GFriend was always a bit of an anomaly in the K-pop world. They didn't come from the "Big Three" agencies, yet they dominated the charts with a sound that felt both nostalgic and weirdly intense. If you were around in early 2017, you remember the buzz. The Fourth Mini Album, The Awakening, dropped, and with it came the Season of Memories GFriend fans still argue about today.
It was a pivot. A risk. Honestly, it was the moment they traded their school uniforms for "military chic" and proved they weren't just a one-trick pony.
The Shift from Schoolgirl to Chic
Before this era, GFriend was the "Power Innocent" group. Think Me Gustas Tu or Rough. They were the kings of synchronized dancing in gym clothes. But The Awakening changed the texture of their career. The lead single "Fingertip" ditched the orchestral strings for funky synth-pop.
It was jarring for some.
Fans who loved the "School Series" trilogy were suddenly faced with Sowon, Yerin, Eunha, Yuju, SinB, and Umji holding toy blasters in a dream-like, psychedelic music video. The Season of Memories GFriend created during this time wasn't just about music; it was about visual identity. They were growing up. You could see it in the choreography—sharp, aggressive, and incredibly fast. It wasn't "cute" anymore. It was technical.
Why "Fingertip" Was Polarizing (And Why It Aged Like Wine)
When "Fingertip" released on March 6, 2017, the digital charts reacted... interestingly. It didn't achieve the same "Perfect All-Kill" status that Rough or Navillera did. Some critics felt the 80s synth vibe was too far of a departure.
But look at the landscape now.
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Retrofuturism is everywhere in K-pop. GFriend was doing it years before it became the standard. The Season of Memories GFriend left behind from this era includes some of their best B-sides, like "Hear the Wind Sing" and "Rain in the Spring Time." These tracks maintained that signature GFriend melancholy while experimenting with deeper house beats.
If you listen to "Hear the Wind Sing" today, the violin arrangement over the deep bass feels incredibly modern. It’s a masterclass in how to evolve a group's sound without losing their soul. The production by Source Music’s go-to duo, Lee Gi-yong and Seo Yong-bae, was peak "Iggy-Youngbae" era.
The Aesthetic of The Awakening
Let's talk about the photobooks. If you own a physical copy of The Awakening, you know there are two versions: "Military" and "Knight."
The "Military" version featured the members in black uniforms with gold accents. It was a stark contrast to the white dresses of Snowflake. The "Knight" version was softer but still mature. This era of Season of Memories GFriend is defined by this duality. They were trying to find the balance between the girls they were and the women they were becoming.
- Sowon looked like a legitimate runway model in those high-waisted shorts.
- Eunha's short bob became an iconic look that stayed for several comebacks.
- SinB's dancing reached a new level of precision in the "Fingertip" dance break.
The music video itself was a trip. It played with the concept of "Lucid Dreaming." The members were chasing each other through different layers of reality. It was high-concept stuff for a group that previously spent their videos running through fields or school hallways.
Cultural Impact and Longevity
People often forget how much pressure was on GFriend in 2017. They were coming off a year where they won nearly 30 music show trophies. The expectations were suffocating. While Fingertip "only" won two trophies on The Show, the Season of Memories GFriend built during this time gave them the versatility to later release songs like Apple and Mago.
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Without the jump to The Awakening, the later "Witch" concept would have felt impossible.
Even now, years after the group's transition into VIVIZ and solo careers, "Fingertip" is a fan favorite at concerts. The nostalgia for 2017 GFriend isn't just about the music; it's about a specific time in K-pop where mid-tier companies were successfully challenging the giants. GFriend was the blueprint for that.
Beyond the Title Track: The Deep Cuts
The Season of Memories GFriend is best experienced through the B-sides of The Awakening. Most casual listeners know the hits, but the real meat is in the album tracks.
"Contrail" is a bubbly, upbeat track that feels like a bridge between their old and new selves. Then you have "Please Save My Earth," which leans into that dramatic, almost anime-opening style they were famous for. It’s grand. It’s sweeping. It’s exactly what GFriend does better than anyone else.
The vocals from Yuju and Eunha during this period were also notably more refined. They weren't just hitting high notes; they were playing with texture and volume in ways that felt more deliberate.
What Most People Get Wrong
There’s this narrative that The Awakening was a "flop" era. That’s just statistically wrong. The album sold over 70,000 copies, which, for 2017 standards for a girl group not named Twice, was massive. It debuted at number one on the Gaon Album Chart.
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The "flop" label only exists because it followed Rough, which was one of the biggest songs of the decade. By any other metric, this Season of Memories GFriend was a resounding success. It solidified their fanbase (BUDDY) and showed that they had the longevity to survive a concept change.
Nuance in the Narrative
It's also worth noting that the transition wasn't perfect. Some fans felt the "Military" concept was a bit too aggressive for the group's brand. There was a lot of internal debate within the fandom. But that’s what makes a group interesting, right? If everyone agrees all the time, the art is probably boring.
The Season of Memories GFriend is special precisely because it was a point of friction. It forced the audience to look at them differently.
Actionable Steps for New Fans
If you're just discovering GFriend through VIVIZ or solo projects, you need to go back to 2017. Here is how to properly experience the The Awakening era:
- Watch the "Fingertip" 2x Speed Dance: This was the peak of GFriend's variety show dominance. Their appearance on Weekly Idol doing this dance is legendary for a reason. Their synchronization is borderline terrifying.
- Listen to the full album in order: Don't just shuffle. The flow from "Hear the Wind Sing" into "Fingertip" is intentional. It sets the mood.
- Check out the "Fingertip" Comeback Stage: Look for the MNET M COUNTDOWN performance from March 9, 2017. The stage design and the live vocals really highlight why this era was so impactful.
- Read the Lyrics to "Rain in the Spring Time": It’s one of their most poetic tracks. It captures that feeling of transition and longing that defined the group's mid-career period.
The legacy of the Season of Memories GFriend era isn't just about numbers or charts. It’s about a group that refused to stay in the box the industry built for them. They took the "Power Innocent" label and added layers of complexity, funk, and maturity that paved the way for the rest of their discography. Whether you liked the change in 2017 or not, you have to respect the craft. They weren't just idols; they were performers at the absolute top of their game.
Next Steps for Deepening Your GFriend Knowledge:
- Analyze the Choreo: Watch a mirrored dance practice of "Fingertip." Pay attention to the footwork in the second verse; it’s widely considered some of the most difficult in 3rd generation K-pop.
- Compare Eras: Listen to The Awakening back-to-back with Parallel (the album that followed it). You’ll see how they took the feedback from the "military" concept and blended it back with their emotional, melodic roots.
- Explore the Solo Works: Check out Yuju's solo discography or VIVIZ's more recent releases to see how the seeds planted during the Season of Memories GFriend era eventually blossomed into their current styles.
GFriend's story didn't end with Source Music, and it certainly didn't end in 2017. But if you want to understand why they are still so revered, The Awakening is the most important chapter to study.