Review: Lim Seo Won - Shoulder Dance
So, this song came out late last month, but I kind of had to talk about it. Lim Seo Won is a new K-Trot star, who got her start in the reality show Miss Trot 2. What separates her from most Korean music stars is her age. Most K-Pop stars debut young, and then there is Lim Seo Won, making her official solo debut after a reality contest, at the age of 10. I am no boomer, but that is really young, even compared to me.
Thus, I am worried. Don't get me wrong, talent has often bloomed in youth, Mozart was a celebrity as a child. Still, as any fan of Judy Garland will tell you, the entertainment industry is no place for a child. In fact, a controversial opinion of mine, the music industry should not take in anyone under 18. Yes, I know there are several successful young artists with great music, many of my favorite stars debuted young. But there will always be relatives taking advantage of your fame, elder studio managers with their own agendas, stalker and obsessive fans, malicious haters. All of this robs youth.
That said, Shoulder Dance is an absolute piece of joy. It is a piece of dance trot pop, surging forward with electronic instrumentation. Every hook is well played, and the backing vocals in the chorus are nothing short of gorgeous. It also takes no unnecessary detours, something rare in the modern music scene.
The thing that really makes Shoulder Dance pop to life, however, is Lim Seo Won herself. Yes, her voice is high and clearly that of a child, but it is confident, playful, and innocent in a way that a teenager or an adult could never reach, simply because they don't have it. Seo Won had shown herself a competent vocal back on Miss Trot 2, and while Shoulder Dance does not allow her to do much, her enthusiasm itself sells the song. She probably does not even understand the love lyrics she is singing fully (who thought that was a good idea), but she seems to just be having fun, and it shows. Even in the video, the background dancers are having a blast from the looks of it.
In a way, although it is flawed, Shoulder Dance sounds like the start of something special. As far as debuts go, Seo Won has had a strong one. I am still worried for her, or really anyone entering the industry so early. Still, this very childish sense makes this song pop in a way that no grown-up could make it.
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