How BoA’s “Moto” Defined an Era
Following the newest SM Entertainment group GOT the beat’s debut, BoA and her solo music have been a hot topic among K-Pop fans who were either already familiar with her music or were freshly introduced to her. From her iconic “Only One” performance with her chosen partner being NCT’s Shotaro this time round at the SMTOWN Live 2022 : SMCU Express@Kwangya Online Concert to her 2005 Girls On Top album as a whole, BoA’s career has never been so fresh. One song in particular that stands out is her 2005 track “Moto”.
About “Moto”
With BoA being SM’s first solo female artist, debuting at the age of 13, she held a strong importance for the company. Not only did she promote in Korea, but she single-handedly opened the doors for fellow artists (current and newly signed) to perform and work in Japan. Her young age at the time didn’t stifle her success, as her talents were shown from the beginning. By the time 2005 came around, BoA was 18 turning 19 and wanting to create music that was more mature.
Moto served as a repackaged album to BoA’s fifth Korean full-length album Girls On Top and was released digitally on August 17, 2005 with "Moto" serving as the repackaged album's title track. Both of the albums presented an image change for BoA, something more intense than her prior years working in Japan and Korea. This change was prevalent in both the choreography and the styling options on the album covers, as well as the music video.
Styling for Girls On Top and it’s repackaged album Moto show punk influences. From BoA’s side-swept big hair, chains draping across her torso, and her big buckle belt, a stronger image could be presented. However, the style on the covers shouldn’t fool you into thinking you’re going to hear heavy drums and distorted electric guitars; the albums consist of a variety of pop, dance-pop, and R&B tracks, all giving the early ‘00s pop nostalgia.
“Moto” fit well for the time of its release as it co-aligned with the era of street dance movies coming out in Hollywood such as Step Up, You Got Served, and others that followed suit. When watching the music video for “Moto,” it may feel reminiscent of the opening of the 2003 dance film Honey. The images of women leading these powerful dance scenes among their fellow dancers parallel one another, not to mention the fashion being something you become hooked on. BoA’s impact as the origin of SMTOWN can truly be felt when watching the “Moto” music video, and her skills go unmatched to any other at that time in Korean media. One aspect that is undeniable in both projects is the influence that Black culture had on them within fashion options and tracks.
“Moto” Outfits
BoA’s outfits in her music video perfectly depict the stronger image she desired to portray and show just how influenced SM were in incorporating styles prevalent in American hip-hop culture.
Outfit Highlights: The bedazzled design on BoA’s crop top is an iconic ‘00s signature, when everyone was showing their best sparkles and jewels with no letting up. The skull design may have been an homage to her prior title-track “Girls On Top,” where the styling had its punk influences.
Outfit Highlights: The color green plays a big part of this look, from the bright green crop top to the wide camo cargo pants, creating the perfect “little shirt big pants” ‘fit. It’s hard to forget a trucker hat as cool as this one, especially when the skull design appears once again, plus the earth-y colors.
Outfit Highlights: With everyone trying to out-sparkle one another, seeing a bedazzled vest top is not surprising. BoA’s wide headband works as a fashion statement as well as helping to keep her bangs down as she dances the hardest she's danced before.
Throughout the years, when looking at both K-Pop idols and their fellow stars in the Western industry, it’s prevalent that American hip-hop and streetwear fashion, as well as the culture surrounding them, is where many Korean entertainment companies get their inspiration from. Even if you weren’t a K-Pop fan in 2005, BoA’s “Moto” looks could bring nostalgia of an era which you can remember.
Western Fashion During This Era
There were many iconic stars who experimented with their styles that made an incredible impact in the ‘90s and early ‘00s including Aaliyah, Kelis, Nigo, and Pharrell. Aaliyah was known for her personal take on sportswear, the baggy pants and small tee looks, where she always added an oversized sports tee or hoodie in order to make the outfit look more casual.
Kelis always embraced her alternative looks, never being one to shy away from bold aspects. Her dyed Afro was a signature in the early ‘00s as well as bringing eyewear and crop tops to full fruition.
The Japanese streetwear icon Nigo is known as being the founder of BAPE, with his camo print zip ups with matching bottoms taking off and accrediting him his title. Nigo and Pharrell worked together in 2003 to create the streetwear brand Billionaire Boys Club.
Pharrell described his own fashion sense with Vogue as being vast and inspired by every-day people, people that dress for the intention of what they have to do that day. He further talked about how during the 2004 BET Awards he was inspired by Slick Rick’s diamond eye patch and how bedazzled items were the move: “That was an era where being gaudy and being braggadocious was a cool thing to do.”
BoA’s Influence
BoA’s early music and career is memorable and influential for many, so much so that Red Velvet’s Seulgi mentioned “Moto” as a song she would like to cover during an episode of her show, seulgi.zip. With people talking about the song again, it makes conversation about styling possible; the hip-hop aesthetic of the early ‘00s being easy to recreate but in a modern way. By being inspired by hip-hop, a direct way to appreciate the culture is to shop and be styled from Black-owned businesses.
BoA has since been a role-model to idols who debuted after her, which is well deserved. She deserves her flowers for the incredible music and performances she has put out over the past 22 years.
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