Hyuna and Hyunseung are quite the pair of troublemakers. They certainly like to push the boundaries of censorship and appropriateness in the Kpop world. It really was only a matter of time before the Troublemaker duo got back together. Their first song was such a hit; why not try for repeat success?

Their newest single, “Now”, is sweeping the charts and causing quite a stir in the process.

Am I shocked? Of course not. If anything, I was slightly disappointed with the level of raciness in the music video. I was actually expecting more. The live performance was also significantly toned down and the newer uncut/R-rated version is not even doing much to eliminate my concerns.

While both videos heavily hint at sex, drugs, alcohol, and even murder (gasp!), all of the buzz surrounding the video caused me to expect even more explicit scenes. Come on Hyuna; I know you have more sexy in you!

In terms of the uncut version, I liked the additional background story, but I was quite surprised that there wasn’t more steamy sex. There may have even been fewer scenes than in the first video! Is it violence that gives it the 19+ rating? It has to be…

Regardless of my perceived level of “sexy”, I found myself really liking the song and overall impression from the song/music video combination. It’s a catchy beat, especially the chorus.

The video itself was also wonderfully shot. I do love the part where Hyunseung goes back and forth between his normal image in the mirror to one of himself as the Joker. That’s some serious stuff you’re on, buddy.

Question: How much do you think Budweiser paid to have its beer featured in the video? I’m guessing A LOT.

Hyuna has really upped her game over the years. With each release, the sexier her image becomes. Need I list them? Change, Bubble Pop, Gangnam Style, Ice Cream…  While yes, “Now” is a steamy music video, I’d argue that previous MVs were even more risqué. My general judge of “sexy” level is how uncomfortable the video makes me feel. I really wasn’t bothered by “Now”.

I’m sure that “Now” is the result of some very clever marketing. Largely suggesting Hyuna’s sexuality, rather than showing even more detail, all the more increases Hyuna’s sexy image. Imagination is a powerful thing.

On a side note, when I saw 4Minute and Beast perform in Taiwan I was shocked at how non-“Hyuna-y” Hyuna behaved. My friend and I guessed that she was told to tone her “sexy” down during the concert in order to not distract from 4Minute’s performance. While it was a Beast/4Minute joint concert, none of the artists performed any solo acts. I know! How can you put Hyunseung and Hyuna in a room and NOT have them perform “Troublemaker”?! At the very least, WHERE WAS BUBBLE POP?! Needless to say, I was quite disappointed.

In my brief encounter with Hyuna, she did not live up the image I had gleaned from her crazy music videos, widespread promotions, and internet buzz. She actually acted quite cutesy and somewhat shy at the concert. Strange, right?

Regardless, sexy-Hyuna is back in full swing with this Trouble Maker hit. The formula her company creates for her just keeps propelling her forward. We’ll see what happens between her and Hyunseung. After watching the Trouble Maker music videos, I have a few suspicions…

What are your thoughts on Troublemaker, round 2?

Rachel