Baby V.O.X (standing for Baby Voices of Xpression) was one of South Korea's… Read Full Bio ↴Baby V.O.X (standing for Baby Voices of Xpression) was one of South Korea's most popular girl groups, belonging to record company DR Music. Although it initially had much internal turmoil, Baby V.O.X eventually became a successful, cohesive group from 1999 to 2005, releasing many hit albums. However, after the dismal failure of their last album 'Ride West', it began to unravel again. By the end of that year, all of the members had left the company, with some going solo, and others moving into other entertainment areas.

The group was formed in 1997, just as other groups like S.E.S. were starting out. Their first single ("Haircut") hit #47 on the Korean charts, and the success of the first album was dismal. This was attributed to the different, edgier style that Baby V.O.X had, considering that their rivals Fin.K.L and S.E.S. had adopted cute looks to great success. DR Music (their record company) then replaced three members (with 간미연 (Kan Miyoun), 이가이 (Lee Gai), and 심은진 (Shim Eunjin)) and had them train for the next year in order to succeed. Their second album, titled 'Baby VOX II', was a much bigger success, hitting #7 on the Korean pop charts. However, there was more internal turmoil when it was revealed that 이가이 (Lee Gai) was much older than the rest of the girls and had actually lied to the management company about her age. Considering that she was also viewed as not fitting in with the rest of the members, she was cut from the group and replaced by 윤은혜 (Yoon Eun Hye), who was significantly younger and appeared to have more mass appeal. Their third album, released in 1999, showed off the new Baby V.O.X, and it was their first major success, topping the Korean music charts and having three strong singles: "Get Up", "Killer", and "Missing You".

Their third album's success can be partially attributed to changing music tastes in Korea. Baby V.O.X, like many K-pop groups, has gone through several image makeovers through the years. However, although they focused on a cuter image for their second album (apparent in their music video and performances for the second album's lead single "야야야" (Ya Ya Ya)), the group was always seen as the more mature and sexier Korean girl group. As older, sexier images were more widely received by the Korean public, Baby V.O.X's success continued.

In 2002, Baby V.O.X released a greatest hits album as their "5.5"th, featuring two CDs of dance music and one of ballads, with a VCD of their music videos included. One of the new songs on the album, "우연" (Uyeon), was a great success, and Baby V.O.X managed to perform it on the network music shows for almost the whole summer. The single's success was sustained by the Latin remix of the single, which fit in with popular tastes at the time. It was also during this time that the group found fame outside of Korea; they were successful in China and Thailand with this album and single.

In spring of 2003, Baby V.O.X released their 6th album, a feat achieved by very few Korean pop groups. They even released a photo album that was purported to have semi-nude images of the girls (with 윤은혜 (Yoon Eun Hye) unable to participate due to her being underage), causing some controversy, but it faded as the image content was found to be hyped up by the media. However, this was also when Baby V.O.X's luck started to change. Although their singles "나 어떡해" (Na Eotteokhae) and "바램" (Baraem) were popular, album sales were lower than usual. In addition, performances appeared to be lackluster, especially with the latter single, as it was not promoted for a long time; this may be attributed to the fact that members have stated that they did not like this album's concept.

Their seventh and last album 'Ride West', released in April 2004, featured songs in English, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean, as well as appearances by well-known American hip hop artists, such as 2Pac and Jennifer Lopez, although 2Pac's "appearance" is a freestyle rap that he recorded while in prison. This album was proclaimed to be what catapulted Baby V.O.X into the international spotlight, hence the English single. In fact, the music video for the album's feature song, "Xcstasy", was done in English, featuring expensive luxury vehicles and well-dressed, highly preened divas, apparently in emulation of the "Bling bling" style of hip-hop videos popular in the United States during the late 1990s and early 2000s. They performed in this style as well, with sexy dance moves and provocative clothing, seen as a bit extreme in conservative Korea. However, this release was accompanied by much controversy. There was first the issue as to whether their managing group, DR Music, could legally use 2Pac's material in the recording, with 2Pac's repesentatives claiming that DR did not have authorization. Eventually, the group stopped performing the single. A second single, "Play", featuring Jennifer Lopez, was promoted for a short while, but sales were lower than previous albums.

The slow implosion of Baby V.O.X continued in 2005. As their contract was up by the end of 2004, fans wondered whether Baby V.O.X would stay together. 심은진 (Shim Eunjin) decided that she would not, because she did not agree with the group's image and direction, and was the first to leave the group (in order to pursue a solo career). She was followed by 윤은혜 (Yoon Eun Hye), who initially renewed her contract but left it in order to pursue an acting career, which so far has been quite successful (as evidenced by her hit drama Goong). Baby V.O.X continued for a while as a threesome, doing some promotional activities outside of Korea, with their record company promising that Baby V.O.X would continue. However, as the months passed on, so did the members. 김이지 (Kim Eiji, also known as Kim E-Z) left sometime in early 2006 (to pursue acting), with 간미연 (Kan Miyoun) also leaving (and signing a solo deal on another label). 이희진 (Lee Heejin) was the only remaining Baby V.O.X member, and she also left DR Music to pursue a career in acting. However, DR Music eventually created a spinoff group called Baby V.O.X Re.v. This group made its debut in January, visiting various countries; the group's first single is "Shee".

Waiting
Baby V.O.X Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Last night I had such a time
I couldn\'t keep you off my mind
It\'s all right
I get through the day
Dreamin\' of your touch
hearin\' what you say
You told me
I should wait for your call

sold me on givin you my all
how long must i fell
this small
while you\'re out on your own
I\'m right here all alone
and cryin\'
Sunrise birds start to sing
one more day
wishing you\'d bring
Good love back to my life
But it\'s not Your way
to make wrong things right
You held me
As we loved through the night
kisses made the dark
turn out bright
Help me understand my fight
while You\'re out on your own
I\'m right here all alone
and cyrin
Waiting for you
leaves a hole in my heart
Is our love over
before it can start
Momma ever said
it would be like this
Never said it\'d be like this
Oh no no no
Waiting for so long
You held me
As we loved through the night
kisses made the dark
turn out bright
Help me understand my fight
while You\'re out on your own
I\'m right here all alone
and cyrin
Waiting for you
leaves a hole in my heart
Momma ever said
it would be like this
Never said it\'d be like this
Oh no no no
Waiting for so long
Last night I had such a time

I couldn\'t keep
You off my life

Overall Meaning

The song "Waiting" by Baby V.O.X is a heart-wrenching ballad about the struggles of waiting for someone you deeply love. The song starts with the singer reminiscing about a beautiful time spent with their loved one. The memory is so lucid that they cannot seem to stop thinking about their lover. Even in the day, they are constantly dreaming of reuniting with their loved one, just to feel their touch and hear their words. The person tells them to patiently wait for their call, promising to give the relationship their all.

The chorus comes in and the singer starts to feel a deep sense of loneliness and despair as the person they love is out on their own, leaving them all alone, crying. The sunrise and singing birds only serve as a source of pain, as it reminds them of another day without their loved one. They express their longing for the happiness their lover could bring to their life but alas - it is not their way to fix things when they go wrong.

As the second verse begins, the lyrics deepen, showing us the passion between the two lovers as they describe how kisses in the night illuminated the darkness. But even then, the singer is grappling with their emotions, seeking to understand their own fight. The chorus repeats, and the sense of loneliness and despair builds up. The singer questions if their love is already over before it can begin. They feel like their heart is full of holes, an unfilled space waiting to be completed by their lover.

In the final verse, the singer sings about reaching the end of their rope. They cannot wait anymore, as the longing and loneliness begins to consume them. The memory of the beautiful night is once again reiterated, and the song ends with the same lyrics from the beginning, as the singer cannot even keep the memory of their lover out of their life.

Overall, the lyrics of "Waiting" by Baby V.O.X are an emotional journey about the struggles of waiting for love. It deals with themes of longing, loneliness, and deep passion for someone that is not physically present.

Line by Line Meaning

Last night I had such a time
I had a great time last night

I couldn't keep you off my mind
I couldn't stop thinking about you

It's all right
Everything is fine

I get through the day
I manage to get through the day

Dreamin' of your touch
I'm dreaming of being touched by you

hearin' what you say
I'm imagining you telling me things

You told me
You said to me

I should wait for your call
You asked me to wait for your call

sold me on givin you my all
You convinced me to give you my everything

how long must i fell this small
How long must I feel so insignificant

while you're out on your own
While you're doing your own thing