It has taken the JJ Project duo five years to make their first comeback since debut. But as the saying says: ‘better late than never’. JJ Project is made up of JB and Jinyoung, who went on to debut as GOT7, released Bounce in 2012. Their latest release, Tomorrow, Today, was released today as part of their first mini-album, Verse 2. This is also the start of the many solo and unit promotions that GOT7 will be undertaking for the second half of 2017.
If you are after a dance track such as Bounce, you have come to the wrong place. Tomorrow, Today is a completely different track, with a completely different song style that we have yet to hear from JJ Project or GOT7 themselves. The song itself is stripped of its standard dance and electronic elements and feels more ballad-like. The instrumental seemed like it was pinched from a DAY6 album, which is a good thing because we all know how good DAY6 instrumentals are. The guitar and the rolling drum beat in this song make me want to go back for some more. But what I liked, even more, is that the song felt pure and untouched. The song gets you into that swaying motion, which I have recently announced my love for. The melodies just make you feel warm and bubbly. And don’t get me started with their voices. Even as a guy, I find their voices so dreamy and soothing. My favourite part of the entire song was Jinyoung’s part in the chorus, which provided an amazing hook that caught me for the rest of the song. The only part which I felt could have been better or scrapped entirely was the rap. It wasn’t needed and didn’t fit in with the rest of the song.
I am going to be brutally honest here, I found the video extremely boring to watch. Sure, it fits in perfectly with the song’s overall sound and style. Sure, it felt like it gave the viewers some raw footage of the guys while they were on some holiday trip, which I am sure fans enjoyed. But there wasn’t anything amazing to hold me there and make me want to watch and rewatch it some more. Unless I find idols lying on the ground quite captivating, this video just didn’t feel like your standard music video. It felt like a home video that I was awkwardly made to watch when visiting some relatives. Though the scenery was nice and some of the symbolism made sense.
I did like the choreography for this the performance though (I staked out the live stream for the first stage). The symbolism of past and present was more apparent here than the music video, with each member doing selected movements before the other. It too fitted the song and for the rest of the performance, they were in sync with each other, which I thought was cool. Hopefully, what I saw hold and it wasn’t the members missing the timing to sit down or step off the chair together!
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 6/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
My vote for best album of 2016 went to Wings, BTS’s second studio album. Hence, today I decided to take some time to look back on their award-worthy album. However, as the album was re-released with new songs in 2017, I have decided to combine the two albums and make one long album review for it. The Wings album was dropped on October 10th of 2016. It was then re-released as You Never Walk Alone on 13th of February 2017. Please note that this is a very long review and that I apologise for that.
Wings Album Cover
1..Intro: Boy Meets Evil – J-Hope opens the entire album with Boy Meets Evil. And while it is just an intro track, it deserves to be an entire song on its own. J-Hope does not hold back, throwing his lines out at us in a manner that makes it sound so dark and intense. That intensity matches the string/dubstep instrumental of the track. The lyrics themselves are quite deep. (9/10)
3. Begin (Jungkook Solo) – While Jungkook does seem to go down the ballad route, he manages to add synths and elements that could potentially make it into a dance song. The lyrics are definitely something to look at here, as he references the members whom he basically grew up with. The track is amazing but there is just one minor detail. It seemed a little repetitive. It kept to itself, which was good, but I was expecting some change up to make it more interesting to my ears. (9/10)
4. Lie (Jimin Solo) – That classical orchestra instrumental. It gives the track a very grand and epic feel. I love the twist and turns that this track provide. Everything felt so mysterious and dark through the verses, but the chorus caught me off guard because it went higher than what we have heard. Jimin’s vocals have always shined throughout BTS releases, but it managed to shine brighter here. Good enough that I give it a (10/10).
5. Stigma (V Solo) – Out of all the BTS members, I always thought that V’s vocals were the most interesting out of all the members. And this song proves just that. His raspy vocals and higher tones just blow you away. The slow jazz based instrumental is quite good. But if you ever get the chance, try looking into the English translation for this song. Following the other tracks, this one is equally as deep, dark and mysterious. (10/10)
6. First Love (Suga Solo) – I am not really into songs that are mainly based around raps. But there is always something about Suga’s songs that catch me off guard. The instrumental is relatively quiet at the start but his voice adds the dynamic side to the song. As the song progresses, the instrumental build up into a grand orchestral piece, which I thought was spectacular. Listening to it by itself, you can hear the emotions. But once you look up the lyrics, you can tell the level of emotion that was put into the song. (10/10)
7. Reflection (Rap Monster Solo) – The instrumental of this song is 100% eerie and I love that. It slowly becomes a nice instrumental that is calming and soothing. However, it was still powerful enough to fit Rap Monster’s delivery of his lyrics, while maintaining that calmness. Once again, the lyrics leave a huge impression on you. Just try searching up the translations for these songs and you will be blown away. The just felt very neutral throughout and after listening to Suga’s solo, it needed some sort of buildup to keep me there. (9/10)
8. Mama (J-Hope Solo) – Unlike the previous songs, which went down the emotional route, J-Hope takes a different direction with a more upbeat and happier sound. That being said, the same level of emotions are present, just delivered in a different manner. It was super easy to get into the groove of this song and it was really catchy. He writes about his mum in the song, which made it extremely touching. His voice sounds so good and it shows a softer side, compared to his powerful and strong raps that we hear often in BTS title tracks. (10/10)
9. Awake (Jin Solo) – The most underrated member (vocally, that is) finally get justice by having his own solo track. That is a celebration in itself. This song just proves that the group needs to use his vocals more. Here it is so dreamy and so damn amazing. The melody of the song is the type that I really enjoy. That is, the type that gets you swaying along to it. He also appeals to my taste of violins and classical type instrumentals, which I love. Combine them together and you got a winning combination. (10/10)
10. Lost – This is a song that features the vocal line of BTS (Jungkook, Jin, Jimin & V). Given their vocals in the solo songs that featured before this track on the album, it was a given that they would sound amazing. And they did. The song delivers a burst of energy, that was needed after listening to the slow, ballad-like tracks. It was a song that was easy to get into and the second half of the chorus (the ‘lost my way, way, way~’) was super duper catchy. (9/10)
11. BTS Cypher Pt. 4 – I am quite sure this is meant to follow on from the rest of the Cypher tracks in which BTS releases on their albums. I don’t really listen to them, so I am not going to include this track in the final album rating score. But if you want to hear a hip-hop centred track from the 3 rappers of BTS, do check this one out. It is pretty good from first glance.
12. Am I Wrong – My most favourite track off the entire album. And no, it is not wrong to fall for this song. I first heard it watching it on stage at one of the weekly music shows. While the rest of the album was serious and on the emotional side of things, it was nice to hear a few lighthearted and fun sounding songs to lighten up the mood. The raps and vocals in this song are pretty good as well. And most importantly, it is really catchy, which makes me go back for more. (10/10)
13. 21st Century Girls – All you ladies put your hands up! I personally thought the song was quite good. It wasn’t exactly my cup of tea, though. The song itself provided empowerment for the female listeners, hence may be the reason why I am not into the song as much. But the rapping here was good and the vocal work was amazing. I feel a little rude to describe the song this way, but it had a carefree feel to it, while also maintaining a level of seriousness. (8/10)
14. Two! Three! (Still Wishing There Will Be Better Days) – From what I am reading, this particular track is a song for their fans. And it one pretty good song. Just the lyrics alone already pack a punch with their meaning. The rapping fitted the more mellow song, while the vocals contributed to the sweeter melodies during the chorus. What makes the song even better is that it ends with all the members singing to the chorus, making it a worthwhile song for anyone who identifies as an Army. (10/10)
15 & 18. Outro: Wings – This track is the Interlude on the Wings album but an extended version is present on the You Never Walk Alone album. And it too is a damn good track. It ends both albums on such an upbeat and fun-sounding note. The instrumental is striking and BTS sounds amazing. (10/10)
19. Supplementary Story: You Never Walk Alone – We have reached the final song on this review. And they managed to finish off the album with one fantastic song. Suga and J-Hope sang in the song, which caught me off guard. What I loved about the track was the “Walk, Walk…Walk, Like it, like that” part which the vocalists each sing. It was super catchy and gave the song a nice pop vibe, which I totally dig from time to time. (9/10)
Overall Album Rating – 9/10
You Never Walk Alone Teaser Image (Source: ALLKPOP)
Hello, everybody!!! The charts are finally posted early for once. Finally, my promise to myself has finally come true. I try to get these done in the morning but some weeks, such as the past two months, I end up going out in the mornings and don’t return home until later in the afternoon. And these take much longer than the normal reviews to write up, so it doesn’t really help. But this week means change and hopefully, I keep this up!!!
Just a quick reminder of the posting schedule I have outlined in the past few weeks! Reviews – As soon as possible Weekly Charts – Sundays (weekly basis) – Already following Album Reviews – Mondays (weekly basis) – Starting 31st of July Special/Favourites – Wednesdays (weekly basis) – Already following Just note that there will be times where I will deviate from the schedule due to the overload of great comebacks (i.e. to keep on top of things, I may post 2 album reviews in one week).
Now, that quick summary of the Top 5 for this week! KNK rose to the top with their new song, Rain. They take over KARD’s position from last week and sit neatly on this week’s throne. Hola Hola has dropped down to the fourth position this week. Also rising to the top and sitting on the second position is AKMU’s Dinosaur. Red Velvet remains in the third position, while Mamamoo moved up one rank to 5th place. For more of the charts, scroll down below to see where your favourite artist is sitting on the charts.
Also, some things that will help you denote the chart: Green (▲) – Song has gone up in ranking Red (▼) – Song has gone down in ranking Blue (=) – Song has remained in the same position as the previous week Orange (new) – Song debuts on the chart Grey (Final Week) – Song appears on the chart for its final week.
23rd Jul – 29th Jul 2017
Title
Artist
Status
1
Rain
KNK
(▲ 6)
2
Dinosaur
AKMU
(▲ 13)
3
Red Flavour
Red Velvet
(=)
4
Hola Hola
KARD
(▼ 3)
5
Yes, I Am
Mamamoo
(▲ 1)
6
Only U
Laboum
(new)
7
Jelly
HOTSHOT
(▲ 3)
8
Fly High
Dream Catcher
(new)
9
As If It Is Your Last
BLACKPINK
(▼ 5)
10
Remember
Nine Muses
(▲ 14)
11
Happy
Cosmic Girls
(▲ 6)
12
I Smile
DAY6
(▲ 22)
13
Runner
UP10TION
(▲ 13)
14
Amazing
MYTEEN
(new)
15
Shine Forever
Monsta X
(▼ 2)
16
Camo
BoA
(▲ 9)
17
Stars of the Stars
Snuper
(▲ 4)
18
Ko Ko Bop
EXO
(▼ 16)
19
What’s My Name
T-ARA
(▲ 11)
20
Hi Hello
DAY6
(▼ 4)
21
Outside
Crush
(▲ 6)
22
Newton
Monsta X
(new)
23
Lonely
SISTAR
(▲ 14) (Final Week)
24
Hot Sugar
Turbo
(new)
25
Baby
ASTRO
(▼ 17) (Final Week)
26
Swimming
Hyunsik (BTOB)
(new)
27
That Girl
Peniel (BTOB)
(▲ 11)
28
Why Don’t You Know
Kim Chungha
(=)
29
Cherry Bomb
NCT 127
(▼ 11)
30
If You
NU’EST W
(new)
The following songs will be leaving the charts this week and will not be appearing on the charts starting next week:
Only U – 24K
Baby – ASTRO
Mayday – APRIL
Lovesick – APRIL
Calling You – HIGHLIGHT
Sweet Lies – Baek Ah Yeon
Lonely – Sistar
Wannabe – Hyoyeon (SNSD)
And that is all for this week! Finger cross and I will be early again next week! Until then, enjoy your week!
Joining the industry this week is the newly debut boy group from The Music Works. MYTEEN is a 7-member boy group consisting of Taevin, Chun Jin, Eun Su, Xi Heon, Jun Seop, Yu Vin and Han Seul. Their debut single, Amazing is featured on the group’s first mini-album, titled as MYTEEN Go!.
Some people may find a particular member of the group familiar. Yu Vin actually made his debut prior to debuting with the group as he participated Superstar K6. In one of his solo tracks, he features alongside Baek Ji Young in Garosugil, which is one of my personal favourite ballad tracks in KPOP.
The group boasts members of young ages. How young? Well, all of them are born in the late 90s, with one member born in 2001, according to a profile site. And given their young age, it was a little obvious with the route that they would go down (however, don’t be fooled. There is also a video for a more mature concept released). Amazing is a super catchy song that features a very pop-dominating sound. It has a generic instrumental, which I enjoyed but it didn’t really feel ear-catching. However within the first listen in, the song caught my attention with its great hooks and its simplicity. That can be attributed to the chorus of the song, which definitely sticks in my head after the song finishes. But with more listens, I am drawn to their vocals and raps. For a rookie group, the vocal line is already doing an ‘amazing’ job. They shine the most in the second-half of the song. The rappers sound decent. But they could have had a more energy-filled sequence, which would have showed off more of their potential. I could hear it, but the limited length didn’t play towards their skills. But despite that, the rookie group caught my attention pretty fast and it is definitely an “amazing” song.
I wish I could say the same thing about the music video. But it sadly doesn’t draw my attention. There really isn’t much going on, in the video. The video mainly consisted of close-ups and choreography shots, so there isn’t much to comment on plot wise.The ending did catch me off guard, though. There was a choreography shot where they danced in water., which usually does amaze me. But I don’t think that was necessary for this video because it didn’t fit in with the aesthetics of the video.
The performance was just what the song called for (and I say that as a compliment!). It had a nice fun feel to it, which suited the song and their ages. It isn’t spectacular, but it did the job nicely.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 5/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7/10
Monsta X has already had an action packed year. They have made two comebacks, Beautiful and Shine Forever, this year. On top of that, they have been busy going on tour between comebacks and even after their most recent comeback. Now, the group has returned with Newton, a Summer single, just weeks after their Shine Forever comeback.
Even Summer won’t stop Monsta X from releasing an EDM song. And it is a pretty good one, as well. I honestly don’t have much else to say about the song because the song does feel very standard. There really isn’t any amazing aspects that make me go wow or amazes me. But that being said, it is not a terrible song. The Summer feel is very fresh and vibrant. Once the beat drops for the chorus, I couldn’t help bouncing my head along to the music. The vocal work here is quite good, but I felt the verses could have been more memorable. The raps were good but it felt like there could have been more. Even from my comments, it sounds like a typical Summer song. But overall, it is still decent to listen to.
The music video is being described as the prequel to Shine Forever video. If that was the case, then the difference in terms of concept escalated quite quickly. I did like how the colour was vibrant, especially Kihyun’s yellow shirt. Totally suiting the Summer concept. To me, the video felt like a standalone video. The guys were just travelling in a van and having fun on a trip. Not really much else to say about the video. Though, it seems like they shot in the same place where Snuper shot their music video for their most recent comeback. The colours here made the scenery look so much better in comparison to the Snuper video. But both are still pretty good videos, suiting their respective songs perfectly.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
The girls of Dream Catcher are back with their 1st mini album since their debut at the start of the year. As mentioned, they debuted in January with Chase Me and later returned with Good Night. The mini album is titled as Prequel and features 4 songs alongside their title track, Fly High.
Following their previous tracks that placed them onto their fan’s and my radar, the girls returned with another rock-infused dance track. And like the previous tracks, this would be perfect as an anime opener. I mentioned in the past reviews that Good Night felt less intense in comparison to Catch Me, but it seems like the girls recovered from that ‘slump’. Instead, the track has bursts of energy when the choruses come into play, which provided that intensity. It maintained an appropriate level all throughout. Even some parts that didn’t feel that intense felt okay because they were spaced out and didn’t last long. The bridge was a little iffy. I thought it did take the rock vibes away a little too much but it may just require some warming up to. Once again, their vocals must be mentioned. They were amazing. Everyone shined. But the rapper of the group shined the most with her short parts prior to the choruses and the part at the end. There is a roughness to her voice that suits Dream Catcher songs (and possibly rock songs in general) perfectly. Overall, even though it was released a few hours ago, it will be replayed constantly over the weekend and beyond.
And like the past two videos, the accompanying video to Fly High follows on. But in this case, it was more like a prequel, like the name of the mini-album. My take seems to tell the story of how they got into dark magic, which was seen throughout the Good Night video. And it seems like they innocently stumbled upon it while staying at the mansion, where everything from the first two videos takes place. While the song does have a much brighter sound, the video is definitely creepy, through the ways the members suddenly stares into the camera and or the end, where you see her running through the halls of the mansion, only when you think she is trying to escape, she closes the gate, not letting anyone else in or out. While it doesn’t answer all my questions, it definitely does drag you to the edge of your seat. The cinematography and the editing combined made this an amazing video to watch, especially if you are busy connecting Catch Me,Good Night and now Fly High together to form one story. I hope they continue telling the story and that this is not a trilogy, which is a common trend in KPOP at the moment.
The choreography has big shoes to fill given my comments of the song and the music video. And they manage to do just that. Something that has changed since their debut is their stage presence. Their stage/performance was extremely captivating. Watching their dance moves and formations managed to leave me speechless today.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 10/10 Performance – 9.5/10 Overall Rating – 9.5/10
KARD has returned with their debut mini album. While they have been around for over 6 months now, the group didn’t make their official debut until last week, with Hola Hola. All the singles they have released before hand are also featured on the mini-album. To be honest, this album review should have been completed earlier. But due to a lovely thing called procrastination, I have been putting it off. But here it is, a week after their debut!
Please also note that starting 31st of July, I will be posting 1 album review each week on Monday.
5. I Won’t Stop (나는 멈추지 않는다) – While I did expect some of KARD’s other tracks on the album to be EDM based, I did not expect that slow start. That provided a nice contrast between the two styles. The dubstep (?) chorus is really intense and while I thought the drop could have been a bit better, it did sneak up on me. But minus the chorus or the instrumental, the rest of the song didn’t seem memorable, which is a pity, given their previous tracks. (7/10)
6. Living Good (Special Thanks To) – I am not a big fan of hip-hop (can you say it is hip-hop, I am not sure) but I can’t help but get into the groove for the first part of the song. While it is a fan-service song, it is a little different, in the sense that the sound is a lot lighter, compared to the songs above in the album. The second part is a recording from a concert or something, which I thought was an interesting way to present a fan-song. (8/10)
Welcome back to the ‘Favourites’ segment of my site, where I share my personal picks regarding different aspects. As you may notice, I have decided to go with ‘Favourites’ as the segment name, because they are my favourites. I have also decided to cut down the list from 10 (as originally planned) to five because it would be easier and quicker to write.
This week, I have decided to focus on OSTs or Official Sound Tracks from K-Dramas. I don’t watch that many and the few that I do watch don’t get that much spotlight. But that doesn’t stop the songs from popping up on my playlists or me investigating the various songs that do get released. So in no particular order, these are 5 of my favourite K-Drama OSTs.
Back in Time – Lyn The Moon Embraces The Sun
I start off the list with the very first OST that I fell in love with. While it was released back in 2011 for the drama, The Moon Embraces The Sun, it is an OST that I keep on going back to for its epic orchestral sound. While Lyn has a few other massive OST hits under her belt (some which I enjoyed), I still firmly believe that this track tops the rest of them. Her vocals draw you in and hold you there for the entire length of the song, not once letting you go.
Stay With Me – Chanyeol (EXO) & Punch Goblin
Out of all the songs on this list, I think many of you will agree with this one. It’s a more recent OST release, from the K-Drama Goblin and was released in December of last year. The instrumental of the OST is extremely striking and the combination of both Punch’s and Chanyeol’s husky vocals make this one damn good song to listen to.
Talk Love – K.Will Descendant of the Sun
It has been a while since we last saw K.Will on the stage. However, he has been active in the OST world, singing tracks for a few dramas. One of them belongs to the hit drama, Descendant of the Sun. It makes the list because it makes you smile. I find it quite catchy and K.Will’s vocals are undeniably amazing in this song.
All For You – Seo In Guk & Jung Eunji (APINK) Reply 1997
This chart-topping OST from 2012 features both Seo In Guk and Eunji (APINK), who also played the lead roles in the same drama. What makes this a great OST is it was easy to get into. It was a simple song, with a simple sound. The English lyrics made it catchy and appeal to many people, including international fans. The vocals of the two were also sweet and dreamy, making them an amazing duet and on-screen partners.
Rise and Shine – Kyuhyun (Super Junior) & Tiffany (SNSD) To The Beautiful You
The entire drama To The Beautiful You was produced by SM Entertainment and hence it makes sense that the entire OST album was performed by SM Entertainment artists. The standout song from the mix was Rise and Shine, which is an upbeat track, full of amazing vocals from both the main vocalists of Super Junior and SNSD. It reminds me of a musical and gives off a bright atmosphere.
Laboum has returned with their second comeback of 2017. They previously released Hwi Hwi back in April and earned their first win on the weekly music shows. Now, they are back with a special Summer album, which shares the same title as their title track, Only U.
The girls join a long list of Summer themed comebacks, which automatically make the expectations of the song quite high. For the most part, I think the song manages to hit that mark. The instrumental just screams Summer from the very start. It has a very nice retro vibe and it definitely makes you smile when you listen to the song. The catchiness of the chorus really does hook you to the song, which I am absolutely loving. I also like how they bring back their cute sound in the song, which I think fits nicely with the style and theme of the rest of the comeback. But honestly, I am a little disappointed. While I did say the song is catchy, I felt like the song didn’t have anything else that was interesting. It felt like it only hit that high standard, rather than overshoot it. Another reason requires me to go back to the vocals in Hwi Hwi. While the vocals here are good, the vocals in this song are not as explosive in the previous song and that does let me down a tiny bit. But regardless, it is definitely a Summer song I am putting onto my playlist.
I don’t mind the video but I think it could have been better. The video shows each girl form a massive crush on the guy, who is waiting for his lover to come (which I am assuming from the two fairy floss sticks he is holding). And that is basically the video summarised in one sentence. Besides the outfits they wear, the video doesn’t feel like it can be associated with the season of Summer. Though, I did think the menu was funny. If you do get a glimpse of the menu, you do notice they sell ‘homemade’ and ‘homemade vegan’. But my favourite: Sno cones.
The choreography is a completely different story. I am totally loving it. While I think they could have gone with a better start to the chorus, the whole thing comes together quite nicely. It does bring back the cute side of the girls that were missed. My most favourite part was the 2:40 mark of the music video. I thought that looked really cool.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 6/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 7.5/10
Friday has just whisked by and as expected, a new SM Station track was dropped. And Mark from NCT has been on a roll with his collaborations. This time, he performs alongside Parc Jae Jung, who is a male solo artist known for winning Superstar K5. Their song, Lemonade, was dropped last Friday.
When it comes to the drink Lemonade, you would associate it with refreshing and cooling. And like the drink, the song comes off in the same way. Lemonade is a nice summer-time RnB track. With Parc Jae Jung’s husky vocals and Mark’s raps, the track becomes a refreshing treat for fans. I personally like the song. It has a nice melody and is relatively simple to get into. It is very easy going and light, in terms of sound. Like in a few of my past reviews, it is always nice to have a step back from the synths and dance tracks that do dominate the KPOP industry. I may not have said much in this review, but it is a good song. Actually, going back to my initial statements, the song is like that refreshing cup of lemonade on a hot Summers day.
The music video features Mark and Parc Jae Jung, who are in turn interested in a girl, who sells lemonade by the beach. Both guys try their best to get her attention, but their attempts end up failing. Mark, on the way to give a flower to her, sees a man (played by Henry) approach her and give her a bouquet, to which she accepts. Parc Jae Jung comforts Mark, but it turns out he saw everything and is hiding his own flower behind his back. The video also features Yoon Jong Shin, who plays the drink truck’s owner (and the girl’s boss). Overall, I thought it was a nice video to watch that had a fun storyline and suited the song’s sweetness.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
Welcome to this week’s weekly chart! We are flying through the month of July already, almost to the end. Don’t blink, or else you will be seeing Christmas lights and walking into shopping malls with Christmas carols blaring over the radio system. Hahaha…
Just want to take this time to remind you that I will be changing my posting schedule. I posted this last week (also in last week’s chart post), but here is a quick reminder. Reviews – As soon as possible Weekly Charts – Sundays (weekly basis) – Already following Album Reviews – Mondays (weekly basis) – Starting 31st of July Special/Favourites – Wednesdays (weekly basis) – Already following
Seventeen’s Don’t Wanna Cry ends its run on this week’s charts after appearing on the charts for the maximum 9 weeks and lands itself in the Top 5 at the fifth position. We also see BLACKPINK rise back to the fourth position. Red Velvet drops down from the first position to third and was overtaken by EXO (who is in 2nd position) and KARD, who debuts in the first position with their latest songs.
Possibly joining the charts next week will be Hyunsik (BTOB), Turbo, Laboum, Monsta X, NU’EST W and Dream Catcher, who will be making their respective comebacks next week!
But in the meantime, scroll down below to see this week’s charts!
Also, some things that will help you denote the chart: Green (▲) – Song has gone up in ranking Red (▼) – Song has gone down in ranking Blue (=) – Song has remained in the same position as the previous week Orange (new) – Song debuts on the chart Grey (Final Week) – Song appears on the chart for its final week.
16th Jul – 22nd Jul 2017
Title
Artist
Status
1
Hola Hola
KARD
(new)
2
Ko Ko Bop
EXO
(new)
3
Red Flavour
Red Velvet
(▼ 2)
4
As If It Is Your Last
BLACKPINK
(▲ 4)
5
Don’t Wanna Cry
Seventeen
(▲ 13) (Final Week)
6
Yes. I Am
Mamamoo
(▼ 4)
7
Rain
KNK
(new)
8
Baby
Astro
(▲ 8)
9
Five
APINK
(▼ 5)
10
Jelly
HOTSHOT
(new)
11
Here I Am
HALO
(▲ 6)
12
Sun, Moon, Star
KNK
(▲ 16) (Final Week)
13
Shine Forever
Monsta X
(▼ 7)
14
That Girl
Jung Yonghwa (CN BLUE)
(new)
15
Dinosaur
AKMU
(new)
16
Hi Hello
DAY6
(▼ 13)
17
Happy
Cosmic Girls
(▼ 4)
18
Cherry Bomb
NCT 127
(▲ 8)
19
Party Time
Favorite
(=)
20
Archangels of Sephiroth
Stellar
(▲ 7)
21
The Stars of Stars
Snuper
(new)
22
Black
Lee Hyori
(▲ 11)
23
ABC (Middle Of The Night)
VAV
(▲ 18)
24
Remember
Nine Muses
(▼ 15)
25
Camo
BoA
(▼ 15)
26
Runner
UP10TION
(▼ 15)
27
Outside
Crush
(▲ 16)
28
Why Don’t You Know
Kim Chungha
(▼ 8)
29
Critical Beauty
Pentagon
(▼ 8)
30
What’s My Name
T-ARA
(▼ 25)
I have decided to list out the songs which will be leaving the charts for this week, which replaces that time-consuming and confusing table. Note that they will not appear starting next week:
Alone – Urban Zakapa
Beautiful – Pentagon
Don’t Wanna Cry – Seventeen
Bling Bling – iKON
B-Day – iKON
Cactus – A.C.E
Hello Hello – B.I.G
I’m Ready – MAP6
Anck Su Namun – Yezi (Fiestar)
Sun, Moon, Star – KNK
And that is all for this week! Check back next Sunday for next week’s post and will see you via the reviews and other posts I will have up during the week!
A few days ago, EXO made their highly anticipated comeback with Ko Ko Bop. I did make a sneaky post in the comment section, saying I would make an album review for EXO’s 4th studio album, The War. So here it is.
But before we delve into the album review, I just want to take this moment to notify you all that album reviews will be released on a weekly basis every Monday starting on the 31st of July. This is so I can keep track of things and not go overboard with the number of album reviews as I did in the past few weeks! Now, onto the review.
The War Album Cover
1..The Eve (전야) – The album opens up with one killer track. As soon as the song plays, you are attacked with amazing vocals from the members. The slowness of the track was also another interesting aspect. While I don’t the track changed much, you could feel the build up through the instrumental, which creates a tense atmosphere, which ended bringing their vocals/raps into the spotlight. (9/10)
3. What U Do? – This is my personal favourite of the entire album. Like the first track, the vocals of the members are put into the spotlight. I love the dynamics of the track, which made me want to get up and dance. The chorus was super catchy and has the ‘What U Do‘ (which all the members participate in) ringing in my head after the song finishes up. (9/10)
4. Forever – This track could have received the same comments as What U Do and The Eve. But I wasn’t impressed with the introduction. It was intriguing but it didn’t feel like it leads well into the rest of the track, which turned into one epic song, which could have rivalled the two songs mentioned. Once again, the vocals are on point, but I thought the first half of Chanyeol’s raps could have been better. The raspiness and speed during the second half were felt needed in the first half. (8/10)
5. Diamond(다이아몬드) – A part of me wants to like the track. It has an interesting yet strong beat. The instrumental has a Middle Eastern influence, which you should know, usually ticks the box for me. However, I didn’t like how the rappers kept on adding small parts throughout the song. To me, it gets annoying after a while and just feels likes a ‘remember me’ technique. It also wasn’t a memorable song, compared to the predecessors in this album. (7/10)
6. Touch It (너의 손짓) – And like Diamond, this song wasn’t that memorable. Instead, it seemed to have gotten lost in the mix of good and disappointing songs. Which was a pity because when it is by itself, I got a good sense of its groovy and funk vibes. The vocal work and rapping were pretty good. I love the ‘na na na‘ at the end of each chorus. It was the catchiest part of the entire track and the accompanying female background vocals suited the groovy vibe, so nicely. (7.5/10)
7. Chill (소름) – Chill is a chaotic mess and I say that in a bad way. To me, it felt like all the aspects you could ask for just did not work well together. The instrumental felt like one mess, with all the different elements not coming together well. Furthermore, there was an odd mix of styles, which didn’t sound ear-catching to me. The same could be said about the raps and vocals. Overall, not a song that I would want to revisit. (4/10)
8. Walk On Memories (기억을 걷는 밤) – This is one amazing song. The melodies in this song are definitely one to die for. The vocals in this song are just blissful, where all the members are singing. The harmonies as well. Even the instrumental was beautiful. The aesthetics of the song is on another level and it just leaves me breathless and speechless. (10/10)
9. Going Crazy (내가 미쳐) – Two things caught me by surprise with this track. Firstly, the sudden breakdown. It was unexpected but I felt it went with the rest of the song nicely (unlike in other tracks). It did give the track a more ‘out-there’ feel, which I guess is the ‘crazy’ side of the track. The second thing was that sudden high note at the end of the song. And everything else in between sounded like a really good. It is safe to say that the album ends on a good note. (9/10)
Snuper is back with the repackaged album of their Back:Hug release, which was dropped in April. Their repackaged album has been retitled as The Stars of Stars, the same title as the promotional song.
The Stars of Stars is a pretty good song. It is extremely refreshing and it can be described as a smooth mix of trance elements. The more happy vibe seems to fit in nicely with the Summer theme that comebacks are aiming to achieve. Their vocals and raps were pretty good. The chorus hooks you in with its melody and catchy lyrics. However, there were disappointing aspects of the song. For example, the instrumental was very consistent. Too consistent. It let the track fall to the more boring side of the spectrum. In agreement with that, the overall instrumental mix was good but not impressive. I was waiting for some more intense or bolder sounds, but that was never seen. Here is where I contradict myself, but I would gladly replay it over and over again, for some reason. But what I said before was what I felt when listened to the song.
It is always hard to find fault in a music video where the idea behind it is to just have some fun. While there were many different scenes in the video, it was all about hanging out and have a good time. And the guys looked like they were having a fun time, while still shooting the music video. The views where they shot the choreography scenes were breathtaking. While I am sure there are people who would disagree about the aesthetics of the wind farms, I think a wide shot of them looks spectacular. The only thing that I felt that the video could have been better at was its colour. It could have been bolder and more vibrant. But that pale filter was applied, which robs the video of that boldness.
I have watched the performance a number of times since yesterday and I can say the introductory segment was amazing. And while I thought the rest of the choreography suited the song, it just didn’t feel memorable.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
AKMU has made an unexpected return with their Summer single, Dinosaur. AKMU previously made their comeback at the start of the year, with their second album and the title track, Last Goodbye.
For some unknown reason, I had always thought the duo would not go down the EDM route, like how every other group is doing so. To me, AKMU is more about individuality when it comes to their music. But I was wrong in my thoughts. While AKMU did go and conform to the EDM genre for this release, they kept their individuality and made it their own style. Even as an EDM song, they managed to strip the unnecessary synths and kept it very light. It was definitely refreshing and easy on the ears. The song itself is catchy and the build up to the drop was as simple as it needed to be. But what I loved the most was how they kept their well-known vocals pure and allowed it to shine through the instrumental. Many EDM tracks tend to smother the vocals into the background or lace the vocals with autotune to allow it to fit in with the rest of the song. But that didn’t happen here, which makes the song stand out to my ears.
This is another amazing video to watch. From what I can tell Chanhyuk is bullied due to his interests and Suhyun is a loner. The two are siblings and both use the power of their imagination to create a world for themselves, where dinosaurs and various different creatures exist. The dinosaur aspect was what Chanhyuk is obsessed about, while Suhyun’s mind created those fuzzy dust balls. This new world allows them to escape reality and have a little bit of fun without the judgement of others. The love how everything felt genuine when you watched the video. We already know their sibling love was real, so it makes the story behind the video even more real. I also got a little Stranger Things vibe from the music video, through the tent in the basement and the bikes that you see the siblings ride throughout the video. Even Suhyun was rocking a dress with a denim jacket, much like Eleven from the TV series.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 10/10
Dropping their comeback today is KNK, who returns with Rain. The group previously made their return with Sun, Moon, Star a few weeks back, which was the main track from their second single album, Gravity. Today, the group has dropped the repackaged issue of Gravity, which has been retitled as Gravity, Completed, which also serves as their 3rd mini album to date.
The track follows nicely from Sun, Moon, Star, in terms of style. They honestly could have returned with any style of the song of their choice, but they kept it consistent, which made me very happy. I think it is because you don’t hear this sound often anymore since the music industry has now been overrun with electronic synths and influences. I love the instrumental of the track. The use of the saxophone made the heavy instrumental feel a little lighter and gives it a more dynamic appeal. Like the name, I can see myself listening to this one a rainy day. The vocal work of this track is commendable, where each member shone brightly. Seungjun’s part right after the first chorus was my favourite. The verses could have been more memorable, as it was easily forgotten when it jumped to the chorus or when I watch the performance. What made me laugh (even though it was my fault) was that I misunderstood the English in the song. I honestly thought it said ‘I’ll cancel tonight’, which to me made sense. But when I watched the performance, the lyrics were actually ‘I can’t sleep tonight’. That’s my short story that bares no relevance to the review, but overall, it was one amazing song.
As suggested previously, how else to set this music video but with lots of rain. That’s exactly what happened here. It seems each member got into a breakup and the scenes show how they react to it. Some of them end up sulking, while the others end up running after. It is a pretty self-explanatory video and it does have a few KPOP cliches in it. For example, why is there a piano at the end of a tunnel and why do KPOP idols look so detached from the world when they cut themselves? But what I really liked was how each member had a dramatic contact with water, it was edited so they look like they fell into a large body of water. The editing there was amazing and it looked pretty cool. While it did feel like a cliche, I thought it add to the emotional vibes that were coming off from the song.
There were a few artists that made their comeback today. But what got me to write the review for this particular one first (over the others) was the choreography. I freaking love it. I love their use of the umbrellas to aid their transitions and it just perfectly clicks with the song’s style. The performance (from today) left me speechless and this could possibly take my vote for the best choreography of this year.
Song – 9.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.5/10
After 3 pre-debut singles, KARD has finally made their official debut in South Korea with their first mini album and title track, both titled as Hola Hola. Boasting singles such as Oh Na Na, Don’t Recall and Rumour, fans have been looking forward to the debut of the co-ed group for some time. They are currently under DSP Media and the group consists of BM, J.Seph, Jiwoon and Somin.
And like their pre-debut singles, Hola Hola continues on with the group’s notable tropical house sound. And like the name of the track, it curves their once serious tropical house sound into something that fits wonderfully into the Summer season, making it an ideal release for this time of the year. That complaint about their repetitive sound is out the door, with this fresh Summer sound. Out of all the songs released thus far, the vocal work and the rapping in this song from each member are on point. And their best effort yet. What threw me off guard was Jiwoo’s unexpecting rap, that sounds amazing. I love the incorporation of the ‘Oh Na Na‘ into the song, giving you flashbacks to their first single. But most importantly, my most favourite part was the bridge. It made the already catchy song, even more interesting. You can definitely expect me to continuously hit the replay button in the future.
Fitting that Summer sound was definitely the music video, which shows scenery that they shot while they were on tour overseas. For the most part, it was simply shots of them having fun on a nice sunny day. So there isn’t much to talk about. Their choreography shots look amazing. From the video, I think I can see a huge stage presence because their stares just captivated me, all the way through the video.
From what we can see are the incorporation of their key dance moves from Oh Na Na and Rumour. It is also said thatDon’t Recall will also be incorporated but I haven’t seen it yet. That would genuinely make the dance interesting and I am already loving their key point for the Hola Hola dance as well.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
KPOPREVIEWED 