Year: 2018

[Review] District 9 – Stray Kids

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This week, JYP Entertainment has welcomed a brand new male group to their line-up, joining 2PM, GOT7 and DAY6. Stray Kids is a 9-member male group was formed from the reality show, Stray Kids. They released Hellevator in October last year a promotional track for the show. In January, the group released a pre-debut album titled Mixtape. Now, the boy group is back with their official debut mini-album, titled as I Am Not and the title track, District 9.

There are no surprises with the way the song turned out for me. If Hellevator and their Mixtape mini-album indicated anything, the group would be putting out a hip-hop/EDM styled song for their debut. District 9 is exactly that and it is quite intense from the very first second. The song seems to refocus on the rappers, with the majority of the song being quite rap-dominate (given how the verses, bridge and some parts of the chorus were raps). The chorus does provide some variety with the vocalists given their chance to shine in the rap-dominated song. What I noticed with this song is that there didn’t seem to be a buildup to the chorus. Instead, we were thrown into the chorus straight after the raps finished up for that part. I am not disappointed with this, however, because it felt flawless and amazing. I am personally not a big fan of the hip-hop side of KPOP but this song, combined with its dance elements, gives this group a huge advantage in the industry at the moment. It is an amazing debut song.

And this huge advantage might already be paying off. Stray Kids have become the group with the highest amount of views within 24 hours of debut. On top of that, they have accumulated more than 11 and a half million views within a span of 3 days. That is amazing, considering they just debuted 3 days ago. The music video shows the members being trapped inside a futuristic prison (that seems to be hidden from the public, like Area 51). The members seem to realize this and find a way out of the prison by crashing through the unseeable barrier and the real world (or what they dub as District 9). Kind of like how it alludes to their debut. It is a great video to watch, pairing well with the intensity of the song. The cinematography is amazing and you can tell the budget is well used with this music video.

The post-chorus sequence was really well done. The performance also went well with the song. They managed to be in sync all throughout the performance, particularly amazing me for the chorus. Their stage presence is quite large and if anything can come out of this performance is that these guys aren’t afraid to give some of the other groups a little competition when it comes to dancing.

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

 

[Review] The Chance Of Love – TVXQ

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It has been a while since we have seen the legendary duo, TVXQ, but as of today, they are officially back!  Their last comeback was in 2015 when they released solo singles as part of their 8th full-length album (Champagne and Rise As One). The Chance of Love, the title track off their 9th full-length album (titled as New Chapter #1: The Chance Of Love), is also their first comeback as a duo since leaving the military last year. They did release solo SM Station tracks (Drop and In A Different Life) last year as well.

The first thing that attracts my attention to the song is the really fun sounding instrumental. It is described as a dance track with swing jazz elements throughout it. It isn’t something you get to hear often, so it is quite unique. On top of that, it reminds me of some Europen songs that used to be extremely popular back in the day. With all TVXQ comebacks, there is solid vocal work in this song. Not once did it feel awkward or out-of-place. I particularly like the ‘Eh, Hey Hey‘ at the start of each verse. Don’t know why but it felt like a perfect opener to each of the verses and it also provides a little something fun to the song. The chorus also features a nice melodic hook which is bound to get me singing along if I continue listening to the song.  Honestly, the song ticks all the boxes to make it a perfect song for me. It’s a perfect comeback track to my ears.

The music video is also nicely done. I like it how SM has actually done away with the boxes and have branched out into new sets and scenery. While this music video is still recorded in a studio, everything feels fitting for the ‘Kings of KPOP’. The sets all look classy and elegant. The same words can also be used to describe the guys as well. My comments for this section might be short but do check out this awesome video.

From what I can see in the music video, the performance is going to be extremely fun. Going back to the roots of the song, it is fitting. What more can you ask for? I’ll return, though, with extra comments once I see a live performance.

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

 

 

[Review] Jealousy – Monsta X

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Monsta X has made their return with Jealousy, the title track on their sixth-mini album, The Connect. This is their first comeback after Dramarama, which also earned them their first win on the weekly KPOP music programs.

Opening up with the ‘ye-ye-ye‘ hook was probably one of my most favourite parts of the song. And that manages to introduce into what seems to be a great song. It isn’t as hard-hitting as their previous title tracks but Jealousy works pretty well as a Monsta X. It remains within their domain but it manages to stay different. The song features a trap-based instrumental with pop elements appearing throughout. There is a large focus on the vocals, split between Kihyun, Shownu and Wonho, who all sound spectacular. Kihyun probably shined the brightest in the entire song, based on the ‘A Little Jealousy‘ opener to the chorus, which also was extremely smooth. While we are also focusing on the chorus, I think this has to be one of their best yet. It was jammed packed and I enjoyed the energy that came from that part. I also really like the ‘Jealousy, baby, Jealousy‘ whisper at the end of the first and final choruses, though I do think the section at the end of the first chorus (just before Jooheon’s rap) ended a little too prematurely. The rappers also did a wonderful job with the song, with their parts, per usual, adding that extra intensity that the song needed.

I may write a lot of reviews but I have yet to understand the connection between ‘connected’ music videos. The Connect : D is the pre-release music film for this comeback, so it is clear Jealousy is somehow connected this pre-release video. If you know how these videos are connected, feel free to comment below. I managed to find a video (which I will link in the comments below) that theorises about the sequence of events in the pre-release video but have yet to find anything about the music video. Anyway, about the Jealousy video, I thought it rather cool. They managed to bring out this edgy vibe in the video through their visuals and the setting, which I thought was relatively cool. Each of the members looked awesome (Kihyun just stands out for me). I enjoyed the camera work, which started off fixed and very smooth but by the end of the video is got hectic and shaky, which also worked well with the song.

There are two parts of the choreography which I really liked. The chorus was awesome, with that scarecrow move being my absolute favourite. The second part would have to be the bridge (when Shownu and Kihyun are singing). That I don’t think I have seen before. But being something quite simple made it look awesome.

monstax_jealousy.gif

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 8.7/10

[Album Review] 0+1=1 (I Promise You) (2nd Mini Album) – Wanna One

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Wanna One is the latest group to make their comeback in the past week. They completely took over the latter half of 2017 with their comebacks and it is expected, with their fan following, to do extremely well this year as well. Their second mini-album consists of Boomerang, two versions of the pre-release track (I.P.U) and 4 other songs. So let’s get going with Wanna One’s album review!

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0+1=1 (I Promise You) Album Cover

1..Gold – There was an epic and grand feel to this track. It isn’t the most amazing track out there but it was a nice opener to the album. The EDM (and rolling drum beat) instrumental was awesome. The vocals were quite smooth, while the rappers were also quite nice. The song had a nice melodic hook that was enjoyable and pleasing to listen to. (8/10)

2. I.P.U (I Promise You) (약속해요) (Pre-Release Track) – Click here to read the full review for I.P.U. (8.4/10)

3. Boomerang (부메랑) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Boomerang. (7.1/10)

4. We Are – This seems to be the weakest track on the entire album. It has potential to be an awesome track. However, some aspects do hold it back. The drop could have been more epic. Everything in the EDM instrumental works, just the drops just didn’t feel special or mind-blowing. Rather disappointing, if you don’t mind me being blunt. The vocals and raps each add a different texture but it all cohesive. Finally, the final moments of the song just feel like an unnecessary extension of the song. It draws it out longer, which doesn’t make much sense. (6/10)

5. Look (보여) – Just with one listen to the track, I want to see this being promoted alongside the title track (or even replacing the title track). The instrumental to this track is particularly attention-grabbing and epic. When the song first started, I thought the song went with a jazzy style but I was caught off guard with the EDM elements that emerged later on. I also liked the launch into the final chorus and the choppy effect at the very end of the song. (9/10)

6. Your Name (너의 이름을) – Your Name is a ballad on the album. It has a nice melody and the vocals were quite heartfelt. The rappers also contributed by ensuring the song wasn’t boring or too repetitive. I really like the orchestral-like instrumental and everyone knows I am a sucker for violins. I liked how all the members sung together in the final chorus. (8/10)

7. I.P.U (약속해요) (Confession Version) – Different versions of the same song make you feel different emotions. I.P.U‘s original version (see track 2) is EDM based, while this version is more ballad-like. And it is clear that the song works both ways. In a way, the song sounds very emotional and extremely heartfelt. The vocalists shine with the ballad style, while the rappers (with some tweaking) managed to work well despite the limited scope of the instrumental. Some reshuffling and parts were removed but everything worked. Overall, it was a nice closer to the album. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.9/10

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0+1=1 (I Promise You) Teaser Image

[Weekly Chart] 3rd Week of March 2018

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Welcome to back to this week’s Weekly Chart post for the 3rd Week of March 2018. It was a relatively quiet week in KPOP with only a few comebacks including Wanna One and Yong Junhyung (from HIGHLIGHT). Making their debut this week was BSS (from SEVENTEEN) and Honey Popcorn.

Just a heads up that you will see I won’t be posting a lot in the coming days. I have my mid-semester tests throughout the first 3 days of the week so I will be dedicating my time to that. I will return once I finish up. I should be able to sneak in one or two reviews but that is dependant on how I use my time.

To quickly summarise the new top 5 of the charts, there was a switcheroo between last week’s 1st and 2nd place. GOT7 and Mamamoo switched positions, placing GOT7 on the top of the charts. UP10TION takes the 3rd position with Candyland. BSS tells you to Just Do It from the 4th position, while CLC rises back to the top 5 with Black Dress to take out the 5th position.

For more the charts, scroll down (as usual). Really need a new idea for this section.

18th Mar – 24th Mar 2018
Title Artist Status
1 Look GOT7 (▲ 1)
2 Starry Night Mamamoo (▼ 1)
3 Candyland UP10TION (▲ 4)
4 Just Do It BSS (SEVENTEEN) (new)
5 Black Dress CLC (▲ 7)
6 Touch NCT 127 (▼ 1)
7 I.P.U Wanna One (▼ 4)
8 Boomerang Wanna One (new)
9 The Blue Bird April (▲ 1)
10 Dinner Suho (EXO) & Jang Jane (▲ 4)
11 Dreams Come True WJSN (Cosmic Girls) (▼ 7)
12 Thanks Seventeen (▼ 6)
13 Bad Boy Red Velvet (▲ 35)
14 One Shot Two Shot BoA (▲ 21)
15 Only Then Roy Kim (▲ 38)
16 Bibidi Babidi Boo Honey Popcorn (new)
17 Rubber Band iKON (▲ 15)
18 One & Only You GOT7 ft. Hyolyn (▼ 1)
19 Baby It’s U Jung Sewoon (▲ 10)
20 Love Scenario iKON (▼ 2)
21 The Boots Gugudan (▲ 15)
22 Mamma Mia SF9 (▼ 3)
23 Flower Road Big Bang (▲ 30)
24 Gorgeous VAV (▲ 6)
25 Angel Hoya (▲ 8)
26 True Love Kim Sung Kyu (Infinite) (▼ 10)
27 Spotlight VAV (=)
28 Boss NCT U (▼ 19)
29 She’s Gone Jung Ilhoon (BTOB) (▼ 9)
30 Spotlight X:TIME (▲ 21)

Songs leaving the chart this week and will not be appearing on the charts staring next week are:

  • Neverland – Holland
  • Shinin’ – Kim Jonghyun (SHINee)
  • Turn It Up – Rainz
  • Awake – Target
  • In Love With Someone Else – Suzy
  • Baby It’s You – Jung Sewoon
  • To Heart – Fromis_9
  • Days Without You – Davichi
  • Love Scenario – iKON

So that is all for this week. Hope to you see you next week (which will be Easter!).

[Album Review] Eyes On You (8th Mini Album) – GOT7

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GOT7 has made their return with their latest mini-album, Eyes On You. The release features Look as their title track, their collaboration single with Hyolyn and another 4 songs. This particular album seems to focus more on the vocalists of the groups, as they stand out more (and are mentioned throughout the entire review constantly). So here are my thoughts on the songs of the Eyes On You mini-album.

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Eyes On You Album Cover

1..One And Only You (너하나만) (ft. Hyolyn) (Pre-Release Track) – Unfortunately, I never got around to reviewing this pre-release track, mainly because only a short video was released for it. So, this is my chance to say that this another great track. The song has this deep autotuned vocal lines that are scattered throughout the song, which I really liked. In a way, it makes the song a little more non-traditional. There is also this energetic and bright energy, which makes it a great opener to the album. The vocals are really nice, particularly when Hyolyn and GOT7’s vocal line sing together during the chorus. (8/10)  

2. Look (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Look. (7.7/10)

3. The Reason – The Reason is another song that highlights the vocal ability of GOT7. It starts off with a soft sound but builds up instantly to the chorus. The song has an epic pop drop, which contrasts nicely with the soft preceding sound. Likewise, the rappers also were quite soft in their delivery but this fitted perfectly into the song. As a whole, the song is awesome and is a track that I won’t mind coming back for more. (9/10)

4. Hesitating (망설이다) – This particular song is another soft song, which resembles ballad with a more upbeat instrumental than usual. Both vocalists and rappers sounded good but it wasn’t that captivating as the other songs on the album. In fact, I think this is the most passable track of the entire album. Mainly due to the fact it is bland and not that memorable. (6/10)

5. Us (우리) – Once again, the vocalists are at the forefront of the song, particularly in the verses. And they hold their ground pretty well. But the rappers are the true winners in the track, despite being hidden away and receiving smaller parts in the song. All three rappers just sounded so smooth in the song. The song also had a nice melody and was also catchy without the energy that you would associate with a catchy song. (8/10)

6. Thank You (고마워) – The usually say the quiet people are the people we need to watch for. It might also apply to songs, which this one is a good example. What we have is a beautiful R&B track to end the mini-album. Per usual, the vocalists sound amazing. The rappers don’t get really get their chance to shine, mainly due to their limited sections. However, Mark manages to deliver a punch during his part. I love the background humming in the song, which seemed to get me swaying along to the music. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 7.8/10

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Eyes On You Teaser Image

[Review] Bibidi Babidi Boo – Honey Popcorn

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It isn’t uncommon to hear of a KPOP consisting of one or two foreign members. However, it is rare to find a group where all the members are from countries other than South Korea. Honey Popcorn is a brand new group who fall into this category. But they aren’t getting attention for that. It is rather that the members are all part of the Japanese Adult Video industry. The reception for the group is mixed amongst the community. The three girls are also former members of Japanese girl groups. But we are here to listen to their song and watch their music video, so let’s do just that.

Once again, we are faced with a similar title of Berry Good’s song from last year. And my comments still stand in regards to the title. It is a mouthful to say. But despite that, the song is actually quite nice to listen to. It isn’t the strongest track out of the bunch but its cutesy sound is bearable. The members have nice vocals as well, not once did they disappoint throughout the song. I like the song’s instrumental in the chorus, which seems to be my most favourite part of the entire track. But while I praise them, the song does feel repetitive. By the end of the song, it does get bland. Repetitive listens in a row won’t do this song justice but rather listening to it once in a while would have the most impact. Furthermore, the song doesn’t just seem to have that energy that would have made the track more exciting and interesting. Rather, it stays monotone. But overall, it is a decent track to listen to.

Given the background of the members, I was honestly expecting something other than a cutesy song. So I wasn’t expecting another cutesy video. And it isn’t that bad. The visuals were nice and it feels like an actual KPOP video. Knowing that they were from Japanese, I was expecting some JPOP flare in the music video but they didn’t seem that prominent. I also love the colours of the sets, which made the video feel brighter. The downside to the video is that is boring on the content-front.

Their dance performance was okay. Fitting for the song but there wasn’t anything that special about it.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 5/10
Overall Rating – 6.4/10

 

[Review] Just Do It – BSS (SEVENTEEN)

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SEVENTEEN is keeping the momentum going for 2018 with another special subunit debut. BSS or Boo-Seok-Soon is made up of three members, and judging by their subunit name, you could guess is it made up of Seungkwan, DK and Hoshi. It is expected that with the three funny characters of SEVENTEEN in one subunit, there must be ‘fun’ written all over this single.

And if you too expected that, then the trio delivers with Just Do It. The song has this fun vibe to it, which makes it enjoyable to listen. Listening to the song, you just can’t help but smile, even if you don’t understand a single word that is coming out of their mouths. It just has that cheerful element that is extremely hard to not notice. Certain moments reminded me of EXO-CBX’s Hey Mama, which also had a similar level of fun to it. The song itself is super duper catchy with my feet just tapping along to it as I listen. The instrumental is rather standard, with pop vibes and electric guitars supplying some details to the song.  DK and Seungkwan, who are in the vocal unit of SEVENTEEN, do put on a display of their vocals and the smoothness that they deliver really suits the song. Interestingly,  Hoshi and Seungkwan share the rapping load in this song. Hoshi was expected but Seungkwan was rather unexpected (but he can definitely rap). Overall, the song was awesome to listen and something I would love to play again and again when I am in a good mood.

We don’t actually have a music video for this song. Instead, we are treated to a live performance (but the audio is studio recorded for the video) of the trio performing on stage at their recent official fan-meeting. I am a tiny bit disappointed because I was expecting a proper music video. So I am going to just review the performance here. I think it was awesome. While it doesn’t have flashy moves or crazy stunts, they manage to get the performance to do its intended job, be fun. Acting like the cool dude on the street that is always combing his hair and the running on the spot aren’t your everyday moves. But it is simple and seems like something that could catch on.

Song – 10/10
Music Video & Performance (because they are together) – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9.6/10

 

[Review] Boomerang – Wanna One

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2017’s ‘monster rookie’ has made their first official comeback this year. Boomerang is the title track off their latest mini-album, 0+1=1 (I Promise You). Gearing up for this comeback, Wanna One dropped their pre-release single, I Promise You, two weeks ago.

Boomerang, at this very stage, is a decent track. It isn’t a mindblowing track, mainly because its chorus seems to be a little weak for my tastes. It could have been more captivating by having a more powerful and intense EDM hook (more bass?). The lines that make up the chorus could have been a whole lot better, particularly how they don’t seem to connect with the music whatsoever. While the rappers and vocalists all sounded awesome, each section for each person felt ridiculously short and it just suddenly jumps to the next person. To an extent, the different parts do seem cohesive together but it is borderline at best. The ‘Wing Wing Wing Boomerang‘ (despite how odd it sounds as words) before each chorus were a nice killer part as well. The pre-choruses also had a nice buildup, while the bridge was probably my most favourite part of the entire song. Overall, it is a little underwhelming at this very moment. However, who knows how a few more listens might drastically change these comments!

I am totally liking the black and gold palette that they went for in this video. It looked really cool. On top of that, I liked the individual sets as they too had this cool feeling to them. The camera angles/work went well with the song’s energetic and upbeat style. There wasn’t one moment that looked odd, so it was a really good video to watch. It would have been more interesting to see more of the members dodge the arrows that Daniel was trying to dodge. That alone would have made an awesome video to watch.

The main move at ‘Wing Wing Wing Boomerang‘ was definitely quite cool. The choreography during the chorus could have worked better if they were packed together. On stage, they just all seemed separated. I am sure that the aesthetics of the performance could have improved if that was the case but I guess safety first. Everything else looked good.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.1/10

 

[Album Review] Yellow Flower (6th Mini Album) – Mamamoo

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Mamamoo recently made their comeback with Yellow Flower, their 6th mini-album. It is definitely amazing to see how far the girls have come since their debut days and how they managed to rise to the top of the industry. The mini-album consists of Starry Night, Star Wind Flower Sun and Paint Me (which I have all previously reviewed and linked below). On top of that, there are another 3 different songs on the release. There is also an intro track and like normal, that is not included in the review.

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Yellow Flower Album Cover

2..Star Wind Flower Sun (별 바람 꽃 태양) – Click here for the full review for Star Wind Flower Sun. (9/10)

3. Starry Night (별이 빛나는 밤) (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Starry Night. (7.2/10)

4. Be Calm (덤덤해지네) (Hwasa Solo) – We all know that the Mamamoo members are all talented with their vocals. We have yet to see Hwasa shine on a solo front yet and Be Calm finally gives her the chance. While her husky vocals do this song justice, I just think this song wasn’t that captivating enough. There were some good parts that made this track still good. Firstly, her vocals. Secondly, the electric guitar and drum instrumental. Thirdly, it makes me want to sway along. And fourthly, it is a relaxing track. (7/10)

5. Rude Boy – Rude Boy is a very catchy song. The first verse just seemed to pass along and I didn’t really care for it. But the chorus brought my attention back to the song. It has an awesome hook and I thought it was cool. From then on, I liked all the other parts of the track. The song had a body roll type of instrumental. Moonbyul’s raps were also amazing. That pause, however, felt too sudden for my liking but the launch back into the final chorus was awesome enough to forget that issue. (9/10)

6. Spring Fever (봄타)  – I can’t help always point out that all members are singing in the song. I don’t know why but it just happens to be the first thing I notice. The vocals aren’t that breathtaking like in Paint Me, however, it still compliments well with the acoustic sound of the song. Harmonies are also spectacular. Oddly (and this will be hard to explain), the acoustic sounds managed to make me feel like I was listening to some dance music. Finally, I didn’t expect the song to have a rap but it ended up being quite fitting. (10/10)

7. Paint Me (칠해줘) – Click here for the full review for Paint Me. (10/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.7/10

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Yellow Flower Teaser Image

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[Weekly Chart] Week 2 of March 2018

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Welcome back this week’s chart post and to the end of the second week of March 2018. It is going to be a very quick post today. A number of comebacks occurred this week including GOT7, UP10TION, NCT127, APRIL, Suho & Jang Jane.

Let’s have a quick summary of the Top 5 for this week! Mamamoo’s Starry Night took out this week’s number 1 spot. GOT7’s latest comeback, Look, managed to book out the second position, while Wanna One’s I Promise You rose to the third position. Last week’s number 1 song, Dreams Come True by WJSN dropped down to the fourth position, while NCT remains in the top 5 with their latest comeback, Touch, from NCT 127.

As for the rest of the charts, scroll down below.

11th Mar – 18th Mar 2018
Title Artist Status
1 Starry Night Mamamoo (▲ 3)
2 Look GOT7 (new)
3 I.P.U Wanna One (▲ 6)
4 Dreams Come True WJSN (Cosmic Girls) (▼ 3)
5 Touch NCT 127 (new)
6 Thanks Seventeen (▲ 1)
7 Candyland UP10TION (new)
8 Baby Don’t Stop NCT U (▼ 6)
9 Boss NCT U (▼ 6)
10 The Blue Bird APRIL (new)
11 Do You Have A Moment? Suho (EXO) & Jang Jane (new)
12 Black Dress CLC (▼ 6)
13 Go NCT Dream (▼ 8)
14 Dinner Suho (EXO) & Jang Jane (new)
15 Heroine Sunmi (▼ 7)
16 True Love Kim Sung Kyu (Infinite) (▼ 5)
17 One & Only You GOT7 ft. Hyolyn (▲ 3)
18 Love Scenario iKON (▼ 2)
19 Mamma Mia SF9 (▲ 7)
20 She’s Gone Jung Ilhoon (BTOB) (▼ 7)
21 To The Sky CLC (▲ 8)
22 My Flower JBJ (▼ 10)
23 Where Am I Gone Yang Yoseob (HIGHLIGHT) (▲ 11)
24 Shinin’ Jonghyun (SHINee) (▲ 17)
25 Quit Jang Wooyoung (2PM) (▼ 4)
26 It’s U Golden Child (▼ 7)
27 Spotlight VAV (▲ 8)
28 To Heart Fromis_9 (▼ 18)
29 Baby It’s U Jung Sewoon (▼ 14)
30 Gorgeous VAV (▲ 14)

Songs that are leaving the charts this week and won’t be appearing on the charts starting next week are:

  • Timeless – NCT U
  • Quit – Wooyoung (2PM)
  • My Flower – JBJ
  • Roller Coaster – Kim Chungha
  • Heroine – Sunmi
  • Real Men – The EastLight

Hope to see you back next week on Sunday!

[Review] Angel – Hoya

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Hoya was the only member of Infinite to not resign his contract with Woolim Entertainment when all the contracts for the members were up for renewal. And hence, Hoya left the group in October 2017. Since then, we have seen various videos of him practising and this week he finally dropped his first single as a solo artist, Angel. He will be returning once again with a mini-album on the 28th of March. Until then, here are my thoughts about Angel.

Angel takes on that seductive style of R&B that we don’t see at all on the KPOP scene. Instead, it sounds like a song that you would hear from an underground artist. What makes this song stand out is the seductive nature of the song. From its sound to its lyrics, you can’t really escape the sensual vibes that come from this song. The vocal work isn’t something I have heard from Hoya at all, singing majority of the chorus in a falsetto voice. There were nice moments of contrast with the deep and hollow effect that put on his voice at certain points of the song.  It is a fair track to listen to on an occasional basis. I say that because the song is already quite dry on its own. With multiple repeats, I would get bored of it quite easily. However, with one or two listens once in a while, the song sounds nice.

Like the song, the music video doesn’t have much to it. The music video is presented in a one-shot format, which definitely works well with the performance. The choreography is only the main thing in the entire video. And you guessed it, it is rather sexy. Hoya has always been known for his dance skills and this performance isn’t something we see that often in the past (with the one or two odd solo performance on shows or at concerts). That ending was probably the peak of the entire performance, completely going off the sexy meter. But despite that, this is an artistic piece that shows off his skills. 

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video & Performance (since they are together) – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7/10

[Review] Candyland – UP10TION

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Also making their comeback this week is UP10TION. Candyland is the title track off UP10TION’s first full-length album and this comeback also marks their first comeback as a 10-member boy group, with the return of Wooshin. We last saw them on stage with Going Crazy in October 2017.

For some odd reason, when I listen to Candyland, I can’t help but feel that there is some barrier of some kind between the instrumental and the members. As if the vocals/raps were just laid on top of the instrumental and not incorporated into the song. I don’t think that is a bad thing since you can hear their vocals and rap quite clearly, but it does feel distracting. Talking about the raps and vocals, both elements of the song were quite good, particularly the chorus, which was catchy.  If this song was to be used to prove anything, it would be the solid vocal line and amazing rap line that the group can bring out. The instrumental is your typical KPOP dance piece with a funky vibe added by the trumpets used in the background. But there is something that makes the track feel underwhelming. The song has character (through the instrumental and vocals/raps) but I think it fails to deliver on impact. It just doesn’t blow me away nor does it leave an impression. But overall, it is still another great track from the group.

The music video looks quite cool. It seems to play towards a more seductive side of the group, with the solo shots coming off as that. Content-wise, there doesn’t seem to be much to it. However, I like the lighting and they used that to bolden the colours which the members were wearing. On top of that, I really like how the camera shots followed the dance move. It looked shaky but it made it feel more captivating at the same time.

The choreography for this comeback was amazing. I think it would have to be the best part of the entire comeback. The chorus, in particular, was quite cool to watch. It was intense and it went well with both the song and music video concept.

Song – 7.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10

 

 

 

[Album Review] 10 Stories (1st Studio Album) – Kim Sung Kyu (Infinite)

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Kim Sung Kyu has been one of my favourite artists in the industry for a long time. That includes his works as part of Infinite and his solo career. 2018 marked the start of a new era for Sung Kyu with the release of his first full-length album, 10 Stories. As this review is quite lengthy, I am going to get straight into it.

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10 Stories Album Cover

1..What Did I Say? (뭐랬어) (ft. Punchnello) – The album opens up with your standard ballad. It unfortunately wasn’t memorable and was the most passable track on the album. His vocals did have an echo-like effect which gave some colour to his vocals. Punchnello’s raps were heavily autotuned but was felt fitting for the song. The instrumental didn’t really have anything spectacular, which contributed to its small impression. (6/10)

2. Stay (머물러줘) – This song reminds me of his past works. I really liked the electronic keyboard in the background, which gave the song a really nice texture. His vocals were at the forefront of the song and I really liked the chorus of the song. Talking about the chorus, it had a great opener and nice rhythm. The saxophone in the bridge was a nice touch and kept the song from becoming too repetitive. In a way, the track is quite relaxing and for that, I like it a lot. (8/10)

3. True Love (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of True Love. (8.4/10)

4. Attraction (끌림) – Despite the other instrumentations, the keyboard stood out quite a bit. The chorus was quite interesting. The defining points in this song aren’t his vocals but rather the instrumental breaks throughout the song. Definitely the song’s unique charm. The slight autotune here was nice and is something that I tend to associate with Kim Sung Kyu’s solo work. There was also a faint whisper in the background for the final chorus that added something a little extra to the song. (8.5/10) 

5. Vanishing Days (지워지는 날들) – When you first hear Sung Kyu sing, you can feel the emotions that he pours into his vocals. These strong vocals are balanced well with the piano instrumental. The second verse adds violins, which you all know I am into. The vocal build-up alongside the instrumental make this song stand out even more. That extra-long pause at the end of the song did catch me off guard but it was such an epic moment because the song returned to how it started initially, just with a guitar instrumental instead. Very fitting for a sad movie. (10/10) 

6. Tall Sunrise (ft. JW of Nell) – The song opens up with Sung Kyu autotuned too much for my liking. However, I did like the “Can You Stay” lines which felt so smooth despite the heavy-handed autotune. I really like the chorus which was upbeat in comparison to the verses, yet still managing to connect well with the verses. The other negative that I wanted to make about this track was the autotune made both Sung Kyu’s and JW’s vocals so similar, it was quite hard to distinguish the different parts. (6/10)

7. Sorry – Sorry combines various synths to create the fine details for this track’s instrumental. That, the consistent hollow thumping and the vocals (which were on point all throughout) made this one of my favourites. My only complaint would be the first chorus felt too short. While not a complaint, the bridge was quite interesting, using only real instruments as opposed to the rest of the track which was synth heavy. Foreign but interesting. (10/10)

8. City of Angels (천사의 도시)– City of Angels is another song that reminds me of his past tracks. The instrumental for this track was relaxing and calming, yet I can’t pinpoint what cause this effect on me. The vocals, once again, nice, with some lines being quite melodic (such as the opener), leaving a strong impression. (9/10)

9. Sentimental – When you listen to the song, you get a hint of happiness. The instrumental did a good job conveying this to us. Vocals were also good; however, it was relatively plain when you look at the entire track. On top of that, the song did get a little repetitive due to the consistency of the vocals and instrumental. There was an added effect at the end of the track but it felt too late as an attempt to change up the song. (7/10)

10. Mirror (거울)– The album ends with a ballad. While I tend to think ending albums with ballads tend to be a weak point, this has to be an exception. His vocals are quite unique in this particular track, like no other on this album. I particularly like the push his vocals gave during the chorus. The piano only instrumental was also quite nice. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.2/10

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10 Stories Teaser Image

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[Review] Touch – NCT 127

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NCT is officially back! In the past few weeks, the 18-member male group have been releasing different singles, each focusing on one of their subunits. NCT U released Baby Don’t Stop and Boss, while NCT Dream yelled ‘Go‘ last week. This week, they mark the release of their first full-length album as an 18-member group with the release of NCT 127’s Touch.

Touch is a departure on many levels from NCT 127’s past tracks. This time around they went with a pleasant sounding and fresh appeal with their new song. Right off the bat, the song reminds me of a Summer track, with its bright atmosphere and vibrancy. Its sound is not heavy or rough, which is something I have associated with NCT 127. It is a nice track to listen to as a whole. The main focus seems to be on the vocals with the raps taking up a very small part of the track, which was another surprise. The song’s hook was amazing and definitely made the song worthwhile to listen to. For some reason, singing together during the chorus was just perfect and made the chorus my favourite part of the song. While the instrumental made the song into what it is, it could have been more striking. Instead, it did seem a little generic when I thought about it on its own. But besides that, it is a great song.

When you look at this video, you just can’t help but ask yourself: did someone swap NCT Dream and NCT 127’s concept? It is a different side to the group that we have yet seen. It takes you back a few years when KPOP wouldn’t be KPOP if a group didn’t drastically change their concept for just one comeback. Like the song, the video is also quite fresh and vibrant. I really like the use of colours and the overall aesthetics of this video make it pleasing to watch.

The song doesn’t strike me as smooth or flowy but those are the words that I would choose to describe the performance. I think that is only one half of the performance which I liked. The other half would be the happy expressions on their faces which was quite captivating for some odd reason. It was very nice. However, it just isn’t enough to top their previous dances.

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

[Review] Look – GOT7

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“Look” at who is back. GOT7 has made their comeback with their latest song, Look, which is the title track off their Eyes On You mini-album. This is GOT7’s first comeback since You Are in October last year. In preparation for this comeback, GOT7 released a pre-release single (One & Only You) last week, which featured Hyolyn (former member of Sistar).

Once again, GOT7 does a pretty good job with their latest song. At least, in my opinion. There are a few things that stand out when I listen to the track. Firstly, it is a vocally centred song, like You Are. And I really like that because we get to hear the vocalists bring out their talents. On top of that, the rappers also do an amazing job with their limited parts. Sure, I would have liked to hear a little more rapping because a rap (in this song especially) can input some hype into the song. Moving to the next highlight of the track, we have to talk about the chorus. That burst of energy when the chorus starts and the intense upbeat instrumental does wonders for the song. That drop, each time, is my most favourite part of the entire song. The chorus was quite catchy, mainly due to the instrumentation. At this moment in time, I am on the fence when it comes to the post-chorus, which seems to incorporate some hip-hop into the song. It sounds better each time I listen to it, mainly the first time around, it felt a little too unexpecting. Despite that, however, Look is definitely one to Look out for.

There were many shots throughout the video where the GOT7 members looked into the camera in a very intense way. Reading the lyrics at the bottom, it coincidently was the line ‘Keep your eyes on me’. I am not personally sure what the video is about but I have a feeling that they were the main focus despite the changing backgrounds in Youngjae’s solo shots or the sunset in JB’s parts. It did make for a cool looking video, particularly the background during the second chorus with the blue lights in the background.

Their accompanying dance moves to this song is amazing. I particularly like the footwork and hand motions during the chorus, which both incorporated intensity and smoothness at the same time. I am also looking forward to the bridge’s choreography with Jinyoung and Yugyeom. From what I can see in the video, it looks like another standout moment.

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