4Men is powerful voices,
gorgeous melodies and beautiful lyrics. What more could I ask for? When I first
heard about the group back in 2008 (with their single First Kiss), I remember having asked myself: Who are those guys?
I urgently needed to put my hands on more of their work. It’s like a made a discovery but the band was already active since 1998. I was hundred years late. But I have good reasons, yes I have. I was a novice in kpop and the Korean musical scene was like a mathematical exercise for me: too hard to decipher! I was listening to few artists at that time and was trying to stay stuck to them. Too many bands, names and faces singing the same genre. Hard to follow. But then 4Men appeared out of nowhere and it was like a revelation to me. I deeply felt in love with them precisely because their style was far from the kpop things I was starting to listen to then.
I urgently needed to put my hands on more of their work. It’s like a made a discovery but the band was already active since 1998. I was hundred years late. But I have good reasons, yes I have. I was a novice in kpop and the Korean musical scene was like a mathematical exercise for me: too hard to decipher! I was listening to few artists at that time and was trying to stay stuck to them. Too many bands, names and faces singing the same genre. Hard to follow. But then 4Men appeared out of nowhere and it was like a revelation to me. I deeply felt in love with them precisely because their style was far from the kpop things I was starting to listen to then.
The band was a trio at that time.
The original four-members group composed by Yoon Min-soo (adorable Yoon Hoo’s father in former Appa Odiga variety program), Han Hyeon-hee, Jeong Se-young and Lee
Jeong-ho were all gone after having released a debut album in 1998, Four Men First Album, and a second one two years later. But Yoon Min-soo left the
group in 2001. 4Men continued as a trio until 2006 when J1 joined the band. They were four again but not for too long!
After two years of activity, 4Men disbanded completely. But happily the band
wasn’t dead forever.
4Men revamped like phoenix from the ashes in late 2008
with three new members: Shin Young-jae,
Kim Young-jae and Kim Won-joo! Three new members and new
songs ahead. A round of applause! Their first release, a mini album called First Kiss, was followed by five
mini-albums (Voice of Autumn in 2009;
You in 2010; The 5th album Vol.1: The True Story and The 5th album Vol.2: Thank you
both in 2013, Study abroad early in
2015) and four full length albums (Sorry
and The 3rd Generation
both in 2010, The Artist in 2011 and 1998 in 2014). The band was still a trio
until 2014. Kim Woo-joo left his band-mates that year. 4Men is now promoting as
a duo.
I could write about all the
tracks I love in each of these EP’s and albums but it would take hours.
Seriously. The love I felt for the group’s songs back in 2008 is still that
strong. I haven’t been dissatisfied me so far. Well that’s if you exclude the
little tiny disappointment I had while listening to their latest album, 1998. Not sure if it’s the concept or
the musical color of the whole album but it wasn’t for me their best opus so
far. That said, 1998 hides some pure
jewels like OK. The latter like many
of their songs has been written by Yoo Min-soo, the former 4Men member. He has
that incredible talent, ability to make you feel emotions and connect to each
song he writes. And he can do that with only one chorus! He’s incredibly gifted
and the 4Men guys’ talent serves his lyrics well. It’s the perfect combination
and unless you’re suicidal, you don’t need to change a winning team. Just don’t guys!
4Men’s albums and EP’s are marked
with lost loves, longing and sad ballads but also with some groovy. Here are
some of my favorites (It’s a torture to pick so little when there so many that
deserved to be talked about):
My Girlfriend. It’s the song of 4Men I
prefer the most. There’s something about this track I can’t hardly explain. I’m
not sure if the melodies, the lyrics, the mix of the two or just that I’m extra
sensible but I always go back to that song whenever I’m listening to 4Men. It’s
beyond a temporary crush, it’s been almost five years and I’m still discovering
something new whenever I’m listening to it. It’s a sweet confession, the
promise of being the best boyfriend in the world. Yes I got it, where do I have
to sign for that?
Hug Me. Powerful! Amazingly brilliant. It’s one of those track their voices’ harmony is at his best. Present on their 1st live album, released in November last year, that sad ballad (like most of their ballads) is just...astonishing!
I Can’t. The sensibility in this
lyrics is beyond everything. The guy can’t sleep, take the bus or eat ramen
without thinking of his lost love. Someone hug him and tell him everything will
be all right, seriously! You can’t go through this song without feeling a
little something aching in your heart.
Can I love Again (duet with Davichi): If I love this track is mostly because of the stunning mix of
4Men and Davichi’s powerful voices. Davichi is another duo I particularly love
for their sweet melodies and their voices. The two group together was an
invitation I simply couldn’t refuse!
You’re My Home. I have chills only with
the title. No wonder it’s a song I cherish a lot. Just read the lyrics and
we’ll talk after: ‘When I’m struggling, you give me rest. You hug my tired shoulders.
The one person. When everyone leaves me. You always stay in the same place. The
only one, protecting me without change.’ You lost me.
Tok Tok Tok (Always Knocking). Gorgeous. The man is going crazy because of his one sided-love.
He’s dying to confess and hope the woman he loves will open her heart to his
feelings.
Thank You. ‘Thank you, lady. My
better half, you are mine. You are my love, Thank you for being born my love,
Thank you for being you’ No need to say more! I’m gone.
Bad Guy. The man acknowledges the
fact he has been a bad guy, the worst possible to his girlfriend and he’s
painfully asking her to forget about him. Yes it takes a lot of courage to
admit it. But just be better in the future.
If I have to choose an album,
which is another difficult mission, it would probably be The Artist (2011). The whole album is a piece of art, a combination
of winning tracks, of lovely melodies.
To listen to to your heart’s content!
4Men isn’t only EP’s and albums
it’s also many OST as a band or in solo. Many of those OST’s songs count in my
books as memorable: The heart-breaking Couldn’t
Do It for Bridal Mask or Only You for Gu Family Book, the sweet Reason
and A person Like That respectively
sang for Secret Garden and Oh My Venus or even the beautiful That Man for Bad Guy’s OST.
4Men is the prefect equilibria in
the voices and melodies either its slow tracks or more groovy ones. The band is
catalogued as k-R’n’B band (is that even an official term?) but all I know I
those guys are simply doing incredible music. And as long as they provide me with
that high quality I’ll be their number one fan (yes it’s me in the back singing
out loud and screaming like a teen)!
Below you can listen to an even
tinnier selection: My Girlfriend, You’re My Home and Thank You.
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