Golden Child: Breathe Woollim Mall Merch Review

With Golden Child's "Breathe" promotions that began on February 25th, 2021 to follow up "Burn It" promotions, it's no surprise that Woollim has released official "Breathe" merchandise on Woollim Mall. Woollim Mall tweeted on March 10th at 12PM KST that preorders for "Breathe" merchandise would begin on March 11th at 12PM KST. This tweet revealed 2 products, along with a group photocard and 10 individual photocards so it wasn't clear which product includes the individual member photocards. Once preorders opened, it was made clear...that the photobook would include 1 random member photocard, rather than the entire set of 10.

Golden Child 5th Mini Album [YES.] | [Breathe] Official MD:

• [BREATHE] Photobook / 25,000₩ / $21.18 USD
• [BREATHE] Wristband & Photocard / 15,000₩ / $12.71 USD

Unlike the YES. merchandise where some items were posted on the English version of the Woollim Mall site a few days later, both products were posted on both the Korean site and English site on March 11th roughly at 12PM KST. Both products had a shipment start date of April 5th. If ordering both products from the English site and shipping directly to the US, the item total was $33.89 USD, shipping was $65.69 USD, so the total would be $99.58 USD.

Kpoptown posted both "Breathe" products a few hours later, with a release date of April 6th. The photobook was $28.50 USD and the wristband was $18.90 USD. If ordering both products and using DHL shipping directly to the US, the item total was $47.40 USD, shipping was $27.00 USD, and the total was $74.40 USD. I decided to order from Kpoptown, and ordered just a few minutes after they had posted both products so that I can be one of the first to lock in my order in case Kpoptown underestimates the amount to buy from Woollim Mall.

I checked Woollim Mall on April 5th and the photobook was out of stock. Kpoptown had 1 photobook left in stock, but it was sold out the next day.

I received a shipment notification from Kpoptown on April 7th, and my package arrived on April 12th.

Kpoptown's packaging again has been really good, just like my past 2 Woollim Mall merchandise purchases through them. They used a flat cardboard box and thick air fillers to fill up the entire space. At the bottom where the photobook with the wristband stacked on top, followed by a snug layer of bubblewrap.

Here are the "Breathe" merchandise!

Photobook

The photobook comes in a shrink wrap (like an album) with the photocard sliding around on top.

The back cover of the photobook has the Golden Child Volleyball Team logo in the center, with "BREATHE" at the top and "GOLDEN CHILD" at the bottom. The product information and holographic Woollim seal are on a sticker on top of the shrink wrap. I like how this product sticker is orange, almost matching "Breathe" era's color.

Here is the front cover of the photobook. It looks like a special edition magazine, with the bar code and "VER. M05" at the top. First off, I just want to say how excited I am about this photobook; this is definitely one of the Golden Child items that I have been most excited about since their debut, because this is the first time we are getting Golden Child in their own branded sports jerseys in print (aside from the Gol-Cha! photocards).

The spine has "GOLDEN CHILD" in the center. All the text and images on the covers and spine have a glossy finish and are embossed, and the material of the cover has a nice, velvety (or waxy) texture, all similar to the Pump It Up album covers. While a bit thin (wish there were more pages!), I love just how large the book is! The dimensions are about 8.875" by just under 10.875" by 0.25".

The photobook comes with 1 random member photocard out of 10. All images are of the members wearing this black tie outfit. I got Donghyun!

Here is the backside of the photocard, which matches the design of the photobook's back cover. The photocard has a glossy finish.

The photobook has 48 pages; the first page has the Golden Child Volleyball Team logo, the last page has "BREATHE" printed, and then there are 46 pages of photos all of Golden Child in the gym with their volleyball jerseys.

I absolutely love how huge the photos are! For the individual member photos, there is 1 photo per page and generally the photo is maximized on the page, though there are a some pages like Jangjun's to mix up the page layout.

There are 4 individual photos per member. I really like how the photos are taken from all over the gym, really making it feel like a sports photoshoot.

There are also 4 group photos inside the photobook. This first one is on a 2-page spread; the way they formatted this photo turned out really nicely since all members can be seen clearly despite the spine.

The band-aid is seriously too cute! And the visuals shining from a Mr. Kim Jibeom! I also really like how the gym was completely decorated with banners and signs of the Golden Child Volleyball Team, and that we even get a glimpse of the banners in Jibeom's photo.

Here is the second group photo, which is the same image as the photobook cover. Also Tag's darkened red hair suits him so well! In other photos within the photobook it looks even darker, which is such a pretty shade on him.

Seriously these band-aids are super cute and counterbalances the toughness that Donghyun's aura portrays.

Here is the third group photo. I like how it's a different formation from the first two group photos. This one feels like an authentic volleyball team photo!

This is the darker red shade I was talking about on Tag! Absolutely breathtaking.

How fitting that the band-aid duo are together!

I really like the details of the team's volleyball uniforms and windbreakers, with "GOLDEN CHILD" on the sleeve, and the member's name and number and the team logo on the front. And I have to talk about Jaehyun! The entire "Burn It" era was such an emotional roller coaster ride of emotions, first with Jaehyun's streaks then with Jaehyun's teaser photo, but I'm so relieved that for "Breathe" he looks so natural and like his best self! 

For Bomin and Jibeom to follow Jaehyun's photo, my top 3 are attacking me so much!

I really like the details that they put into the boys' outfits, right down to the volleyball finger tape!

And lastly is a beautiful group photo on a 2-page spread showcasing their team outfits! This photo would make for such a pretty header.

And the very last page of the photobook has the text matching the photobook cover.

Wristband & Photocard

The packaging is identical to the wristband and photocard set from Golden Child's NOW concert merchandise. The NOW wristband packaging is now shorter because I didn't realize that I didn't have to tear open the top...it is a ziplock style bag with a clear front and silver back that can open from the top without tearing the top.

The backside of the packaging contains the item sticker and holographic Woollim sticker. Again this product sticker is orange, almost matching "Breathe" era's color.

Here are the contents of this set. 

Here is a comparison of the "Breathe" wristband and the NOW wristband (which came in another clear resealable bag). The "Breathe" wristband is slightly longer.

Here is a closer look at the wristband. The "Golden Child Volleyball Team" logo is a bit big, so the longer length of the overall wristband balances out the logo. The wristband is made of cotton and polyester.

Like the NOW wristband, the "Breathe" wristband is really high quality. It is really thick and comfortable on the skin.

Here is how the wristband looks on my wrist. Again it is quite long, but it looks really natural on Golden Child when they have their long sleeve windbreakers on.

And here is the group photocard.

The photo is the same as one of the group photos in the photobook.

The photocard has a glossy finish. The backside has the "Golden Child Volleyball Team" logo with this era's orange hue as the background.

Overall, I'm so happy that Woollim released "Breathe" merchandise! I love how there is a practical item (though of course I must preserve the wristband!) and a photobook, and as I mentioned earlier, I'm so happy that the entire photobook is filled with Golden Child-branded outfits. So many past Golden Child branded outfits don't have photos in print (we only have the Gol-Cha! photocards and the Miracle albums, photocards, and ID cards, along with random selca photocards), so to dedicate an entire photobook to these volleyball uniforms made me so happy. And I'm really grateful that Golden Child ended "Burn It" era with their usual bright, energetic concept with "Breathe" promotions!

Infinite IDEA Photobook Review

This is Infinite's first photobook, released in December 2013, and it's also the first project officially released since the SM merger, meaning SM's name is now printed on the product. I was pretty hesitant about this photobook for several reasons:

1.  That underlying fact that SM is associated with this product really discouraged me from buying it for so long.
2.  This is purely a photobook, and Infinite is a music group, so I felt shallow for buying something obviously not related to music, but rather for the members' appearance.
3. The acronym IDEA is really stupid and seems like they were just throwing up random English words to try and sound cool; sorry, I have a low tolerance for bad English.

I blamed SM for the latter two reasons, but now I'm being much more accepting of the merger and I'm trying to be not as irrational with my feelings toward SM. And so I gave in and got the photobook^^

The photobook is A4 sized, just over 8.5 inches by 12 inches. It's very sturdy and has that little flap on the bottom, and on the backside contains information about the DVD that's included. The title is "Infinite IDEA," where IDEA stands for "Inspirits Dreamers Experience Amazing"...okay...

This container opens up just like the She's Back album and Second Invasion concert DVD, where there's a magnetic flap holding it together. It's really high quality and well put together. There is also a ribbon running through the middle to easily access all the contents inside.

At the very top is the random mini poster, which is actually a translucent A4 piece of paper. You can see the transparency as I held it up to the window. There are seven poster designs, one for each member. As you can see, I got Sungjong! It seems like I always get Jjongie...

Next is the photobook, and then at the bottom are the DVD and a set of postcards embedded in a thick layer of black foam just like in The Origin and Be Back albums (but without that smell).

There are a total of eight postcards that come in an envelope with the sides cut off, so the postcards just easily slip out from the sides. The postcards are 5.875 inches by 4.125 inches and came in order from left to right, top to bottom. There is one group photo and then one of each member, with every photo showcasing the unique photoshoot locations. The random posters and set of postcards all seem like photos directly from the photobook, or at least some of the images anyways.

The backs of the postcards are blank, with the Infinite IDEA label in the corner.

As printed on the back, this DVD is 19 minutes long (it's actually 18 minutes and 37 seconds long) and has Korean and English subtitles. The English subs could be better; even the ending of the DVD wrote "Behind the secene"...also onne part wrote Hoya in both Korean and English, but I think they were talking about Dongwoo as it was Dongwoo on the screen (this is during the skateboarding scene if you want to check it out). It's also listed as Region 4, but online lists it as Regions 1 and 3. It's also nice that the footage on this DVD doesn't overlap with the Destiny in America Production DVD. It begins with a slideshow of photos, then shows the behind the scenes, Infinite talking to the camera and the filming of the photoshoots at various locations in California and Nevada. These locations include the mansion, the streets of Hollywood, the graffiti infested back streets (where the members were trying to learn how to skateboard!), Universal Studios (for the Destiny photoshoot!), the Vegas sign and lastly the Vegas Strip at night. It was really funny how Woohyun bragged that his shoes had no insoles! And Myungsoo was taking photos of Sungjong again, and also fixing his hair for the camera. And they're in America, so of course the members were trying to speak some English too! The funniest part was during the end of the shooting at Universal Studios, Woohyun pretended that he was going back home into a sewer at Universal; I still can't get over this part!

And now, onto the huge photobook! The front cover is of Infinite looking cool on the streets of L.A. and the back cover is of the Hollywood Walk of Fame, with Infinite on an empty square...like showing they'll have their own star in the future here^^

This photobook has 228 pages and it's just as big as the mini poster and the photos and pages are very high quality.

The book is divided into chapters, by photoshoot location. The Destiny In America Production DVD showed the behind the scenes to the "Home Sweet Home," "Dreams Come True" and "Spectacular Las Vegas" photoshoots, while "Desert Dry Country" was never revealed, so it was a pleasant surprise to see this photoshoot for the first time in this photobook. The chapter title and page number are listed at the bottom of most pages as well.

"Home Sweet Home" was taken in a beautiful mansion in LA, creating a natural, casual setting. This chapter dedicates several pages for each member around the mansion and yard, with a nonchalant, lazy Sunday kind of ambiance, as seen in the top two photos. Then there are a few fun group shots of Infinite playing in the backyard and on the driveway.

"Dreams Come True" has Infinite with a tougher and cooler image. The first few pages are group photos walking the bustling and famous streets of L.A., then majority of this chapter moves to these graffiti back streets showing Infinite in both group and individual shots. The members look tough and gangster-like here with skateboards, and Sungjong even adds his own graffiti.

"Desert Dry Country" contains all black and white photos of which are mostly individual shots of Infinite wandering around and car camping at a desolate desert. Oddly enough, Sunggyu and Dongwoo aren't in this entire photoshoot, but for the remaining members, they each had their own little vignette displayed. Also in this photoshoot is that infamous series of Myungsoo's back photos, and some cute group photos in the snug camper.

"Spectacular Las Vegas" uses the same outfits as "Dreams Come True" on the busy streets of L.A. These are mostly individual shots, along with several group photos with the Vegas sign in the background. This section also includes those really cute and fun photos of Infinite playing around at the fountain on the Strip! And there are also more individual photos of Infinite looking serious and tough and a little lonely.

The last chapter has two pages dedicated to each member that includes a photo from Infinite filming for the "Destiny" music video at Universal Studios, a letter to Inspirits, an interview and something else, all in Korean. There are also four pages of photo collages, then a "Special Thanks To," and lastly a credits page.

Overall, I'm glad I finally gave in and bought this photobook in Korea. But I have to say, I don't think it's worth it with the high shipping fee. I do love the quality of the entire packaging (it seems more sturdy than the She's Back limited edition album) and the photos are absolutely gorgeous. I'm glad I got over my grudge against SM to get myself to buy this. As an American, though, this photobook does have more meaning to me as this is the first time Infinite as a whole is in my country!

L's Bravo Viewtiful Japan Version Review

While I never thought I'd actually buy the Japanese version of L's Bravo Viewtiful, when I saw it in a store, I instinctively and immediately picked it up and claimed it as mine. So here I'll briefly show the contents of L's Bravo Viewtiful Part 1 Japan Version. For a more extensive review, refer to my post about the Korea Version.

This is first press, and it includes the book with the DVD, the special memo book and postcards, the exterior slip and this extra cardboard casing to fill the gap at the top.

The back cover has the translation all in Japanese.

The contents of the photobook are practically identical to the Korean version, just that everything is translated to Japanese, and areas where there are English or Chinese characters remain as is.

What's different is the contents of the first press box. The box itself is the same though; there's no Japanese on it at all.

Also for the backside, it was much easier to open! I think it's because the sticker melted, so I could easily peel it off without ripping off any cardboard.

Once opened, the memo pad is on top.

The photos are all different from the Korean version too! There are seven photos, mostly of Myungsoo and a few of the members. Remember that weird one of Sunggyu and Dongwoo wearing those victory sashes? There's a photo from that too, just slightly different.

Underneath the memo pad is the set of postcards.

The postcards include the other three members not included in the Korean version. They include two beautiful photos of Myungsoo (I prefer these a lot more than the Korean ones), one of Dongwoo, Woohyun and Sunggyu, and two artistic ones. I really like the lighted up one! The order is from left to right, top to bottom.

I'm so glad I was able to buy the Japanese version! While the book itself is the same (at least for non-Koreans or non-Japanese, that's how it feels), the first press extras are such a nice bonus.