[theqoo] IZM'S SCORE FOR IU'S "KKOT-GALPI, PT.3"

Although I clearly left the bookmark where I had stopped reading, perhaps because I’m reopening it after a long time, I no longer remember the pages I had already passed. The book has grown too thick to easily start again from the beginning. Even deciding where exactly to resume isn’t clear-cut.
Is it because I’ve grown intoxicated by the steady acclaim as a “national singer”? Or is it a hasty ambition to extend the analog halo of the popular drama “You’ve Been Completely Fooled” in which I starred? Probably neither.
And yet, it’s hard to argue against such interpretations, because the identity of the series has faltered having lost its sense of direction within increasingly fragile music.

At its core, this project is about selection, interpretation, and presentation. And the public reads the silent modifier that comes before those three words: “in IU’s own way.” The fact that this project could carry such weight even in a burdensome context is thanks to its clear artistic lineage.
[...]
Likewise, songs like “Pierrot Smiles at Us” and “Dream of a Summer Night” stood out through elegant reinterpretations of the originals, while reaffirming the foundation of Korean pop through names like Kim Kwang-seok, Kim Hyun-sik, Jung Mi-jo, and Sanulrim.

That was IU’s own language imbued with the aura of a young master.
Even though “Kkot-Galpi #2” leaned more into showcasing vocals and less into rearrangement compared to its predecessor, its powerful singing and thoughtful curation still carried the thread forward. The gaps in concept were bridged by intention and execution aligning well enough.
But this time, things are different.
The established grammar is gone. So is any new gesture.
Among the tracks chosen, some among the most recent in the series’ timeline, there isn’t even a trace of the original performers. Just a sense of loss.

A mega-hit like “Never Ending Story” brings a built-in sense of comfort across generations, but it's inevitably a choice with little room for reinvention. In fact, it stays so faithful to the ingrained memory that it shows no will to be reassembled.
And then there’s the fact that the original belongs to Lee Seung-chul. Comparisons, even if unwanted, are now unavoidable.
Likewise, “Square’s Dream” and “Last Scene” fail to rise beyond these limitations, falling short of Yoo Young-seok’s energy and Cho Won-sun’s elegance.
Even “October 4th,” placed in the middle, merely revisits “Sogyeok-dong” through the lens of Seo Taiji’s sensibilities.
There’s no space left here for the vocal texture of Wonstein, the guitar of Lee Sang-soon, or the arrangements of SUMIN and Slom.

The collaboration with alternative K-pop group Balming Tiger on “Beauty” aims at Gen Z with an electronic texture that buries the essence of the original. Member sogumm makes a brief appearance at the end, catching the eye, but without offering any notable impact.
Ironically, this track ends up standing out simply because the other five don’t escape the vanity of sounding like “IU’s karaoke.” If you liked this song, chances are you were already a fan of Balming Tiger.
But for anyone outside that core demographic, its accessibility and execution fall short—highlighting the fragmented direction of the once-coherent Kkot-Galpi series.

IU, who has worked nonstop year after year, bears no obligation to revive the great songs of past generations or introduce today's talented newcomers.
And that’s fair.
But what we are left with feels like a hasty sprint that’s forgotten how to pause.
If this was a decision driven by duty, it’s no different from wearing ill-fitting clothes without preparation, out of habit. There’s no need to accept criticism about this being a blatant sequel to a retro drama.

A rest note isn’t a command to play differently, it’s a reminder to take a breath before the next beat.
What IU needs now is a new breath.
She’s already past the stage where quantity matters.

original post: here

1. The album really sucked

2. If you heard what the original songs sounded like, her album just sounded weird

3. It was just an IU album, but it was boring

4. I liked it though ㅠㅠㅠㅠ Please keep doing it..

5. Maybe she's doing it right after her hit with When Life Gives You Tangerines? But even her homage to Christmas in August MV was so so...

6. It was disappointing, me too I've stopped listening to itㅠㅠ

7. I feel like the critic was quite positive in comparison to how it was..

8. I agree with the critic

9. The song arrangements all felt so boring

10. I do agree that there's not a single memorable song here..

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