From what I can tell, there aren’t that many groups making their comeback this week due to the Chuseok (Mid-Autumn Festival) However, this does not mean I get to take the week off. I henceforth declare this week as ROOKIE WEEK. I will be posting at least one review for a different rookie group each day, so keep your eyes opened!

Next up on ROOKIE WEEK is NEONPUNCH. This is a new girl group who is under A100 Entertainment. They are a 5 member group consisting of Daeyeon, Terry, Baekah (participated in MIXNINE), May and IAAN. The group debuted on the 26th of June, which was 3 months back, with Moonlight.  I had initially planned to review them closer to their debut date but unfortunately had to cut them from the agenda due to time constraints.

Moonlight started with some soft instrumentals and vocals, which made it feel like it was taking a mature route, something newly debut girl groups don’t tend to attempt. However, an unexpected and quick buildup to the song’s chorus allowed the song to showcase a brighter and more energetic sound. The song did feel slightly constrictive, with their vocals not going through much of a change throughout. But vocally, the track was quite nice. I thought the brass during the hook was really nice, adding that extra energy pack to the song. I like the transition between the second chorus and the slightly slowed bridge. I felt the rap could have come sooner, which would have made the song a little less repetitive. But other than that, it was a fun debut song.

Like yesterday’s review, the music video showcases the members by ‘presenting’ them to the viewers. There were a lot of close-ups throughout the video but I like how the video wasn’t just all of that. There was a lot of focus on other things that attempted to drive the music video. They don’t add up to much but the cinematography was pretty good in those scenes. I was slightly distracted by the blockage caused by the fence and the chandelier. I know they were meant to be artistic shots but they stole what really should have been a clear shot of the members instead.

For a rookie group, singing live is definitely a major plus. They do sound a little nervous throughout some of the stages that I have watched but they have been improving each time. I did think their choreography was a little weak and awkward looking. It didn’t feel like it went well with the song.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10