| FM | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | March 27, 2015 | |||
| Recorded | September 2014 – February 2015 | |||
| Genre | K-pop | |||
| Length | 19:50 | |||
| Language | Korean | |||
| Label | ||||
| Crayon Pop chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from FM | ||||
| ||||
FM is the third Korean mini album of South Korean girl group Crayon Pop. It was released on March 27, 2015, one year after their last Korean release, "Uh-ee". The lead single of the same name was written by hitmaker Shinsadong Tiger and has a "female warrior" concept based on super hero TV shows such as Super Sentai and Sailor Moon .
The lead single, "FM", was first performed at K-Pop Night Out at SXSW in Austin, Texas on March 19. [1] [2] After returning to Seoul, Crayon Pop had a street showcase in Dongdaemun District on March 21, followed by guerrilla performances in Myeong-dong, COEX and Hongdae. [3] Promotion for the album began on March 26 on the music show M! Countdown . [4]
The album was released on March 27 and has three songs. [5] "FM", written by Shinsadong Tiger and Monster Factory, [6] was described as a "catchy song with mysterious lyrics and rhythmical melody". "FM" stands for "field manual" and is slang for someone who is a rule follower, but not in a good way. [7] [8] In an interview with MTV, Ellin discussed the concept of "FM": "Unlike the cute image from 'Bar Bar Bar', we are portraying the image of a charismatic female warrior; we are mature women."
"Hapataka" is written by Kim Yoo-min (who also wrote "Bar Bar Bar") and is a "mix of dance and punk sounds along with lyrics that flip the Korean alphabets backwards". "1, 2, 3, 4" is written by Song Ji-hoon of Dumb & Dumber, the producer team behind Crayon Pop's first three singles. [4] "1, 2, 3, 4" had previously been recorded and performed in both Japanese and English, and a Korean version was recorded for the album.
The music video for "FM" was filmed in a quarry in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi-do [9] and has a "female warrior" concept inspired by Super Sentai and Sailor Moon . [10] [11] The music video is similar to a 1990s super hero TV show, with Crayon Pop transforming into super heroes and defeating a rat-like monster villain. [12] BornUs of K-Much appears in the music video as Tuxedo Mask, Sailor Moon's love interest. [13]
Crayon Pop's performance of "FM" at the SXSW Music Festival was chosen by Fuse TV as one of the 18 best moments of the festival. Fuse writer Maria Sherman praised Crayon Pop's "phenomenal" choreography and said, "If these girls know anything, it's how to entertain." [14] [15] Adrienne Stanley of MTV said the song was one of the best K-pop concepts of 2015 due to the "incorporation of recognizable Asian pop iconography and the brilliant use of Crayon Pop's dance friendly vocals". She also commented on the group's "dynamic" choreography and "clever delivery of girl power". [10]
Jeff Benjamin of Billboard called the song an "addictive dance single" with a "slight tinge of melancholy" and said the group's sound was more mature than their previous singles and "smoother and cooler to the ears". He also noted the song's similarity to T-ara's singles, with the chorus sounding like an upbeat version of "Day by Day". He concluded: "'FM' seems to show that Crayon Pop can and will still make entertaining visuals, but they're also capable of making music that can be taken seriously as they grow older too. Overall, it's a positive step forward in a difficult transition from viral sensation to legitimate music act." [13]
Scott Interrante, writing for PopMatters , said "FM" was "incredible" and praised the retro superhero concept. He said, "At this point in their career, we've grown to be able to count on Crayon Pop for always coming out with something to cheer us up: something irreverent, silly, and astonishingly well-crafted and genuine". He also noted that the song was not as cheesy as past releases, but was campy enough to be "unmistakably Crayon Pop". [16]
| No. | Title | Lyrics | Music | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "FM" | Shinsadong Tiger, Monster Factory | Shinsadong Tiger, Monster Factory | 3:41 |
| 2. | "Hapataka" (하파타카) | Kim Yoo-min | Kim Yoo-min, Lee Seung-yeop, Lubomir Slavicek | 3:08 |
| 3. | "1, 2, 3, 4" | Song Ji-hoon | Song Ji-hoon | 3:06 |
| 4. | "FM" (Inst.) | Shinsadong Tiger, Monster Factory | 3:41 | |
| 5. | "Hapataka" (Inst.) | Kim Yoo-min, Lee Seung-yeop, Lubomir Slavicek | 3:08 | |
| 6. | "1, 2, 3, 4" (Inst.) | Song Ji-hoon | 3:06 | |
| Total length: | 19:50 | |||
| Chart (2015) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| South Korea (Gaon Album Chart) [17] | 6 |
Crayon Pop is a South Korean girl group formed under Chrome Entertainment in 2012. The group consisted of four members: Geummi, Ellin, Choa, and Way. Their fifth member, Soyul, left the group in 2017.
"Talk That" is a single by South Korean girl group Secret. It was released as a digital single on December 4, 2012 through TS Entertainment. The song marks as their second digital single without an accompanying physical release since "I Want You Back". The song was written and produced by Shinsadong Tiger whom they previously worked with "Magic". “Talk That” is a midtempo dance-pop song with influences from French-electronica genre and synthpop. Lyrically the song tells about the pain and grief felt by the protagonist after being betrayed by a loved one. "Talk That" received generally positive reviews from critics, most of whom had praised the song for its mature musical style and concept as opposed to their previous singles.
Life is the third Korean extended play (EP) of South Korean singer Heo Young-saeng. It was released on March 14, 2013 under B2M Entertainment and distributed by CJ E&M.
Secret Garden is the third mini-album by South Korean girl group Apink, released on July 5, 2013. This is their first official release as six-member group and they returned after 14 months since they last promoted their last album "Une Année" with "Hush" and "Bubibu" in May 2012. They made first comeback stage on Mnet’s “M! Countdown" one day before the official release. The theme of the album is healing, aim to that will soothe the listeners’ eyes and ears. The album consist of five new songs including the title track "No No No" produced by Shinsadong Tiger.
Be.A was a South Korean boy band formed under Chrome Entertainment in 2014. They debuted on 7 January 2014 as K-Much with the release of their first mini album Beyond the Ocean. The group currently consists of three members: Hong-gyu, Yeong-kyun, and Ato.
Chrome Entertainment is a record label and talent agency founded by Hwang Hyun-chang in 2011, based in Seoul, South Korea. Since 2014, Chrome Entertainment is a label under Sony Music Entertainment.
Crayon Pop is a South Korean girl group formed by Chrome Entertainment in 2012. The discography consists of two studio albums, four extended plays, twelve singles and twelve music videos. Members Choa and Way have also released an extended play, The 1st Mini Album, as Crayon Pop – Strawberry Milk.
Ahn Hyo-jin, professionally known as LE, is a South Korean rapper, producer and songwriter. She has been a member of K-pop girl group EXID since 2012. She was also previously a member of the underground hip hop group, Jiggy Fellaz, performing under the stage name, Elly.
"Bar Bar Bar" is the second single album, and fourth single overall by Crayon Pop. It was released digitally on June 20, 2013 by Chrome Entertainment and distributed by CJ E&M Music. "Bar Bar Bar" became a viral hit in late July, eventually reaching number one on Billboard's K-Pop Hot 100 chart and number three on the Gaon Digital Chart.
"Lonely Christmas" is the third single album, and fifth single overall by Crayon Pop. It was released on November 26, 2013 by Chrome Entertainment and Sony Music. The song was a Christmas follow-up to the successful "Bar Bar Bar". Pops in Seoul described it as "a dance song with funk and disco sounds".
"Uh-ee" is the fourth single album, and sixth single overall by Crayon Pop. It was released on April 1, 2014 by Chrome Entertainment and Sony Music, and was written by Kang Jin Woo of Dumb & Dumber, the producers behind Crayon Pop's first three singles. The song is an electro house dance song mixed with trot music.
The 1st Mini Album is the debut mini album by Crayon Pop sub-unit Strawberry Milk, composed of identical twins Choa and Way. It was released on October 15, 2014 by Chrome Entertainment and Sony Music.
Korea Spotlight, originally named K-Pop Night Out at SXSW (KPNO), is an annual concert of South Korean artists held in the United States, organized by Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA). It started in 2013, and is a music showcase of the annual SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas.
"Born Hater" is a song by South Korean hip hop group Epik High, released on October 18, 2014, as one of their single tracks from their eighth Korean studio album, Shoebox. The song features rappers Beenzino, Verbal Jint, B.I, Mino, and Bobby.
Beautiful is the debut extended play by American singer and rapper Amber, who is a member of South Korean girl group f(x). The EP was released on February 13, 2015 by S.M. Entertainment.
Apink is a South Korean girl group formed by IST Entertainment. The group debuted on April 19, 2011, with the extended play (EP) Seven Springs of Apink. Apink currently consists of five members: Park Cho-rong, Yoon Bo-mi, Jeong Eun-ji, Kim Nam-joo and Oh Ha-young. Originally a seven-piece, members Hong Yoo-kyung left in 2013 and Son Na-eun left in 2022.
KNK is a South Korean boy band formed in 2016. KNK is an initialism which stands for K-pop knock, meaning "to knock on the door of K-pop with their music." They held their debut showcase on February 29, 2016, and officially released their debut single album titled Knock on March 3, 2016. The group currently consists of three members, Inseong, Jihun and Dongwon. Youjin departed from the group on September 10, 2018, Seoham departed from the group on September 30, 2021, and Heejun departed from the group on January 13, 2022.
Oh My Girl is the debut extended play (EP) by South Korean girl group Oh My Girl. It was released by WM Entertainment on April 20, 2015 and distributed by LOEN Entertainment. The album was produced by Lee Won-min, CEO of WM Entertainment, with music produced by 72 and Moon Jeong-gyu. The album contains four songs, including the single "Cupid", which was released in conjunction with the album.
"TT" is a song recorded by South Korean girl group Twice. The song was released by JYP Entertainment on October 24, 2016, as the lead single from their third extended play Twicecoaster: Lane 1. It was written and composed by Sam Lewis and Black Eyed Pilseung respectively. The title "TT" refers to an emoticon used to express crying or sadness.
