Back in 2010, Core Contents Media debuted a group with a rarely seen member line up in K-pop. This group, Co-ed School, was comprised of 10 members: 6 guys and 4 girls. After three singles, the group went to hiatus and returned to the public in the form of two subunits: Speed comprised of the males, and F-ve Dolls comprised of the females. While Speed only made their debut earlier this year, F-ve Dolls had debuted as a subunit back in 2011 with “Lip Stain” and “It’s You.”
Since then, the group, like several CCM groups as of late, have undergone member changes. Original member, Soo-mi, left the group and was replaced by Na-yeon. In addition, Chan-mi left the group and was replaced by Shannon. Shortly after, a trainee, Choi Ji-hyun, joined the group. However, by the time the teaser pictures for their Soulmate #1 comeback came, the line-up was completely different. Gone were Shannon and Ji-hyun and included was a new member, Seung-hee, and The Seeya’s member, Yeon-kyung who would promote as a member of both groups.
And now, they are in the midst of their follow-up promotions with First Love. When a group under CCM has a comeback, there is always an underlying expectation of a certain quality of MV. After all, T-ara has multiple MVs that feature a drama plot within and brother group, Speed, debuted with two drama MVs that combined equaled to 30 minutes. With that in mind, just how did F-ve Doll’s two MVs fare for this comeback?
The first MV to be released was “Can You Love Me?” which featured T-ara N4’s newest member, Dani.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6HCV5uJgmY]
It’s a fairly simple MV and is comprised of two parts: the obligatory dancing shots and the girls hanging on swings. Like the MV, the song is fairly simple and nothing stands out. There are no soaring vocals, there is no outstanding member with a voice that is different from everyone else. In fact, no one even stands out visually.
A question that needs to be asked is if Dani was really needed? From what I can tell, the rappers of F-ve Dolls could have handled her fairly simple rap part. In fact, Dani was incorporated throughout the whole MV and was highlighted. During the swings scenes, she was sitting on a raised platform. In fact, her clothes may have been of the same theme, but there was always something to make her stand out. One particular outfit set was when the girls were in plaid, Dani was wearing this unflattering green and black plaid.
That they highlighted and incorporated her so much seems as if CCM is disregarding F-ve Dolls. There was nothing memorable with this MV except…well, Dani was highlighted. That she overshone F-ve Dolls — the actual artists coming back — made this seem like another ploy for CCM to bring Dani into the main T-ara line up.
This MV was overall bland. But when you compare it to the next MV, “Deceived,” then “Can You Love Me?” was a simulating MV.
Because “Deceived” is a poor excuse of an MV.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQRpnCjAnao]
For those who want a summary, let me give it to you in one sentence. The six members sit down in this ugly sweater and jumper combination that flatters no one and sing to the camera. That’s it. The end. That is all we get from the MV. While yes, I know that it isn’t needed for MVs to be simulating and be adventurous, but couldn’t CCM at least try?
There is just so many things wrong with this comeback. From the bland songs to the equally bland MV, F-ve Dolls are the epitome of a throw away group. It’s as if someone in management decided that since F-ve Dolls won’t make any profit anyway but they still have to promote them due to contractual duties, let’s give the girls a low budget for their MVs and let them sink. In fact, I can’t wrap my head around the fact that CCM shelled out two equally unimaginative MVs. One of them was just of the girls sitting and singing a monotonous song! A better thing to have done was to use whatever little money was used for that MV for “Can You Love Me?” to make it have a more visually exciting atmosphere.
While we can say all we want about CCM and their bad management of their artists, they almost always comes back with quality MVs. Sadly, this is not the case for both F-ve Dolls MVs. All the budget is obviously going to be used for T-ara’s upcoming comeback and nothing could save these two lackluster MVs. “Can You Love Me?” was slightly better and gets a 1.5 out of 5. But “Deceived” was an atrocity and gets a 0.5 out of 5 in my book.
(Core Contents Media, YouTube)
