Post by Alie
B.A.P, the popular idols who filed a lawsuit regarding their artist contract with TS Entertainment in November of last year- and therefore halted promotions- have comeback with a stronger image after 1 year and 9 months.
B.A.P, at the end of 8 months of steady correspondence and sincere effort on their agency’s part were able to recover their trust and declare a return to the company.
The members, using their fans who must have been disappointed during that time as a source of strength have been working really hard to prepare a new album. At 3 in the afternoon on November the 15th B.A.P held the showcase for their 4th Mini Album ‘MATRIX.’
B.A.P may have suspended their activities for a while but their fans’ love hasn’t changed. At the showcase there were a total of 3000 fans including Koreans fans and fans from other countries such as Japan and China. However, as the concert hall capacity was only 2000 people the remaining 1000 were sadly unable to enter. Also, the fact that almost 30% of the fans on site were foreign fans proves B.A.P’s undying popularity abroad.
So, exactly how much of their previous talent did B.A.P who took a long break present to us? The members began by performing their debut song ‘WARRIOR’. Although the went up on stage looking slightly nervous they were were showing their old stage presence in no time.
After that they performed their the title track No mercy from their 1st first mini album ‘NO MERCY’ which is a strong hip-hop song that explores themes of social injustice. They also performed ‘EXCUSE ME’ from their third mini album ‘BADMAN’ showing us that B.A.P is still alive and well.
They began the showcase by telling the fans they missed them as words of greeting. “Although we had a lot of hard times in the past year and a half we were able to get through it due to our fans, while resting we forgot the feeling of being on stage so it feels so great to meet you here again,” in this way they relayed their feelings of happiness at coming back.
The highlight of today’s showcase was the order B.A.P’s new album title song ‘Young, Wild & Free’ was revealed. What the B.A.P members were feeling this moment were expressed with honest lyrics and song with ‘Even with the same hardships you can’t stop us’ ‘Even if the sun sets and the darkness comes we keep running’ the pompous spirit is shown in the song’s first half with a rough metal guitar sound. With a wild chorus and the main vocal’s DIST sound which was hard to find in earlier songs it was a strong point of B.A.P.
Leader Bang Yongguk said “During our rest I put a lot of worry into how to make this album. I don’t think there has been a youth that has spent their 20s eventfully like us” and “And I thought to make our story into a song. I thought this would be the best way to go for the fans”.
A lot of effort was put into the ‘Young, Wild & Free’ performance. Brand-name choreo team ‘Play Ilga’ and Global choreographer Keone Madrid had put their strengths together. Not just this, the group’s biggest performers member Jonghyun (tn: Jongup but mispelt) and Zelo has participated and created a choreography that was one and only. While it was flashy it also was a disciplined group dance and the compilation of flexible but also fatal performance has led everyone who watched to say “Definitely B.A.P!”
Even before the music video release, it has gotten lots of spotlight from articles for its’ large scale and high class quality. It is B.A.P’s story of the different challengers approaching the throne and in the end B.A.P snatches the victory flag.
At the showcase, besides the title song, the song all the members participated in writing lyrics for ‘Take You There’, illustrating the love thought to be the last and the break up ‘Blind’, expressing the youth’s joy and happiness as hope ‘Be Happy’ and others have been released. Especially when singing ‘Be Happy’ all the members of B.A.P showed the vibrant choreo with really happy expressions made the spectators happy as well.
Meanwhile this comeback show was shown live through Naver V App all over the world, and besides this there was a Matoki photozone, outdoor special stage and various events that gave big joy to the fans have been looking forward to B.A.P’s comeback.
©sports.chosun | trans cr; Tima&Nicole ; take out with full credit
