A key scene would be the last part of the music when Tiffany realizes that they’re not mannequins anymore, and taps on the girls’ shoulders literally awakening them to their freedom. The sisterhood aspect is pretty evident with the girls playing around together. Two interesting ideas presented in the MV are that of the Girls’ Generation sisterhood and of the quintessential Nation’s Girl Group. You’re definitely not showing this to a potential K-pop convert, over something as polished as Exo‘s “Growl,” but at the same time, you cannot deny that it’s one of the songs that defines K-pop as a genre. I haven’t forgotten the love-hate relationship a lot of fans share with the song. Most importantly, whether you dance or sing to it, or just plain listen to it, you cannot help but feel chirpy.

It’s way too simple to cover compared to “ Sorry Sorry,” which just adds to its accessibility. The choreography is nothing compared to the complicated choreography of “The Boys” or even “Genie.” I have two left feet, and even I can perform decently to the chorus. If you think the girls are taking Minho seriously while happily vandalizing the whole store, then I’m judging your comprehension skills extra hard. Of course, they’re talking about that insignificant “Employer of the Month” Minho, but that too is part of the fun.

“Gee” is literally about Girls’ Generation having fun. I was of the former opinion at first but soon changed my mind when I realized what the song was all about: fun. There has been considerable debate on the concept of “Gee.” For some, the trope of the mannequin plays right into the hands of male fantasies while others feel that the lack of a definite male figure actually supports female subjectivity. Therefore, even when Jessica says “GG” in “The Boys” we are simultaneously reminded of two things – the band and the iconic song. The hook is very easy to hum, thanks to its monotony and single alphabet appeal “G.” The hook also advertises the band (and brand) name – Girls’ Generation (GG). Musically, “Gee” signifies the importance of a hook in K-pop. I was that traumatized and betrayed by the change.Ģ4 hours later, guess who was humming “gee gee gee”? I could not reconcile myself with the fact that the biker girls I had ooh-ed and aah-ed over only minutes ago were actually neon-loving, bbuing-bbuing obsessed infants.

It became a model for later girl groups however, none of them were able to generate the same wave of finesse, cuteness and success.ĭuring my early K-pop days, I remember coming across “Gee” after having watched “Bad Girl,” and I (almost) went into a crisis. The song came just after DBSK’s “Mirotic” and the Wonder Girls’ “Nobody”, and it was released in the same year as Super Junior’s “Sorry Sorry.” But something about “Gee” worked magically and exclusively. However, it still has over 120 million views on Youtube, the record of nine consecutive wins on KBS Music Bank, and is one of the few music videos that even non K-poppers are aware of. “Gee” is one of the most uncomplicated K-pop MVs of all time, be it in terms of musical composition, cinematography or choreography. One such MV is “Gee.” So in this installation of K-pop Throwback, it’s worth our time to reflect on the good ol’ days of sugary sweet aegyo, sisterhoods, national girl groups, and Girls’ Generation. With Jessica officially ousted from Girls’ Generation, the impenetrable sisterhood lies at the brink of crumbling down, holding a reminiscent of their past glory in their legendary music videos.

Jessica gee snsd