Month: November 2020

[OST Review] 2020 OST Reviews – Part 2

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It has been a long time coming, but I have finally decided to make a start on reviewing a certain type of song that I barely looked at in the past but have wanted to write about for a while now – OST songs. OST (otherwise known as Official Sound Tracks) have been a big part of KPOP. Many of the idols we know and love have gone onto being big name actors, whiles others have had to the privilege to sing some of the most famous tracks to some of the greatest drama scenes of all time.

I personally feel that there is a misconception that OSTs are usually just ballads, but I want to prove that wrong. Furthermore, there will be a Best OST category in this year’s KPOPREVIEVED Awards (hint hint). So I have picked five OSTs throughout 2020 to review and introduce to you here (and over a number of posts). Note that I have not watched all of the dramas, so I will be reviewing the song itself – like how I write my song reviews.

You’re In My Soul – Chungha
Drama: Record of Youth
Release: 15 September 2020

We start off this OST Review post with a feel good song, courtesy of Record of Youth and Chungha herself (who will be return shortly with new music!). You’re In My Soul has this electronic instrumentation that brings about epic vibes. It sounds theatrical and there is a nice pop rock influence to it, which I find to be very appealing. But the promising element is 100% Chungha’s voice. It soars and lifts up the song to new highs during the chorus. The way she went with a deep tone for the verses contrasts really nice and helps makes the chorus become that more explosive. I also love the mixed of English in the Korean. Altogether, You’re In My Soul is a very attractive song. However, it isn’t perfect. There was a part following the second chorus that had overpowering instrumentation and you could barely hear her voice. Personally, I feel like that section could have just done instrumentation, as her vocals distracted me from the music whilst I was straining to hear what she was singing. But that is me being picking. My testament for this song still stands – it is very attractive piece of music. (9/10)

Please Don’t Cry – DAVICHI
Drama: The King: Eternal Monarch
Release: 3 May 2020

It is not possible to write about OSTs and completely disregard DAVICHI. If you are unfamiliar with this particular duo, then let me help catch you up. DAVICHI (consisting of Lee Hae Ri and Kim Min Kyung) are known for their chart topping ballads. And within the OST realm of Korean music, they are very well known for amazing OSTs, such as This Love (release for Descendants of the Sun). Please Don’t Cry comes off as one of their most impressive and captivating releases yet. It pretty much starts off like any other ballad release with beautiful piano work and gripping vocals. It is the chorus that gets to me. The very soft ‘Please Don’t Cry‘ which is followed up immediately with a deep thump had me going ‘ooh’, before we are provided with more stunning vocal work from the pair (which includes that amazing falsetto line that ends off the chorus). The rest of the song does what ballads typically do by building the instrumentation and helping the song become more powerful/ A typical move it is, but it is one that pays off. I was floored with the rest of the song and am loving the bit of intensity that the electric guitar brings. DAVICHI does it once again for me. (10/10)

Someday (어떤 날엔) – Kim Jae Hwan
Drama: Crash Landing On You
Release: 19 January 2020

It has been a while since we heard from Kim Jae Hwan. While he has released a few digital songs and OSTs this year, it would be nice to see back on stage with a new album. But in the meanwhile, we will need to settle with songs like Someday and his other OSTs. It is another ballad example of an OST. If I had to sum up the song, it is very nice and soothing to listen to. I don’t find anything groundbreaking in this song when it comes to the instrumentation. It is just another ballad made of band and classical instrumentation. When it comes to his voice, Someday really shows off the raspy nature of his voice, which I think is amazing. I did really enjoy the melodies in this song and it successfully gets me to sway along to the music (if you did not see last week – swaying is how I detect a good ballad). It might not be as stunning at the ballad just before this one (see review above), but Someday is still a good one. (8/10)

Aloha (아로하) – Jo Jung Seok
Drama: Hospital Playlist
Release: 27 March 2020

The next OST I had chosen to review is Jo Jung Seok’s own Aloha, which was released for Hospital Playlist Jo Jung Seok, who is an actor, plays one of the main characters in the drama. Given his status as one of the most popular actors in the Korean acting industry and the popularity that I saw Hospital Playlist got, Aloha was going to hit the top of the charts (which it did). It is a pop ballad that really brings a smile to your face. The cheerfulness comes from Jo Jung Seok himself, who sounds like he was smiling whilst recording the song. The instrumental isn’t really a standout and felt standard at best. But I love how it complimented Jo Jung Seok’s vocals and helped amplify the sweetness of the song and the actor’s voice. His voice was really good and I really liked how the English instantly becomes the strongest and most memorable lines in the song (and his pronunciation is super clear). Interestingly enough, this isn’t the first time to the recording booth for Jo Jung Seok, who as previously sung an OST with EXO’s D.O and has also worked in theatre before. I definitely would like to hear another OST from him in the future. (8/10)

Start Over – GAHO
Drama: Itaewon Class
Release: 1 February 2020

The last OST to be reviewed in this post this week (yes, another one is coming your way next week )is probably the biggest OST release of 2020. With a star studded cast and rave reviews, any OST associated with this drama was going to be elevated. And with such an easygoing vibe and really simple melodies that basically appeals to anyone, Start Over really is a prime candidate for that top spot on the charts. And I totally agree with its top spot ranking on all of the charts. It is another OST that has a sound that makes you want to smile and cuts any tension in your personal life. And since I already mentioned that the melodies were simple and easy to get into, this helped make Start Over very memorable. I really liked the upbeat vibes of the pop instrumentation and enjoyed how engaging the consistent beat in the chorus was. Gaho’s voice was very suitable for the song and empowering to listen to. Overall, I don’t have much else to say about the song. It’s top rank on the chart is justified and it is an OST that I keep on coming back to because it just works and sounds wonderfully.. (10/10)

[Album Review] IDENTITY: FIRST SIGHT (1st Mini Album) – WEi

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The album review that was supposed to be posted yesterday was meant to be WEi’s debut mini-album, IDENTITY: FIRST SIGHT. The mini-album features Twilight as the lead title track and four other side tracks – some of which were composed by the members themselves. The reason why I decided to review this particular album is because it establishes WEi’s presence in the industry in a very consistent manner. While I have mentioned that consistency can be a flaw in other reviews in the past, there have been times where I have praised consistency, with this album (and its songs) being another example of those times. There is a spin at the end of this mini-album, so keep you ears peeled for that.

Identity: First Sight Album Cover

1. Twilight (Title Track) – Click here for the full review for Twilight. (7/10)

2. DOREMIFA – DOREMIFA instantly has a chirpier vibe than compared to the title track. I feel that that DOREMIFA is quite similar to Twilight already in terms of style, so they aren’t really reinventing themselves with this song. I just enjoyed the song’s brighter persona, which fits in with the group’s youthfulness (since they are a newly debuted group). It also takes on board a more electronic synth approach with its instrumentation, which always has a tinge of refreshment. Like how they aren’t reinventing themselves, the song doesn’t really feature anything that might surprise you or catch you guard. It is straightforward and pleasant overall. (7.5/10)

3. Timeless (꼬리별) – Once again, they really don’t show a new side to themselves character or music-wise. It still has that bright energy that makes you smile / sounds like they smiling and it takes on a typical pop ballad sound. But what I really enjoyed in Timeless was the chorus. As a package, it was super catchy and the melody they used really memorable for me. I really like their display of vocals (that falsetto at the end of the bridge was perfect) and the rapping impressed me. I liked the instrumentation for the same pleasantry and enjoyable reasons above. The combination of the synths and the piano works really well and helps convey the happiness of finally being with their lover. (9/10)

4. Hug You (안고 싶어) – Hug You is similar to Timeless in the sense that it falls within the pop realm. There honestly isn’t much of a difference between the two songs if you were to glance briefly throughout the tracklist. What does set Hug You apart from the preceding track is the drop in the chorus, which enables the song to become more a dance track for a brief moment. It isn’t a new dynamic in KPOP, but it helps gives the song momentum and some heft to it. Hug You does a really good job of portraying WEi’s vocals once again. They were solid vocals and that high note that the end is icing on the Hug You cake. The rapping was also quite good, but the vocals have the edge. Overall, Hug You continues to keep the album consistent thus far and does a pretty good job to impress. (9/10)

5. Fuze (도화선) – So far, the album has been quite consistent in the song style, vibes and artist profile. We haven’t seen anything ‘different’ from the group over the past four songs. Interestingly, Fuze attempts to change this dynamic by opting for a dance track that has power, edge and intensity. And this can be applied for all elements (melodies, vocals, rapping and instrumental). It isn’t really be groundbreaking if you were to compare it to other male groups. But it is definitely a nice change up given their consistent sound so far. I really liked the abrasiveness of the EDM, how suited the rappers were for this style, the soaring nature of the vocals in the chorus and how the energy just doesn’t let up. Fuze really a powerful and dominant tone that puts a spin on WEi and their music, keeping the excitement up for their future releases. (9.5/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

  • Identity: First Sight Teaser Image
  • Identity:First Sight Teaser Image

[Review] Life Goes On – BTS

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BTS continues to reach new heights with their latest comeback. Earlier today, the iconic male group made their comeback with Life Goes On (the title track) and Be (the title of their fifth studio album). It comes after BTS released their fourth studio album, Map of the Soul: 7 (headlined by On and Black Swan), their Japanese comeback single Stay Gold and their super catchy all-English track Dynamite. The group has also featured on Lauv’s Who and a remixed version of Jawsh 365 and Jason Derulo’s Savage Love. They have definitely had a busy year.

I was low key expecting a dance track for this comeback. Or even better, a darker and maturer song that takes further steps towards that style direction than On and Black Swan did! But after listing all their comebacks and releases throughout 2020 thus far (and this list does not even consider their solo works), I feel like a mellowed out and softer approach is more appropriate and less overwhelming for them at this current point in time. Life Goes On is still a fantastic song. It features an alternative hip-hop sound that relies heavily on really comforting and soothing guitars. While the song is softer than their previous title tracks, the music actually still fills hefty thanks to the heaviness that And this softer approach allows for the members to really focus on their vocal and rapping work. RM is the only member to actually rap in Life Goes On and his part was well tweaked for this alternative sound. Suga and J-Hope rap-sing their parts and they bring a nice energy in their respective parts. The rest of the members sing wonderfully throughout the song, helping drive forward that comforting and sentimental vibe and message. Jimin stands out with his higher pitched vocals and based on the way he starts the chorus, while V’s ad-libs shine thanks to the huskiness in his voice. I thought the autotune for the final chorus was a nice textural change, which helps keeps interesting from how I see it. Overall, Life Goes On was not what I had expected from BTS as a title track. But nonetheless, I still enjoyed it.

Based on what I am seeing for this music video, BTS and Big Hit had stepped away from their complicated and gripping storylines that require a lot of time to interpret. Life Goes On is shot in a more relaxed manner, feeling almost like a home-video style. It practically shows the members going about a day in their life where they get to hang out and travel, which suits their message that ‘Life Goes On‘ even in the most difficult of circumstances. I did like the ending, where the video applies a black and white filter and we see the member sing with microphones with their backs to the empty audience. That scene looks really pretty and aesthetic despite being so simple.

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

[Review] Bump Bump – WOODZ

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I ended the song portion of my Love Me Harder with the statement that WOODZ’s debut song had popped him on my radar. And news of his new release was purely exciting for me. It is just unfortunate that my poor planning and tired state lately prevented me from getting to review his comeback song. WOODZ returned on Tuesday with his new single, BUMP BUMP. This new single is the lead from his second mini-album, WOOPS, which also dropped on the same day. WOODZ (otherwise known as Cha Seung Youn and former member of UNIQ/X1) made his solo debut earlier this year with .

My first impression of BUMP BUMP is that the song is quite bright and cheerful, unlike his debut track and mini-album. It is a completely different energy and dynamic that WOODZ completely nails. BUMP BUMP is a track that I thoroughly enjoy. It definitely shows me that he is capable of variety and versatile, which further excites me for future releases. I really like the alternative rock influences that are mixed into the pop song. And it is because of these influence that I cannot help but nod my head along to it every time the song has appeared on my playlist this past week. It helps makes the song more explosive and pop out when it comes to the catchy chorus. It also helps drive the relentless energy we get in the same section, which makes the sudden launch from bridge (which literally continues the same energy as the preceding chorus) into the third and final chorus even stronger. I may not not like sudden changes like so that often, but it done really well in BUMP BUMP. So much that it probably my favourite part of the song. The alternative rock energy also carries WOODZ’s vocals effortlessly. He sounds so good in this song, especially with the slight raspiness giving the song that extra bit of depth and character. His rapping is also as strong and powerful as the instrumentation. Overall, BUMP BUMP is an excellent addition to his discography and I really can’t wait to see what he has in store next for us.

Personally, I am not digging his curly hair style that is shown at the start of the video. I just don’t think it suits as well. I prefer the straighter hair style that he also dons in the video. I liked that the music video captured a carefree vibe that I didn’t initially register with the song. The video keeps it chill by showing WOODZ and his group of friends having fun. It may not fit the lyrics persay, but I think that is fine. Though I think the fighting scenes in this video (i.e. WOODZ smashing the red balloons, peering over his partner who had fallen down) were cleverly hidden throughout the video and blended very well with the fun and happier scenes of the video. But that might just be overthinking and overanalyzing the video. Otherwise, that carefree vibe would not be as strong and exciting if the video was to match the lyrics or those possible fight scenes were more upfront fight scenes.

Í really like how creative the start of the performance was with the passing of the microphone to WOODZ. Very unique. As for the rest of the choreography, it definitely looks like WOODZ is participating more than he did in his debut stage performances. But you can still tell that he isn’t going full on so that his can perform his new song live on stage with actual vocals and rapping. I would like more of a balance, but the direction we are going in is a good sign.

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

[Review] Black Mamba – aespa

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On Tuesday, we saw the comeback of KPOP groups/bands from two different time extremities. Tuesday’s review was for CN BLUE, who made their comeback 11 years ago in 2009. Today, I will be reviewing a brand new female group, aespa. The new female group comes from the legendary SM Entertainment, the home of well known groups such as BoA, TVXQ, Super Junior, SNSD, EXO, SHINee, Red Velvet and NCT. Four members currently make up this group’s lineup, Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning. They debut yesterday with Black Mamba.

One thing that I have continuously mentioned when it comes to debuting acts is that the song they are debuting with needs to be bold enough to get the attention of the industry and kickstart building that fanbase. Most of the time, both female and male groups start their careers with a very generic or standard track that isn’t their best foot forward. Many don’t make it past that first track and very few actually ‘make it’ down the track if they are fortunate to pass a second track. When I listen to Black Mamba, I feel that aespa nails the brief within just this song. It might simply be due to the fact they are under one of the biggest companies in the KPOP industry. But Black Mamba is groundbreaking for the company in terms of a debut track. I really like the dark and mature feel that this dance track brings to the table, giving off a EVERGLOW type of feel for me. I like the song’s grumbling bass and the explosive pow that the chorus brings when we are launched into the chorus. I like the thundering drums, combined with the various synths that make the chorus so dynamic. Vocally, aespa impresses. Catchy hooks that really highlight an appealing side to the group and the song. Both Winter and Ningning’s vocals during the bridge were superb, and the latter’s high note leaves an impression. The rapping could have been a little more punchy, if I was to be critical about something in this song. But overall, Black Mamba ticks the boxes for a solid debut from this up-and-coming female group.

aespa is a unique group, given the fact that the group actually consist of human and virtual members. Each member has an ‘æ’ version of themselves, who also make a presence in this music video. And this idea of virtual members gives way for a new era of music videos and storylines that I am sure SM Entertainment and aespa will indulge us with in the future. For Black Mamba, the video is very digitally aesthetic, colourful in a punk-ish way and almost felt like a futuristic landscape, similar to Avatar (the movie of blue aliens) – just a lot more purple and pink. There is also seems to be a new trend with SM music videos. At the end of the music video, we see a figure emerge from the visual glitchiness and this figure resembles a male person. Fans assume this is Kai, who is due to make his solo debut later this month. Something similar happened at the end of SuperM’s One music video, where aespa’s logo made an appearance at the very end. Interesting to see whether SM will be linking the videos in the future, as I don’t think any company has gone down that route before.

Performance-wise, aespa carries over that boldness from the song to the choreography. Definitely a show-stopping element to the choreography are those drops that they do at the start the chorus and lunging to the other side. The choreography, overall, also matches the mature and darker feel of the song.

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

[Review] Then, Now and Forever – CN BLUE

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Many of the male groups that I ham a fan of are currently in their mandatory military enlistment phase. However, some of them are re-emerging in the industry after completing their enlistments, which is the case for the artist of focus for this review. CN BLUE has been inactive since 2017, which was when they released their last mini-album and title track, 7CN and Between Us. Military enlistment was not the only thing they experienced since 2017. They also underwent a lineup change, after Jonghyun withdrew from the group due to the chatroom scandal. Thus, this leaves Yonghwa, Minhyuk and Jungshin as the three members to continue the CN BLUE with Then, Now and Forever.

Firstly, it is super exciting to hear CN BLUE once again. There is definitely a lack of bands in KPOP. And while there has been a slight increase in the amount, I sometimes need that sense of nostalgia that only two bands in Korea can bring (i.e. CN BLUE and FT ISLAND) as two bands are the ones that I grew up with. Hearing Yonghwa’s voice is enough to fulfil that craving. Secondly, Then, Now and Forever is an alternative rock track that sounds blissful and captivating. Yonghwa’s vocals compliment the alternative style of the instruments played by all three members. I particularly really liked the peak of the song, which gives Jungshin and Minhyuk an opportunity to shine. They could have stuck with the alternative side of the track for the entirety of the song (which would have been fine), but I would have made a comment about it being plain or ‘is stuck in a neutral gear’. The peak just gives the song that icing on top to make it feel more satisfying to listen to. I liked how the sound helps shows themselves off as mature and refined, which works well with the lyrics. The song itself expresses the emotions one experiences and deals with when a person they love is no longer around. Hopefully, one day the trio will return with a more hard hitting promotional track. But in the meanwhile, Then, Now and Forever is a nice comeback for the band and satisfy my specific craving for nostalgia.

It is a nice video to watch. Not exactly the most attention grabbing or outrageous video there is, but it does the job complimenting the song’s mature and emotional sound. We see the members are quite expressionless with their lives, now that their special someone had left. And even with the changes in their lives (which I am assuming the colour blue represents), their emotions still take hold of them. I did like the transition between white and blue. It is a strong contrast and really sends off an impression to the viewer. I do have questions about Yonghwa’s milk though. It seemed a bit random to me (and I think alcohol would have been a more appropriate prop for the video’s intention). But then again, how do you show the transition to blue clearly and aesthetically. I also liked the ‘stage’ they performed in and the three rooms hidden by the curtains were their individual sets. I thought that was smart and provided a physical connection to everything to help give that a ‘whole’ feeling to the video.

Song – 8/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.2/10

[Album Review] SPECIAL HISTORY BOOK (2nd Special Album) – SF9

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SF9 returned with a special album last month to celebrate their fourth year in the industry. The special album, titled SPECIAL HISTORY BOOK, is the focus of this album review and features Shine Together as the lead title track, along with two other new songs which I have reviewed below. This release also follows SF9’s 2020 comebacks, Good Guy and Summer Breeze.

SPECIAL HISTORY BOOK Album Cover

1. Shine Together (손잡아 줄게) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for Shine Together. (8/10)

2. Forever (오래 오래) – Forever is a mixture of genres that comes off quite refined and polished. It is an interesting piece, given that you don’t think the extremities (EDM and ballad) would blend well together yet they work surprisingly well with one another. To be fair, it isn’t an extreme form of either genres, which probably helps make the combination work. The EDM comes through the instrumental. There is your usual beat drop and the synthetic nature in the song. However, it is quite breezy and airy, which compliments the ballad style. The vocals and melodies bring the balladry elements to Forever and they felt similar to Shine Together’s vocals/melodies. Soothing and light are the words I would use to describe their delivery, which again, compliments the EDM style for this song. (8/10)

3. Love No. 5 – Love No. 5 needs a stage performance as soon as possible. The beat drop in the chorus is definitely a highlight and drawing point to the song. It is intense and on par with SF9’s more powerful releases like RPM. The vocal part of the chorus that precedes the drop is quite consistent and I am digging how it just keeps coming at you. The vocals added a certain smoothness to the song, while the rapping added some additional edge and had nice delivery, both of which I really enjoyed. I would have liked the final chorus to be amped up a little more to help drive a more epic closure to the song. On a side note, I would like to know what Love No. 5 actually means as the concept sounds rather intriguing. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

SPECIAL HISTORY BOOK Teaser Image

[Review] Show Your Love – BTOB 4U

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It has been a while since we heard from BTOB. All the members (with the exception of Peniel) over the last two years enlisted in the military. Some members have completed their enlistment while other are close to finishing. For those who have completed their enlistment (Eunkwang, Minhyuk and Changsub), they have regrouped (with Peniel) for unit promotions under the new name BTOB 4U with the new single, Show Your Love. The new single is also the title track off the unit’s first mini-album, INSIDE.

Show Your Love is a moombahton dance track that (fun fact!!) fellow member Hyunsik wrote prior to his enlistment. I have to admit the backing of Show Your Love is a typical for this era of music. But it was still refreshing and enjoyable to listen to. And it also gives us a BTOB fix. It is a nice change up to BTOB’s usual works, which have focused primarily on vocal centric tracks and ballads pre-military. Obviously, a subunit is able to explore and experiment with different sounds and genres. But this doesn’t feel like a unit release. Show Your Love feels very BTOB to me. I am instantly taken back to Only One For You thanks to the song’s melody. Show Your Love is just a more energetic and upbeat version of the mentioned title track, with an instrumental that really knows how to amplify the vocals and melodies. Eunkwang and Changsub handle this department with ease and the combination of the vocals and instrumentations makes the song sound explosive. Peniel and Minhyuk focus more on the rapping. Their rhythm was really good and they add some intensity to the song. If I were to pick a singular member who shined the most in Show Your Love, my pick would be Peniel because he has more opportunity to shine and his rapping was probably the most memorable in the midst of the other three members. But that doesn’t mean the others didn’t shine, given that Show Your Love comes together really well and fulfils that BTOB craving that I am sure we have all experienced over the last two years.

Based on the comments section of the music video, the members portray the different forms of love that can exist. Other fans have also noted that each member is portraying a character who experiences love in some form in their movie (given that Minhyuk’s is clearly representing the very infamous story of Romeo and Juliet). I do prefer the former option as I cannot pinpoint what the original movies Eunkwang, Changsub and Peniel are showing. Changsub is showing a toxic relationship, Peniel is showing self-love, Minhyuk tells us the story about willingness to die for a lover and Eunkwang portrays a same-sex love story. Each of these stories have ‘love’ as the running theme, fitting in with the song’s call to ‘Show Your Love‘. The end of the video shows the four member reuniting thanks to a simple card. They walk to an old warehouse and we are left with the image of the four members smiling over a glowing golden light. We aren’t shown exactly what they see. But my guess is we might be seeing the remaining members, who might be forming their own subunit when they return and they would reunite with BTOB 4U at the end of their video. Who knows…

The added bonus of an upbeat song is that BTOB 4U is able to show off more dance moves. I really like the start of the performance with the three lines of dancers/members. I feel like that is made to be an optical illusion as I could only see Peniel move to the middle line and when Minhyuk/Eunkwang appeared, my mind was blow. I also liked the part when Minhyuk suddenly kneels (it had an epic feel) and the cute little ‘LOVE’ letters they made with their hands at the end of the video.

Song – 8.5/10
Music Video – 9/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 8.6/10

[Review] Happening – AKMU

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Kicking start the comebacks for this week is the return of two groups known for their vocals. The first is AKMU, the infamous sibling duo from YG Entertainment. Not much has happened since their last comeback, aside from Suhyun making her solo debut last month with Alien. Alien was also confirmed to be the first of a series of comebacks AKMU have scheduled for late 2020. Today, the pair makes their comeback with their second single/comeback of this series, titled Happening.

AKMU’s comeback single features a mid-tempo band instrumental that is really easy on the ears and extremely enjoyable. It also feels quite refreshing and different, relative to AKMU’s already diverse array of genres and musical styles. Happening starts off with predominantly acoustic guitar in the verses, before progressing to a slight touch of rock in the chorus. They form the bridge of the song with a half acoustic and half rock approach, before proceeding to add some suspense to the song by holding back on the upbeatness we got in the earlier choruses for the final chorus. But Happening isn’t just made of instrumentation. Happening also features amazing vocals from AKMU, which is the usual expectation. I really like the vocal processing in this song, especially the contrast between the Chanhyuk’s vocals in the verses and chorus. Also, the song seems perfect for his vocals so I liked that he took the lead in the chorus. Suhyun should not be forgotten as well, as her light tone brings some lightness to the song. I wished they sung together more. The resultant product was really top-notch already. But I wanted more of what I think is the briefest of harmonies at the end of each chorus. Overall, Happening is another fantastic addition to the duo’s discography.

When I watch the music video, I find it quite confusing on what the scenes are meant to represent. But I have a feeling the story behind it is quite simple. From what we know, the lyrics of the song is about a breakup. From how I see the music video, Suhyun’s scenes shows the reality of a breakup. We are shown how different the world is pre- and post-breakup. Everything that was once there and vibrant either disappeared or changed to be abandoned. And it looks like Suhyun comes to terms with this towards the end as the switching doesn’t happen as much at the end of the video and remains in the ‘pre-breakup’ setting. Chanhyuk’s scenes on the train a little more cryptic. But I see it how he views his world after the breakup. He sees that he is all alone as there is no one there for him anymore (i.e. skeletons appear instead of people) or that it is his fault for not being able to keep up with his ex (i.e. when he is darting around everyone coming towards him). I feel that he also comes to terms with his breakup as well. One moment in the middle of the video, it looks like he manages to get to her and is holding onto the memory of her. While the other moment (the ending) shows him hugging a skeleton, which suggests to me he has accepted that she is longer there. But that is my interpretation of the video. I may be wrong and I am sure there are many other interpretations out there as well.

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

[Album Review] New Rules (4th Mini Album) – Weki Meki

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It is time for another album review. And it is also time for a new artist in this segment. For the very first time, I am reviewing an album for Weki Meki. Their albums thus far haven’t really caught my attention and hence I have been passing on the opportunity to review their albums. This time around, Weki Meki caught my attention with their latest title track, COOL, and I was very intrigued to see what the group had prepared for us in New Rules. While it was everything I did not expect from the group, Weki Meki still manages to show off some of their skills throughout the album so I just had to put on the reviewing list. The album features 3 other new tracks, not including the title track and the English version of the same track (which I have not included in this review).

New Rules Album Cover

1. COOL (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review for COOL. (9/10)

2. Sweet Dreams – There are a few elements within Sweet Dreams that draws my attention. First of all, the innocent and playful vibe that the song brings feels quite nice and unique. The instrumental almost feels like a music box without incorporating any music box style samples. At other times, Sweet Dreams seems fitting for a fantastical concept. One thing that I observed/noted throughout the song was each part seemed to differ slightly from one another. But yet, the song cohesively comes together (apart from that vocal bit in the second verse which started off with the ‘Hush little baby’ – that was probably the most ill-fitting sequence in the entire song). It is interesting concept musically and works really well. I also liked the lightness that the vocals and rapping ended up bringing. (9/10)

3. D-DAY – D-DAY is a surprising song. Based on the title of the song, I would have expected something bombastic and intense, potentially bringing more of COOL’s vibe to the album or possibly even returning the group’s girl crush sound that they visited in Crush. But D-DAY ends up being a light pop track. It showcases a good amount of the group’s vocals and I also liked the lightness that the song brings. However, the song is quite ‘overly consistent’ and doesn’t deviate much from its guitar centric instrumentation. If they somehow changed up the song whilst maintaining the lightness, D-DAY would not be as boring by the time it reached its 2:49 mark. (7.5/10)

4. Just Us – Just Us is the final ‘new’ song on the album (quotation marks around the word ‘new’ because the next track is the English Version of COOL – but I already reviewed the Korean version above). Just Us is the album’s mandatory ballad. Once again, the song showcases their vocals really nicely and sweetly. I did like the song’s brighter tone and I felt the melodies were a bit more captivating than D-DAY’s. I really liked the high note during the bridge and that echo following it was also a nice touch. What makes this song even better than the preceding was the ‘La La La’ part that followed the final chorus, which adds something slightly different to the song but maintains the song’s sweet atmosphere without changing the dynamics of the song. (8/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.4/10

COOL / New Rules Teaser Image

[Review] Miss You – B.O.Y

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In the midst of many recent releases that I should be reviewing, I will be sliding in reviews for the releases that I had promised to review a while back but haven’t gotten around to doing so yet. One of these releases is B.OY’s Miss You, which was released mid-September (apologies again for the super delayed review). It is featured on the pair’s second mini-album, Phase Two: We. Miss You follows Kim Keok Heon and Song Yu Vin’s official debut under the name B.O.Y with My Angel (in case you are unfamiliar with B.O.Y’s past releases).

To me, Miss You is a ballad posing as a dance track. It has elements of both styles. But I feel that the ballad side of the song prevails more, given the song’s emotive title and lyrics. There are a few elements to the song that I find to be quite good. The vocal work and rapping were nicely executed. You could hear the emotion behind their voices and their voices really helped drive the mature profile of the song. The chorus really soothing melodies. I personally don’t remember what I thought of those melodies when I first heard the song back in September. But whatever my first impression, hearing them over and over again really reinforced them in my mind and helped them become more likable over time. Unfortunately, the song isn’t perfect so there are a few things I don’t like. The main issue with the song is the instrumental. It suits the balladic side of the song and there is an appropriate kick to the instrumental for the chorus (where the pop elements come more to the forefront of the song). But for some reason, I also felt that the same instrumentation brought a dullness to the song. KPOP has shown that ballad dance tracks do exist and that they can be really strong songs, provided that it is executed well. Great examples that I can think of from the top of my head is BTOB’s more recent releases. BTOB’s songs have managed to showcase moving vocals/rapping, captivating instrumentals and really strong melodies that are memorable and enjoyable. Miss You ticks two of the boxes for me (vocals and melodies), but its instrumental fails to obtain a tick. And as a result, Miss You‘s aesthetics and appeal is dragged down.

My take on the music video shows the pair reminiscing over the past and missing their former lover. The sand in their glasses might represent the time (such as sand in an hourglass). However as they are in your standard drinking glasses, it might mean that the hourglass concept where time can continue forever is no longer possible. You can’t flip the standard glass over and have it flow like an hour glass (because then the sand/time would be lost entirely). Within the sand surrounding the pair are popcorn, a camera and ice cream, which seems to be specific memories that look like they have abandoned (in attempts to move on), but have continually come back to so they can reminisce over. I am, however, not sure what the significance of the yarn is though, despite it playing a very big part in the video. But it is a nice video that looks simple and is not unnecessarily complicated to suit the song. The sets and their outfits look good as well.

The choreography is quite fitting for the song’s slowness and more mature audio. The bridge of the performance had both the routine’s strongest and weakest point. The strongest has to be when Song Yu Vin and Kim Keok Heon had a solo choreography moment while the other member sings. The weakest has to be the sudden movements whilst they are on the floor, which affected their live performance (which I felt was quite essential for this song in particular). So it was a pity that it affected their live vocals.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.8/10

[Announcement] 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – Coming Soon!!

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It is almost that time of the year where you get to pick who was the best of the year! Without a doubt, 2020 has been one intense year. But nonetheless, we were treated to many great comebacks, debuts, songs, music videos and performances throughout the year. But who was the best group in 2020? Which songs were your favourite? Very important questions that I must ask to deliver the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards!

Voting for each category opens on the 1st of December 2020 at 12:00 am AEST. And like over the previous few years, you will be able to vote in an increased number of categories including (gendered categories are all separated and not combined – they are only combined for this list):

  • Best Female / Male Group
  • Best New Female / Male Group
  • Best Female / Male Soloist
  • Best New Female / Male Soloist
  • Best Subunit
  • Best Mixed Group
  • Best Band
  • Best Rap Performance
  • Best Vocal Performance
  • Best Female / Male Choreography
  • Best Music Video
  • Rising Star of 2020
  • Most Underrated Artist of 2020
  • Best Concept [New Category]
  • Best Costume / Outfits [New Category]
  • Best International Song by an Korean Artist
  • Best OST [New Category]
  • Best Side-Track or B-side [New Category]
  • Best Album
  • Best Song (Title Track)

In addition to the above categories, there are a few awards that I will be determining the winners for themselves, including all awards relating to the Weekly KPOP Charts and a few surprise ones that you will find out at the end of January 2021, when all the winners will be announced. Voting will close, per usual, at 11:59 PM AEST on the 31st of December 2020.

And like last year, your votes for the Best Song (or Title Track) award will be counted towards the final 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards End of Year Charts. The charts will be determined by your votes (accounting for 50% of the charts) and my Weekly KPOP Charts (accounting for the other 50% of the charts). There will be slight changes to the way I calculate the charts this time around (i.e. I will be basing the Weekly KPOP Charts side of the End Of Year Charts on the number of votes given the song with the most fan votes) and I will fully explain the changes at a closer date to publication of the awards/charts).

But that is all you will need to know for now. Keep your eyes peeled for the voting page coming your way on the 1st of December 2020. Share it to you your friends and be ready to have your say in the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

[Weekly Chart] 2nd Week of November 2020

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Lots of reviews coming your way this week. I have scheduled a whole bunch and so it is certain that they will finally be published. Some of the reviews I have been holding for a number of weeks, so I am glad that I am finally making progress with my catch up. Since I am on a roll, I want to continue scheduling and drafting reviews, so I won’t dwindle on the charts for long this week (i.e. this is amy super long way of saying it is going to be a short one this week).

On a side note, there will be a super special announcement coming your way today, so keep your eyes peeled for it. I am pumped and you will be excited for it! In the meanwhile, let’s move along with the charts.

No big jumps this week, for the first time in many weeks. So I am going straight to the Top 5 summary. Starting from the bottom of the Top 5, we have Pentagon’s Daisy (which has reigned on the other end of the Top 5 for a number of weeks already). In the fourth position, we have Mamamoo’s Dingga. In the third position, TREASURE’s MMM, who has rose into the top 5 this week. The second and first positions consist of new songs from the week. Taemin’s theartric Idea and GFriend’s super retro and catchy MAGO sits in these positions respectively. For the rest of the charts, scroll down below.

  10th Nov – 16th Nov 2019
Title Artist Status
1 MAGO Gfriend (new)
2 Idea Taemin (new)
3 MMM TREASURE (▲ 5)
4 Dingga MAMAMOO (▲ 19)
5 Daisy Pentagon (▼ 4)
6 Forbidden Island Ha Sung Woon (new)
7 Love Killa MONSTA X (=)
8 AYA Mamamoo (▼ 2)
9 Pump It Up Golden Child (=)
10 Back Door Stray Kids (▲ 1)
11 GOTCHA Park Ji Hoon (▼ 8)
12 Why Not? LOONA (▲ 16)
13 Twilight WEi (▼ 9)
14 HOME:RUN SEVENTEEN (▲ 3)
15 Like A Movie B1A4 (▲ 7)
16 I Can’t Stop Me TWICE (▼ 1)
17 I LOVE YOU TREASURE (▼ 5)
18 Shoot The Moon BDC (▼ 2)
19 Jasmin JBJ95 (▲ 12)
20 Lovesick Girl BLACKPINK (▲ 21)
21 Sand Castle UNVS (▲ 15)
22 SALUTE AB6IX (▼ 20)
23 Jungle CIX (▼ 2)
24 Alien Suhyun (AKMU) (▲ 5)
25 Nostalgia DRIPPIN (▼ 5)
26 Feel Good (SECRET CODE) fromis_9 (▲ 12)
27 Ddalala XUM (▲ 17)
28 Hello Chen (EXO) (▲ 27)
29 Pit-A-Pat Junsu (JYJ) (new)
30 Blue Hour TXT (▼ 25)

Song leaving the charts this week include:

  • Back Door – Stray Kids
  • Bad Idea – MOONBIN & SANHA (ASTRO)
  • MADE FOR TWO – VAV
  • I Miss You – B.O.Y
  • Feel Good (SECRET CODE) – fromis_9
  • RIDE – KNK
  • I LOVE YOU – TREASURE

Thanks for tuning into the blog and I will see you in the next post!

[Review] Run Away – Mino (WINNER)

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I definitely have a long way to go to ‘catch up’ with the magnitude of comebacks, debuts and other releases I haven’t reviewed yet. I just wished I could ‘Run Away‘ from it. Hahaha… Excuse my lame pun. As you can tell by that terrible joke and the title of the post, I am finally getting around to reviewing Mino’s comeback track, Run Away. The comeback occurred two weeks ago at the very end of October (apologies per usual for the super later review). It also headlines Mino’s second studio album, TAKE.

As expected, Mino’s solo comeback delves into the hip-hop genre. No surprises there. While his solo debut track (FIANCE) was more robust and had very unique flourishes, Run Away is a lot more straightforward and plain. There are advantages to plainess if I were to think of it in an optimistic manner, but unfortunately it didn’t work in Mino’s favour. I didn’t get much excitement from the song instrumentally and that is the reason why I didn’t have much drive myself to start typing out a review for the comeback. One definite good thing about Run Away is Mino himself, who’s delivery was pretty dynamic throughout the song. It is admittedly quite sluggish at the start. But from the first chorus onwards, his delivery has a bit more of an energy kick to it, which gives the song a bit of needed dynamism. His super fast rapping sequence in the second verse was probably the song’s iconic moment and it does provide a minute and limited wow factor. However, no matter how much energy Mino infuses into the song via his delivery, the instrumental drags down the song nonetheless. Overall, Run Away doesn’t have that pull or enticement to get me into the song and get itself an earlier review.

The music video leaves me confused for a bit. But upon some research, it seems like the video is showing Mino is running away from the painful memories represented by different scenarios (i.e. people turning into stone, water filled train carriages and a pixelated former lover pushing the artist away). Each of these probably have some sort of significance and shouldn’t be taken literally. The final scene makes the most sense, as that would be his most painful memory of all (i.e. his former lover pushing him away). The scene where the people turn into stone represents the sadness that has lingered around and ‘hardened’ as mentioned in the lyrics. The water filled train carriage doesn’t make any sense to me, however, though I assume this has something to do with the ‘alcohol mixed with memories’ he sung about in the first verse. Despite the mild confusion, I did like the overall concept of it, which goes nicely with the lyrics. The video also features Kang Seung Yoon ever so briefly at 1:38 mark of the music video.

There really isn’t much of a choreography for this comeback. Hence I won’t include a rating for it. Unless you believe that Mino stumbling around on stage as if he is drunk and a mess is a dance routine. Obviously, this choice was made so that he can focus on performing live and I respect this choice. There are dancers in the background with some choreo, but I didn’t think they were necessary for this comeback.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 7.5/10
Overall Rating – 6.6/10

[OST Review] 2020 OST Review – Part 1

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It has been a long time coming, but I have finally decided to make a start on reviewing a certain type of song that I barely looked at in the past but have wanted to write about for a while now – OST songs. OST (otherwise known as Official Sound Tracks) have been a big part of KPOP. Many of the idols we know and love have gone onto being big name actors, whiles others have had to the privilege to sing some of the most famous tracks to some of the greatest drama scenes of all time.

I personally feel that there is a misconception that OSTs are usually just ballads, but I want to prove that wrong. Furthermore, there will be a Best OST category in this year’s KPOPREVIEVED Awards (hint hint). So I have picked five OSTs throughout 2020 to review and introduce to you here (and over a number of posts). Note that I have not watched all of the dramas, so I will be reviewing the song itself – like how I write my song reviews.

Give You My Heart – IU
Drama: Crash Landing On You
Release: 15 Feb 2020

I kick off this segment with the unstoppable IU. Every song she releases, regardless of whether it is her actual songs off her latest album, a digital single or an OST, it rises to the top of the charts. This was also the case for Can’t Give You My Heart. It is a ballad and one that you can’t really do anything whilst listening to it. Or else you will ‘miss it’. The background is made simply of classical strings, piano and acoustic guitars. The main highlight within the background is this really nice whistling that gives it an almost folksy profile and helps separates it from the other ballads that dominates the OST category. The other half of the song is IU’s beautiful voice, that without doubt captivates the listener with her soft voice. The melodies that she brings to the song helps make this ballad ‘swayable’, which is my self-made indicator of a good ballad (since I don’t have much music expertise myself). I really liked that acapella moment we get during the bridge, which essentially floored me. And how they brought the instrumentals back for the final sequence was really stunning. Overall, captivating and riveting to listen to. (10/10)

Hello Stranger – Stray Kids
Drama: Pop Out Boy!
Release: 16 Jul 2020

Stray Kids changes up the OST playlist (literally) with a more intense and energetic style of music that stands out for being different from the rest of the OST realm. Hello Stranger brings forth the group’s usual style of dance music, with rock and hip-hop influences that gives additional dimension to the song. And this is simply because the song was composed by the group’s main composing team. That being said, the song does also draw some similarities to other OSTs. Most relevantly, the song is much more melodic than what Stray Kids have put out this year promotionally. This makes complete sense, as rapping could be a bit much in a drama scene where you want the writing of the drama or the acting to be the main star (and not the background music). I did like this shift in focus for the group though. It allows the group to show off more of their vocal chops in a different manner from a ballad or R&B song, but rather something of their upbeat style. I find that Hello Stranger could have easily been released as part of their latest albums. While it is executed differently by the members, the song would blend in well with the rest of the albums. I only have two complaints. The first (which isn’t really a complaint, because the song does go for a substantial amount of time in reality) is that it felt like a blur. The second would be it sudden ending, something that I still haven’t gotten used to. (9.5/10)

Sweet Night – V (BTS)
Drama: Itaewon Class
Release: 13 Mar 2020

After that little detour, V (from the widely popular BTS) bring us back to the ballad front with his OST addition to Itaewon Class (probably one of the biggest dramas of the year). This is his second OST song. His first was a duet with fellow member Jin for Hwarang (which he was also part of the cast for). V impresses with Sweet Night on a number of fronts. Firstly, the song is a track written completely in English by the artist himself. That is definitely a feat in itself for anyone who’s first language isn’t English. Secondly, his husky vocals were so good to listen to. We need more of this husky voice – something that I have mentioned on my blog before when reviewing his solo tracks on BTS’ albums. However, listening to his voice is one thing. Unfortunately, I found it slightly difficult to make out some words given that the huskiness was so strong. I was only comfortable in acknowledging that it was a English track once I saw that people were praising him for his efforts and on media sites (gotta fact check everything in this day and age!). That is my only complaint with the this particular song. Thirdly, while V does get all the attention – the female vocals that harmonised with him and complimented his voice added more layers to the song, making Sweet Night more than just husky vocals and acoustic guitars. But nonetheless, it was a soothing and swayable track to listen to. (9/10)

Not A Sad Song (이별 노래가 아니야) – ONF
Drama: Love Revolution
Release: 22 Oct 2020

ONF’s first OST as a group is a pop track, brought to life by drums and electric guitars. The opening eight seconds make it seem otherwise. But after that piano centric introduction, we are blasted with that mentioned pop instrumentation, which I enjoyed. I feel that the song almost had this musical approach to it, which would have been fantastic to see be brought to life conceptually in the drama. I haven’t checked out the drama, so I have no idea. But the music video suggests that my wishes didn’t come true. Like what the song’s title suggest, this is Not A Sad Song. It is quite upbeat, full of energy and sunshine. It feels perfect for a teenage romance drama (which Love Revolution would be categorized as). I liked that the members sing the chorus together, which instantly boosts up the song’s appeal. I feared that the pop instrumentation that they had going on would be a bit cliche for my liking. But them singing together to really bolster the melodies and match the song’s blast of energy (courtesy of the instrumentals) when we get to the chorus worked really well. During the verses, their solo parts were quite good in itself. I liked how they still managed to fit in a part for Wyatt. As mentioned before under Hello Stranger, an intense rap sequence would not have been a perfect fit for a drama, especially a teenage romance drama which should be light. His style is usually more intense, but it was tweaked well enough to allow him to fit in a softer manner. Overall, a pleasantly upbeat track to listen to. (8/10)

Something – Kang Daniel
Drama: Backstreet Rookie
Release: 19 Jun 2020

I hope that I have showed you all that there is more to OSTs than just ballads. That being said, ballads still do make up an overwhelming portion of the OST market, so I will save some other non-ballad OSTs for next weeks post. I end today’s segment with Kang Daniel’s first OST. It is also a ballad and it taps into the more typical nature of the genre (i.e. classical and acoustic instrumentation). I did like the melody that Kang Daniel brings to the song, which gives the song an even smoother appeal. His voice is a lot softer and raspier than usual, which instantly gives Something a delicate profile. I do find this song is quite consistent and I wished there was more to the song to give it some depth and exciting energy. While this is fine for a romance drama and it doesn’t make the song boring as much as it would to other songs, this is seems like the style of OST that everyone is familiar with and would generalise the entire market as. Not that this was a bad move on Kang Daniel’s part, as the song manages to showcase the singer in a new light for me. Overall, Something was dreamy, soothing and calming to listen to. (8/10)

[Album Review] We:th (10th Mini Album) – Pentagon

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There was no review yesterday as I took a day off for my birthday (and in true style, I spent the night off napping). And I started writing this review pretty late on Friday, hence why this is posted in the wee-hours (my local time) on Saturday. But I make my review comeback after that short break with an album review. Pentagon impressed their fans and other listeners with their early October comeback, Daisy. The title track is featured on the group’s tenth (!) mini-album, We:th. It follows their first studio album (Universe: The Black Hall), their participation on Road To Kingdom and Jinho’s military enlistment (and as a gift, he left fans with a song on the physical version of the album – something I do not have access to to review). We:th and Daisy also serves as Hui’s last comeback with the group for the next two years, as he enlists into the military as well in early December.

We:th Album Cover

1. Daisy (데이지) (Title Track) – Click here to read the full review of Daisy. (9/10)

2. Beautiful Goodbye – The next song on the album resettles on the pop genre, however I detect a bit of infusion from the rock influence we got in Daisy. There were some really good moments in Beautiful Goodbye that really draws my attention to the song time and time again. The first has to be the pre-chorus. The Shiwon/Yanan and Shinwon/Yuto pairings passing each word to one another was a really cool effect. Wooseok’s growl-like shouting in the second verse and Yuto’s deep voice were super exciting felt so appropriate for the slight rock influence we get in the song. The chorus was super easy to get into and had a really nice melody. I also like the story that the song tells, where the guys were happy to have their partner leave them without saying a beautiful goodbye. But at the end, their feelings change and expressed that they want one last kiss as that beautiful goodbye. (9/10)

3. Nostalgia (그해 그달 그날) – Wooseok dominates in this song with both vocals and rapping, which is fair given that he composed this song. It is a chirpy number that is full of energy. Yet, the lyrics of Nostalgia tell a slightly different story – they reminisce over a time in which they were happy about being in a relationship (the past) and compare to the time when they were not (the present). Aside from that, I don’t really get much of the song. Since the song is Wooseok-centric, the other members have quite limited opportunities to show off their skills. And the pop-based instrumental was good, but not exciting enough to be a standout song. (7/10)

4. You Like – While the opening and closing sequence to You Like oozes with Hui’s vocals and smooth piano instrumentation, don’t let it mislead you. The song changes up within seconds to an intense hip-hop dance style. It expresses frustration over people’s changing opinion and poses the question ‘What would you like?’ over and over again in a somewhat aggressive manner. I feel like the effects the song opted for were slightly overwhelming for my liking. So it wasn’t my cup of tea. But the vocal and rapping elements in the song were very good and well-polished. The most iconic moment, aside from the very abrasive instrumental, has to be dragged out ‘raw’ that follows the choruses. Not really the most impressive part of the song, but there is something about that expression that just manages to stick. (7.5/10)

5. Paradise (This Night Where Stars Shine) (Paradise (별이 빛나는 이 밤)) – The final song on the album is Paradise. It features a EDM and club-beat mashed up instrumental that feels very KPOP from early to mid-last decade. It was definitely a consistently great listen to tune into. The rapping opts for a trap instrumental. While this is pretty cliché, I appreciate that the trap sequence keeps song’s momentum going, opting for a piece that is a little more abrasiveness and almost like dubstep, that suits the song’s overall club beat energy and tempo. The vocal work was pretty nice in the song, dedicated to their fans. The bridge was exceptional, but it doesn’t stop the nostalgia that the chorus brings. (9/10)

Overall Album Rating – 8.3/10

Daisy / We:th Teaser Image