LE SSERAFIM Revitalizes a Universally Loved Tune with “BOOMPALA”
Photo: Source Music
It’s hard to argue that LE SSERAFIM is not one of the K-pop groups at the top of their game right now. For years, they’ve successfully released viral hits one after another, and they are among the groups leading the K-pop cultural revolution. Their latest title track “BOOMPALA” introduces their second studio album Pureflow Pt. 1, and also features the pre-release track “Celebration” from last month. EDM is the name of the game with this era, and as the reviews for “Celebration” were mixed, let’s dive into “BOOMPALA” to see how it differs.
As a ‘90s kid, it was actually a bit of a fever dream to hear this song for the first time and immediately be hit with the sample of “Macarena.” That tune certainly activates a part of every single millennial brain, if not all generations before us as well. It’s a bold move to sample a song with such a big cultural revolution–but it’s not the first time a K-pop act has done so. IVE successfully sampled Gloria Gayner’s “I Will Survive” in “After Like,” which I would argue is just as high profile. In that example, it was a purely instrumental sample, and in this case “BOOMPALA” takes a huge chunk of the original “Macarena” and just pitches it up slightly, so I know the Los del Río estate is getting paid a pretty fat check. Sampling can be tricky, especially with such a famous song, so I am a bit iffy on how I feel about “BOOMPALA” overall. LE SSERAFIM has been leaning heavily into the EDM genre for their title releases, at the forefront of this full EDM movement in K-pop these days. I don’t think it’s a bad song, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it sticks out either, especially if you remove the “Macarena” portion. Something about such a heavy use of the sample strips the identity of “BOOMPALA” itself, and therein exists the issue with a sample from such a notable song.
The AI editing is becoming a bit insane, honestly. It’s kind of hard to pin down the intended concept in the music video, as it feels like a mix of Brazilian Carnival and new-age Buddhism, which is just beyond over the top. Thanks to the heavy use of AI, a lot of the visuals are pretty overstimulating, and it takes multiple viewings to even comprehend everything going on in the music video. That said, I can appreciate the quirky nature of the concept, since it feels like that kind of whimsical and eccentric concept has been lacking in the K-pop space for a hot minute now. I think LE SSERAFIM does those wild and quirky concepts very well; they create a very fun atmosphere. I do appreciate that they are able to convey emotions that show like they are truly having a blast performing, and that’s not always an easy task to do.
Check out the music video for “BOOMPALA” below!