First Impression
“Even
so, I liked you for who you are. We were meant to meet like a destiny, because
from the start, we weren’t feel awkward with each other as if we were long-time
friend.” –Kim Gun Mo, First
Impression [translated lyrics]
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1st album cover by Kim Gun Mo - source: www.maniadb.com |
Kim
Gun Mo, penyanyi legendaris Korea Selatan ini telah melahirkan banyak lagu hits yang terbukti tak lekang dimakan
waktu dalam sejarah industri musik negeri ginseng tersebut. Lagu-lagu hits-nya pun telah sering ditampilkan
dalam program acara musik “Immortal Songs 2: Singing the Legend”, terlepas dari
edisi spesial yang menampilkan dirinya sebagai legenda. Salah satu lagu yang
paling banyak dibawakan adalah hits-nya
yang bertajuk “First Impression”. Hingga tulisan ini dibuat, “First Impression”
telah ditampilkan sebanyak tiga kali dalam program “Immortal Songs 2”. Yang
pertama adalah pada episode perdana, yaitu pilot
episode dengan tema “The Song of My
Life”, di mana lagu ini ditampilkan oleh Changmin, salah satu personel vocal group 2AM. Yang kedua adalah pada
bagian kedua dari edisi spesial Kim Gun Mo, yaitu episode 42, di mana lagu ini
dibawakan oleh rock band papan atas
Korea Selatan, No Brain. Yang ketiga adalah pada episode 134 yang merupakan
bagian pertama dari edisi spesial tahun baru 2014, “The Rival”, di mana lagu ini ditampilkan oleh Hyorin, vokalis utama
dari girl group Sistar.
“First Impression” is a
song about love at first sight; in which only possible to happen because of deep first impression. Everyone has their own personal preference
of someone that they might like, a
certain type that could attract their attention. But one day, this man meets
this girl. And this one girl is
different. She’s the polar opposite
of everything that he used to imagine about this girl. “I had imagined that
you would have long hair and wear a long skirt. But you had short hair and wore
torn jeans, that was my first impression of you. A quiet music was playing in
the room, and there was a rose on the table. You were leaning against that
white table, and your presence got me all flustered.” Somehow, that unique
appearance is the attractive charming point of this girl. Somehow, every move and gesture of her make him all nervous. At once, she got him. “Even so, I liked you for who you are. We were meant
to meet like a destiny, because from the start, we weren’t feel awkward with
each other as if we were long-time friend.” Suddenly
that meeting feels like a destiny. And
as they’re getting to know each other, the
more he is attracted to her. The same
easy-going personality, the similar
way of thinking, they belong to each
other. There’s no awkwardness and it
feels like they’ve been known each other for so long even though that is just
their first meeting. They’re
comfortable with each other since the beginning. And then he realizes, that
maybe this is love; love at first
sight. “I can read you just by looking into your eyes, you don’t need to
say anything. Perhaps this is what they call love, I fell in love with you at
the first sight.”
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Changmin ketika membawakan lagu "First Impression" pada program "Immortal Songs 2" episode 1 |
Dirilis
pertama kali pada tahun 1992, “First Impression” merupakan bagian dari album
debut Kim Gun Mo yang bertajuk “Picture Painted After Parting”. Produser dan
komposer ternama Kim Chang Hwan memproduksi dan mengomposisi sebagian besar
lagu dalam album tersebut. Versi original lagu ini merupakan lagu funky pop R n’ B dengan medium tempo. Campuran genre tersebut merupakan pelopor pada
zamannya, identik dengan image Kim
sebagai music trend-setter pada waktu
itu. Known as Stevie Wonder of South
Korea, with his unique voice, Kim is a singer with an irresistible charm
who represents the Generation X of the 90s. Pada dekade 90-an tersebut,
kejayaan Kim salah satunya ditandai dengan persaingannya dengan Shin Seung Hun,
the Emperor of ballad. They both are two legendary singers of the
90s with million-seing albums. Moreover,
they’re both partners and rivals.
Persaingan inilah yang kemudian menjadi latar belakang ditampilkannya lagu “First
Impression” pada episode 134, di mana lagu ini dibawakan oleh Hyorin, sementara
lagu hits milik Shin Seung Hun
dibawakan oleh Ailee. Just like Kim and
Shin back then, Hyorin and Ailee are
both partners and rivals.
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Hyorin ketika membawakan lagu "First Impression" pada program "Immortal Songs 2" episode 134 |
Hyorin
mengaransemen lagu “First Impression” menjadi sebuah lagu pop R n’ B dance dengan medium
tempo. Seperti biasanya, penampilannya jauh dari kata mengecewakan;
menonjolkan baik kemampuan vokal sekaligus dance
power Hyorin yang seksi dan memukau. Sedangkan pada episode 42, No Brain
dengan berani dan lantang menunjukkan sisi yang berbeda dari lagu “First
Impression” dalam performa mereka. Dengan aransemen gospel rock ballad, mereka mengusung konsep gothic dengan tema “Count
Dracula’s forbidden love at first sight”. Konsep ini adalah pertama kalinya
bagi No Brain. They turn the delightful
song into a cathedral song. They sing
as if the love is messed up and one sided. Like an outcry for the twisted and messed up love, their version of “First Impression”
encroaches our souls. Sementara itu, pada episode satu, Changmin membawakan
lagu ini dengan aransemen pop jazz
bossanova dengan medium tempo. Berbeda
dengan versi Hyorin yang dinamicly upbeat
dan versi No Brain yang menghentak-hentak, “First Impression” versi Changmin
jauh lebih kalem dan lembut.
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No Brain ketika membawakan lagu "First Impression" pada program "Immortal Songs 2" episode 42 |
Sebagai
catatan, episode perdana “Immortal Songs 2” mengudara pada tanggal 4 Juni 2011
di stasiun televisi KBS. Sementara itu, episode 42 ditayangkan pada tanggal 17
Maret 2012 di stasiun televisi KBS, serta pada tanggal 7 April 2012 di channel KBS World. Sedangkan episode 134
mengudara di stasiun televisi KBS pada tanggal 4 Januari 2014, serta di channel KBS World pada tanggal 25
Januari 2014. Dari seluruh versi yang ada, saya paling menyukai “First
Impression” versi remake oleh No
Brain, not to mention that I also adore
Kim Gun Mo’s original version. Aransemen rock ballad memang yang paling memenuhi selera saya dibandingkan genre musik lainnya. Terlebih lagi, No
Brain menampilkannya dengan luar biasa. Aksi panggung yang memukau dan penuh
percaya diri, ditambah aransemen musik yang tanpa cela dengan memanfaatkan
melodi dasar lagu “First Impression” yang memang sangat ear-catchy, they’re just
perfect. After all, it’s the power of the original song. “First Impression” indeed is an everlasting
hits that could always give pleasures to your ears.
“I can
read you just by looking into your eyes, you don’t need to say anything.
Perhaps this is what they call love, I fell in love with you at the first
sight.” –Kim Gun Mo, First
Impression [translated lyrics]
“Ginmeori ginchimareul
ibeun nan neoreul sangsanghago isseotjiman
(I
had imagined that you would have long hair and wear a long skirt)
Jjarbeun meorie jjijeojin
cheongbajiga neoui cheotinsangieosseo
(But
you had short hair and wore torn jeans, that was my first impression of you)
Joyonghan eumagi
heureugo jangmikkot hansongiga nohyeojin
(A
quiet music was playing in the room, and there was a rose on the table)
Hayan takjae
gidaeanjeun moseubi nal danghwanghage mandeureosseotji
(You
were leaning against that white table, and your presence got me all flustered)
Geureon nan nega
johasseo yaksokdoen mannamieosseulkkeoya
(Even
so, I liked you for who you are, we were meant to meet like a destiny)
Cheoeumbuteo aju oraen
chingucheoreom urin eosaekhami eobseosseunikka
(Because
from the start, we weren’t feel awkward with each other as if we were long-time
friends)
Nunbicheul bomyeon nan
al suga isseo amureon maldo pillyochi anha
(I
can read you just by looking into your eyes, you don’t need to say anything)
Ireonge ama
sarangilgeoya cheotnune banhaebeorin sarang
(Perhaps
this is what they call love, I fell in love with you at the first sight)”
Tags:
2am
changmin
first impression
hyorin
immortal songs 2
kim gun mo
kpop
music
no brain
sistar
television program
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