER, this is logical. However, a bit of EDM is introduced to the song. This makes the song seem louder and upbeat. Additionally, the strange electronic sound used primarily in the verses causes the song to sound twisted and distorted. In the music video, MINO actually acts like this, running frantically while looking for his girl. He definitely acts twisted when he becomes drunk and confused.

Actual instrumentation is limited. Some keyboard assists in creating the distorted affect. Percussion helps create the hip-hop sound, with base, high-hat, and snare being played at random. However, the drums do not create a basic beat usually used in hip-hop songs, making this song very interesting to listen to. Right before the chorus begins, a woman’s voice is heard singing something inaudible but somewhat crooning, creating a slightly romantic effect. A very brief pause too comes right before the chorus as if MINO is preparing to start his coaxing all over again.

Because FIANCE is hip-hop, it posses characteristics belonging to that genre. As is typical with hip-hop songs, FIANCE contains a swear word, as well as some suggestive content. The music video also includes these, in addition the alcohol use.

In K-Pop, the company the artist is owned by can inform a listener of the artists style. MINO is under YG Entertainment, one of the largest K-Pop industries. Other YG Ent. soloist songs typically contain suggestive material and/or inappropriate language. The rappers tend to be powerful and a bit strange at times. Although these are not positives, YG Ent. music is usually very upbeat and exciting. Soloists have the ability to really express themselves in all sorts of ways. MINO follows all these patterns with his song FIANCE.

Truly, the more you listen to this song, the more you will like it. This is exactly what I experienced. The audio is below. Please feel free to listen! Credit goes to Various Artists (youtuber) and YG Entertainment.

아름다워Beautiful by MONSTA X has been a favorite song of mine for a couple years now. The intensity of the song was what first piqued my interests, but as I continued to listen to the song, my appreciation for it grew. I began to take many different aspects of the song into consideration.

First, the song is about a lovely girl who catches the boys’ eyes. The title of the song is the most obvious way to describe her appearance. However, they yearn for her so much, they feel as if they will go insane. 
“Why is it you? I’m going crazy”                                                                                                              The boys deeply love her, but this seemingly perfect girl has a dark side. 
“Like a thorn on a flower
I know I’ll get pricked but I want you”                                                                                                     She persists in hurting them, over and over again, but that does not cause their love for her to falter. 

The figurative language really caught my attention when I read the lyrics. MONSTA X’s vivid use of analogy paints a clear image in my mind of the deep, passionate love they feel for the girl. She is this beautiful, stunning rose. Sadly, if there is a rose, there is also a thorn. This girl is the girl of their dreams, and even though she wounds them, they want to be with her.
“Because of the thorns
A beautiful rose can bloom
Dark red flowers, it means I love you
Even if I bleed everywhere, I wanna embrace you”

When I listened more closely, I was able to hear the intense emotions Kihyun, Jooheon, I.M., Hyungwon, Shownu, Minhyuk, and Wonho expressed. The rappers (Jooheon and I.M.) reveal their anger, frustration, and insanity in the verses. Meanwhile, the vocalists (Kihyun, Hyungwon, Shownu, Minhyuk, and Wonho) with their fanciful, romantic voices, conveyed the emotions of passion and admiration in the chorus and bridge.

Because I am a musician, I enjoy listening to the different sounds and techniques artists employ in their music. In Beautiful, the tempo changes multiple times throughout the song, perhaps relating to the different emotions the boys feel. As for overall sound, EDM reigns. EDM typically is more upbeat with a hint of craziness. This aligns well with the lyrics. I believe the intro clearly demonstrates their craziness. MONSTA X songs also tend to contain this style in many of their songs, as I have observed. I noticed as well that drums are accented thoroughly. Drum fills are applied in all parts of the song, even serving as a transition from the chorus to the second verse. Because drums are know for being both loud and all over the place, they fit the lyrics and style well. 

I really enjoy listening to this song, and I have explored other MONSTA X songs because of it. Please check it out, and I’d love to hear what you think.