Welcome chingus to the very first edition of “KeopiTalk,” a new segment in which my friends KpopKolorado, missienelly and I get together and chat about the latest and greatest K-Pop MVs. We’ve decided to kick off “KeopiTalk” with Topp Dogg’s most recent release “Arario” and we’ve love for you to join us so let’s get to it!
missienelly: So this my first time listening to Topp Dogg! Hello, virgin!
KpopKolorado: Do you love them yet? kekeke
missienelly: I need time to love them. First of all, too many boys, I can’t focus on them. This reminds me of SuJu and EXO. Clearly they made the video with the Lunar New Year in mind. It’s a hit or miss thing for me.
KpopKolorado: I love it..it’s a good time for me prolly because I love this genre of music… like BTS, GOT7, etc. Also, I loved Topp Dogg from the first moment I heard them! I already had 4 biases before I even heard their first song thanks to my friend KiKi introducing me to their pics…ha!! *coughvocallinecough*
Zombie: I thought the traditional Korean elements of the video were fun. It’s actually what made me come back for a second look and third… and fourth… and fifth… and sixth… and…
missienelly: What is the song all about?
KpopKolorado: I found this on Wikipedia: “Arario (Korean traditional song title) means someone is missing the mother country and loved ones” if that helps at all…lol
Zombie: Which totally explains why the look of the MV is what it is!
missienelly: Yes
KpopKolorado: Yah…sad concept tho…(geez ChoPD) Yet it’s wrapped up inside a funny MV – like the Joseon prince doing windmills and the hanbok hoes krumping at the end of the video – the guys are clearly laughing:
missienelly: Remember the K-drama Heartstrings? This reminds me of that.
Zombie: The traditional music vs. the rock or just the traditional instruments? (I loved that drama, by the way!)
KpopKolorado: Oh, I thought you were talking about the breakdancing/krumping and I was like..wha…?
missienelly: Yes! That drama! I thought they were trying to reintroduce traditional music back into the younger generation. Love the red hanbok too!
Zombie: I do too! I’d love to have one!
KpopKolorado: The edits on this MV are the fastest cuts I’ve ever seen in my life! How did I miss the gayageum playing the first nine times I watched this MV?
missienelly: I’m duh… it was very obvious, eonnie! *sticks her tongue out*
Zombie: Don’t blink! You’ll miss something!
KpopKolorado: *holds eyelids open*
missienelly: The music is very interesting. It’s a marriage between oldie Chinese vibe + electro. + pop + hiphop. Cray!
KpopKolorado: YAH! Cray!
Zombie: So the title of the song is all about missing the mother country and the lyrics of the song are all about telling the world how awesome Topp Dogg is compared to other artists…
KpopKolorado: kekekk..Yah I was reading the english subs and *rolling eyes*
Zombie: Apparently the concept for the MV was inspired by the title while the lyrics were from somewhere else. Interesting…
KpopKolorado: But did we really need the hanbok hoes? smh
missienelly: Hahaha are you jelly, KpopKolorado?
KpopKolorado: Bahahah! No.
and….did you notice that the hanbok hoes are wearing
like Air Jordans or sth?
missienelly: You are joking, right?
KpopKolorado: Um… No…
missienelly: Lies! Lies! Lies! The more I listen to it, the more I think i’m no such fan of this song. Sorry. *pouts*
KpopKolorado: Awwz! Okay, just for fun…go watch BTS “No More Dream” and then GD “One Of A Kind” and tell me if I didn’t nail it…
Zombie: You’re good! There’s definitely a BTS/G-Dragon vibe to “Arario” with a little Taeyang flair thrown in for fun.
KpopKolorado: I feel like there’s maybe a deep message to this MV because of the symbols used, but the lyrics are so…lolzy
Zombie: Maybe there isn’t really a point. It’s not like the lyrics are all that profound anyway. Makes sense if the MV follows suit. It’s really just for fun, isn’t it?
KpopKolorado: Yesterday, one of my followers on Twitter was saying she was going to Korea in order to burn every single hat that had the fake braids hanging from it…now I see that she was talking about this MV…hahah!!
Zombie: Hahahaha! I think I would go and help her.
KpopKolorado: lmao
Can I ask a dumb/obvi question? What is the role of that Mini Cooper?
Zombie: I have two theories:
1. It’s to show us how good A-Tom looks sitting in it or…
2. To remind us of why Topp Dogg will never be as cool as Taeyang and his DeLorean wannabe???
KpopKolorado: Bahahha! Yeah, maybe it’s someone’s idea of “swag”…
missienelly: I don’t get the Mini Cooper thing either. What’s that got to do with missing the country music?
KpopKolorado: hahhaha! I’m dying laughing because “country music”
missienelly: It’s “country music” meets hip hop *winks*
Zombie: I think, more than anything, the Mini is sitting there to remind us of Topp Dogg’s sense of humor because, seriously, that Mini sitting in the middle of the set just cracks me up! I don’t know if it’s because it reminds me of Taeyang’s time-machine wannabe in “Ringa Linga” or what but every time that Mini pops up on-screen, I have to laugh. Or at least giggle…
And speaking of Taeyang, I feel like that hat with the braids is just another not-so-subtle homage to Taeyang. I wonder which of these guys idolizes Taeyang because you know someone, somewhere, has to.
KpopKolorado: Or GD – harking back to “OOAK “ 🙂
Zombie: I’m pretty sure GD gave that hat to Taeyang to use in “Ringa Linga.” Maybe Taeyang lent it to Topp Dogg for this particular MV…
KpopKolorado: OMO!! I think you’re on to something!! Maybe that hat is a hand-me-down…! It’s an homage to the artists who paved the way for them…(reaching, I know) Jamkka jamkka jamkkanmannyo! Maybe that’s a magic hat and whoever wears is successful! … or sexy…like how Seungho, Lay, and Kai all use that sexy hat!
missienelly: I feel bad I completely forgot about Taeyang’s “Ringa Linga”… aish
Zombie: Whatever works! LOL
KpopKolorado: Anyway, moving right along… I love the fan dance and the chord change when Gohn sings is spine-tingling! I can’t wait to see their live stages!! Gahhhh! *spazzing*
Zombie: I really do love that fan dance! And you’re right, their live stage performance of this song should be daebak!
missienelly: The color contrast is awesome!
KpopKolorado: Black and white are always my fav and lots of the MV’s coming out right now are sticking to this color theme – daebak!!
lol
I like how they carry out Emperor Jenissi in this scene. Well, he’s def the king of rap rn, imo. There’s no rapper out there like Jenissi…jinjja!
Zombie: And Xero is the emperor of crazy dance moves!
KpopKolorado: OMG right?! This move where he lands on his KNEE is…like whaaatttt?! They are all doing some pretty cray stuff, tbh.
missienelly: If only I could move like them…
KpopKolorado: Final thoughts ladies? Here’s mine: Ugh back-to-back vocals by Gohn and Seogoong tho…wow…I kennot…how do you want me to die?
missienelly: It is not for me, that’s for sure. The background music is too loud and it trumps their voices. Try again, Topp Dogg. This noona is not impressed *pouts*
Zombie: I’m a fan. “Arario” is a fun song, a fun MV and without a doubt, fun to talk about! Again, I’m excited to see their live performance because you know it’s going to be good, even without the Mini… Though now, I’m kinda hoping they’ll keep that magic hat!
KpopKolorado: 🙂
So now that you know our thoughts, we’d love to hear yours! Feel free to join our discussion by adding your comments below!
Can’t get enough of our KeopiTalk? You can find KpopKolorado, missienelly and ZombieMamma chatting away about all things Hallyu and beyond on Twitter.
Be sure to check out missienelly’s blog, mymyooz and don’t forget to check back here for more KeopiTalk, K-pop Tunes of the Week, Hallyu Zombie’s Drama Review and more!