The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 410

I knew at some point in this countdown series that I would get a chance to completely love on one of my favorite performances of MBLAQ’s Smoky Girl . . . ever. The 26 June 2013 MBC Music Picnic Live performance was probably about as sultry and steamy as that summer day (it reach 86°F/30°C…I checked) itself. Once again a group effort back by a live band, there were still some delicious G.O standout moments nevertheless which give me rise to place the Picnic Live performance of Smoky Girl securely in the Vocal Virtuosity category. It is Day 410 and perhaps a bit sinful to get this steamy for Sunday, but I cannot help myself. And really, the steam comes early and cools off into an energetic and fun upbeat version of this killer song.~.^

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 409

The agony of that moment when the tease of yet another western R&B song slips into the infinite and we are left wondering, what if . . . This is how I feel when I watch a backstage moment with Tykeys where G.O not only showed his playful maknae side, he also revealed how deep, lush and expansive his playbook of western songs truly was (is) when he teased with a couple lines from Craig David’s Walking Away.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 408

Mmmmmmm . . . sexy Sexy Beat, how I do love to revisit thee. The music, the style, and the drop dead gorgeous that is G.O, all of it a feast for the senses. For this Fan-Camming Friday, I turn to the fantastic editing skill of the mysterious MemenGO. In June 2013, MBLAQ was blazing hot and ferociously promoting their fifth mini album, Sexy Beat. During that steamy summer month, the men gave fans 7 glorious fan signs (Ilsan, Yeongdeungpo, Jongno, Yeouido, Sinchon, Incheon and Yongsan). Masternim MemenGO’s fan cam mix that I share today contains those moments captured at the June 15-16 and June 21-22 fan signs.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 406

Tonight 우리 사이 어떻게 하죠
[Tonight, what do we do about our relationship?]
자꾸 화만 내는 그대가
[You keep getting mad]
이제는 더 지쳐 가네요
[And I’m getting tired of it now]
나는 정말 어떡해요 난
[What should I do?]

These are words I would think no one would ever want to hear from their beloved. It is a pierce to the heart alone hearing them from G.O; yet, he is dutifully in charge of those lyrics in the lithe and rhythmic break up song, 우리 사이 [Our Relationship], from MBLAQ’s masterpiece 6th mini album, Broken. Even though it is heartbreaking for me to hear G.O sing these words, my ears incessantly argue with my heart. G.O’s vocals are mellifluous and flawless, with his improvisational runs particularly beautiful. With that, even though this is a gorgeous group effort, I still place it squarely in the G.O Vocal Virtuosity category here on the countdown.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 404

I cannot possibly be the only one who routinely loses my emotional balance when I listen to G.O sing the songs of the musical, 광화문 연가 [Gwanghwamun Sonata]. While writing an original musical (story, music composition and lyrical content) is an amazing creative feat, there is something equally as magical as picking and choosing well-established songs of a composer and building a story around those songs. This fascinates me. I admit that my imagination runs wild with the thought of examining the songs G.O has penned to see if a story can be set to those songs. But, I am getting way ahead of myself here. So let me pull the reins a bit and get back to the focus of this post: Lee Young Hoon’s beautiful and haunting ballad 슬픈 사랑의 노래 [Sad Love Song] from Gwanghwamun Sonata. Continue reading “The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 404”

The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 403

One of the many recurring themes and/or thoughts I have shared in quite a few blog posts I have written about G.O has been that you can set any song in front him and he will be able to sing it. And not just sing it, he will feel it. Or better yet, absorb it by allowing it to mix and mingle with his own history, experiences and emotions. So then, it does not surprise me that he gave a Celine Dion song a try. No, it does not surprise me at all.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 402

Just tell me how . . . how I can rid my heart of this pain? Just tell me how, how did I not see the love right here in front of me? Just tell me how, how it is that I have only seen you as a friend? Just tell me how, how is it that I love you now? This seems to be the running theme of Tykeys’ gospel-infused R&B song, 말해버려 [Just Tell Me], one of my absolute favorite cuts on the incredibly rich and neo-soulifric Ty Project No. 1. Every song on this wonderful album that features G.O’s expressive and impassioned vocals is a Vocal Virtuosity moment and I am thrilled to have the time to expose all of them before he concludes his military service.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 400

Happy 400th Day of G.O’s service!! Four hundred days . . . can you even believe it?! Honestly, the time is moving so quickly. Before we know it, G.O will be discharged and his military service complete. For this day, which actually on my countdown calendar is a G.O One Shot day, I want to share the ethereal fan art of Woorugo, particularly her Prince Ho Dong series she has entitled Believe. Her renditions are simply breathtaking.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 399

Three years ago today G.O made his Korean musical stage debut with his first performance as the troubled pansori artist Dong Ho in the haunting musical Seopyeonje. I cannot believe it has been three years. Oh how I would love to see this musical revived again with G.O returning to reprise his role as Dong Ho. For the moment, I will simply hold on to that dream while revisiting G.O’s first curtain call on the Seopyeonje stage on this 399th day of his service.

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The Soulful Countdown to G.O’s Discharge ~ Day 398

Many things must be going on atmospherically that we are not even aware of. For example, the biorhythms of the Earth must be tilting in the favor of every single one of G.O’s fans across the globe for I was certain he would pause updating his SNS after the generous offerings he shared in the month of February. But G.O is making it easy for us to keep expectations high. He continued to add to his Boyfriend Pic Selca Series library into March. OMG! I am not complaining, mind you. I’m not going to lie. It will be very easy to become accustomed to these surprise selca attacks. His generosity poured over into March when on the 10th, G.O updated his Instagram account once again with yet another selca. Oh my . . .

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