History: Just Now 1st Mini Album Review

History is a five member group under Loen Entertainment that debuted in April 2013 with the release on single "Dreamer." They followed up with the release of two mini albums, one in August and another in November. Here I'll cover History's first mini album, Just Now.

The album cover is quite simple, with individual photos of each of the five members.

The back cover has History's hexagonal logo, seal and the tracklist. Here are my two cents on the songs:

1. "Tell Me Love" is the main track of the album. I really like this song; there are so many contrasting elements that I just can't place the genre. It starts off like a fun pop song, but goes techno, then becomes a pop ballad, and repeats again. Overall it gives such fun, uplifting energy.
2. "Blind" has that crazy contrasting genre concept as well. It begins very fast paced, but juggles between a pop ballad.
3. "Ma Red Night" is another fun pop number. The instrumentals are very addicting!
4. "Why not" is the slowest song on the album, yet it's still just as upbeat, just a bit more mellow.
5. "Tell Me Love (Inst.)" is the last track. Instrumental versions are always fillers and I tend to skip instrumentals, but it's still nice to include an extra track.

The disc is placed in a plastic container on the right while the photobook is on the left. The photobook has 30 pages. Two pages are dedicated to each member's profile, listing their name and position. Following are two more pages of photos for each member. There's a gold accent throughout the photobook, creating a glamorous touch.

The remaining pages are the lyrics and song credits, printed on metallic gold paper. I really like looking at the song credits: I'm surprised that despite being rookies, the members of History participated in creating these songs! The last few pages include three group photos and staff credits.

Overall, I really like the album and songs! This was my first encounter with History, and they definitely left a positive impression on me. While I don't consider myself a Storia (History's fandom), I'll definitely stay in touch with their comebacks!

Infinite: BTD Single (Normal) Review

As I had previously mentioned in my BTD Type A post, Infinite's first Japanese single, BTD, was released in three first press editions. I also reviewed Type B here. Here I'll cover the BTD Normal Edition.

I ordered this new album for under $19 from TOKYO LINE, an individual seller based in Japan through Amazon.com. My package was shipped the following day and arrived safely in eight days! My CD came inside a paper envelope lined with a layer of bubble wrap. 

And here is the album! This single comes in a typical CD case. Lying on the side is information in Japanese. The side of the CD case itself, without this slip of card stock, also reveals the black patterned siding. The album cover is the booklet cover as well. This image shows Infinite looking stern and tough in their sleek white and metallic, crocodile-textured suits. I never noticed Dongwoo's belly button is exposed! The background is a continuation of the crocodile pattern.

Type A has a white theme while Type B has a black theme, yet this normal edition incorporates both color schemes. The left siding is black while the right is white, which adds a unique touch.

The backside of the CD continues the pattern. It also has the tracklist, which includes the Japanese, original and instrumental versions of "BTD" and the original remake (meaning the Korean version) of "Can You Smile." The backside also shows the silhouette of the group image, as well as typical CD information, including the release date of the album (November 19, 2011). The backside of the card stock slip also has the same information, and it also includes the typical "Infinite's 99.9% synchronization."

The back of the booklet, which can be viewed at the top left, is the same pattern with the white Infinite logo intruding. The CD itself has a different design from the CD in Type A. The design underneath the disc is interesting as well, further showcasing Infinite's most used era logo.

This booklet is only six pages long. The first two pages contain the tracklist, another group photo and the Japanese lyrics to "BTD." The following two pages contain the Korean and Japanese lyrics to "Can You Smile." The last two pages have the Korean lyrics to "BTD," credits and Infinite in their black suits!

All normal editions of BTD should come with this same group photocard. This image is the same as the album cover, except this card also has the reflective shadows. Because I already have Type A, I bought this album solely for the group photocard. Lately I've been really obsessed with collecting photocards and Infinite rarely has OT7 cards, so this was a must! The backside is the same as all other BTD photocards, listing the members' names.

Overall, despite being like a typical CD and not like a lavish Kpop or Jpop album, it is still very nice! While these songs can be found on other Infinite albums, the group photocard was the selling point for me. The image on the photocard isn't in BTD Type A (only a cropped version of this photo), and also for that, I'm glad I got this album.

SkinFood Chlorella Peeling Gel Review

One of SkinFood's classic products is the Chlorella Peeling Gel. A peeling gel is a face wash that exfoliates the skin to remove dead skin and unclog pores. I'm not really sure how this differentiates from other face washes. The description on the back states that this gel gives soft and smooth skin by removing dead skin and cleaning pores. SkinFood's website also states that this gel helps to remove blackheads.

The backside states to "gently massage over dry face." To really feel the product working at my skin, I like to use a lot of pressure to really get at my pores. It does sting a bit by using more pressure.

This gel has a translucent, pale green, watery consistency that has a light and refreshing fragrance. Once the gel has been activated by putting pressure on it, it becomes solid, pale green scraps. I usually put this amount on my fingertips, add a touch of water to make the consistency more pasty, and then vigorously scrub my face. This amount will only cover a fraction of my face.

Pros

• This gel is a great exfoliating scrub, so I guess it does its job well. I feel my acne stinging, meaning that this gel must be working well.
• I usually use this wash at the end of the day, and this product removes the oil well.
• The product is cool and refreshing to the touch.
• It washes off very easily, cutting down on my nighttime routine.
• This dries out my skin in certain areas, so it's good for those with greasy skin.

Cons

• A lot of the solidified gel scraps remain in my hair. They look like when someone wipes their tears with a tissue, and the tissue scraps remain around your eyes.
• This gel may sting those with sensitive skin.
• You need to use a lot of product in order to fully and thoroughly clean your face.
• I'm such a sucker for cute packaging, and this product does not cut it. It is a very plain and dull tube with a printed label stuck on.

Overall, I see no spectacular factor that makes this face wash better or unique compared to others. While I will continue to use this scrub for days when my face is more grimy, I'll probably want to try a different face wash next time. I'd rather save the money for a product with cuter packaging, which is my number one factor!

SkinFood Hop Beer Hair Wash Review

SkinFood is known for using healthy natural foods as the main ingredients of their products. This shampoo is no different! The Hop Beer Hair Wash is part of SkinFood's beer cleansing line and contains 240 milliliters of product in the pump dispenser bottle.

I love that SkinFood has several branches in California, expanding to the American market and therefore adding English to their products' labels. Along with Korean, in English the label states that this shampoo contains beer extract, cognac oil and herb extracts. This product is supposed to cleanse and nourish the scalp (basically what any shampoo should do). SkinFood's website also adds that this shampoo adds nutrition to damaged hair.

The consistency of this translucent brown shampoo is smooth and a bit runny, but still gel-like. One full pump, which is the amount shown above, is plenty even for my massively thick hair. I usually first shampoo and rinse with dandruff shampoo, then I use this SkinFood shampoo. When I use this shampoo, I can easily run my fingers through my usually knotty hair, which is amazing. The directions say to use one spoonful of this hair wash, mix with a bit of water, massage your scalp and then rinse with water.

Pros

• The shampoo has a strong traditional Chinese herbal shop scent, which is very addicting. It's a very Asian smell, so I'm not sure if others would find it just as pleasant.
• My hair is honestly super thick and I usually use lots of product, so I'm surprised at just how little I need for this shampoo to work well.
• Directly after using this shampoo, my hair feels detangled.
• My hair is left smelling great!

Cons

• So I realized that maybe I should try using this shampoo without first using my dandruff shampoo. I used one pump-ful, and it certainly wasn't enough to cover all my long and thick hair. I'll probably need twice as much product. Because I didn't use enough product, my hair was still a bit tangled. But this doesn't contradict my pro statement-I think this shampoo is just  better if used after another shampoo.

Overall, I really like this shampoo. I never expect much out of shampoos and conditioners from makeup stores, but I'm satisfied with this shampoo. My hair feels clean and does have a nice scent that stays for the time being.

Infinite: BTD Single (Type A) Review

Infinite debuted in Japan in 2011, releasing three versions of their first Japanese single, BTD, in three versions. All three versions only sold the first press release, so they're hard to find now. There are two limited editions: Type A, which includes a photobook, and Type B, reviewed here, which includes DVD footage. Both of these versions include a random member photocard out of seven. There is also the regular edition, reviewed here, which is a typical CD in one of those square, plastic cases, and includes a booklet and a group photocard.  Here I'll review Type A.

I ordered this album from SOTJAPAN, an individual seller on Amazon based in Japan. My package was lost, but with prompt service from this seller, they sent me a new one with a tracking number. They packaged the album with a tight layer of bubblewrap, placed inside a tight cardboard envelope. Though this is a rare album, I managed to find a new one for under $19 with included shipping! I'm so happy for this deal, especially because Japanese albums tend to be more expensive than Korean ones.

The album comes in a tight factory seal.  It's so tight that it bent the back of the album, so now it's a bit curved. After taking off the seal, it's still quite curved (since it's been wrapped since its release in November 2011), but decent.

Here is the album! It's the same dimensions as most of Infinite's other albums. Quality-wise, it's comparable to Infinite's Inspirit single, with a very thin cardboard cover. The members are dressed in white suits, which matches Type A's white concept. Type B has a black color scheme.

The bottom has a slip with lots of information in Japanese. Infinite's Japanese products always state their 99.9% synchronization, and the front of this slip also states that Type A comes with a CD and booklet, the price and Infinite's promotional event for the album. The background of the front is a continuation of the album cover; you can faintly see Myungsoo and Hoya's alligator print suits. The backside has Infinite's official websites and the date of this album's release: November 19, 2011. The background is Infinite's most famous logo, along with the alligator print. This slip wasn't a smart design because it isn't attached to the album itself, it's just a piece of paper at the bottom of the album.

Here are the front and back of the album.

And here is a close up of the back cover. The top photo is of the tracklist. Included are "BTD" (Japanese, Original and Instrumental versions) and "Can You Smile" (Original Remake). I'm surprised that the paired "Can You Smile" with such an intense and dark song. The bottom has the same information as on the slip.

Inside, the CD is on the left. I really like the design of the CD; the logo is so gorgeous! It's very creative how one half of the infinity symbol loops around the center of the disc. Underneath the disc is a continuation of the alligator pattern. On the right, there is a sturdy box-like structure that snugly holds the paper contents. This includes a photocard, an event ticket and the booklet.

Here is the photocard! I got Sunggyu's, which I'm so happy about. Both Type A and Type B contain the same set of seven photocards, which is from the white photoshoot. On a side note, the regular edition typically contains a white group photocard while purchasing the regular edition from, I believe, the "Be Mine" promotional event came with a black group photocard.

The album also came with an entry to Infinite's "BTD" promotional event, which was set for just a few days after the album's initial release.

And lastly, here's the 40 page booklet. The pages are all pretty flimsy, and the white cover makes it look like an assembly manual. And the back is such a teaser, showing the boys from the neck down!

This teaser continues, showing just the bottom half of their faces.

The bulk of this photobook is the member profile. Four pages are dedicated to each member, display their name, birthdate, height, position and printed autograph. Because Sunggyu looks even more dashing than usual, here are his pages. To me, I think this is one of his best eras.

There are also two white group photos and one black group photo. In the back there are Japanese and Korean lyrics for "BTD" and "Can You Smile," as well as the credits.

Overall, I love this album! I was a bit weary about the era at first, because Infinite really looks...different and peculiar than their normal selves, if that makes sense. Now, I'm so happy to own such a gorgeous album.

Infinite: Second Invasion Evolution 2012 Infinite Concert/3D Movie DVD Review

Just 1.5 months after Infinite's first solo concert, the band held an encore concert entitled Second Invasion Evolution in April 2012. Later on, Woollim took footage from this concert, as well as behind the scenes footage, and created a 3D movie that ran in theaters in Korea.  As for this concert's DVD set, Woollim released a Korean normal edition and a limited edition, as well as other countries' versions.  The normal edition is only of the concert while the limited version includes the concert and the concert movie.  Here I'll review the limited edition: Second Invasion Evolution 2012 Infinite Concert/3D Movie.

This boxed set is 8" x 6" x 2.25", just about one centimeter longer and taller than Infinite's album dimensions. The box is made of thick, textured cardboard with gold accents and font color. The lid has a one millimeter cutout of the Second Invasion infinite symbol, with raised gold markings.  This lid fits very tightly, which is very nice (unlike K.Will's fourth mini album that keeps slipping).  The first time I opened this set, it took a very long time because it was so tight!

The sides of the lid are just as classy as the top. The long side has the official name of this DVD set while the short ends have the era's infinite symbol and "INFINITE EVOLUTION."

The back has a lot of important information, as well as the holographic seal.  Included is the tracklist of the two DVDs and the bluray disc. The bottom explains the region code and subtitles for each disc, which I'll cover later.

The inside design of the lid and box is a horizontal striped pattern. The box also has the era's symbol and a white ribbon to easily life up the contents of the box.

The lid, as well as the cover of the three items inside the box, all have the same music box-like design created by a gloss layer.

This set includes, from top to bottom, the Second Invasion Evolution concert movie disc, the concert disc, and lastly the photobook.

2012 Concert 3D Movie Second Invasion Evolution

The naming convention on all these discs is really confusing.  So basically, this blue container is for the bluray disc.  The top left image shows how the contents of this set are very snug inside the white box.  You can also see the ribbon peaking out from the right, making it easier to take out the contents.  The top right image has the tracklist of this disc. The bottom photo illustrates the postcards on the left and the disc on the right. This bluray disc is of the 3D movie that Woollim released in theaters. To watch in 3D, you need a 3D TV and 3D bluray player. If you just have a bluray player, the disc will automatically start playing in 2D.  If you have all the 3D equipment, you still have the option to watch in 2D. This bluray disc is for all regions, has subtitles in English, Korean and Japanese and is 105 minutes long. While the English subtitles are decent, Woollim's Engrish came into play by displaying "Second Invation Evolution" on the main menu screen.

Opposite of the disc is a set of eight perforated photocards.  There are seven individual member cards with their printed autographs and an eighth group photo.  The backside of each card lists the name of this boxed set and the members' names, very similar to the photobook cover of the Paradise album.  In this photo, from left to right, you can see the backside of the card, Sungjong's card and a bit of the group one.

Here is the tracklist of the 3D movie, which does differ from the actual concert DVD tracklist.  Some songs have been taken out and they aren't  shown in the same order as the concert.  To maximize the 3D effect, each song is displayed with a fancy illustration (you just have to see it to understand).  This movie version does include some cool features, such as a beginning scene that introduces the 3D aspect of the movie, as well as hilarious Infinite audition scenes that hint at the members' solo stages.  There are also three "Making Film" parts sprawled throughout the movie, showing behind the scenes of the solo stages, as well as impromptu interviews made exclusively for this movie.

2012 Infinite Concert Second Invasion Evolution

This white container holds two DVDs.  These discs are for regions 1 and 3 and have subtitles in English, Korean and traditional Chinese.  The English subtitles are pretty decent. The total duration of both discs is 172 minutes.  This container is a tri-fold; the first opening reveals the white disc on the left and the names of each member on the right.  Open it up again to reveal the second, brown disc on the right.

The backside reveals the tracklists for both discs.  The first disc contains the entire concert. Here I'll give my thoughts on the concert in general.  There is only an intro VCR, and the rest is purely the concert. Though this is an encore concert, all aspects were completely different and refreshing.  From the beginning of the concert, there was so much intensity and power; Woollim and Infinite definitely put their all into making a spectacular performance. My favorite group performances were "Shot," because this seems to be the only time that this song is performed live, and "Can You Smile," because they performed the original version with a chair dance!  And here I thought "Inception" was Infinite's only chair dance...To be honestly, I was very hesitant in buying this concert set because of a couple of the solo stages. I have a very innocent mind and am very conservative, so Hoya's performance was traumatizing for me. This same reaction occurred for Sungjong's as well. Dongwoo performed "Because," Sunggyu's solo, which also upset me because it forces me to compare Dongwoo to Sunggyu, and Sunggyu owned his own performance of "Because" during the previous concert that it was hard for me to see Dongwoo try to live up to that. On the other hand, Sungyeol's performance of "Sexy Back" was oddly enlightening. I absolutely loved Sunggyu's "Only Tears;" despite being a ballad, he owned the stage and gave a very moving performance. And now, my two most favorite solo stages by far: Woohyun's rendition of "Couple" and L's "Dating You!" Woohyun showcased his greasiness by prerecording a selca video of him and Sungyeol (which has only just recently been uploaded onto YouTube), then he took that camera and rode and filmed himself singing his performance while on a forklift-like thing in the middle of the stage, hovering over the audience. In the end, he gave a lucky fan the camera! It's Woohyun's amazing fanservice that appears during his solo stages that makes him my bias list wrecker. And lastly, L's solo. His performance is so bubbly and cute! L even offers a fan his bouquet and proposes to date all the Inspirits. Sunggyu even raps in this stage, which I love! As a dedicated eLement, it was this solo performance that finally made me buy this concert DVD!

The second disc contains the special features. Included are "Multi Angle-Member Direct Cam" for "Shot" and "1/3," which is basically a high quality fancam of each member for these two stages.  This feature is really cool to see the different moves each member has.  The next feature is my favorite: Infinite's parody of Shut Up Flower Boy Band!  Since this is the drama that brought me into the Inspirit world, I hold this parody very dear to me.  They split up Infinite into the two rival bands and one group performs "Be Mine" while the other performs "Come Back Again," giving a spin on Infinite's classic songs.  Lastly, there is also the 24 minute long "Concert Making Film," which includes clips of the 3D movie's "Making Film," as well as impromptu interviews with the member (some topics include Sunggyu's obsession for supplements that began from Sesame Player and Myungsoo's ideal woman). This feature also covers rehearsals, the concert itself, and the members backstage, in between stages.

Photobook

This 80 page photobook is very cohesive and beautiful.  The back is the table of contents, listing the various sections in the book: "Evolution," "The Infinite," "Making," "Thanks Inspirits," and "The Movie 3D, 2012."

The first section (top image), "Evolution," is the concert, which has several pages of Infinite singing and dancing as a group. The next section (bottom image), "The Infinite," offers four pages of close ups for each member.

Following is "Making," which include photos of Infinite during their interviews and rehearsing on stage (top image). Next is "Thanks Inspirit," a section dedicated to Inspirits (middle image), showing fans lining up at and cheering inside the venue. Lastly, there is a section entitled "The Movie 3D, 2012," which are all photos of Infinite filming their audition segment (bottom image).

Overall, this was the best splurge I have made. While this concert DVD is pretty rare now (I found this new one on eBay for $165), there are still a few sellers with this item! Though there are so many versions of this concert (Second Invasion and Second Invasion Evolution Plus), Second Invasion Evolution certainly has its own charms. Also the next best thing to seeing Infinite live is to see them in 3D, so this set has just become my most favorite concert set.

BtoB: Press Play 2nd Mini Album Review

BtoB released their second mini album, Press Play, in September 2012.  This album has, by far, the most unique and spectacular packaging I've ever seen.

The album has a matte finish with a glossy diamond pattern, which can be seen in the lighting.  I really love this cover design.  "WOW," the main track, is repeating horizontally and creates an elegant pattern.

Here's the back cover, which also has that diamond pattern.  The tracklist and authentication seal are also displayed.

When you open the front cover, the photobook is inside a sleeve that's attached at the spine. The tracklist is revealed on the backside of this flap. Now here is the mind blowing part of this packaging. When you flip over the photobook flap, it reveals an origami-like fold that gets bigger as you open the album wider.

Here is a close up of the CD holder.  For this album, they seriously thought outside the box the two dimensional box.  I didn't know the album was like this when I bought it, so opening this was such a pleasant surprise!

The photobook has 62 pages of high quality photos.  I don't know how to describe this concept, but I like it! This cover is also the album artwork.  I really like how they divided the group into two, yet the image still looks cohesive.

Majority are individual shots, with just a couple of group photos.  Each member also wrote a long "thanks to..."  It makes me so happy seeing Peniel's written partly in English!  I strangely feel so much more attached to him because he's from the US.  Two pages are dedicated to the credits and lyrics for each song.  I love the formatting of the text in this photobook; the "thanks to..." messages and lyrics are all diagonal, matching the album cover.  Throughout the photobook and the album, there are subtle touches, like the repetitive triangles, that signal "press play."  I absolutely love how this concept plays throughout the album!

The album also includes a random photocard. I'm not completely sure, but I think there are a total of 14 different photocards, designating two photos per member.  The backside has a printed autograph and message.  My album came with Minhyuk and I traded it for Peniel!

Here is a close up of the tracklist printed on the back of the album and below are my thoughts on each track.

1. "Press Play" features labelmate G.NA and is really catchy. As the first track, it ties the "press play" concept really well. I'm so addicted to Eunkwang's falsetto! Also G.NA's voice balances really well with the guys' vocals.
2. "WOW" is the main track of this album. The first few seconds already make this song seem intense, like watching an IMAX movie. The entire track is just really fun and makes me want to dance!
3. "I Only Know Love" is another promoted track, and it is so catchy!  This song is another fast and fun song with a memorable chorus.
4. "U & I" starts off with an English monologue by Peniel.  It's a slow and ballady song that showcases the boys' soothing voices.
5. "Stand Up" begins with what sounds like auto tuned vocals, along with Peniel's English.  This song has so many components; it's slow but by the time the chorus hits, it's like dance music.  
6. "My Girl" is the final track of this album.  It is slower, but not really a ballad. This song is a nice balance compared to all the more upbeat tracks.

My album purchase also came with its accompanying poster.  (Please ignore the other posters underneath...) Like the album, this poster is very nice and high quality!  While the backside is glossy like typical posters, the front has a matte finish.  The words and the four set of  "press play" arrows are all layered in a thick gloss finish, adding even more detail to the poster.  And of course BtoB is gorgeous too.

Overall, I cannot get over the packaging.  That origami fold is just so cool!  Also the photobook is very nice and high quality.  Lastly, I love all the songs!  Press Play definitely has a special place in my heart within my Kpop collection.