Kpop Music Video: Day 25
Step by Kara under DSP Media
So after I put out my most recent 10 about, I realized that I had never put out a Kara video as a Music video day. This was upsetting to me as I feel that they are a strong band that had a lot of impact on the Korean market, and still continue to make bank in Japan. They are a 5 member group that debuted in 2007 and had their first major hit “Honey” in 2009. However, most of their success came from Japan, where they were the first foreign female group to have a number 1 hit on the first week since the creation of the Oricon charts. They also won New Artist of the Year award from the Japanese Golden Disk awards. I think that this may have been the reason they gained popularity:
The girls have grown up since this gif, taken from the song Mister (which I can only find in Japanese for some reason) and you can check out my 10 about if you’d like to see how much. However, Step seems to be a great merger between the image that Kara had then, and Kara has now. Kara in the beginning was very bubblegum pop, cute in a very Jpop inspired way as opposed to the SNSD route. I feel now they have a more mature feel, not necessarily sexy, just older. Step seems to be the last song from that old “cute” style of thinking and it allowed half of the members to remain cutsy while others could be sexier and more intense. The girls as shown in the Step video:
Now the song is absurdly catchy, and I think the video (which is a version of SM’s box videos hit with a Dr. Seuss color palette) is great at showing off the decent parts of the song. While this isn’t the butt dance from Mister, the hip sway is super sexy and super easy to replicate. Honestly, the fan dance-ability to this song is really high and that’s one of the great things about it. You mean I can stick my hands up in the air and jump up and down and then wave them from side to side and I’m doing it right? Awesome! Also, it’s a series of close ups and group dances, but the way they stage the “different clothing scene” is like a weird version of a street party, so it attempts to relax the feeling that they’re trapped in the box. In this, they own the box, it is their home and they invite their friends for dance parties. (This is further corroborated by Pandora, when someone opens the box and peers into their world. It’s a glass box, just look from the outside; don’t be a creeper.)
I also say that the girls are allowed to be more than just the kawaii idols from videos past, because even though the girls are all doing cutsy things, it’s hard for Nicole not to come off as sultry, and for Gyuri not to be the sexy unni (even if you’re older than her, because she looks mature). But most notable for me, Goo Hara is one of the most distinctive faces in Kpop. Her facial structure is razor sharp and her eyes can be so laser focused sometimes that I think she’s going to come out of the computer and discipline me. DSP, sexy librarian outfit. Make it happen.
They’re currently going through a ‘scandal’ to which I say, “honestly, what group’s aren’t going through a scandal?” Korea seems to expect their idols to be completely perfect, and I think that’s due to the highly competitive nature of the business over there. Goo Hara was one of the very few idols who was open about her relationship with another Kpop star, and she got alot of flack for it, especially when they broke up (which contributed to the current scandal). Kara in the past has also gone through a contract dispute, but they actually successfully resolved it with their company.
Anyway this is one of my most scatterbrained reviews, but I think that it’s the best I’ve got considering the blood loss from all the nosebleeds. Kara is one attractive group, this is a great song, and you should watch it. The end.
❤ Rebecca
Kpop for Noobcakes 
“STEP” is that K-Pop gateway drug of which there are no returns. Toss up between this one and “Lupin” for my favorite Kara song. Also, now I can’t get the idea of a sexy librarian Hara out of my head (and I’m not sure if I want it to).