Way back in 2011, an unknown company called Dino Entertainment burst onto the music scene with their hot new girl group, Clinah (pronounced “Clean-uh”). This was no ordinary girl group, however. No, no, this was a real, legitimate, girl rock band! Members included lead vocalist Han Yuna (한유나), lead guitarist Rika (리카), rhythm guitarist Malja (말자), and bespectacled drummer Lee Soun (이소운). They were so legit they didn’t even need anything silly like a bass player. They released their debut mini-album in October of that year, and even scored some music show appearances with their single “Come On Boy.”
Of course, this “rock band” was nothing more than an idol group with the trappings of a rock band. Their live performances included choreographed moves while playing (miming) the instruments, and the recordings were typical heavily-produced fare, just a little more guitar-based than the dance-pop groups’ stuff. And that name. Clinah. What did it mean? No one seemed to know!
Whatever the case, Clinah failed to catch on. They never had a second single, and by early 2012 they were trying to stay afloat as cheerleaders for the SK Wyverns baseball team. Malja left the group because of health reasons that April, and no replacement was ever found. By 2013, Dino Entertainment’s website no longer existed.
While this group appears to be nothing but a piece of musical ephemera that belongs on the far back shelf of K-Pop’s reject warehouse, there’s something strangely fascinating about them. Their songs, while not deserving of any awards, were actually not that bad. Indeed, many groups with stronger financial backing have released far worse singles and their careers never missed a step. It’s more a statement about the secondary importance of musical quality within the pop music industry than it is of Clinah’s merits.
Had the circumstances been different, one wonders what might have been for these girls. Had they just been with a bigger entertainment company, they might have been more than a one-and-done no-hit wonder. Had their looks just appealed to viewers a little more, they might have gotten a larger male fanbase to fuel their popularity. Had the handling of the rock band concept not looked so silly, maybe they would’ve been able to develop from a pre-packaged band into a legitimate one, like The Monkees. After all, amid the silliness of the choreographed moves, it at least appeared that they knew what they were doing with guitars and sticks in hand. It’s doubtful they would’ve produced anything in the league of the K-Pop greats, but they might’ve ended up deserving a place just a bit closer to the warehouse entrance.
In the end, this one release is about the entirety of their musical legacy. Clinah’s sole mini-album is a fun little treat that grows on you, and is always a possible under-the-radar hidden gem for the adventurous K-Pop fan. It doesn’t reinvent the idol pop wheel, but it might leave you curious about what could have been.
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| Image source: ManiaDB |
