Month: October 2021

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 4th Week of October 2021

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Another busy week has just passed, and as usual for a Sunday, I look back on the week with a Weekly KPOP Chart post. It was a busy week in KPOP with a whole bunch of new releases, majority of which (even the ones I have reviewed yet) have charted in this week’s Top 30. It was also busy with the announcement of 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards nominations. If you haven’t looked that that yet, click here. I will be back later in the week to announce the KPOPREVIEWED Choice for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, so keep an eye out for that as well.

Also remember that other KPOP review blogs have posted their yearly nominations for their own awards (as part of the 2021 Award Circuit). Here is a handy list of the blogs posting their own awards:

The 555 Review Awards
10/10 Music Awards
2021 deforestedmusic Awards
Seoul Music Critics Association Awards
Gayo Music Festival 2021
2021 Golden Tunes

The above awards will be announcing their winners next week/in the coming week. And there are a few more awards nominations posts coming your way!

New song releases of the week

As mentioned at the start, majority of the new releases have made it onto the charts’ Top 30. But here is a quick rundown of the releases from the past week:

Throwback corner

This week’s throwback song is thanks to Nam Woohyun’s recent solo return with Calm & Passion. I had to revisit A Song With Me as a result of the soloists comeback, which was the title track for his last solo comeback in 2019.

Non-Korean Release of the Week

This week’s Non-Korean song of the Week is LOONA’s Hula Hoop. I had it on repeat during the week after I reviewed it last weekend!

The Charts

Congratulations once again to SEVENTEEN, who remains in the top spot for this week with Rock With You. For more of the charts, scroll down below.

4th Week of October 202124th Oct – 30th Oct 2021
Pos.SongArtistStatus
1Rock With YouSEVENTEEN(=)
2Favorite (Vampire)NCT 127(NEW)
3bugAboobugAboo(NEW)
4Don’t Teach MeAilee(NEW)
5Tamed-DashedENHYPEN(=)
6StickerNCT 127(▲ 74)
7TICK TOCKJUST B(NEW)
8DDARAGolden Child(▲ 13)
9VibinYoungjae (GOT7)(▲ 1)
10WAITINGWOODZ(▲ 13)
11VIVACELIGHTSUM(▲ 26)
12GHOSTDREAMNOTE(NEW)
13Deja VuATEEZ(▲ 5)
14beEunhyuk (Super Junior)(▼ 1)
15ZombiePURPLE KISS(▲ 1)
16SeriousPark Ji Hoon(NEW)
17LOCOITZY(▲ 17)
18Do 4 MeEPEX(NEW)
19BAD LOVEKey (SHINee)(▼ 13)
20California LoveDonghae (Super Junior) ft. Jeno (NCT)(▼ 13)
21DimplesWOOSUNG (The Rose)(▲ 59)
22MADONNALuna (f(x))(▲ 6)
23Red LightsBangchan & Hyunjin (Stray Kids)(▲ 23)
24Take OverDo Hanse (VICTON)(▲ 2)
25The ViewStray Kids(▲ 10) (FINAL WEEK)
26Black CrownKINGDOM(▼ 18)
27Fire SaturdaySECRET NUMBER(NEW)
28Calm & PassionNam Woohyun (Infinite)(▼ 13)
29SoberN.Flying(▲ 29)
30RunLUMINOUS(▲ 23)

Songs leaving the charts this week

After nine weeks, the following songs are no longer eligible for the Weekly KPOP Charts:

[Review] Tick Tock – JUST B

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Also making their comeback on Wednesday of this week was JUST.B. Their first comeback since their debut with DAMAGE comes in the form of the single TICK TOCK and their first single album, JUST BEAT. Let’s see if TICK TOCK has what it takes to put JUST B on the map, following the likes of DAMAGE, which has managed to secure the group their nomination for Best New Male Group in the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (voting will open mid-November).

If I have to answer that above proposition right away, I would have to say no. TICK TOCK, as JUST B’s second step into the industry, doesn’t really live up to the same standard as DAMAGE had set for them. To me, TICK TOCK is not a bad or terrible song. But long story short, TICK TOCK is just rather stagnant and plain. Despite all the abrasive synths and edginess that comes from the song, TICK TOCK‘s instrumentation sounded one-dimensional and lacked charm. It was pretty much neutral throughout, with nothing memorable or worth mentioning. The exact same could be said about the vocals and rapping. The member just didn’t infuse much character or personality, and hence TICK TOCK just doesn’t come off as a strong release. There, however, seems to be two somewhat decent elements to the song, but it isn’t really enough in hindsight to rescue the song from the pits of the song’s boring nature. The first element in question is the song’s repetitive ‘Tick Tock‘ hook. At first, it came off very monotone like the rest of the song. But as usual, a few repeats of TICK TOCK since its release has shown some hope for the song’s repetitive phrase. But it isn’t as strong as many other hooks in KPOP. The second is the glitchy effect in the song’s background. While I did like the effect in the song, I don’t think I can get past the rest of the dull instrumentation to really dig back into the song. It is quite disappointing, but there is (hopefully) next time for the group to show something of DAMAGE‘s calibre or more.

From what I understand, the video is all about tackling your own fears and getting that feeling of fear controlled. The video begins with the members in these futuristic machines that place the members into their worst fears or situations. Fires, lack of sight or not knowing what is happening around you, darkness, being chased by someone, underwater and loneliness (the mirror scenes) are fears or situations that the video zones into. I am not sure what the butterfly represents, but it seems to help the members overcome the fear – maybe its presence evokes a sense of calmness. But anyway, once the time is up, the members are pulled from their scenarios and wake up, with their fears controlled. I quite like this concept, if I interpreted it correctly. The sets looked industrial and futuristic, which helped with the edgy appeal.

The choreography for this comeback is its strongest element by far. I really enjoyed the impact the entire hook sequence had on stage, with said sequence consisting of their Tick Tock hand movement, the zombie walk and the vibrating bomb. The bridge was cool, with the x formation.

Song – 5.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating -7/10

[Review] Don’t Teach Me – Ailee

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With the big post of the week out the way, it is time to return to the usual programme of reviews. And there is a lot to cover this week. For this post, I will be looking at the long-awaited return of Ailee, who returned on Wednesday with Don’t Teach Me and her third studio-length album, Amy. This is Ailee first release since the pre-release single Make Up Your Mind from earlier on in the year, which is also featured on this album. This release also marks her first major release under THE L1VE, which is also home to Wheein (of Mamamoo).

Don’t Teach Me delves into the old swing genre with its brassy and old-style instrumental that just has this golden yet vintage glow. You will very much know that I enjoy brass elements, especially when it is used in upbeat applications. And so Don’t Teach Me ticks that box instantly. When the song hits the chorus, the instrumental makes me want to get up and dance. I had to refrain from doing so, or else there would be no review! What makes Don’t Teach Me even better is Ailee herself. It has been a while since we heard a powerful display of vocals from Ailee, and she just takes Don’t Teach Me to the next level. At the start of the song, Ailee’s vocals (paired with minimal piano) added suspense to the song and intrigued me into listening further to Don’t Teach Me. When we get to the choruses, Ailee really throws powerful vocals at us, as we get to the end of the segment. This naturally adds definition and oomph to the song that just takes the song to the next level. I think the song could have used some more interesting hooks. The ‘Please Don’t Teach Me‘ hook that follows the second and third choruses felt somewhat one-dimensional and didn’t really feel like it matched the rest of the song. It worked well, but I think Don’t Teach Me would have been a vastly better song with something bolder and punchy. But overall, Don’t Teach Me is a fantastic comeback from Ailee. It has been a while since we heard from her in this light and it was definitely satisfying to finally get something so.

Unfortunately, the music video didn’t fare as well as the song. While the setting, outfits (and damn, does Ailee look great throughout this video) and concept match the song and its lyrics wonderfully, I found the video to be dry. Essentially, the video is about Ailee making a statement to ‘all the boys who think they can control a woman’ and hence makes all the heads turn in her direction. I wished they did something more with all those people in that ballroom, that would have made the video a bit more interesting. However, there was one ballroom segment which I thought was pretty cool. At the start of the final chorus, Ailee’s vocals and energy broke a mirror and statue in time with the music. It was a clever and fun nod to both the message of the song/video and Ailee’s powerfulness.

The performance itself was quite good. There isn’t anything really special about the performance, but I liked that it was well-fitted to the song and had an element of fun to it as well. Ailee offset the lack of something special with her live vocals, which is still something to be in awe of.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Weekly KPOP Chart] 3rd Week of October 2021

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Welcome to a delayed edition of the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 3rd Week of October 2021. I couldn’t focus on the Weekly KPOP Charts segment on Sunday as I was focusing on more important things (aka. the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards).

For those who may have missed it, the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards was announced on Sunday, and the nominations were posted yesterday! If you haven’t checked who is nominated yet, click here to see which artists, stages, choreographies and songs were nominated in the annual awards!

Check back next Wednesday for the KPOPREVIEWED Choice of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (aka. who I think should win in each category). But remember, the winner is ultimately chosen by you in a fan vote, which will open in mid-November. For now, here are the Weekly KPOP Charts.

The Charts

Congratulations to SEVENTEEN, who have topped the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 3rd Week of October with Rock With You. Scroll down for more of the charts!

3rd Week of October 202117th Oct – 23rd Ocr 2021
Pos.TitleArtistStatus
1Rock With YouSEVENTEEN(NEW)
2Love CutCNBLUE(NEW)
3DOORKwon Eun Bi(▲ 23)
4ICONSHOT ISSUE(▲ 30)
5Tamed-DashedENHYPEN(=)
6BAD LOVEKey (SHINee)(▲ 1)
7California LoveDonghae (Super Junior) ft. Jeno (NCT)(▲ 73)
8Black CrownKINGDOM(NEW)
9GlassyJo Yuri(▲ 20)
10VibinYoungjae (GOT7)(▼ 7)
11Work WorkLee Jin Hyuk(NEW)
12BlueWonho(▲ 68)
13beEunhyuk (Super Junior)(NEW)
14Life is BeautifulONEUS(▲ 52)
15Calm & PassionNam Woohyun (Infinite)(NEW)
16ZombiePURPLE KISS(▼ 4)
17ThunderousStray Kids(▼ 13)
18Deja VuATEEZ(▲ 29)
19strawberry moonIU(NEW)
20VENI VIDI VICICRAVITY(▲ 52)
21DDARAGolden Child(▼ 20)
22ChangerA.C.E(▲ 3)
23WAITINGWOODZ(▼ 10)
24CHERRYAB6IX(▲ 3)
25Savageaespa(▲ 3)
26Take OverDo Hanse (VICTON)(▼ 4)
27B.T.WJAY B (GOT7) ft. Jay Park(▲ 53)
28Eternal SunshineATEEZ(▼ 20)
29That FeelingSeungmin, Donghyun, Jaehyun (Golden Child)(▲ 51)
30Surfin’Lee Know, Changbin, Felix (Stray Kids)(▼ 20)

Songs that are leaving the charts

The following songs have wrapped up their nine weeks of the charts and will no longer be eligible on the charts:

  • After We Ride – Brave Girls
  • TRIGGER – VERIVERY
  • FLEX – T1419
  • Thunderous – Stray Kids
  • Spicy – CL
  • Door – Kwon Eunbi
  • Hurting U – Changjo (Teen Top)
  • SPLASH – MIRAE
  • B.T.W – JAY B (GOT7) ft. Jay Park
  • ONLY – Lee Hi
  • Lullaby – WOODZ
  • Behind U – HALF (Jihun – KNK) ft. YunGGi
  • Is It Raining? – V-Hawk
  • SOOP – Jenyer ft. Heo Gayoon

[Special/Awards] 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – Nomination Announcement

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Welcome, all to the announcement of nominations for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards! As mentioned on Sunday, this year the Awards will be slightly different to previous years. For an explanation of what is happening, click here to have a read of the schedule for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

As mentioned in the previous post, the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Award is part of the 2021 Critics Award Circuit, which is currently underway with the announcement of nominations by The 555 Review, 108 Ent and deforestedmusic for their respective award ceremonies. As a result, the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED are happening a month earlier than usual, which means the eligibility period for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards is now between 30 November 2020 to 24 October 2021. Songs released after 24 October 2021 will be considered in next year’s KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

These nominations are based on my thoughts and preferences from the year that has just passed. I have considered a wide range of acts, songs, albums, stages, videos etc. (including those I have not reviewed) as part of this year’s awards. Also, these awards are irrespective of the reviews that I have posted throughout the year – simply because my thoughts on artists and songs can change throughout the year.

PS. I tried to do something different this year with the announcement of nominees, by including pictures for the songs, artists and visuals nominated this year. I hope you can read them. I know for some, particularly the songs/album categories, the wording might be a bit too small. Don’t fret (or get angry at me). I have included a reader-friendly version on Google Sheets, which you can view by clicking the link.

READER-FRIENDLY VERSION OF NOMINATIONS LIST

Also, due to the number of categories, I have elected to split this post into three pages.

  • To view the ARTIST-RELATED categories (including Best Male and Female Soloists, and Best Male and Female Group, collectively the Artists of the Year categories), stay on this page and keep on scrolling.
  • To view the CHOREOGRAPHIES, VISUALS and COMEBACK RELATED categories, click here or click to the second page at the bottom of this post.
  • To view the SONG-RELATED categories, click here or click to the third page at the bottom of this post.

So without further ado, I present to you the nominees for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

Artist Categories

Note: Pentagon’s Lovesick Girls cover was uploaded at the start of November 2020. However, I didn’t view the video until December 2020, and hence why it is eligible for Special Performance and Vocal awards.

Artists of the Year Categories

Page 1 – Artist Related Categories
Page 2 – Choreographies, Visuals, Comeback Related Categories
Page 3 – Song Related Categories

Pages: 1 2 3

[Review] Favorite (Vampire) – NCT 127

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Also making their comeback today is NCT 127, who returns with Favorite (Vampire). This comeback sees the release of the group’s repackaged version of their third studio length album, which also shares the first name of the title track. It follows the release of Sticker, which I didn’t enjoy and actually have forgotten about since reviewing it back in mid-September. Let’s see how Favorite (Vampire) fairs, Also, on a side note, with the release of the repackaged album, you can expect an album review for both Sticker/Favorite this weekend!

Without a doubt, I would choose Favorite as my preferred track between the two releases from the group this year. Favorite flowed a lot better and felt more cohesive than the earlier track. However, this doesn’t mean I am 100% into the song. I am more so 99% into the track (plot twist much?). The issue lies within the instrumentation, as I don’t really like the wispy synth whistles in the instrumentation. They get better as the song progresses, and they might very well grow on me. But when I hear it for the first time every time I have replayed the song, I find them to be unsettling. Aside from that, I think Favorite was a really great track. It taps into R&B pop and has this smoothness to it, which I enjoyed. I also liked the more profound and normal whistling in the song (even though they did bring a certain level of dullness to the song), along with the trap elements that make up the background for the more rap-centric (rap-spoken) sequences, which added both and edgy vibe and kick to the song. They could have used less of the whistling, but it wasn’t the worst thing in the world. I think the worst thing in the world in the context of Favorite would be the dubstep breakdown. I am glad that didn’t make it into the final cut of the song (it was only in the music video, and I presume in the upcoming performances as well). If it did, it would have been unnecessary and obnoxious to listen to. Moving away from that, I thoroughly enjoyed the vocal works. Again, the smoothness comment can be applied here, and to the melodies which the members bring to life. The harmonies take it to the next level, while the two-syllable delivery they used at the end of the choruses made the song memorable for me. Overall, Favorite is definitely the superior track in comparison to Sticker, and is definitely a strong improvement from the mentioned last release.

The members (or at least some of the members) are vampires in this music video. The idea of it works really well with the music, from how I see it. The R&B pop song was very mature sounding, and I feel that the portrayal of the members as vampires was also quite mature as well. We don’t see any Count Draculas, and we don’t see any stereotypical portrayals of vampires as per folklore or stories depict them to be. I guess this mature vibe comes about because the song is about a relationship that is inevitably going to end, even though their partners are everything to them. While I think the vampire idea is great, I would like to see the concept be a more prominent feature in this music video. Also, I didn’t like the use of CGI in this video. It wasn’t the case across the board, but some parts looked noticeably synthetic. Thankfully, the dance sets balanced it out and made it seem less so.

The performance aspect of this comeback looks quite good. I really liked the two lines of members during the final moments of the chorus, and how they seemingly got into that formation. The dance break was quite dynamic, led by Taeyong, Mark and Jaehyun.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 8/10
Overall Rating – 7.9/10

[Review] bugAboo – bugAboo

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We kick off this new week with the debut of bugAboo. This is a new female group, currently signed under A Team Entertainment, consisting of six members (Eunchae, Yoona, Rainie, Cyan, Choyeon and Zin). They make their first step into the KPOP industry with a self-titled track and their first single album (also self-titled).

bugAboo (the song) thrives on its vibrant and energetic tone. And I am all for it. The instrumentation for bugAboo is an attraction, with the dance track exuding the very familiar but powerful funky energy during its prominent moments. But aside from the funkiness, I really liked the brass in bugAboo. The boldness from the brass at the start in particular was very intriguing and got me interested in the song. From what I understand, the song has combined the famous works of Ennio Morricone into the dance track, and I think the brass is the first evidence of this (I had to Google this, but Ennio Morricone is a famous Italian composer, orchestrator, conductor and trumpeter, who is most well known for music scores in film, most notably The Good, the Bad and the Ugly), though I am not too sure. I am more certain of the wild-west twang we get in the pre-chorus and instrumentation in the bridge being pieces of Ennio Morricone’s works in this song. bugAboo is also a strong showing of vocals. I really enjoyed how clear and crisp the members were in bugAboo. I was essentially sold when the first member started singing (Yoona, I believe) and was pulled into the song further by the subsequent members and their harmonies. I do think the rapping could have been a bit more substantial in this song, as I felt bugAboo called for more edginess. The chorus was fun and super catchy from the get-go, with the hook on full repeat in my head. The dramatic change in tone in the bridge was very interesting. It came out of nowhere, but it somehow fitted in and worked well with the rest of the song. Overall, bugAboo’s debut with their self-titled song was an amazing step into the industry, and I am definitely intrigued to see what the group will do next!

You can tell that their company has put a lot of money behind the group based on this music video. Hopefully, it pays off and their subsequent comebacks don’t suffer as we have recently seen with some other acts. The music video seems to be a bit of a playful hint at Halloween, with a spooky but fun theme throughout. I got a bit of Ghostbuster vibes at the end of the video, which I quite liked. Based on the official description of the storyline, the members find their main source of fear to overcome it (definitely nice to have an official description for the video, especially when the storyline is masked amongst the fun and playful tones). Overall, it was still a good video to watch and enjoy.

The group had their debut showcase a week in advance of their official release date, giving us insight into their routine before the music video (usually, it is the other way). Even though there was a mistake in their first performance, I am very surprised at their confidence and stage presence. There is a lot of potential from the group members from this stage alone. With the dance moves, I really liked the hand flicking over their heads for the song’s main hook. I was also surprised they pulled off the pyramid on stage (though I won’t be surprised if their performance is amended in the future to omit this, as I can see it being dangerous) and I loved the whip around at the very end of the performance.

Song – 9.5/10
Music Video – 8/10
Performance – 9/10
Overall Rating – 9/10

[Special] 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards – Announcement

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It might be a tad early this year, but I am proud to unveil and announce the beginning of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards. Once again, we are approaching the end of the year and it is time to look back at the year (ish) that has just passed. This year, things are happening in a slightly different order than previously (if you haven’t noticed, this particular post is coming out a month in advance than usual). More will be explained below.

The 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards will be part of the 2021 Critics Award Circuit, which is also soon to get underway. Keep your eyes out on other KPOP review blogs for their upcoming announcements. Think blogs that were part of the KPOP Songs of Summer collaboration that happened earlier this year, if you are wondering which specific blogs to look at. As those blogs post their awards posts, I will link to them here.

The 555 Awards of 2021: Nominations
10/10 – Music Critics Association Nominations
2021 deforestedmusic Awards Nominations

Okay, so now here are the details. I have once again added a bunch more categories to the awards this year. You will find out what they are in the coming days. This is on top of the many older categories such as Best New Artist, Best Artist, Best Choreography, Best Music Video etc. categories. And fan voting will still be a thing, so you will definitely still get to have your say in the final winners of each category.

In terms of eligibility for this year, any artist/song nominated will need to be active/released between 30 November 2020 and 22 October 2021. This will include songs such as ENHYPEN’s Given-Taken, Kai’s Mmmh, GOT7’s Last Piece (releases that occurred on 30 November 2020), up until track’s such as SEVENTEEN’s Rock With You and KINGDOM’s Black Crown (releases that occurred up until 22 October 2021). Any songs before the 30 November 2020 date were considered as part of the 2020 KPOPREVIEWED Awards, and any songs released after 22 October 2021 will be considered in the 2022 KPOPREVIEWED Awards.

See below for the Key Dates for the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (all times are based on my local time, AEDT):

24 October 2021 (i.e. today) – Announcement of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards (this particular post in question!)

9 PM (27 October 2021 (this coming Wednesday) – Announcement of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards nominees

9 PM 3 November 2021 – KPOPREVIEWED Choice of the 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards nominees – I usually hold off on announcing the KPOPREVIEWED Choice until I post the Winner Announcement post early in the new year. But this time, I will be posting who I think the winners should be in a week after the announcement of the 2021 KPORPEVIEWED Awards nominees.

12:00 AM 15 November 2021 – Public voting opens

11:59 PM 31 December 2021 – Public voting closes

(Date TBC) January 2022 – Announcement of 2021 KPOPREVIEWED Awards Winners

So based on the above, coming up very soon is the announcement of the 2021 KPOPREVIREWED Awards Nominees. Until then, have a great day/start of the week!

[International Song Reviews] TWICE, MONSTA X, Stray Kids & LOONA

Posted in JPOP, Reviews, Western POPTagged , , , 5 Comments

It is another edition of the International Song Reviews segment. Last week, I posted an ISR consisting reviews for Ten, Jackson Wang, WAYV, Yuqi and 2PM. This week, I will be focusing on another set of releases brought to you by TWICE, MONSTA X, Stray Kids and LOONA. I am keeping this post to just four tracks today, rather than the usual five, so I can focus on some other things today. As this post have a lot to cover, let’s get started!

The Feels – TWICE

I listened to this full English song when the music video dropped at the start of this month. I didn’t think much of it then (and honestly I never returned to it until today). But I have to say, the ‘Boy, I know you got the feels‘ repeated one-liner hook is so damn catchy. It somehow gotten stuck in my head since that first listen, even though it was very much delayed. Anyhow, The Feels is a funky pop track, and listening back I am surprised I didn’t return to the track sooner. It is a very vibrant and colourful track, suitable for my personal taste and TWICE’s overall discography. I really enjoyed the energy that comes from it. The members sound fantastic, and I just love the elongation of the word ‘feels’ in that hook. My only gripe about the song is Chaeyoung’s lines in the pre-chorus. They just didn’t feel like a perfect fit. I liked the music video, but it isn’t that special. The theme seems to be prom-queens, but it seems to be more than that with the red carpet and stage sets. Regardless of what the theme is, The Feels music video is fun and pleasant to watch. For the dance, I thought it was great. Again, nothing special with it. But it works wonderfully with the music. (8/10)

One Day – MONSTA X

A month prior to the above song’s release, MONSTA X released another all English track titled One Day. Since then, the group has been confirmed for a Korean and Western comeback in the next two months, so do expect to see more of MONSTA X on the blog. Now, back to the song in question. One Day is an atmospheric yet simple synth-heavy ballad that I quite enjoyed. One Day really does a good job of presenting stillness and comes off as soothing and calming. The instrumental also comes off as dreamy. For the vocals (which appears to be the song’s sore point for some), I thought MONSTA X did a really nice job. I did think they could have pushed themselves more to be even more expressive, but their delicate tone and emotional touch fits the bill perfect for the song’s meaning and overall sound. The melodies were stunning, as well, adding to this. Both the song and music video features Shownu, who recently enlisted into the military. It was definitely nice to see him one more time. Unfortunately, Hyungwon was missing from the group shots for this music video for unknown reasons. For the music video, I liked the simplicity of the video as well. I also liked the mature visuals that the members gave off. They look good and somehow the mature vibes fitted in with the idea of the song being a ballad for me. (8.6/10)

Scars – Stray Kids

Knowing fully what Stray Kids is capable of, Scars is quite underwhelming for me. Coming off the high of their recent Korean comeback, I would have liked to hear something with the same level of impact and energy. But Scars didn’t deliver this. It doesn’t mean that Scars is a bad song, however. But it is definitely not their best. Scars was a pleasant EDM track – nothing more, nothing less. The members opted for a sentimental tones that sounds nice. But once again, nothing more, nothing less. Vocally, the sentimental tone came naturally and actually sounded quite good. Rapping wise, I thought it was plain. The EDM sound that Scars opted for attempted to add impact, but it more so fizzled out once that impact is delivered. Hence, everything came together to contribute towards an underwhelming and not-so-memorable track. For the music video, it seems like the members are running away (well, more so slowly walking) from ghostly apparitions. They seek shelter in a caravan and kick start a device that repels the ghosts during the night. Then, the story kind of repeats itself and doesn’t really resolve. I hope there is a second part to this, as I think it could potentially be an interesting story to dive into. The choreography for this comeback was quite good, fitting in with the sentimental and mature tones of the song. It doesn’t hit hard, but there was some intensity in the choreography that was quite satisfying to watch as well. (7/10)

HULA HOOP – LOONA

I was quite nervous to hear that LOONA’s company is in the financial red, which puts a massive question mark over the group’s future. But seeing LOONA still pumping out music is a bit of a reassuring sign. Mid-September saw the group release their first original Japanese single, HULA HOOP. It is a dance pop track that is very chirpy and energetic. Actually, in comparison to their debut track which I would say is the equilavent of this track (Hi High, if you are wondering), HULA HOOP seems to let its go a bit. Nothing wrong there, if I am being honest, but I do miss the certain aesthetic that we associate with the group when it comes to their tracks. I liked their vocals and the hooks throughout HULA HOOP quite a bit. They are fun and definitely cutesy. This isn’t usually my cup of tea, but as I always say, there are exceptions. The music video is very unique, with everything moving in an upward direction. I will give them points for that. But I also feel that the video overwhelms us with all the post production applications. It made everything feel a bit much. In the midst of all the overwhelming graphics, you can see a lot of throwbacks to the group’s previous releases through the images, outfits and props (including some of their pre-debut works). No surprises come in the choreography. I enjoyed the fun and energetic side of the song, and the synchronisation between the members makes the performance cooler (as always). (8.2/10)

[Review] ICONS – Hot Issue

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At the end of September, HOT ISSUE made their first comeback with ICONS. This follows their debut, GRATATA, from April earlier this year. For those who missed their debut, the female group is made up of seven members and are currently under S2 Entertainment.

HOT ISSUE tones down the aggression in ICONS, going with a generic hip-hop sound in this dance track. When I compare their debut and comeback tracks, I cannot help but think that ICONS felt more so like a step backward. It isn’t a massive set back for the group if I was being honest, but it doesn’t really show off much of the group or offer anything original to really talk about. I would say that the rapping and vocal delivery was quite solid throughout, with the pre-chorus being the most vivid part of ICONS for me. But the generic nature of the song doesn’t really help to emphasise that. When the chorus dawns, we are left with an overly generic and forgettable centrepiece that makes you question where the boldness from their debut track had gone. Obviously, I wished that the chorus was more dynamic, as that would have done wonders for ICONS. We do get a peek of some potential dynamism in the final chorus with the extra layer of instrumentation. While that could have benefited from some remoulding as well, I think it is what could have applied to the earlier choruses to give them that additional appeal. A stronger hook would also be helpful, as well, as the one we got was pretty generic and was not enticing.

For the music video, it is one of the many videos that you can watch it once and you can probably describe it reasonably well without ever returning to watch it again as a refresher. It is pretty generic is what I am trying to say, with the closeup and choreography adopted for this video. The sets didn’t offer much assistance in making this video cooler. The outfits were okay. They did bring forth a badass tone, but they aren’t the most stunning outfits ever.

I feel the boldest aspect of the comeback is the performance. While the verses also share the same generic description as the song and the video, the routine in the chorus felt like it went a bit harder than the rest, which I think is a positive outcome to have, at least somewhere in the midst of all the plainness.

Song – 5/10
Music Video – 5/10
Performance – 6/10
Overall Rating – 5.2/10

[Review] Rock With You – SEVENTEEN

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The next comeback is one that I am really excited for. Of course I am talking about SEVENTEEN and their comeback today, Rock With You. The new song is featured on their ninth mini-album, Attacca. This release follows their Ready To Love comeback earlier on in the year, which was followed up with their side track Anyone. On a side note, Jun and The8 are not part of the promotions due to schedules in China. However, they were part of the album recording and the music video shoot, so you can expect to still see them in some capacity during the Rock With You era.

Over many recent reviews, I have continually saying I want more from the songs. And I feel that SEVENTEEN’s Rock With You delivers that ‘more’ that I am desiring. Rock With You takes on a pop rock sound that has a lot of great and vibrant energy. This alone is enough as a selling point to the song. Sure, I acknowledge the fact that they could have turned up the dial with some of the rock elements to make the song even better. But that doesn’t mean the song is not satisfying enough. I do question the use of the squeaky bed spring synths in the pre-chorus, but I am glad they are masked by the rest of the instrumentation and it doesn’t become a distraction. Rock With You is quite a vocal track, with the rapping taking a bit of a backburner in this song. There is still a bit of rapping, but it makes up only a small portion of the song. And I think this is a good call. Rock With You has that rock influence, and the rappers bring either a raspy or hoarse voice to the song when they sing. Both goes hand-in-hand, adding texture to the song. S.Coup, in particular, handles his part of the bridge really well, despite having all the instrumentation stripped away for a brief second. Another good call here, as it makes the final chorus explosive. But his vocals also had a delicate touch to the song. The rest of the group do an amazing job on the vocal front. Melody-wise, Rock With You is quite strong in this department, and this enables the song to be very catchy and addictive. Overall, another amazing song from the group.

The music video is fantastic. I really like the fast paced nature of the song, which matched the tempo of the song. I found that it helped amp up the vibrancy and energy of the video. I liked the used of the ripped borders around the image, and how those images were used as transitional elements in the video. I also quite liked the sets, especially the stage. It just felt fitting for the song and looked perfect in this video. I also quite enjoyed the camera work in this video, especially when they shot the members from the side during the choreography shoots. It added an ‘up close and personal’ type of feel to the video, making it as if we are watching them from the side of the stage.

I really enjoyed the performance. The choreography was just fitting and perfect for the song, as expected from SEVENTEEN. The energy that comes from this performance is so cool. But what really makes this performance even better was the ad-libs we got at the end of the stage performance. It heightens everything that is already in the song and adds hype to the final part of the performance.

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

[Review] Black Crown – KINGDOM

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Yesterday, I finally got around to reviewing KINGDOM’s July release, KARMA. Just almost 5 months late. But don’t worry about their next review! As promised in KARMA‘s review, I will be looking at KINGDOM’s comeback, from yesterday, today. It is titled Black Crown and is from their third mini-album since debut, History Of Kingdom : Part Ⅲ. Ivan.

Black Crown opts for a similar foundation as their previous title tracks. But there is a bit more to this song, thanks to the additional few types of synths used in the foundation. It isn’t a great deal to make this song better, but it is enough to set it apart from the pack. What does make Black Crown better is the use of the choir chanting and the orchestral instrumentation. They definitely gave the song flair and very epic energy that makes it hard to miss on your playlist. There are also some other influences in the song. There is a bit of sampling of a ballet track of some sort throughout. which complimented the orchestral flourishes Black Crown had. It also added a bit of a creepy vibe to the song. Black Crown also had some dance synths embedded in the song (hear the very brief synth just heard at the start of the final chorus). I kind of wished they explored this side more, as could have taken Black Crown to the next level and help differentiate the track from their previous titles even more. Unfortunately, the rest of the song is a bit disappointing. The vocals were good, though I am not keen on the non-memorable melodies and shouty delivery of the chorus. Third time around, I am getting sick of it this chorus style from the group. Honestly, and this applies to the entire song, the producers really need to start exploring new genres for the group (or their producers need to be changed). There is a lot of consistency between the releases thus far, and if this continues, I fear that any appealing factor the group has will be dulled and the songs will become forgettable. Overall, I liked Black Crown‘s added elements, but the rest of the song is lacking and falling into a repetitive pattern with the rest of their main releases.

It appears that GF Entertainment has use a large chunk of their budget in their previous music videos. This unfortunately left Black Crown looking very cheap and low-budget. I would have preferred the music video to not have any green screen scenes, as they were the cause of the cheapness. I would have been fine with the ruin sets, and the story involving the two versions of KINGDOM, as they fight for the crown/protect the crown (depending on which side you are on). It also appears like the idea of the crown has awaken the evil side of member Ivan. As expected, the video focused on the King of Snow member (Ivan), who according to KPROFILES is named after King Ivan IV (Ivan the Terrible). That would explain the snow (Russia has a lot of snow) and the ballet sample in the song (Russia is quite known for their ballet). Based on the ending of the video, we will be focusing on a Korean emperor. Based on KPROLFILES, the emperor in question is ‘Dangun, the legendary founder and king of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom’, and the member in the centre of this is Dann.

I think the only negative aspect of the performance has to be the amount of people on stage. There was so much dancers, it kind of muddled and made the performance messy for me. But aside from that, the start of the choreography looked very cool. The dragging of the female dancers was a really nice way to get them off the stage. The lifting of the members throughout the choreography added an artistic touch to the performance, as well.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 6/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] KARMA – KINGDOM

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Before I zip ahead to review KINGDOM’s comeback tomorrow, I thought I take a time to finally review KARMA, the male rookie’s first comeback that occurred back in July of this year. For those who missed it, KINGDOM is a new seven-member male group under GF Entertainment who debuted at the start of the year with Excalibur. After KARMA, the group made their second comeback in their careers with Black Crown today, which I will review tomorrow.

I feel that KARMA is a bit of an improvement for KINGDOM. But I do think the song is still in lukewarm waters and hasn’t grown on my much since its release mid-year. I found the base of KARMA to be pretty much similar to Excalibur (i.e. the EDM in the chorus felt the same and the powerfulness of the song in on par with their debut song). It isn’t necessarily a bad thing for this song, but I guess was hoping for something a lot more different to what we have already from them. But that is only the background of the background. I was actually quite satisfied with everything else. I quite like what the producers did in the foreground of the song. I am referring to the traditional oriental influence that KARMA has, and I quite liked its ongoing presence in the song. Again, it isn’t original, but it definitely adds a memorable factor to the song. My only critique here was to tone down the powerful dominance of the plain EDM in the chorus, just so the traditional elements could also be heard more cleanly. The mention of improvement at the start of this section of the review also extends to the vocal elements. I thought the vocals were a lot more dynamic this time around, even though someone sounded slightly screechy. The rapping in this song had a very cool factor to it, which I quite liked. Overall, a definite improvement. I haven’t listened to Black Crown just yet, but I hope it is another step in the right direction for the group/

In my Excalibur review, I did mention I was worried they were going to redo the same music video for each king that the members are supposedly based on. While it seems like they essentially did just that for this music video (with focus on the Chinese Emperor, Chiyou), it actually came off as a stunning visual piece and I am not bored of it. Maybe by the last king, I would be bored. But for now, I will backtrack on that comment. Overall, this was a really captivating video. I loved the traditional elements that featured in the video, from the sets to the outfits. The members definitely look amazing and aesthetic in their traditional gear. I am definitely looking forward to next king (possibly the Snow King, based on clues from the ending?). On a side note, I am not keen on their choreography outfits. They looks bulky and tiresome to deal with.

Adding to the traditional feels, I really liked the use of the fans in the performance. They added both a wow factor and a pretty element to the routine. I also liked the moments in which the members were being carried, namely the bridge of the song and the ending. Not only did they add height to the performance in the literal sense, I felt it was a fitting way to end the performance, given their regal concepts.

Song – 7/10
Music Video – 8.5/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 7.8/10

[Review] Love Cut – CNBLUE

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CNBLUE returns after a year with their new single Love Cut and mini-album, WANTED. The last time we heard from the band as a whole was their grand return to the music industry after military enlistment late last year with Then, Now and Forever. Since then, CNBLUE had been fairly quiet, with a Japanese release mid-year, titled Zoom.

This seems to be a week of pleasant songs. Love Cut is another addition to this list. For me, Love Cut tethers between the the sides of pleasant. For those who don’t know, I have used the word ‘pleasant’ in both a positive (the song indeed has been blissful and sounds very nice overall) and a negative manner (the song is limited at just that and doesn’t go beyond being pleasant). The instrumental features the iconic wild west whistle and acoustic guitar, and ultimately develops into a mid-tempo rock track. If I am being honest, this sound profile that the band has gone for isn’t original, but it does come off somewhat refreshing as it has been a while since we have heard a song that features such sounds. But I find it very catchy and I personally don’t mind it. I liked the kick that the rock gives Love Cut in the choruses, which makes the song more appealing to me. However, like many songs that I describe as ‘just pleasant’, I think there is room for the band to go a little harder. I wished there was more to the rock, especially during the end to give the song the bold ending that would have set it part from the rest of the competition. I also desire CNBLUE to return to their more powerful rock days, as that is what I prefer, and an amplified rock sound in this song would have been enough to satisify that craving. Similarly, I wished there was more character and profile to the vocals. I will touch on this more in the music video section, but I just feel like the Yonghwa’s vocals were just a bit dull. Overall, Love Cut is a pleasant song that could go either way.

The music video was one of those ones that started off good, but didn’t end good. With the wild west influence in the song, it made sense for the video to take on a wild west concept. Set in a saloon bar, it seems like the members are after the female bandit. She does a good job of distracting them, and ambushes them after a card game. All three members are tied up, but the members escape with scissors. I guess this a a visual way of saying that the members are severing the ties between them and the female bandit (i.e. their relationship). But I just thought the way they shot everything and made it all a tad too dramatic looked a bit too funny for my liking. I wished the guns were still there in some capacity, as I don’t think I would trust cowboys with scissors in a fight. My other issue with the song was the poor lip-syncing on Yonghwa’s part. When I mentioned that he sounded dull in the song, the video made it worse.

Song – 6.5/10
Music Video – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.7/10

[Review] be – Eunhyuk (Super Junior)

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In preparation of the upcoming return of Super Junior’s most active subunit, Super Junior D&E, with their first studio-length album (which also marks their 10 year anniversary as a unit), Donghae and Eunhyuk have released their first major solo songs since their debut over 15 years ago. Today, I will be reviewing their solo releases ahead of their official comeback in November. Now, it is Eunhyuk’s be.

If I had to compare the solo tracks from both Donghae and Eunhyuk, Eunhyuk’s be is definitely my pick. I find this song to just be more captivating to listen to. Eunhyuk may not be the Super Junior that is most known for his vocals, but he does an amazing job in be. We get some good vocals from Eunhyuk throughout the song, with him slipping into falsetto territory when we get to the chorus, which helped made the song stunning and aesthetic. When I heard be for the first time, I thought the song was going to be rather monotone. But I judged too quickly and the parts that we did get that were neutral contributed to the overall aesthetic of the song. For the instrumentation, the song falls within the pop domain. It was quite atmospheric to listen to, and also contributed to the overall aesthetics of the song. be‘s strongest part (and highlight) has to be the instrumental break. In the midst of the song, you get this rather choppy and random assortment of synths that forms the instrumental break, which pulls back your attention to the song. I really enjoyed how fitting it was with the overall aesthetic of be, and how cohesive it felt. It also added a level of dynamism and edge to the song, which made be even more captivating. It isn’t original technique, but it was definitely a well-used one.

I really liked the message behind the song, which was to his younger self (but it can be applied more broadly to everyone else). It was a simple message to not give up and to push forward, and that his adult self (present day Eunhyuk) would also be a part of his younger self. It is a bit of an abstract idea. But it simply says that your successful self is within you, you just need to push forward to discover that form of yourself. In the video, we see Eunhyuk dance (and is interchanged) with a young boy often, giving a visual representation to his message. At the end, we see Eunhyuk present self ascend to the sky, who looks back and smiles in such a proud and caring way. For the choreography scenes, I quite like the shots with the white stairs, as it felt complimentary to the message. But the one in the carpark and Eunhyuk dressed in green just didn’t fit the aesthetic in my opinion.

The choreography for be looked very cool and interpretative to a degree. I particularly like the swirl that is made with his and the dancers arms at the start of the choruses, and the dance break.

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

[Review] California Love – Donghae (Super Junior) ft. Jeno (NCT)

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In preparation of the upcoming return of Super Junior’s most active subunit, Super Junior D&E, with their first studio-length album (which also marks their 10 year anniversary as a unit), Donghae and Eunhyuk have released their first major solo songs since their debut over 15 years ago. Today, I will be reviewing their solo releases ahead of their official comeback in November. First up is Donghae’s California Love, which features Jeno from NCT.

California Love is another one of those songs that is riddled with a case of excessive autotune. For this R&B pop track, it didn’t feel needed. Donghae has proven himself to be a capable singer without the autotune in other tracks, so I am not sure why all his vocals had to be autotuned throughout the entirety of the track. Sure it could have been used to be an intriguing element, but at least use it sparingly. It just sticks out for the wrong reasons. It is interesting to note that Jeno, who features in the second verse, isn’t as autotuned as Donghae. His rapping does have a bit of filtering to it, but it isn’t as excessive. And I find Jeno’s part to be more appealing as a result, thanks to both the lower degree of the autotune and also the mature vibes he gives off in the song (which compliments the R&B side of the song). For the rest of the song. California Love doesn’t ping as a memorable track. I did like the smoothness of the song overall, and enjoyed the melodies we got from Donghae’s lines (despite the autotune), especially when we got the choruses. It was all enough to make the song pleasant and appreciable, but California Love is not a mind-blowing song.

I think the video does well in the visual department. It definitely shows off the handsome features of Donghae via his closeups (his pink hair just sticks out and is quite a memorable feature of this video), and the city landscape behind him while he drives and dances looks stunning. But I don’t see it being any more than a visually appealing piece. It is definitely nice to see Jeno feature in the music video. As mentioned many times in the past, featuring artists don’t really make it into the video due to unavailability etc. But when they do, I quite liked it. And I feel Jeno does a good job here.

The live performance definitely makes the song much better. On stage, his vocals are not as filtered, and this made the song smoother and pleasanter. He does a good job handling the rapping sections, as well. I guess with the song’s style, we are restricted with the routine’s opportunity to be creative. But it was definitely fitting for the music and pleasant to watch, nonetheless.

Song – 6/10
Music Video – 6.5/10
Performance – 7/10
Overall Rating – 6.4/10