TUNE OF THE WEEK: Boyfriend “My Avatar” & Super Junior M “Swing”

I’ve taken over ZombieMamma this week and that includes the Tune of the Week. However since it’s not my site, and I like to be a rebel, I’m breaking the rules…. I am bringing you two tunes  because I really could not pick just one. Also, while both groups are essentially Korean, these singles are not. Boyfriend is extremely active in Japan and “My Avatar” is their newest Japanese single. Super Junior is a large group based in Korea, but that little ‘M’ attached to the end means it is their Mandarin subgroup, and thus “Swing” was released in China.

 

Futuristic in nature, Boyfriend’s “My Avatar” utilizes precision dance moves with pulsing electronic music. Complete with contrasting backgrounds, it is very clear that the group is in a digital world that allows everyone else to view them. They seem to take on almost dual-personalities as one concept features them in black clothing with an all white background, while the second concept has them in white clothes, silver makeup, and utilizes a dark background enhanced by almost Tron-like lighting, lending to that futuristic feel even more.

 

 Thinking on it, I probably would have skipped over a group called Boyfriend, and  I think rightfully so. However, after seeing them at their recent showcase in  Chicago, I have come to have an appreciation for the group because even though  they are young, they are extremely talented and genuinely friendly.

 

I really feel that this Japanese single marks a new point for Boyfriend as they move away from their first album Janus and its re-release I Yah which we definitely lighter in tone musically. I think it is a sign that they are growing up and they are willing to try new things as they grow. For this, I can only applaude them and wish them the best. I hope they are a group that manages to successfully stay around a years to come.

 

 

Which brings me to my second Tune for the week: Super Junior M

with their new MV release “Swing.” Super Junior as a whole has been around since 2005 and has seen international success. Since there are so many members, they are often divided into subgroups based on specialty. In the case of Super Junior M,

they all speak Mandarin, and so in 2008 SM Entertainment blessed us all with this subgroup consisting of Donghae, Siwon, Ryeowook, Ryuhyun, Eunhyuk, Sungmin from the main SUJU along with Henry and Zhou Mi who are members that are exclusive to SUJU M.

 

 

Visually, “Swing” is simple, but extremely appealing. The entire video is in black, white, and yellow, which should probably scream bumblebee, but definitely does not. The MV for this song pretty much embodies the exact feeling of anyone who works when the end of the day hits on Friday. While a few of the dance moves may seem just a bit off at times, SUJU has never been a group that focuses solely on synchronized dance moves. In fact, it is the variations between the members that makes them interesting.

The tune itself is very upbeat, making it a great mood song. I did especially like the dance interlude where the music temporarily changes to a more electronic feel. This song marks another successful notch into Super Junior’s record… Then leave it to the boys to ruin perfectly awesome MV at the end with their craziness. Does Henry really have a pastry stuffed in his mouth? Of course he does! He’s Henry! Omo…