Music / Idols
20111228_seoulbeats_mblaq

Is MBLAQ Due For Another Shot At Glory?

67
Written by On January 2, 2012

In a K-pop world filled with formulaic pop music, I have somehow come to appreciate MBLAQ. For one, they are not your everyday run of the mill idols. Though none of them possess any extraordinarily exceptional talent, their music is nonetheless praiseworthy. When I was first introduced to MBLAQ, they were portrayed as Rain’s brainchildren and BEAST’s ultimate rivals. It seems that everyone expected them to rival the success of Rain, but substantiated success for the band has been scarce. They have yet to grab a number one spot in music programs, and this significant area of lacking has obviously affected the group and has somewhat questioned the point of their existence. They have so much going on for them: they’ve been mentored by the most successful music figure (Rain) to come out of Korea. On top of that, they’re backed by 2NE1‘s Dara, who is member Thunder‘s older sister. But nevertheless, MBLAQ has failed to produce the success necessary to keep an idol group afloat.

When the group first debuted, it was understandable that they weren’t winning number one on music shows week after week. After all, they were a new group, and faced stiff competition. But as time progressed and more singles were released, their lack of positive reception became more apparent. The group’s existence was called into question, and they were forced to reevaluate their music. When their latest Korean lead single “Mona Lisa” was released, fans were waiting for the group to finally receive their first win and be recognized for their uniqueness. But to the surprise of many, it never came.

To me, MBLAQ is a breath of fresh air. They roam the K-pop sphere with a certain uniqueness: their image has a very metro-sexual masculinity to it — something I find somewhat odd and contradicting, but nonetheless befitting. Their music also has more of an R&B style, compared to other idol groups, but I never really realized this until they released their BLAQ Style album. I was expecting more generic idol fluff (which I have a love/hate relationship with), but instead, I got beautifully composed pieces of music. It was only then that I understood the grievance of A+’s. Above all, what I mostly appreciate about MBLAQ is that they’ve never changed who they are. Guyliner and all, they have continued to stay true to their Spanish twanged pop-R&B roots.

Factoring in all of this, does the group deserve to win? Personally, I would like to see the group finally take home a trophy, but only if they win on their own merit and accord. It’s become increasingly apparent that many groups are not deserving of the wins they receive and only receive them because of mass popularity. but I hope it comes differently for MBLAQ. As much as A+’s cry foul, I don’t want to see the group win unless they produce a lead single that is worthy to be called a number one hit. Above all, I hope they win because they’ve managed to produce music that is both incomparable and enjoyable.

J. Tune Camp recently revealed that the track ‘Scribble’ from MBLAQ’s 4th Mini Album will be released on January 3rd, 2012. Now, with another shot at redemption, what MBLAQ plans to bring to the table is still up in the air. We will have to wait and see whether they will stick to their guns and release a metro-pop R&B fusion, or if they’ll change up their image and style to accommodate a more traditional and more widely- accepted dance pop fusion sound. Whatever it is, I hope that they don’t lose what makes them uniquely MBLAQ.

(Daum, J. Tune Camp)

Related Posts

TAGS: , , , , ,
  • http://twitter.com/Laava90 Lava

    I think one thing that isn’t made clear in this article is that MBLAQ have actually been successful, the lack of a number one on music charts doesn’t show that they’re aren’t becoming more popular, with their promotions in January I think they managed to reach number 2 on charts, and with Mona Lisa they also came 2nd a lot, and not to give them excuses but they’ve faced stiff competition in both promo periods, where their songs weren’t the typically accepted songs. I personally love MBLAQ for the same reasons as you, they produce different music from the pop stuff thats out now. I also don’t want them to win on a music chart by changing their style (which I don’t think they have considering the teaser that’s just come out).
    Also, I wish people would stop being so desperate for them to win, slow and steady wins the race, their time will come, when they do win on a music show, it will show how hard they’ve worked, to be honest I think they improved so much from wanting to win and prove themselves so in a way I’m glad they haven’t won more than once because it’s helped them release some really good music.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001167697623 Aeia de los Santos

    Everyone of them has exceptional talents…

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002828734101 Freya UnitedKpop

    They haven’t won #1 on a show before? They won M!Countdown with Y.

  • http://twitter.com/kekerri Kelly T

    They have placed 1st on a music program before though… I’m a little fuzzy on the details, but it was either for Cry or Y, on M!Countdown (I think). Unfortunately, they only won once and haven’t placed first since then.
    Definitely looking forward to their 2012 album though, Chance is producing the whole album!

  • http://twitter.com/iggyyo nel in

    Thanks for the review,, i agree.. I want them to win coz they’re talented.. They won on major awards  (DAESANG)  bec their talents wer recognized..tho winning in mUSIC shows are NICE but I think it’s the absolute measurement TOOL that a group or a singer is really talented.. 
    They’ve already proven that thay are POPULAR… that they are appreciated, outside KOREA… they’re BIG in JAPAN..and in other places.. They’re MONALISA is consistently #1 and 32  and #1 again for 6 months now in GERMANy.. in BULGARIA.. 60 days… yay.. and YEYS,, they’re different and concsistenet and NATURAL… and down to earth.. A+ might be frustrated when they didn’t win but coz of MBLAQ’s so down to earth attitude.. A+ did the same.. 

  • http://twitter.com/angelic_gal AN.Jell ♥ 나는 박재범과 엠블

    Watching them since they debuted I must say the boys evolved every time they made a comeback and as an A+ that makes me very proud.Keeping their unique style and not messing with the rest of very commercial and annoying  kpop songs makes them even greater.As for  winning  on music shows  part I don’t care about that so much since those are only given to those who don’t deserve most of the time(it’s my opinion) .Looks like MBLAQ are more loved and appreciated outside Korea and that proves their true value

  • http://twitter.com/Laava90 Lava

    Another thing that I really appreciate about MBLAQ is how they said that they were striving to become real musicians, Seungho said this on an interview, I can’t remember where, but they don’t want to become the typical idol band, they want to actually produce good quality music, I think that’s more important to them than the numbers ones aswell tbh.

  • Anonymous

    MBLAQ is unique, that is why they are the ONLY kpop group I love!!
    Mona Lisa once was just 3 points away from winning~ arghhh 
    MBLAQ  doesn’t just put out catchy songs or have marketing strategies to make them win, they are truly doing it to produce good quality music <3 

  • Anonymous

    I agree on mostly all the points except for one ~  ”none of them possess any extraordinarily exceptional talent”… errhhhmm… G.O’s vocals? Seungho’s piano skills? Joon’s acting skills? I think those are exceptional!

    MBLAQ is indeed a breath of fresh air & even though they just won so far just 1 award from MCD, they still continued to bring quality music that has been getting better & better through the years.  They have been recognized as well by award-giving bodies that DON’T rely on popularity & I think that’s even a greater achievement.  I believe MBLAQ’s time will come very very soon.  Most of the well-known & established groups today didn’t have it easy at the start & took years to get to where they are now including their sunbae Rain. I believe the case is the same with MBLAQ & A+ will continue to support them until they finally reach the so-called “glory” this article pertains to. I thank you… LOL <3

  • http://www.twitter.com/hipployta Hipployta

    Mona Lisa was disappointing…they came in #2 a lot but never got to #1…but #2 is still pretty darn good and implies that sales are doing well 

    • http://twitter.com/Laava90 Lava

      tbh, at the risk of sounding like an awful fan, I wasn’t crazy about Mona Lisa, it was a good song and it’s one of my most played on itunes, but I find myself replaying the other songs on the album constantly, they were just so so good.

      • http://twitter.com/free2sing14 Ayan Hassan

        I agree with you. It was not the best song on the album, but it’s still good!

      • jess1

        Funny that I wasn’t crazy about Mona Lisa either. Haha!
        My fave is actually the one they cross-promoted, “You Already Knew”.
        But I was specifying more to the fact that Mona Lisa had the potential to be no.1 if it only weren’t for the bubble gum taste of Kpop listeners.

        • http://twitter.com/Laava90 Lava

          Same!! My favorite and most played is You Already Knew, it’s such a good song!! Yeah I get what you mean, tbh I think they made it more appealing to the korean audience (I think I read somewhere that they said they were making it more appealing to a wider audience), but clearly it just wasn’t bubblegumy enough -__-

          • Anonymous

            Wow, my favourite from that album was also You Already Knew! I don’t know, the song just sounded so romantic to me although maybe a bit old fashioned. Anyway, with the release of Scribble, I have a feeling they’ll become more and more recognized this comeback. I think it’s a really good song and it’s not even the title track, things are looking good =).

          • http://twitter.com/Laava90 Lava

            I get what you mean, you already know is such a sweetly romantic song, and it puts a smile on your face straight away ^__^
            Scribble is a beautiful song, I think they’ll do great in terms of recognition this time ^__^

      • http://www.twitter.com/hipployta Hipployta

        I agree that there were better songs…but Mona Lisa was what was promoted. It’s a similar situation with Beast’s Fiction vs On Rainy Days

    • jess1

      All because of that darn Roly Poly.

      Just recently, T-ara fans were crying unfairness because Cry Cry is a good song but it didn’t get lots of awards (except for MNET, which is CCM). Now, they understand how it feels to have a good song and yet gets beaten by the a lesser good song from popular groups. They got a taste of their own medicine. But I digress.

      • http://www.twitter.com/hipployta Hipployta

        Actually I’m a T-ara fan too and thought Roly Poly was a good song. The lyrics are cute and made for summer. You just have to acknowledge that a key part of it all is timing. I’ve felt the same for BEG’s Sixth Sense, T-ara’s Cry Cry, Tablo’s Tomorrow, Trax’s Blind, Infinite’s BTD, and a number of other songs over this year…I’m glad Beast got love for Fiction and On Rainy Days

  • jess

    “none of them has exceptional talents”? please, go do some more research before you say anything about their amount of talent. But apart from that, yes, I do agree with this post and it’s MBLAQ’s time to shine, more so than ever.

  • Rodo

    So so damn frustrated that they haven’t won anything except for that one trophy from MCD. Agreed on the fact that it was understandable at first, especially with regards to their first single and Y (though Y had a interesting beat). Nonetheless, most if not all of their singles had a unique flare to them, that twinge of R&B still present and of course that Spanish flare from their earlier works. Cry had the trophy stolen from them tbh, mainly cause the boys promoted head to head against DB2K’s return :/ But I commend them for not backing down!

    And they are quite talented. Personal bias is SeungHo cause that boy is damn right multi-talented, especially his piano skills :) Waiting for the time that he shows that in a festival or something.

    • http://twitter.com/Laava90 Lava

      watch the mbc gayo daejun performance he did a piano performance that joon did ballet to ^_^

      • Rodo

        Thanks! :D Too bad the rest of MBLAQ’s performance that night was ruined..

        • http://twitter.com/Laava90 Lava

          yeah it was so unfortunate because it started off so strong, the piano playing, the ballet, the rap it was all such a good buildup then the mics messed up =( although tbh I think despite the mic problems they pulled it off pretty well, I know a lot of people dont wanna watch the performance again but I have been, it just shows how professional they are, the performance was still so good considering ^_^

  • Somthing

    “They have yet to grab a number one spot in music programs”
    Excuse me? They’ve won first place on MCD with ‘Y’.

  • http://twitter.com/Laava90 Lava

    you guys the new song is so awesome, it deserves number one and it’s not even the title track!! 
    Although I’m banking on korea to give the award away to some cutesy bubble pop song -__-

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Oindrila-Chaudhury/100000471226284 Oindrila Chaudhury

    i don’t know whether u know dis or not but MBLAQ did win No.1 with dere 2nd single ‘Y’ @ Mnet Mcountdown !!!

  • jess1

    Scribble/Graffiti has just been released and it’s awesome. Bias aside.
    If they don’t win with this and it’s because of another group’s lousy song (I think you know who I’m talking about), then my hope for them to win will be gone. It’s just so tiring already. I have accepted that they went against DBSK (with that awful) song and even Big Bang but with some other groups, it’s unbearable. It’s clear that either J.Tune really sucks at timing or just Korea do not appreciate their music/this group.

    Reading this actually pains me since almost everything is true. The way they are being treated right now compared to their “rival” Beast, the grievance of A+, how they don’t get these music show trophies eventhough they deserve it especially with Mona Lisa.

    I have to copy paste this because I agree so much: “The group’s existence was called into question, and they were forced to reevaluate their music.”

    • http://twitter.com/Laava90 Lava

      I’m glad they didn’t reevaluate their music too much though!! I like the distinct mblaq style their music has =) 
      Also, don’t be concerned about music shows too much, they had one number one and are now working to become legit musicians, which I don’t think is appreciated amongst the main people who vote on the music shows- Korean teen fans are dedicated to making sure the bubble pop wins, mblaq also has their share of fans and there are so many musicians that don’t get number one on music shows, but the quality of their music is amazing, I just hope they get it once more because they want it so badly.

      • jess1

        Yeah, I like that the style is still there and it just improves and not totally changed. 

        They are included in this “IDOL” group so to win these music show trophies is something that is almost needed to be recognized as popular. Sad but true. I am much much happier to know that they are becoming the musicians that they want to be instead of just releasing track after track without substance to be in the spotlight, but since they are in this huge Kpop circle, they have to stand-out and these awards, be it the real ones or the joke ones, are one indication. I’m not saying they should release awful songs just to have something but they need something to always give them an edge.I think the guys have wished to win these music show trophies since it’s hurting their pride, as well. They are popular, maybe yes, but they have nothing to be proud about that is known to everyone and not just their fans. Who knew they won Daesang at one of the award shows recently? No one but A+. Heck, even those crazy Korean netizens were questioning it. They know the impact music show award gives – more popularity, more opportunities for other things such as dramas (for Joon and maybe Thunder), CFs, etc.(But the hardcore A+ in me doesn’t want them to be extremely popular, tbh. I guess I’m afraid they will lose the MBLAQ that they are now. I hope not, though. I’ve always been rooting for the underdogs, anyway.)

        • http://twitter.com/Laava90 Lava

          lol you’re exactly like me, there’s a part of me that just doesn’t want them to get explosively popular, I’m a sucker for the underdog >_<
          I know what you mean tbh, it probably really does hurt their pride that they haven't won many music shows and I hope they do win some now, but I'm hoping it doesn't affect their style by the demand that newer fans will have for more mainstream songs. I hope they just stay on the path their on now and continuously improve ^_^

  • Meanie

    It was this week I was thinking, “When will Soulbeats do an article on MBLAQ? Do they not like MBLAQ? LOL” I am pleasantly surprised this morning.  This group is very talented and consistent and I think because they are not the usual K-Pop group is where I became a fan.  Going over and looking at some of the youtube video’s of them either it be when they first started out or on variety shows you saw the growth and the talent and how they basically contradicted what it is to be a K-Pop Idol.

    For a woman who is curious about K-Pop but not totally into K-pop (Because most pop music today of any kind works my nerves. LOL) MBLAQ won me over.

    • Meanie

      Sorry, I meant to say It was last week I was thinking.

  • http://www.twitter.com/veiledheart VeiledHeart

    They did win for “Y”.

    Scribble is amazing, but I also thought that the Mona Lisa mini was amazing. I appreciate that they haven’t strayed too far. I love them just the way they are. I do want them to succeed, but I couldn’t take it if they released some crappy cute song. I NEED G.O’s vocals in my life.

    I think that their company just picks crappy times for them to promote. They come up against these HUGE songs and get overshadowed even though for me they put out a better product than most. For a group looking to really cement their spot it’d probably be best to time it a little better.

  • Anonymous

    I’ve never really appreciated MBLAQ until recently after listening to their ballad tunes. I was never a huge fan and for one thing, I actually liked B2ST better. I’ve come to love MBLAQ because of their music. I don’t understand why they’re only judged on their title song and not quality of their album. Most of their music are very pleasing to the ears unlike weird bubble gum music. Their voices are amazing as well and the rapping doesn’t pop out of no where and goes along with the tunes. Sigh, I honestly hope they do snag a trophy on the bigger shows and wish that Korea would finally appreciate them more.

    I’m a fan of both groups and it does come to the point where MBLAQ’s album is of better quality with better music and etc. Also, because One Way’s Chance is producing their next album, I really do have a lot of expectations and am already saving up to purchase my copy. I’ve always loved MBLAQ’s style and One Way’s Chance as well. This is an album that’s going to knock off all of fans and non-fans of MBLAQ.

    • Anonymous

      So true, i loved their OST for Best Love before i even knew it was them or that they existed. Although i haven’t heard any other ballads :/ 

      • Anonymous

        oops that’s not a ballad, but i don’t know exactly what to call it :/

  • Anonymous

    MBLAQ _was_ one of the run of the mill groups for me until I saw them live. They were quite charismatic to my surprise, especially since Thunder always looked monotone on music shows. I’m also glad they allowed GO to shave these days. I don’t know much about MBLAQ, but I’m surprised they haven’t had a number 1 single, just as I’m surprised groups like U-KISS and ZE:A aren’t more popular. I think MBLAQ’s association with Rain might have hurt them more beyond getting them noticed in the beginning. Then again, I’m baffled by the questioning of a group’s relevance for lack of
    number 1 wins. I just don’t think it’s a realistic expectation. Somebody’s gotta be number 2!

    I just heard snip-bit of their new single Scribble. I hope they have something else in store for them. The title Scribble itself unavoidably reminds me of Fiction. I do agree that their sound is a bit different from the norm and I almost always can identify it when I hear it. My favorite song of theirs is the theme song to Beelzebub anime, Baby U. I hope they will have more songs like that. Overall, I think they’re a group that needs some time to develop and find their own groove, especially if they’ve been under the Rain cloud all this time.

    • Meanie

      This is a little off topic but speaking of idols who can grow fur and sport it like a “Boss” (Meaning awesome) gets a big thumbs up from me.  I know that’s based on preference (because i like my men with some scruff), but that’s what made G.O. STAND OUT and he look good with it.  Maybe Soulbeats can do an article on “Idols who have fur and rocking it!” Which wouldn’t be many. LOL

      • bt

        yes! G.O. did look very good with his mustachio XP i actually didn’t like it when he shaved. could be that i was so used to a mustache on him… or that he had a “weak” chin… i dunno why that popped into my mind when i saw him mustache-less haha

        • Anonymous

          true, i remember G.O’s face right off the bat when I saw my first MBLAQ MV and I usually don’t remember anyone’s face when i first see a group (the quick moving cameras do not help). My friend and I questioned whether he was full Korean b/c of the ‘stache XD,  that and the surprisingly Spanish tunes added to the song. (we settled on Korean and a fine one too ;] )  I was quite disappointed when he shaved it off D: but alas ’tis his body.

  • Inima617

    Agreed ! they deserve to win.I’ve loved all their singles. CRY was
    awesome.so was Stay. And Mona Lisa was great too. a breath of fresh air
    from the generic stuff. now as for this none of them having any
    exceptional talent…uuh  ever seen Joon dancing? perhaps heard Mir
    rapping?..cuz the boy is good. or for that matter just try and find me
    something that Yang Seungho CAN’T do .Mblaq has a lot of potential and its sad to see they’re appreciated more outside their homeland than in it. but their time will come. they deserve it!

  • tegami

    Thunder is Dara’s younger brother???? Well, I learned something new today. XD

  • G.

    If they take Mona Lisa as a jumping off point and head that way with their music, MBLAQ could be truly great.

  • Sara

    Never being one to post a return comment to any written piece, there was just a nagging that  had me coming back to this article and the ‘no individual talent’ statement Renie wrote. Being a fairly new fan of k-pop and from America you count on websites such as yours to be correctly informative, and up until this article I honestly, blindly followed your writers and respected there opinions on certain groups.
     Not having a certain bias group that I followed in k-pop I was continually looking for that ‘one’ that stood out among so many to chose from. MBLAQ became that group for me all  BECAUSE of the individual talent they posses, and to overlook this superior quality simply because MBLAQ brings all that individual artistic talent together to form what is distinctly MBLAQ is sad to me as a fan, not only for my bias but for others that may be overlooked as well. 

    • Meanie

      I agree. This also brings up something I have been wondering about. I’m from the U.S. and I’m older than probably the average readers on here, *cough*..*cough* 30. Which brings me to why MBLAQ stood out to me, and maybe why the average tween in Korea isn’t giving them as much love, their music can expand beyond the age limit of teens.  Another poster up ahead commented on the following that they are having outside Korea and being popular, I wonder on the scale of age what’s the average and if the older netizens are listening to MBLAQ.

      • Sara

        That would an be interesting poll. I too am older than a tween… LOL…29!  

      • A+forever

        im 28!! been and always love MBLAQ!! since the debut… i know winning is not every thing but..damn mblaq just work hard they need this!!!

      • jess1

        Haha! Late 20′s here, as well.

        :D

  • Lovelyjoonie

    Thank you so much for this article. It just made me smile. Thank you for your appreciation. They ARE Music Boys Live in Absolute Quality. That’s not something they just tried to match their letters with, it is actually who they really are. This upcoming album, “It’s War” will do amazing. Even if MBLAQ wins or not (even though we are fervently trying our best to give it to them) they will be the best among the best this time. I’m a hardcore A+, and I just want to give my boys everything, especially after seeing them in real life, up close, and just being frozen in awe. -AbsoluteMBLAQ.net/forums/

  • http://twitter.com/leyseven Olivey

    Oh. Oh my boys. They are so unique and like taking risks, that is what I truly, truly appreciate about them. When I first became familiar with kpop, I obsessed over groups like Suju and Shinee, but I can’t remember if I’ve ever been this obsessed about any group as I am about MBLAQ. They are so sweet (remember the article about them donating to charity anonymously since debut?, hardworking, talented (Yang leader alone has plenty) and yeah, plain funny. Cry, Mona Lisa (the whole mini album), Y… All of them unique and would’ve deserved so many wins from the audience. Luckily professionals have seen how great they are!
    …What a rant. Sorry, but I really had to let it out :_: MBLAQ and A+ hwaiting ~

  • blaqie

    they been winning A+ trophy alot this days!!! lets work hard A+ make this happen!!! 

  • Alma Bory

    MBLAQ is so cool becouse are unique in everyway!! I love MBLAQ!!!

  • whatthefrell

    I am in agreement with you 100%.
    I am a huge fan and feel they are one of the most unique
    yet under-appreciated groups in K-pop.
    I felt the same way about BlaqStyle, it is an exceptional album,
    especially when compared to other releases of the time.
    I could comment on them all damn day, but alas, I must work.
    I hope they do not give up or give in,
    before receiving the long overdue recognition they so deserve.
    I worry about them so much in that way.
    I was excited to hear they would be working with One Way.
    I have not yet heard “Scribble.”
    While looking forward to their next release.
    I hope those around them do not steer them wrong,
    and let them down.
    While I know they wanted to move from beneath the shadow of Rain,
    I felt they were the better for at least having him in their corner.
    MBLAQ fighting!

  • Anonymous

    actually they won for Y last year on M Countdown :)

  • boxb333

    i do think some of the members have crazy talents. mir rappin, go singing, and lee joon acting? must i not go on. i remember another seoulbeats article about mblaq that stated that go and mir blow water when it came to rapping and singing. wth. and yah they won on m countdown before and got first place on the oricon charts in japan. not just saying this cuz im bias but its true i really think their members are really talented but yet to find the one sing that will rocket them into fame

  • whatthefrell

    Okay…

    “Scribble,” though a good song,
    and Joonie, who never disappoints,
    just seemed to be lacking in terms of a comeback.
    The image concept released for these upcoming promotions,
    frankly, terrified me, guy-liner aside — feathers… really, is no one listening?
    However… the teaser released for “It’s War…”  
    OMG  awesome!
    I cannot wait…

    http://www.allkpop.com/2012/01/mblaq-reveals-mv-teaser-for-its-war

    • Meanie

      You know I saw the pics with the feathers, all I have to say is hopefully they give G.O. another outfit.  It does not look good for his body type, looks like something Joonie is more fitted for.  The concept reminded me of mad max beyond the thunderdome movie or some sort of post apocalyptic theme.  Question why does Joon always shoot up women? What’s going on with that? <side eye

      • whatthefrell

        “Question why does Joon always shoot up women?”
         
        LOL… I asked myself that same damn question!”
        However, they did say that the story in the “Y”
        video was ‘to be continued’.
         
        But seriously, the feathers have got to go.
         

  • Rhea

    I am pretty sure they have won #1 on M Countdown for “Y”. I dunno where else, if there’s any more..just wanna get the facts straight..^^

  • NomNomApple

    I don’t have much to say, honestly, but I think it’s partly because these companies have been engraving their “catchy (seriously? like – can you do better that this?) tunes” on our brains. It somehow irks me when people talk about BEAST, or when they compared them to MBLAQ, but it’s true; one is being overshadowed by the other. But – what? I do love Beast, but Cube is only focusing on “trying to be more famous”. Ugh. I really liked three of the songs of their last album, but the rest were no more than a “Meh” for me. Now, that I listen to the songs MBLAQ has, I can’t help but ask myself “Is the world blind?”. There’s a part of me that believes Jtune has bad timing – yes, they do. But there’s another part of me that believes the other groups are earning this “popularity” from young girls. I’m almost eighteen, and I do understand why they focus more on other people - with their mellow tunes, cutesy songs and too much “fanservice”, who wouldn’t?
    I love MBLAQ because they’re true to their roots, to themselves. They’re truly unique in so many ways. Lastly, I don’t think they lack skill. Seriously? Seungho has so many talents; have you seen him playing piano? Have you seen him doing all these crazy moves? He also sings pretty well, and he’s humble over all things. He once said “1st: Manners. 2nd: Manners. 3rd: Manners.”
    G.O… what can I say about him. He sings beautifully. Mir isn’t the best rapper in the world, but c’mon, you’ve got to admit he’s definitely good. Joon is skilled even when he hasn’t “Impresing” talents. Dude, have you heard about “Bodily-Kinesthetic and Interpersonal Intelligence”? (haha). Cheondoong is also good in many things. I personally don’t think “being over skilled” makes you somehow better. Dude, have you seen other groups? Only one or two are somehow outstanding; there rest, pure makeup.

  • Eva

    I totally agree with you… I would admit… shamlessly… that I don’t normally buy K-Pop albumssince they cost a lot when the shipping price is added :( and I always borrow my friends’ CD and put the songs in my iPod or just search for illegal copy in some shared-sitebut after I’ve heard couple of MBLAQ’s songs from my friend’s iPod… I just bought all of their albums available in the nearest import shop! I didn’t have this feeling for a long time… since Shinhwa’s 8th and 9th album and CSJH the grace’s ‘one more time, OK’ albumI really like their songs and I can listen to the whole album without skipping any songI’m always like that if I like the song, I would want to know who sings it.. so, yep, I have no idea how MBLAQ’s members look like before until their SONGS got my attention!They’re something and I hope they will win a lot of trophies this year..
    P.S. Lets vote for them on the ‘Global Fan Vote’ part on MCountdown! it’s 15%.. at least we should do something to help them will because in K-Pop world, those trophies mean something!

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/RN54ZXUCMNQ4TLQBQJU6GATDB4 Jammy Smoochie

    actually mblaq won with with “y” in m countdown. but that’s it.

  • emily kao

    i agree totally. i got into mblaq because of their uniqueness in the style of music they had. it was not your typical robotic “pop” music. i really like their style. rather than doing what everyone else is, they have their own style and i think that they deserve to win more attention. i sometimes don’t get why “some groups” would get awards for a disappointing song for like 9 weeks in a row. It just sucks sometimes when other groups win because of their popularity not because they really deserve it. and also the fact that it’s always said as Rain’s MBLAQ just annoys me. It’s like their using that to state something. Mblaq should just be Mblaq not labeled under someone else. but I loved “This is War” :) 

  • Anonymous

    The recent one they won was for “This is War”

  • http://twitter.com/thevezt18 thevez

    THEY’RE GETTING THERE JUST WAIT!

  • http://twitter.com/plushiesexual Angelina Dai

    Their recent comeback with This is War and Run have really done wonders for them I think though! Their dance talent especially I think really came through, and a fresh new fierce image which was awesome.