On this series we remember songs that have been forgotten or were never even given the attention they deserved. Today's Hidden Gem is Carnival (The Last Day) by Gain.
Probably the least underrated person in this entire series, but man did this song deserve better. Sadly everyone didn't like the song when it came out because they thought it sounded too much like IU's jazzy eras like You&I or the Red Shoes. As if IU is the only one who can do that concept. I think it is a masterpiece and I didn't really appreciate it when it came out either. 5 years later it hits different now that I'm older/more mature and I know about Gain's struggles. This song is so festive and upbeat, but for some reason painfully sad. This idea that life is a Carnival and she's celebrating her last day on earth remembering her past, but there's this morbid undertone. There really is nothing else like it in Kpop.
I sadly don't have a very good update. Gain was at the lowest point in her life around the time this song came out. She started to experiment with drugs and broke up with her long-term boyfriend in a very public, dramatic, and negative way. I also think the negative reception this song received after she worked so hard on it was not good for her mental health and she had to cut promos short. She spent about 4 years recovering and finally got better for Brown Eyed Girl's long-awaited comeback at the end of 2019. It seemed like Brown Eyed Girls would be more active, they released one more song in early 2020, then went on hiatus again. MMTG said one of the songs they wanted to have a chart reversal was Carnival and Koreans started checking it out and it seemed like Gain would perform the song again for their concert. Sadly in July of this year Gain was fined for illegal propofol use, the drug that killed Michael Jackson. Gain is sadly still working on her recovery.
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The Carnival concepts fits her so well. You chose another great song.
