2017 – Page 13 – KPOPREVIEWED

[Review] Red Flavour – Red Velvet

July 10, 2017July 10, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Red VelvetLeave a comment

Summer is in full swing with songs suiting the sun, beach and tropical atmosphere that many associate with the season. Red Velvet has joined the long list of Summer comebacks with their special Summer album, The Red Summer. The main title track is Red Flavour, which has topped charts since its release on Sunday. An album review will be published in a few days for their new release!

From the very start of the song, it does not hold back with its upbeat and vibrant sounds. The super catchy and addictive chorus starts off the song. It definitely did the job it was set out for. It grabs your attention with its repetitive and consistent drum instrumental beat. The vocals are explosive throughout the song, in both the chorus and the verses alike. The questionable deep sounding moans in the back of the song that repeat the words “Red Flavour” were a very odd aspect of the song. But it gave a quirky factor to the song, and I liked that a lot. You have to strain extra hard to make out the words, but once you do, you open yourself to a whole new world, which makes the song sound more dynamic and unique. Wendy’s vocals for the bridge and the ending of the song really gives it a polished finish, which makes the song sound so much more better. The song itself had been replayed multiple times already since its release yesterday, and I think it will get much more in the days to come. The smile you get from listening to the song really puts the song into perspective. It’s fun and cheerful, a great Summertime song to enjoy and listen to.

I don’t want to say that the video felt last-minute. But I can’t just shake off that feeling. But that doesn’t mean that it was a bad video. Actually, it was quite the opposite. I actually like the video. There was a sense of quirkiness to the video, which I thought went well with that same feeling from the song. The concept around fruit is a no-brainer as we associate fresh fruit with the heat. The video overall had a nice refreshing vibe, which I actually did enjoy and the colours made the video appeal to me more.

I thought the dance during the chorus was amazing, matching the fast pace of the chorus. Overall, it was an impressive performance to watch.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.5/10

[Album Review] Secret Summer (5th Mini Album) – Secret

July 9, 2017September 16, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Jung Hyosung, Secret, Song Ji Eun, SunhwaLeave a comment

As a fan of Secret, it is time for a freaking comeback from this girl group. It is way overdue, with their last comeback from 2014. Secret Summer (the album in which this review revolves around) was released in August 2014 and is the last comeback as a four-member girl group. Since then, there have been no Secret comebacks, which leaves the year feeling empty, in my mind. So, while we wait around for their comeback, let’s take a trip down memory lane and look at their 5th mini-album, Secret Summer.

Related image — *Secret Summer* Album Cover

1..Feel The Secret (Intro Track) – Intro tracks aren’t really my thing. I usually gloss over them and then get right into the more fulfilling songs that follow. However, Feel The Secret is a show-stopper from the get-go. It launches you into the retro feel that Secret is known for and definitely hypes you up for the following tracks. (9/10)

2. I’m In Love (Title Track) – Click here for the full review of I’m In Love (8/10 – at the time of being published in 2014. In 2017, I have decided to bump the rating to 9/10)

3. Look At Me – One of my favourite tracks (other than the title track) on this mini-album. I thought the track was extremely sexy with their soft vocals. The song itself was extremely catchy. The random violin insert was what the song needed and despite it being random in theory, I thought fit in well with the song. The constant glass breaking sound throughout the vocal gave it a more interesting feel. The rapping could have been better in the song, but overall, it was definitely a highlight on the mini-album. (9/10)

4. U R Fired – The English in this song could have been better. However, it is a totally amazing song that is up there with the rest of the mini-album and Secret’s discography. The entire song felt like a mix between pop and country to me (mainly because of the guitar). Once the song hits the chorus, you can feel the song heating up, providing a somewhat intense but good beat. I thought the song grew to be a great song as it progressed, especially during the bridge of the song, where electronic components are brought into play. The song also hits some ‘high notes’ (not literally) with the vocals of the members, their best on the release. (9/10)

5. I Would Do Well – The song fulfils the expectations of a ballad track that is mandatory on every KPOP album. Though, I feel the track does that only. Their vocals are great, with each member (weak or strong) participating in the track. It feels weak overall doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the album. But it does end the song on a more relaxed and sweet note. I am just glad that this ballad still feels somewhat upbeat, rather than it slowing down to a standard ballad. (6/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

secretsummerteaserimage — Secret Summer Teaser Image (Source: ALLKPOP)

[Weekly Chart] 1st Week of July 2017

July 9, 2017Posted in Weekly ChartsLeave a comment

Welcome to this week’s chart. Nothing much has happened but I have been going out with the family for the weekend, so this post is a little late (once again). I’ll try to get them up earlier starting next week!

The same 3 songs from last week dominated this week’s Top 3. T-ARA remained in top position with What’s My Name?. Mamamoo gained one position to the second position with Yes, I Am, while Seventeen’s Don’t Wanna Cry dropped down one position to the third position. Nine Muses returned to the Top 5 this week, rising to the fourth position on the chart and VAV’s latest song, ABC (Middle of the Night), debuted in the fifth position. For the rest of the chart, scroll down below!

Next week will see various songs (maybe) debuting on the charts. Red Velvet’s Red Flavour (which was released today) will be debuting on the chart next week. Zico (Block B), Jessi, One and Park Bo Ram are also the artists releasing new music this coming week.

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.

	2nd Jul – 8th Jul 2017
	Title	Artist	Status
1	What’s My Name?	T-ARA	(=)
2	Yes, I Am	Mamamoo	(▲ 1)
3	Don’t Wanna Cry	Seventeen	(▼ 1)
4	Remember	Nine Muses	(▲ 2)
5	ABC (Middle Of The Night)	VAV	(new)
6	Party Time	Favorite	(new)
7	Five	APINK	(=)
8	Baby	Astro	(▲ 3)
9	Happy	WJSN (Cosmic Girls)	(▲ 10)
10	Critical Beauty	Pentagon	(▲ 6)
11	Shine Forever	Monsta X	(▼ 6)
12	As If It Is Your Last	BLACKPINK	(▼ 8)
13	Hi Hello	DAY6	(new)
14	Mayday	April	(▲ 28)
15	Black	Lee Hyori	(new)
16	Camo	BoA	(▼ 2)
17	Lonely	Sistar	(▲ 5)
18	Runner	UP10TION	(▼ 10)
19	Young & Free	Xiumin (EXO) & Mark (NCT)	(new)
20	Dance Dance	DAY6	(▼ 3) (Final Week)
21	Cherry Bomb	NCT127	(▼ 1)
22	Here I Am	Halo	(new)
23	Shangri-La	VIXX	(▼ 13)
24	Why Don’t You Know	Kim Chungha	(▲ 16)
25	Signal	Twice	(▼ 12)
26	Wind	FT Island	(▲ 12)
27	Wannabe	Hyoyeon (SNSD)	(▲ 15)
28	I Smile	DAY6	(▼ 19)
29	Come Back Home	BTS	(new)
30	That Girl	Peniel (BTOB)	(new)

Songs leaving the chart this week (and will not appear starting next week) – Due to the unavailability of some of the data, some of the information are missing:

Title	Artist	Peak Position	No. Of weeks in Top 30	Final Week’s Position
Crazy	Han Dong Geun	TBC	–	–
Flower (You)	VAV	TBC	–	–
Dance Dance	DAY6	1	8	20
I Luv It	Psy	17	1	–
No Face	Psy	26 (x2)	2	–

And that is it for this week! Join back on Sunday next week for the next instalment of the Weekly Charts!

[Review] Young & Free – Xiumin (EXO) & Mark (NCT)

July 8, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged EXO, Mark (NCT), NCT, Xiumin (EXO)Leave a comment

SM Station tracks have been continuously released on a weekly basis. However, I haven’t reviewed them for a while because I don’t really consider some of them as KPOP. If they feature a KPOP artist, such as this track, the likelihood of it being reviewed will increase vastly compared to tracks that feature indie artists (such as the releases of the past month). Young & Free is this week’s release, which features Xiumin from EXO and Mark from NCT.

Young & Free sounds okay. That is probably the best I can say about the song. It has a nice piano instrumental that remains consistent throughout. While I did describe it as nice, there wasn’t anything that made it interesting. And that left it feeling a little bland and dull in nature. Xiumin’s vocals are okay. I have heard songs where his vocals ended up shining a fair bit, such as in EXO-CBX’s Hey Mama. Here, it didn’t have that backing or support from another artist and that is why I thought it fell a little short. Mark’s rapping is probably the one thing that I did like from the track. Though, I have to admit that Mark’s rapping did feel a little disjointed from the instrumental. His raps do suit more refined or upbeat songs, such as his works in his respective NCT subunits. The song tried its best to remain catchy. But while I do acknowledge that some people would find it catchy and addictive, the hooks present in the song didn’t do much for me.

That paleness is back once again. Once again, it is not bothering but just another observation. Throughout the video, we see Mark and Xiumin hang out with each other and show off their budding friendship. So, there isn’t much else to say about that. Not sure about the ending. Does it mean that they have a very strong imagination? As if they were outside the whole time, but believed they were on stage? Overall, it was a nice video to watch and the song felt fitting for the video.

The video did also show a small section of the choreography. I thought it was nice and also fitting for the song. It’s something simple and easy-going for the song and I personally like that.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 6.5/10

[Review] Party Time – Favorite

July 7, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged FavoriteLeave a comment

I would like to start off by saying that I will be struggling throughout this review. Why do you ask? The newly-formed girl group’s name is spelt the American way. But I live in Australia. Even my spell-checker is currently yelling at me for spelling ‘favourite’ wrong. Back to the introduction. Favorite is a 6-member girl group currently under Astory Entertainment. They made their debut in the past week with their first mini-album and the title track, Party Time.

This group has managed to score a brand new fan. Their song is like your typical KPOP song, in the sense that it mashes multiple genres together. While I have poorly rated song in the past of the same nature, I am not too troubled by the mix of genres in the song. You can hear electronic, pop and Middle Eastern (during the rap bridge). It honestly sounded quite cool. Like the name suggests, the song does a pretty good job at conveying that party sound. The chorus was quite catchy, though I do get a feeling that it is so repetitive, that I might get annoyed at it, in the future. Their vocal work is quite nice. The way their vocals fit into the song really make it an interesting aspect of the song. The different genres are quite unexpected. Especially the Middle Eastern inspired sounds during the rap bridge. They caught my off guard, but damn, do they really provide suspense and added energy to the song. That was by far my most favourite part of the song. It might not be some people’s ideal track, but I think it is one interesting piece of music and I am totally replaying it.

The music video takes on a creepy vibe, something that you don’t get from the song. However, despite it being an extreme concept to attempt, it does work well with the song. I would have liked to have written a full interpretation of the video, but I got lost very easily, so I am just going to avoid misinterpreting the video for you guys. But if you know or have any idea of what’s going on, comment down below and share with all of us. But overall, the music video was very interesting to watch. And the song adds a little more creepiness to the video, for some reason. Kind of how Ring Around The Rosies is used in horror films.

Their performance isn’t a really great performance. It does do the job, but it doesn’t have a wow-factor or anything memorable. I probably watch the performances for the song mainly.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 8/10

[Review] Here I Am – HALO

July 7, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged HaloLeave a comment

From what I can remember, it has been a while since I have written a review for Halo. I believe the last time was Feels So Good (did not search it up, whatsoever) back in 2015. They have been active in the past year. I just somehow missed their releases last year and before I knew it, it was kind of late for a review. But since I committed more time to the site, I am now here with a review of Here I Am, their latest single.

Here I Am is a pretty funky song. From the very start, the saxophone draws your attention to the song and it feels just right for the brighter months of Summer. For the most part, I thought the song was fine. I totally dig the instrumental and I wouldn’t mind dancing to this song at a party. However, it is not perfect. I feel like if the instrumental built up more and had a better climax, I would totally fall in love with the song. Instead, it felt very ‘safe’ and neutral throughout. It had colour and personality. It just needed some sort of foundation or launching pad. The vocals were quite nice, though, they did seem forgettable. As for the raps, I think they were the best part of the song. They provided intensity and more energy to the song than any other element. The fast-paced lines located in every verse, chorus and bridge added an extra layer to the song. I am not familiar with Halo, compared to other KPOP groups, but with this song, I just want to find out more of their recent songs that I have missed.

Once again, the paleness is back. It makes me think: is this a real ongoing thing that I am observing or do I really need a new phone and/or computer/laptop? It didn’t bother me much here, but I do expect bold and vibrant colours when it comes to songs with a dominating Summer sound. The shakiness of the camera does fit the atmosphere of the song. Overall, the music video isn’t that memorable. Though released yesterday and have replayed it quite a few times already, I don’t have much else to say about the music video.

I thought the dance quite fitting for the song. Though it isn’t anything new or mind-blowing, the choreography suits the fun and party atmosphere, which the song was going towards. The movements were sharp and on point throughout the performance.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Review] Hi Hello – DAY6

July 6, 2017July 6, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged DAY6Leave a comment

Today is the 6th day of the month, which means another release from DAY6. After writing 6 reviews for their monthly releases thus far, I am running out of ideas on how to start off these reviews. I already poorly start off each review and I am concerned for the following months. Maybe I shall start experimenting with these introductions. Dancing bear gifs? Sounds like an idea.

Moving back to the song, Hi Hello has a distinctively different sound compared to their past releases. While most of their releases have been heavy with the band sound (either from the get-go or there is a buildup of some sort), this song remains very slow-paced and consistent throughout. The band sound is present, of course. But it is a lot softer and lighter. Soothing, calming are just some of the words that came to my mind when I first heard the song. Their vocals too can be described as above, but it can also be said that they are quite dreamy like. The slower pace actually allows their vocals to shine and this could probably be their best yet. Just listening to the “La la la” featured in the song is evidence of that. I like how airy and drawn out the chorus was. It gives the song a more interesting sound. Overall, the song isn’t my cup of tea. But after a few listens, I can still appreciate its quality and sound.

The music video is an alternate reality of how DAY6 got together. In this version, there was no JYP Entertainment. Just a really long road. Sungjin drives a ute (or pick-up truck) along the road, with Dowoon lying in the back (but we don’t really notice Dowoon until later on). Jae is walking on the road and notices the ute driving by. He successful hitches a ride. The way Jae throws the guitar at the back is a little bit concerning and did he hit Dowoon with the bag if Dowoon was lying in the back? We will probably never know. They drive past Wonpil, who joins them in the car. The offer a ride to Young K, who refuses. However, the ute ends up breaking down and Young K helps them repair the engine. Though initially, he doesn’t join them after the car is fixed, he is seen running after them. He joins them for the rest of the ride and hence, DAY6 is now formed. It is honestly a nice video, which matches the lyrics of the song. The video was edited to fit the tempo of the song, which gave it a more deeper feel. The scenery and background of the video looked pretty nice, for something that is pretty ordinary.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Album Review] 4 Walls (4th Full Album) – F(x)

July 6, 2017July 5, 2017Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged F(x)Leave a comment

It has been a while since we heard from F(x). To be precise, 4 Walls was their last release in 2015 and while they have had a few singles as a group or as soloists, it does not fill the void of what is missing from the KPOP industry. Honestly, there are many groups out there that end up experimenting with their sound, with some groups doing pretty well as a result. But I don’t think I have come across an artist who does it so well and effortlessly like F(x). 4 Walls was their 4th full length album, which was released in October 2015.

1..4 Walls – Click Here for the full review of 4 Walls (10/10)

2. Glitter – Glitter has a very playful vibe, which sounds like your traditional pop song. But while it doesn’t really stand-out of the crowd, I do like the song for a number of reasons. First, that playful vibe. Secondly, when they all sing for the chorus. And thirdly, how they sing the words ‘glitter’. It feels like glittering is fluttering down. I love the bridge of the song, which brings another element to the song. Not the album best, but it is definitely up there. (9/10)

3. Deja Vu – A super catchy song to listen to. Even just sitting at my computer and listening to the song while writing the reviews is hard because I have the urge to get up and dance. I have literally listened to the song so many times that I can accurately lip-sync to the song pretty well. Like the previous song, similar comments can be said. But I am bumping this up with a higher rating because it is so damn catchy. (9.5/10)

4. X – If you want the funkiest song on the album, you have stumbled across it. X opens up that retro saxophone sound. It follows with a groovy disco instrumental, which is intriguing. Their vocals are quite good here, as well. In its own way, the song is catchy and one that I always go to when I put this album on. They displayed a more feminine sound in this song, which contrasted nicely with the funky sound of the song. (10/10)

5. Rude Love – The introduction to the song is very intriguing. It does a pretty good job of appealing to me with its piano style introduction. The song quickly builds up and turns into a dance track. It is also quite catchy and fits in nicely with the rest of the songs on the album. There is a little something missing from the verses of the song, but overall, it is still decent to listen to. (8/10)

6. Diamond – From just one listen, I thought it would a song that I avoid due to its trap influences. And I admit, it took a while for me to get into the song. But I did manage to get into it. It isn’t the best song on the album, but it does have its own dynamic and different sound that sets it apart from the rest of the song. There is a definite serious tone to the song, if you are wondering what makes it different from the rest of the album. (8/10)

7. Traveller (ft. Zico (Block B)) – Zico opens the song with his (per usual) rap and his following segments does add a more bolder and masculine sound to the song. F(x) instead sounds more feminine and sweeter compared to their other songs. It is quite nice to hear a more different side, but more traditional side, of F(x), who are known for their concepts and individuality. (9/10)

8. Papi – Another super duper catchy song. This album is clearly a goldmine with so many catchy songs. I thought the start of the song was quite funky and different. It was also quite striking and it definitely caught my attention. There is a really nice bright sound, which suits to parties and (maybe) clubs. Their vocals are spot on and it is loaded with energy to hype you up for the dance floor. (10/10)

9. Cash me Out – Cash Me Out takes it time to build up to the drop. I can say that once it does drop, the song ends up being tied together nicely. However, I think the song could have been a lot more epic if there were a harder drop and a more intense instrumental segment, rather than repeating the same segment a number of time throughout the song. (8/10)

10. When I’m Alone – The song starts off with a slower beat, than compared to any of their previous songs. The chorus is the main deal that gives it boldness and definition. Compared to the rest of the songs, this one does end up being forgettable due to its slower tempo. But it does manage to make up in terms of vocal work and it is still decent enough to listen to. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 9/10

Image result for f(x) 4walls album — 4 Walls Teaser Image

[Special] Number 1 Songs from the First Year of Charts

July 5, 2017July 1, 2018Posted in Special, Weekly ChartsLeave a comment

It’s already been a year since I started the charts! That’s crazy! I know it isn’t the most popular part of my website, but I find it fun to write about each week and some of you guys seem to like it as well, so I guess it is going to be sticking around for some time. But to celebrate the 1st year of the charts, I have decided to compile all of the number 1 songs into one list. You may notice that the first 11 weeks (which I will indicate with an asterisk) were never published but rather we trials. But I kept all the data anyway, so I will also publish those. I also have linked to the appropriate week’s chart (click on the numbers). So without further ado, let’s go down memory lane!!!

Dynamite – VIXX
(3rd* Week of April 2016)

Pretty U – Seventeen
(4th* Week of April 2016; 1st*, 2nd* & 3rd* Week of May 2016)

Windy Day – Oh My Girl
(4th* Week of May 2016)

L.I.E – EXID
(1st* Week of June 2016)
(3rd* Week of June 2016)

Stalker – U-KISS
(2nd* Week of June 2016)

I Like That – Sistar
(4th* Week of June 2016)
(5th* Week of June 2016)

Very Nice – Seventeen
(1st Week of July 2016)
(2nd Week of July 2016)
(3rd Week of July 2016)
(4th Week of July 2016)
(1st Week of August 2016)

Aing~ – Oh My Girl
(2nd Week of August 2016)

Fantasy – VIXX
(3rd Week of August 2016)

Shooting Love – Laboum
(4th Week of August 2016)

Secret Time – Spica
(5th Week of August 2016)

Secret – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)
(1st Week of September 2016)

Carnival – Gain (Brown Eyed Girls)
(2nd Week of September 2016)

Bobby Doll – Song Ji Eun (Secret)
(3rd Week of September 2016)
(4th Week of September 2016)

Hard Carry – GOT7
(1st Week of October 2016)
(2nd Week of October 2016)
(3rd Week of October 2016)

The Rain – Ladies Code
(4th Week of October 2016)

Very Very Very – I.O.I
(1st Week of November 2016)

Decalcomanie – Mamamoo
(2nd Week of November 2016)
(3rd Week of November 2016)

Last Dance – Big Bang
(1st Week of January 2017)

I Wish – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)
(2nd Week of January 2017)

Mysterious – Hello Venus
(3rd Week of January 2017)

Hobglobin – CLC
(4th Week of January 2017)
(2nd Week of February 2017)

Don’t Say No – Seohyun (SNSD)
(1st Week of February 2017)

Spring Day – BTS
(3rd Week of February 2017)

Don’t Recall – K.A.R.D
(4th Week of February 2017)
(1st Week of March 2017)

Fingertips – GFriend
(2nd Week of March 2017)

Never Ever – GOT7
(3rd Week of March 2017)

Plz Don’t Be Sad – HIGHLIGHT
(4th Week of March 2017)

I’ll Be Yours – Girl’s Day
(5th Week of March 2017)
(2nd Week of April 2017)

Beautiful – Monsta X
(1st Week of April 2017)

Hwi Hwi – Laboum
(3rd Week of April 2017)
(4th Week of April 2017)
(1st Week of May 2017)

Dance Dance – DAY6
(2nd Week of May 2017)

Shangri-La – VIXX
(3rd Week of May 2017)

Don’t Wanna Cry – Seventeen
(4th Week of May 2017)
(5th Week of May 2017)
(1st Week of June 2017)

Happy – WJSN (Cosmic Girls)
(2nd Week of June 2017)

Remember – Nine Muses
(3rd Week of June 2017)

What’s My Name? – T-ARA
(4th Week of June 2017)

[Review] Black – Lee Hyori

July 5, 2017July 5, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Lee HyoriLeave a comment

All hail the Queen. The Queen of KPOP, Lee Hyori, is officially back with her sixth album, which shares the same title as the title track, Black. This is her first official release since her promotions of Miss Korea and Bad Girls, which were released back in 2013. In preparation for her comeback, she recently filmed her own variety show, along with appearing in others.

Lee Hyori always seems to try to stand out of the crowd with her songs or concepts for her comebacks. This time around, she returned with a country style of song. This is me being ignorant, but the start does remind me of the Wild Western films/songs. But what makes this song so good is that it mixes the country style with rock and some electronic influences. Together, they turn the song into a very dramatic sounding song. The overall buildup to the final chorus, which makes it almost sound like a rock song was pretty cool. I have personally never been impressed with Lee Hyori’s vocals. But her vocal work here sounds so amazing. The slowness of the rest of the song does compliment her vocals, making it seem clearer and add an extra layer to the song. Besides that, I don’t have much else to say about the song. It is a little dry for the most part, but overall, still quite good.

The music video is probably where most of my comments are coming from. This is a literal look at the music video. Lee Hyori lives in the desert where water is very scarce. She has a water tap at her front step, but it doesn’t seem to work. Every day, she has to travel a certain distance to a working water tap to obtain water. On this particular day, she meets a dog and decides to take it in. The dog, I guess, repays the favour by digging up a water tap that provides water to Lee Hyori, who ends up taking a bath using the water obtained from the new discovery. Her video seems to go deeper once you look into the lyrics. From what I can gather, the song is about being fed up with the current life and wants to return to a time where there was happiness. Hence, you see her doing her makeup for her job in a way where she doesn’t look too happy. But once she found her happiness, in the video’s case – water, it provided her with freedom and a smile. The choreography scenes featured in the video looked interesting. They seemed to match the interactions that she had with the dog, which I guess could be a representation of moving back to the happy life. A very interesting video.

I had a very brief look at her showcase and there does not seem to be any live performance of Black yet. I don’t know if I skipped her performance, but for the time being, I shall return once a full dance version or stage performance is uploaded.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – To Be Updated
Overall Rating – 9.5/10

[Review] ABC (Middle Of The Night) – VAV

July 5, 2017July 5, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged VAVLeave a comment

VAV has returned with their third single. The group has already put out three singles already in just 6 months of the year, which is an impressive feat, considering the company that they come from. So far, they have returned with Venus and Flower. But move aside, ABC (Middle of the Night) is their third and most recent track (just released yesterday).

ABC (Middle Of The Night) has a very nice refreshing sound, on top of its modern tropical house elements. The start of the song and the verses were quite good, already replicating the playful sound that you would associate with Summer. But it felt like it was missing something, which I felt very strongly. But once the beat dropped, the chorus felt just right. It had that missing element, which I now think was more upbeat-ness. And it is because of that, I really like the song. From ‘a very nice refreshing sound’, it turned into ‘a very nice refreshing bop’. While it was just released, I do see myself replaying this song constantly in the near future. It had a bit of catchiness, but I think I enjoy the song purely for its instrumental. I did like the short instrumental break. It made everything become serious all of a sudden, which contrasted nicely with the more vibrant and happy vibes coming from the song. The slowdown was done a nicely as well. It probably was one of the few slowdowns that I felt was done right. And that launch back into the upbeat chorus was amazing. The vocal work and raps were quite good, but did feel lacking in some parts.

The music video was okay. It reminded me of their Flower video (especially the solo shots). I did like the darkness that surrounded the choreography scenes. For some reason, it looked quite cool and the members did stand out in their white shirts. I thought the sets and the outfits really went well with the retro feel. Not exactly sure of the girl who goes around, sneakily staring at the members. I felt that to fit the more Summer centred sound, the music video could have been a lot brighter, but instead, there was paleness throughout the video during the scenes where the background was white. It strikes me as odd that many videos go with that pale look, despite the song calling for a more bolder and vibrant positioned music video. There wasn’t much going on in the video, which did dull the experience (i.e. there wasn’t anything captivating).

The song doesn’t call for an amazing choreography, but what we got was pretty good. It looked fun for the most part. Though we don’t really see much in the video, I think there was enough to make that comment.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7/10

[Album Review] Black Label (1st Mini Album) – Fiestar

July 4, 2017November 15, 2017Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPLeave a comment

Welcome to the first album review for the past albums that may already be on your shelves or playlists. I am doing this in times when there may not be many ‘current’ albums to look at. All the albums I have selected have appealed to me in some form or another.

For today’s album review, we will be looking at Fiestar’s 1st mini-album, Black List, which was released in 2015. The future of Fiestar seems to be a little rocky, with rumours of the members leaving the group and saying that they are ‘former members of Fiestar’. Hence why I have chosen them to be the first ‘past album review’. It is always nice to have a little throwback to one amazing mini-album.

1..You’re Pitiful (짠해) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for You’re Pitiful (8.5/10)

2. Hello – Hello kicks off the lineup of ballads on the mini-album. This song, along with the others, brought my respect of the vocals of Fiestar to a whole new level. They already sound so good in many of their dance songs. But once you strip away all the electronic stuff, you are brought to another side of the girls (I shall return to this later). The song has a very fresh appeal and to this day, has been one of my favourites to listen to. It is another one of those songs that make you want to sway to as well. (10/10)

3. Turn Off The Lights (불 좀 꺼줘요) – I really like the Latin feel that comes from the instrumental of the song. It makes the entire song to stand out in the crowd (or in this case, 7 songs). While it does give off a different flare, it was an easily forgettable song. Their vocal work is pretty good here, but they don’t have that wow factor that they brought into their other songs. (7/10)

4. Cold – Unlike the name suggests, there was a little bit of warmth that came off from the song. But I couldn’t help notice a sort of barrier every time I listened to the song. It was like a wall was built around the song to prevent me from fully appreciating it. No matter how many times, I just could get into it. However, from the other side of that ‘barrier’, the vocals were nice and the instrumental was very soothing as well. (7/10)

5. Today – Another ballad. This is the one song that I want to talk about in terms of their vocals. It is (excuse for the language) bloody good. Out of all their songs released thus far, I think this one displays their vocals to the best of their abilities. Like Hello, the stripped back instrumental does give a slower feel, but it also makes it brings the vocals out. I did really like the overlap of the final chorus, the rap by Yezi and the high notes by Linzy. It finished the song in an interesting nature. (10/10)

6. Tight (타이트해) – To me, I felt like this was just a more upbeat version of You’re Pitiful. Did anyone else get the same feeling between the songs? The vocal work in this song does bring more of a wow-factor though, which gives it more appeal to listen to. I love how Linzy’s voice goes high just before the chorus and the chorus of this song is quite catchy. The rap of this song, by Yezi, also sounds amazing and totally suits her more tough image. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10

fiestarblacklabelteaserimage — Black Label Teaser Image (Source: Ktown4U)

[Review] Outside – Crush ft. Beenzino

July 3, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Beenzino, CrushLeave a comment

One of the biggest names in the K-Hip Hop industry at the very moment is back with a brand new single. Crush, who coincidently crushes digital charts with his recent releases, unveiled his newest track, Outside, which also features Beenzino. I am just going to ruin the review for you right here, but this is one damn good comeback.

Outside is a fantastic song. Crush hasn’t had many (if not any) bright or Summer based songs. I know him for more dark or emotional forms of RnB, such as his tracks like Sofa, Hug Me and Don’t Forget. But this is a different side, and I actually like this sound from him. There is a much brighter feel and fits that Summer feels that I envy at the moment. His signature vocals that everyone loves sound so great here. The chorus is damn good. While there is a very non-mind blowing element, I actually like it. It is easy to get into the groove of the chorus, which actually makes me want to get up and dance (how lame does that sound?). And I love the short sequence that he has at the end of each chorus. I haven’t actually heard him rap that much, so it was unexpected. But it really gives an edgy feel to the song, which makes it even better. Beenzino’s rap fits into the song quite well and it also contributes to that edgy vibe. Overall, totally digging the song.

If there is an award for the most hilarious music video for 2017, this might just be the clear winner. Completely unexpected, given his past portfolio of music videos. I guess this video is the nightmare of pet owners who are trying to figure out if their pet is trying to kill them (i.e. all cat owners out there). But in this case, the dog wants to knock you out, torture you by locking you up in a suitcase and taking your place in all the fun activities of a vacation and Summer. It’s fun to watch a dog head go swimming, hang out with girls, skydive etc. It definitely made me laugh and made the overall comeback much more enjoyable to me. It gives the song a fun side, which makes it a winner in my books.

Song – 10/10
Music Video – 10/10
Overall Rating – 10/10

[Weekly Chart] 4th Week of June 2017

July 2, 2017Posted in Weekly ChartsLeave a comment

Hello there everyone! Apologies for the later upload. I decided to be a social person this weekend and attend a range of parties. Let’s just say I spent a bit of time in the corner at the party and awkwardly stared at a few people. But because of that, I am posting this week’s chart a few hours later.

This week saw the rise of T-ARA’s song, What’s My Name, from 3rd position to 1st position. It also saw the rise of Seventeen’s song, Don’t Wanna Cry, back to 2nd position. Mamamoo, BLACKPINK and Monsta X round out the top 5 this week. Scroll down for the rest of the chart!

The next week will see comebacks from VAV, DAY6 and Halo. The Queen of KPOP, Lee Hyori, is also making her comeback in the week. She did release a track on Friday in anticipation to her album releasing on Tuesday, and that will be included in charts published next week. The same will occur with Crush’s song, Outside.

	25th Jun – 1st July 2017
	Title	Artist	Status
1	What’s My Name?	T-ARA	(▲ 2)
2	Don’t Wanna Cry	Seventeen	(▲ 5)
3	Yes, I Am	Mamamoo	(▲ 3)
4	As If It Is The Last	BLACKPINK	(▲ 4)
5	Shine Forever	Monsta X	(▼ 2)
6	Remember	Nine Muses	(▼ 5)
7	Five	APINK	(new)
8	Runner	UP10TION	(new)
9	I Smile	DAY6	(▲ 8)
10	Shangri-La	VIXX	(=)
11	Baby	ASTRO	(▲ 4)
12	Archangels of Sephiroth	Stellar	(new)
13	Signal	Twice	(▲ 21)
14	Camo	BoA	(new)
15	Sun, Moon, Star	KNK	(▼ 6)
16	Critical Beauty	Pentagon	(▲ 3)
17	Dance Dance	DAY6	(▲ 26)
18	Now, We	Lovelyz	(=) (Final Week)
19	Happy	WJSN (Cosmic Girls)	(▼ 17)
20	Cherry Bomb	NCT127	(▼ 9)
21	Love Don’t Hurt	Shannon ft. Lil Boi	(new)
22	Lonely	Sistar	(▲ 13)
23	A Daily Song	Hwang Chi Yeol	(▼ 18)
24	Cactus	A.C.E	(▲ 7)
25	Shadow	Daehyun (B.A.P)	(▼ 13)
26	365 Fresh	Triple H	(▼ 12) (Final Week)
27	Wonder If	Junhyung (HIGHLIGHT)	(▲ 18) (Final Week)
28	Try My Luck	Jongup (B.A.P)	(▼ 5)
29	B-Day	iKON	(▲ 22)
30	Egoist	Roy Kim	(▼ 10)

Songs leaving the chart this week (and will not appear starting next week):

Title	Artist	Peak Position	No. Of weeks in Top 30	Final Week’s Position
Spring Rain	BoA	28	1	–
Hole In One	Varsity	4	1	–
Sad Song	SECHSKIES	17	2	32
Be Well	SECHSKIES	5	4	–
365 Fresh	Triple H	2 (x2)	8	26
Wonder If	Junhyung (HIGHLIGHT)	6	3	27
Now, Us	Lovelyz	4	7	18

And that is all for this week! Hope you all enjoy the next week and catch you all next Sunday!

[Album Review] Pink Up (6th Mini Album) – APINK

July 1, 2017June 28, 2017Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged APINKLeave a comment

APINK are one the leading girl groups in the industry and they are back with a brand new mini-album for all their fans out there. The mini-album, titled as Pink Up, is their 6th mini-album to date. To be honest, I really need to think of a better way to open up these album reviews. I apologise if I bored you. So let’s continue one!

1..Five (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Five (7/10)

2. Stinging (콕콕) – Stinging is a very mature sounding track, which is a complete turnaround to their first song on this album. While they do keep a small playful sound to it, it felt more sensual, which is unexpected. The girls do a wonderful job with using their husky vocals, which fit very nicely. The small rap sequence was nice as well. I would love to say it was catchy with its funky instrumental, but rather, it didn’t feel like a memorable track. (7/10)

3. Eyes – Eyes was nice but it lacked a selling point. It just didn’t stand out compared to the other ballads present on this mini-album. I did like how they were going to drag out some of the lines and each member did shine vocally in the song. I would have loved it if there was something that gave the song a bolder side, rather than feeling a standard ballad. (6/10)

4. I Like It – While I don’t think it is worthy of ‘title track’ standards, this song is perfect as a non-title track. It was quite catchy and felt uplifting after the previous two tracks. I love the instrumental, which gave the song a nice foundation, but the vocals felt like it gave the song some life. It falls nicely under the cutesy portfolio that we know and associate APINK with. (8/10)

5. Evergreen – This is one amazing ballad. Eyes didn’t have that bold effect, while the changes in Evergreen was that bold factor that I wanted. It gave the song energy and emotion to motivate us. The vocals are amazing and their best on this mini-album. Listening to the album the first time yesterday, this song caught my attention and was the one song I was looking forward to writing about. (10/10)

6. Always – Another great song. I liked the simpleness of the instrumental. A nice step back from all the electronic songs constantly released. What I loved about this song is that the chorus was super catchy and nice-sounding. I loved the harmonies present in the chorus. The verses felt empty and dry in comparison. It felt like the chorus was sung by all members, while the verses felt unsupported. (7.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.5/10

pinkupapinkteaser — Pink Up Teaser Image

[Review] Love Don’t Hurt – Shannon

June 30, 2017June 30, 2017Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged ShannonLeave a comment

Shannon Williams is a soloist in the KPOP industry that is currently under MBK Entertainment. She first appeared on various variety TV shows that put her vocals in the spotlight. After that, she debuted on Daybreak Rain in 2014. She then later returned with Why Why in 2015 and Lachrymal Gland in 2016. Love Don’t Hurt was released in both Korean (with Lil Boi as the featuring artist) and English (with Amber from F(x) as the featuring artist).

Love Don’t Hurt is one amazing song. The fact that it is getting minimal exposure is confusing me. The song falls under the RnB genre and it sounds like the typical song that I would have grown up with (before KPOP entered my life). The instrumental itself isn’t amazing, but rather typical. But her vocals is the aspect of the song that makes it amazing. Her vocals are clear and crisp. The verses are a little dry, but they dominate, which allows it to stand out from the instrumental. But it is once we move onto the chorus, that we are blown away by her vocals. They feel more powerful and definitely stronger. The impact from her vocals makes the song sound more amazing. That high note at the end makes it even better. Once the song finishes up, you want to go back for more, which makes it an amazing song. The featuring rap sequences by Lil Boi suits the song very much. Usually, the music changes around and feels disconnected when it comes to featuring artists, but here, it flows nicely from Shannon’s parts. If you are after a song to blow you away, this is the one to check out!

The music video tells the story of a couple, who first meet at the bar and the seem to fall in love with each other. They enjoy each other’s company and I believe they had some sort of falling out. This resulted in her disguising herself and killing him in the end. I don’t know why or how it got up to that part, so if any of you understand, then please share with all of us in the comments. But besides the confusion behind the video, the video is shot beautifully. The video effects give it an intriguing appeal. The combination of the song and video is remarkable. It is, unfortunately, age restricted due to the tattoos in the video, the ‘nudity’ (which I saw none of) and violence. I kind of understand it, but I feel like the restriction based on the tattoos is kind of overboard. But then again, I don’t make such decisions.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10