Disclaimer: I can't think like a producer or real pop-culture critic, I can only speak for myself or others based on forum feedback so don't take me too seriously. If you see this post as the be all end all of outsider perspective on K-pop etc etc, then you are a moron and should go back to kindergarten.
The group in question is Chocolat and their debut title song is Syndrome. I'm not gonna say anything about the song because I don't know anything about music and blah blah, so let's just talk about the video and live performances.
Because the agency seems only focused on introducing Tia. Let's talk about everything in terms of Tia (like algebra teehee!). But seriously, you see that girl with with the big eyes, small nose and fair skin? The one that the video opens with. Yeah in one with winged out eyeliner and a super bright inner corner highlight. Yes, of course you know her, because she's center and front in practically the ENTIRE video. I won't be surprised if someone actually bothered to do the math and arrived at the conclusion that Tia takes up 95% of the screen time.
It's not unusual for companies to use the ulzzang (best face/perfect face) of the group to as a strong visual draw for viewers. Look at SNSD, Yoona takes of centerstage a great deal even though she doesn't sing as much as Tiffany or dance as well as Hyoyeon. Humans are largely visual creatures so it's understandable if you wanna leave in their minds the impression that there's eye candy to be found in your group. But goodness, if you want to promote a GROUP you can't use one face so obviously much more than everyone else in the group that no one stays in front for more than a line. Tia danced through all the choruses in the front and that doesn't allow anyone else to leave an impression on the viewers.
And the live performances were pretty shit, I think. Tia is definitely a good dancer so far, as are the rest of them, but golly none of them can really sing live apart from Jaeyoon. Compared to the other rookie groups of 2011 like X-5 (my favourite) and B1A4 who both perform live wonderfully, Chocolat reminds me of Dal Shabet another rookie girl group who has been bashed several times for doing shit live performances cos everything is lip-synced and the parts they do sing are horribly off-tune.
From reading the comments on AllKpop, all this focus on Tia has already created her a reputation for being "full of herself" or thinking that "she's all that" even though the girl hasn't actually done her public interview! It's not a positive light to place her in and perhaps all this emphasis placed in her as the major group visual might cause her to inadvertently become self-important because she is after all only 14, by most standards fairly impressionable. This does not bode well for their public image.
And just as a little side note, I laughed a bit at the English in the lyrics cos there's a line "fill me up" that perhaps due to the Korean accent, sounds like "feel me up". Setting aflame the heart of all pedophiles, these girls. And the dance didn't remind me of anything until I saw a comment on youtube which said some about armpit washing (watch the chorus TROLOLOL)
My overall take: The debut song is super catchy and the visual and I honestly believe Tia isn't the only one worth looking at. I want more of Melanie, Jaeyoon, Soa and Julliene as well, so that I can warm up to their group identity and not see it as Tia ft. the Chocolats.
I thought this was quite fun, should I do more video reviews?
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