Kicking off the week is a new unit collaboration between two artists at Cube Entertainment. We are all familiar with Wooseok from Pentagon and KuanLin (formerly a part of Wanna One). And they have come together to form the third special unit from Cube Entertainment. Named WooseokXKuanLin, they follow the success of the now-defunct Trouble Maker and Triple H. Their track is titled I’m A Star. This is also KuanLin’s first release since Wanna One’s disbandment and Wooseok’s first release since Pentagon’s Naughty Boy comeback in Korea.

As previously stated numerous times on the blog, I am not a major fan of these hip-hop infused tracks that rappers tend to release every now and then as a collaboration or solo release. Recently, this has begun to change and I can confidently say I have a new appreciation for these tracks when it is done in a very enjoyable manner. I’m A Star is a prime example of this. To me, it is a fun song. Not too serious in any manner. I found the instrumental to be extremely groovy and I personally think the medium tempo made it quite appealing. Despite Wooseok and KuanLin’s voices being rough and deep-toned, the melody of the song gives it a smooth and flowy feel. I thought their vocals, particularly during the chorus and bridge was also quite good. Their rapping, is obviously top notch, as that is what they are known based on their positions in their individual groups. I particularly like it when they come together and rap/sing together. The ‘I’m A Star‘ line in the chorus is ridiculously addictive and, once again, fun. Overall, I quite liked the song.

The music video shows the two members enjoying their time as a star. Essentially what the song is all about. It is a little extra at moments, such as KuanLin as a renowned astronaut floating in space after a successful space mission and actor Wooseok stabbing animals (not real animals but rather people dressed in animal outfits) in his next big role. The scenes give off that fun vibe that I mentioned previously, which is an instantly appealing component. The editing is also quite amazing in this video, especially the window on the floor during the first chorus.

The performance was nice. For everything up to the second verse, it felt very typical for the song. But from the bridge onwards, things get a little more exciting. More footwork is observed and they get into actual choreography. The piggyback ending seemed a little anticlimactic, however.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 6.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.7/10