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SM, we need to have a little talk about Super Junior…

Written by Amy On July 22, 2011

Dear SM Entertainment,

We need to have a little talk. I’m writing because I’m a pretty big fan of SM Entertainment and I needed to reach out and touch base with you on several things Super Junior-related. I’ll start with an admission of guilt: I was never into Super Junior, until “Sorry Sorry.” I thought they were gimmicky as a group, and their music didn’t persuade me otherwise, but then “Sorry Sorry” came along, and that was undeniably great. I love a good pop song, and even though SuJu didn’t become less embarrassing, at least they were performing a good catchy pop song with great choreography and had a whole bunch of good looking guys in suits.

And ever since “Sorry Sorry” I’ve been keeping a good eye on Super Junior, hoping they’re strike the same gold they struck with “SS.” They haven’t really, but I became a certified fan after a string of great releases: “Sorry Sorry,” “It’s You,” “Super Girl,” and even “Bonamana” ain’t too bad, because you got my baby Kyuhyun doing a dance break. Good lord, how you managed to do that…

Also, congrats for keeping Super Junior under your belt, still. I was worried about that whole 5-year boy group curse thingamabob that all your boy groups have suffered from, but it seems like Super Junior’s still got a couple of years left. I mean, if we guesstimate that you lose a member a year due to contract disputes/hit and runs/members thinking they need to go and “act,” this group has at least another 5 years left before they get down to the standard 5-member boy group formation.

Anyway, getting distracted here. I was good with you, until you released images of their fifth album comeback.

Now, about this comeback. Were there drugs involved? There were drugs involved right? Maybe LSD?

Because there’s no way this happened without drugs:

Like…is that rope around his middle? And then two jackets? I mean, I’m so glad you got the memo about the great trends we’ve got going on in the fashion world: ombre hair, colorblocking, and all that fantastic jazz, but this is just a tad too much, don’tcha think?

Or this, maybe:

Is that Eunhyuk or is that an albino monk who stole clothes from f(x)’s “Hot Summer” comeback?

Is Shindong holding a blinged out gun? While wearing one of those fluffy winter hats? I really hope he performs with the gun when they do come back, that’ll just make my day swell. On that note, I hope Eeteuk performs with two jackets on.

But! All can be forgiven, SM, if their song is amazing. And I mean amazing: the kind of amazing that is bolded, italicized, and underlined.

Got it?!

Cynical but hopeful,

Amy

TAGS: Super Junior

SOL

ROFLMAO!!!!! like seriously!!!! you are so right about the drugs!!!
this looks like an old movie(failure) about tacky pimps and ugly whores.and some drug-dealing involved..Im sorry if this offends anyone. Its not intended to I just think this a hot mess.
SOL

Also Im anxious to see how they pull this one off and make it look “cool” (if possible). If I were asked to wear this stuff for a photo shoot I probably would pose with both my hands covering my face, or completely turned around so that all ppl could see was my back, thats as cool as I would make this!
em

i don’t know how i got into SJ. i think it was either hangeng or kyuhyun but i always felt they were the extremely asian boy group. they never really did anything that was modernized but just very asian. i’m actually quite sick of them because it’s been autotuned crap for a while and half of the group still can’t sing. i hate it’s the same vocals every time. it gets so boring.
http://www.twitter.com/@tifftaeyeon Tiff Taeyeon

I think the pictures are amazing, and I’m not even an ELF or anything.

I love Seoulbeats but I feel like they hate Aegyo, and they hate antyhing that’s different. I feel like they basically want all K-Pop artists to be the same as Western artists, when I think Western artists actually need to be more like K-Pop artists (ie talented).

And I don’t know why you guys are complaining about SuJu being too “gimmicky”. That’s K-Pop for you, the whole industry is based on gimmicks. Hello, it’s manufactured pop. At least K-Pop is open about it, unlike Western pop which builds fake images around their manufactured pop stars to make them appear as legit ‘artists’ when they’re just manufactured trash who can barely even sing or dance.

enny

Well I after a second look, I can see why the concept (aside from Leeteuk) could be pleasing, but your rant on how incompetent western music is is rather off putting.
SB isn’t hating on what’s different and not western- they hate on things that are fugly.
The concept itself isn’t too bad, but it wasn’t tastefully done. At all. I’m a Super Junior fan- and as a fan I don’t like this concept because 1) I want them to do well 2) I’d rather they not be openly mocked 3) its done very fuglyish.

And I agree a large amount of Kpop is based on gimmicks. So you have my support their- Suju’s gimmickiness was never anything new to me. But seriously? Western Pop lacks talent? It’s the other way around in most cases. In western music it isn’t as simple as being scouted by a talent agency and debuting in a band. Not to mention Western Music has one thing KPOP lacks- actual artists.

eboy07

Western artists actually need to be more like K-Pop artists (ie talented). Oh dear we got a deluded kpop fan for you.

L

Oh shut up. neither is better than the other. the end.

eboy07

Oh the thing i like about this new comment section is that you can see who actully replied to you.
Most kpop idols and groups are on the same level as Justin Bieber end of story.

TmL

why do kpop fans always feel it necessary to tear down western artists in an attempt to support kpop. There’s absolutely no middle ground with you guys.

Even if you don’t like western artists this does absolutely nothing in proving they’re “untalented.”
On the other hand, many examples of MR videos and poor live stages have proven plenty of kpop idols can’t sing, because they happened to be scouted walking in the mall with friends or something like that.
ISaidWhatWhat?IntheButt?

Since when were K-pop artists talented?

JUN

other than Leeteuk’s pic, the rest are pretty good.

maldita

THIS. When Hyuk’s first came out, I thought his picture was horrendous. Then Teuk’s came out and good Lord his picture is horrible. Then the others came out and I have nothing to criticize the others’ because their pictures’ level of ugly would never beat Teuk’s.

enny

Oh god DX
To be honest I find Donghae’s one sort of attractive- maybe it’s because Donghae himself is just attractive. But yes, Leeteuk killed it. I lost all hope after leeteuk.
And sorry, Kyuhyun looks like some high class hooker Dx but uh, emphasis on high class ofc.
Though, am I the only one who kind of like Shindong’s one? :’D Or at least like as much I can like the photos.
But maybe this pop culture, post modernism concept crap can make for an interesting song? If that is their concept they could have done a tasteful job if they’d tried harder ):
Other than that- I want Sorry Sorry back. Not just for the music. But the concept was chic too.

Pls let Yesung bb be beautiful.

kinella

Shindong’s one is rather good indeed
i’m kinda afraid of what they’ll make with Heechul and his, at times, very androgynous look :S

the worst so far are Leeteuk and Kyuhyun ones, IMO
SMEnt’s stylists…. *speechless*

clamsauce

is it because leeteuk should be leaving for the army soon that they made him look weird, you know to help us get over him a little more easily???

i kid, but seriously what is going on with his and kyuhyun’s photos…i think red light district when i look at that kid.

very interested in seeing heechul’s now, maybe his hair will be neon purple (fingers crossed…)

ohhh god what are they going to do to ryeowook and yesung, they’re simple men.

i don’t mind shindong’s really…that gun needs to be used through the entire choreography though, i demand it!

and of course i like donghae’s and eunhyuk’s (but thats because i’m a biased fool of fangirl)

this crazy stuff only works with SHINee because, well they have always been a little weird and out there.

but i agree with amy, if the song is epic, they could all be wearing orange wigs and camo and i’d be alright with that.

enny

I think Sungmin is contending to be my least favourite thus far. He has a gun. In his pants. It’s like a badly personified, crude, pick up line.

True, I mean bad concept doesn’t necessarily equal bad song. Nor does good concept equal good song (except in Sorry Sorry’s case, chic all through). I mean I found the Bonamana pictures absolutely gorgeous, but the song itself let me down >. Perfection -> Danger -> Hot Summer -> One More Chance.
None of them were particularly bad, but none would be good enough to save this concept.

enny

*looking at SM’s track record this year though I can’t help but be worried.
Keep Your Head Down -> Perfection -> Danger -> Hot Summer -> One More Chance.
None of them were particularly bad, but none would be good enough to save this concept.

HaH

Lol drugs definitely were involved. I mean,how could they let leeteuk were a fishnet? A FREAKING FISHNET!! Kyuhyun looks like he could be one of the shinee members,eunhyuk would have looked normal if it weren’t for that tiara and the tatoos all over his neck and shindong actually looked good here:)
http://mixtapesandlinernotes.blogspot.com mellowyel

LOL LSD is right. as someone already said, the concept isn’t bad, it’s the execution that’s messed up. Shindong’s is the only one that looks even vaguely normal, and he’s wearing feathers. *sigh. I’m with you Amy, that song better be boundlessly epic.
kelly

maybe the next song will be about queer pimps.
bebe

LOOL – this can only been done through the influence of drugs – I am sorri leetuek fans – but that is something I don’t wanna see when walking in dark alley by myself ! pretty disturbing -
http://mykoreancrush.blogspot.com Matthe

LMAO!!!! ROFLMAO.
A

Leeteuk’s hair aside, I don’t see what the big deal is. It’s fashion, people! “Ooh they’re wearing TWO coats & feathers…lets call out the firing squad!”

Please get over yourselves

tank

He’s also wearing THREE UNDERWEAR & FISHNET STOCKING

Gina

Omg, I didn’t even notice the fish net stockings! This has just reached a whole new level of bad XD

TmL

I feel this is incredibly trashy. Especially Leetuek, but admittedly I find everything about him unattractive, from his looks to personality.

I kind of feel like Super Junior either does two things, comes up with incredible concepts, like sorry sorry, or incredibly outlandish, but stupid concepts, like this. Then they use both ways to distract from their over all lack of singing ability.

Donghae looks good though.
kc

I liked them in suits, I liked them shirtless…do I like them in this?…eh… as an ELF I do care about Suju (obviously) but this concept seems very… well it’s like a flamboyant giraffe replaced their last stylist…
it’s sorta a shame though since this is probably Leeteuk and Heechul’s last album -.- they gotta go out looking like a flower child drug lord -.-
hoping their song isn’t going to get the retro bug, I really don’t want a suju verion of “nobody” or “hoot” I want something hard hitting like “Bonamana” and “don’t don”
acidimp

Isn’t all the overly cutsie weirdness and UFO fashionista styling part of the allure of KPOP? You take that away and all you have is a bad, boring version of Brittany Spears. I may not be crazy about the styling but I like that they went there with it. Personally, I think this tripping-60′s-transvestite-hooker look suits the theme of the group. I’m pretty sure Super Junior is Korea’s answer to what a boy band run by Dr. Frank-N-Furter and filled with half a dozen of his own personal Rocky clones would look like.
mischa

If it weren’t for that stupid font, this concept might look okay. With the large words it looks like a poster for a horrid movie nobody would want to see.

The photos were made trashy-looking by that amateurish font and letters. It’s already an overload of colors and wacky styling, no need to add the obnoxious font.
Valcrist

Your post is really funny, i had some quirky smile while reading, Thanks.
I’ve never been a fan of Suju, their songs is ok but as a whole group performing, they dont strike me much. However i do appreciate them as an enjoyable variety personality. I havent watch much korean variety, only a few subtile one (dream team, some star king, SGB, etc) And these boy always make me laugh. So +1 for Suju.
About the Concept, do music producer think alike? There is this retro music past things going on …
Marj

You took the words straight out of my mouth!
I just feel so glad that someone has finally put it straight out there. People have been actually praising these things… Yeah I love suju, and I welcome ‘different’ in the world of kpop, but this… this is the bad kind of crazy =S The kind that you just never wanna see mass communicated.
I have faith that the song’ll be some catchy SM piece and that I probably will go gaga over it, but is it gonna be amazing enough to redeem them from these scary pieces of advertising? I really don’t know…
JUN

come on, it aint that bad, i think they got a theme going, to make the military-ready ones look ridiculous, i fear for heechul
JW

Oh lord, my eyes!
L

I guess their advertising tactic worked, seeing as most of you can’t stop talking about it. Leeteuk made me really curious about what they’re going to do next. But they are really jumping in the wagon here, hope for everyone’s sake that it’s actually a good song. No Kibum+bad song=me giving up on Suju forever.
eh

I’m not sure why SME does this to Super Junior. I mean I’ve not liked their look since the Don’t Don days. I’m a big Super Junior fan. But overall this look just looks awful to me. I understand kpop is all about the colour and what not. Personally only GD and 2NE1 can get away with the “HOLY :O” kind of looks. This just looks atrocious on Super Junior.

I’m looking forward to the song though. I really hope it’s better than Bonamana which I found a bit awful. I’m overly sad that Han Geng will not be there…ever. I was holding out hope.
:)

LOL i see what the concept is now: humiliation. always works.
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ana paula

eu amo o yesung de mais
ana paula

yesung eu amo voce demais so penso a tarde inteira em voce boa noite yesung a morsinho do meu coraçao te amo chau
ana paula

com vesa comigo amorsinho