I absolutely agree with you for the unbelievable amount of different album version: photobook, digipack, jewel case, platform, weverse, etc.. like why is that necessary?? It's just so overwhelming. Also another thing I don't like is when companies decide to do something like yg did from treasure's digipack. They did member digipack with the Photocard of the member on the cover that was guaranteed. But tell me why they made 4 versions of photocard so people had to buy multiple of the same members to collect them? And every other inclusions and pictures where the same????
omg this is something I didn't even think about! member coverssssss, like yes, in theory, I would love to have my bias' cover...but if I also want their cards and you only give me 1 of 12...like...it's just so frustrating and the more I think about it, the more I feel taken advantage of
one big part of why it's hard to participate in kpop fan culture is how ridiculously these companies milk fans for their money, especially when it comes to photocards and making merch and putting photocards in E V E R Y T H I N G. They still get their money in the end. and album sales only seem to increase
as a key fan, im so happy he keeps things so exciting! ever since he stepped up in the packaging, sm took notes and applied it and made other artists packaging interesting as well. even when they told key that he had to make a standard “digipack” version, he still made it interesting and on theme by making it resemble a floppy disk. it shows how far creative minds can get you!
I agree giving us one pc in an album while there’s so many different versions of the album & the pcs. They need either need to give less versions or more pcs in the album.
if kpop companies want to be green they should put the same pcs in the photo book/jewel case/digipack vers. that way you can get the same pcs while buying a smaller item that saves on materials/shipping fuel.
every key comeback is just drop dead gorgeous starting with the concepts to the songs it's always amazing we should never expect less from the man he is always giving! sm in general is just really great with coming up with the concepts and designing the albums i think out of all the companies out there they understand the concept game the most (though i think with the pc/merch game it's either woolim or jyp with concepts and everything it's amazing they know what's up also its not too many or nothing at all unlike with sm that gives everything literally there's always something new with them or none at all)
I think SM is improving the design of smart albums, like for an nct dream and reve's last comeback they made it in the form of a keychain that can be attached to an album but as you said there are too many versions it's really too much..but perhaps maybe they are just trying to distance themselves more and more from the concept of the photobook, so they are trying new variations...who knows
What gets me about the Smini album evolution is that they turned all group versions into member versions so instead of two smart albums like they had for NCT 127 2 Baddies, you now have 5 member versions for Red Velvet and 7 member versions for the latest NCT Dream mini album. Also, the 2 Baddies smart album came with a full member photocard set plus one random photocard - these member versions come with one photocard.
Always excited for a video like this! I think Key's album packaging is my favourite of this year. edit: Red Velvet's orgel version for "Feel my rhythm" era is also beautiful I think that if companies actually wanted to be more "green", they should just release 1 photobook version w/o too many inclusions and 1 smart/platform version/digipack and 1 pc set for the entire comeback. And I personally don't see that happening soon. Right now these mini album versions feel like an extra cashgrab w the cover of it being "better for the enviroment"
I agree with the cover of it being better for the environment, sadly it seems we've taken a step backward and disguised it as a step in the right direction :(
I also only do this for my ult groups but I still feel the ick about it every time. like I know no one is forcing me to buy these albums but for some reason I'm sitting here feeling like I have to
I'm with you on everything. I'm on my second year of graphic design in college and this period i took editorial design and packaging & display so i built a lot of packaging and rule one was not to glue anything...i almost dropped out lmao:( putting smth together without gluing anything is a pain but in the end i understood that it's much more convenient, functional AND eco-friendly. we were reminded every assignment that creative ≠ flashy, compact is better, if you don't need to make it big, don't! so i got a new appreciation for smaller, simpler album designs. that sector 17 packaging? a masterclass
oooof I also had a project in school where I had to create packaging using no glue and the most minimal amount of materials as possible, it was a challenge for sureeeee, but it would be so rewarding if more companies thought about their packaging in this way
The Boyz be aware comeback was my first and only experience with platform albums and for someone like me who collect a bunch of their pobs and album pcs, I don't see how it did anything but make things worst. I really thought this was a brilliant idea when I understood they would put everything you could get in the normal version in some kind of L folder (minus the photobook basically). And I thought they would let you choose between the two at each time and you would get the same inclusions and same pobs. But no... you're just buying the same amount of regular versions, but you're buying with that more things because you want the platform inclusions and the new pobs that were created for platform versions only. There's no way someone thought this was an environmental friendly option, it was only a business choice to get people to buy more things.
i agree wholeheartedly! when I started seeing platforms, I thought that meant it would be a replacement to regular albums but it ended up just being in addition to them which definitely defeats the whole purpose :(
your point on album versions came across well and i totally agree! when platform albums were introduced, i really thought that they were a way for companies to include the same photocards from the photobook versions into a smaller, environmentally smarter packaging, instead it was just another way for companies to profit off fans who will collect the albums. i'm a big deobi and collect pretty much everything the boyz, and so when ist ent dropped three versions of the platform albums (all with their own pc versions) for be aware in addition to the three photobook versions, i kinda lost all hope for platforms to be perceived as actually the greener option instead of just being a money grab :/ i do think that platform albums (and similar album versions) are on the right track on paper but in practice there is a long way to go. overall i really liked this video and really look forward to these each year!! 🙂
I totally agree, I wish companies would maybe sell some sort of special extras packs, were you could buy the other versions of the PCs and other extras found on the albums. But sadly I don't think that would ever happen, it has never been about sustainability, it is always about the profit they can get from the idols images and sadly the comsumism that we fall into being in the fandoms🥴
i agree with what u said about the overload album because i remember seeing the packaging and being a bit disappointed especially compared to the creative notebook and ipad with hello world, but the contents of the photobook definitely make up for it, the concepts and designs are just gorgeous
I was looking forward to this video since your last year's top best & worst! 🤗 I'm a fellow designer, so this is really fit for me! And yes, everyone new Key's album would be included! I personally would ad both Stray Kids' albums, I really liked the typography and the design of the lyrics panflets in both albums! One looking like instructions and the othe like a newspaper. I also really loved that the Oddinary poster even had a pattern on the back, like talk about attention to detail! And each members styling for maxident was really really cute! In terms of concept I'd also ad Monsta X. That version where they're wearing those luxurious pijamas lives in my mind rent free! But yeah, I agree that in terms of packaging there wasn't a lot going on this year. Oh, wait! I remember your unboxing for another omega x album: you opened it and you were so pleasantly surprised with the pop-ups! That was really cute!
ahhh yes! Maxident was originally in this video for overall concept and colours/typography! but the video was getting very long and I had to cut a few albums out that I didn't think I discussed in any groundbreaking way haha! and gahhh the pyjamas!! so goooood
I hope this isn't cringe to say but I was truly so excited to see you had uploaded this video for 2022! 😂 these are always fun to watch for your perspective as a graphic designer, and also a convenient catch-up for some albums for groups I don't follow. Next to the Gasoline VHS, I loved the creativity of ONF's Storage of ONF album, which doubles as an A5 binder + journal. I have to agree with you that Platform albums are supposed to be eco-friendly, but they still feel like a cash grab on the company's end. Personally, I prefer albums with photobooks, and I hope they stick around! But I feel like the eco-friendly part won't click into place until fansigns become platform-only; I only know of one KR store (Mini Records Shop?) that hosts platform-only fansigns. Though paper digipacks are a step in the better direction than plastic individual member jewel cases 💀
Your video had some of my favorite designs! And glad to see another person who liked The Boyz Document ver. album, I love the cover and back design, it's minimalistic, but the picture on the back is gorgeous. I wish they would add more from this photoshoot into the photobook. However my favorite version is Desire because I love the photoshoot and vibrant concept! Also this year I really went wild and started buying albums based on the design I loved, so now I have a bunch of different artists on my shelf when one year ago I had 3-4 groups 😅
12:12 yes, you are getting your point across and i really couldn't agree more. the basis for platform/digipacks/smini/kihnos/smaller versions of the traditional photobook album is outright contradictory: companies are releasing more friendly environmentally packages, but not taking out the "environmentally more damaging" option. that does nothing, and much less when they are doing multiple versions of said greener edition, because why would they release several different versions, if not because they want to sell more? you said everything that could've been said, really. push for the greener options to be the ones to be purchased for fansigns! stop making a gazillion copies! it's almost mocking how contradictory they are in their "environmentally friendlier" agenda and that sucks sooo much. another point that i wanted to mention was the feeling of a more traditional, classic album, aka the photobook albums. like, "photobook versions" have been and still are being released in incredibly creative packagings (like svt's repackage album!). and for me that's a part of kpop's charm, because kpop albums shine in their creativity and in how different they are to the plain old western artists cds, and i think it's a feeling that adds to the /buying an album/ experience? like maybe, instead of focusing on making digipacks and mini versions etc etc, marketing could start looking into how to make their regular albums more friendly to the environment instead. just saying, oh, i don't know, what if you remove the cd and add the pvc card w a qr code to photobooks? if svt's repackage album did that it becomes an upgraded version of the so environmentally friendly platform album! in conclusion: capitalism sucks and companies truly struck gold with the collecting community. also, if they want to release a deck of photocards they can! just make it merch! fans will still buy!! edit: also btw pentagon's invite:u albums were super nice because 1) only two versions!! 2) though bulky, the concept was chef's kiss: the album tried to emulate luxury brands' packaging and the feel it gave was great. they also actually only released one (1) platform album for pentagon's kino solo debut! it was a special single and to complete a full set of inclus (8 pcs, 4 pvcs, 4 postcards) you had to buy 4 copies, sooo like 40ish, which is what you would spend in like two versions of a pb album. [shamelessly plugging pentagon promo]
@@HONEYDEWMOCHI you mentioned everything yourself, really! i tend not to think about albums since i don't collect albums much myself but the contradictions are hard to miss 😭
I don't like to have just a notebook like this version of Xtraordinary heroes, arg i bought all the 4 version of Overload album, arg it's in booklet packaging, fortunately, i received it with bubble wrap to not damage it because small booklet or large booklet can me damage easily! That's why i prefer magnetic close album
I personally think as CDs are dying anyway and most people stream albums before even buying the physical copy, the platform QR-code should be provided in regular albums instead of the CDs. It is just a paper card among other paper album inclusions which makes the album more environmentally friendly. I usually buy one album per comeback and what puts me off the smart albums/platform albums is the lack of things you get for that money. Just some cards. So if we kept the inclusions of a regular album (especially the photobook) and included a QR for the platform instead, it would be a perfect balance. Also we should get rid of jewel cases (a literal plastic nightmare) asap
Some charts (like Billboard) only count the album if it has a physical CD so I think that's why companies are still keeping CDs (since everybody seems to care about Billboard these days 😔)
I bought the 3 version of Bibi because i can't buy her 1rst album and i love her songs, her acting, her creativity, her mv etc and omg i'm happy i bought the 2 normal version + the limited version! The limited version contain her traditionnal haipin like Bibi wear in her mv! In the 3 versions, it contains different postcards and photocards
I think something a lot of people don't consider with the QR/Platform/Weverse/etc albums is that the company that runs the software platform could go bankrupt, discontinue the platform/software, withdraw support for particular phone models, or lose the rights to the music at any time. Its a big gamble to transition fully over to these relatively new, unknown, and untested platforms. And the crux is, you never own anything digital. I would love to see the statistics on sales of platform albums versus USE of platform albums. Why open the album on the platform app when you can just open it on your streaming platform using the same device? There's still a place for and appetite for physical versions with the consumer, and they can't be taken away from you retroactively. Still, companies need to cut back on just how many versions they're producing - for example, you can have multiple photobook versions and 1 digipack OR 1 photobook version and multiple digipacks, not both! (Ideally, just 1 one of each)
As for fansigns, rather than tying it to CD sales, they may need to rethink how it works entirely. Maybe the era of mass consumption to up your chances in the lottery need to end full stop - not just changing what version people are buying. I'm not sure what the solution is, but there has to be a different way of managing it.
I love Red Velvet's special case album (i&s monster, wendy like water, joy hello, rv queendom, seulgi 28 reasons) and because it's Irene and Seulgi original idea it feels much more special. Feel my rythm orgel version also elegant, design like music box with member standee, magnetic closure box and small cute cd. Oh i also love birthday cake version with their own official colour, i just wish they made red flavour cake too for ot5 version but i guess the red summer album already a red flavour. Smini version so cute too, you can buy one and make it phone keychain like Joy did. What i hate when they make unnecessary big photobook version like queendom or poster version like aespa my world and nct dream istj. It's unnecessary, just digipack member version is enough and make the spine more pretty with connected design! I don't mind jewel case like nct127 sticker because it can be display like triangle frame and decorate the cd with sticker, I'm not a fan of regular jewel case because it's nothing special. I hate that sm always give red velvet full album stupid jewel case! I would love Red Velvet to have hardcover photobook like Feel my rythm photobook version for each comeback. Btw the smini also can be display like cute triangle frame. Okay that's all for my rant Also that plastic kinda like food packaging need to stop, and just make a cd pocket inside photobook, no need jewel/slim cd case
Loved the video and I'm very happy to see you talking about Xdinary Heroes. :) Another album design that I find super adorable is the Candy Box Version of NCT Dream's Candy Winter Special Album.
I wasn't going to buy OnlyOneOf's solo albums, but ever since I've realised they're gonna form a rainbow I have the urge to get them all... They're gonna look amazing on the shelf 😍 And I want to support them cause I've been loving their whole underground idol project. Loved the video!
I've only encountered Omega X here and there on social media (particularly recently, given what has been revealed regarding their mistreatment) but I'm blown away by how pretty the 'Story Written with Music' album is graphically!!
re your point about platform albums being the ones that enter you into fansigns, golden child did that! they had a limited photobook album version but only the compact (no photobook, just CD) version counted for fansigns. but i'm not sure if the company's angle was "reduction of photobook waste" or "lowering production costs" because the compact version had 2 photocards per member while the photobook had 4 🙃
Key always delivers with the album designs 💅💅💅 Hope you can feature more girl groups in the future tho (if it's alright with you). Because I feel like they also deserve to be discussed. But I would also understand if it wouldn't be possible.
the only reason I didn't talk about more is because I only collect a few girl groups, therefore I don't have many physical albums to showcase sadly. I did however mention two at the end that I don't own that I still thought had phenomenal album design!
I collect a few different groups, by collecting I mean I collect the albums and the photocards for all members of that group, so to use BTS as an example if I buy an album and get just 1 photocard and there's 4 pcs per member that totals 28 photocards.....I am not going to buy that many albums of course but it is very frustrating when you then look at other groups and for this I'm going to use SKZ since those two are my ult groups. Stray kids (and also twice now I think of it) have a good amount of inclusions in their albums. You tend to get more than one pc among other inclusions which I love BUT i do dislike how many POBs SKZ end up having!! I'm all for digipacks (I think that's the correct term) especially since they are usually a little cheaper and good for those who collect who may want the pcs but don't want to end up having a lot of big, chunky album boxes. In some cases it just becomes a little too overwhelming with all the different versions of albums even more so when they are in a different format.
The boyz album version that you liked, i had the opposite reaction. yes it was minimal in design but there was just so much empty space in the middle. It was too plain for my taste. Maybe could've printed the signatures of the members there. I do see that album as good for autographs at a in-person fansign
absolutely agree !!! ALSO another annoyingg thing about rhe overload album is that if you want to display it with the front showing, it will just open up and all the inclusions will just.. fall.. and it wont close. awful
Forever wondering why Kpop made Jewel cases a thing. I grew up in the 2000s so I used CDs with the same material & the covers either cracked, fell off or the hinges on or competely broke. VIXX's Roch UR Body album is in a Jewel case and it fell off where I put my Kpop albums at the time and was cracked when I picked it up(I had carpet flooring). It cracked a few more times as well & I thought this was the worst album packaging in Kpop ever at the time. So I refuse to buy any jewel case ver if an album cause I know it's not gonna be stable & crack if not careful. Also, it's just such a cash grab as well there is already 4 ver of an album do fans really need an extra 7 CDs to buy definitely not. I like your idea of less ver of an album & digi packs for the fan signs. I know everything is on the internet these days but I still like to have a psychical ver of the media I have online (like DVDs & video games). & I like how this would still give me the option to have the psychical CD but gives people who want a more greener option the chance to go for the greener option. I also am a casual collector. I only buy one set of Albums for my ults & then every once in a blue moon I'll buy a ver of an album for a group that I'm a casual fan of if I like more than 3 songs on their album. So I truly find these other album options we have nowadays very unnecessary.
For NewJeans, i bought the black bag version, all version of Newjeans album. For your TXT album, it's big album but i like it and you can't damage it, i like this packaging with magnetic close. For Xdinary Heroes, i bought for their 1rst album, the one you showed, the ipad version, it's more pratical and the photobook is so awesome in the ipad version
I totally get what you meant with the simpler versions that are meant to be eco-friendly. The intent is right but they are not placing it right in the collecting game. Your idea to be in the ones to use in fan signs is really good. Let's hope some company test this and all companies adopt it. And just out of curiosity, Maxident is in the intro but you didn't insert a clip about, it made you the final list, or is it just an honorable mention too?
ahh yes! it was originally planned to be in the video and I was going to talk about the colours / typography and concept! but the video was getting a little long so I ultimately edited out a few clips where I didn't think what I was saying was adding any information of value to the overall video!
So in 2022, you bought more kpop boysband and solo kpop male artist! I'm more a kpop girlsbands stan! But i'm fan of Woodz since 2021, i have all his albums, his artistic creativity is crazy and funny, in his recent album, i bought the 3 versions! Then in 2022, i'm not a fan of Shinee at all, but i love Key's voice, songs and packaging albums
I think that 4 version (like xh one for overload or twice for the latest comeback or dreqmcatcher) are usually OK but they only those 4, and they are actually very different between one anoth3e not like red velvet birthday that has like u27268283647 version. That's not cool
I think the only group I have seen do platform versions correctly is Ateez. They have released a platform version of all of the albums of the Treasure series, which include a regular album photocard, the group card you get in each normal album and a group pvc card with the qr code for the music on the back. Since people do not collect group photocards that often, I find it a very clever solution, which might actually do its job. I do hope they (and other groups) will do something like that for their new releases as well. And not only a few years after their comeback when the environmental damage of buying for fansigns etc. has already been done.
I personally only collect a few girl groups therefore I don't have many physical albums to showcase! I did however mention 2 at the end that had packaging I loved but don't own :)
As a graphic designer, seeing this video made me happy because people always talk about the best song and music videos, which is fine. Still, people have yet to talk about graphic design and packaging design.
Maxident was originally in this video for overall concept and colours/typography! but the video was getting very long and I had to cut a few albums out where I personally didn't think I discussed them in any groundbreaking way!
"if they are trying to be sustainable why are there 12 pcs per member and you only get one?" because it was never actually about the environment
truer words have never been spoken
I absolutely agree with you for the unbelievable amount of different album version: photobook, digipack, jewel case, platform, weverse, etc.. like why is that necessary?? It's just so overwhelming. Also another thing I don't like is when companies decide to do something like yg did from treasure's digipack. They did member digipack with the Photocard of the member on the cover that was guaranteed. But tell me why they made 4 versions of photocard so people had to buy multiple of the same members to collect them? And every other inclusions and pictures where the same????
omg this is something I didn't even think about! member coverssssss, like yes, in theory, I would love to have my bias' cover...but if I also want their cards and you only give me 1 of 12...like...it's just so frustrating and the more I think about it, the more I feel taken advantage of
@@HONEYDEWMOCHI exactly how I feel too! It's so blatantly obvious that they're just thinking about making profits from the album sales
one big part of why it's hard to participate in kpop fan culture is how ridiculously these companies milk fans for their money, especially when it comes to photocards and making merch and putting photocards in E V E R Y T H I N G. They still get their money in the end. and album sales only seem to increase
as a key fan, im so happy he keeps things so exciting! ever since he stepped up in the packaging, sm took notes and applied it and made other artists packaging interesting as well. even when they told key that he had to make a standard “digipack” version, he still made it interesting and on theme by making it resemble a floppy disk. it shows how far creative minds can get you!
I agree giving us one pc in an album while there’s so many different versions of the album & the pcs. They need either need to give less versions or more pcs in the album.
if kpop companies want to be green they should put the same pcs in the photo book/jewel case/digipack vers. that way you can get the same pcs while buying a smaller item that saves on materials/shipping fuel.
Or at least use the same concept for all of them even as a carat I must say Seventeens Face the suns amount of pcs is just ridiculous
every key comeback is just drop dead gorgeous starting with the concepts to the songs it's always amazing we should never expect less from the man he is always giving! sm in general is just really great with coming up with the concepts and designing the albums i think out of all the companies out there they understand the concept game the most (though i think with the pc/merch game it's either woolim or jyp with concepts and everything it's amazing they know what's up also its not too many or nothing at all unlike with sm that gives everything literally there's always something new with them or none at all)
I think SM is improving the design of smart albums, like for an nct dream and reve's last comeback they made it in the form of a keychain that can be attached to an album but as you said there are too many versions it's really too much..but perhaps maybe they are just trying to distance themselves more and more from the concept of the photobook, so they are trying new variations...who knows
What gets me about the Smini album evolution is that they turned all group versions into member versions so instead of two smart albums like they had for NCT 127 2 Baddies, you now have 5 member versions for Red Velvet and 7 member versions for the latest NCT Dream mini album. Also, the 2 Baddies smart album came with a full member photocard set plus one random photocard - these member versions come with one photocard.
Always excited for a video like this! I think Key's album packaging is my favourite of this year. edit: Red Velvet's orgel version for "Feel my rhythm" era is also beautiful
I think that if companies actually wanted to be more "green", they should just release 1 photobook version w/o too many inclusions and 1 smart/platform version/digipack and 1 pc set for the entire comeback. And I personally don't see that happening soon. Right now these mini album versions feel like an extra cashgrab w the cover of it being "better for the enviroment"
I'm personally not innocent as a collector either, I bought multiple albums for Red Velvet this year (I only do that for my 2 ult groups)
I agree with the cover of it being better for the environment, sadly it seems we've taken a step backward and disguised it as a step in the right direction :(
I also only do this for my ult groups but I still feel the ick about it every time. like I know no one is forcing me to buy these albums but for some reason I'm sitting here feeling like I have to
I'm with you on everything. I'm on my second year of graphic design in college and this period i took editorial design and packaging & display so i built a lot of packaging and rule one was not to glue anything...i almost dropped out lmao:( putting smth together without gluing anything is a pain but in the end i understood that it's much more convenient, functional AND eco-friendly. we were reminded every assignment that creative ≠ flashy, compact is better, if you don't need to make it big, don't! so i got a new appreciation for smaller, simpler album designs. that sector 17 packaging? a masterclass
oooof I also had a project in school where I had to create packaging using no glue and the most minimal amount of materials as possible, it was a challenge for sureeeee, but it would be so rewarding if more companies thought about their packaging in this way
colorful trauma was so underrated in all ways, like- the concept, music, styling ... PERFECTION
woah tnx’s album’s design is so gorgeous, i didn’t know it looked like that!
The Boyz be aware comeback was my first and only experience with platform albums and for someone like me who collect a bunch of their pobs and album pcs, I don't see how it did anything but make things worst. I really thought this was a brilliant idea when I understood they would put everything you could get in the normal version in some kind of L folder (minus the photobook basically). And I thought they would let you choose between the two at each time and you would get the same inclusions and same pobs. But no... you're just buying the same amount of regular versions, but you're buying with that more things because you want the platform inclusions and the new pobs that were created for platform versions only. There's no way someone thought this was an environmental friendly option, it was only a business choice to get people to buy more things.
i agree wholeheartedly! when I started seeing platforms, I thought that meant it would be a replacement to regular albums but it ended up just being in addition to them which definitely defeats the whole purpose :(
your point on album versions came across well and i totally agree! when platform albums were introduced, i really thought that they were a way for companies to include the same photocards from the photobook versions into a smaller, environmentally smarter packaging, instead it was just another way for companies to profit off fans who will collect the albums. i'm a big deobi and collect pretty much everything the boyz, and so when ist ent dropped three versions of the platform albums (all with their own pc versions) for be aware in addition to the three photobook versions, i kinda lost all hope for platforms to be perceived as actually the greener option instead of just being a money grab :/ i do think that platform albums (and similar album versions) are on the right track on paper but in practice there is a long way to go.
overall i really liked this video and really look forward to these each year!! 🙂
it's so sad that they've marketed these cash grab versions in such an "environmentally friendly" disguise :(
i absolutely love n.flying’s dearest album designs sososososososososo much
I totally agree, I wish companies would maybe sell some sort of special extras packs, were you could buy the other versions of the PCs and other extras found on the albums.
But sadly I don't think that would ever happen, it has never been about sustainability, it is always about the profit they can get from the idols images and sadly the comsumism that we fall into being in the fandoms🥴
i agree with what u said about the overload album because i remember seeing the packaging and being a bit disappointed especially compared to the creative notebook and ipad with hello world, but the contents of the photobook definitely make up for it, the concepts and designs are just gorgeous
thank you for talking about omega x and sharing the hashtag!
I loved Key's Gosoline, Red Velvet's Feel My Rhythm (orgel ver.) & Birthday (cake ver.) and NCT Dream's Candy (candy box ver.) album designs!!!
I was looking forward to this video since your last year's top best & worst! 🤗 I'm a fellow designer, so this is really fit for me! And yes, everyone new Key's album would be included! I personally would ad both Stray Kids' albums, I really liked the typography and the design of the lyrics panflets in both albums! One looking like instructions and the othe like a newspaper. I also really loved that the Oddinary poster even had a pattern on the back, like talk about attention to detail! And each members styling for maxident was really really cute! In terms of concept I'd also ad Monsta X. That version where they're wearing those luxurious pijamas lives in my mind rent free! But yeah, I agree that in terms of packaging there wasn't a lot going on this year. Oh, wait! I remember your unboxing for another omega x album: you opened it and you were so pleasantly surprised with the pop-ups! That was really cute!
ahhh yes! Maxident was originally in this video for overall concept and colours/typography! but the video was getting very long and I had to cut a few albums out that I didn't think I discussed in any groundbreaking way haha! and gahhh the pyjamas!! so goooood
I hope this isn't cringe to say but I was truly so excited to see you had uploaded this video for 2022! 😂 these are always fun to watch for your perspective as a graphic designer, and also a convenient catch-up for some albums for groups I don't follow. Next to the Gasoline VHS, I loved the creativity of ONF's Storage of ONF album, which doubles as an A5 binder + journal.
I have to agree with you that Platform albums are supposed to be eco-friendly, but they still feel like a cash grab on the company's end. Personally, I prefer albums with photobooks, and I hope they stick around! But I feel like the eco-friendly part won't click into place until fansigns become platform-only; I only know of one KR store (Mini Records Shop?) that hosts platform-only fansigns. Though paper digipacks are a step in the better direction than plastic individual member jewel cases 💀
ahh that's not cringe at all!! thank you so much for being so invested in this series haha!
Your video had some of my favorite designs! And glad to see another person who liked The Boyz Document ver. album, I love the cover and back design, it's minimalistic, but the picture on the back is gorgeous. I wish they would add more from this photoshoot into the photobook. However my favorite version is Desire because I love the photoshoot and vibrant concept! Also this year I really went wild and started buying albums based on the design I loved, so now I have a bunch of different artists on my shelf when one year ago I had 3-4 groups 😅
12:12 yes, you are getting your point across and i really couldn't agree more.
the basis for platform/digipacks/smini/kihnos/smaller versions of the traditional photobook album is outright contradictory: companies are releasing more friendly environmentally packages, but not taking out the "environmentally more damaging" option. that does nothing, and much less when they are doing multiple versions of said greener edition, because why would they release several different versions, if not because they want to sell more?
you said everything that could've been said, really. push for the greener options to be the ones to be purchased for fansigns! stop making a gazillion copies! it's almost mocking how contradictory they are in their "environmentally friendlier" agenda and that sucks sooo much.
another point that i wanted to mention was the feeling of a more traditional, classic album, aka the photobook albums. like, "photobook versions" have been and still are being released in incredibly creative packagings (like svt's repackage album!). and for me that's a part of kpop's charm, because kpop albums shine in their creativity and in how different they are to the plain old western artists cds, and i think it's a feeling that adds to the /buying an album/ experience? like maybe, instead of focusing on making digipacks and mini versions etc etc, marketing could start looking into how to make their regular albums more friendly to the environment instead. just saying, oh, i don't know, what if you remove the cd and add the pvc card w a qr code to photobooks? if svt's repackage album did that it becomes an upgraded version of the so environmentally friendly platform album!
in conclusion: capitalism sucks and companies truly struck gold with the collecting community. also, if they want to release a deck of photocards they can! just make it merch! fans will still buy!!
edit: also btw pentagon's invite:u albums were super nice because 1) only two versions!! 2) though bulky, the concept was chef's kiss: the album tried to emulate luxury brands' packaging and the feel it gave was great. they also actually only released one (1) platform album for pentagon's kino solo debut! it was a special single and to complete a full set of inclus (8 pcs, 4 pvcs, 4 postcards) you had to buy 4 copies, sooo like 40ish, which is what you would spend in like two versions of a pb album. [shamelessly plugging pentagon promo]
Kpop Packaging Truly Has a Hold on Kpop Fans™ it just makes me so sad and angry fr
this whole comment is chef's kiss! you explained everything I wanted to say (and more) in such an amazing way, I could not agree more!
@@HONEYDEWMOCHI you mentioned everything yourself, really! i tend not to think about albums since i don't collect albums much myself but the contradictions are hard to miss 😭
Thank you so much for raising awareness for Omega X.This means so much for us,For X.
I don't like to have just a notebook like this version of Xtraordinary heroes, arg i bought all the 4 version of Overload album, arg it's in booklet packaging, fortunately, i received it with bubble wrap to not damage it because small booklet or large booklet can me damage easily! That's why i prefer magnetic close album
I personally think as CDs are dying anyway and most people stream albums before even buying the physical copy, the platform QR-code should be provided in regular albums instead of the CDs. It is just a paper card among other paper album inclusions which makes the album more environmentally friendly. I usually buy one album per comeback and what puts me off the smart albums/platform albums is the lack of things you get for that money. Just some cards. So if we kept the inclusions of a regular album (especially the photobook) and included a QR for the platform instead, it would be a perfect balance. Also we should get rid of jewel cases (a literal plastic nightmare) asap
yes!! to everything you said here ^
Some charts (like Billboard) only count the album if it has a physical CD so I think that's why companies are still keeping CDs (since everybody seems to care about Billboard these days 😔)
omg nooooo I listen to my CDs! don't take them away from me! I like the ritual of sitting with an album as an object versus just streaming it online
I bought the 3 version of Bibi because i can't buy her 1rst album and i love her songs, her acting, her creativity, her mv etc and omg i'm happy i bought the 2 normal version + the limited version! The limited version contain her traditionnal haipin like Bibi wear in her mv! In the 3 versions, it contains different postcards and photocards
The styling (set and members) in Xdinary Heros' Overload album reminds me of SHINee's Don't Call Me album.
I think something a lot of people don't consider with the QR/Platform/Weverse/etc albums is that the company that runs the software platform could go bankrupt, discontinue the platform/software, withdraw support for particular phone models, or lose the rights to the music at any time.
Its a big gamble to transition fully over to these relatively new, unknown, and untested platforms. And the crux is, you never own anything digital. I would love to see the statistics on sales of platform albums versus USE of platform albums. Why open the album on the platform app when you can just open it on your streaming platform using the same device? There's still a place for and appetite for physical versions with the consumer, and they can't be taken away from you retroactively.
Still, companies need to cut back on just how many versions they're producing - for example, you can have multiple photobook versions and 1 digipack OR 1 photobook version and multiple digipacks, not both! (Ideally, just 1 one of each)
As for fansigns, rather than tying it to CD sales, they may need to rethink how it works entirely. Maybe the era of mass consumption to up your chances in the lottery need to end full stop - not just changing what version people are buying. I'm not sure what the solution is, but there has to be a different way of managing it.
Key always slays packaging
I love Red Velvet's special case album (i&s monster, wendy like water, joy hello, rv queendom, seulgi 28 reasons) and because it's Irene and Seulgi original idea it feels much more special. Feel my rythm orgel version also elegant, design like music box with member standee, magnetic closure box and small cute cd.
Oh i also love birthday cake version with their own official colour, i just wish they made red flavour cake too for ot5 version but i guess the red summer album already a red flavour.
Smini version so cute too, you can buy one and make it phone keychain like Joy did. What i hate when they make unnecessary big photobook version like queendom or poster version like aespa my world and nct dream istj. It's unnecessary, just digipack member version is enough and make the spine more pretty with connected design!
I don't mind jewel case like nct127 sticker because it can be display like triangle frame and decorate the cd with sticker, I'm not a fan of regular jewel case because it's nothing special. I hate that sm always give red velvet full album stupid jewel case! I would love Red Velvet to have hardcover photobook like Feel my rythm photobook version for each comeback. Btw the smini also can be display like cute triangle frame. Okay that's all for my rant
Also that plastic kinda like food packaging need to stop, and just make a cd pocket inside photobook, no need jewel/slim cd case
Loved the video and I'm very happy to see you talking about Xdinary Heroes. :)
Another album design that I find super adorable is the Candy Box Version of NCT Dream's Candy Winter Special Album.
I wasn't going to buy OnlyOneOf's solo albums, but ever since I've realised they're gonna form a rainbow I have the urge to get them all... They're gonna look amazing on the shelf 😍 And I want to support them cause I've been loving their whole underground idol project.
Loved the video!
I've only encountered Omega X here and there on social media (particularly recently, given what has been revealed regarding their mistreatment) but I'm blown away by how pretty the 'Story Written with Music' album is graphically!!
OMG OOO IS HERE AHH YESSS! 😭✨💗
They’re growing I’m so proud! Finally! 💗✨🌷
Gasoline will never be thrown off the podium😂
re your point about platform albums being the ones that enter you into fansigns, golden child did that!
they had a limited photobook album version but only the compact (no photobook, just CD) version counted for fansigns. but i'm not sure if the company's angle was "reduction of photobook waste" or "lowering production costs" because the compact version had 2 photocards per member while the photobook had 4 🙃
I love that you Stan OnlyOneOf. They are amazing. So excited for their US tour.
Key always delivers with the album designs 💅💅💅 Hope you can feature more girl groups in the future tho (if it's alright with you). Because I feel like they also deserve to be discussed. But I would also understand if it wouldn't be possible.
the only reason I didn't talk about more is because I only collect a few girl groups, therefore I don't have many physical albums to showcase sadly. I did however mention two at the end that I don't own that I still thought had phenomenal album design!
worth to mention is nmixx debut single limited edition has this silly loose ribbon outside the case huhu
I collect a few different groups, by collecting I mean I collect the albums and the photocards for all members of that group, so to use BTS as an example if I buy an album and get just 1 photocard and there's 4 pcs per member that totals 28 photocards.....I am not going to buy that many albums of course but it is very frustrating when you then look at other groups and for this I'm going to use SKZ since those two are my ult groups. Stray kids (and also twice now I think of it) have a good amount of inclusions in their albums. You tend to get more than one pc among other inclusions which I love BUT i do dislike how many POBs SKZ end up having!! I'm all for digipacks (I think that's the correct term) especially since they are usually a little cheaper and good for those who collect who may want the pcs but don't want to end up having a lot of big, chunky album boxes. In some cases it just becomes a little too overwhelming with all the different versions of albums even more so when they are in a different format.
The boyz album version that you liked, i had the opposite reaction. yes it was minimal in design but there was just so much empty space in the middle. It was too plain for my taste. Maybe could've printed the signatures of the members there. I do see that album as good for autographs at a in-person fansign
As someone who is getting more and more into graphic design, I love watching these kinds of videos
absolutely agree !!! ALSO another annoyingg thing about rhe overload album is that if you want to display it with the front showing, it will just open up and all the inclusions will just.. fall.. and it wont close. awful
Ahhhh it made me so happy seeing OnlyOneOf!!! I love them so much 🥺😭
Forever wondering why Kpop made Jewel cases a thing. I grew up in the 2000s so I used CDs with the same material & the covers either cracked, fell off or the hinges on or competely broke. VIXX's Roch UR Body album is in a Jewel case and it fell off where I put my Kpop albums at the time and was cracked when I picked it up(I had carpet flooring). It cracked a few more times as well & I thought this was the worst album packaging in Kpop ever at the time. So I refuse to buy any jewel case ver if an album cause I know it's not gonna be stable & crack if not careful. Also, it's just such a cash grab as well there is already 4 ver of an album do fans really need an extra 7 CDs to buy definitely not.
I like your idea of less ver of an album & digi packs for the fan signs. I know everything is on the internet these days but I still like to have a psychical ver of the media I have online (like DVDs & video games). & I like how this would still give me the option to have the psychical CD but gives people who want a more greener option the chance to go for the greener option. I also am a casual collector. I only buy one set of Albums for my ults & then every once in a blue moon I'll buy a ver of an album for a group that I'm a casual fan of if I like more than 3 songs on their album. So I truly find these other album options we have nowadays very unnecessary.
I’m only 5 minutes in but I’m loving this video and your thoughts on design are so interesting to hear!!
For NewJeans, i bought the black bag version, all version of Newjeans album. For your TXT album, it's big album but i like it and you can't damage it, i like this packaging with magnetic close. For Xdinary Heroes, i bought for their 1rst album, the one you showed, the ipad version, it's more pratical and the photobook is so awesome in the ipad version
I totally get what you meant with the simpler versions that are meant to be eco-friendly. The intent is right but they are not placing it right in the collecting game. Your idea to be in the ones to use in fan signs is really good. Let's hope some company test this and all companies adopt it.
And just out of curiosity, Maxident is in the intro but you didn't insert a clip about, it made you the final list, or is it just an honorable mention too?
ahh yes! it was originally planned to be in the video and I was going to talk about the colours / typography and concept! but the video was getting a little long so I ultimately edited out a few clips where I didn't think what I was saying was adding any information of value to the overall video!
i absolutely love ur content and ur videos like u are amazing, but XDINARY HEROS isnt pronounced EXTRAORDINARY HEROS but ' XDENARY '
ah yes I knew this but for some reason it just comes out the other way sometimes! I'll work on fixing that in the future!
OnlyOneOf hype! 🌈
I really enjoyed this video!!! Helped me in deciding on some album purchases lol!
Now I really want to get onlyoneof's albums...
i love slip covers eee
I just stumbled across your video but I will definitely be subscribing. So informative!
So in 2022, you bought more kpop boysband and solo kpop male artist! I'm more a kpop girlsbands stan! But i'm fan of Woodz since 2021, i have all his albums, his artistic creativity is crazy and funny, in his recent album, i bought the 3 versions! Then in 2022, i'm not a fan of Shinee at all, but i love Key's voice, songs and packaging albums
For Xdinary Heroes Overload, I think they made it like a Magazine type of thing that you can scroll through when getting a haircut 😅
love these vids!
keys albums are the best
I love seeing these videos
i think you forgot to ‘pop up’ the other version of the dearest album heh
I think that 4 version (like xh one for overload or twice for the latest comeback or dreqmcatcher) are usually OK but they only those 4, and they are actually very different between one anoth3e not like red velvet birthday that has like u27268283647 version. That's not cool
500th like! awesome video :D
I think the only group I have seen do platform versions correctly is Ateez. They have released a platform version of all of the albums of the Treasure series, which include a regular album photocard, the group card you get in each normal album and a group pvc card with the qr code for the music on the back. Since people do not collect group photocards that often, I find it a very clever solution, which might actually do its job.
I do hope they (and other groups) will do something like that for their new releases as well. And not only a few years after their comeback when the environmental damage of buying for fansigns etc. has already been done.
where are the girl groups?😢
I personally only collect a few girl groups therefore I don't have many physical albums to showcase! I did however mention 2 at the end that had packaging I loved but don't own :)
As a graphic designer, seeing this video made me happy because people always talk about the best song and music videos, which is fine. Still, people have yet to talk about graphic design and packaging design.
< onlyoneof 3
Super junior had the worst album design this year. They were just ugly albums with graphic design 101 level design. Loved the songs tho
uuhhhh where's maxident?
Maxident was originally in this video for overall concept and colours/typography! but the video was getting very long and I had to cut a few albums out where I personally didn't think I discussed them in any groundbreaking way!
you lowkey sound like meg from family guy
this made me realize how boring oneus' album design is. sadly 🫠