I’m glad that finally 2PM was back performing in year end’s music festival on TV stations. It’s one way to prove that somehow they’re still relevant in Korean music industry. Having the chance to appear in three major TV stations, they didn’t start it smoothly during KBS Gayo Daejun. However, then things turned out well and they ended the year in a grand way. So here’s what I think about each performance. Do note that it’s my personal opinion, and you’re always welcome to share your own!
2PM’s stage in KBS is my least favourite because it seems to me it’s not prepared properly. Outfit-wise, the blue ombre shirt is gorgeous but to me being good-looking on stage isn’t enough for 2PM. I’ve never doubted their talent and hard-work; however, their performance this time disappoints me. I cringed when watching it for the first time. Didn’t bother to see it again but ended up doing it to confirm my first impression. Still didn’t like it, unfortunately.
The idea for the opening was actually promising, yet it’s not executed well. There were many so many dancers wearing the white suits on stage, blending with 2PM members. If Wooyoung’s hair hadn’t been dyed like that, I wouldn’t have recognized him. Just like I said previously, the concept was actually nice but with so many people there it looks messy to me. Furthermore, the timing in some parts were not right, like when they had to open or close the door.
But the main problem is the transition of the beat. It’s not smooth my friend even thought the song had stopped accidentally in the middle! There were some unnecessary seconds there, which shouldn’t have happened. The remixed R&B version was good though! The additional choreography for A.D.T.O.Y wasn’t bad yet not new. I spotted some movements from Missing You there, guys~ Then the performance ended just like that. No surprise, no wow at all. “Gitu doang?!” This expression in Indonesian is probably the most suitable to describe what I felt.
Small things also somehow annoy the hell out of me, such as Jun K was too busy folding up his sleeves he missed the choreography and Taecyeon was struggling with his tie during the first verse. I could go on and on complaining about this KBS performance. Let’s just move on with the SBS stage then.
There’s a soft spot in my heart for orchestra, so when I saw how they arranged A.D.T.O.Y in orchestra version, I immediately fell in love. Added with a choir, things were even more grand. Their choice to perform Heartbeat in SBS was doubtful at first since it’s from 2009. A website even commented that this song choice may signify the end of 2PM’s glory days. In the end I laughed silently at them because 2PM’s performance in SBS was mind-blowing to me!
I think Heartbeat was chosen so that the transition from one song to another would be smooth. Heartbeat and A.D.T.O.Y are similar in terms of atmosphere so it’s a correct choice to connect the two songs. On SBS stage, 2PM performed Heartbeat almost flawlessly due to the fact that they’ve done it so many times. What’s interesting to me is that no matter how many times they’ve performed it, Heartbeat performance always looks massive to me. The choreography is always sharp, intense and precise. It’s too bad Chansung had a microphone problem at the beginning.
The orchestra version of A.D.T.O.Y was majestic and the song became even more powerful. I actually shed some tears when listening to it for the first time (partly because of the PMS). They also elevated the choreography to the new level by using a different kind of chair. They used the wheels of the office chairs to move and turn around, which would have been challenging if they hadn’t calculated the movement of the wheels. The office chair also seems to send the message like who’s the boss here hahaha. And I can’t comprehend why the part when their point finger slowly traced the chair could look so dang sexy! I guess that’s 2PM’s strength, either with or without any shirt on, they can make many fangirls swoon.
The outfit got an A from me. The colour was classy and mature, and it looks good on them (especially on Wooyoung since his hair colour matches the outfit in a peculiar way). The outfit also brought a certain visual effect when they turned their backs to the audience during A.D.T.O.Y’s reffrain.
The thing that bothers me a bit is that Wooyoung was too striking in this performance. Don’t get me wrong. If you know me you know how much I love him, but his presence was too strong it kinda covered the other members’ aura. The camera adored him too much it gave him too many shots. Also, his voice cracked everytime he began his parts. I can’t help but chuckling everytime I listen to it.
The last stage was in MBC and they did save the best for the last! They took a brave decision to leave out the chairs in A.D.T.O.Y and finally exposed their *ehm* abs again after a long time. Not saying that the abs was the most important element but it did make the performance tastier, right? I dig the part when Junho first appeared on stage alone then one by one Taecyeon and Chansung came, followed by the three. I really appreciate their effort to design three different choreographies for the three music festivals. Unfortunately, this one in MBC lasted too short while I actually wanted to see more of the new choreography.
If they wore blue in KBS and red in SBS, they decided to go black in MBC. Black never goes wrong for 2PM, and it’s totally the best colour for A.D.T.O.Y performance. Although Jun K’s velvet sweater isn’t really my thing and it looks cheap on the camera, it’s still acceptable. You know what’s not acceptable in this performance? Wooyoung’s fake tan. The tan doesn’t go with his hair colour, only making him look like an LA surfer kinda guy.
If you listen to Grown, I’m sure that there were times when you asked why Game Over hasn’t been promoted. It’s a mighty song and very 2PM for its angst and toughness. Thankfully, they listened to our demand and finally performed Game Over on television. They brought the shields to the stage and just blew us away. It’s obvious how they all gave all their best in Game Over. Special mention should go to Jun K (for his amazing voice) and Taecyeon (for his powerful expression). The movement of the shields was smooth, and not only as a mere property, the shields help in making the overall performance strong and striking.
They didn’t do any new arrangement for Game Over, which is understandable since they rarely perform this, not like A.D.T.O.Y. The only thing that I object from this performance is the VCR at the background. It’s already crowded on stage and it only made things visually messy (especially when the camera took a long shot).
All in all, 2013 was an unforgettable year for Hottests. Their idols are finally back, ready to conquer the scene again. Although the result might not be as pleasing as expected, I’m convinced that the boys have learned so much. Arena Tour, Genesis of 2PM, one and even maybe two Korean albums: we have so many things to anticipate in 2014. This is gonna be an exciting year indeed!
The recap of my writings on 2PM in 2013:
Review on Grown
Review on Kimi no Koe
Review on Winter Games
2PM’s Hidden Gems
3 Favourite Videos
On Junho’s appearance in Cold Eyes
Review on 23, Male, Singles
2PM’s solo stages in Tokyo Dome
Confettis of words 