SISTAR19 is a duo subunit from the Summer KPOP queens SISTAR, consisting of HYOLYN and BORA, who debuted way back in 2011 with Ma Boy. They made one comeback as a subunit with Gone Not Around Any Longer in 2013. 11 years on since that last comeback, HYOLYN and BORA have regrouped for a comeback and dropped their new single NO MORE (MA BOY) yesterday.

SISTAR19 were very much known for their two distinct hits back in the day, so I was a little unsure how they would navigate the industry a decade on since their last release. But with what I heard in NO MORE (MA BOY), my concerns were truly invalid. The new song really slides right into the current soundscape of the industry with little resistance. NO MORE (MA BOY) kicks off with an synth intro that takes me back to the disco era. For me, this was a very bold star, reminding me of diva-like tracks. And for SISTAR19 to embrace this association makes logical sense. HYOLYN’s vocals are heavenly here, as well. Moving from the intro, the verses feature a funky beat and solid vocals from both HYOLYN and BORA. That’s right, BORA sings in NO MORE (MA BOY) and doesn’t actually rap at all. Her part is brief in the first verse, but she has a more substantial presence in the second verse. Both sound very confident and sexy, which is definitely a hallmark for SISTAR19 songs. Maybe some rapping could have made NO MORE (MA BOY) better, though. What makes NO MORE (MA BOY) a little more interesting than your typical pop song is that the song’s pre-choruses and choruses sound the same. There are some differences, such as the Korean lyrics at the end of each part. But on the whole, both repeats the catchy repetition of ‘No No … No. Nobody’s perfect‘. The main difference is that the pre-choruses see a more stripped back instrumental that allows you to really focus on the vocals, while the choruses goes into the funky and groovy energy a lot harder. While it does leave the song a little empty, I do find that NO MORE (MA BOY)‘s hook and centrepiece (and by large, the song itself) is super simple, direct and effective here.

The music video showcases the sexiness that we know SISTAR19 can pull off. There is a few looks that the pair pull off effortless, such as the sexy cowgirl and the winter looks. Apart from that, I didn’t find much else to the music video. In addition to those looks are the choreography shots, which I will touch on below.

The choreography looks great. I felt this part of the comeback would have been a tall order to fulfil, given that Ma Boy had the infamous body wave and Gone Not Around Any Longer went really sexy. Here, the main move of the entire routine was simple and could potentially become the next iconic dance move that SISTAR is constantly known for. The rest of the routine is quite dynamic. I also do like how they pay homage to their last comeback with the presence of the table, which is used in the routine differently to their former performance.

Song – 9/10
Music Video – 7/10
Performance – 8.5/10
Overall Rating – 8.3/10 [Updated on 3 March 2024 due to calculation error]