Yuri Shares Her First Scene as a Solo Artist
A debut 11 years in the making. In a rare case on SM Entertainment’s part, Girls’ Generation’s Yuri has dropped her debut mini-album almost exactly one month after sub-unit Oh!GG’s debut, and the sudden nature of the debut shows.
While the teaser photos for The First Scene and title track “Into You” were absolutely flawless, the final reveal was nothing short of a disappointment. It’s all looks and no substance.
“Into You” feels rushed and thoughtless. The chorus is copy and pasted one too many times throughout the song, and the lyrics lack any effective punch. It sounds like every tropical-esque electronic track from a European producer dropped in 2016. The breakdown before the bridge, which is one of the most interesting parts, isn’t utilized enough; it should’ve followed earlier choruses to create more space to breathe between them. “Into You” depends on shimmering aesthetics, which shows in its absence of emotional significance a manufactured sound. Overall, the title track is forgettable and generic.
The music video doesn’t help this case, either. It’s just not impressive enough to compete against other artists and groups who are dropping cinematic projects. At best, it’s a beautiful performance video that could’ve been released after a real music video. Yuri’s outfits and dance moves do slightly redeem the film, and it probably would’ve helped if the track was accompanied by a video with a storyline. But this debut by a member of one of the biggest groups in K-Pop deserved more effort and time put into it, which it clearly did not receive.
The First Scene
Thankfully, the rest of the album slightly compensates for the bland title track.
“Illusion” seems to be a fan favorite, and rightfully so. This track is more in tune with current pop trends—a simplistically mellow melody that drips in sex appeal. A song about not wanting to wake up after a certain type of dream aligns with a grown woman’s image without sounding tacky. It doesn’t have a big drop, but neither did “Into You”; this just had more personality. Lorde could’ve hopped on this quirky track.
The following song, “C’est La Vie (That’s LIFE!)” also continues in the right direction. It channels the chic and alluring f(x) electronic energy. This track helps breathe life into the project by bringing in big, bouncy beats. “Butterfly” is the most sonically interesting and pleasing. Clearly influenced by bossa nova jazz, it’s a feel-good melody that highlights Yuri’s sweet voice—exemplified by her colorful ad libs. The woman can really sing and she wants you to know!
The last two tracks, “Chapter 2” and “Ending Credit (To be continued)” softly conclude The First Scene. “Chapter 2” is a cute ballad with an inspirational tone, and “Ending Credit” paints a movie metaphor of her own life. They are the most substantive lyrically, and Yuri further demonstrates her vocal ability on the final track.
Hopefully, viewers will look past the title track and music video and unearth the music buried underneath. The First Scene does not capture Yuri’s full potential, but at least she is finally an established solo artist.