Jumping + Popping = Jopping.
As a K-Pop fan, I was incredibly excited by the announcement of SuperM and their to-be titled single “Jopping.” Despite the unusual amount of negativity they received, before even debuting no less, I was actually fond of the idea of a supergroup consisting of SM’s aces. If you aren’t familiar, the group consists of NCT 127’s Taeyong and Mark, WayV’s Ten and Lucas, EXO’s Baekhyun and Kai, and SHINee’s Taemin.
Yeah, SM wasn’t playing around this time.
I kept an open mind throughout their initial promotions. You see, I had high expectations for the group because I knew SM would do everything in their power to ensure the group’s success. And when the teasers started popping up in my YouTube recommendations, I was more than ready for SuperM’s debut. Also, that amazing unboxing video? Worth it just to hear Ten’s fantastic commentary.
But I digress.
Anyway, at 11:59 on a warm Thursday evening, I sat in my living room full of anticipation as I watched the live countdown for their music video. When it finally started playing, I was immediately sold because I could tell SM put a lot of time, money, and energy into making this act work. And work it did because the video reminded me more of a legitimate superhero film and I am a HUGE fan of Marvel and comic books.
The music? Absolutely awe-inspiring. I immediately thought of the Avengers when the song first started playing which is quite fitting if the group is intent on calling themselves “The Avengers of K-Pop.” Nonetheless, the refrain is my favorite part of “Jopping.” Baekyhun’s falsetto vocals mixed with an enthralling combination of the other members’ background vocals encouraged me to hum along even though I was hearing the song for the first time.
My ears were greatly pleased.
And the visuals? These guys know what they’re doing and they know how to create eye-catching choreography. Additionally, the video itself had some really stunning cinematography. The budget for this video had to be out of this world. Not that other K-Pop groups don’t also invest heavily in their videos, but this one just screamed action movie. Like, I would wager a guess that SM put a great sum of money into the video’s production. But it was a solid investment because it pairs so well with the song.
As for the members themselves, there were several highlights for me. Ten’s dance break? Wonderful. Mark’s rapping? It only gets better and better each time he enters the recording studio. Baekhyun? High notes on point. Kai and Lucas? They decided to step up their game and it truly proved to be one of their best performances. And, of course, Taeyong was spectacular as always, proving that he may be one of the best rappers active in the industry.
I also took the liberty of immediately downloading the album from Itunes, and I have to say that I genuinely enjoyed the other songs the group has to offer. Unlike “Jopping,” most of the other songs are strictly sung in Korean which is perfectly fine by me. Actually, I was really surprised when I finally figured out that “Jopping” is mostly performed in English. Not that I’ll complain about that, but I understand that only Mark’s native language is English, so this just adds another layer to their debut single.
In conclusion, “Jopping” is a superior K-Pop song and quite possibly the best of the year. I’ll even willingly put it against other hits like “Boy with Luv” or “Eclipse.” Well, I know I can say that objectively because I don’t really consider myself as anything more than a casual fan of multiple different groups. This is actually way better because I can totally appreciate the efforts of these idols as they put their hearts and souls into making the best music they can offer.
As a fan, I can truly appreciate the wonders that 2019 has brought K-Pop listeners.
I’m excited for what has yet to come.
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