2021 has been a very busy year of musical releases for Golden Child, starting with fifth mini album YES. back on January 25th, then second full album Game Changer on August 2nd, and now second repackage album Ddara on October 5th! Ddara is the repackage of Game Changer, which makes sense for the quick turnaround when it comes to Woollim's repackage albums. I blogged about ordering my Ddara albums here. Below I'll blog about both versions of the album.
Preorder / First Press Benefits
Each album comes with a mini poster set; there is only one version of this set. Each set comes in its own clear resealable bag.
This mini poster set comes with 2 posters. The images are the same photos used on the back covers of the albums. These posters are made of thin matte paper with dimensions 8.3125" by 11.75".
The backsides of the posters have the members' printed signatures, which are the same for both posters. The background images are from the respective sets.
This era also includes 2 first press exterior posters, one from each photoshoot. This poster is from the Version A album. Strangely enough the dimensions of the Game Changer posters went back to Woollim's normal sized posters matching Gol-Cha! through Without You, however the dimensions of these Ddara posters are back to matching those of the Take A Leap, Pump It Up, and YES. posters.
Here is the poster representing the Version B album. These posters are matte and high quality, which is a refreshing change from Woollim's past grainy posters.These images are the same as the album covers. I received both folded posters, and I'm grateful that the folds don't take away from the images; the folds are perfectly in between members and not through their faces.
Album Packaging
Here are the front covers of both album versions, with Version A on the left with a Kingsman/gambling theme, and Version B on the right with a classy black and white theme. You can also see the new font used for this era. These albums have a matte finish.
Each back cover contains another group photo from that respective photoshoot.
The spines list the album title.
These albums are the largest of Golden Child's discography so far, in both height and width (but not thickness), with dimensions 9.75" by 13.6875" by 0.375". You can see just how big these Ddara albums are on the far left, in comparison to the Wish through Take A Leap albums. The Ddara albums are also packaged like hardcover photobooks, and added with the large size makes these albums feel like picture books for toddlers^^ I really do like the packaging, as the hardcover makes the album higher quality and more durable.
Photobooks
Each photobook contains 76 pages. For the first page and last few pages of the photobooks, I'll compare both versions. Version A in white is on top while Version B is below in black.
The last page contains the album credits.
The inside of the back cover has a horizontal slit for the CD, along with a paper pocket storing the album inclusions.
Here are the CD designs (Version B on top and Version A on bottom). It's very subtle but the Version A CD matches the random wall photo from the photoshoot, while the Version B CD appears to be of a similar design.
Version A Photobook
All the photos from the Version A album are from the same shoot that gives off gambling Kingsman vibes. The photobook begins with a group photo over a 2-page spread. I love how bongbeom and jangyoon are paired together^^
Next there are 2 pages per member, with 1 photo per page.
Each pair of pages has a different layout, and some include a random image from the set. I am in love with Jibeom in that hat!
I also love how high quality these photos are, and though there is still wasted space, at least the photobook is quite large so the photo itself is large enough.
This look is probably my most favorite of Seungmin! I can't get over how much of a boss he looks in that chair?!
Next there are 2 black-and-white images of items from the set, with transparency paper in between.
Here is how the transparency looks on one side.
And here is how the transparency looks on the other side. It's really cool how the image works both ways.
The next 20 pages contain 2 more pages per member, with 1 member photo per page. Again there are some random images from the set, and each page layout is different.
While this is a somewhat somber shoot, I like how subtly playful it is like with Y holding up the card to his eye.
I can't get over how we've seen Bomin grow up over the years! He looks so mature now!
Like with Seungmin from this photoshoot, this is definitely one of my favorite looks for Daeyeol! His hair color and suit fit him so well!
It's also crazy seeing Donghyun rocking this concept; he's grown so much too!
There's another group photo, which was well chosen as no member is lost within the spine of the book.
There is another transparency page in between 2 pages of an unevenly painted wall. Here is how 1 side of the transparency paper looks.
And here is the other side of the transparency paper. I lowkey wish the page were in color as it would add so much more, but it is what it is.
The next 6 pages contain 1 photo per member, starting with Seungmin, Jibeom, and Bomin. All of Jibeom's photos fit his and Tag's unit music video for "Game" so well!
Next are Daeyeol, Y, Jaehyun, and Donghyun.
Lastly are Jangjun, Tag, and Joochan. I really can't get over Tag's look; he looks like a professor or psych!
Next there is one page per track, containing the track credits and song lyrics.
There is another group photo, which sadly doesn't fit well with this orientation.
There is one more group photo, which I love how it maximizes the page, followed by a group special thanks to message. It's disappointing that these past few albums only include a group message rather than individual messages.
The Version B photobook contains all photos from this black-and-white outfit shoot. The layout of this photobook is the same as the Version A photobook, starting with a group photo.
I initially wasn't too fond of this photoshoot (The outfits? The hairstyles? The simple background? Something just felt missing), but it has since grown on me. The outfits do match the set well.
The simplicity of these outfits are also growing on me, and I love how natural their visuals are (not so much the pose though^^).
Seungmin is really killing it this era! He looks so sharp and even just casually leaning against the wall he is absolutely stunning. They've really styled him well this entire year, as if making up for the earlier eras.
This shade suits Daeyeol so well! And with his presence and attire, he really looks like a maître d' at an upscale restaurant^^
I really like the artistic elements to some of these photos, like the drape subtly covering Joochan in both of these photos.
Here is how the first transparency paper looks, in between 2 photos that make up a washed out version of the background of the group photos from this shoot.
And here is the other side of the transparency paper.
Jaehyun seriously looks like he's in a perfume ad! His brushed back hair and fitted attire make him look like royalty~
Bomin's highlights were a shocker at first (but nothing compares to A Woo!) but they've grown on me as well!
Here is another group photo over a 2-page spread, and again they edited it well where no member is stuck in the spine (I took a bad photo but note that Joochan isn't stuck in the middle!).
Here is the second transparency paper, in between a monochromatic wall background. Here is how 1 side of the transparency paper looks against this background.
Here is the other side of the transparency. Again it would've been perfect if this photo were in color to stand out more against the monotone background.
The next 6 pages contain 1 photo per member, starting off with baejangtaek^^ I really like the subtle drapery behind Jangjun; it adds nice composition and a hint of added elegance.
Next are Y, Jibeom, Joochan, and Bomin.
And lastly are Daeyeol, Jaehyun, and Donghyun.
Here is another group photo, again quite small compared to how large the actual page is.
Inclusions
Each album version comes with a special card. Here are how both versions look like, containing a group photo from that respective photoshoot as well as the album information printed in a typewriter font. There is a perforated line separating the photo from the text, making it feel like a ticket stub. The dimensions are 2.375" by 4.75".
Each album comes with a random film photo out of 10. This is made of thick cardboard with 2 photos on a film strip inside the cardboard, with one photo from the Version A photoshoot and one photo from the Version B photoshoot. The printed text includes the member's squad number (it's nice seeing Woollim still identify the boys with their numbers since Woollimpick!), along with artist name and album title in that typewriter font matching the Special Card.
Here is the backside of the film photo. The text on this side includes the album title and member name. The dimensions are roughly 5.5" by 2.625" by 0.0625".
Here is a look at the edge of this film photo. It's actually two slabs of cardboard put together with the film photo in between, however the quality isn't so great so the layers are separating...
Each album comes with 2 random photocards out of 50. I can't believe Woollim is being so generous this time around, as opposed to YES.'s 1 out of 50, or Game Changer's 2 out of 100. Each member has 5 photocards; 3 from the Version A photoshoot and 2 from the Version B photoshoot. These photocards are glossy and have the same dimensions as Game Changer.
The backside of each photocard has the member's printed autograph and message. The color of the back indicates what photoshoot the photo is from, with white from Version A and black from Version B.
Tracklist
This repackage album contains all tracks from Game Changer along with new title "DDARA" and B-side "OASIS".
- DDARA - is the title track, created by BLSSD who also worked on all 3 titles from Golden Child's "self-discovery" trilogy! The song and concept give a classy feel and I love how there's absolutely no storyline to the music video; it just feels very refreshing after having such intense, world-ending storylines this year from "Burn It" and "Ra Pam Pam".
- OASIS - is this album's new B-side, with Tag writing the lyrics and co-composing and co-arranging! It's really heartwarming seeing his own song actually on an album and on Golden Child's official discography, and the meaning itself is so special with how Tag views his members as an oasis and wanting them all to take a well-deserved rest.
Overall, it has been another solid year for Golden Child and their musical growth. All 3 album releases this year had darker tones (especially with the post-apocalyptic concepts for "Burn It" and "Ra Pam Pam"), but the bright B-sides and solo/unit tracks from Game Changer created a nice balance. For DDARA in particular, I like how we're ending the year on a sophisticated yet light-hearted note. The photoshoots for this era are really elegant, though my favorite outfits by far are the paisley suits used in the music video. And now as 2022 is approaching, I'm looking forward to what the new year has in store for Golden Child and Goldenness, starting with Golden Child's Japan debut!
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