Season of Glass (EP) explained

Season of Glass
Type:ep
Artist:GFriend
Cover:Season of Glass cover.jpeg
Length:14:55
Next Title:Flower Bud
Next Year:2015

Season of Glass is the debut extended play (EP) by South Korean girl group GFriend. It was released by Source Music on January 15, 2015 and distributed by KT Music. The album contains three songs, including the single "Glass Bead", and two instrumental tracks. The album peaked at number nine on the Gaon Album Chart and has sold over 10,000 units. GFriend promoted the album with a series of televised live performances on South Korea's music shows. Their debut was often compared to Girls' Generation's debut, with the music and choreography of "Glass Bead" being reminiscent of "Into the New World".

Release and promotion

In November 2014, Source Music announced the upcoming debut of their first girl group, named GFriend. On January 5, the whole group was unveiled and their album release date was announced.[1] GFriend's debut EP (also called a mini album) was released as a digital download on January 15, and was released in CD format the next day.[2] The music video for lead single "Glass Bead" was produced by Zanybros and directed by Hong Won-ki.[3] GFriend was designed to target a teenage audience, and the music video is set in various school locations, including a classroom and gym.[4] "Glass Bead" is the first song in the group's "school series" and represents the start of school semester and enjoying time with friends.[5] [6]

GFriend promoted the album with performances of "Glass Bead" on various music shows, starting with Music Bank on January 16. They presented an "innocent and youthful" image, wearing cheerleader-inspired outfits with simple hairstyles and minimal makeup.[7] In contrast to their appearance, the group's choreography was described as "powerful" and "energetic".[8]

Production and composition

The album's intro track, "Glass Bead", and "White" were written by Iggy and Seo Yong-bae, who had previously written songs such as Ailee's "Heaven" and Orange Caramel's "Catallena".[3] Seo is an in-house producer at Rainbow Bridge World.[9] "Neverland" was composed by Yoon Woo-seok of ZigZag Note and Kang Myeong-shin, with lyrics by Kim Seo-jun and Kim Yong-hwan (Eden Beatz).[10]

"Glass Bead" is bubblegum pop dance song, with a "magnificent string sound, powerful beat, andemotional and flowing melody".[11] [12] The lyrics are from the perspective of a teenage girl, who says she will not easily break despite seeming fragile like a glass bead, and will shine for the one she loves. Originally, a different, "softer", song was set to be the album's single. When GFriend's manager played "Glass Bead" for the group, they all instantly liked it. Sowon said it "gives the feel of running around at the gym, which I thought matched us better".[13] Although the song was often compared to Girls' Generation's "Into the New World", it reminded the group of Fin.K.L and S.E.S., Korean girl groups from the late 1990s and early 2000s.[13] "Neverland" is a dance song with "powerful" synths and guitars, featuring vocal harmony in the chorus, and "White" is a medium-tempo dance song reminiscent of the 1990s.[14]

Reception

The album entered the weekly Gaon Album Chart at number twelve, and peaked at number nine in the second week of February.[15] [16] It was the 38th best selling album during the month of January, selling 1,146 physical copies.[17] As of June 2016, it has sold a total of 11,640 units.[18] "Glass Bead" entered the Gaon Digital Chart at number 89 and peaked at number 25 the following week.[19] [20] The song's music video was the ninth most viewed K-pop music video globally during the month of January.[12]

At the end of January, GFriend was included in Billboards list of "Top 5 K-Pop Artists to Watch in 2015". Jeff Benjamin said that GFriend, along with fellow rookie girl group Lovelyz, was "leading a new wave of female acts with a classic innocent look", in contrast to the popular "sexy" trend of 2014. He said the "sweet sound" and "non-stop" choreography of "Glass Bead" brought "undeniable nostalgia" for Girl's Generation's debut single, "Into the New World".[21] Writing for Fuse, he said GFriend was "arguably the most successful" innocent girl group and called "Glass Bead" a "nostalgic gem". He concluded that the group needed to create a unique identity for themselves, or "risk being nothing but a [Girl's Generation] tribute act".[22]

Personnel

Credits adapted from album liner notes.[23]

Locations

Personnel

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 걸그룹 여자친구, 완전체 베일 벗었다..15일 데뷔 . Lee Ji-hyun . Star News . January 5, 2015 . June 2, 2016 . ko . February 17, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200217154401/https://entertain.naver.com/read?oid=108&aid=0002374617 . live .
  2. Web site: 여자 친구 – Season Of Glass: 미니앨범 1집. Hanteo. May 30, 2016. ko. July 8, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170708194546/http://hanteo.com/search/album_info.asp?mcode=800501215. live.
  3. Web site: New Rookie Group GFriend Makes Debut with ′Glass Bead′ MV . Lee Jin-ho . enewsWorld . January 15, 2015 . May 30, 2016 . . January 5, 2017 . https://archive.today/20170105172440/http://mwave.interest.me/en/kpop-news/article/85237/new-rookie-group-gfriend-makes-debut-with-glass-bead-mv . live .
  4. Web site: New girl group GFRIEND teases with 'Glass Bead' . Yoon Sarah . . January 13, 2015 . May 30, 2016 . June 11, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160611180854/http://www.kpopherald.com/view.php?ud=201501131548015299498_2 . live .
  5. Web site: [Photo] GFriend Steals Hearts at Comeback Showcase ]. Kim Byung-kwan . enewsWorld . January 25, 2016 . May 23, 2016 . . February 13, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160213084805/http://mwave.interest.me/enewsworld/en/article/102112/photo-gfriend-steals-hearts-at-comeback-showcase . live .
  6. GFriend . May 25, 2016 . After School Club . After School Club . . February 16, 2016 . 199 . 15:58 . September 18, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190918081850/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vu86AFXKGoE&feature=youtu.be . live .
  7. Web site: G-Friend debuts 'Glass Bead' onstage . Yoon Sarah . . January 19, 2015 . May 30, 2016 . June 11, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160611181751/http://www.kpopherald.com/view.php?ud=201501191708076131207_2 . live .
  8. Web site: GFriend chalks up wins in music programs . Son Ji-hyoung . . February 4, 2016 . May 31, 2016 . October 11, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161011065926/http://kpopherald.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=201602041636489495644_2 . live .
  9. Web site: 음표를 그리는 사람들⑬ 서용배 작곡가, 아이돌 성공의 철학 (인터뷰) . 10Asia . April 1, 2016 . May 24, 2016 . . ko . May 5, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160505181532/http://tenasia.hankyung.com/archives/909156 . live .
  10. Web site: Works Search . Korea Music Copyright Association . May 31, 2016 . October 4, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191004125502/https://www.komca.or.kr/foreign2/eng/S01.jsp . live .
  11. GFRIEND,JJCC,2AM,Girls' Generation . May 30, 2016 . Pops in Seoul . Pops in Seoul . . February 2, 2015 . 2828 . February 25, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200225190852/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgMV6NBnbk8 . live .
  12. Most Viewed K-Pop Videos in America & Around the World: January 2015 . Benjamin . Jeff . . November 2, 2015 . May 30, 2016 . April 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210425032209/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/6465954/most-viewed-k-pop-videos-mvs-america-global-january-2015 . live .
  13. Web site: [Interview] GFriend Spills on SNSD Comparisons, Role Models and More ]. Jeon Jee-won . Newsen . January 31, 2015 . May 30, 2016 . . August 23, 2015 . https://archive.today/20150823215622/http://mwave.interest.me/enewsworld/en/article/86112/interview-gfriend-spills-on-snsd-comparisons-role-models-and-more . live .
  14. Web site: 여자친구 1st Mini Album 'Season Of Glass' . May 30, 2016 . . ko . September 17, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160917040907/http://www.melon.com/album/detail.htm?albumId=2299776 . live .
  15. Web site: 2015년 04주차 Album Chart . Gaon Music Chart . January 22, 2015 . May 30, 2016 . ko . July 24, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150724121128/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=04&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . live .
  16. Web site: 2015년 08주차 Album Chart . Gaon Music Chart . February 19, 2015 . May 30, 2016 . ko . February 23, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150223152923/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=08&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . live .
  17. Web site: 2015년 01월 Album Chart . Gaon Music Chart . May 30, 2016 . ko . February 14, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150214005651/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=01&hitYear=2015&termGbn=month . live .
  18. Cumulative sales for Season of Glass:
    • Web site: Gaon Album Chart 2015 (see #155). Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. August 4, 2016. August 15, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160815114509/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?pageNo=2&nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=2015&hitYear=2015&termGbn=year. live.
    • Web site: Gaon Album Chart June 2016 (see #146). Gaon Chart. Korea Music Content Industry Association. August 4, 2016. August 15, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160815151503/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/album.gaon?pageNo=2&nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=&targetTime=06&hitYear=2016&termGbn=month. live.
  19. Web site: 2015년 04주차 Digital Chart . Gaon Music Chart . January 22, 2015 . May 30, 2016 . ko . March 7, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160307203257/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?serviceGbn=ALL&termGbn=week&hitYear=2015&targetTime=04&nationGbn=T . live .
  20. Web site: 2015년 05주차 Digital Chart . Gaon Music Chart . January 29, 2015 . May 30, 2016 . ko . April 2, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150402124557/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?nationGbn=T&serviceGbn=ALL&targetTime=05&hitYear=2015&termGbn=week . live .
  21. Top 5 K-Pop Artists to Watch in 2015: iKon, MAMAMOO, G.Soul & More . Benjamin . Jeff . . January 28, 2015 . May 31, 2016 . June 23, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180623223041/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/k-town/6451004/k-pop-breakout-artists-to-watch-2015 . live .
  22. Web site: K-Pop's 2015 Rookies: Who's Working It, & Who Needs Work . Benjamin . Jeff . . December 22, 2015 . May 31, 2016 . June 4, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160604194924/http://www.fuse.tv/2015/12/kpop-debuts-rookies-best#11 . live .
  23. Season of Glass. GFriend. 2015. CD. Source Music.

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