From 'you're the pretty one' to 'I'm the pretty one': YENA's 'Dime Girl'

Today's NONOL Pick is '보기 드문 여자 (Feat. NOWIMYOUNG)', the single YENA released on October 2. Its English title is 'Dime Girl'. It's a reinterpretation of '보기 드문 여자', a song Block B put on the EP 'HER' in July 2014. On Apple Music, the English title of the Block B original is also 'Dime Girl'. Block B's ZICO is credited again on this new version for composition and lyrics, and Park Kyung for lyrics. NOWIMYOUNG, the featured artist, also co-wrote the words and music. Play the two side by side, and the biggest change is who's doing the singing. Timestamps refer to the official music video.

0:05 · "You" becomes "I" in the chorus

In the original, the chorus is a man's words to the person across from the singer: '예쁜 건 넌데 왜 내가 피곤한 거죠' ("You're the pretty one, so why am I the one worn out?"), then "You are not an ordinary girl". YENA sets '예쁜 건 나니까 네가 피곤한 거죠' ("I'm the pretty one, that's why you're worn out") on the same melody, and sings "I am" instead of "You are". The one who used to receive the compliment has taken the mic. Both versions open with this chorus from the very first line.

From 108 beats a minute to 123

Measured by the spacing of the beats, the original runs at about 108 beats a minute and the new version at about 123. That's roughly 14% faster. The length drops from 3:11 to 2:28, 43 seconds shorter. Between the end of the first chorus and the start of the second, the original takes 36 seconds, rap included; the new version needs only 21.

0:32 · '하늘에서 떨어질 때도' and "MISSING ANGEL"

The first 37 seconds of the music video look like camcorder footage from a studio. At 0:20, face-detection boxes pop up, labeling NOWIMYOUNG "Shy 80%" and YENA, face hidden behind a sleeve, "Smiley 100%". At 0:32, right as '하늘에서 떨어질 때도' ("even when I fall from the sky") is sung, a post fills the screen: a photo of YENA cut out and pasted onto a drawing of a beach, with "MISSING ANGEL" written above. The post's caption is the same lyric. From 0:38, the video switches to concert stage footage.

1:03 · The backing stops, and in comes NOWIMYOUNG

At 1:03, the drums, bass and every other instrument stop together for a little over a second. Into that gap, NOWIMYOUNG comes in with "Girl don't you worry" and sings a part of about 17 seconds. In the stage footage, the two stand together from 1:08. At the very end, 2:25, the backing drops out again, and only the voice is left on '보기 드문 여자인 걸' ("I'm a rare kind of girl") as the song ends. You can hear the original on Block B's official audio. Apple Music