GARY'S ELEMENTS OF LOVE

So my favourite Korean rapper-cum-poet, Mr Kang Gary has released his mini album and he kick-started it with a controversial and explicit track, Shower Later.

Well, if you have watched the video and you think it is distasteful, let me just say this - if you are a fan of Gary's music and style, you'll perhaps see it as a playful stunt by him. I could be wrong but I personally feel that the song is not meant to be obscene or perverted; a guy like Gary would see this song as a creative expression of love and sexual desire. In fact, his lyrics are actually very poetic descriptions of his love for a special woman, which I actually credit. Hahaha.

In no way am I condoning obscenity (then again, obscenity is a very subjective thing) but I always find Gary very artistic even when he writes explicit stuff like these. Maybe I am biased but my perception of him is that he is a very sweet guy who is very poetic and artistic. Hence he wouldn't look at sex in a perverted way like some psycho men would. For example, serial killers who rape might see sex as a form of control over women, perverts see sex as a desire that they can't control, etc. Somehow, I feel Gary sees intercourse it as an art and a cleansing experience because love is that pure and beautiful to him. At least I feel that way when I read his lyrics.

The suggestive scenes in the music videos were somehow comedic for me because in Running Man, we know how Gary is - a comedian who has the charms of Romeo. It could be just me but I view the video as another playful and hilarious gimmick by Gary. And although I am usually really anti- these kinda lame videos, in this case, I admit I am biased. Sorry, he is Gary.

Check out his lyrics and you will see how beautifully he puts his "sexperience" into words.

Shower later, just hold me like this for a little while more
I wanna talk in your arms like this
Shower later, just hold me like this for a little while more
I wanna play around with you in your arms like this
I like your small but cute breasts
Your forehead that my hand touches when I brush your hair back
Your eyes that look at me when you are on top of me
Your light skin that is slightly reflected under the lights
You bad girl that makes me go crazy
When I am making love with you
I feel like a sailor who has come home after 3 years
Because you make me rough
The bed becomes the ocean and we are swimming
As if we're healing each other's scars, we're softly touching
Embraced in your arms that is the cleanest in the world
My dirty soul is being washed
Let's stay like this more
After making passionate love, we lay down covered in sweat
When you asked me how it was, I said, it was awesome, awesome, awesome
We made love with our clothes off, there's nothing else to hide, we are the closest to each other in the world
Education and background, those things don't matter, we're each other's types
Don't rush it tonight, just like our hands intertwining
I want your thighs to cross my legs
Your skin to touch mine and talk about life
I want to know how your day was, if anything special happened
I'm always curious about you, right now, this moment, it's such a big romance
Life's barriers, my wanderings, good and evil
I am not afraid of any of those things
This moment that we're together, there's only peace
In the blankets I can barely see your silhouette, your silhouette
Your legs that are wrapped around me are so awesome, awesome

Sometimes you still get shy in front of me

I'll never get tired of you, I'm still attracted to you, we're definitely meant to be
When the cold wind blows, you bury your face into my chest, sticking close to me
I know that it is hard for you sometimes,
But you don't want to see your man discouraged
So you allow me to have you - you are so beautiful
I'm always sorry but you are also so lovable

Don't leave me alone in this moment when everything's perfect
A white angel is laying next to me
I softly kiss your eyes that are looking at me
Let's make love with just one candle lit, tightly holding each other

So if you really go through the lyrics, one may even argue that this song is mainly about love. He describes the connection he has with this girl and nothing matters because they are so into each other despite their backgrounds. He wrote that he wants to know about the girl's day and how he still feel so in love when he is with her. Isn't that how one would feel when they are so in love with someone? I thought the song brilliantly combines the emotional and sexual love elements one feels when in love... and Gary always does that beautifully through his music. He can write about life, he can write about love. And that is Gary.

There are Netizens who feels that in this video, Gary has gone over board and somehow contradicts his innocent image on Running Man. They still feel Gary of Leessang is the best. Well, I agree that his work with Leessang is awesome but Gary has written explicit lyrics when he was with Leessang too (remember, "Turn off the TV"). Leessang and Gary has different styles of music and I think it is hard to compare at this point. I still need to see more of Gary's solo work to judge. Right now, I think Leessang has an upperhand because of the diversity the duo can achieve.

We shall see! But I will forever adore Gary's poetic song writing abilities...

Love is all about the heart and soul, never about the looks. It is about the person who can give you that special feeling, makes you want to do better, and the person whom you want to go home to everyday.