Do you have what it takes to win the hearts of two famous men? Step right up and show us your best confidence!

Hey, you know which place sounds great right now? Vegas! Let’s go have the time of our lives gambling our hard-earned money and hitting it off with beautiful women and men who will steal our breath away and give us the time of our lives! So go and have a blast! I’m going to stay home and listen to music. I’m sorry, I’m not much of a party animal so I probably wouldn’t have that great a time in Vegas, but there is one song this year that will submerge me into the fancy, sophisticated spirit of the rich and fabulous atmosphere. This of course is TVXQ!’s “Something”.

Breakups Are Hard…

Ah, TVXQ! The group is apparently so awesome that they had to put an exclamation point at the end. This is no exaggeration. Since their debut in 2004, TVXQ! has had a long run of outstanding albums including Tri-Angle (2004), Mirotic (2008), and Keep Your Head Down (2011). Now in order to talk about TVXQ!, the break-up needs to be addressed. The group currently consists of two members: Yunho and Changmin. Before 2009, there used to be five members. The three that left the group are known currently as JYJ (Jaejoong, Yoochun, Junsu). In 2009, a nasty lawsuit broke out. The members of JYJ complained about SM Entertainment making schedules without the members’ permission and distributing profits unequally. In October 2009, Yunho and Changmin tried to reason with the other three by sending out a public sentence asking them to resolve their issues. Unfortunately the minds of JYJ couldn’t be altered. After TVXQ!’s last live performance together on December 31, 2009, they split apart into the groups we know today.

Take Me Down South!

Now let’s talk about something more lively. TVXQ’s recently released song “Something” has brought an old-school, New Orleans kind of sound, and I’m talking about authentic New Orleans: jazz horns, swinging bass, and probably one of the best dance breaks in any Kpop song this year. Listening to the music will send you away to a magical place where everything is wonderful and fresh. You might understand what I mean if you listen to the radio and hear about an hour of electronic dance music. Then if you suddenly hear the catchy notes of Motown horns and strings, you probably wouldn't expect it to be a Korean song. However, the lyrics of the song paint the picture of a kind of American casino.

Am I That Handsome?

After translating the lyrics, I felt like I was listening to an advertisement for a medical prescription. There were dangerous risks if you decided to purchase the product, or in the case of the song, the members of TVXQ. But the first main idea of the lyrics is the popularity of the members. They treat their fame quickly humorously, seemingly baffled that they have so many beautiful fans:

수많은 여자들 모두 내가 좋대 / Countless girls all told me they like me

아이돌 같대나 뭐래나 / Saying I look like an idol or something

Then they follow it up with:

불편해도 뭘 어쩌겠어, 맨날 그래왔던 걸 / Even if it gets uncomfortable, what can I do, it’s always been this way

오늘도 나 burn like a fire / Even today I burn like a fire

TVXQ! is certainly qualified to brag about their fame. Having been around, and very popular, since 2004, they could be humble or cocky about their amazing progress and it would be appropriate because that they have progress to brag about! They aren’t a rookie group in their mid and late teens seeking to land a successful debut. They are respectful legends who still bring charisma to the music they perform.

Get a Backbone!

The other main idea of the song is the choice the viewer is asked to make: approach the members of TVXQ! with confidence and class and you will be rewarded tremendously. But if you are shy and shallow, they won’t have time for you. It’s like the members are saying, “Hitting it off with me is a dangerous bet, but it’s worth it if you win. When you want something, show confidence and don’t mess around.” This is quite a good moral. Because this a Vegas-sounding bet, if TVXQ! didn’t approve of the listener, she would probably be crushed emotionally or even financially. In “Something”, the second bridge of the song suggests that the listener was approved by TVXQ! and will proceed to have the best night of her life with them. However, the best lyrics of the song are defiantly near the end:

그렇게 기회만보면, 때는 이미 늦은걸 / If all you do is look for an opportunity, it will already be too late

This ties in with the earlier moral presented about having a lot of confidence. You won’t get much in your life if all you do is look from a safe distance. If you truly want something, you have to move out of your comfort zone and into the lion pit with intent. As long as you stay focused and active, you will be rewarded. Frankly, it’s refreshing to have a pop song with this kind of message nowadays.

Always Keep The Faith

There are many fans, including myself, who firmly believe that TVXQ! was at their very best from 2004 to 2009: all together and wonderfully talented. Their vocal harmonies could bring tears to your eyes and their bright personalities could make your day a thousand times better. However, from 2009 to the present, TVXQ! is still on top of the world in popularity and musical awesomeness. Even though the group has scars from the past that can never be fully healed, they still have good intentions toward making the music they perform epic and worthy of praise. And maybe sometime in the future, the scars could fade somewhat and fullness could be restored to the group. To quote the fans of TVXQ!: “Keep the Faith.”