An unexpected release found itself in my subscription box last night. S.O.U.L (Sound of Ultra Light) is a new project group consisting of ASTRO’s Cha Eunwoo, Ahn Hyo Seop, Jang Yuan (who I believe is a trainee) and Bang Jae Min (who appeared on High School Rapper). Little else is known about this group as I don’t think there was any teasers or information in the lead up to last night. Their song is titled Get Myself With You.
And it is a pretty decent song. It has this groovy and somewhat upbeat R&B instrumentation that makes the song quite appealing. The vocals, however, cancels out the mid-tempo feel, which I am not 100% a fan of. The vocals I liked. It is just how they worked with the rest of the song didn’t feel right. As the song remained at this speed for the majority of the song, it felt repetitive and bland towards the end. Actually, the entire track felt monotone. The chorus felt just like the verses with a little bit of catchiness (but not too much). I think the best part of the song has to be the rapping. It gave the song a little bit of a changeup and altered the tempo for a few moments before reverting back to the original tempo. I didn’t like how the rapper had to wait until the very end to get a short section. I think if they included him throughout the song, it would have cut the repetitiveness and made it somewhat more appealing to me.
The music video was quite nice even though it seemed to be a commercial for that yellow drink at the end. I really liked the bright colours, which worked well with their youthful charms. The only colour which I didn’t like was the choreography scenes but they weren’t ideal. Too dark for my liking. Also, the dance looked like it was made on the day just before the camera on. It looked awkward and very stiff. The one thing that did annoy me more than anything else was that all the vocalists got their solo shot during their sections of the song. But when the rapper had his section at the end, he was not given any solo time, which felt unfair for him. Maybe for technical reasons, they couldn’t show it but either way, it was disappointing.
Song – 6/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 6.4/10
NOIR have been teasing their comeback from a few weeks now and they have finally dropped their title track, Airplane Mode. I’ll be honest, their concept and teaser images got me interested in this comeback. Airplane Mode features on the group’s first mini-album titled TOPGUN. This is their first comeback since their debut withGangsta, which occurred back in May.
Airplane Mode is one smashing song. I am totally digging the new song because it oozes intensity and it is one of those powerful tracks that really make an impact. The song started off busy, with heavy bass and a very strong beat. This continued into the first verse, which was filled with rapping. It was followed by a vocal segment, which opened up the pre-chorus, which was followed by some more rapping. What I liked about the song also is how the rappers weren’t confined to one segment. Instead, you can tell the song was made for them and their parts were scattered throughout the song, reminding you of its intensity and power. I liked how the pre-chorus built up, making the chorus sound so much more epic and there was a dramatic flare, which I enjoyed. The rest of the song does share the same structure but I just don’t see myself getting bored of it. I enjoyed the final epic ‘smash’ (the one at 2:45 of the mv), which was a great moment. It is a song I highly recommend you blast out loud if possible as you will not be disappointed with it.
Given the song’s sound, it was clear that a very dark and edgy concept was required for the video. And that is what we got exactly. There is no shortage of these two aspects, which felt extremely fitting for the song. There isn’t really a plotline to the video, with what seems to hint towards a rebellious side of the group, serving as close-up shots to the group. With that, I think they could have done something more. The video could have used a plotline to really drive the video and make it much more interesting. There isn’t much else to say besides that they nailed the video to the song.
The choreography was also intense and I quite liked it. I liked all sections of the dance and they managed to include an airplane formation at the start, which I thought was pretty cool (at first, I didn’t expect it because it felt too ‘easy’ to go with that imagery on stage – not the execution but the idea). But I was glad they proved me wrong. All were amazing!
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.7/10
iKON has already been through a very busy year and they haven’t finished just yet They have just dropped their latest title track, Goodbye Road. Multiple comebacks within the span of less than a year from a YG Entertainment group are rare if you do not know. The previous 2018 iKON comeback title tracks included Love Scenario and Killing Me. I can’t really find any information on this but I am not too sure if these releases were intended to be a trilogy but all of these songs (including Goodbye Road) featured on the New Kids series.
Goodbye Road can be described as an emotionally driven track with elements of a ballad and a dance track combined into one. It just doesn’t top the insanely epic drop that we got in Killing Me if you are going to ask me to pick favourites. The instrumentation combines an orchestra and a mid-tempo beat that allows the song to fit neatly into iKON’s iconic hip-hop portfolio. I also like how it fits in with the season of sad songs that we might have just stepped into. I like how impactful the vocals are and the rapping was toned down to be more fragile than rough and growl-like. However, there were two sections of the song that felt out of place. The first is the ‘Check it Out‘ line, which just felt like it was filling the void and out of context. The second had to be the ‘Na Na Na‘ which attempted to make it feel more cheerful than what it could ever be. But other than that, it was a nice song.
The music video had this Autumn and dull colour tone to it, which felt fitting for the song’s direction and the season. I applaud the acting from the lead actress, who alongside the group members, did a wonderful job of captivating me (and possibly the rest of the audience) with their acting abilities. They managed to summarise the heartbreak and sorrow within a few minutes without fluffing up the storyline or going overboard in any way. Thought the setting was quite nice, though I wonder why they opted to go outside for this video whereas their previous music videos stayed within the confines of a studio.
As mentioned earlier, the song has elements of a ballad (i.e. the orchestral instrumentation) but there was also a mid-tempo beat allowing for the song to be transformed into a dance track without the unnecessary synths of today’s music. From what we can see, it looks nice and fitting for the song. Definitely well-balanced.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8/10
This will be the final review for ROOKIE WEEK this time around. I know that there are many other debuts that I have missed out on and I apologise for that. When given another opportunity and I can identify multiple songs for review, I will be revisiting ROOKIE WEEK. Furthermore, I will also be doing other themed weeks in the future, so keeps your eyes peeled for that!
WeGirls is a new girl group which debuted back in August this year (exactly one month ago) with On Air. They are under Aftermoon Entertainment and consist of 8 members – E.You, YeHana, Hyeni, JungA, EunA, Ellie, HaL and Nina. However, this isn’t their initial lineup according to some online sources. A growing trend for some debuts and comebacks are that they are turning to fans for support. WeGirls were able to debut thanks to the support of their fans through MakeStar. Hopefully, this pays off and I wish the group the very best in the future. But before we step any further into the future, let’s begin the review.
I chose On Air as the final song for ROOKIE WEEK because it was rather interesting. It is one of those songs that has multiple genres/styles within it, leaving the listener (such as myself) every confused about what is. There was a pop sound that was very innocent sounding, the verses felt like they belonged to a different pop song and there was a trap-hip hop infusion prior to the innocent pop chorus. Yeah, the combination is a little ‘out-there’. However, it isn’t the most awful combination ever, so I guess that earns some brownie points. I thought the song had pleasant vocals and the rapping was rather fitting for the multiple styles. I am not too troubled by the song’s approach though I feel like the song could have been more cohesive (maybe drop the innocent chorus for something a little more traditional yet allows for connection for the trap-instrumental break?).
For a debut that had the input of fans, I thought the music video was rather nice. The quality was really high up there. I noticed that as I vetted through different debuts, the music videos tend to be low quality. WeGirls. in my opinion, had the best quality of the few that I had to select from. Each of those styles I mentioned above had their own thing going on in the video, which was all quite fitting. When cute sounds were one, they used cute images and when the edgy sound was present, they went for an edgy image. You may think that is obvious but there are many times in the past where the video was just not fitting for the song. I like the inclusion of the film crew at the end of the video, though I am not too sure why.
The choreography was nice. It went from cute to edgy in a few seconds, which I thought was rather odd at first. But I guess since I enjoyed the song, it grew on me.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7/10
Given the amazing title track, I thought I would prioritise the album review for Dream Catcher’s latest mini-album. And this is where we are today. The female group returned recently with What and Alone In The City (their 3rd mini-album since debut). The album contains a total of 6 tracks, including an introductory instrumental piece (which sounds amazing) and the instrumental for their title track. Like usual, I elected not review these two tracks but have done so for the songs in between.
3. Wonderland – Wonderland can be considered the opposite of the group’s title track. It is slow and smooth, almost like a sensual R&B song. Almost though, because their vocals don’t really fit into that image. Their vocals were good, but I am not too sure what their lead to. I thought the ‘Hush Hush Hush’ chorus was nicely done, being a key memorable section of the song. I find the rap interesting because I feel like they could have gone for an intense rap sequence. But rather, they kept to the song’s direction and made it soft and not like rapping whatsoever. Overall, the song was nice and a nice compliment to their intense title track. (8/10)
4. Trap – Jumping on board with everyone on this Trap bandwagon, I was totally interested in this song as it sounded nice during the highlight medley. But unfortunately, I think I am the only person on this planet that doesn’t feel too impressed with the track. I enjoyed the chorus on its own. However, I felt like they could have had more interesting verses and a better drop. These sections did pull down the song. Vocals were nice but the raping was underwhelming. I really did try to enjoy the song like how everyone else did but I can’t really get over this disappointment. (6/10)
5. July 7th (약속해 우리) – I think the best song on the album (apart from the album’s title track) is July 7th. It takes on a reggae sound without necessarily going down a typical route. Also, I liked how it didn’t use much, besides a simple beat that didn’t get too repetitive, surprisingly. It was a great song that showcased their vocals. I believe Dami (the rapper) had a singing moment in this song and if this is the case, I want to hear more of her voice. Simplicity is key and this song proves just that. (9/10)
Welcome back to this week’s edition of the weekly charts. I am a little busy today but will still aim to publish an album review and one more song review to complete the ROOKIE WEEK. For those who don’t know, I spent the last week reviewing a different song from a ‘newly’ debut group (i.e. LUCENTE, NATURE, VERIVERY, NEONPUNCH, ONEWE & ONEWUS) each day, so do check those reviews if you haven’t read them yet!
Topping the charts this week is Oh My Girl’s Remember Me, which was bumped down to the second position last week. GOT7’s Lullaby, which topped the charts this week dropped down to the 3rd position. WJSN (Cosmic Girls) rose to the second position this week with Save Me Save You, while Sunmi’s Siren dropped down to the fourth position. Remaining steady from last week and finishing the top 5 is Dream Catcher’s What.
With ROOKIE WEEK nearing completion, we say hello to a number of new comebacks this week including iKON, Nior, The Rose, Soyou and some others. Keep your eyes peeled for those comebacks and reviews this week!
23rd Sep – 29th Sep 2018
Title
Artist
Status
1
Remember Me
Oh My Girl
(▲1)
2
Save Me Save You
WJSN (Cosmic Girls)
(▲7)
3
Lullaby
GOT7
(▼ 2)
4
Siren
Sunmi
(▼ 1)
5
What
Dream Catcher
(=)
6
I Mean
UNI.T
(▲14)
7
IDOL
BTS
(▲19)
8
Wow Thing
Seulgi x SinB x Chungha x Soyeon
(new)
9
Hi High
LOONA
(▼ 1)
10
Last Song
ONEUS & ONEWE
(new)
11
Countless
SHINee
(▲18)
12
Your Difference
LUCENTE
(▲37)
13
Super Special
VERIVERY
(▲37)
14
Now or Never
SF9
(▼ 1)
15
Right Here
The Boyz
(▼ 1)
16
Naughty Boy
PENTAGON
(▲6)
17
Beautiful Feeling
DAY6
(▲4)
18
Mango
Hyomin
(▲1)
19
We Go Up
NCT Dream
(▼ 15)
20
Woo Woo
DIA
(▼ 13)
21
Killing Me
iKON
(▼ 6)
22
My Pace
Stray Kids
(▲3)
23
Puzzle Moon
GWSN
(▼ 13)
24
Hann
(G)I-DLE
(▼ 12)
25
Upside Down
BIGFLO
(▲ 26)
26
YaYaYa
MXM
(▼ 3)
27
Friday
LONGGUO
(▲17)
28
Lil’ Touch
SNSD-Oh!GG
(▼ 22)
29
NaNaNa
IMFACT
(▼ 11)
30
We Young
Chanyeol & Sehun (EXO)
(▲9)
Leaving the charts this week are:
Where Are You From? – Seungri (Big Bang) ft. Mino (WINNER)
We return to ROOKIE WEEK today with a release from ONEUS and ONEWE, whom are debuting as two different groups under RBW Entertainment. ONEUS is a 6-member group made up of Ravn, Seoho, Leedo, Keonhee, Hwanwoong and Xion. ONEWE is a 5-member boy band made up of Yonghoon, Harin, Kanghyun, Dongmyeong and Cya. Some of the members may look familiar as some of them partipcated in Produce 101 Season 2, The Unit and MIXNINE. A few days ago, they dropped a single together (the first release of their debut project), titled as Last Song, which I am sure will not be their last song.
I like this song for its simplicity and pleasantness. Last Song leans towards what I think we could expect from ONEWE but it could go either way as a band track or a dance track. I think the best way of describing this song is that it eases you into their sound, rather than going all out with a power dance or band track, which is a great way to give us an opportunity to learn about them and their sound. While the song is nice, it does lack some things. I would like to have heard some more powerful vocals and raps that could have given us a little taster to what is to come but what we got here goes back to that pleasant feeling. When they sing together (or at least some of the members), it showcased union and I thought was rather nice. I feel like the song could have been a little more memorable, as this is a critical factor in newly debut groups. But overall, I wouldn’t mind putting this song on every now and then and listening to it.
The music video shows that the song could have been a dance or band track. There is a small snippet of choreography, as seen through their ‘practising’ on the stage. The rest of the video shows the members road to their debut. Through busking activities and ‘flash mobs’, the group is given multiple opportunities to get their name out there and I hope it pays off. There are also some solo shots of each of the members outside, shot almost like a photoshoot and it looks like they are looking forward to the future, which fits in with their debut project. Not technically a video that I would go back to but it was fitting for the song.
Song – 7.5/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.3/10
I am going to take deviate away from ROOKIE WEEK a little more and publish a review for a brand new release. It is the next song in the Station x 0 project which boasts collaborations such as Taeyeon & Melomance,Baekhyun & Loco and Chanyeol & Sehun. But this new release, Wow Thing, probably has the most powerful female lineup any collaboration has ever had. We have Seulgi from Red Velvet, SinB from GFriend, Kim Chungha and Soyeon from (G)I-DLE coming together, so be prepared!
I really like the feel of the song and its presentation. But it is one of those songs that I can’t really gather many thoughts for. The instrumental does set the scene up for the song but it doesn’t really drive the song. Instead, the song uses vocals. Very powerful vocals to drive the song forward and deliver us a very strong track. When they sing together for the chorus, I thought the atmosphere was amazing and very attitude-heavy. Before we go any further, let’s us to take a moment to appreciate Kim Chungha’s vocal abilities. Like how come I don’t know of this? Her solo work doesn’t let her vocals shine, as compared to this song. Soyeon’s rap was also equally as powerful. The is quite catchy and memorable for a number of reasons, some of which I have specified above.
The music video is your standard music video. Nothing too special about it. All four members are present for this collaboration music video, which I guess is a plus. I feel like they could have made this louder if I was int he director chair. I think that would have been more interesting and fun. Though I would have to keep it from going overboard, in order to fit the message of the song, which is about making a strong and confident first impression. The music video did feature some choreography during the chorus and bridge. All looked good and I felt like the attitude was channelled well through their dancing.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 7/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
It is time for an album review! GOT7 recently returned with their chart-topping 3rd full-length album, Present: You and the title track, Lullaby. The album consists of 15 songs, which include 4 versions of the title track and 7 solo tracks. I will not be reviewing all four versions of the title track, hence this album review will be looking into the first 12 songs on the album. And as a 12 song review is quite lengthy, let’s get right into it.
2. Enough – Enough’s starts was a very mediocre at first listen. But once the chorus kicked in and my ears are filled with the upbeat and energetic sounds, I found myself enjoying the song. The chorus definitely was a dynamic component of the song and my favourite section. I thought the vocals were excellent, particularly during the bridge of the song. The rapping gave the song that familiar hip-hop feel that you got from Teenager (from one of their past albums). (7.5/10)
3. Save You (지켜줄게) – The instrumentation for Save You reminds me of ‘90s hip-hop. The same synths were used and some of the rap lines gave off that feeling. I thought the pre-chorus instrumentation was a great build-up technique and grabbed my attention. Following that was the really upbeat and energy filled chorus, which was also memorable. The song did feel somewhat repetitive, with nothing new to offer. The ending was rather abrupt and I feel like they could have eased out, as that would allow us to end the song without this need to relieve intensity. (7/10)
4. No One Else – The first aspect of the song that I noticed was the shuffling effect and smaller details within the R&B instrumentation. The second aspect was the husky vocals during the first verses, which I thought was cool. The third standout aspect was how the song seems to break boundaries by going down a non-traditional route with its choruses. The verses were more upbeat than the chorus, with the chorus feeling almost acapella like. I thought this was really cool and very unique. I also like the pulsing outro, which really fits in well with the song. (9.5/10)
5. I Am Me – I am glad they chose this song as the secondary promotional track during their first week of promotions. Not saying any of the other songs didn’t deserve a chance but this song was impactful. It was the first b-side to really capture my attention. I thought the chorus was rather aesthetic and the drop was extremely dynamic. BamBam’s rapping was beautiful., while Jackson and Mark were given equally as beautiful vocal lines in the song. And this is on top of the usual vocals from the vocalists. I think the final thing to really mention about this track were the lyrics, which I guess were about loving yourself, despite your flaws. (10/10)
6. Sunrise (JB Solo) – The song felt like something you would get from DEAN or Crush. Sunrise is a slow R&B song that brings out JB’s vocal capabilities. During the verses, he goes with a husky approach, while in the chorus, he sings with a falsetto. I like the softness in the bridge. Usually, I would comment by saying how that was easily missed or not audible. However, since the rest of the song is already quite soft, the bridge fits in well. The song had style and you can’t expect nothing less from the leader. (8/10)
7. OMW (Mark Solo ft. Jackson) – With all the solo songs on this album, Mark’s solo song featured Jackson, for some odd reason. While I do like Jackson and his solo track on this album, I wasn’t much of a fan of his section in this song. Firstly, it took time away from Mark and secondly, his delivery in this song isn’t his best (i.e. it felt like he was trying to fit in). Mark, on the other hand, made sure the song fit for himself. His lines were clear and I thought the chorus was the catchiest of all the solo songs. His singing in the bridge was also quite awesome! (8.5/10)
8. Made It (Jackson Solo) – Jumping right at you is a very strong hip-hop connection. This is type of song that I expect to hear when people say hip-hop. And it is surprisingly as there is only a few of these songs in KPOP. Jackson drives the song with his delivery of the lines and the instrumental does a good job, alongside his rapping, of hyping us. It is rather short, which is a little disappointing, as I would have liked to hear more it. (8/10)
9. My Youth (Jinyoung Solo) – Jinyoung’s song is quite upbeat and has this modern pop sound which sounds very nice. While the song does sound like it is the most plain in terms of creativity, the content within has a powerful message and it impacts you. Jinyoung’s vocals were also nice. I haven’t heard his voice shine like this in a very long time. I really like the ‘I’m Still Young’ hook after the chorus, which sounds so dreamy. I thought his deep vocals during the bridge brought contrast to the song, especially after the falsetto hook. (9/10)
10. Nobody Knows (혼자) (Youngjae Solo) – I have a thing for songs with an epic vibe. Nobody Knows delivers in terms of this ‘epic vibe’. Throwing in Youngjae’s vocals, you have a breathtaking combination. The song starts off eerie and soft. The build-up is practically non-existent, opting to suddenly throw you into the chorus. And this is where the epic vibes come from. His vocals were top notch, there is no doubt about it. I thought the bridge of the song was really interesting, which had this unexpecting Latin feel. It adds a little colour to the song, since the colour is rather grey. (9/10)
11. Party (BamBam Solo) – If you have been a reader of this site for some time, you probably know what is coming. The autotuned vocals in this song do irk me. That is probably going to be my only complaint, as I do like other sections of the song a fair bit. The instrumental has a very strong chill vibe (more than anything else) but is still fitting for a party. There is a hype factor that makes you want to get up and dance. And the parts that aren’t autotuned, such as the chorus, were nice. The song does go through very quickly, which is a little disappointing when you find yourself in the groove of the song. (8/10)
12. Fine (Yugyeom Solo) – I love the eerie vibe that Fine portrays. I personally do not think it is its main intention, but it does a pretty good job at it for me. I kind of expected that he would go down the hip-hop route for his solo track, as that is what I commonly hear is his influence. I thought the build-up to the chorus was amazing and gave off an epic vibe. I like how loud and faster his bridge (or whatever you call the final section of this song) gets, which allows the song to peak and end on a plus. (9/10)
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!
NATURE is the next band on ROOKIE WEEK. They made their debut at the start of last month with Allegro Cantabile. The group is currently under n.CH Entertainment and consist of 8 members (Lu, Saebeom, Aurora, Chaebin, Gaga, Haru, Uchae and Sunshine). Originally there were 9 members, however, the 9th member (Yeolmae) left the group just before debuting. The group recently won their first award, the ‘New Artist of the Year’ award at the Soribada Best K-Music Awards, so congratulations to them!
Allegro Cantabile is actually a remake of a song of the same name which featured as part of an anime (Nodame Cantabile) and was previously sung by Suemitsu & the Suemith. I usually do not review remakes or covers of a song, however, I only knew of this while searching up the information for this review. The song twos are obviously similar but Nature’s version seems to have a few components reduced in volume or stripped away to fit their youthful vocals. I actually thought the vocals were quite nice, taking the Japanese style for their own. It makes the song unique, in my opinion. The piano doesn’t seem to be as strong in this song, as it featured only during the verses but drowned out during the chorus. There were some extra synths in the instrumental break, which I thought makes it feel modern and fitting for KPOP. Though, I was thinking how good some electric guitar would have been (though the girls seem to go in that direction for a few seconds). Overall, I felt the song to be quite strong for a debut and I think this song will fast become a guilty pleasure for me.
The music video is not a remake of the Japanese version. While the original one was edgy, Nature’s version takes the cute route, which is surprisingly very fitting for the song (though I attribute that to their modifications). The majority of the video seems to be set at a school, where some of them are learning about flowers (and how to grow them). It was a nice video to watch despite it taking a cliche route for a female group debut. I didn’t care much for the plot but I was happy to watch either way. The colours were very bright, which goes back to the song and concept.
I love their enthusiasm on the stage. I have watched a number of their performances for this review and I can’t help but smile at how cute but energetic they get on stage. I really like the dance break and how they let three members come out and have a solo moment. Also, the ending was quite cool with the suspenseful conclusion of the song. I just felt like the end could have been a little more imaginative.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 7/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 7.7/10
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!
VERIVERY is a brand new male group who released their first single, Super Special, last week. As far as I know, it isn’t their official debut but rather the OST for their upcoming reality program. But who are they? Well, they come from the same company who currently houses VIXX and GUGUDAN (i.e. Jellyfish Entertainment) and is made up of 7 members – Dongheon, Minchan, Yeonho, Hoyoung, Gyehyeon, Yongseung and Kangmin.
I was somewhat relieved when I heard that this wouldn’t be their official debut title track. I would have been disappointed if I had the idea of it being a title track in my mind. The song lacks impact and doesn’t live up to the expectations set by their senior labelmates in terms of sound and concept. But as an OST, it promises that the group is very energetic and knows how to have fun, which is definitely a draw point to the group. Super Special is very retro, reminding me of ’90s pop songs. There is no doubt that the song showcases promising vocals and rapping, which makes me excited for their debut track. So this song ticks a few boxes, keeping them on my radar. But going back to what I said at the start of this paragraph, the song isn’t that memorable and doesn’t have a strong hook to reel me in.
I am not sure how to review this music video, to be honest. I want to review as a normal music video for a comeback/debut but it isn’t their debut. It is just a music video put together to promote their new show. As this music video ‘introduces’ the members to the viewers, I am hoping their debut video has some sort of theatrical/dramatic flare that will get them engraved into my mind. What I thought was fitting for this video was that it was bright and cheerful, as you expect with an upbeat song. I also liked how their outfits were the main inputs of colour for the video, which usually is the jobs of the sets/background. They also had some fun close-ups as well, which was nice.
Their choreography in this video definitely showcases their potential. Everyone looked in-sync with each other and they movements flowed quite well. They had pretty good formations as well. Can’t wait to see what they have installed for us on stage.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7.5/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.2/10
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
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!
For the first group on ROOKIE WEEK, I have decided to review a brand new group who made their debut just last week. LUCENTE is a seven-member male group currently under Nago Entertainment who debuted with Your Difference just last Tuesday. The group consists of Hero, U.Seong, Ba, Z.Hoo, Kogun, Taejun and Parkha. Some of the members of the group were previously part of other groups, some of whom I have never heard of. But today we are here to talk about LUCENTE, so let’s just do that.
Your Difference does not mess around with energy. It starts off slightly low in energy (as most songs do at the very start) but very quickly builds up to an energy packed song. I thought the instrumental was quite nice, despite it going for the ‘now-traditional’ tropical route with a hip-hop influence. It was definitely upbeat and had a ‘cool’ presence to it. Their vocals and raps were quite good for a new group but felt very typical for a group trying to push themselves to sound ‘tough’. I also thought the chorus was a little too spacious and doesn’t really hold my attention for long. Usually, the chorus is the catchiest parts of the song but I felt the lines leading up to the chorus were much more appealing and memorable. That doesn’t mean the chorus was all bad as it is where we get most of the song’s energy.
The music video felt like a typical music video for a debut. To me, it felt like a whole bunch of different scenes mashed into one video to ‘present’ the group to the public. I hardly doubt that there is a plotline to this video (though I have been known to assume wrong in the past). Some of the scenes, however, looked really nice. The choreography scene with the flashing lights and the ladder scenes looked really good. I also liked how they managed to infuse some edge into the video, which is what the song visually needed.
The group has a fair amount of stage presence on stage. Given a song with slightly more angst and power, I think there is potential for this group. The performance showcased some pretty good moves. However, when I looked at it as a whole, it felt mediocre. Once again, they need to stand out and their performance can do just that. This one just isn’t the one.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 6.5/10 Performance – 6/10 Overall Rating – 6.7/10
I hope you have been enjoying these album reviews as much as I have been enjoying them. Today’s album review is for Oh My Girl, who recently returned with a brand new title track and mini-album, both titled Remember Me. This is the second time I have revied their mini-albums, with the first being their Secret Garden mini-album earlier this year. And before I start waffling along for this introduction paragraph, let’s just move on to what we are all here for – the actual album review.
2. Echo (메아리) – A part of me says that I would totally jump on board if the song was released in the midst of other Summer releases. But I am held back from completely investing myself in the song. Echo has a very carefree vibe to it, which suits the season of holidays and sun. But there is something within the song which keeps stagnant. Maybe it is the lack of energy. And it is this ‘stagnant’ feeling that makes the song not reach its full potential. It doesn’t stand out from the crowd, instead opting for the hidden route, which doesn’t honestly help the song. I thought the vocals and rapping were good. Overall, it was a good song, but I just didn’t feel 100% for me. (7/10)
3. Twilight – Twilight goes for a club beat instrumental. But before you think it is a completely different changeup to the group’s regular sound, the song feels very Oh My Girl’s territory. The song has a super catchy hook and I liked the build-up to the chorus. I thought the drop to the chorus was a little lacking (it should have been something like the drop at the bridge). The song features great vocals, especially Seunghee’s high note and Mimi’s rapping in the song (the latter’s part felt very fitting for the atmosphere). It’s their best song (following the amazing title track) on this album. (9.5/10)
4. Illusion – I feel like Illusion is the sequel to their fantastic b-side track, ‘One Step Two Step’ to an extent. It gave off that feeling, which I thought was nice. There was a rap sequence in the song which did feel a little different, but I am not too bother by it. I thought the chorus has a nice melody and the song has this innocence sound to it, which I liked. The vocals were nice, but I am not too keen on that anthem chanting that featured in the song, which felt misplaced for this style. (7/10)
5. Our Story (우리 이야기) – Our Story is the ballad that you get on most albums. It has a nice melody. It was a little bland for my taste at first but as I listened to more of it, I enjoyed its soothing nature. The song a beautiful instrumental and features great vocals from all the members. It isn’t too much of a stand out track (as it is the ‘mandatory ballad’ on the album), but it allowed the album to end on a lovely note. (8/10)
It is Sunday, so you should all know what time it is. Welcome to this week’s Weekly KPOP Charts post, where we look back at where the songs ranked in the past week! It has been a very chill week for me this week, with not much happening. WordPress recently brought out a ‘streak’ function, where they record how many consecutive days I have posted. I am currently on 20 (with this post being the 21st day in the row I have posted), so clearly I am motivated to continue going on! So do expect more reviews to come out during the week!
Ranking at the very top of the charts this week is GOT7’s Lullaby, who made their comeback this week. Oh My Girl, Sunmi and NCT Dream, who ranked 1st, 2nd and 3rd respectively last week, have all dropped down 1 position, filling up the 2nd, 3rd and 4th position. Dream Catcher is also a new release this week and they have taken the 5th position on the charts this week. For more of the charts, scroll down below.
16th Sep – 22nd Sep 2018
Title
Artist
Status
1
Lullaby
GOT7
(new)
2
Remember Me
Oh My Girl
(▼ 1)
3
Siren
Sunmi
(▼ 1)
4
We Go Up
NCT Dream
(▼ 1)
5
What
Dream Catcher
(new)
6
Lil’ Touch
SNSD-Oh!GG
(▲23)
7
Woo Woo
DIA
(▲30)
8
Hi High
LOONA
(▲5)
9
Save Me Save You
WJSN (Cosmic Girls)
(new)
10
Puzzle Moon
GWSN
(▼ 3)
11
Between Us
Laboum
(▲12)
12
Hann~
(G)I-DLE
(▲6)
13
Now or Never
SF9
(▼ 5)
14
Right Here
The Boyz
(▼ 9)
15
Killing Me
iKON
(▼ 4)
16
Bae
Hyolyn
(▲33)
17
Heart
100%
(▲3)
18
NaNaNa
IMFACT
(▲4)
19
Mango
Hyomin (T-ARA)
(▲11)
20
I Mean
UNI.T
(new)
21
Beautiful Feeling
DAY6
(▲6)
22
Naughty Boy
Pentagon
(▼ 18)
23
YaYaYa
MXM
(▲9)
24
Green Apple
Berry Good
(▲23)
25
My Pace
Stray Kids
(▼ 13)
26
IDOL
BTS
(▼ 20)
27
Grand Bleu
100%
(▲25)
28
Sorry For My English
IN2IT
(▲7)
29
Countless
SHINee
(▼ 19)
30
Kiss Me Like That
SHINHWA
(▲4)
Songs leaving the chart this week are:
20 Something – Jeong Sewoon
Zero – Minseo
Always You – ASTRO
Ride On The Wind – KARD
Summer Night’s Dream – FT Island
Between Us – Laboum
Grand Bleu – 100%
Sorry For My English – IN2IT
SEE SEA – Hyolyn
That’s all for this post! Thank you very much and see you all again next week!
This is probably the fastest time I have ever done a review for a Japanese release from its release date. GFriend recently made their Japanese debut with their Korean hit Me Gustas Tu (the Japanese version, of course!) and now they have returned to Japan with their first original song, Memoria. While its music video and full song were released together on YouTube this week, it will officially be out in October. I personally do not know how the Japanese music industry work but since everything I need to write a review is available, let’s get stuck right into it.
Memoria is a little different from their previous Korean songs. Their Korean title tracks have been mostly upbeat and more youthful sounding. Memoria goes for a complete changeup, opting for a more emotional and mature sound while having a slower tempo. It is quite nice, the soothing nature of the song, making this very appeal for my taste. I do find the song somewhat a little too typical of some Japanese releases but that is a common case with most Japanese releases. What I really like about the song’s instrumentation is that while it was soothing and beautiful sounding, there was room for their signature electric guitars during the bridge/climax of the song, which is very GFriend. The vocals in this song are also excellent, as the slower nature allows for the vocals to be prioritised. Overall, their first original Japanese song is definitely one to remember.
I thought this was a very nice music video. The golden colour palette felt very fitting for the nature of the song. The music video seems to show the members struggling through their lives. I think the main point is that each member is lonely but I think injuries, body image, artistic block and other issues were touched upon. At the climax of the song/video, we see each member has a friend, while the other is sleeping, meaning that they still have a friend. Once the member sleeping wakes up, they realize this and starts running to each other, with the ending showing the regrouping of the members. It is definitely a good concept fitting for GFriend.
I thought the choreography was rather nice. We don’t get to see too much but what we could see seemed very graceful, which I think is fitting for the group’s image. I did like their purple outfits during the choreography scenes as they were rather striking.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 8/10 Overall Rating – 8.8/10
KPOPREVIEWED 