Immediately upon its release, IU's 3rd remake album 'A Flower Bookmark 3' rose to the top of domestic music charts like Melon, Genie, Bugs, and more. The title song, "Never Ending Story", comfortably hit #1 on Melon shortly after release on May 29 at 8 AM KST, while "Square's Dream" took up the #4 spot.
While it's undeniable that the singer skillfully exercised her immense brand power to its maximum potential with the release of 'A Flower Bookmark 3', a long-awaited new addition to the 'Flower Bookmark' series, opinions are divided on the album's overall musicality. South Korean music critics weighed in on the musical impact of 'A Flower Bookmark 3' in comparison to its older siblings.
Regarding the 'Flower Bookmark' series, music critic Jung Min Jae reflected, "When it was first released in 2014, 'A Flower Bookmark' was a brilliant idea to connect the older generations with the younger ones. It was also a daring attempt and therefore, meaning at the time, because dance and electronic music were the most popular genres of that year."
How about critics' responses to 'A Flower Bookmark 3'? Overall, the critics agreed, "There are some interesting selections, but generally, the album features somewhat generic choices, recreated in a predictable way."
Music critic Lim Hee Yoon commented, "It's increasingly becoming very difficult for new songs to enter the top 100. No matter who you are, you cannot hope to easily achieve substantial results on the charts these days. Many music distributors have taken note of this, and they've turned to remake songs - songs released 20~30 or so years ago which have already proven their popularity, to minimize risks and achieve some level of success."
Nonetheless, Lim Hee Yoon observed regarding 'A Flower Bookmark 3', "Still, what ensured success in this case was the combination of the brand that is 'IU' and the brand that is 'A Flower Bookmark'."
Reviewing the selection of songs on 'A Flower Bookmark 3', Jung Min Jae stated, "The selection reflects a strategy aimed at captivating those listeners in their forties, folks born in the 1980s whose tastes have by now strayed from the popular sounds on today's charts."
Finally, on the musicality of the album, Lim Hee Yoon remarked, "A remake album can act as a double-edged sword in the sense that it is working with songs which were already successful in the past, but that past success limits the song's capabilities. Despite her vocal and songwriting talent, IU showcases arrangements which lack imagination. The vocal arrangements, in particular, come across as rather superficial, like a cup of coffee bought at a coffee franchise. It is quite disappointing in those aspects."
Jung Min Jae also noted, "The album leaves the strong impression that the musical arrangements are quite simple and predictable despite the expertise of the participants. There is also a sense that some of the songs failed to overcome the great shadow of the original. It is merely an album that made already popular songs fit with IU's voice. Of course, no artist can take risks every time they release an album. But it would still be difficult to say that IU showcased her musical capabilities to the fullest with this one. Instead, she chose to play it safe."
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