ext_268547 ([identity profile] aures.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] omonatheydid2020-07-25 02:04 pm

[⋆~Omona exclusive~⋆] Gone But Not Forgotten: f(x) - [TW: Sulli's passing]

In this series I want to go through groups that are gone, but not forgotten. I will go from debut till disbandment or [indefinite] hiatus, remembering the time we had together and look back on their highs and lows.

f(x)



f(x) is a South Korean multinational girl group formed by SM Entertainment. The group was composed of Victoria, Amber, Luna, and Krystal and previously Sulli until her departure from the group in August 2015. Their last official korean comeback as a 4 member group was with 4 Walls in October 2015.

Name
f(x) is a function of mathematics, which means that they would carry out various activities, based on the various talents and attractiveness of the members, like the formula whose results change depending on the value of x.
In addition, "f" symbolizes flower and "x" symbolizes 'X' on the female chromosome XX which, taken together, symbolizes "flower reminiscent of women."

Pre-debut:
Krystal was scouted by SM Entertainment in 2000 while on a family visit to Korea, along with her sister Jessica (former member of Girls' Generation). She subsequently appeared in a small role in Shinhwa's music video for the song "Wedding March" ("너의 곁에서 2").
Sulli was a child actress, making her first television appearance in 2005 as the young Princess Seonhwa of Silla in SBS's Ballad of Seodong.
Luna was recruited by SM following her 2006 appearance on the reality television program Truth Game. Victoria was scouted through a Beijing dance competition in September 2007 after winning first place.
In 2008, Amber was cast through S.M. Global Auditions in Los Angeles, California.

2009–2010: Debut and Nu ABO
f(x) was first introduced as a five-member dance-focused pop group in a teaser clip released on August 24, 2009. Their debut single "LA chA TA" was released on September 1, with a showcase held the following day at Samseong Fashion Center in Gangnam. The group's broadcast debut was on September 5, on MBC's Music Core.



Shortly after their debut, f(x) featured in promotions of the LG Chocolate cell phone alongside Girls' Generation. Both groups released versions of the song "Chocolate Love"; f(x)'s being an electropop version released on October 8.



They released their first physical single, "Chu~♡", on November 9.



At the start of 2010, f(x) collaborated with the Chinese boy band M.I.C. to promote the LG Cyon cell phone, releasing a Chinese cover of "Lollipop". In April they appeared in their documentary reality programme, Hello f(x).

On May 4, the group released their first extended play, "Nu ABO". The lead single "Nu ABO" was a commercial success in Korea and become a number-one single on the Gaon Chart. They sold ~54000 physical copies, with their lead single "Nu ABO" ~2.2 million digital sales.




In June, Amber went on hiatus due to an ankle injury, while the remaining members continued group activities without her for the remainder of the year.

They promoted the single "Mr Boogie" as a follow-up single from their EP.



They also participated in the SMTown Live '10 World Tour, as well as filming their second documentary reality show, f(x)'s Koala.

Towards the end of 2010 it was announced that f(x)'s albums would be distributed under Japanese label Avex Entertainment in Japan, Taiwan, China, and Hong Kong.

2011–2012: Pinocchio, Hot Summer, and Electric Shock

Amber returned to the group in early 2011.

f(x) released their first full-length studio album "Pinocchio" in April 2011, with the lead single "Pinocchio (Danger)". The single peaked at number one on the Gaon digital single chart, and the group went on to take eight music show wins.



On June 14, Pinocchio was re-released under the title "Hot Summer". The repackaged album contained the title track "Hot Summer" (a remake of a Monrose song produced by Thomas Troelsen and Remee), as well as three previously released digital singles: "LA chA TA", "Chu~♡", and "Is It Ok?". "Hot Summer" peaked at #2 on the Gaon digital single chart and was downloaded over 375,000 times in the week of release. The song went on to become one of the most successful singles of 2011 in South Korea, selling 2,909,384 copies by the end of the year.



In August, the group released a song called "Garagabana" for the game Bust-a-Move and in December they released a song in English, titled "1, 2, 3", as part of the 2011 Winter SMTown – The Warmest Gift album.

The group released their second EP "Electric Shock" on June 10, 2012. It was met with critical acclaim and they achieved nine music show wins with the title track "Electric Shock".





In November, the group won the 'Best Dance Performance - Female Group' award for "Electric Shock" at the 2012 Mnet Asian Music Awards in Hong Kong. In January 2013, two songs from the EP, "Electric Shock" and "Jet", were nominated for 'Best Dance and Electronic Song' at the 10th Annual Korean Music Awards, with "Electric Shock" going on to win the award.

2013–2014: Pink Tape, critical acclaim, and Red Light
In 2013, f(x) was awarded the Digital Bonsang award at the Golden Disk Awards and Seoul Music Awards, as well as the 'MBC Music Star Award' at the Melon Music Awards.

In March they became the first K-pop artists to perform at SXSW in Austin, Texas. During their visit to the US, the group collaborated with actress Anna Kendrick for a comedy skit for Funny Or Die.

On July 29, the group released their second full-length album Pink Tape with the lead single "Rum Pum Pum Pum", and held a showcase titled "f(x) Music Spoiler - Play! Pink Tape" through Naver Music. The album was a success both in Korea and the US, peaking at number one on Billboard's K-pop Hot 100 and World Albums Charts and the Gaon Albums Chart. It was the only Korean album to appear on Fuse's '41 Best Albums of 2013'. A track from the album, Airplane, was also ranked third on Billboard's '20 Best K-Pop Songs of 2013'.





In 2014, the group won the 'Group Artist' award at the 20th Korean Entertainment Arts Awards, the 'Disk Bonsang' at the 28th Golden Disk Awards, and the 'Best Overseas Artist Performance' award at the Yin Yue Feng Yun Bang Awards in China.

On July 7, they released their third studio album, "Red Light", with the electronic house title track of the same name. The music video gained 2 million hits on YouTube within a day and was again well-received overseas.





Shortly after the album was released, it was announced that Sulli was unable to perform with the group for health reasons, and that she would be taking a temporary hiatus.


2015–2016: Sulli's departure, 4 Walls, first concert tour, and hiatus
Amber officially debuted as a solo artist, releasing her debut EP, Beautiful, on February 13, 2015. The title track, "Shake That Brass", featured Girls' Generation's Taeyeon.



On July 22, 2015, f(x) released a Japanese physical single album, Summer Special Pinocchio / Hot Summer, which debuted at #23 on Oricon's weekly chart.

In August, it was announced that Sulli had officially left the group to focus on acting.

The remaining four members continued as a group, releasing their fourth studio album, 4 Walls, in October. The album sold 66,000 copies upon its first week of release and was well received by critics. To promote the album's release, the group starred in a web reality program titled f(x)=1cm.





In December, they released the single "12:25 (Wish List)" as part of S.M Entertainment's Christmas project, Winter Garden.
At the year-end 2015 Mnet Asian Music Awards, f(x) performed with Pet Shop Boys, and won the 'Global Fans Choice' award.

In January 2016, the group won the Disk Bonsang award at the 2016 Golden Disk Awards and commenced their first concert tour, Dimension 4 – Docking Station, in Seoul which continued with six concerts in Japan in February.

On January 31, they announced their official fan club name, MeU.

Luna debuted as a solo artist with her first extended play "Free Somebody" on May 31, 2016. It debuted at number five on the Gaon Album Chart, and has sold over 10,000 copies.



On July 22, 2016, f(x) released a new single, "All Mine", through the SM Station project. The song was accompanied by a music video, directed and edited by Amber.



On November 2, 2016, f(x) released their second Japanese physical single album, 4 Walls / Cowboy, including a Japanese version of "4 Walls", along with a new song titled "Cowboy", which was performed live on the same day at the group's encore concert in Yokohama.

On October 16, the music video for "Electric Shock" surpassed 100 million views on YouTube, making f(x) the third Korean girl group, and sixth Korean group overall to reach this milestone.

From 2016, f(x) halted group promotions and the members have embarked on individual music, acting, and modelling careers.

2018-2019: Reunion and departures from SM

In an interview with Krystal on January 19, 2018, she stated that the members frequently discussed making a comeback but timing never worked out.

In August 2019, f(x) officially reunited and performed together at the three-night SM Town Live 2019 in Tokyo concert as a three-piece (without Victoria).

On September 1, Amber announced via her social media accounts that she had not renewed her contract with SM Entertainment.
On September 5, SM Entertainment shared that Luna had also not renewed her contract with the company, and that Victoria's contract with them was still under discussion.

In an interview with Amber on October 1, she stated that f(x) had no plans to reunite, stating "Whether we do music or not, I think there will be a time when we can but I think right now we’re just figuring ourselves out. We have no plans, but it’s never not an option."

Sulli
Between September 2013 and March 2017, Sulli dated Dynamic Duo rapper Choiza, during which both celebrities endured malicious comments and cyberbullying throughout their public relationship.

In October 2018, Sulli revealed that she had struggled with panic disorder and social phobia since she was young. Prior to her death, Sulli was suffering from severe depression.

June 2019 SM Entertainment released the MV for Sulli's single "Goblin".



On October 14, 2019, Sulli was found dead by her manager after she ended her life in her house in Seongnam, south of Seoul.

Sulli's death was linked by various media outlets to depression caused by cyberbullying. She was constantly bullied and attacked by netizens for speaking up for women’s rights, being pro-choice (abortion), not wearing a bra ("women shouldn't wear them if they are uncomfortable"), her clothes and appearance and she was called an attention seeker and much worse.

Following her death, it was revealed that Sulli had repeatedly asked her agency, SM Entertainment, to take strong measures against the malicious comments and cyberbullying.

A total of seven petitions were posted at the South Korean presidential office website demanding tougher punishment for cyberbullying and strengthening use of the real-name system when posting comments and creating accounts. Moreover, the political circle discussed various ways to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. An act under the proposed title "Sulli Act" was mentioned at a general audit of the Korea Communications Commission on October 21, where Rep. Park Dae-chool of the Liberty Korea Party said he is writing a legislative proposal to enact a new law to increase the responsibility of comments by introducing an Internet real-name system.
Moreover, on October 25, Rep. Park Seon-sook proposed a partial amendment to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection, which imposes an obligation for information and communication service providers to delete hate comments.
In addition, the amendment included marking malicious comments as illegal information, and provide anyone who saw malicious comments, not just the one being attacked, the ability to request its deletion. On the same day, Rep. Park Dae-chool also proposed an amendment to the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection which would allow the disclosure of full names of people posting comments under usernames and strengthen accountability of online comments by disclosing IPs. On October 25, 2019, Kakao announced that they are temporarily disabling comments on entertainment news to prevent hate comments and removing related search terms when searching people's names for a year.


Following her death, "Love You Sulli" (설리 사랑해) started trending in an attempt by fans to hide negative search results. IU's song "Peach", which was written about Sulli, re-entered music charts.

Sources: Wikipedia: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
SMTOWN, MBC kpop, aforeverbegfan, sporcle.

Previous:
Nine Muses, 4Minute, Girl's Day, Sistar, Secret, Orange Caramel, Rainbow, 2NE1, Dalshabet, Stellar, Miss A, After School, Spica, Hello Venus, Wonder Girls.


If you or a person you know are having suicidal thoughts and need help, don't hesitate to call one of the numbers on this list.

I got many requests for f(x), so here we are even though i'm a little nervous about it. Despite being successful, the whole group received a lot of hate and got bullied for many different reasons. Sulli's part was really emotional and diffuclt for me to go through. I tried to keep it short and the most triggering part is behind extra cuts, so make your own decision if you want to read it or not. If you feel like you can not handle the information and content in this post, feel free to skip it or stop reading: do what is best for you. I promise next week will be more lighthearted and fun, but at the same time we should also acknowledge and remember the hard times that come with this fandom and life in general. Even if it's painful, we can still remember all the time we had together, both the beautiful and the sad, and the impact it had on us and our life. I don't think we should forget about the hard work and effort they put into their careers. If we can take one thing away from this is to be kind, you don't know what someone else is going through and what impact your words can have on someone else.
So.. Do you think we will ever see a f(x) reunion? Please take good care of yourself and, if you feel up to it, I would love to hear your opinion on this week's content.

[identity profile] ah0000.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 02:07 pm (UTC)(link)

thank you for this OP! my kpop faves.

i genuinely would not be “into” kpop if it wasn’t for f(x). i never went through the phase during high school (2005-2009 ish) when it was really peaking. i actually got interested in them because of the funny or die video!! bc i worked at universal movie studio at that time and worked on pitch perfect. and then started listening to electric shock.

then red light came out and changed everything that i thought about kpop. even then f(x) was still the only kpop act i listened too actually. red light was so good, “dracula” will always be my favorite song of theirs.

i never really knew much about them as individuals at that time since i was still so new to kpop/f(x) so honestly sulli’s departure from the group didn’t really impact me.

then 4 walls. the best album. i listened to it day in, day out. it was THE album that i listened to while i was traveling a lot for work so actually now it just reminds me of being in SF and on airplanes, it’s my travel album. i feel very comforted when i listen to this album still.

i was sad that nothing really came after that. i was planning a trip to europe in 2016 when they were announced to be at kcon paris that summer and there had always been rumors that that was THE last chance to see them, that it was going to be the last time probably that they would all perform together. so i flew back into paris to go lol even though my france part of the trip was already over. i don’t regret it even tho it was kinda lackluster since it was without vic already by that time, and vic was my fave. BUT i looooove “free somebody” so i’m happy i got to see luna perform that. didn’t need to see “shake that brass” tho lol. anyway it was unexpected bc i didn’t pay attention to who else was going to be there but i then saw shinee and bts perform which while didn’t get me into them as a true fan, made me expand my horizons in terms of listening to a few more kpop artists or songs here and there.

and while i didn’t really pay attention to sulli as a group member bc of timing of when i got into the group, her passing made me really sad. i always thought she was really cute and loved her in running man. and i actually watched hotel del luna after without knowing that she had a cameo, and it was sad but kind of nice to see her one last time in that way. idk.

anyway f(x) is still to this day my favorite kpop act. other than them i only listen to a few other female artists or groups like hyorin or dreamcatcher, and OST soundtracks but that’s kind of it. so they’re my all-around actual kpop experience.

[identity profile] broadcities.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 02:33 pm (UTC)(link)
i also saw them at kcon then and had the exact same feeling - it felt lackluster, especially with only 3 members, but i was so happy i got the chance to see them then. but what i would've given for a full concert by them! a few years ago i found an illegal upload of their concert dvd and it looked so great.

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[identity profile] ashdevilrun23.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 02:19 pm (UTC)(link)
My favourite experimental group! chu was the first song i heard from them krystal calling ambers name and victoria backflipping all over the place iconic lmao.
When sulli left i knew it was the beginning of the end :( vic was getting so popular in china.. but then they came back and i was so happy 4walls was the perfect follow up to red light! I doubt they’ll ever come back but i’ll still love them as a whole, i always thought they’d have a reunion single with sulli eventually when enough time passes.
this post stirred up some memories guess im gonna listen to f(x) all day today 💕
Image

[identity profile] goshipgurl.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 02:21 pm (UTC)(link)
great post OP, as always.

Krystal is the only one left under SM, right? So when is her contract expiring? I still don't understand why she re-signed with them after Jessica left the company.

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[identity profile] broadcities.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 02:31 pm (UTC)(link)
yay!! f(x) is the group that got me into kpop, i still love their discography and style so much! when i first saw them as a group, i thought it was so interesting to see a more andogynous idol like amber in an industry that is so hyperfeminine overall.

their styling was my fave during rumpumpum (krystals hair was everything! the plaid!) 4walls (the glitter! the bell bottoms!) and all night (the retro! luna's white baret!). their choreographies were also always so fun, nu abo's makeup dance especially.

and their discography... just so good - truly one of the few kpop groups to me where i would listen to most of the b-sides. mr boogie? when i'm alone? airplane? rude love? milk, butterfly? sweet witches? all mine??? luna's solo album free somebody was so solid too.

the group got so much random hate, especially because i feel they weren't really made to be a true idol group for some reason.

for me, there's no kpop group like them. i've always hoped that they would come back for a reunion, but with sulli's passing (which i've noticed i still haven't truly accepted) and the rest of the members being over the idol lifestyle, i doubt it unfortunately.

[identity profile] lightframes.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 04:45 pm (UTC)(link)
I love everything about this comment!

I totally agree about Amber and I love how her styling got more sophisticated over time. At first it seemed like they didn't know how to style her really (bowl cut? cargo shorts?), but then they realized there's so much you can do with androgynous styling.

Their styling took a huge jump between Electric Shock and Pink Tape imo. When the art film came out I was sooooo excited/happy/proud to be a fan of this group. And it just kept getting better from there!

I love every single album track you listed lol Airplane is one of my favorite all-time f(x) songs! It makes me cry sometimes.

You're not the first person I've seen say they don't seem like a normal idol group. Someone in this comm a long time ago said they seem more like an underground electropop group SME just happened to sign to their label, but I can't remember who it was!

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[identity profile] thebloomroom.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 02:45 pm (UTC)(link)
When I liked kpop the first go around in 2nd gen, I only paid attention to BGs, ugh. I was in college and only was there for the dudes which i REGRET bc i missed all of GG, fx, etc’s fame. And the group I liked (Suju) turned out to be such a disappointment all these years later LMAO i wizh i could go back in time and enjoy the iconic 2nd gen ggs.

I think Electric Shock is my fave of their singles but I also never listened to their bsides. I always likea Victoria bc she was beautiful but woof, her and amber turned out to be such disappointments.

Another GG done dirty by their agency smh. So sad how they never got another cb.

[identity profile] lightframes.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 04:46 pm (UTC)(link)
I really hope you decide to listen to their albums at some point because a lot of the tracks are better than or at the same level as their singles.

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[identity profile] pikapika217.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 02:47 pm (UTC)(link)
let's talk about the MOST disrespected girl group in SME history!! Constantly pushing new ground and being experimental, selling well and not even having a fan club name until over half their run. LIKE?!!?!?!?!?!

Also, Red Velvet will always be linked to them for me - less so artistry style since RV is much more vocal forward in a way only Luna could be in f(x) but more because of how RV was used as a smokescreen for Sulli leaving and all that you know - but with more time passed I can separate them much more.

I just want Luna and Krystal's happiness most of all

[identity profile] ah0000.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 03:00 pm (UTC)(link)

really says a lot that MeU only came about AFTER their last album was released lmao

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[identity profile] yuwkon.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 04:21 pm (UTC)(link)
lachata is still a bop! didn't love them that much but i like their aesthetics. they're such a beautiful group and their concepts were always interesting. the og "weird" concept queens!

[identity profile] hibaalhadid.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 04:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Thank you so much for this post

[identity profile] giriboy.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 05:19 pm (UTC)(link)
my favorites~ ♡
Image

f(x) were definitely my first big exposure to kpop (like, before them i only knew of tumblr film blogs getting into exo and the wg movie) and they were the only group i was into until mid-2015. i remember buying all their albums on itunes during a world cup match and i still have most of them downloaded on my phone

my favorite concepts / albums from them are definitely ELECTRIC SHOCK and RED LIGHT. they're both perfect and better than their most hyped albums... all that aside, 4walls was always missing something for me (sulli's voice) and i'm still bitter that 4walls whole gimmick was so focused on f(4), it's never sat right with me and i haven't liked that gimmick when other companies have done it, either. ssul was a big part of f(x)'s identity & i never liked meUs who said that she wasn't important to the group and that's why f(x)'s best album is the one she wasn't at all involved in

my fave single is still probably rum pum pum pum & i still watch the stages of that a lot, and this fancam! one of my faves ever


i don't check for most of the members now, but f(x) will always have a special place in my heart. i was really, really, really excited for goblin and sulli really doesn't disappoint. it's my fave of any of their solos. ”dorothy” (“https://youtu.be/kzUZABVj5UQ”) is amazing, even tho i can't really listen to it anymore :( i just miss her a lot

anyway! this post was really well done, op! i love them so much ♡

[identity profile] lightframes.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 05:57 pm (UTC)(link)
I love 4 Walls but I agree with what you're saying about people minimizing Sulli. It almost seemed like a weird coping mechanism from some fans, who were initially upset but took the "well, we didn't need her anyway" route, which was ??? Sulli was a huge part of f(x), so much so that people thought she was maknae instead of Krystal! It's dishonest to act like she wasn't talented or wasn't an important part of the group's identity. That's why 4 Walls can't top Pink Tape for me, because it doesn't have all the members.

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Part 1

[identity profile] lightframes.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 05:40 pm (UTC)(link)
OP I really appreciate you and I appreciate this post! I have one request. Would you mind removing the method of Sulli's passing? I think it's fine to say she died by suicide, but the specific method can be triggering to people.

Also, a few of the embeds aren't working for me - I couldn't play Chocolate Love, All Mine or Goblin, but that might just be me.

NU ABO was my first comeback and I immediately knew f(x) would be one of my favorite groups. Their weird, mismatched styling of graphic tees, leggings and chunky fake jewelry wasn't far off from how I dressed at the time (I shopped exclusively at Forever 21 then 😅) and I LOVED Luna's voice. I can't tell you how many times I watched that MV that summer. I still remember when classes started that fall and being so excited to tell everyone I was going to the SM Town Live concert. Memories!

Pinocchio the album was great but I didn't really like the single. I wanted Sweet Witches to be the single. Imagine the concept! The music video! What a missed opportunity. I didn't listen to the whole album right away because I had exams, but this was another album I put on blast the rest of the summer. Hot Summer was a much better single than Pinocchio.

Electric Shock was the opposite for me - I loved the single but I was slow to warm up to the mini at first? But the whole thing sounds like a carnival (I mean that in a good way lol) so I got used to it after a while.

Pink Tape. I feel like you should not ask a MeU about Pink Tape unless you have an hour to spare lol. This whole concept is one of my favorite all-time in K-pop. I'm going to post the art film because I can.





This video had me SO hyped for the album. (And Shadow is a great song.) And the album matched my expectations. There are no songs I skip. Even today, when I listen to Pink Tape I listen to it all the way through. Even when I try to list favorites, it still ends up being half the album - Shadow, Signal, Goodbye Summer (listen to D.O in this song and how well he matches with f(x)), Airplane, Snapshot. I loved f(x) before Pink Tape but for me there was a huge jump in music quality and artistry between Electric Shock and Pink Tape. You can really see them maturing as a group.

Red Light is another album you can listen to from start to finish. The imagery in the MV is excellent - the use of lighting especially. My favorites from the album - Milk, Butterfly, All Night, Vacance, Summer Lover, Paper Heart. 2014 was a year of transition for me (breakup, moving, new job) so this album (and pretty much any album that I listened to that year, K-pop or not) was comfort/strength for me when things got difficult.

4 Walls was a high point for me. I was really sad that Sulli wasn't in the group anymore, but 4 Walls is my second favorite f(x) album behind Pink Tape. f(x) had released so many albums in a row in spring/summer that I had started to associate them with those seasons, but dropping this fall album was a nice change of pace and I listened to it for the rest of 2015. It's so fun and bright compared to the weather that time of year. 4 Walls, Rude Love, Traveler, and Papi are my favorites. I kind of wish Traveler had featured a different rapper (Key? Chanyeol? Hyuna? Yubin? Ravi? Taecyeon? CL?).

Free Somebody is SOOOOO GOOOD!!!!! I listened to it all summer and beyond. Full of travel vlog bops lol. Luna had it all - vocals, dancing, charisma. I wish she had a more fleshed out solo career. Free Somebody, Keep On Doin' and Galaxy are my favorites.

LJ said my comment was too long so I'll post the rest in a second comment.

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Part 2

[identity profile] lightframes.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 05:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Continuing the rest of my comment:


I was saying in the Wonder Girls post that I feel satisfied as a fan because they still were able to promote and have success even after the group disbanded, but I don't feel the same way as a MeU. f(x) gave us a fantastic discography, but it's hard not to feel like they had more left in them than they got to achieve. Like they were steadily improving in music and concept through 4 Walls and Free Somebody, so what else could we have seen had SME not mistreated them so badly? Literally they do this to all of their girl groups, even groups as successful as SNSD, so I just feel like I'm holding my breath waiting for them to get tired of Red Velvet, unfortunately. I hope it doesn't happen, but their record isn't great. I'm glad I got to see SNSD, f(x) and RV live in concert. They're all amazing performers.

I feel the same way about Sulli but in a different way. She still had her whole life to live, but this awful, misogynistic and predatory world took that from her. She really wanted to make the world better for girls and women, and she should still be with us. It's good for girls to have someone like that to look up to. It was easy to see she felt a responsibility to her fans, and she had a good heart. She didn't owe anyone anything, and she still attracted a lot of hate from people who had nothing better to do but to try to make others miserable.


They're still my favorite girl group and they will always have a special place in my heart.

Re: Part 2

[identity profile] broadcities.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 05:55 pm (UTC)(link)
exactly! it will always be a 'what could've been' for f(x), unfortunately. they were able to pull off so much.

same with sulli, you really described her tragedy so well. she had such a warm heart and was so courageous.

Re: Part 2

[identity profile] lightframes.livejournal.com - 2020-07-25 18:27 (UTC) - Expand

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[identity profile] lightframes.livejournal.com - 2020-07-26 19:26 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] inwazyja.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 06:44 pm (UTC)(link)
Red Light was the first kpop song I remember liking! They stood out among their peers for sure.

[identity profile] myrrhcat.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 07:39 pm (UTC)(link)
great post OP, i think you handled it very well. i am a huge fan of f(x)'s discography, they really have some of the best music in kpop. unfortunately i never watched much of their variety stuff, i didn't develop that strong of an attachment to the members although i can certainly tell them apart well. sulli was an icon, an incredible woman. RIP. i didn't agree with the opinion that she didn't bring much to the group. i thought her voice was really unique and pleasant, and idk, she was just a big part of the group's charm.

[identity profile] timetobegin.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 08:03 pm (UTC)(link)
First off - I like to think Sulli is resting well and finally at peace. Her passing continues to hurt. I was lucky enough to follow this group from debut to end, and when I think of her in their earliest days... Just tears.

F(x)!!!!! While their successors Red Velvet are a very clear RnB/pop blend that defines SM in many ways for me, f(x) was the group where SM went a little out of the box musically. They were definitely more electro pop, leaning into more experimental waters. Or, at least, approaching electro pop music differently from the Kpop norm. A big weakness of the group would be their vocal disbalance: Luna was a powerhouse and the other members could barely keep up (yes, Krystal was fine but no match).

I think SM really tried something different with f(x), but they never quite made it big so the label just.... gave up. Unpopular opinion, but I don't think f(x)'s failure as a group is necessarily entirely SM's fault. The group never clicked with the general public in Korea and I strongly feel that alot of stuff went down behind the scenes that made it difficult to have the girls out as a group properly and regularly. I guess we'll never know.

Back to the music. I wish people would remember f(x) for their entire discography rather than just Pink Tape and 4 Walls. Like yes those are fantastic records but the girls released MORE and OTHER GREAT SONGS TOO. Kpop fans and their short term memory lmao.

I was going to list some of my favourite releases, but I found I could just list everything. So I'll do that? I love their stuff. Their earliest releases (debut/Chu single/NU ABO/first album) take me back to my late secondary school years. The lyrical content and looks are age appropriate, but the music is fun and edgy. They were already maturing with Pink Tape, but Red Light was full blown dark and grown and the sort of noisy electro SM now loves for NCT (trend setters for sure). 4 Walls was the final album we deserved.

In short: fantastic group. Don't skip any releases, love their discography for all it has to offer.

[identity profile] lightframes.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 08:50 pm (UTC)(link)
I think SM really tried something different with f(x), but they never quite made it big so the label just.... gave up. Unpopular opinion, but I don't think f(x)'s failure as a group is necessarily entirely SM's fault. The group never clicked with the general public in Korea and I strongly feel that alot of stuff went down behind the scenes that made it difficult to have the girls out as a group properly and regularly. I guess we'll never know.

I wish there was more room in the industry for groups to just... exist. The idea that "if you don't have at least one smash hit with the general public then you've failed" must be so hard to live up to. (I don't think you're doing that, I just think that's how the industry is set up generally.) There are a lot of groups that never have that breakthrough hit but they should still be considered successes if they're making sales and touring. But as long as the industry is controlled by these giant labels that expect a certain profit margin from every group regardless of the market or target audience, things will continue to be like this, I guess.

[identity profile] theweebdream.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 08:45 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh f(x). Where do I begin? I didn’t even know they had a fandom name, but the fact that it was revealed in 2016 during their indefinite hiatus...yuck.

No joke, I was literally just thinking about them earlier today, and how they’re one of the few girl groups that had solid b-sides. I was just listening to Last Summer earlier too!!

I got into them with Electric Shock, which really put them on the map for me. I wasn’t a fan of RPPP bc it felt like ES 2.0 for me, but the b-sides were so good. Red Light?? Yep, another solid track and b-sides. My non-kpop friend says she still listens to Red Light nowadays too!! And 4 Walls will always hold a special place in my heart bc it was released when I was studying abroad in Japan.

It’s such a shame they got screwed over. After Electric Shock their music kept getting better and better. I hope they can release new music someday but I know I have a better chance of wining the lottery lol.

[identity profile] kyulkyung.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 09:58 pm (UTC)(link)
i will never forget how this site (and everyone else) treated sulli before her passing

[identity profile] lightframes.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 11:46 pm (UTC)(link)
I think people tended to let their dislike of things happening around Sulli (f(x) ending promotions, etc.) morph into a dislike of Sulli personally when that stuff wasn't her fault. It doesn't excuse it at all and I understand your pain, but I can't think of any other explanation when this site was generally positive toward her before she left the group.

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[identity profile] xoxkenzxox.livejournal.com - 2020-07-28 17:39 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] punkylana.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 10:04 pm (UTC)(link)
i miss her so much

[identity profile] torontok.livejournal.com 2020-07-25 11:25 pm (UTC)(link)
My all time favorite girl group.I remember waiting for Red Light to drop and almost being late for my flight because wanted to download the album before boarding.They truly deserved so much more

[identity profile] frequency.livejournal.com 2020-07-26 12:44 am (UTC)(link)
i have to be frank here; i liked their concepts a lot but most of their music just never meshed w/ me? i liked their title tracks for the most part, but a lot of their album tracks just missed the mark for me. except for shadow, that one still bangs.

[identity profile] myungung.livejournal.com 2020-07-26 06:21 am (UTC)(link)
Ah another detailed post, thanks OP!

f(x) were a pretty different group in the kpop world, and I guess their “experimental” sound was their trademark together with their styling. Nu Abo was probably one of the first few kpop songs I started listening to. Their variety show was pretty cute, and it’s pretty amazing how Amber’s return from hiatus made them bigger when usually it spells the start of the end for other groups.

Danger and Hot Summer were bops that I started paying attention to, and I think it's also where they became bigger in Korea. And Electric Shock was a big hit for them (I also liked that they gave Sulli important parts, despite her not being the strongest vocalist)! For ifans probably only Pink Tape era where the group became more popular? They’re probably underrated because while ifans hyped them up, it didn’t really translate to sales and it seems their Korean fanbase helped them more. It’s a pity we’ll never see them reunite musically, but at least they gave great consistent title tracks, probably only rivalled by T-ara.

I hope Krystal gets to do more acting and maybe stuff with Jessica in future

Next week is a pretty easy guess, but I’m not familiar with them so hoping to get a guide to them via your post!
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[identity profile] lizanka23.livejournal.com 2020-07-27 01:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah i don’t know why some people here are acting like f(x) never had any mainstream hits?? I feel like with more effort on SM’s part they could’ve been more successful but at the same time if they were bigger i don’t know if SM would let Amber recover properly from her leg injury. Also it seems like Sulli didn’t like the innocent cutesy image that SM was pushing on her, so she wanted to leave plus Vic’s success in China. Exo can handle A lot of members leaving(3 in the beginning yikes) because there are so many members but with fx its more noticeable
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[identity profile] lizanka23.livejournal.com - 2020-07-28 04:22 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] ah0000.livejournal.com 2020-07-26 03:23 pm (UTC)(link)

OP just want to add that due to this post i have been listening to f(x) non stop since 😊. so thank you for reminding me of how much i love them!

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[identity profile] lightframes.livejournal.com - 2020-07-26 19:24 (UTC) - Expand

[identity profile] aeries-amethyst.livejournal.com 2020-07-26 11:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Thinking of f(x) always has me feeling both heartbroken and frustrated. SM absolutely dropped the ball with them and I will forever be pressed about that. Sulli's passing was the nail in the coffin for me. This group could have had so much more, but SM literally let them fade into irrelevancy.

f(x) definitely had an experimental sound, which I would always connect to Shinee. However, I still enjoyed most of f(x)'s music. Electric Shock, Nu ABO and Pinocchio are my absolute faves. Loved the styling for Red Light and 4Walls. Absolutely love the harmonization in RPPP. LCT is one of my fave debuts from a group, Chu is still such a cute bop. Mr.Boogie and Beautiful Stranger are two of my most played b-sides from them. I still prefer Soshi's Chocolate Love to f(x)'s - especially the outfits and the choreo with the fans *O*

[identity profile] lizanka23.livejournal.com 2020-07-27 02:38 pm (UTC)(link)
Fx is such an important group in kpop. First, there was Amber’s tomboy presentation, which is still not seen in kpop even now. Although it seems to be much more common in Chinese entertainment. I wonder why that’s the case but i think i would need to do some historical and gender studies research of the two countries for that or something...

Second, their music style and concepts. Where were you going to see a kpop girl group have only half of their face in makeup and then no makeup on the other half. Red light was also out there musically. What in parts seemed like plain noise in other parts was melodic and catchy. A very interesting song although not my fave. I love the rest of the red light album though and i listened to it non-stop when it first came out. That was also when i finally became a fan of the group. I think i was turned off by the Obnoxious brightness of their music and MVs before red light although i did love electric shock as a song

4walls was a perfect song to show off their maturity. Of course it’s still sad what happened to Sulli. It seems like the image SM pushed on her was still constricting after she left fx and tried to break out on her own. It seemed like she was just rebelling when she left like many child stars do and then she was finally building a solo career but still the hate was too much :( At least people will have positive memories of her

It seems like all of the members are doing what they want to do too even if they‘re not super in-demand right now


Edited 2020-07-27 14:39 (UTC)

[identity profile] shawarmafordays.livejournal.com 2020-07-27 03:03 pm (UTC)(link)
I will always have a soft spot for f(x) because they debuted around the same time I got into K-pop in 2009. It's been a pleasure to see them do so many concepts and attempt different types of music. It's sad that their legacy was cut short with however things played out in 2015...I thought after 4Walls, we were going to see another album.

Regarding Sulli, I don't think I will ever get over her passing. I've always felt a kinship towards her because she's two months younger than me and I've always followed her. I wish society and people had done more for her and I can't help but thing if the world is kinder and more fair towards women, she would be with us today.I hope she is happy and at peace.

I'm so grateful for the time we got with them as a group and I wish SM had invested more in them so we would see more of them. I hope the rest put out music (Luna needs a comeback after the masterpiece that is Free Somebody) or do what they want to do. Even though I'm not the fondest of Amber, I really hope to see them active in the industry.

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