Throwback Thursday|g.o.d. — 길(Road)
HI BAYOG FAM!! I know what you’re thinking, “Uh…Minty…it’s not Monday. So why is there another music post?” Simple. It’s hella old, so I thought it was better suited as a TBT post. Everybody is now familiar, or has heard of, K-Pop. Y’all know BTS and Blackpink. Most of y’all should also know up to big second generation groups like Big Bang, Super Junior, and Girls’ Generation. However, I know many people seem to think K-Pop is something new. Nah. K-Pop has been around for a long time. I’ve been in that K-Pop hole since the OG K-Pop days…it’s been 20+ years fam… Anyways, I often get asked about K-Pop, and about older K-Pop. So I thought I might occasionally drop some recommendations for TBT posts. I always found the history of K-Pop to be interesting and just love talking about it. Your girl even did several papers and presentations about it during her university days. Anyway, I thought you’d enjoy trying out some classics and maybe learn something new~
Today is a track by one of the OG K-Pop idol legends: g.o.d (지오디 ). g.o.d stood for “Groove Over Dose”. They are literally one of the OG idols of modern K-Pop. They’re one of the models and inspiration for many of the biggest names in K-Pop.
So a little history lesson is in order. The beginning of modern K-Pop started with 3 companies: SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment, and YG Entertainment. These became known as the Big 3 due to their success in raking in profits and in producing the biggest and most recognizable talents. These companies still exist and are still considered the monsters of the Korean entertainment industry. Big names from SM Entertainment include: BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, Girls Generation (including Taeyeon), SHINee, EXO, Red Velvet, NCT 127, WayV, etc. Big names from JYP Entertainment include: JYP (Park Jin Young himself), g.o.d, Rain, Wonder Girls, 2PM, Got7, Day6, Twice, Stray Kids, etc. Big names from YG Entertainment include: 1TYM, Se7en, JinuSean, Big Bang, 2NE1, Blackpink, iKon, Winner, etc.
Anyways, g.o.d is one of the original idols of modern K-Pop. They were originally under SidusHQ and then JYP Entertainment. They were produced and mentored by producer, songwriter, and JYP Entertainment founder Park Jin Young (aka JYP, JY Park, The AsianSoul). The group debuted in 1999. The members included: Park Joon Hyung (aka Joon Park), Danny Ahn, Son Ho Young, Yoon Kye Sang, and Kim Tae Woo. They’re all also known for appearing on several variety and reality shows, as well as for many K-Dramas and movies. Fun fact: originally the group line up had Kim Suna. They originally called it GOT6. Which is funny cuz JYP Entertainment currently has a group called Got7. Park Joon is close to Got7 member Jackson Wang since they both appeared on the reality show Roommates. Anyway, Kim Suna left to focus on acting, and the group added Kim Tae Woo.
They’re one of the original K-Pop boy groups that was known for their R&B vibes. I suppose you can say that it also set up the frame later K-Pop groups would follow. Joon Park was born in Korea, but moved to the US and became a US citizen when was young. He basically spent his life in the States up until he moved to Korea in 1997 to form what would become g.o.d He was your kyopo, or Korean-American, member. Basically the “foreign” one who spoke English. We basically see that nearly every K-Pop group adopted the formula of having one member from abroad who could speak another language.
One of the most famous songs by g.o.d is 길/Gil, or “Road”. It was released on their album Chapter 4 in 2001. Fun fact: Bang Si Hyuk (aka “Hitman” Bang and Bang PD), the founder of Big Hit Entertainment (BTS’ label), also worked on this album! This song is a timeless classic. It’s also probably my most favorite g.o.d song. I always found it hella relatable, even nearly 20 years later! The song is basically about being unsure about one’s path in life. Nearly 20 years later, and the lyrics still hit hard. It’s that old 2000s R&B vibe too. Honestly, I love old R&B from the early 2000s. So yeah, I’ll always love this track. Seriously, this song always hits the feels and makes me cry…
The road that I’m taking
g.o.d| 길 – “Road”|Lyric Translations by [Color Coded Lyrics]
Where it’s leading me to, where it’s taking me
Or where the final destination is
I have no idea, no idea, no idea
Yet I’m still following this path today
Has destiny already been determined for everyone
Or is it that we have to make
Our own destiny
I have no idea, no idea, no idea
Yet I’m still taking another step towards the road
Why am I standing on this road
Is this path really destined for me
Would my dreams come true at the end of this road
What really gives me pleasure
Money, honor
Or the people I love
I’m longing for the answer, for the answer, for the answer
Yet I still can’t find one
Wanna say with confidence this path is right
I do not want to look back
I want no regret
Just keep walking, keep walking, keep walking
Yet I still don’t feel confident in my decision
Why am I standing on this road
Is this path really destined for me
Would my dreams come true at the end of this road
What am I really dreaming for
Who is this searching really for
Will I be able to finally smile when I reach the goal
Where am I
Heading right now
And what is the reason
For me to live
Why am I standing on this road
Is this path really destined for me
Would my dreams come true at the end of this road
What am I really dreaming for
Who is this searching really for
Will I be able to finally smile when I reach the goal
I thought I’d also include a performance from one of the music shows back in the day. This particular performance was on Music Camp back in 2001. I thought it could give you a good idea of how much K-Pop and K-Pop performances have changed over the years. You’ll notice that stages in the present are much larger and flashier.
Road is a classic. I think it’s a song alot of Korean people recognize. I’m not sure if alot international fans, particularly the newer ones, will recognize it. However, it’s often covered by alot of big names. A 2019 remake was released with Henry Lau (formerly of Super Junior M), IU, Yang Da Il, and Jo Hyun Ah (of indie R&B group Urban Zakapa). It was released as a part of g.o.d’s 20th anniversary album. Although the g.o.d members aren’t included on the song. It’s a simpler and softer version compared to the original that had a strong R&B vibe.
I’m also dropping this live cover from JTBC’s Begin Again/비긴어게인 TV series. It’s a show where several musicians travel and busk together. This performance of “Road” is from a recent episode that just dropped. It’s performed by Henry, Lee Suhyun (AKMU), Jung Seung Hwan, and Sohyang. Crush couldn’t sing since he got hella emotional. My poor baby…
Anyway, that’s it for today’s post!~ Hope you like the song! I hope we all find our road in life, and smile at the end~ Were you familiar with this song or g.o.d? Did you recognize some of the members from any K-Dramas? What’s your favorite old school K-Pop group or track?~ Let me know in the comments or through my socials! Take care, stay safe, and have a wonderful day BAYOG Fam!~
LET’S BE FRIENDS!~ (つ✧ω✧)つ
Hihi! I’m Minty! I’m Thai-American~ เป็นคนไทยค่ะ~ ยินดีที่ได้รู้จักนะคะ~
I’m BAYOG’s hella basic Asian chick, Real People Stuffs expert, and boba addict. I’ve been a part of the BAYOG Crew since 2017~ I fangirl and mostly blog about music, live action movies/dramas, and manga/webtoons~ When I’m not blogging, I’m usually writing/singing Thai-English covers~
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BE SAFE. BE RESPONSIBLE.
WASH YOUR HANDS. WEAR A MASK.
SOCIAL DISTANCE. PLEASE.
Take care y’all. Please stay safe and take care of yourself. All jokes and fun aside…please, please, please, pleaaaase always wash your hands, practice social distancing, and wear a mask! I’m serious. Please take COVID-19 seriously. It truly is a matter of life and death. It’s something that needs to be taken seriously. It’s not just about the death of if you or someone you know gets it, but it also heavily affects those left behind. There are also aftereffects for those who are able to get through COVID-19. Be responsible. Be safe. Take care y’all. Have a wonderful day.
BLACK LIVES MATTER
This is a difficult, but necessary matter to address. I’m not good at putting things into words, so I apologize. We all know the matter regarding the unjust murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and many others. The current Black Lives Matter protests are being covered globally. I’ve even seen it being covered daily by the Thai news. Racism is a very real thing. Being Asian, I’ve personally encountered bullshit racism on a daily basis. So I can relate and understand the struggles. However, I’m also aware of how much more difficult and blatant it is for black POC. AS A GROUP OF BIPOC, BAYOG strongly stands with Black Lives Matter. We’ve individually done several donations. Of course, donations to support the cause and support change isn’t the only thing needed. Support for the cause and change also requires conversation. Make sure to have those conversations. Aside from donating, I had several conversations with my family. I explained things to my parents, especially since some news stories were being reported inaccurately. I was afraid it’d be a bit difficult. However, as fellow POC and human beings, it was a necessary conversation. My parents and grandma understand, and now stand on the same page regarding BLM as well. Please remember to be an active supporter, be it through donations, sharing information, and/or conversations and speaking up.
If you can, please consider donating. I’ve donated more than once as well. For one of my donations, I donated through the BTS ARMY x BLM project. I recommend that if you’re unsure of where to donate. This is because the donation will be split amongst several different non-profit organizations. Of course, you can also choose a specific organization(s) if you wish as well. You can find that [HERE].
You can also check out the following:
- http://blmsites.carrd.co
- http://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co
- http://blackliveswillalwaysmatter.carrd.co
- http://blmstanguide.carrd.co
- http://saytheirnames.carrd.co
- http://useyourvoice.carrd.co
Stay strong. Fight racism, brutality, injustice, and bullshit. Don’t lose sight of the goal. We’re witnessing and being a part of history. Be allies and make sure change happens. Once again, BLACK LIVES MATTER.
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