FM
EP by
Crayon Pop
ReleasedMarch 27, 2015 (2015-03-27)
RecordedSeptember 2014 – February 2015
GenreK-pop
Length19:50
LanguageKorean
Label
Crayon Pop chronology
Pop! Pop! Pop!
(2014)		 FM
(2015)		 Crayon Pop
(2016)
Singles from FM
  1. "FM"
    Released: March 27, 2015

FM is the third Korean mini album of South Korean girl group Crayon Pop. It was released on March 27, 2015, one year after their last Korean release, "Uh-ee". The lead single of the same name was written by hitmaker Shinsadong Tiger and has a "female warrior" concept based on super hero TV shows such as Super Sentai and Sailor Moon.

Release and promotion

The lead single, "FM", was first performed at K-Pop Night Out at SXSW in Austin, Texas on March 19.[1][2] After returning to Seoul, Crayon Pop had a street showcase in Dongdaemun District on March 21, followed by guerrilla performances in Myeong-dong, COEX and Hongdae.[3] Promotion for the album began on March 26 on the music show M! Countdown.[4]

The album was released on March 27 and has three songs.[5] "FM", written by Shinsadong Tiger and Monster Factory,[6] was described as a "catchy song with mysterious lyrics and rhythmical melody". "FM" stands for "field manual" and is slang for someone who is a rule follower, but not in a good way.[7][8] In an interview with MTV, Ellin discussed the concept of "FM": "Unlike the cute image from 'Bar Bar Bar', we are portraying the image of a charismatic female warrior; we are mature women."

"Hapataka" is written by Kim Yoo-min (who also wrote "Bar Bar Bar") and is a "mix of dance and punk sounds along with lyrics that flip the Korean alphabets backwards". "1, 2, 3, 4" is written by Song Ji-hoon of Dumb & Dumber, the producer team behind Crayon Pop's first three singles.[4] "1, 2, 3, 4" had previously been recorded and performed in both Japanese and English, and a Korean version was recorded for the album.

Music video

The music video for "FM" was filmed in a quarry in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do[9] and has a "female warrior" concept inspired by Super Sentai and Sailor Moon.[10][11] The music video is similar to a 1990s super hero TV show, with Crayon Pop transforming into super heroes and defeating a rat-like monster villain.[12] BornUs of K-Much appears in the music video as Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Moon's love interest.[13]

Critical reception

Crayon Pop's performance of "FM" at the SXSW Music Festival was chosen by Fuse TV as one of the 18 best moments of the festival. Fuse writer Maria Sherman praised Crayon Pop's "phenomenal" choreography and said, "If these girls know anything, it's how to entertain."[14][15] Adrienne Stanley of MTV said the song was one of the best K-pop concepts of 2015 due to the "incorporation of recognizable Asian pop iconography and the brilliant use of Crayon Pop's dance friendly vocals". She also commented on the group's "dynamic" choreography and "clever delivery of girl power".[10]

Jeff Benjamin of Billboard called the song an "addictive dance single" with a "slight tinge of melancholy" and said the group's sound was more mature than their previous singles and "smoother and cooler to the ears". He also noted the song's similarity to T-ara's singles, with the chorus sounding like an upbeat version of "Day by Day". He concluded: "'FM' seems to show that Crayon Pop can and will still make entertaining visuals, but they're also capable of making music that can be taken seriously as they grow older too. Overall, it's a positive step forward in a difficult transition from viral sensation to legitimate music act."[13]

Scott Interrante, writing for PopMatters, said "FM" was "incredible" and praised the retro superhero concept. He said, "At this point in their career, we've grown to be able to count on Crayon Pop for always coming out with something to cheer us up: something irreverent, silly, and astonishingly well-crafted and genuine". He also noted that the song was not as cheesy as past releases, but was campy enough to be "unmistakably Crayon Pop".[16]

Track listing

No.TitleLyricsMusicLength
1."FM"Shinsadong Tiger, Monster FactoryShinsadong Tiger, Monster Factory3:41
2."Hapataka" (하파타카)Kim Yoo-minKim Yoo-min, Lee Seung-yeop, Lubomir Slavicek3:08
3."1, 2, 3, 4"Song Ji-hoonSong Ji-hoon3:06
4."FM" (Inst.) Shinsadong Tiger, Monster Factory3:41
5."Hapataka" (Inst.) Kim Yoo-min, Lee Seung-yeop, Lubomir Slavicek3:08
6."1, 2, 3, 4" (Inst.) Song Ji-hoon3:06
Total length:19:50

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2015) Peak
position
South Korea (Gaon Album Chart)[17] 6

References

  1. ↑ Benjamin, Jeff (January 14, 2015). "Epik High, Crayon Pop Headline SXSW 2015's K-Pop Night Out". Billboard. Retrieved February 8, 2015.
  2. ↑ Kwon Seok-cheong (March 21, 2015). "권석정의 SXSW리포트, 케이팝 마니아들 열기에 엘리시움 터질 뻔". TenAsia (in Korean). Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  3. ↑ Jeon Su Mi (March 18, 2015). "Crayon Pop to Hold Street Showcase for ′FM′ on 3/21". enewsWorld. Mwave. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Choi Shin Ae (March 24, 2015). "Crayon Pop to Make Comeback This Week on 'M COUNTDOWN'". enewsWorld. Mwave. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  5. ↑ Ahn, Woorim (March 23, 2015). "Crayon Pop Discloses The Second Teaser Video". BNT News. Retrieved March 24, 2015.
  6. ↑ Park Areum (March 16, 2015). "크레용팝 이번에도 범상치않은 신곡 티저 '블록버스터급 폭파신까지'". Newsen (in Korean). Retrieved March 16, 2015.
  7. ↑ "크레용팝 'FM' 뮤비 공개 '난 너의 아사이베리~'". Financial News (in Korean). March 27, 2015. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Crayon Pop's "FM": The Lyrics, The Title, the MV… What Does It All Mean?". Soompi. March 26, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  9. ↑ "크레용팝의 1년 만의 신곡 'FM' M/V 촬영 현장 공개". Naver Music. March 26, 2015. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  10. 1 2 Stanley, Adrienne (April 1, 2015). "Crayon Pop Embodies Heroic Girl Power with 'FM'". MTV Iggy. Archived from the original on April 2, 2015. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
  11. ↑ Lee You-sun (March 28, 2015). "Crayon Pop unveils quirky "FM" MV". Korean Wave (Asia Today). Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  12. ↑ Hong, Grace Danbi (March 27, 2015). "Crayon Pop Saves the World in ′FM′ MV". enewsWorld. Mwave. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  13. 1 2 Benjamin, Jeff (March 30, 2015). "Crayon Pop Channel Power Rangers, Sailor Moon in 'FM' Video". Billboard. Retrieved March 31, 2015.
  14. ↑ Sherman, Maria (March 22, 2015). "The 18 Best Moments of SXSW 2015". Fuse. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  15. ↑ Sherman, Maria (March 20, 2015). "K-Pop Night Out Delights and Surprises at SXSW 2015". Fuse. Retrieved March 26, 2015.
  16. ↑ Interrante, Scott (April 6, 2015). "K-Pop Roundup - March 2015: Back to the Garden of Eden". PopMatters. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  17. ↑ "2015년 14주차 Album Chart". Gaon Chart. Retrieved April 2, 2015.
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