May 2018 – KPOPREVIEWED

[Album Review] I Am (1st Mini Album) – (G)I-DLE

May 31, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged i-dleLeave a comment

(G)I-DLE is definitely this year’s monster rookie. Despite only just debuting, the ladies have already won a handful of weekly music show awards and have definitely already made a name for themselves in both domestic and international markets. They are still promoting at the moment and are still being nominated left, right and centre.

1. LATATA (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of LATATA. (8/10)

2. $$$ (달라 ) – $$$ is a great continuation of the hip-hop genre that is (G)I-DLE is clearly owning. One of the first things that is most apparent is that the song feels like it is a mashup of multiple songs. Despite that, the song flows neatly and there are no overlaps to create awkward moments. The song has amazing hooks and the differing styles between parts make it memorable. The rapping was pretty good in the song. I think the major issue is that while they had strong moments, it felt short-lived with the constant changes. I wished they continued with the strong moments rather than cutting it up. (8.5/10)

3. Maze – Maze is a R&B track infused with their hip-hop styles mentioned above. Honestly, I liked everything about the song. I really liked the instrumental of the entire track, including the very end, which I thought was extremely dynamic. The explosive nature of the chorus really gives the song some energy, which goes well with their softer guitar verses. Both the rapping and vocals were on point. I cannot fault this at all and is my favourite track off the album. (10/10)

4. Don’t Text Me – While the song takes on the R&B genre, likes its predecessor, it is a lot softer. It also has good rapping and vocals here. The instrumental reminds me of R&B back in the day but the use of synths really gives it a modern feel. You can also describe the instrumental as smooth with the synths added some texture. It does get a little dry towards the end but it is another great song from the group. (9/10)

5. What’s In Your House? (알고 싶어) – The song opens with a funky and groovy beat, which features the extremely catchy ‘What’s In Your House‘ repetition. It is another R&B track but I find it extremely soft to the point where you can include this in a café’s playlist. The rapping gives the song some texture and also prevented it from becoming too boring. The bridge was a complete slowdown (which I am not really a fan of) but they managed to recover the energy by going back to the catchy hook. (9/10)

6. Listen To Me (들어줘요) – Here we have the one song that conforms the album to a typical girl group album. The presence of the mandatory ballad. I am not disappointed by it, however, as it does show that the girls can be versatile. The song showcases amazing vocals and harmonies from each member (including the rapper). This makes the song captivating and end the album on a soft yet delicate note. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.8/10

gidle-iam-3 — *LATATA* Music Video Picture

[Review] love4eva – LOONA yyxy (ft. Grimes)

May 30, 2018June 20, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged LOOΠΔ, LOONA, LOONA yyxyLeave a comment

For the first time ever, I am doing a LOONA review on the very day it is released and not a couple of months (or a year) down the track. LOONA is finishing up with their pre-debut project with the final subunit which features the last 4 members revealed (Yves, Chuu, Go Won and Olivia Hye). The unit is named LOONA yyxy, with the final part standing for Youth Youth by Young (shrugs shoulder – but reading some unofficial sites, the name is based on chromosomes xx and xy).

love4eva is a song produced by the same people who brought you Gee by SNSD. The very start of the song does remind me of the famous song, along with I.O.I’s Very Very Very. It is a bright and bubbly song, overloaded with the cuteness from the members. It truly keeps to their name, youthful and young. I thought the pre-chorus was an interesting change-up from the verses and chorus. The chorus is super catchy and definitely one of the highlights of the song. Vocals and raps (though limited) were good. The other highlight of the song that I love is the instrumental sequence just before the bridge. You’d expect them to do something traditionally cute, which I had expected. However, they added electronic synths and autotuned muttering on top, which adds a completely different yet extra cute feel to it. I don’t know how to exactly describe it words, so do check it out. Overall, great song from the girls.

I will be reviewing this music video based on what I see and will not relate it to any of the solo predebut music videos. Essentially, the video is set in this etiquette school, where the 4 members are currently students. And the school also has this strict headmistress. Yves tends to go off into the woods and dirty her socks, which clearly upsets the headmistress. She tempts Chuu (and later Go Won) into joining her and running off into the woods, leaving Olivia behind. At the end of the video, we see that Olivia remained behind as the only one, to which she gets all the praises in the end. However, she comes off as looking possessed or seriously angry as a result, which I am now unsure of. We see that there was some hostility between Olivia and the other girls, who often left her out of things. From reading up on other theories, there is a reason why they act like this towards her, however, that overlaps with other videos, which I do not have time to write about. In the coming weeks, I will publish ‘my’ entire theory of the LOONAverse and will most likely factor in this music video. It is a good video and I apologise if I got the member’s names wrong.

It is a very cute dance, which fits well with the song’s sound. I love the arrow hearts they shoot with and the kidney dance they do during the chorus. The dance break was also super cute, which I thought was the peak of the performance.

Can I just slide in here and say how insanely cute Olivia look when she isn’t serious or possessed looking?

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9.5/10
Performance – 9/10 [updated]
Overall Rating – 8.9/10 [updated]

[Review] Teenager – Samuel ft. Lee Ro Han

May 30, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged Samuel KimLeave a comment

Returning with his first repackaged mini-album is Samuel. And once again, he flaunts his age with his title track titled Teenager, featuring Lee Ro Han. He previously did so during his debut promotions with Sixteen. Earlier this year, Samuel released One, which featured Jung Ilhoon from BTOB.

In some cases when songs from the same artist are released relatively close to one another, I compare them (it is actually hard for me to control this). In this case, I find that Teenager isn’t that exciting, as compared to One. While the song does go down the EDM route, it feels very standard and typical for songs of the same kind. His chorus is a mix of EDM synths and the simple repetition of the title, ‘Teenager’. It just is a weak hook that doesn’t reel me into the song. The verses did sound good, with a decent buildup tot he chorus. His vocals were that good but they don’t go that extra mile, which could have upgraded this song to a higher level. The rapping was good, with the deep voice and well-paced delivery reminiscing some of the songs where I have rappers delivery very deep and meaning lines. All of that being said, the song isn’t a letdown in any way. It is still listenable, it just doesn’t feel up to par with his previous track.

Set in a dystopian setting, it seems to show Samuel as one of the last survivors of some sort of apocalyptic event. He is shown lost and sad (with his puppy eyes) throughout the video. But along the way, he gains this confidence that kind goes ‘hey, I am alive and no one else is’. Personally, I think this goes hand in hand with the meaning of the lyrics, which talk about how people underestimated him based on his age but yet he has gotten quite far. The only thing I don’t like how they got the actress to deliver the raps. She didn’t look like she wanted to do it anyway.

It was a good performance to watch. Nothing that mind-blowing, though like most performances, I’d say it was fitting for the song.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7/10

[Review] Sunshower – Boyfriend

May 30, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged BoyfriendLeave a comment

The honest reality of the KPOP industry is that if you don’t make comebacks, you will be forgotten and that is what is happening to Boyfriend. Their last promotion cycle was with Star last year. Donghyun went on The Unit for a second chance (and just missed out on a spot in UNB). And while that show has wrapped a few months ago, there has yet to be any comeback. There was one release, Sunshower, which was released one week ago as a single for their fans in celebration of their 7th year anniversary.

Sunshower is a ballad that is about remembering the good memories, which is a fitting topic for fans. It is a good ballad with nice vocals and harmonies. You can hear the happiness in their voices, as it isn’t a typical emotional ballad about a breakup. I find that an important aspect of the song and I feel that they did a good job of conveying the nostalgic emotion. The rapping was extremely well done. The song picked up right when the raps started off the second verses, which allowed the raps to fit right in. My only main beef against the song is that I don’t really connect with it and hence, I find it quite plain. Maybe it is because I am not 100% a fan but rather an occasional listener. It may be because I have forgotten about them. Either way, I just find the song quite dry and bland.

The music video does a good job of conveying the song in a visual context. It shows the members when they were younger, while at school. They spend their days in art class, playing soccer or enjoying their youth in the rain. Throughout the video, we see the members sitting around class or arriving at the school, which holds their precious memories and remember those nostalgic moments with each other. It is a touching video.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.2/10

[Album Review] Time For The Moon Night (4th Mini Album) – GFriend

May 29, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged GFriendLeave a comment

GFriend made their comeback a few weeks back with their 4th mini-album and their title track, which are both named Time For The Moon Night. While they have officially wrapped up their promotions already, it doesn’t mean I can’t give them an album review. So here it is! (Per usual, I did not talk about the intro track and the instrumental of the title track).

gfriend-timeforthemoonnight-2 — *Time For The Moon Night* Album Cover

2. Time For The Moon Night (밤) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Time For The Moon Night. (8/10)

3. Love Bug – To me, this is the hidden gem of the track list. I love the addictive nature of the song, which can be owed to its catchy chorus. The first half of the chorus featured vocals and the second half featured the ladies rapping, which isn’t something that you hear often when it comes to GFriend. And while the rapping does steal the show, there is awesome vocals, particularly in the second half of the song. The opening disk scratching effect is very misleading, despite the song falling towards a retro sound. I also liked the hollow metal drumbeats, which made the instrumental ear-catching. (9/10)

4. Flower Garden (휘리휘리) – Flower Garden takes on an orchestral sound, which gives way to a remarkable song with a few epic moments. If you have been following my site for a while now, you know I have a soft spot for songs with amazing orchestral instrumentation and I clearly fallen for this song. I liked the incorporation of the electric guitars in the bridge and the ending felt like a musical ending. All the vocals were amazing in this song. (9/10)

5. Tik Tik (틱틱) – It is another bright song that suits the group. There were retro vibes at the very start and the instrumental sequence at the end of the song, which I thought was great. But while it seems okay at first, the chorus takes a somewhat unexpected turn. While the song does flow well, it seems like the verses and the choruses were from different songs and smashed into the song. I have to give props to the production for making it work. Their vocal work is nice (but it isn’t their best on the album). (8/10)

6. Bye – This song serves as the ballad on the album. While the instrumental and vocals were nice, it wasn’t exactly the most exciting song on the album and was also the most skippable track. I did, however, think the harmonies and when all the members sung together were highlights for the song. (7/10)

7. You Are My Star (별) – Like in the previous track, I liked it when they all sang together for the chorus. The alternating vocal and rap lines were very strong moments of the track. The track did feel quite linear (which may be its one downfall) but the happiness and gracefulness in their vocals do make it up. Overall, it was a great ending to the album. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8/10

gfriend-timeforthemoonnight-3 — *Time For The Moon Night* Teaser Image

[Review] Get It – Pristin V

May 29, 2018May 29, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged PRISTIN, PRISTIN VLeave a comment

It has been a little over a year since Pristin debuted Wee Woo. Despite having one comeback in August (We Like), the group has been absent for the majority of the year, which is a bit concerning when it comes to newly debut groups. Instead of launching right into a full group comeback, Pristin V was formed, consisting of Nayoung, Roa, Eunwoo, Rena and Kyulkyung as part of the lineup. Their title track is Get It, which is featured on their single album, Like A V.

While it isn’t the most memorable song out of all the comebacks yesterday, the track is definitely a surprise. From its sound, you could tell they returned with a more sensual sound, which is opposite to what Pristin releases. The opening few seconds with the muffled voices weren’t really that great as an opener. However, when the instrumental starts to kick in, you can tell how awesome the track is going to be. I thought the chorus was superb. It wasn’t super catchy as some other songs but works extremely well with the verses and keeps the song consistent. The rapping was amazing and the vocals were quite nice. My favourite section of the entire track is the bridge, with the falsetto vocals and Nayoung’s rapping over pitch silence. That part had my jaw dropping. For a song that doesn’t have that explosive nature, the song does speak volumes and is dynamic in its own way.

It was obvious they were going with a more seductive concept and I think it worked really well. Though, I am not too keen on the tennis court set which they filmed on. It felt kind of random (I did like the colours though). I think they all look amazing, with their visuals definitely something to comment on. The video itself didn’t have much else to talk about, so I am going to stop right here.

The performance was really good. Nayoung’s part in the bridge killed me. It is truly seductive and I thought it was rather fitting for the song’s sensual nature.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

[Review] Bingle Bangle – AOA

May 28, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged AOALeave a comment

Making their comeback after over a year’s absence from the KPOP scenes is AOA. Their last comeback was at the very start of last year with Bing Bing and Excuse Me. This time around, they return with Bingle Bangle, which is the title for both their title track and 5th mini-album. This is also the group’s first comeback since the departure of ChoA, which was confirmed about a year ago.

The last few days I have been talking about a list of songs that I am currently on a replaying binge. And it seems like the list is growing longer by the day. AOA’s Bingle Bangle finds itself on that very same list. The song, well-suited for the Summer period that is approaching imminently, is extremely catchy with its very simple and easy repetition. It doesn’t help that the section in question is super bright and features catchy whistling as well. I really liked Yuna’s parts just before the chorus kicks in, which shows us she is capable of taking over the main vocalist position. The one member I was most concerned was Jimin, as her rapping style doesn’t really compliment the song’s sound. However, I was quite wrong with that assumption and also thought her section was one of the best. I am totally digging the song and just want to continue listening to the song.

AOA takes on a concept change with the music video. And I really like what they did. The concept seems to be retro gaming, where the members of AOA (excluding Mina) are characters within the game. Mina spends the entirety of the day playing the games, only taking a break when she falls asleep. Within the game, the members notice how far Mina is levelling up and once she reaches 4000 points, she too enters the game (but takes on an 8-bit form). What also makes this music video feel more retro is that the members are on rollerskates and the game is set at a diner. It was a well-produced video and it had a fun concept, which made it even more likeable.

I love the choreography for this comeback. Especially during the Bingle Bangle repetition, which was my favourite bit of the entire performance. The members also looked like they were enjoying themselves on stage.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 10/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.3/10

[Review] Good Evening – SHINee

May 28, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged SHINeeLeave a comment

It has been a long while since we heard from SHINee, who last promoted together in 2016. Their last promotional cycle was for Tell Me What To Do. The group made their debut in May 2008, so this comeback cycle celebrates their 10 years together as a group. Their comeback promotions this time is a little unique, with the album split into 3 sections and will be unveiled every fortnight from tonight. The first title track is Good Evening (this review). We also already have the titles for their second and third title tracks, which are I Want You and You Left Me respectively.

Good Evening kicks off their promotions and it does not let you down. The song is super catchy and addictive with its electronic pop instrumentation. On top of that, they throw in their amazing vocals and rapping (from both Minho and Key), you have a winning formula. Their harmonies during the sections in which they sing together had this alluring feel to it, which drew my attention. Onew’s vocals sounded so good in the song and the rappers did a fantastic job with the rap section. It is a ridiculously groovy track that joins the list of songs that I have mentioned previously to be on my continuous replaying list. And if this is what they are kicking off the promotions with, I am keen to hear what they have coming up in the weeks to come.

Their music video is extremely artistic this time around. While it has that same colour feel to View, the video seems to be a spinoff of F(x)’s 4 Walls, with some scenes reminding me of the latter. My guess with what the video is trying to send over is that there has been some tension but they managed to figure it all out at the end. One of my most favourite scenes from the entire video is when the rapping starts and the members are dancing (while sitting down) under the plastic film. That looked awesome and really took the aesthetics in these music videos to whole new level.

While there hasn’t been a stage yet, I think there is enough in the music video to say it is awesome. Particularly that dance break during the instrumentation at 3:24 to 3:30 of the music video. On top of that, it seems the aesthetics charms from the music video also featured in their choreography, with some parts looking amazing and very artistic.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performane – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.8/10

I didn’t want to remind people of the sad events that shocked the KPOP industry in December last year within the review. Despite losing a member, I am glad to see SHINee back and still doing well. I think it is also the common belief that the video also pays tribute to Jonghyun with the inclusion of a 5th shadow at the well scene. Jonghyun will always be missed.

[Review] Salty – Kanto

May 28, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged KantoLeave a comment

Kanto made his official solo comeback with Salty on the 15th of May. And due to my studies, I didn’t have a chance to have a look at it once it was released. But as they say, better late than never! For those who don’t know, Kanto is a rapper that is a part of Troy (a Korean hip-hop group). He did make his solo debut a little earlier with What You Want (feat. Kim Sung Kyu from Infinite) in 2012. He also participated in The Unit: Idol Rebooting Project.

Salty is an extremely groovy track that I was not expecting. The work that I know him for has always been emotional or ‘dark’. However, Salty is quite upbeat and it tempts you to dance along with the music. The instrumental is extremely upbeat and bright. The trumpets really give it energy and definitely is my most favourite part of the song. Also featuring alongside the trumpet instrumentation was the super catchy “You are indifferent” repetition (or in Korean, it is 시큰둥 둥 둥). His rap delivery is really well done and it fits in nicely with the bright atmosphere of the song. While rapping and bright songs have been heard on numerous occasions, it feels very fresh here. It is a promising track for a (hopefully) upcoming Korean rapper and hip-hop group.

Like the song, the music video is very bright with its colours. I thought the editing of the video was really well done, especially when they changed the colour of his jacket through software (the colours in the background also changed accordingly). The video shows him trying to get to the route of the problem after his girlfriend gives the sulky look. While that might be a serious issue for some, I really like the lighthearted vibes and fun presented visuals throughout the video. It worked well with the song.

It might be due to the concept change but I thought the performance was much more lively than any of his previous comebacks. He only seemed to participate in the choreography when he wasn’t rapping in the past promotions. This time around, he is participating in the choreography throughout the entire song (and not when he is given a break) and I thought it was rather cool. I liked his performance, though the moves aren’t anything mindblowing.

Song – 8/10
Music Video 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Love Flutters – The East Light

May 27, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged The East LightLeave a comment

The East Light makes their second comeback of the year with Love Flutters. They last promoted on stage with Real Men, which was an amazing step up from their previous works (I have grown to like the song a lot more). That was also the first time I reviewed them on this site, so I thought it would be nice to revisit them. Love Flutters is the title track off their second mini-album, which shares the same name.

While I don’t think I would ever get used to their vocals, they managed to do a decent job with Love Flutters. The song takes on a more tropical route with sounds and vibes that gets you into the heart of Summer. Furthermore, it is a return to their original sound (something that I wasn’t a major fan of). Love Flutters manage to do a few things right with this song. The explosive percussion bangs (not really sure what to call them) really do attract your attention to the song and it is quite unique. Their vocals work well with the tropical sound. I particularly like the instrumental sequences at (after the first chorus and at the very end of the song) as they do a good job at portraying the Summer season within a few seconds of instrumentation. While I am not 100% hooked onto the song, I have a feeling that this song will have multiple appearances in the future (particularly when I yearn for the Summer months when I am struggling in the cold).

I thought the video was okay. It isn’t exactly the most exciting video out there nor is it content heavy. However, it does a decent job of portraying the song and its Summery vibes. Not exactly sure why they are holding onto the fruits, which did leave me a little confused. The best part of the video overall was the nodding and head turning at those explosive bags during the song. How else would you have that part?!

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.4/10

[Album Review] Escape The Era (2nd Mini Album) – Dream Catcher

May 27, 2018May 27, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged Dreamcatcher3 Comments

One of the few albums that were released in the past few weeks that I was aiming to have a closer look at is Dream Catcher’s Escape the Era. But unfortunately, my studies got in the way and prevented me from writing any album reviews (mainly because they are time intensive). So with no further delays, this is my review for Dream Catcher’s latest mini-album and comeback. Like always, I have opted to not look at the intro or instrumental of the title track in this review.

dreamcatcher-escapetheera-2 — *Escape The Era* Album Cover

2. You & I (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of You & I. (10/10)

3. Mayday – With the constant comment that their songs are suitable for the Japanese anime opening markets, it was no surprise that one of their side tracks would fall into the same category. The song is takes on that rock style that has been associated with them since their debut last year. What was interesting was that there were moments in which the intense rock sound contrasted with the softer opening line to the second verse and the bridge (which introduced some piano into the song). While I did feel like the song lost energy through this, the way they brought their energy back up to complete song was really nice, which gives it that seal of approval from me. (8.5/10)

4. Which A Star (어느 별) – Taking us on a different route, Dream Catcher throws in a pleasant pop sound that is incredibly softer than any of their past title tracks. In a way, it was a well-earned rest from the intense nature of the title track and preceding song. The song features great vocals and had amazing melodies which made it nice to listen to. Some singers tend to go down the emotional route with their changeup on track lists, so I liked how Dream Catcher managed to go in a different direction (most likely as their title tracks are emotional driven). (8/10)

5. Scar (이 더럽고도 추한…) – Ending the album is the sound that do best. They bring back the rock instrumental for this ballad-like song. Unlike the other songs, I thought the verses were the strongest part of the song, as it showed more of the group’s vocal capabilities (it somehow felt more delicate and softer than in the previous song). The chorus was surprisingly lacking in energy despite the instrumental and the vocals in the chorus didn’t really have any momentum. I did also like the rapping and its accompanying instrumentation, which gave the song intensity and energy that was lacking from the chorus. (7/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

dreamcatcher-escapetheera-3 — Escape The Era Teaser Image

[Weekly Chart] 4th Week Of May 2018

May 27, 2018June 3, 2018Posted in Weekly ChartsLeave a comment

Welcome to the 4th week of May. Time is going insanely fast and I can’t believe that we are already here. I am hoping that I will be able to catch up on the reviews I have missed, as I have a week off from university before exams kick in. There are more reviews coming today and a number of album reviews will also be released this week. So prepare yourselves!

It is no surprise that BTS takes over the charts this week, as they top every single chart throughout the world with their latest comeback. Dream Catcher rises one position to take over the second position overall on the charts. Doing an impressive jump is UNI.T’s debut track, No More, while N.Flying also rises to the fourth position. The only new track this week to begin their run in the Top 5 is BOL4’s Travel (Starlight follows right behind in the 6th position).

While UNI.T did jump up 34 spots this week, it wasn’t the biggest jump on the charts. HALO’s OMG managed to climb a whopping 41 spots to 11th place on the charts this week.

Finally, we have a number of comebacks next week including AOA, Pristin V, SHINee and Samuel. I also believe LOONA’s final predebut subunit, LOONA yyxy, is happening this week (and I can confirm they will appear on the charts next week if they manage to enter the top 30).

	20th May – 26th May 2018
	Title	Artist	Status
1	Fake Love	BTS	(▲ 15)
2	You And I	Dream Catcher	(▲ 1)
3	No More	UNI.T	(▲ 34)
4	How R U Today?	N.Flying	(▲ 11)
5	Travel	BOL4	(new)
6	Starlight	BOL4	(new)
7	Time For The Moon Night	GFriend	(▲ 3)
8	LATATA	(G)I-DLE	(▼ 6)
9	Scentist	VIXX	(▲ 17)
10	Shine	Pentagon	(▲ 11)
11	OMG	HALO	(▲ 41)
12	Go Away	Junhyung (HIGHLIGHT)	(▲ 7)
13	Snapshot	IN2IT	(▲ 7)
14	Jealousy	Monsta X	(▲ 11)
15	Angel	IZ	(▼ 6)
16	That Day	Lovelyz	(▼ 10)
17	Sense	UNB	(▲ 17)
18	Tulips	Snuper	(▼ 17)
19	Touch It	Cross Gene	(▼ 15)
20	Call My Name	JBJ	(▲ 9)
21	Bonnie & Clyde	24K	(new)
22	Love It Like It	YDPP	(▼ 8)
23	Time Of Sorrow	VICTON	(new)
24	Lady	EXID	(▲ 3)
25	Selfish	Moonbyul (Mamamoo) & Seulgi (Red Velvet)	(new)
26	Blooming Day	EXO-CBX	(▼ 9)
27	Only One	UNB	(▲ 11)
28	District 9	Stray Kids	(▲ 21)
29	Seoul Night	Teen Top	(▼ 22)
30	Giddy Up	The Boyz	(▼ 25)

Songs leaving the chart this week are:

Jealousy – Monsta X
District 9 – Stray Kids
The Chance Of Love – TVXQ
All Eyes On Me – Hoya
One – Samuel ft. Jung Ilhoon (BTOB)

Thank you once again and I hope to see you all next week!

[Review] Chain – NCT 127

May 26, 2018Posted in JPOP, ReviewsTagged NCT, NCT127Leave a comment

NCT recently wrapped up their album promotions in Korea, which involved all members from the 3 NCT subunits (NCT 127, NCT U & NCT Dream). But the members of NCT 127 are not on a break yet, with their return to the Japanese music scene with their first single, Chain. The album officially dropped during the week (May 23rd) but the music video has been available online since the start of the month, so it is about time I got around to reviewing it.

If I had written a review for this song when it was first uploaded on YouTube (May 8th), it would have had the comments ‘very messy’ and ‘not that great’ written all over it. But with a lot of replays and time to take in this ‘mess’, it is a decent track that fits in well with NCT 127’s past work in Korea. That being said, it still isn’t the greatest song, mainly because you still have to work your way through its metallic clanging to get to the good stuff. The raps were decent and the vocal work was quite good. When the drop kicked in, I thought the high pitch screeching was extremely fitting for their rap-heavy track. The only issue that I have is the metal clanging, which is really in-your-face throughout the song and I wished they toned it down. The moments where they did stop the clanging gave the song some relief and allowed me to have a better grasp of the song. I like how they did keep their roots for their Japanese song, which is something you don’t really see all too often.

The music video for this release showed off a different persona that we don’t really see often in their Korean promotions. From what I can see, the video taps into their masculinity and dominant side. It definitely fits in with the intensity and fierceness of the song. And because fangirls don’t find anything sexier than a bunch of men posing with tools (I guess). Maybe this is my science mindset kicking in but there were moments that I wasn’t sure about the safety of the members. Don’t think holding a saw or a drill up close to your safe is considered safe in the manual. But overall, I thought it was a good video for the song.

The performance was surprisingly good. At first glance, the moves seemed rather slow. But watching it a few times, I thought the choreography did a good job at contrasting with the tempo and intensity of the video. There were some slow movements (more of the sexy slow though), while still balancing out with some fast moves.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.5/10

[Double Review] Travel + Starlight – BOL4

May 26, 2018May 26, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged BOL4, Bolbbalgan4Leave a comment

I haven’t reviewed BOL4 (or Bolbbalgan4) before, despite them being chart-topping artists in the past two years. With the release of their latest mini-album, Red Diary Page. 2, I thought it would be nice to finally talk about them on this site. This review will focus on Travel, which is one of the title tracks (the other being Wind, with no music video yet), and Starlight, which is a side-track (which has a music video, hence its inclusion in the review).

Travel is your Summer time song that talks about taking a break and going on a vacation. Something I would like to have right now. It is a fun and bright song that really makes Jiyoung’s nasal vocals pop out. The song was extremely catchy with its catchy hook and you can genuinely feel the happiness in her vocals. The instrumental was extremely nice and I thought the guitar worked incredibly well with the rest of the song. Travel is one awesome song that I have been playing on repeat since its release and I have no plans on stopping.

Starlight takes on more of a ballad sound compared to Travel or any of their previous title tracks. It is quite breathtaking with the instrumental flowing around the vocals and the nasal vocals leaves you in awe. It is so good that I can’t really find anything that I dislike about it. I think there was a mix of electric and acoustic guitar in the song, which went extremely well with the orchestral and piano based instrumentals. Like Travel, the song has been on repeat since its release. And both songs are so good that I cannot choose an absolute favourite.

Each music video does an amazing job at compliment the song. As stated previously, Travel was a fun and bright song. And the video focused squarely on those two elements portraying a fun travel adventure where the duo seem to be carefree and having the time of their life, while the colours popped to make it such a bright video. Starlight, like the song, allows you to take in some of the views of where they took their holiday (I assume). Majority of the video was focused on the duo but I must admit, it is shot beautifully. The ending when the sky changes to the night sky (via post-production editing) was really nice. What puts the icing on the cake for me in this video is how perfect the wind is. Fake or not, it was done well and to reasonable proportions (and not over the top).

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

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

[Review] Bonnie & Clyde – 24K

May 26, 2018May 26, 2018Posted in KPOP, ReviewsTagged 24KLeave a comment

24K is making their first comeback in a very long time with their 4th mini-album and the title track, both titled as Bonnie & Clyde. This is their first comeback since the release of Only One last year. Once again, there were lineup changes with the addition of Kiyong. Kisu is currently on hiatus due to military enlistment, while Hui and Daeil left the group at the end of 2017.

Bonnie & Clyde takes a step back into familiar terrain with the use of heavy synths and the song falling nicely into the dubstep genre of music. At first glance, the song does seem overloaded with the instrumental and it does become a little hard to hear the individual members. They do lower the intensity when it comes to the vocalists, which was pretty good. But I felt the rappers got the short end of the stick when it comes to the instrumental. Pretty much, they had to put more force into their voices in order to be heard. There is this catchy effect, which pretty makes me hang around for some more. For those who don’t know, Bonnie & Clyde is an infamous criminal couple in American history, whom people associate to bank robberies. The song does a good job of portraying the dangerous love life the couple had through its lyrics. The intensity of the song does a pretty good job of complimenting this as well. I thought the song was decent and ended up being quite listenable when you overlook the heaviness.

While Bonnie & Clyde was known to approach banks as part of their dangerous lifestyle, a bank robbery portrayed in the video wouldn’t really go hand-in-hand with the music style. So the option for the more modern racing scene was definitely the perfect arena for a song like this yet still keeping that dangerous lifestyle in check. Also matching the song style was the flashy nature of the video, which I usually would not really enjoy. However, it works perfectly with the song. I am a little confused with the addition of the female model. Yes, she was hot. But her interaction with the members doesn’t really add anything to the video, which is why I am slightly confused. But other than that, it was a good video.

The performance does a really good job of fitting into the intensity levels. I did expect something a little more in that short instrumental sequence just prior to the end of the song. But it was still decent to watch.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Album Review] Love Yourself: Tear (3rd Studio Album) – BTS

May 25, 2018May 25, 2018Posted in Album Reviews, KPOPTagged BTS1 Comment

Apologies for the delayed release of this album review. I just had some last minute things to focus on. Here is the long review for BTS’s latest album, Love Yourself: Tear. They had their comeback stage at the Billboard Music Awards this past Sunday and officially kicked off their promotions in South Korea last night. So with no further delays, here is my review!

bts-loveyourselftear-2 — *Love Yourself: Tear* Album Cover

1. Intro: Singularity (V Solo) – Opening the album is an R&B track with a really ‘smooth’ instrumental that does a really good job of reeling you into the song. While this is the case, the song is a tad too slow for my liking. But as it features only V, it allows him to stand out. His vocals are extremely husky here and it sounds awesome when it is on a blank canvas, like this minimalistic instrumental. (8/10)

2. Fake Love (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Fake Love. (9/10)

3. The Truth Untold (전하지 못한 진심) (ft. Steve Aoki) – The group previously collaborated with Steve Aoki for Mic Drop last year, so it was quite surprising to see another collaboration between the two. This around, however, the focus is on the vocal line, who put out a really beautiful ballad. Their vocals alone just amaze me. I loved how it climaxes at the bridge by bringing some percussion into the mix. And the ending was just perfect, giving the song the perfect ending. (10/10)

4. 134340 (Pluto) – The song manages to becomes its own thing by the inclusion of the flute in the instrumental. You don’t really hear them all too often in KPOP, so it definitely has this fresh feel. The song ended up having this jazzy or coffee shop vibe, which I thought was rather cool. I like how the vocals pushed the boundaries of the song, particularly the chorus and how the rapping sat so well within the boundaries. (10/10)

5. Paradise (낙원) – Unfortunately, Paradise didn’t really appeal to my taste, mainly because it became rather repetitive towards the end. The song had thumping from the very start, which I thought gave the song a strong foundation. I think I am going to side with the raps in this song, rather than the vocals. Don’t get me wrong, the vocals were fantastic but the raps felt like they had more edge. I did like the end where everyone was singing together though. (8/10)

6. Love Maze – Once again, the song features great vocals and rap sequences where the emotions that the members put in were easily felt. The harmonies during the chorus were quite nice. But I wasn’t too drawn to the song as it felt quite ‘simple’. The song doesn’t really scream excitement and the instrumental felt plain than anything else. It was a decent song, just not the best. (7.5/10)

7. Magic Shop – As I hear more songs that mixes amazing vocals with EDM or electronic based music, I am definitely falling harder for them. Magic Shop definitely throws in amazing vocals and raps, similar to what we would get from a ballad from the group. But with the addition of a great drop and EDM-based, it just gives the song a boost of life. The song wasn’t exactly catchy but it was breathtaking. The only other thing that I wasn’t keen on were the raps. (9/10)

8. Airplane Pt 2 – This song features a Latin-based sound, which seems to be a growing trend within the industry. In this song, the members take you to a trip around the world with their lyrics. The raps did a good job at keeping the song feel so linear. They also added some roughness through the huskiness of the rapper’s voices. The vocals were nice. But I wasn’t really drawn towards the song. (7/10)

9. Anpanman – Anpanman is a Japanese cartoon superhero character, which I assume would be famous throughout Asia. The song falls onto the hip-hop side of the group, however, there was this enjoyable yet fun element to its sound, which made it memorable for me. Not particularly a fan of the vocals of the song, which were drawn out or adjusted to be deep. The rapping and bridge, on the other hand, were great points throughout the song. (7.5/10)

10. So What – Despite it featuring a heavy beat and a house genre instrumental, the song was quite easy on the ears. The song was exceptionally groovy and had a burst of energy from the chorus. It is one of the songs that I would consider to be actual ‘hype songs’ and can easily be slipped into a playlist at a party. Really liked RM’s opening line to the rap. Overall, it was one great song. (9/10)

11. Outro: Tears – The song focuses on the rapper line. Like how movies tend to end on cliff-hangers, this song is probably the equivalent of that. The song basically keeps you on edge the entire time and despite it closing up very nicely, it does make you want the next album release instantly. It also shows off the rappers and their potential once again. The instrumental was a lot darker in comparison to rest of the album. The only section I am not into is Suga’s autotuned rap but it was one damn good outro song. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.5/10