The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 352

It is difficult to come by definitive and clear facts regarding everything there is to know about Tykeys. And I suppose that is all well and fine because what we do have in way of pictures and video prove to me that they were an incredibly talented neo-soul R&B sensation that simply did not get the recognition they deserved. However bad the situation was when things ended for the group, it does not take away from the fact that they gave us some incredible music in one amazing album. For this 352nd day of G.O’s service, (and Fan-Camming Friday day), I share a moment of solo work from those early days. A clip of our soulful crooner backed by a live band singing one of his favorites, Wildflower.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 350

I suppose it is rather obvious that I have been having deep (and perhaps emotional) longing to travel back in time to the spring of 2014 when everything seemed to be wonderfully in place for both G.O in his independent pursuits on the musical stage, as well as with MBLAQ as they settled into promoting their 6th (and truly brilliant) mini album, Broken. I left Seoul in mid-April of that year after a lengthy stay, and therefore missed the impromptu meet & greet G.O held in the lobby of the Universal Arts Theater on 5 May 2014. I was momentarily disappointed when I learned of that meet & greet, but that dissipated quickly as I reminded myself how fortunate I was in any event to have experienced not only G.O’s amazing fan service, but his incredible performance in 서편제 [Seopyeonje]. It is Day 350 and seems like a great day to celebrate G.O’s Fabled Fan Service as he met with fans back on that sunny day in early May.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 349

It is pretty clear if you peruse the past 348 posts contained in this countdown series thus far that you could easily deem the majority of them as being nostalgic. With the exception of any that pertain to G.O’s actual enlistment and profile and/or selca picture updates that came thereafter, the series is kind of a retrospective on G.O’s career. Lately, I have been feeling particularly nostalgic for 2014 and I guess it is with good reason. The year 2014 was particularly meaningful for me as it was during that year I fell squarely (and safely) into one true bias land having discovered the irrepressible talent and charisma of G.O. It was my good fortune that not only was G.O prepping to hit the musical stage, MBLAQ was about to make a comeback with the release of their 6th mini album, Broken.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 348

How did I manage to come this far into this countdown series without talking about MBLAQ’s Cry MV?! Shame on me!!^^ This was after all the very first MBLAQ MV I ever viewed. As such, it holds some really special meaning. Not only that, from a purely visual and artistic standpoint, it is nothing short of electrifying. Day 348 of this countdown would be otherwise unremarkable indeed. But taking the time here today to revisit the visual splendor of G.O in the Cry MV pushes it to the forefront of perhaps being one of my favorites as we begin this new year inching towards discharge day.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 339

I honestly do not believe I could have envisioned a better special stage than the one G.O was given during MBLAQ’s Men In Blaq concert, back in August 2011. From a visual perspective when I watch it, my first thought is always . . . my god, a star was so being born at that moment. The romantic stage backdrop, the soft lights, the elevated platform and G.O’s angelic voice were all breathtaking. G.O’s stage during that tour featured his first digital single, 내 꿈에서라도 [Even In My Dreams], and is the perfect frame and foundation for today’s Vocal Virtuosity moment on this 339th day of our amazing main vocal’s service.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 336

Every moment G.O has the opportunity to sing will always have a place here in this countdown series and will generally find its way into the Vocal Virtuosity archives. Every single one. But I admit there will always be some moments that stand out much like the one I share today where G.O turns a ballad into a tender lullaby in his rendition of Hurricane during a January 2010 visit to the Volume Up radio show.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 335

I truly am of the firm belief that there is a time, season and reason for all things that happen in our lives. I still remember so clearly Lee Joon’s words during one of the Curtain Call shows back in November 2014 where he said that even brushing against someone’s shoulder is one’s karma. It may sound all granola breath and tree huggy, but I think that he (like me) believes in the power and force of the universe and how our lives play into and are affected by it, including the people we meet and come in contact with. This is perhaps why I completely missed falling heart first into the G.O vortex before he released either of his digital singles, and most notably, Play That Song. I wasn’t ready. But I came close, for it was by early December 2013 that I was on the road to G.O-ville. All things for a reason.^^ For our G.O One Shot today, I steal a moment from the mini Play That Song MV, in .gif form.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 332

G.O officially has under 400 days left in his military service!! Yes, we have dipped below 400 on this 332nd day ~ he has 399 days remaining and in thirty-four days, he will complete the first of his two year enlistment. To say I am excited is an understatement. I don’t want to exhaust my celebration tank just yet. Inasmuch as I would love to give some G.O treasures away, it seems (at least by the lack of interest for the One Mirror A Month giveaway) that idea might be better coinciding with completion of one year. But wait, that’s right . . . I will have an announcement on 18 February 2017 (the one year anniversary of his enlistment), if you remember reading this ~~~> post. In the meantime, let’s just take a moment to celebrate with G.O on this small, yet commemorative day.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 279

There was much sadness surrounding the recording and subsequent release of MBLAQ’s 7th mini album, Winter. This is undeniably true. That sadness however does not overshadow the absolute beauty of the four original tracks on the album and, in particular, the poignancy in the quiet and tender ballads contained therein. I love this album. Even when it breaks me with every listen. Even when I cannot hold back my tears. It is exquisite for it contains my favorite G.O-written and composed song 봄여 름 가을 그리고 . . . [Spring Summer Autumn And . . .]. For Day 279 however, I want to focus attention on another song from Winter, the Cheondung-penned 괜찮을 거란 그 말 [Words That Make It Okay]. I am on a Vocal Virtuosity tirade as of late because frankly, G.O needs more and continued recognition for his talent and artistry as a vocalist. Inasmuch as G.O’s voice is at its premier emotional best on all of the Winter tracks, his verse work, improvs and ad libs in 괜찮을 거란 그 말 are particularly noteworthy.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 268

You’re my dream, you’re my soul, you’re my reason . . .

We all know G.O has a magnificent voice and can sing. We tell him over and over. He has been reminded of it by the many legends he covered during his time gracing the Immortal Song 2 stage, and was equally commended by all who heard him perform in his three musicals as well as most recently during his stint on King Of Masked Singer. The man has a beautiful voice. Still, with all of the accolades, he probably remains one of the most underrated vocalists in Korean popular music. So yeah, I am working on changing that.

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