SEVENTEEN has made their return to the stage with Clap. They have also dropped their second full-length album, titled as Teen, Age. Featuring alongside Clap are the 4 singles the group had released starting a few weeks back, giving fans a taste to each subunit. The singles include: Change Up (Leaders Unit), Trauma (Hip Hop Unit), Dance of Month 13 (Performance Unit) and Pinwheel (Vocal Unit).
Seventeen hasn’t disappointed yet and they maintain that streak with Clap. The track features a dance rock instrumental that is bound to get the energy pumping in the crowd. The intensity of this song is no joke, contributing to that edgy vibe that rock-based songs tend to bring to the table. The chorus was catchy and addictive to listen to. What I liked were how the rappers managed to get singing lines during the chorus. Actually, the entire line distribution seems to be more even this time around, unlike some of their past comebacks. Favourite part of the entire song would have to be Seungkwan’s solo for the bridge. While the entire song had that roughness, the bridge featured a smoother (and one damn good high note/pitch) touch to the song. Overall, I really enjoyed this song and will continually be playing this in the weeks to come.
Clap’s music video features all of their previous unit releases in some form or another. So naturally, it made it an interesting experience to watch and identify some of the connections. There were video cassette tapes throughout the video labelled with the title of each song. Hoshi was wearing this chessboard outfit from Change Up while singing in the car. The set of the Trauma featured at 2:25, alongside Change Up. That same scene featured the Hip Hop members wearing white, which I think connects Dance of Month 13 to the video. Some of the props from the Pinwheel (i.e. telephone) are also seen. All in all, it was definitely a very cool and intriguing video to watch, which also managed to come off as fun at the same time.
From what I can see, the boys bring back that awesome in-sync aspect of their choreography that has wowed us in the past. Furthermore, their dance break was awesome. On top of that, they had some time to shoot some hearts out to their fans. Clap for their choreography!
Song – 9.5/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9.25/10
Making their first highly anticipated return after 2 years is the none other than Super Junior. In 2015, they made their comeback with Devil and Magic. Since then, military enlistments were carried out leaving only a few members available for promotions. But with the return of some members, Super Junior can promote once more as one of the most well-known KPOP groups to date. Black Suit is the title track from their 8th album, Play, which also features the pre-release One More Chance.
Black Suit is a definitely an upgrade from Deviland Magic, which I thought was boring. Given the member’s ages, I didn’t think they would return with an upbeat track like this. But they clearly nailed with the Latin flair that gave the song that explosion of energy. Vocally, the song is quite nice. Everything was clear and not muffled with synths and autotune. The track, too, is quite addictive to listen to, earning replay after replay. The most underwhelming part of the song for me, though, was the drop into the last chorus. The bridge had a nice buildup with its intensity. The drop just didn’t do it justice. The chorus was definitely the most outstanding part of the entire song and it just makes you want to dance.
The music video is set in an auction, with the main item on display being a black suit. Hence the title, duh? But the story behind the auction is a little intriguing. The video opens up with chaos but in reverse. We then find out the cause of the chaos is due to the missing black suit, which disappeared during a blackout as it was being sold. We also find out that the members were trying to get the suit themselves through careful planning and teamwork. Just once it disappeared, they turned against each other and raged. It turns out, another person (a young female) somehow stole the black suit in a split second during the blackout. While it does seem far-fetched, it definitely has its moments and it was, overall, enjoyable to watch.
The choreography was actually quite good, keeping up with the sharp beats and maintaining its appeal throughout the entire routine. Totally enjoyed the chorus.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 9/10
Welcome to another quick Weekly Charts post. I have another exam this week, so I am a little busy with the studying. Don’t worry though. I will still be putting out reviews this week as there are so many comebacks. If I were to wait for the weekend, I probably need an entire week to catch up on them.
We have a new chart-topper with JBJ’s Fantasy managing to steal the number 1 spot on this week’s chart from TWICE (Likey) and GOT7 (You Are). Following closely behind is ASTRO with Crazy Sexy Cool and Super Junior’s pre-release, One More Chance.
As mentioned previously, there are such a large number of artists making their return next week that I am having trouble deciding which artists to prioritise. Jeon So-Yeon, Seventeen, Monsta X, Super Junior, DAY6, EXID, Gugudan, Sonamoo, Block B and VICTON. On top of that, I will be catching on some other reviews that I was meant to release over this weekend but decided to put that on hold until after my exam: Hyungseob & Euiwoong, The UNIT releases, MIXNINE’s Just Dance, Odd Eye Circle (Loona) double review.
But until then, scroll down for this week’s charts! Here are 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 debut on the chart Grey (Final Week) – Song appears on the chart for its final week.
29th Oct – 4th Nov2017
Title
Artist
Status
1
Fantasy
JBJ
(▲ 4)
2
Likey
TWICE
(new)
3
You Are
GOT7
(▼ 1)
4
Crazy Sexy Cool
ASTRO
(new)
5
One More Chance
Super Junior
(new)
6
Going Crazy
UP10TION
(▼ 5)
7
When Someone Loved Me
DAY6
(▲ 3)
8
O Sole Mio
SF9
(▼ 4)
9
Callin’
A.C.E
(▲ 3)
10
She’s Mine
VAV
(new)
11
DNA
BTS
(▲ 8)
12
Home Is Far Away
EPIK HIGH ft. Oh Hyuk
(▲ 1)
13
Like This
Pentagon
(▲ 11) (Final Week)
14
Where You At
NU’EST W
(▲ 1)
15
Juliette
Rainz
(▲21)
16
Pinwheel
Seventeen Vocal Unit
(▲ 4)
17
I’m The One
MXM
(▼ 8) (Final Week)
18
Rollin’
B1A4
(▼ 10)
19
Amazing
IN2IT
(▲ 7)
20
Summer Rain
Gfriend
(▲ 10)
21
Power
EXO
(▲ 8) (Final Week)
22
Missing You
BTOB
(▼ 16)
23
11°
Minah (Girl’s Day)
(new)
24
Change Up
Seventeen Leaders Unit
(▼ 3)
25
Want You To Say
PLAYBACK
(new)
26
Drop
Yunho (TVXQ)
(▲ 5)
27
Move
Taemin (SHINee)
(▼ 13)
28
I Love You
Bobby (iKON)
(▲ 11)
29
Spectrum
TRCNG
(▼ 12)
30
Honeymoon
B.A.P
(▲ 3) (Final Week)
Songs leaving the charts this week and will not appear on the charts starting next year:
Minah has made her solo return with 11°. It has definitely been a while since we heard a solo single from the main vocalist of one of my personal favourite girl groups. The last being I Am A Woman, Too. That being said, Minah hasn’t been on the sidelines over the large gap between solo releases. Alongside her work with Girl’s Day, she has been busy acting in a number of dramas such as Beautiful Gong Shim (which also stars Nam Goong Min).
11° is not the first ballad of the season, but it is one of the few that has me sticking around. It may because of bias, but this track has me sticking around for other reasons. The song is actually quite good. Minah’s vocals go well with the softer guitar-based instrumental and you can hear the heartbreak that she is trying to convey throughout the song in her voice. Put simply, it is extremely easy to get lost in this track and there is a soothing effect which I desperately need featuring in this song. There is something that I am not 100% keen on in this song. In the middle of the song, Minah attempts to change it up (to avoid repetitiveness and blandness) with a change in delivery. But honestly, I thought that slight change was a little too awkward sounding. It was needed but I personally didn’t think that was the particular way to go.
The music video beautifully portrayed the meaning behind the lyrics. Essentially the song is about the immediate thoughts that go through people’s heads after a breakup. And throughout the video, you can grasp that solemn feeling that followed her and her breakup. As she cleaned the house, I assumed she felt the emptiness. The ending, when the lights went out, made her think of her ex-lover. Probably how he would have fixed it for her, but now she had to do it alone. I just thought the video went well with the song.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.4/10
VAV is back with a new single, She’s Mine. To me, the group is relatively new, as I only heard of them this year and started reviewing them this year, starting with Flower (You) and ABC (Dance of the Night). But you might be surprised that they have been on stage since 2015 with Under The Moonlight.
She’s Mine is another amazing song that is going to get lost in all the competition that they will be facing. Which is definitely heartbreaking, especially since so many people will go without listening to such an excellent sounding track. Particularly, in the first few seconds, I could hear the confidence in their voices, which makes it a whole new song. But what I liked more about the song was the choruses they had going on. The first chorus (or what I like to call ‘the decoy’) was the very simple repetition, which was underwhelming and disappointing at first glance. The second chorus (the actual chorus) followed shortly after with that really bright and explosive beat. It pairs well with the first chorus and gives the entire song a whole new facelift. Vocally, even though I touched on it before, the song is rock solid, while the raps were equally as grand. Overall, the song is addictive and definitely a bop to listen to.
The music video was also quite good and it seems like VAV is the next boy group to join the confusing route that many KPOP music videos go for. It seems they are planning some heist or trying to break their friend out of that ‘up close and personal’ prison. But then I have a feeling that it is an ‘every man for their own’ type of situation in the video. In other words, I have no idea whatsoever on what is going on in the video. But it was pretty interesting to watch. Just not fond of the sound effects that ended up being played over the actual song at the end.
I actually like the choreography for this song. It was very captivating to watch and extremely fitting for the song. The dance break was quite cool and that confidence I spoke of before was definitely seen in the performance.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
November is proving to be one KPOP party with the number of confirmed comebacks for just next week alone. Kicking off the November comebacks is ASTRO, with their latest title track, Crazy Sexy Cool, and mini-album Dream Part 2. The boy group previously promoted Baby in June, serving as the main song of their Part 1 of the Dream series.
Listening to the song for the first time, I am worried that the song doesn’t have that needed impact. The start of the song is very underwhelming and slow. But the song does get better along the way, with that thumping bass during the chorus. The instrumental is quite funky, described as a nu-disco genre, but it doesn’t feel that way. I am not too sure what exactly it sounds like (it is not bad, so don’t misunderstand), I just can’t place my finger on it. There isn’t much of a hook, in my opinion, that leaves the song forgettable for the most part. The vocal and rapping work in the song is quite good and the instrumental (during the chorus) adds energy to make it sound more lively. That part just before the chorus, where they strip everything away, is pretty damn good. To sum up, it is a pretty nice song to listen to. If there was a more decent hook, I would have enjoyed it more.
Curious boys meet Narnia? Mistaken boys believing things they are seeing in the dark? I have no idea what this video is about. They happen to see a silhouette which somehow leads them to their wardrobe, which leads them to different places. Following the silhouette, they have a few wardrobe changes along away (a perk of having a magical wardrobe?), until they realize that the silhouette was a figure of their imagination. That’s my understanding. Though those plot twists at the end make things a little more confusing. But I will admit, it was fun to watch. It was a great video, which went well with the song.
Their performance is okay. Not exactly memorable but it has that ASTRO vibe that reminds me of their past choreographies. Maybe that is because they are performing it but it feels just right for them.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 7/10
Kicking off Super Junior’s first comeback in 2 years is the release of One More Chance. They last promoted Devil and Magic in 2015. I believe they were absent for the past two years due to a large bulk of the group entering the military. One More Chance isn’t their official comeback as it is only the pre-release song for the comeback. Their full 8th album is expected to drop next week on the 6th of November.
It has been a while since a Super Junior song has graced our playlists and such a high-quality song (produced by Donghae) is 100% fitting for their return. The emotional rock ballad is extremely fitting for the current lineup, with all the members showing off some flare that has been missed over the two-year absence. There is not one person that sounds out of place. The instrumental is exceptional as well, building up ever so slightly and knowing when to make the right impact alongside the vocals. That level of emotion that I mentioned before can be felt strongly throughout the song. While I may not have much else to say about the song, Donghae’s production is on point and One More Chance is (hopefully) a great teaser on what is to come next week.
Following that emotional side of the song comes this emotion field music video which I have to admit is beautifully shot. You don’t expect walking down hallways and alleys to be that dramatic but pairing it with this song is definitely a strong example of how it can be. But that walking/running isn’t for nothing, as they are following their lover, for one more chance at their relationship. It is a simple video when you think about it but it goes a long way once you consider the song’s lyrics (which I gather is the exact same thing as mentioned above) and the song’s auditory elements.
Song – 10/10 Music Video – 10/10 Overall Rating – 10/10
After the likes of Signal and Knock Knock earlier this year TWICE has returned with Likey and their first full album. It is definitely a long time coming, especially how far the girls have gone with just their title tracks alone in the past two years. Like all of the group’s track, it is expected (and they will probably achieve this by the time I post this review) that they will top the charts once again with their title track, Likey.
The one thing that I think makes TWICE songs so popular is that key phrase within the song that ends up being so addictive that everyone ends up singing along. And following that same formula is Likey, which starts off the song with that its own catchphrase. I have got it stuck in my head already and it probably won’t be going anywhere. And given that, the song has been on repeat since its release a few hours back. The song isn’t in your face with that signature level of aegyo that the girls have gone for in the past, which is why I like this song. Vocally, the members did a wonderful job and the rappers were pretty good. The only thing they could have done better with are the verses. For the most part, they felt like a blur and very forgettable. But overall, I ‘likey like likey‘ this song.
The home video concept is actually quite pleasing to watch in this video. It also goes well with the neighbourhood sweetheart style they have going. It also seems like they used a little bit of green screen for some parts, which made it intriguing for me to watch. Besides that, I don’t really feel this video. It goes well with the song but there isn’t much to say about it.
TWICE’s dance breaks are to die for. Probably the best part of the entire video. Likey seems to tap into that memorable dance move for the ‘Likey Likey Likey‘ part but it seems complicated compared to their past routines. It does look like a fun dance routine to watch.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
BTOB has returned with their second full-length album, Brother’s Act, which is based on the movie, Sister Act (starring Whoopi Goldberg). The album returns to the group’s ballad roots that earned them recognition for this vocal and rapping skills, which they previously displayed in their ballad trilogy. And given their performance so far on the charts, this return is much appreciated by fans. Please note that I will not be looking into the Prelude or the Interlude of this album.
3. My Lady – My Lady is one of my favourite tracks off the album. The instrumental is definitely my style of music, so I started liking the song before I started paying attention to the other elements. Vocally (for both the singers and rappers), the song is on point. There was a nice balance between the members and the soft pop instrumental. My favourite parts of the song were definitely the “Give It Up” lines at the start of the pre-chorus and when Peniel started singing his lines. Finally, some light on who I think is probably one of the underrated members of the group. (10/10)
4. Red Lie(새빨간 거짓말) – Red Lie is a track that literally begs their significant other to stop lying to them and just break up because there is nothing more between them. My assumption with the title is the Red Lie is referring the girl’s red lips. The instrumental is quite nice, with the guitar giving the track a little colour and avoiding the ‘typical’ ballad trap. I would like to see them perform this song, as well. The upbeat instrumental of the chorus makes me very curious about that accompanying dance that they could add in alongside the song. (9/10)
5. Blow Up (신바람) – You can always expect BTOB to throw something quirky in the mix. Their performances for Blow Up were amazing. It is exactly what I would have expected if their personalities off stage and their music clash. Blow Up is the party track that definitely gets the party started. It is also a nice change for the album, which places a great focus on ballads and softer forms of music. (9.5/10)
7. Na Na Na (나나나) – Catching me off guard with this song is the fabulous intro that Sungjae delivered through his vocals. His vocals are so fitting for this song. Nonetheless, the other members do a great job but the real winner has to be Sungjae in this song. The song is essentially that Autumn track that you would listen to while having a walk in the park. And it is also a great track to sway along to, especially with that consistent thumping and guitar strumming instrumental. (9/10)
8. Dream (꿈에) – While it is good music, Dream fits right in with that typical ‘ballad’ stereotype. It is the one track on the entire album that I thought they could have spruced it up a bit. Most likely they composed the song that way to mimic a lullaby, but to me, it is the weakest song on the album. That being said, the vocals do add an element of appeal to the song. It is the raps that I thought were a little awkward for the song. (6/10)
9. Guitar (Stroke Of Love) – For a song with the title “Guitar”, there isn’t that much guitar in it. Until I looked into the lyrics and realized that they weren’t really talking about the instrument. Instead, the lyrics a little suggestive. Okay, not a little. They were downright sexual and it was not a misunderstanding scenario. “I’ll hit that G precisely, We’ll be making sweet music tonight, Let your neighbours know your name right now”. But musically, it is a more upbeat track that gives you some relief from the ballads you have been exposed to. (8/10)
10. Running Into Breakup (이별을 만나다) – The song is about when the guy is accepting the fact that they can no longer be together. Running Into Breakup does feel a tad bland in my opinion. But what saves it is the rappers, who display a great example of how raps should be in ballads, along with the swaying element that you probably know I seek in ballads now. (7/10)
11. Fly Away – This particular track is definitely one of the more pleasing tracks on the entire album. There is some warmth that comes from the sounds of it. The contrast between the minimal verses to the explosion of sound you get for the chorus was definitely one of biggest highlights of the song. The only thing that I have to say (once again) that does take the appeal away from the song are those autotuned parts at the end of the choruses. (9/10)
12. Finale: Our Concert (Finale: 우리들의 콘서트) – The album ends off with another sweet pop ballad, written for this fans. And it is extremely fitting to end on a more happier note, rather another love story. All the members shine brightly in the song, with the feel of inclusion quite prominent in the song. I love the epic instrumental and that section where everyone is singing in the chorus. (10/10)
Boo! Welcome to the final week of October. And judging by the feature image I have up today, you can probably guess it is the weekend before Halloween. We really do not celebrate Halloween where I live, but for those who do, enjoy the scares!!!
Topping this week’s chart is UP10TION’s latest comeback song, Going Crazy. GOT7 dropped down one position, while Sewoon made his return to the Top 3. Following Just U is SF9’s Latin-influenced O Sole Mio and JBJ’s debut, Fantasy. For more of the charts, scroll down below.
But first, here are 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 debut on the chart Grey (Final Week) – Song appears on the chart for its final week.
22nd Oct – 28th Oct 2017
Title
Artist
Status
1
Going Crazy
UP10TION
(▲ 8)
2
You Are
GOT7
(▼ 1)
3
Just U
Jung Sewoon
(▲ 11) (Final Week)
4
O Sole Mio
SF9
(▲ 8)
5
Fantasy
JBJ
(▲ 3)
6
Missing You
BTOB
(▼ 3)
7
Good Night
DIA
(▲ 14)
8
Rollin’
B1A4
(▲ 8)
9
I’m Da One
MXM
(▲ 22)
10
When Someone Loved You
DAY6
(▲ 12)
11
DamDaDi
Golden Child
(▲ 18) (Final Week)
12
Callin’
A.C.E
(▲ 5)
13
Home Is Far Away
EPIK HIGH ft. Oh Hyuk
(new)
14
Move
Taemin (SHINee)
(▲ 9)
15
Where You At
NU’EST W
(▼ 13)
16
I Loved You
DAY6
(▲ 10)
17
Spectrum
TRCNG
(▼ 13)
18
Can Be Better
HIGHLIGHT
(▼ 13)
19
DNA
BTS
(▼ 8)
20
Pinwheel
Seventeen Vocal Unit
(▼ 10)
21
Change Up
Seventeen Leaders Unit
(▼ 15)
22
Trauma
Seventeen Hip Hop Unit
(▼ 9)
23
Dance of Month 13
Seventeen Performance Unit
(▼ 8)
24
Like This
Pentagon
(▼ 17)
25
Nonfiction
K.Will
(▲ 12)
26
Amazing
IN2IT
(new)
27
Runaway
Bobby (iKON)
(▲ 11)
28
Last Night Story
IU
(▲ 8)
29
Power
EXO
(▼ 1)
30
Summer Rain
GFriend
(=)
Songs leaving the charts this week and will not appear on the charts starting next year:
Whisper – VIXX LR
DamDaDi – Golden Child
Babe – Hyuna
Just U – Jung Sewoon
Rolly – Good Day
Happy Halloween!!! And have a spine-chilling week!
During the week, IN2IT made their debut on the stage. For those who don’t know, the group was formed through the survival show, BOYS24. The show just never took off and never reached the same level of appeal as its competitors. Given the large gap between the show and the actual debut date, the show has seemed to undermine what popularity the members had gained throughout the show. But regardless of those observations, the group is made of 8 members (the Top 8 to be exact) and made their debut with their first mini-album, Carpe Diem.
The title track from the mini-album is Amazing and sadly, the title doesn’t capture the main sound of the song. Amazing takes on the tropical house. A side of me wants to say that is plain and boring now. It used to be something that I was into but since the genre has been so overworked, I have kind of gone on to find something new. However, there is a side of me that is appreciating the track. The weather has been gloomy the past few days (and in the next week), so a song like this does make it feel a lot sunnier. But sadly, I think the lack of appeal from the various elements of the song is overwhelming, leaving me disappointed with the final product. The vocals/rap don’t capture my attention. The instrumental (as previously discussed) is quite generic. The song doesn’t feel catchy and it doesn’t have me wanting more.
Shot in Kazakhstan, the video does an okay job at introducing the group to the viewers. I just felt like some of the scenes where they are singing to the music just really staged and unnatural, such as when one the members are singing while leaning on the car. Their interactions with one another seem a lot more appealing to my eyes. The choreography shots were pretty nice, along with the sots towards the end with the scenery and landscape. But besides that, the video just shows the guys having some fun on a road trip. Nothing that special, when you think about it.
Choreography wise, I thought it was quite good. Not amazing, like the song title, but decent enough for a debut.
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 6/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 6/10
We now return to the usual schedule of reviews with EPIK HIGH’s Home Is Far Away. It has been a while since we last heard from EPIK HIGH entirely. Their last comeback was with Shoebox and title track Happen Ending, back in 2014. Since then, the trio had been a little quiet with their work but have returned with full force as evident through their appearance at the top of the charts. Their latest album, We’ve Done Something Wonderful, showcases many featuring artists including IU, Mino (Winner), Crush and many others.
Home Is Far Away features Oh Hyuk, the vocalist from Hyukoh. His nasal sounding vocals go a long way in this song as he features throughout the chorus. It adds a nice softer touch to the RnB based song, which pairs well with the more deeper raps that Tablo and Mirtha bring to the song. The movement towards the RnB track also seems to go well into the EPIK HIGH’s portfolio, who I am used to doing more upbeat emotional based songs. Tablo’s previous solo work gave us a taster into what RnB could sound like under the guidance of the group (because the members produce their own songs). Yes, their previous track was also RnB based but I wasn’t much of a fan of it. I had a better connection with this one for its sleek instrumental and appealing sound. It doesn’t necessarily grab your attention like some of their more notable works but it leaves you feeling full of emotion and thoughts about life.
The videos seem fitting for the song. The minimalistic vibes through the night time shots of the city landscape give off a stylish and smooth look for the song. The appearance of the members, along with Oh Hyuk is also quite refreshing, mainly because it has been so long since we last saw them. A small segment of EPIK HIGH and IU’s collaboration is also played at the end. I am not too sure about the significance of the connection between the two songs (or to the video) but I have to admit, IU’s voice does add more aesthetics to the video.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
Welcome to the 3rd week of October. As I specified last week, this is going to be another fast one, so let’ go.
Both GOT7 and NU’EST W were very close in the battle for 1st position, but GOT7 managed to just hold onto it while NU’EST W held onto their second position. BTOB joined the top 3 with Missing You, while TRCNG rose to 4th place. HIGHLIGHT took out the last spot in the top 5 with their latest track, Can Be Better. For more of the charts, scroll down below.
But first, here are 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.
15th Oct – 21st Oct 2017
Title
Artist
Status
1
You Are
GOT7
(=)
2
Where You At
NU’EST W
(=)
3
Missing You
BTOB
(new)
4
Spectrum
TRCNG
(▲ 18)
5
Can Be Better
HIGHLIGHT
(new)
6
Change Up
Seventeen Leaders Unit
(▲ 26)
7
Like This
Pentagon
(▲ 11)
8
Fantasy
JBJ
(new)
9
Going Crazy
UP10TION
(▲ 11)
10
Pinwheel
Seventeen Vocal Unit
(new)
11
DNA
BTS
(▼ 8)
12
O Sole Mio
SF9
(▼ 4)
13
Trauma
Seventeen Hip Hop Unit
(▲ 2)
14
Just U
Jung Sewoon
(▼ 8)
15
Dance Of Month 13
Seventeen Performance Unit
(▼ 11)
16
Rollin’
B1A4
(▼ 11)
17
Callin’
A.C.E
(new)
18
We Like
Pristin
(▲ 21)
19
Drop
Yunho (TVXQ)
(▲ 7)
20
Juliette
Rainz
(▼ 4)
21
Good Night
DIA
(▼ 11)
22
When Someone Loved You
DAY6
(▼ 9)
23
Move
Taemin (SHINee)
(new)
24
Honeymoon
B.A.P
(▼ 13)
25
Gashina
Sunmi
(▼ 18)
26
I Loved You
DAY6
(▼ 7)
27
Take My Hand
APRIL
(▲ 2)
28
Power
EXO
(▼ 7)
29
DamDaDi
Golden Child
(▼ 12)
30
Summer Rain
Gfriend
(▼ 18)
Songs leaving the chart this week and will not be featured on the charts starting next week are:
Rebirth – Red Velvet
Gashina – Sunmi
Can’t Stop – DIA
We Like – Pristin
Unbelievable – VICTON
Purple Rain – Minyuk (BTOB) ft. Cheeze
Enjoy the new week ahead and wish you the best in all the endeavours you face!!!!
A.C.E is back after making their debut earlier on in the year with Catcus. This time, the rookie boy group opted to a somewhat more normal titled song, Callin’. In a more confusing manner, some of A.C.E members are participating in The Unit, which is a new TV show, like Produce 101, for those who have already debuted. While I don’t know the logistics of this, it makes me wonder how their promotions will fare.
Callin’ seems to be channelling their debut track with a few changes here and there. I am not saying the songs are exactly the same but there are a number of similarities between the songs. Callin’ has slow verses and this allows for a decent build up to the explosive chorus, whereas Cactus launched right into the fast thumping instrumental. In fact, I think the song manages to kick an edgier sound. And it is that change in bpm and edge that makes this track a stand out for me. If you have a decent set of speakers with great bass, this track is bound to sound awesome. Once again, they manage to pair the vocals well with the segments of the song and that the instrumental doesn’t overpower the members when they sing during the chorus. What I feel with most songs currently is that lack of that strong hook. However, the instrumental here will have me coming back for more.
Music video wise, they seemed to have gone all out with a high-quality type of video. And like the song, they manage to incorporate ways to make the music video feel trippy. My personal belief is that there isn’t enough trippiness in the video but that might be disagreed upon by other people. The fast scene changes go well with that faster chorus, which I think it a great aspect of the video. There doesn’t seem to be much to say about the content of the scenes so that basically ends this part of the review.
Like Cactus, the song provides another opportunity for the group to put their dance skills to the test and they manage to pull it off. It was a great performance to watch, especially the final seconds. No short shorts this time, which is a relief.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
Another group has emerged from Produce 101 Season 2. JBJ (Just Be Joyful) is another project group consisting of trainees (and artists) from different companies, who did not make it into Wanna One. JBJ came about due to fan requests and the group is made up of Noh Tae Hyun, Takada Kenta, Kim Sang Gyun, Kim Yong Guk, Kwon Hyun Bin and Kim Dong Han.
JBJ debuted with Fantasy during the week and the song is actually quite good. The track is another dance track but it has a slower tempo, compared to other dance tracks. But in a way, the slowness allows the thumps in the instrumental to actually sound quite strong and feel more intense. It does get a little more upbeat once the raps come into play and it remains like that for the rest of the track. There is also an air of seriousness when you listen to it, which makes it quite intriguing. The vocal and raps that feature in this song are also a strong effort from the members. Taehyun’s pre-chorus section was by far the most dynamic part of the song and personally shined the brightest in the entire song. The song does lack a more prominent and strong hook. But overall what we get in the song is decent enough for me to say it is a good song.
The music video was confusing but that makes it intriguing to try to understand the storyline. There was a bland element that stayed throughout the video and did stay within your mind when you watch the video. The editing of the video made everything more visually appealing. The way they filmed the choreography scenes with its zoomed in motion and somewhat shakiness made it feel more natural and suited the song quite nicely.
The choreography was really nice. They seemed to display a more sensual side to their performance, which made it look quite good. The blank and serious facial expressions just seem to make everything seem more intense.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8.5/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
Taemin has made his solo comeback with some new “Move(s)”. And that is the last of punny me for today. Taemin’s latest full-length album, which also shares the same title as the title track, Move, features songs in which he had already performed at his solo concert, a day before the release.
Taemin goes out of the box once again with Move. This time around, he tries a more sensual sounding song that pairs well with the dance background that he is known for. His vocals go surprisingly well with the concept, which was probably one of the highlights of the song. The aesthetics of the song are definitely a captivating aspect of the song. Moving to the more negative side of the song. The instrumental doesn’t scream ‘major hit’ and remained subtle and non-progressive throughout the entire song. The song also doesn’t rely on a catchy hook or line to get listeners going. But despite all of that, my mind is telling me to say that it is a good song, regardless of what I considered to be its flaw. Instead, every time I listen to the song, I end up being in awe with what he has put out. And I think that is enough to say how good of a song it is.
Taemin shot 3 music videos for this comeback. One main video. One solo dance performance video and another dance video with a partner. That’s quite a lot, in my mind. What is great about the video, in my opinion, is that it matches the song in terms of its subtleness. There are barely any major changes in the video. From start to end, he dances in the alleyway in the rain. It doesn’t progress much, just like the music. But yet, he pulls the concept off quite well. Awesome, abs and biceps alert for you fangirls out there.
The dance performance is great. We have seen him, time and time again, putting out great choreography for this solo work. This is no exception. There is definitely that sensual nature to it. And while he does perform the same dance as the female back up dancers (that hip swaying tho), there is a masculine side that he puts on display, which I thought was great.
Song – 8.5/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.5/10
KPOPREVIEWED 