Tracklist: 1. Winter Story 2. Winter Story (Inst.)
The girls of LABOUM have dropped their new single and MV "Winter Story." It's been more than 3 months since 'Love Story,' so the new song is a welcome one.
As frightened as I was that it would be a ballad, the beginning Disney-style orchestra quickly gives way to a beat. The song itself is upbeat and adorable. It's got that perky charm that LABOUM has down pat. It's definitely a pretty piece, and some of those girls have really high voices to reinforce the cuteness.
The rap is as cute as it is awkward. Handled by Yulhee, it's not entirely out of place, but she has a little trouble maintaining the flow, possibly because of some of the overdubs. Hooks like "Oh my god" and "Oh my love" are a little jarring. Still, it doesn't really ruin the song all that much.
Overall, it's a fun song, even if it's not the most amazing thing I've ever heard. It wouldn't be out of place on your holiday playlist, and that's not a bad thing at all. This is a special gift to the fans, and this time of year all fandoms should be so lucky.
MV REVIEW
The video is truly a winter story, with scenes that look like they came straight out of a storybook. The bulk of the scenes take place in a forest. And yeah, it's probably a soundstage, but it's real enough for our purposes.
The dresses they wear during the dancing sequences are white as driven snow and reminiscent of a ballet dancer's. This actually frees them up to do a lot of dancing, which includes twirling like in, say, the Nutcracker. It's quite arresting to watch them. The other apparel is formal and quite lovely.
The scenes are gorgeous, even if some of them are more autumny than wintry. There are brown and orange leaves being blown around, hanging off trees and such. If they filmed this outside, then the absence of breathy vapor is interesting. It's pretty convincing overall, with soft light filters and a slight bit of slow mo to give it a dreamy feel.
Overall, this is an MV meant to tweak the feels and not have you think too hard. There's really no story, but the scenery is absolutely adorable, as are the girls. This is one of those videos you'll want to watch as you celebrate the holidays.
