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| JYP’s Sad Freedom |
Orientation
December 29, 2009 |
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You can blame Park Jin Young for that inescapable bubblegum ditty stuck in your head, and the dancing frenzy that goes with it. The Korean singer-songwriter, also known as JYP, is the force behind trendy girl group Wonder Girls and their stellar hit, ‘Nobody.’ Two fast-rising groups in K-Pop today, 2PM and 2AM, are also part of his talent agency, JYP Entertainment. The past years saw him launch the career of singer Rain into full idol status, and contribute to the boyband hysteria with g.o.d at the turn of the new millennium.
Why are there so many hopefuls knocking at his door? Because there's nobody, nobody but JYP who can weave certifiable hits that become part of the K-Pop fabric, and Asian music in general. Before 2009 comes to an end, Park returns to his roots as he dons his own dancing shoes and takes the crooner stance for his mini-album, Sad Freedom.
Despite having his hands full as CEO and driving force behind JYP Entertainment, the Asian producer manages to create four new tracks and one remix. For the carrier song, ‘No Love No More,’ the electronica elements lend a fresh take to his trademark upbeat soul sound. He then winds it down with ‘Rewind’ and ‘Come Over,’ sticking close to his comfort zone of slow jams and seamless harmonies.
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The new release bears no surprise deviations from Park's musical tastes. Two of his timeless hits in the 90s, ‘Honey’ and ‘She Was Pretty’ are household names in K-Pop, with music fans from different generations remembering the funky vibes by heart, more so due to Park's bravado on the dance floor. Today, he shows some of that dancing mojo in his music video* for ‘No Love’ as he sings about broken promises, perhaps serving as an afterthought to his divorce early this year.
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JYP’s strong presence in Asian music definitely still shines, even after many challenges, such as letting go of prized artists in his stable and facing netizen attacks on one of his young wards. The Korean singer-songwriter continues to serve up grooves despite these setbacks. In the years to come, expect Park Jin Young to carry out his hitmaker duties with aplomb, again and again and again.
Rating: 4/5
- Felice Tusi
Link: http://www.myspace.com/jyparkjype
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