SF9 Says You’re “Enough” in Latest Release
SF9 is back on the scene with their sixth mini-album Narcissus, a concept following in the footsteps of previous release Sensuous. Piggy-backing off of a concept that garnered them a lot of attention in the past, the group’s title track once again follows the sexy and mysterious vibe that has just about everyone on the planet swooning.
Title: “Enough 예뻐지지 마”
It was going to be difficult for SF9 to follow up “Now or Never,” one of their best releases to date. As such, my expectations weren’t spectacularly high, knowing that it’s rare for a group to follow up such an amazing comeback with one even better. “Enough 예뻐지지 마” doesn’t quite add up in caliber to the last release in my book, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a bad comeback.
In fact, “Enough 예뻐지지 마” is really good. The song mixes several big name genres, with reggae influences opening the track in Jaeyoon and Dawon’s verses, followed by a more hip-hop laced beat in Taeyang’s interjection. The beat builds into an unexpected intensity as soon as the chorus drops, an infectious repetition of the title that is guaranteed to get the song stuck in your head. Even if it doesn’t catch on for you at first listen, you’ll quickly find yourself putting this track on repeat.
Let’s face it: when it comes to visuals, SF9 has no holes. That fact reigns true in the “Enough 예뻐지지 마” music video, where the viewer is hypnotized by the stunning dance moves, somewhat provocative outfits (mesh anyone?), and the fierce gazes of each member during his appearance. The overall dark tones and subdued colors command focus toward the members, making their sultry appeal impossible to ignore. The video concept is simple, with no real storyline, which is saying a lot about the commanding air the group has if they don’t feel the need to add that to this video. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say this music video is hypnotizing.
A Pre-Release Controversy
There was some controversy surrounding the title of the main track off of this album once it was released in a teaser. “예뻐지지 마” literally translates to “don’t be pretty,” which some Korean fans found problematic due to an overall social and cultural issue faced in Korea. For a quick summary, there is a high pressure in Korean society to be pretty, and many people have no qualms about calling you out if you don’t fit the strict beauty standards. Fans were concerned that the song would contain a male speaker’s judgement of a female. If you’re curious about the entire story, you can read about it here. It is important to note that this issue surfaced before the release of the song, so it was only speculated what the song would contain in terms of this problem.
The Album
As time has gone on, I’ve come to realize that I don’t have high expectations for the B-sides on SF9’s albums. It’s not that the songs are particularly bad, they just don’t stand out in any way. This continues to be true with Narcissus.
“화끈하게” is the first song to follow the title, and it offers an upbeat EDM track that contrasts the dark atmosphere of the title track. It’s the kind of song you can picture yourself blasting in the car in the summer. “하필” follows as the third track, with a more calm and acoustic aesthetic in the melody. If nothing else stands out, the song does allow the vocal members to shine. Next comes “Life is So Beautiful,” a track that picks up the energy once again and brings it back up to the level of “화끈하게.”
My favorite, and what I would consider to be the B-side that stands out the most, is “Fall in Love,” the second to last song that incorporates a more chill hip-hop and R&B beat in comparison to the rest of the album. The change in rhythm is a welcome one and helps to add some musical depth that is otherwise barely existent on the album. The album concludes with “무중력,” a light and sunny acoustic track reminiscent of a sunny day. SF9’s B-sides tend not to be my cup of tea, but they’re not the worst songs in the world.
It’s no question for me that SF9 deserves their first win; they did all the way back in 2017 with “Easy Love.” “Enough 예뻐지지 마” is a strong release, and even if you don’t enjoy the album, you’re probably going to enjoy this title. SF9 has once again proved their talent as a group with another powerful release on top of the previous one. Hopefully Chanyeol of EXO’s endorsement will help out this time around, and hopefully soon SF9 gets the recognition they deserve.