Old School vs New School . . .
"Shampoo" vs "Flashback" . . .
9.976 vs 9.952 . . .
which song has KPJ decided is After School's second best?
━ #2 ━
● Shampoo ●
Grade: 9.952
Honor roll: 11×6 (@Attis, @SloMover, @Wills, @eyeline, @Hurricane Drunk, @Mikl C), 10×19 (@singabob, @junglefish, @RUNAWAY, @Crisp X, @evilsin, @ysev, @chrisjche, @Slice of Life, @yuuurei, @berserkboi, @KimLippington, @Macsun, @eatyourself, @M24, @BEST FICTION, @Vixen, @Oleander, @Love Deluxe, @vague), 9.5×1 (@Conan)
Drop-outs: 7.75×1 (@Cotton Park), 8.5×1 (@GeiPanda), 8.75×1 (@Remorque)
@Love Deluxe's score: 10
@vague's score: 10
—
—
"Shampoo" vs "Flashback" . . .
9.976 vs 9.952 . . .
which song has KPJ decided is After School's second best?
━ #2 ━
● Shampoo ●
Grade: 9.952
Honor roll: 11×6 (@Attis, @SloMover, @Wills, @eyeline, @Hurricane Drunk, @Mikl C), 10×19 (@singabob, @junglefish, @RUNAWAY, @Crisp X, @evilsin, @ysev, @chrisjche, @Slice of Life, @yuuurei, @berserkboi, @KimLippington, @Macsun, @eatyourself, @M24, @BEST FICTION, @Vixen, @Oleander, @Love Deluxe, @vague), 9.5×1 (@Conan)
Drop-outs: 7.75×1 (@Cotton Park), 8.5×1 (@GeiPanda), 8.75×1 (@Remorque)
@Love Deluxe's score: 10
@vague's score: 10
5 ballots: #2, 10.000 avg.
10 ballots: #5, 9.900 avg.
15 ballots: #2, 10.067 avg.
20 ballots: #1, 10.075 avg.
25 ballots: #1, 10.050 avg.
31 ballots: #2, 9.952 avg.
10 ballots: #5, 9.900 avg.
15 ballots: #2, 10.067 avg.
20 ballots: #1, 10.075 avg.
25 ballots: #1, 10.050 avg.
31 ballots: #2, 9.952 avg.
"Shampoo" is the title track from After School's first Korean album, VIRGIN, released on April 28, 2011. Its lyrics were written by Won Taeyeon and it was composed and arranged by DAISHI DANCE. A radio edit of the song was also included on VIRGIN and a Japanese version was included on PLAYGIRLZ.
On December 31, 2010, the same day that E-Young was announced as After School's newest member and made her debut on MBC's Gayo Daejun, Pledis announced that After School would be releasing their first full-length album the following March, a full year after the release of their last single album, BANG! E-Young recalled in a 2015 interview with BNT International how quickly she was inducted into the group: "I didn't know I was going to [join After School]. The company suddenly informed me that I would be joining. I was worried that I would be a burden to the other members. I felt that I needed to become a member who is needed within the team. I didn't want to hide behind the older members; rather, I wanted to shine in my own unique way."
On January 17, 2011, Pledis announced that Bekah, who had been recuperating from an injury in Hawaii since summer 2010, would be returning to Korea to prepare for the group's impending comeback. However, while practicing the tap-dancing routine, Bekah re-injured her ankle and was forced to sit out of the "Let's Step Up" MV and its promotional performances.
Despite the group's busy schedule of tap rehearsals and preparing for their album, Pledis kept fans fed with solo and unit releases. On January 3, they announced that Kahi would be making her solo debut in February. The announcement led netizens to speculate whether Kahi would be graduating from the group. Two days later, Pledis assured fans that Kahi wasn't going anywhere and that After School's comeback would be their first release as a nine-membered group. Kahi released her mini-album and its title track, "Come Back You Bad Boy", on February 14. On March 23, Pledis announced that Orange Caramel would be releasing their first digital single, "Bangkok City", by the end of the month. Incidentally, both of these releases - as well as VIRGIN - would be postponed from their originally announced release dates.
Despite the group's busy schedule of tap rehearsals and preparing for their album, Pledis kept fans fed with solo and unit releases. On January 3, they announced that Kahi would be making her solo debut in February. The announcement led netizens to speculate whether Kahi would be graduating from the group. Two days later, Pledis assured fans that Kahi wasn't going anywhere and that After School's comeback would be their first release as a nine-membered group. Kahi released her mini-album and its title track, "Come Back You Bad Boy", on February 14. On March 23, Pledis announced that Orange Caramel would be releasing their first digital single, "Bangkok City", by the end of the month. Incidentally, both of these releases - as well as VIRGIN - would be postponed from their originally announced release dates.
On April 16, Pledis announced After School's title track would be produced by Japanese producer DAISHI DANCE. DAISHI DANCE revealed on his Twitter account the song's original name was "AS LINER", and that he had written two different songs around the track's main synth line. The first was "Shampoo" and the second, "WIND LINER", was released on his June 2011 album, Party Line. "WIND LINER" has been remixed and re-released several times over the years; the closest match to After School's version is the PIANO MIX from 2018 which is gorgeous and I definitely recommend y'all give it a spin.
"Shampoo" leaked onto Youtube and various P2P sites on April 27, the day before its official release. The group's fans worked hard to get the song removed from streaming sites and have the download links deleted. Pledis released a statement apologizing for the leak, saying, "We are sorry to cause any worries. This is an album that not just After School members, but all their fans as well, have waited a year for. It's a very precious album to everyone." Once the song was officially released, it raced up the real-time digital charts, reaching #1 on Mnet and Dosirak as well as #2 on Melon. The single ultimately peaked at #4 on the Gaon Digital Chart and sold 1,614,918 downloads in 2011, making it the 106th best-selling song of that year. The VIRGIN album peaked at #2 on the Gaon Album Chart and sold 31,869 physical copies in total; it is After School's best-selling physical release.
Around the time of VIRGIN's release, Pledis CEO Han Sungsoo opened a churro and coffee cafe, coffeechu. Han used After School to promote the cafe and even included a coupon for a free After School-themed meal inside copies of the album. Additionally, some of the promotional photos for the album were taken inside the cafe and the members also promoted it on their social media accounts. The cafe closed in 2015.
"Shampoo" would ultimately end up being Bekah's final release as a member of After School. Fans have long speculated that Bekah was pushed out of the group ahead of their impending Japanese debut, but in a Q&A on her YouTube channel, she revealed that it was actually her own decision to graduate. Shortly after her graduation, though, Bekah did allude on her now-defunct Tumblr that issues with Pledis were a contributing factor for her to leave the group, saying, "When they tell you that you're not enough. That you quite don't meet their standards yet. Fuck it. You don't need that kind of negativity." Bekah also recently revealed that she wrote her own verse for "Shampoo", despite not being credited for it.
We've spoken before about how After School never really had a signature sound to their music. They did, however, have a steady throughline in their presentation: , their presence. At the start of their career, Kahi confidently stated, "We don't try to look lovely, cute, or girly in our performances. Instead, we try to look stylish and cool." As amazing as "Shampoo" is - and it is so amazing - it feels almost antithetical to After School's original mission statement in many ways. That's not to say groups can't evolve their image or change their sound and, if anything, "Shampoo" showed that After School could try on various hats and pull them all off. Each comeback saw radical changes in their concepts, their sound, and even their members. "Shampoo" was the start of After School showing their softer side, and this softer presence carried over to their Japanese debut and all the way through their eventual rebrand with "Flashback". It's fitting for a group as chameleon-like as After School that the top two songs in this rate showcase them at both their loveliest and their sexiest.
(10) — "I feel like the chorus could have been so much more? But I couldn't fathom giving this anything less than a 10. I could listen to Lizzy sing anything, I think she has the most malleable voice in the group, and can sound completely different from one song to another."
(10) — "God, that piano melody is so dreamy. This was yet another 11 contender for me, and a small part of me still wishes I'd gone with this song. This instrumental is one of the all-time greats in kpop for me and I wish we'd gotten a proper instrumental track released for this. 'WIND LINER' is close enough, but it's not exactly the same nn."
—
@Attis (11) — "I'm gonna argue this song is even more emotional to me than Because Of You. The usage of strings and piano are similar, but more amplified and better produced here.
But the main star of this song are the members. I think this is the song where they finally find the balance to give spotlight to every member and boy they do shine. Kahi and Bekah continue their amazingness, Nana showing how all-rounder she was with her rap line, and Raina & Jungah finally can showcase their vocals again, delivering one of the greatest bridge in the world
Maybe there is some nostalgia factor too in giving my 11 to this. I still vividly remember listening to this for the first time alongside the MV and boy do I cry dd. Added with the fact that this was the last time they perform with this golden line-up, it felt so crushing to see Kahi and Bekah must go and eventually Pledis mismanage and squander their chances to continue their success. I love them and still sad to see their potential can't be reached. I hope the members find their own peaces and successes in their life."
@SloMover (11) — "Absolutely no question that Shampoo is my 11 pointer as it's my favourite K-Pop song of all time. The melody is beautiful, the lyrics are weird but beautiful when you get past the metaphor, and the song is immaculately produced - there's not a single misplaced beat or unnecessary synth. It's perfection in my eyes."
@Wills (11) — "It was a tough call between this and a few other tracks here, but Shampoo ended up drawing me back more than anything else. Maybe it's just because I can't imagine any current groups putting out anything that sounds remotely like this, making it seem especially vital."
@eyeline (11) — "This is IT for me! Still one of my favorite all time K-Pop songs. It reminded me of Because of You in a lot of ways and yet was also so different. There is such a softness to this song that I found and find so refreshing. I love the video because you get to really absorb the lusciousness of the instrumental (even though poor E-Young should have had Raina's role in it)."
@singabob (10) — "Another contender for my 11 – It is such a different sound but it still feels very After School. The synths and strings are just gorgeous. I smile whenever I listen to this song and giggle whenever I'm reminded that Raina was chosen to star in the music video as the new, awkward member even though Eyoung was an actual new member."
@junglefish (10) — "Blessed time in K-Pop when Afterschool and Rainbow somehow got Daishi Dance to produce their singles. Incredible song and a strong contender for my 11! I like that it shows off their more emotional side but it's not as... in your face as Because of You."
@berserkboi (10) — "What a wonderful build this one has!"
@KimLippington (10) — "This is beside the point but the man in the MV is so fine.....Daddy! Daddy! Watch me twirl!"
@Macsun (10) — "THE CHILLS... I always get after just listening to the preceding track Let's Step Up. Such a great contrast in sound. What else can be said about Shampoo just an overall superbly produced track. The verses, Nana and Bekah's rap, the saccharine and beautiful middle 8 by JungAh and Raina, the definitive raps of Kahi and Uie. Ugh! One of the best pop gems ever recorded."
@eatyourself (10) — "I can't understand hearing this song and not giving it an instant 10. Are you even gay?"
@M24 (10) — "The instrumental synth melody makes me feel nostalgic for some reason! I love songs that have that transcendent quality. The chorus is an earworm, and it's what ultimately helps that incredible instrumental shine."
@Vixen (10) — "Okay so I used to think this was SLIGHTLY overrated, in the sense that it was a solid 8 that everyone was claiming to be a 10, but no...it is a 10."
@Ana Raquel (9) — "It started to grow on me quite recently. I never disliked it, but it was a 7/10 at best, but now it's starting to become wow this is so powerful to my heart."
@roblognick (9) — "What is it with K-Pop songs about shampoo? This one is my favourite of them all though."
@Cotton Park (7.75) — "I always loved this video but wondered why there was no actual shampooing? Maybe there was and I forgot."
But the main star of this song are the members. I think this is the song where they finally find the balance to give spotlight to every member and boy they do shine. Kahi and Bekah continue their amazingness, Nana showing how all-rounder she was with her rap line, and Raina & Jungah finally can showcase their vocals again, delivering one of the greatest bridge in the world
Maybe there is some nostalgia factor too in giving my 11 to this. I still vividly remember listening to this for the first time alongside the MV and boy do I cry dd. Added with the fact that this was the last time they perform with this golden line-up, it felt so crushing to see Kahi and Bekah must go and eventually Pledis mismanage and squander their chances to continue their success. I love them and still sad to see their potential can't be reached. I hope the members find their own peaces and successes in their life."
@SloMover (11) — "Absolutely no question that Shampoo is my 11 pointer as it's my favourite K-Pop song of all time. The melody is beautiful, the lyrics are weird but beautiful when you get past the metaphor, and the song is immaculately produced - there's not a single misplaced beat or unnecessary synth. It's perfection in my eyes."
@Wills (11) — "It was a tough call between this and a few other tracks here, but Shampoo ended up drawing me back more than anything else. Maybe it's just because I can't imagine any current groups putting out anything that sounds remotely like this, making it seem especially vital."
@eyeline (11) — "This is IT for me! Still one of my favorite all time K-Pop songs. It reminded me of Because of You in a lot of ways and yet was also so different. There is such a softness to this song that I found and find so refreshing. I love the video because you get to really absorb the lusciousness of the instrumental (even though poor E-Young should have had Raina's role in it)."
@singabob (10) — "Another contender for my 11 – It is such a different sound but it still feels very After School. The synths and strings are just gorgeous. I smile whenever I listen to this song and giggle whenever I'm reminded that Raina was chosen to star in the music video as the new, awkward member even though Eyoung was an actual new member."
@junglefish (10) — "Blessed time in K-Pop when Afterschool and Rainbow somehow got Daishi Dance to produce their singles. Incredible song and a strong contender for my 11! I like that it shows off their more emotional side but it's not as... in your face as Because of You."
@berserkboi (10) — "What a wonderful build this one has!"
@KimLippington (10) — "This is beside the point but the man in the MV is so fine.....Daddy! Daddy! Watch me twirl!"
@Macsun (10) — "THE CHILLS... I always get after just listening to the preceding track Let's Step Up. Such a great contrast in sound. What else can be said about Shampoo just an overall superbly produced track. The verses, Nana and Bekah's rap, the saccharine and beautiful middle 8 by JungAh and Raina, the definitive raps of Kahi and Uie. Ugh! One of the best pop gems ever recorded."
@eatyourself (10) — "I can't understand hearing this song and not giving it an instant 10. Are you even gay?"
@M24 (10) — "The instrumental synth melody makes me feel nostalgic for some reason! I love songs that have that transcendent quality. The chorus is an earworm, and it's what ultimately helps that incredible instrumental shine."
@Vixen (10) — "Okay so I used to think this was SLIGHTLY overrated, in the sense that it was a solid 8 that everyone was claiming to be a 10, but no...it is a 10."
@Ana Raquel (9) — "It started to grow on me quite recently. I never disliked it, but it was a 7/10 at best, but now it's starting to become wow this is so powerful to my heart."
@roblognick (9) — "What is it with K-Pop songs about shampoo? This one is my favourite of them all though."
@Cotton Park (7.75) — "I always loved this video but wondered why there was no actual shampooing? Maybe there was and I forgot."
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