Making their comeback yesterday was NCT DREAM, with the repackaged version of their second studio album. This version of their second studio length album and the title track are both titled Beatbox. This follows the release of Glitch Mode, the title of both their second studio album and title track, back in March of this year. I will be reviewing the full Beatbox and Glitch Mode album versions as a singular album some time in the near future. But until then, enjoy my review for the Beatbox title track.
I gave one listen to Beatbox yesterday upon its official release and I found myself to be bopping along to the music. That is definitely one of the best feelings when a new song comes out – falling right into it as a listener from the get-go. Talking about the get-go (literally the first second or so), the way Mark started off Beatbox with his raspy vocals left a strong impression on me. I just want to keep replaying that one second or so over and over again. What also really attracted me to Beatbox is the atmosphere it created in less than 3 minutes. I found Beatbox to be extremely fun, vibrant, upbeat, energetic, catchy and addictive – all rolled into one package! Perfect as a summer track! And I liked that the choruses felt bold/explosive (relative to the verses), especially for the final run at the end of Beatbox. On top of that, Jeno’s whispered ‘Everywhere I go, bring the beatbox‘ line was super effective and clever in a contrasting sense to practically every other element in the song. For a song titled Beatbox, beatboxing appearing is a no-brainier. Instead of it being the focal point of the vocal/rapping, however, the beatboxing was mixed into the background, bringing a dynamic factor to the song, especially during the instrumental breaks that facilitate the dance breaks we will get in the performances for Beatbox. Pairing with the beatboxing is the rapping, which added to Beatbox‘svibrant profile and colour. This song allowed the rappers to shine and do their thing. The vocals were not in the limelight this time around, but they did enough to maintain and incorporate a pop genre presence in the song. However, the breakdown in the bridge to incorporate some more vocals into Beatbox felt a little cliché for my liking. I don’t mind the use of technique, but I wished the producers were a bit more inventive, just to be on par with the overall creativity I personally felt come from Beatbox.
I felt the video worked really well with Beatbox when it comes to the dynamic and vibrant fronts. I like how a large bulk of it is shot outside in the sun, as opposed to the usual set (though this video didn’t managed to escape the use of sets). The natural lighting really helps makes everything more inviting and appealing to watch. The video portrayed the members as the ‘cool kids on the block’, featuring them at school and at hangout spots outside of school. I also liked their casual and urban looks that they had going on throughout the video. It matches the setting and the vibes in which the song was exuding.
As mentioned earlier, the beatboxing gives off a dynamic feel and this is definitely felt in the choreography. The entire routine was really well done and is probably one of the best I have seen this year thus far. I enjoyed everything for the footwork to the handwork (especially the key move when they perform the line ‘Everywhere I go, bring the beatbox‘) to the different dance breaks we got throughout the performance. The energy they also bring to the performance also made it look so good. I also like how at the end during the vocal sections there were two different sets of moves happening, but yet the stage looked cohesive.
Song – 9/10 Music Video – 9/10 Performance – 10/10 Overall Rating – 9.2/10
It is time we crown the next Queen of KPOP through the second season of Queendom. Following the success of Queendom Season 1 (which crowned Mamamoo as the winner), Road to Kingdom (which gave The Boyz a one way ticket to the next competition) and Kingdom: Legendary War (which crowned Stray Kids as the winner), Queendom is officially back with six new female participants. This season sees WJSN (Cosmic Girls), LOONA, Brave Girls, Kep1er, VVIZ and Hyolyn battle it out for the Queendom title, while Taeyeon (from SNSD) takes the helm as MC this time around.
As I have reviewed part of Queendom, all of Road To Kingdom and Kingdom: Legendary War, I will also be reviewing the stages of Queendom 2, recapping the high caliber performances from each round and also putting forward my thoughts on what the ranking should have been for that round.
Round 3 (Part 1) – Position Unit Battle
For the first part of Round 3, the six competitors split off into groups of two for a battle of vocals and then into different groups of two for a battle of dance. Not all members of each competitor has to compete, but each team must be represented in the battles.
Each group of two for the vocals and dance battles are awarded votes based on their performance. And based on the rankings from these votes (i.e. whichever order they rank in first, second and third), they will be awarded with points that will go to towards their final ranking. I can’t find information on whether the votes are coming from a judging panel or a set number of audience viewers are voting in this round.
For these battles, I will looking at each performance individually, and then have a separate personal ranking for the vocal and dance battles at the very end of the post (where I usually display my personal ranks for the round). These personal ranks, per usual, will be compared to the official rankings from the show. These personal rankings will also be going towards the final ranking to determine the winners of Queendom 2.
Vocals Battle
Don’t Go – Sun and Moon Members: Haseul, Kim Lip, Jinsoul, Chuu (LOONA) & Kim Chaehyun, Seo Youngeun (Kep1er) (Orig. Artist: EXO)
LOONA and Kep1er’s rendition of Don’t Go by EXO was extremely nice and pleasant. Just like the original, this version brought a smile to my face. What was really great about this performance was the fact they had harmonies. It was extremely brief and I wished there were longer harmonies. But it made the performance a bit more riveting in my opinion. I did also wish the vocalists were shown off a bit more in this performance. I am not exactly sure whether they had to stick to the original version to a tee (though a later performance specified otherwise), but a few more expressive moments should have been added to this version to better utilise the members, and allow the other members side from Chuu and Chaeyeon to show off their vocal powers.
The stage had a simple setup where the members sang whilst standing in one spot on some platforms. Flying about next to them (and later behind them) were some butterflies, which have consistently appeared throughout the competition. I wished the members donned some more colourful dresses, just to give the stage a bit of oomph. Nothing too loud, but white is a little too standard for my liking.
Hold My Hand – Universe in Eunha Members: Eunha (VIVIZ) & Yeonjung, Soobin (WJSN) (Orig. Artist: IU)
You can’t go past a vocal battle without an IU song. We saw Eunkwang, Seungmin and Jongho tackle the likes of Love Poem in the Kingdom: Legendary War last year. This time, we see another trio cover another IU song, Hold My Hand. While the two version are quite similar, this Queendom 2 version seems to have amped the instrumentation to create a power-ballad like approach, which I thought was cool. It brought a a new breath of life to the song and made the performance captivating to listen to. Yeonjung handled the song extremely well and her soaring high note was impressive. Soobin pushed herself for this track, and I thought this was a great display of her vocal capabilities. As for Eunha, she handled her parts well just like the others. But I felt her higher pitch was at odds with the other members, simply because it sounded cutesy. I am not entirely sure if was the right way to go for her, given Yeonjung and Soobin’s more ‘standard’ approach with their vocals.
As for the performance, I liked that they moved about. It gave the performance a bit of a dynamic touch. I also liked the green scenery and the sets that Yeonjung and Eunha performed on stage with. They also looked pretty on stage.
To My Youth – 33 Members: Hyolyn & Minyoung (Brave Girls) (Orig. Artist: Bolbbalgan4)
This version of To My Youth was emotionally charged, and I loved every second of it. I liked how they slightly revamped this version by starting out with just piano and guitar, before kicking the song up a notch with the band instrumentation. I note the original version had strings at the start and brought in the kick a lot sooner. Hyolyn kicks off the performance and did a great job throughout to deliver some emotional vocals. Minyoung followed through with her powerful vocals, though I did have the thought that she needed a bit of work to match the emotional level that Hyolyn brought to this stage. I loved their version of the high notes at the end, and their harmonies during this sequence. So captivating and breathtaking.
I liked how the pair started of separated and finished together. The above performance did the exact same, but there is something with Hyolyn sitting on the stage and Minyoung standing elsewhere that really felt bold. I like how the lights shown over the member who was singing at the time, and dimmed when they weren’t singing, allowing the focus to be place squarely on the leading singer. And I liked how the lights were used to form a pattern at the end. The lyrics on the screen and the sketch a character on the screen was also a nice touch to the performance.
For this collaborative stage, I quite enjoyed the cat concept they went for. The green cat eyes on the big screen was very epic and sets the tone for the performance. The green on black is a very cool combination and I feel this video really honed into this (via the cat eyes and the green light that illuminated the gas on the edge of the stage). What was also cool was the image transformation that both the members of VIVIZ and Kep1er underwent for this stage. Both groups have been known for their brighter and cuter concepts, so this dark edgy change in image was definitely memorable and stands out.
As for the choreography, it was a good one. Nothing really stood out for me on an individual basis (both move or member-wise), but I quite liked the entirety of the performance as a whole piece. The dark concept and edgy vibes were portrayed extremely well in the routine. I also like the emphasis on wavy motions throughout the choreography. It was a movement type that I saw was recurring throughout the routine, and I really liked the slow wave that ended off the performance.
For Hyolyn and WJSN’s dance stage, I quite like how they started off aggressive and powerful. This really set the ball in motion for the rest of the routine, which built on these vibes as the performance progressed. In terms of style, it felt like they went with a hip-hop centric routine with a hint of sexiness mixed into the routine. I quite like it, however, I was wanting from the routine by the time the performance ended.
As for the stage, I liked how boldness was the at forefront of the stage. The glitchy and lightning backgrounds made it feel edgy and electrifying. The fluoro outfits were a very bold choice and I liked how they were used at the start (and throughout the performance) for a bit of a wow factor. The ski masks also added to that. Another bold factor to the stage was the use of the body contortionists. Freaky, but definitely another wow factor to the performance.
Tell Me Now – Queen in Me Members: Eunji (Brave Girls) & Heejin, Choerry, Yves, Oliva Hye (LOONA)
The last performance for the night was by Brave Girls and LOONA. This performance, while it went with an edgy look just like the other two dance battles, separated itself by really focusing on the sensual side, as well. The slow motions and the sleekness of the choreography really highlighted this, and brought a different dynamic in which the members could play with that isn’t just powerful or edgy (and it isn’t like the other performances). The moves resemble a image of a cat, which makes this the second performance of the night that had a cat theme going on. Very interesting, indeed.
I really like how alluring and hypnotic the members looked throughout this performance, especially in the black and white scenes. This alone was very memorable and definitely was one of my favourite parts of this stage. The red highlights during the black and white shot was super bold, as well.
And This Round’s Winner Is…
These unit battles were intense in their own right. It was a bit of a shake up to the playing field based on the official results. Hyolyn has held first place for the previous two rounds, but she placed second in both in the vocal and dance battle sections of this first part. Brave Girls and WJSN both emerged as winners placing first overall across the board for this first part of Round 3.
Interestingly, Brave Girls also emerged as overall winners of unit battle stages based on my own picks, which matches up (partly) with the official results released by Queendom 2.
Note that this is only the first part of Round 3, which also consist of the fan-choice round. And so, these are not the final winners of Round 3. For my personal rankings, I will be separating these units from the next lots of stages when I use these personal rankings to determine my personal pick for the final winner of Queendom 2.
But for now, here are my picks for the best stage in both the vocal and dance unit battles.
Vocal Battle Rankings
Position
Official Queendom 2 Ranking
KPOPREVIEWED’s Personal Ranking
1
Universe in Eunha VIVIZ & WJSN (Eunha, Yeonjung, Soobin)
33 Hyolyn & Brave Girls (Hyolyn, Minyoung)
2
33 Hyolyn & Brave Girls (Hyolyn, Minyoung)
Universe in Eunha VIVIZ & WJSN (Eunha, Yeonjung, Soobin)
3
Sun & Moon LOONA & Kep1er (Haseul, Kim Lip. Jinsoul, Chuu, Kim Chaeyeon, Seo Youngeun)
Sun & Moon LOONA & Kep1er (Haseul, Kim Lip. Jinsoul, Chuu, Kim Chaeyeon, Seo Youngeun)
Dance Battle Rankings
Position
Official Queendom 2 Ranking
KPOPREVIEWED’s Personal Ranking
1
Queen Is Me Brave Girls & LOONA (Eunji, Heejin, Choerry, Yves, Oliva Hye)
Queen Is Me Brave Girls & LOONA (Eunji, Heejin, Choerry, Yves, Oliva Hye)
2
Ex-It Hyolyn & WJSN (Hyolyn & Eunseo, Yeoreum)
KeVIZ VIVIZ & Kepler (Sin.B, Umji, Xiaoting, Kim Daeyeon, Hikaru)
3
KeVIZ VIVIZ & Kepler (Sin.B, Umji, Xiaoting, Kim Daeyeon, Hikaru)
It is time we crown the next Queen of KPOP through the second season of Queendom. Following the success of Queendom Season 1 (which crowned Mamamoo as the winner), Road to Kingdom (which gave The Boyz a one way ticket to the next competition) and Kingdom: Legendary War (which crowned Stray Kids as the winner), Queendom is officially back with six new female participants. This season sees WJSN (Cosmic Girls), LOONA, Brave Girls, Kep1er, VVIZ and Hyolyn battle it out for the Queendom title, while Taeyeon (from SNSD) takes the helm as MC this time around.
As I have reviewed part of Queendom, all of Road To Kingdom and Kingdom: Legendary War, I will also be reviewing the stages of Queendom 2, recapping the high caliber performances from each round and also putting forward my thoughts on what the ranking should have been for that round.
Round 2 – Cover Song Battle
In Round 2 of Queendom 2, the competitors had to select one (or two songs in some cases) from another competitor’s discography to reinvent on stage.
In Queendom 2, the rankings were decided by three main criteria: audience votes, global fan votes and assessment from other Queendom 2 acts (i.e. their fellow competitors). These votes and assessments were tallied, and the act with the most points emerged as the winner of this round. The official results of that will be shown at the end of this post, along with my personal ranking from this round.
I will be reviewing the performances based on who went first, and will be looking at song arrangement, concept and choreography for this round.
NAVILLERA – WJSN (Orig. Artist: GFriend)
WJSN chose NAVILLERA from GFriend’s repertoire and really hit the brief of reinventing the song to be their own, yet also maintaining enough of the original song (i.e. the melodies and chorus) to allow the audience to easily recognise the song. The addition of a dynamic post-chorus sequence following the first and final choruses was my highlight of the performance (with the shouty portion of this sequence really sticking in my head for some reason), but I also enjoyed the other new additions to the performance – that is Exy’s rap sequence and the instrumental break that honed into the dark concept (more on that in a second). These additions gave NAVILLERA a fresh vibe and adds a bit of unique/edgier zing. The vocals and rapping on this stage was amazing and so so strong, and Yeonjung’s high note blew me away. Definitely potential to be one of the best performances of the night.
NAVILLERA was known for its bright concept when it was first released, so it was interesting to see WJSN take a dark-ish route with this performance. I am all for the darker concept, though I did feel the arrangement could have really gone more down this direction, just so that everything is a bit more cohesive. But overall, a strong concept nonetheless. I did notice the presence of the hourglass at the end, so I am guessing their performances are all linked to one another. As for the choreography, WJSN changed it all up to be more of their style. The chorus was pretty meh in my opinion, but I liked everything else during the new sections of their version of NAVILLERA, the verses. In particular, I thought Yeorum’s dance break was very alluring and captivating. The only part I didn’t get was the piece of fabric that was pulled over Seola and Yeonjung’s heads during the bridge. We got no wide-shot of this, so I couldn’t see its effect.
SHAKE IT – LOONA (Orig. Artist: Sistar)
LOONA’s version of SISTAR’s SHAKE IT is one that I come back to regularly. While this version isn’t necessarily a departure from the original as both are summery and energetic, LOONA’s version was still a great one. I like how LOONA made their version slightly more intense in the choruses, and it is this that I continually come back for. Also, I just love the overall party feel that comes off from the choruses. I also enjoyed the jazzy bits that formed part of the bridge and allowed for an interlude, and the retro dance break which helps ties arrangement, choreography and concept together. Again, the vocal work is quite strong from all the members, though I think a bit of refinement would have helped make LOONA’s version of SHAKE IT even better.
This performance was cute! Not overly cute that has me cringing, but enough to make the performance vibrant and colourful, which I am sure the direction that LOONA was aiming for. But while it was a fairly strong summery retro concept of transformation from dull to attractive and having some fun, there were parts of the performance that needed some refinement. There was a scene at the start of the stage where the dancers picked up ‘imaginary’ glasses, while Yeojin was holding a physical champagne glass with a glass). It is small details like this that stick out and stays with me, and made the start a little cringy for my taste. Also, I wished the ‘male’ counterparts of the group has took part in the transformation, as well. Once the female counterparts had transformed into hip and colourful outfits, the suits and such looked really dated and felt misplaced. As for the choreography, I liked how energetic and vibrant their take on everything felt. It was fun and LOONA really showed off some cool moves. I also like how they brought back the original choreography at the end, just as a little homage for SISTAR.
MVSK – Brave Girls (Orig. Artist: Kep1er)
Brave Girls probably had the hardest pick of the night. To date, Kep1er has only one title track and a mini-album of three other songs, so Brave Girls had a pretty limited choice in terms of songs for this round. But they ended up going with MVSK. As per the brief for the second round, Brave Girls changed up the song considerably. They moved away from the electronic and synth based instrumental that dominated the original, and went with a more elegant and classy pop instrumental mix. It was very different and makes their version of MVSK clearer than the original. But while they did move away from the original’s electronic synths based instrumental, they did still incorporate some synths into the mix via the choruses and the dance break. For the chorus, it was present more as accents. The dance break, however, touched based with the original’s influence, brought on a fierce and powerful energy and infuses a bit of rock to the performance. It shook things up and while it doesn’t necessary match with the rest, it was cool to watch. I also liked the push for focus on the vocals throughout the performance and harmonies at the end, though the high note section could have been a lot tidier in my opinion.
The classy vibes of the performance made it through via the black and white filter that was applied to the start of the performance (reminding me of older black and white films), while the elegant vibes came through the golden glow of the lights. I quite like the suits in this performance, just because it made sense throughout the entirety of the performance. The dance break was a bit of an odd ball, simply because it goes against the classy and elegant vibes. But like what I mentioned before, it was fierce and powerful. The glow in the dark masks were cool, and it also served as a way for the members to take off their jackets (though over the top. in my opinion). Choreography wise, I think Brave Girls was probably the one of the weakest, just since there wasn’t much going on in the department. But they make it up in all other aspects.
UNNATURAL – VIVIZ (Orig. Artist: WJSN)
VIVIZ’s version of UNNATURAL was the one that seemed to push the boundaries the most. Not because it was daring or went for anything controversial. But instead, it was just because it felt the most different version when compared to the original. They brought a Latin influence to the performance, which is an overdone influence in KPOP in general. But for this stage, I thought was super cool and brought a lively dynamic to the performance. And mixed in alongside of the Latin influence is this Broadway show-like type of vibe during some parts, which also added a lot more flair to this version. Vocally, I felt VIVIZ dominated this round with their solid live vocal performances. Sure, they went with the same melodies for their version, but the instrumental really revamped UNNATURAL up. My only negative comment about the performance was the rapping. I wished there was more body to it in the instrumental, and the delivery was a bit more powerful.
Of course, with their version going down the Latin route instrumentally, it would make the most sense for this to be reflected on stage as well. And we got just that from the very start, thanks to their stunning red and black dresses. I also like how from the start and until the very end, the entire performance had this ‘on the edge of your seat’ type of feel thanks to the intensity. Definitely an impressive feeling to have exuded just from the performance. The grand ending with the flags and the stage pyrotechnics was also perfect. There was also two key moments that were really memorable. The first has to be the mirror shot with Eunha and SinB at the start of the performance, and the second has to be Sin.B’s slide into frame after Umji’s part in the second pre-chorus. With regards to the choreography, I loved that they made full use of their dresses and I love how they kept the Latin influence in throughout the entirety of the routine.
Pool Party (Rollin’ Right Now) – Kep1er (Orig. Artist: Brave Girls)
Kep1er brings summer vibes back to the stage with their mix of Pool Party and Rollin’. It is a very vibrant and colourful mix that definitely sets the scene for a great summery concept (more on that later). However, I felt the style was a bit one-dimensional and that unfortunately flowed onto the other aspects of the performances (i.e. vocals and instrumental). There wasn’t really much going on within the instrumental to comment on, and the vocals were not as showcased as they could have been. While I like the idea of incorporating Rollin’ into the performance, it did muddled things. I kind of understand why Rollin’ was needed (or else the Pool Party sections would have too boring). It should have been tidier and cleaner, in my opinion. However, points must be given for effort, as they are the only group to really go down the two song direction. The rapping faired much better and gave the performance a bit of a surprise factor. Like the other performances, there is a dance break where the bridge of the performance should have been, and I felt the strings and then rock style instrumental was a nice way of incorporating different dynamics (i.e. elegance to intensity) into the performance.
The performance started off with a Alice In Wonderland style introduction with Yeseo playing the titular character. However, this only lasted a short while, as Yeseo quickly underwent a costume change and we launched right into the undersea/ocean concept for this summery stage. I liked the energy that the members brought to the stage and the smiles instantly added brightness to the performance. The bubble was a cute touch to the performance, while the pink outfits brought a nice contrast to the predominately blue stage (as it was an under ocean concept). As for the choreography aspect of this stage, the group went with a completely new routine, though they did keep the iconic Rollin’ move for the first chorus. The dance break we got was super cool and was the highlight of the stage, especially when it was kicked up a notch via the rock influences.
So What – Hyolyn (Orig. Artist: LOONA)
Hyolyn without a doubt has proved herself to be a front runner in this competition and this stage just confirms that once again. LOONA’s So What allows Hyolyn to show off her vocals in a spectacular fashion and gives her an opportunity to be punchy about it. Hyolyn really uses a lot of vocal styles that we have heard from the soloist in some form before, such as lower registers, powerful high notes, emphasising husky and raspy tones. On the instrumental side, Hyolyn’s version of So What felt more aggressive and sleek, which hits the brief of reinventing the original, but also really showcasing Hyolyn’s versatility. Though, it isn’t really much different to the original version by LOONA. The surprising element of Hyolyn’s arrangement of So What was the inclusion of PTT and its ‘Ra Ta Ta‘ hook. It was unexpected, but it fitted in so well with her version of the song.
What a bold start to the performance. To see Hyolyn floating in the circular frame up above the stage with a Catwoman outfit get-up on definitely added a wow factor to the performance. The green lighting and white gas cloud looked very cool and suspenseful. For the rest of the performance, Hyolyn is aggressive when it comes to her live vocals and her dance performance as well. This performance also shows off her charismatic side, as well. And damn, she looks sexy in her tight black outfit. Again, I like how she engages with the audience, showing her experience on the stage. For the choreography, I liked the attitude filled style that she and the dancers went for. It just really concentrated everything from the song arrangement and concept into a powerful and fiery package that she and the dancers execute so well.
And This Round’s Winner Is…
With this round, I don’t think we can tell yet who the winner is. Based on the official rankings, it appears that Hyolyn is currently in that hot seat, racing towards the finale. And congratulations indeed to Hyolyn for holding onto the top spot for the second round in a row. But from how I see it, things aren’t clear cut.
My personal ranking for this round disagrees with the official ranking, with the entire board reshuffled. So without any further delays, here are my rankings for the second round of Queendom 2. Do you agree with me? Let me know in the comments section below.
Position
Official Queendom 2 Ranking
KPOPREVIEWED’s Personal Ranking
1
Hyolyn
VIVIZ
2
LOONA
Hyolyn
3
WJSN
LOONA
4
VIVIZ
WJSN
5
Kep1er
Brave Girls
6
Brave Girls
Kep1er
Up next: Queendom 2 – Round 3 (Part 1) – Position Unit Battle – Ep. 6 & 7
Making their comeback yesterday is SEVENTEEN with their fourth studio-album titled Face The Sun. Leading the album is the title track simply titled as HOT. This comeback comes after the group’s Attacca mini-album and Rock With You comeback from October 2021, their Power of Love Japanese comeback and the first English language single Darl+ing (which is also getting its own review via the International Song Review segment and is featured on this fourth studio length album).
I liked that SEVENTEEN has returned to a heftier, harder and edgier dance track for this comeback. While I do like their other works, like their more recent pop-rock infused Korean comeback, SEVENTEEN’s darker (i.e. Getting Closer) or their powerful dance tracks (i.e. HIT) have also been favourites of mine. And HOT really encapsulates (without a doubt) that ‘powerful dance track’, with its high-energy instrumental elements, vocals and raps. I felt the darker profile of the group is there to a degree in HOT, but that might also in play thanks to the music video for this comeback (more on that later). Personally, I don’t mind HOT‘s chorus. There was a sexy and edgy hip-hop motif to it in the first half and an explosive feel to the second half of the chorus. The energetic dance instrumental is quite exciting, powerful but also fun, though I feel that there is potential for that whistle repetition to do my head in if I were to play the song excessively (though we are not there yet). The pre-choruses and bridge were quite impressive, showcasing their vocals so well. Talking about vocals, I got to mention the autotune usage in this song. I will definitely say it is a bit much, practically blasting us with autotune as soon as the song start. But I will hold back in describing its usage as ‘excessive’ (though it did occur to me briefly at first). I see the charm in the use of autotune in this song, as it really added a dynamic vibe, excitement and ups the energy to HOT. All of which works towards HOT’s favour. I did wish we got to hear punchier rap deliveries from the group’s rappers that weren’t smothered in autotune, as HOT would have been a great piece for them to flaunt their energetic styles. But overall, HOT was still one hot-damn piece for me.
SEVENTEEN turns up the temperature with their fiery music video for HOT. It definitely works with South Korea’s upcoming Summer season and the members’ more mature looks that they have been developing since their debut seven years ago (!). There are a lot of sun and fire imagery throughout the video, though offset with some darker scenes to allow the red fiery colour to pop out. And also part of the video is also set in the desert and these scenes give off Mad Max-like vibes (but not really). All of these references and vibes makes sense, as the video and lyrics depicts the members’ willingness and confidence moving forward with their journey as a group in even the harshest of conditions (taken from SOOMPI). For this video, it is their references to heat, which we all know can be extremely harsh. I enjoyed the intricate editing that strung all the scenes in this video together. The most memorable scene in this music video is THE8’s beat box-like moment at the start of the song, where his image dominated the screen. It was a cool moment and definitely left a strong impression on me.
Per usual, the synchronisation between the SEVENTEEN members is on point throughout the performance. It amazes me each time and takes everything to the next level. The body rolls we get in the performance make sense (how else does KPOP show off ‘HOT’!) and the rest of the routine for the chorus felt powerful and strong. Hoshi and Dino from the performance team caught my attention in this performance, as they really put their all into the stage and made their centre parts memorable.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 9/10 Overall Rating – 8.2/10
Also returning this week is Kang Daniel. It has been almost three years since the solo artist made his solo debut (and five years since he made his official solo debut as part of the Wanna One lineup). Yet, it was only on Tuesday that Kang Daniel release his first solo studio-length album titled The Story, which features the title track Upside Down. This is his first solo comeback since the release of Antidote. Since then, he has been quite busy. He has released a string of singles and collaborated with a number of artists. He has also made his acting debut, was a MC for Street Woman Fighter and Street Dance Girls Fighter, and also reunited with his fellow Wanna One members for the release of Beautiful (Part 3) and a special performance at the 2021 MAMAs.
For me, Upside Down had boring verses. I am not a big fan of the metallic percussion that features heavily during the verses (nor when it re-emerged throughout the song). Kang Daniel’s vocals felt sluggish. When you pair the likes of the metallic percussion and vocals, everything felt overly airy and empty, which isn’t a great first impression for the first verse. However, the saying ‘not to judge a book by its cover’ applies to Upside Down. As I stuck around for more of Upside Down, it got better thanks to the chorus. Said chorus is not striking, energetic or dynamic. Instead, the chorus built on those boring verses (allowing Upside Down to be percieved as more cohesive) and created a relatively livelier atmosphere by the addition of softened synths punches, heavier bass and a more filled out instrumental. Kang Daniel’s vocals should have also built a bit to stand out over this relatively amped up instrumental, as I felt he was almost on the verge of being drowned out. But he did enough to be still be heard, so I guess it was fine. Compared to the verses, the chorus was more satisfying. Upside Down‘s bridge provided an even moodier atmosphere, thanks the to the presence of that elongated bass and squeaky synth. I liked how it worked well with the chorus of the song. The small sequence of the vocals we do get in the bridge was paired with strumming electric guitar, before we are taken back to the chorus for one final time. Kang Daniel’s ad-libs throughout the final chorus was probably his most impressive vocal effort in the entirety of Upside Down. Overall, Upside Down receives a mixed response from me. It is good in some parts, but bland in others.
I quite like the video. His visuals are very strong and he looks good throughout the video in his casual wear. But for me, it is the editing for this video that takes the cake for me. The way the video portrays the upside down world that Kang Daniel refers to in his lyrics are shown by Kang Daniel dancing on the side of the building (though I suspect this would have been possible thanks to a crane) and also underneath the roof of a theatre’s entrance. I also like the alternating day and night scenes at the start of the video. The camera work also helped make the video feel more dynamic, especially during the final chorus.
I liked the inclusive feel of the choreography and the chemistry in which Kang Daniel shares with his fellow dancers on stage. As for the individual moves, they just weren’t memorable. But they did fit in with the lowkey vibes of the song. I also did like how he incorporated the start of the music video with the start of the choreography. The impressive part has to be when Kang Daniel pulls out his b-boying experience for the bridge, which I personally thought was super cool to watch.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.4/10
AB6IX also made their comeback earlier this week with their new single SAVIOR and mini-album, A to B. This is the first time we are seeing the group following the release of 1,2,3 and the Complete With You special mini-album from January this year, and the group’s last promotions for CHERRY and MO’ COMPLETE from September of last year.
For me, I felt SAVIOR was disjointed. It felt like two or three different ‘songs’ were mashed together, but not to the extent where I can say the ‘songs’ were cohesively mixed. This is thanks to brief pauses between parts of SAVIOR and some of the parts (i.e. verse vs. pre-chorus vs. chorus, and final chorus vs. end of the song) being very distinctive to each other. I feel any hope for SAVIOR to feel cohesive might come about through repeated listens, but that feeling is probably a long way away for this track. Had it been more cohesive from the start, I think SAVIOR would have been a strong track. I really enjoyed the abrasiveness of the synths and the heaviness of the bass when it came to the first verse. The producers really delved deep into that side, and thus created a really stylish and suspenseful atmosphere. Woojin’s rapping really popped in this first verse. Similarly, his rapping also popped out in the second verse, thanks to the cool drums that appear in that section. As for the pre-choruses, I liked how commanding Donghyun, Daehwi and Woong’s vocals were. It spins SAVIOR in a slightly different direction by adding a different flavour to the song. For the chorus, we get an anti-drop that plays with the first verses’ instrumental. I wished the chorus continued the incline from verse to pre-chorus, instead of repeating similar vibes of the verses. It unfortunately made SAVIOR feel a bit flat. However, that flat feeling (particuarly following the third chorus) is lost once we reach the end of the song where AB6IX kicks up the song with what feels like a dynamic rock sequence (though I think it is more synths than rock). I wished SAVIOR explored a bit more of this (maybe bring it in during the choruses to continue the song’s inclining trajectory, and then insert another dynamic ender to the song?). I might be asking for a lot, but I really do think SAVIOR would have benefited from a more connected experience.
It comes as no surprise to me that the video opts for a dark and edgy concept to match the song’s instrumental and atmosphere. Not too sure if there is a plot in this video, however. I did like the eerie start to the video, but it soon becomes more of a tense video than anything else (as evident by the dramatic change in momentum just before the final chorus). I also liked the post-production added to the choreography scenes. It was subtle, but it looked cool. The lighting in this video (i.e. during the verses and the rock sequence at the end) was another cool element to the video.
As for the choreography, the arm work at the start of the routine perked my interest and the energy at the end that they put into the choreography really wrapped up the performance well. But the in between bit was standard and didn’t offer anything memorable to talk about.
Song – 7/10 Music Video – 7.5/10 Performance – 7.5/10 Overall Rating – 7.3/10
When a full group leaves a company and goes their separate ways whilst also stating that they have not disbanded, it is quite rare for them to return to group promotions. We have seen it occur before, but more often than not, they stay separated. Yesterday, GOT7 moved from solo promotions back to group promotions with their new single titled NANANA and a self-titled mini-album (their 12th mini-album to date). This marks their first release since Encore in 2021, since the group departed from JYP Entertainment, and since each member embarked on their own solo careers. Prior to yesterday’s comeback, GOT7 also regrouped for a two day fan meet, as well.
As a GOT7 fan, I don’t think I can dislike NANANA. It is great to revisit and hear GOT7 as a whole group once again. And whatever song they do comeback with, I am most likely going to be down for it. But that is my bias coming though. Looking at NANANA subjectively, however, I find the song to be quite typical when it comes to the R&B and hip-hop landscape. It is one of those songs that I would describe as ‘pleasant but nothing more’. Subdued also accurately describes the song. There is nothing wrong with this style and direction, but I personally wished NANANA had more of a kick to it. That being said, however, NANANA does have its place in GOT7’s music profile, complementing past side tracks that the members have produced or written by themselves for the group. The light nature of the instrumentation and some of the vocal work gives NANANA that pleasant vibe that I mentioned. There is also a chill vibe coming from the instrumentation, which does help make the song more appealing. For the rest of the vocals, I quite liked the emphasis on huskiness from some of the members like Jinyoung (in the first verse) and JAY B (as a rapper in the second verse). I also like the textures when it came to the choruses, with Jackson starting off the chorus with his extremely hoarse vocals before passing the baton onto Youngjae, whose vocals are a lot smoother. The rapping by Mark and BamBam was quite fine, as well. NANANA‘s main hook followed the choruses. And while it was pretty standard and typical, it actually catches on fine. Overall, NANANA is not a bad song. It is just more tame than what I had expected.
Let me start by saying that it is great to see the members together once again (if I haven’t already made that point clear). Now, onto the video. I quite like the concept for this music video and comeback. Based on interviews for this comeback, the members have express that the concept was about ‘house-building’, where the house-building is about building a new start. It is a neat way to look at where the group is at in their career. It is also quite cool to see abstract sets that look modern and contemporary. I quite like the colours of this video as well, helping make the video appear pleasant and quite easy on the eyes. The members also look great throughout the video.
Unlike their routines in the past, NANANA‘s choreography followed the song direction in that it was pleasant. There wasn’t anything that memorable, but it was a nice chilled performance where the members looked like they enjoy their time on stage after their hiatus as a group.
Song – 8/10 Music Video – 8/10 Performance – 7/10 Overall Rating – 7.8/10
Another week, another Weekly KPOP Chart post for the past week. I am going to breeze past this introduction again this week, as I want to work on a song review for AB6IX and the next Queendom 2 post (which I expect to post tomorrow). So without any further delays, here are the Weekly KPOP Charts for the 3rd Week of May 2022.
New releases of the Week
In addition to the reviews I wrote for ASTRO’s Candy Sugar Pop and ONEUS’ Bring It On, here are the other new releases of the week:
Fanfare – Davichi
DEEP – HYO (SNSD)
MOVE – TNX
Savior – AB6IX
ARIA – Yerin
Roommate – ONEWE
canvas – BF
Until The End – Han Dong Geun
Wish You Were Here – LUMINOUS
Rocky – ATEEZ
Throwback Corner
Unfortunately, there is no Throwback song for this week. I did listen to a couple of tracks this week, but nothing really perked my interest. So, I will be dipping into last week’s history and pulling out a GOT7 track (remember I was doing a GOT7 binge in preparation for their comeback). The track in question is GOT7’s 2018 single, Lullaby.
Non-Korean Release of the Week
The highest ranking non-Korean song this week is the Japanese version of the ATEEZ’s Rocky, which placed in the 7th position for this past week. I have previously reviewed the Korean version of Rocky, which is featured on ATEEZ’s 7th mini-album, Zero: Fever Part 3, which you can have a read of here.
The Charts
Congratulations to ASTRO for topping the Weekly KPOP Chart for the 3rd Week of May 2022 with their latest comeback single, Candy Sugar Pop. For more of the charts, keep on reading.
