There are various feelings that So Ji Sub‘s just released new rap single elicits from me. The track is called “18 Years” and is a So Ji Sub rap ode to his eighteen years in the entertainment industry. The lyrics were self-written to express thoughts and feelings he’s not able able to share during his long tenure as a K-actor and occasional rapper. I really am floored by a reminder of how long So Ji Sub has been in the limelight starting from his modeling days in the mid-90s. His rise to fame actually mirrors his real life BFF Song Seung Heon since both were models for Storm and did then the sitcom Three Guys and Three Girls. I wasn’t totally offended by So Ji Sub’s last rap and hip-hop album but that was likely the Yoo Seung Ho effect since So Ji Sub got his mini-me to star in the title track MV “6 pm” along with Park Shin Hye. His sing effort even prior to that is the one seared into my brain, the so-bad-so-so-bad “Pick Up Line”. Even the song title is bad.
With those two extremes lurking, “18 Years” actually falls somewhere in between. It’s not bad but still comes across as So Ji Sub’s vanity project, i.e. he really likes to rap so he released a rap song that isn’t memorable or necessary in the musical world. It would even merit a second glance but for it coming from popular actor So Ji Sub. The MV is equally inoffensive and unmemorable, part of me thinks he either needs to do something as headdesk worthy of “Pick Up Line” or tap into his acting friends to star in his MV and amp it up that way. Last year So Ji Sub had The Master’s Sun lined up around this time and he usually does one drama a year but this year there is nary a peep out of his agency on any acting project. He was in Taiwan this past weekend for two sold out fan meetings and during the Q&A session he stated that he would only date openly if he was seriously considering marrying the girl. He’s actually someone with very eclectic tastes and personality in real life so I’m not sure what kind of girl will eventually snag So Ji Sub’s heart but when the times comes it’ll definitely be huge news.
So Ji Sub “18 Years” featuring Saetbyul:
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Oh dear... More of so ji sub's rap.... ^o^
Picnic duet was beautifully done. We like it in the USA. Would like to hear it in English . It sit right next to the song Winter Sonata, in beauty and composition.
He really should stick to acting only and rap in the privacy of his home and not for public consumption.
What country are you from?
Wow, that was pretty bad rap....
What country are you from?
Oh so ji sub. I find it endearing tho that he's still following his dreams in music, even if he's not very good at it lol. Didn't he first start modeling just so he could pose with a hip hop idol of his? Hah
Are you from that lovely country of Korea, where our US souldiers have been stationed for 70 yrs?
I am reminded of William Shatner, (Star Trek's Captain Kirk, in the first iteration) who also dabbled in music with similar cringeworthy results.
As for a possible wife, I am sure there must be dozens of girls out there, who will love him as much as he loves himself.
Treky, Wm Shatner, is he still alive? What country did you see that old show?
Everyone needs to feel good about themselves otherwise you would end up becoming suicidal, drugging, drinking, beating your spouse, having illicit affairs, overall not a fun person to be around!! I hope you love yourself. He is a good person and I am sure; unfortunately, the Good Lord has not made many for you to kick around , Like you are kicking him around. You do not sound like a Godly person to me!!
I was wondered why he insisted on this hip-hop career but then I heard that after the death of his friend Park Yong-ha, he decided that he was just going to do whatever he wanted. And, you know, if it makes him happy than I don't care haha.
Let them close their ears if they do not want to hear him. I think he is as good as anyone else. ESP the rapper from 8 mile mi
I didn't think it was THAT bad.....i mean, it was unmemorable but the beat was nice, and the hook was decent. Compares favorably when I think of idol rapping.
There's no presence when he's rapping, and he mumbles a lot, and I feel NOTHING of what he's trying to convey unless he's trying to convey blahness....
Agree with you. His acting is the same as his rap, bad.He's like a statue, you admire it because it's beautifull, but other than that...
You must be from the USA, like I am. You seem like an expert. We have been rapping since the 70s and of course, you must know that. Good to hear from another American like you or perhaps I am wrong?
Do you even understand Korean.?I would sound unintelligible to you if you do not understand English. It goes to reason or have you not thought of that?
I agree that is it nice to see this side of him too. It isn't about him being egoistic or loving himself too much. It is about being true to himself and doing something he enjoys. He knows he isn't the best singer but still he continues to give it his best. I admire how he puts in 100% to whatever he does.
I like So Ji Sub but I hated this song. His rapping hasn't improve and this song was boring. Didn't feel like he was rapping at all. More like he was talking w/ music in the background. And the mv didn't help at all. :/
I'm no fan of Hip Hop, good or bad, everything is bad to me. But what I really like here is how uncompromising SJS does it his way. Be it his rapping, his tattoos, his fashion sense. He is very unique, got his own mind and he is not afraid to show it in a country that loves integration and doesn't forgive any weakness easily.
The translated text is chilling. If these are his true feelings, he is a captured, frozen soul reduced to his outer beautiful shell. He is nearing 40, a turning point in many peoples' lives. And to me it seems that he is preparing his fans for a marriage. Knowing about his inner world through this song they'll 'forgive' him, when he dares to settle down. ;)
(For those doubting his acting skills. You might want to check out 'Always', he is brilliant in this movie. It is a standard love story, but he is perfect in it. Every flick of the eye, every breath or whimper is well timed. Wonderful movie for a rainy weekend on the couch.)
The "Always" starring w/ Han Hyo Joo? I actually didn't like that movie. Predictable and cliche. And the connection between the two was really a WTF. If this movie was made back in the early of Hallyu wave where it was about first love and the dramatic separation, I would probably enjoy it. But, I've seen too much of that genre and it's just cheesy and sappy.
Newbie’s point is if you want to see SJS’s good acting then try watching the movie.. :-)
As for the story, it is a different issue..
His turning point was when Park yong ha died. It stole innocents and saw the ugly part of life. He probably sees life as pretty fragile , so you might as enjoy it while you can. If people don't like it they can lump it. That death no doubt changed his thought processes forever