Put On Your Happy Face

Our story begins way back in 2000, with the release of Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory. Bratty preteens across America (including me) gobbled up the combination of screaming choruses and woe-is-me rhymes, as it provided ample background noise for whatever capital letters they wanted to bang out on their Xangas/Myspaces. Nine years later, raprock comes to Korea with a new face, and it's happy. Big Tone and Pil Kang - former members of iM - now comprise Happy Face, which debuted a couple of weeks ago on MNet Countdown with the single 보여 (Show). The performance itself was solid, even though I can't help but think LINKINPARKLINKINPARK when I hear that synthesized intro, angry but soft rapping, and a climax of a chorus. Whether or not they'll hit it off with the K-Pop public, who knows? At the very least, their particular sound lies alone in the Korean music world, and they definitely have the talent to stick around for a while. Perhaps they will capture the emo-hearts of adolescents just as their American predecessors Linkin Park and Limp Bizkit did a decade before. If K-Girl groups can be successful while reminding Korean-Americans of the Spice Girls and the Pussycat Dolls, why can't Happy Face do the same with raprock? Back when iM existed, they honored their musical ancestry by recording a cover of Linkin Park's hit "In The End" iM's 2006 single "Be My 1004" featuring Narcia of Brown Eyed Girls (damn, this song is kickass! How did I miss this?) And there's no way I could mention the words "Happy Face" without posting this classic video. "LOOK AT MY FACE! Does this look like my happy face?" Thanks to bojoong for the tip, mehrongx2 for the performance video & "In The End" cover, and Meanlilkity for the MV.